Fantasy Baseball News 2007

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

The Star Align
On Tuesday night the leagues brightest stars will align for this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco. Future Hall of Famers like Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols will all meet up for the star-studded exhibition contest. With the brief time off, each MLB team will be limited to just one series for the week. There will be no two-start pitchers this period, but the week will count just the same in the standings. In head-to-head leagues especially, anything can happen. With most league's lineup deadline falling on Thursday, The Week Ahead will prepare you for the shortened week.

Two-start pitchers:
None (due to All-Star break)

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Four-game schedule: BAL, BOS, CHC, CHW, CIN, DET, HOU, MIN, NYM, NYY, OAK, SEA, TOR, TB
Three-game schedule: ARI, ATL, CLE, COL, FLA, KC, LA, LAA, MIL, PHI, PIT, SD, SF, STL, TEX, WAS

Rain threatened games:
Thursday 7/21: CHW @ BAL (40%), TOR @ BOS (40%), CIN @ NYM (40%)
Friday, 7/22: PIT @ ATL (40%),
Saturday, 7/23: PIT @ ATL (40%)
Sunday, 7/24: PIT @ ATL (60%), WAS @ FLA (60%), TOR @ BOS (60%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN - MLB Park Factors - Major League Baseball
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.271 runs ? 4 vs TOR
4. Jacobs Field (Indians) 1.126 runs ? 3 vs KC
6T. Wrigley Field (Cubs) 1.112 runs ? 4 vs HOU
8. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 1.094 runs ? 3 vs WAS
9. Citizens Bank Park (Phillies) 1.057 runs ? 3 vs STL

No Games: 2. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.211 runs, 3. Kauffman Stadium (Royals) 1.171 runs, 5. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.133 runs, 6T. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.112 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
1. Turner Field (Braves) 0.814 runs - 3 vs PIT
5. Safeco Field (Mariners) 0.906 runs ? 4 vs DET
6. Tropicana Field (Devil Rays) 0.897 runs ? 4 vs NYY
9. Camden Yards (Orioles) 0.913 runs ? 4 vs CHW
11. Miller Park (Brewers) 0.941 runs ? 3 vs COL

No Games: 2. Petco Park (Padres) 0.821 runs, 3. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.892 runs, 4. Busch Stadium (Cardinals) 0.888 runs, 7. PNC Park (Pirates) 0.907 runs, 8. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.910 runs, 10. McAfee Stadium (Athletics) 0.929 runs

Caught Stealing %:
Toughest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. David Ross, CIN 19-for-37 (48.6%) ? 4 @ NYM
2. Gerald Laird, TEX 37-for-62 (40.3%) ? 3 @ LAA
3. Ronny Paulino, PIT 33-for-54 (38.9%) ? 3 @ ATL
4. Kenji Johjima, SEA 24-for-38 (36.8%) ? 4 vs DET
5. Russell Martin, LA 44-for-69 (36.2%) ? 3 @ SF

Facing these catchers is bad news for Jose Reyes (44-for-55 SB), David Wright (18-for-19 SB), Carlos Beltran (13-for-15 SB), Chone Figgins (20-for-25 SB), Reggie Willits (18-for-21 SB), Gary Matthews Jr. (12-for-16 SB), Dave Roberts (15-for-17 SB), Willie Harris (14-for-18 SB), Gary Sheffield (12-for-16 SB)

Easiest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. Jason Varitek, BOS 26-for-32 (18.8%) ? 4 vs TOR
2. Michael Barrett, SD 46-for-57 (19.3%) ? 3 @ ARI
3. Jason Kendall, OAK 55-for-69 (20.3%) ? 4 vs CHW
4. Brian McCann, ATL 35-for-44 (20.5%) ? 3 vs PIT
5. Johnny Estrada, MIL 38-for-48 (20.8%) ? 3 vs COL

Facing these catchers is good news for Eric Byrnes (17-for-23 SB), Chris Duffy (13-for-17 SB), Willy Taveras (20-for-28 SB), Kaz Matsui (16-for-18 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (2 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (4 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (1 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (1 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers) Note: FRI vs KC (TBA)
Detroit: (3 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (1 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (3 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers
Minnesota: (2 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (3 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (3 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (2 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (2 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (3 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (3 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Orioles, White Sox (three), Royals, Twins, Mariners and Devil Rays play multiple southpaws this week, while the Red Sox, Rangers and Angels don't face any. That's good news for Corey Patterson (.320 vs LHPs), Jay Payton (.313 vs LHPs), Torii Hunter (.349 vs LHPs), Jeff Cirillo (.350 vs LHPs), Mike Redmond (.313 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2353"]Jose Guillen[/URL] (.375 vs LHPs), Kenji Johjima (.393 vs LHPs), Ichiro Suzuki (.374 vs LHPs), Jose Vidro (.324 vs LHPs), Akinori Iwamura (.379 vs LHPs), Brendan Harris (.321 vs LHPs), David Ortiz (.340 vs RHPs), Kevin Youkilis (.338 vs RHPs), Marlon Byrd (.376 vs RHPs), Orlando Cabrera (.331 vs RHPs), Chone Figgins (.322 vs RHPs)

And bad news for A.J. Pierzynski (.211 vs LHPs), Tadahito Iguchi (.205 vs LHPs), Jim Thome (.214 vs LHPs), Luis Terrera (.233 vs LHPs), Ryan Shealy (.125 vs LHPs), Alex Gordon (.206 vs LHPs), John Buck (.225 vs LHPs), Luis Rodriguez (.100 vs LHPs), Jason Tyner (.190 vs LHPs), Luis Castillo (.217 vs LHPs), Nick Punto (.205 vs LHPs), Justin Morneau (.224 vs LHPs), Richie Sexson (.239 vs LHPs), Dioner Navarro (.172 vs LHPs), Jorge Cantu (.225 vs LHPs), Carlos Pena (.227 vs LHPs), Julio Lugo (.181 vs RHPs), Wily Mo Pena (.176 vs RHPs), Eric Hinske (.205 vs RHPs), Gerald Laird (.227 vs RHPs), Jerry Hairston Jr. (.185 vs RHPs), Sammy Sosa (.216 vs RHPs), Brad Wilkerson (.221 vs RHPs), Jose Molina (.203 vs RHPs), Maicer Izturis (.200 vs RHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (3 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (1 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (3 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (3 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (3 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (1 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (1 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
New York Mets: (4 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Pittsburgh: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers))
San Francisco: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (2 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Braves, Marlins and Astros (three) play multiple left-handers this week, while the Diamondbacks, Rockies and Mets don't see one. That is good news for Edgar Renteria (.336 vs LHPs), Matt Diaz (.342 vs LHPs), Yunel Escobar (.327 vs LHPs), Miguel Cabrera (.406 vs LHPs), Hanley Ramirez (.412 vs LHPs), Miguel Olivo (.365 vs LHPs), Mike Jacobs (.333 vs LHPs), Hunter Pence (.392 vs LHPs), Craig Biggio (.355 vs LHPs), Eric Byrnes (.337 vs RHPs), Matt Holliday (.349 vs RHPs), Ruben Gotay (.345 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Scott Thorman (.183 vs LHPs), Chris Woodward (.222 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3187"]Craig Wilson[/URL] (.209 vs LHPs), Andruw Jones (.206 vs LHPs), Josh Willingham (.179 vs LHPs), Reggie Abercrombie (.152 vs LHPs), Jason Lane (.146 vs LHPs), Lance Berkman (.235 vs LHPs), Morgan Ensberg (.226 vs LHPs), Carlos Quentin (.224 vs RHPs), Chris Snyder (.220 vs RHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] (.234 vs RHPs), Steve Finley (.165 vs RHPs), Jose Valentin (.230 vs RHPs), Damion Easley (.218 vs RHPs), Carlos Delgado (.229 vs RHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 16:
Garrett Olsen, Ryan Feiarabend, Jose Contreras, Fausto Carmona, John Thomson, Josh Beckett, Brandon McCarthy, Joe Blanton, Jesse Litsch, Kei Igawa, Brandon Webb, Jeff Suppan, Aaron Harang, John Smoltz, Jason Hirsh, John Van Benschoten, Roy Oswalt, Jason Simontacchi, Oliver Perez, David Wells, Kyle Kendrick, Derek Lowe, Tim Lincecum, Carlos Zambrano, Branden Looper, Sergio Mitre

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Moises Alou (quadriceps) ? return early July
Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) ? out indefinitely
Travis Buck (thumb) ? return late July
Freddie Bynum (hamstring) ? return late July
Endy Chavez (hamstring) ? return late July
Jeff DaVanon (shoulder) ? return early August
Chris Denorfia (elbow) ? out for the season
Jim Edmonds (back) ? return early July
Darin Erstad (ankle) ? return mid-July
Carlos Gomez (hand) ? return mid-August
Bobby Kielty (calf) ? return early July
Scott Podsednik (oblique) ? return late July
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return July/August
Cody Ross (hamstring) ? return mid-July
Reggie Sanders (hamstring) ? return July
Termel Sledge (thumb) ? return late July
Jayson Werth (wrist) ? return mid-July
Rondell White (calf) ? return early July
Preston Wilson (knee) ? out for the season

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) ? out indefinitely
Hank Blalock (arm) ? return August
Aaron Boone (knee) ? return mid-July
Juan Castro (elbow) ? return late July
Joe Crede (back) ? likely out for the season
David Eckstein (back) ? return early July
Adam Everett (leg) ? return August
Cristian Guzman (thumb) ? out for the season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? return July
Ian Kinsler (foot) ? return August
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return August/September
Doug Mientkiewicz (wrist) ? return August
Lyle Overbay (wrist) ? return mid-July
Pablo Ozuna (leg) ? return August/September
Jason Smith (abdomen) ? out indefinitely
Miguel Tejada (wrist) ? return August
Mark Teixeira (quadriceps) ? return mid-July
B.J. Upton (quadriceps) ? return early July

Catchers:
Eliezer Alfonzo (knee) ? return August/September
Henry Blanco (neck) ? return early July
Hector Gimenez (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Mike Napoli (ankle) ? return late July
Vance Wilson (elbow) ? out for the season

Designated Hitter:
David Dellucci (hamstring) ? return September
Jason Giambi (foot) ? out indefinitely
Mike Piazza (shoulder) ? return mid-July
Mike Sweeney (knee) ?

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Micah Bowie (hip) ? return mid-August
A.J. Burnett (shoulder) ? return late July
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? return August/September
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return July/August
Gustavo Chacin (elbow) ? return mid-July
Lance Cormier (arm) ? return early July
Zach Duke (elbow) ? return late July
Freddy Garcia (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Shawn Hill (elbow) ? return late July
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Phil Hughes (hamstring) ? return July/August
Josh Johnson (forearm) ? return late July
Randy Johnson (back) ? return late July
Jeff Karstens (leg) ? out indefinitely
Jon Lieber (ankle) ? return September
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return July
Adam Loewen (elbow) ? out for the season
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return August
Wade Miller (back) ? out indefinitely
Eric Milton (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return July
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return mid-July
Russ Ortiz (arm) ? return late July
Vicente Padilla (triceps) ? return mid-July
John Patterson (biceps) ? out indefinitely
Carl Pavano (elbow) ? out for the season
Oliver Perez (back) ? return mid-July
Mark Prior (shoulder) ? out for the season
Horacio Ramirez (shoulder) ? return early July
Darrell Rasner (finger) ? return August/September
Curt Schilling (shoulder) ? return late July
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) ? out for the season
John Smoltz (shoulder) ? return late July
Jorge Sosa (hamstring) ? return mid-July
Steve Trachsel (gluteus) ? return late July
Randy Wolf (shoulder) ? return mid-July
Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Victor Zambrano (arm) ? return early July

Important Relievers:
Danys Baez (arm) ? return early July
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (shoulder) ? out for the season
Jesse Crain (shoulder) ? out for the season
Ryan Dempster (ribs) ? return mid-July
Elmer Dessens (shoulder) ? return early July
Brendan Donnelly (arm) ? return early July
Justin Duchscherer (hip) ? out for the season
Mike Gonzalez (elbow) ? out for the season
Tom Gordon (shoulder) - return early July
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return mid-July
Angel Guzman (arm) ? return mid-July
Hong-Chih Kuo (elbow) ? return early August
Brandon League (shoulder) ? return early July
Brad Lidge (ribs) ? return late July
Brett Myers (shoulder) ? return early July
Joel Pineiro (ankle) ? return late July
Al Reyes (rotator cuff) ? return late July
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? out for the season
Fernando Rodney (biceps) ? return mid-July
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? out for the season
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Huston Street (elbow) ? out indefinitely
Salomon Torres (elbow) ? return mid-July
Ryan Wagner (rotator cuff) ? out for the season
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return late July
Joel Zumaya (finger) ? return August

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

White Sox Sign Buehrle
The actual games might be on hold for a few days, but the fantasy news never stops, so let's get right to the notes from around baseball ?

* Despite his long injury history, the A's decided to move Rich Harden back into the rotation Saturday after he made just three appearances out of the bullpen (and complained of soreness after the second one). Harden struggled against the Mariners, allowing four runs in 2.2 innings, and said afterward that he felt "off" physically. He continued to experience discomfort Sunday and is now scheduled to visit Dr. Lewis Yocum.

A trip to see Yocum is often a precursor to surgery and general manager Billy Beane didn't rule that option out when asked about it Sunday. "We'll wait and see what the doctor says, but ultimately it will be up to Rich," Beane said. "We won't know until he sees the doctor, but obviously this has been bothering him for quite awhile. It's been almost three months and it's still bothering him. To expect he'll just be better in two weeks is unrealistic.''

Beane also said that "it would be sort of foolish to plan on Rich being back soon." While Harden suffering yet another setback should surprise no one at this point, he looked great while tossing four scoreless innings in relief and his tremendous upside never fails to get fantasy owners' hopes up in a hurry. Surgery would obviously be the worst-case scenario and would knock Harden out for the season, but either way counting on him down the stretch is foolish.

* After a solid month of daily trade rumors and negotiation updates, Mark Buehrle and the White Sox finally agreed to a four-year contract extension Sunday. The deal gives Buehrle a no-trade clause through next season and pays $56 million to keep him in Chicago through 2011. If he's traded during the window in which his no-trade clause is inactive and his 10-and-5 rights haven't kicked in, then a fifth season gets tacked onto the deal at $15 million.

While locking any pitcher up to a four-year, $56 million deal is a big risk, Buehrle will be just 32 years old at the end of the contract and almost certainly would have cashed in for more money on the open market this offseason. In fact, an argument could certainly be made for Buehrle being every bit as good as Barry Zito, who received $126 million from the Giants over the winter. Incidentally, Zito has begun his Giants career by going 6-9 with a 4.90 ERA during the first half.

* Homer Bailey recovered from back-to-back rough outings to toss five innings of one-run ball Sunday, but was demoted back to Triple-A following the game. However, the move was merely done to let Bailey remain on his normal schedule through the All-Star break. He'll make one start at Louisville and then return to the Reds' rotation. As general manager Wayne Krivsky explained Sunday, "He wouldn't have pitched until eight or nine days from now."

Bailey has turned in three strong outings in six starts, but gave up 5, 6, and 7 runs in his other three games. The end result is an ugly stat line that includes a 6.99 ERA, 15-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 1.76 WHIP in 28.1 innings. Despite that, the Reds seem committed to leaving him in the rotation to sink or swim as their fifth starter. While Bailey is clearly one of baseball's elite pitching prospects, counting on him to be a fantasy asset in the second half is a stretch.

* They haven't received nearly as much hype as they did last season, but both reigning MVPs finished the first half on fire. Ryan Howard heads into the break riding a modest six-game hitting streak during which he drove in 10 runs. Howard was batting just .204 with an .809 OPS when he was placed on the disabled list in early May, but has hit .288 with 15 homers, 44 RBIs, and a 1.011 OPS in 41 games since returning.

Meanwhile, Justin Morneau followed up a three-homer, six-RBI game Friday against the White Sox by homering again Sunday off Javier Vazquez, giving him a .295 batting average, 24 homers, 74 RBIs, and a .945 OPS at the break. Last year at this time Morneau was hitting .300 with 23 homers, 73 RBIs, and a .939 OPS, so he's almost exactly where he was halfway through his MVP-winning campaign.

* It's long been forgotten, but Gary Sheffield began the season in a 7-for-59 (.119) slump. Sheffield finished the first half by going 3-for-4 with a homer and two doubles Sunday, giving him a .347 batting average, 20 homers, 53 RBIs, 68 runs, 11 steals, and a 1.086 OPS in 65 games since. After missing 123 games in 2006, Sheffield heads into the All-Star break among the AL's top 10 in homers, RBIs, runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and walks.

AL Quick Hits: After going up nine runs Sunday to push his road ERA to 8.59, Ervin Santana is reportedly in danger of losing his spot in the rotation to Joe Saunders ? Barring another setback, B.J. Upton (quadriceps) looks likely to begin the second half with the Devil Rays ? Jon Garland is scheduled to start the first game of the second half, but said Sunday that his shoulder has a "knot" in it and "definitely doesn't feel 100 percent" ? A stomach ailment kept Manny Ramirez out of Sunday's lineup, but he struck out looking as a pinch-hitter and expects to play in the All-Star game ? Lyle Overbay (wrist) smacked a grand slam in a minor-league rehab game Saturday at Double-A ? His ERA remains hideous, but Kevin Millwood tossed six innings of one-run ball Sunday for his third straight Quality Start ? Magglio Ordonez (heel) and Placido Polanco (lat) both sat out Sunday, but hope to suit up for the All-Star game ? Alex Rodriguez put an exclamation point on his phenomenal first half by smacking his MLB-leading 30th homer and also leads baseball with 86 RBIs.

NL Quick Hits: Chris Carpenter (elbow) tossed three shutout innings in a minor-league rehab start Sunday at Single-A ? Scott Olsen left Sunday's game with back stiffness, but said afterward that he doesn't expect to miss a start ? Ryan Dempster (oblique) is no longer expected to return Friday, giving Bob Howry more time with ninth-inning duties ? After letting Ricky Ledee go Sunday, the Mets could be on the verge of making Lastings Milledge (foot) their starting left fielder ? Meanwhile, starting right fielder Shawn Green went 0-for-4 Sunday and has hit just .200 with five RBIs in 100 at-bats since coming off the shelf ? Sunday marked Jason Bay's first homer since June 22 and first multi-hit game since June 21 ? Tom Gordon (shoulder) could come off the disabled list as soon as this weekend ? Miguel Cabrera (shoulder) has been scratched from the Home Run Derby, but may still play in the All-Star game ? After going 2-for-4 with a homer Sunday, Kaz Matsui has hit .325 with 40 RBIs, 61 runs, 24 steals, and an .846 OPS in 78 games since being traded to the Rockies.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Buy Low for the Second Half
Rather than complain about ESPN's annoying coverage of the already boring Home Run Derby or act like tonight's All-Star game is worth previewing, I figured it would be a good time to go over my "buy-low" and "sell-high" picks for the second half. I'll tackle the sell-high guys tomorrow, but today let's focus on the buy-low versions. The idea here is pretty simple: Identify players who a) saw their value drop during a bad first half, and b) figure to turn things around in the second half.

Bronson Arroyo (SP, Reds) ? Arroyo began the year with a 2.64 ERA through mid-May, but then had a brutal four-start stretch in which he posted a 13.25 ERA while allowing opponents to bat .398 with a 1.199 OPS. There was some speculation that he was pitching hurt, but he's turned things around with four solid starts in his past five outings. Even if his actual performance doesn't improve a ton, Arroyo's 3-9 record figures to benefit from a little more luck and some run support.

Dave Bush (SP, Brewers) ? Thanks to a brutal start to the season that included a 6.13 ERA through his first 10 outings, Bush's overall totals remain mediocre at best. However, his secondary numbers suggest that he's pitched significantly better than his 7-7 record and 4.86 ERA indicate, which is why he's a strong bet for an improved second half. Expect at least a half-dozen wins and an ERA closer to 4.00.

Matt Cain (SP, Giants) ? I was never high on Cain for this season, but it's easy to see that his 3-9 record doesn't match his 3.53 ERA. The Giants scored three or fewer runs in 13 of his 17 starts, including being blanked three times. Cain allowed one run in back-to-back starts last month, yet lost both of them, and has a 1-6 record over his past 10 outings despite a 3.84 ERA. San Francisco's offense simply isn't very good, but Cain still figures to see improved run support.

J.D. Drew (OF, Red Sox) ? Drew has always been a magnet for criticism and made it easy on everyone who expected him to fail in Boston by going through an extended 16-for-105 (.152) slump following a strong start. He broke out of it in a big way with a two-homer, seven-RBI game on June 8 and has hit .319 with a .955 OPS, 16 RBIs, and 19 runs scored in 26 games since then. Expect a strong second half batting behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

Andruw Jones (OF, Braves) ? At 30 years old it's certainly possible that Jones' days as a star are simply winding down, but basing that opinion solely on his .211 batting average is a mistake. Jones also managed 54 RBIs in the first half, smacked 15 homers despite an usually low homer-to-fly ball ratio, and figures to improve upon his .245 batting average on balls in play. Jones hasn't hit above .280 since 2000, but count on him approaching his usual .260 mark.

Adam LaRoche (1B, Pirates) ? LaRoche's first half-year in Pittsburgh was a big disappointment coming off his breakout season in Atlanta, but that's entirely due to a horrendous April. LaRoche went 11-for-83 (.133) with a .520 OPS in the season's first month, but has quietly hit .278 with 10 homers, 40 RBIs, and an .852 OPS in 62 games since the calendar flipped to May. Even better, he went 17-for-40 (.425) with five homers and 11 RBIs in the 10 games leading into the break.

Julio Lugo (SS, Red Sox) ? Lugo has been a huge disappointment in Boston because of a .196 batting average, but managed to maintain plenty of fantasy value by swiping 22 first-half bases while being caught just twice. Lugo has MLB's second-worst batting average on balls in play, which is odd for a speedy player and figures to rise significantly in the second half. Assuming manager Terry Francona doesn't bench him completely, Lugo's value almost can't help but rise.

Kevin Millwood (SP, Rangers) ? Millwood struggled through hamstring problems for most of the first half and pitched horribly, going 2-6 with a 7.82 ERA through his first 10 starts. He managed to rack up 10 strikeouts in a victory over the Reds on June 17 and has gone 4-1 with a 3.66 ERA in five starts since then. Millwood's age, health, and hitter-friendly home ballpark mean that he likely won't have a great second half, but he should be available for pennies on the dollar.

Corey Patterson (OF, Orioles) ? Sam Perlozzo seemed to lose faith in Patterson when he got off to a slow start and frequently benched him towards the end of his time as Orioles manager. His replacement, Dave Trembley, has started Patterson in 15 of his 19 games and Patterson has responded by hitting .322 with six stolen bases and an .813 OPS. Follow Trembley's lead and avoid giving up on Patterson, because a 20-steal second half is possible.

Chris Ray (RP, Orioles) ? Ray has blown four of 18 save chances, but his 38-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .220 opponent's batting average show that he's not struggling overall. Manager Dave Trembley said last week that he was thinking about taking full-time closing duties away from Ray, but apparently realized that the rest of the Orioles' bullpen is a far bigger mess and decided to leave things alone. It's a smart move, because Ray is due for a strong second half.

Richie Sexson (1B, Mariners) ? Sexson carries a measly .205 batting average and .712 into the All-Star break, which matches up almost exactly with the .218 batting average and .706 OPS he had in the first half of last season. Sexson recovered from that with 1.012 second-half OPS, and finished with 34 homers and 107 RBIs. He may not get quite that hot down the stretch this time, but he's quietly posted an .800 OPS with 10 homers and 28 RBIs over the past 40 games.

Vernon Wells (OF, Blue Jays) ? A month ago in this space I wrote that Wells' flukishly low homer-to-fly ball ratio suggested that he was going to see a huge increase in power soon. That turned out to be one of my better predictions in a long time, because he homered the next day and has gone deep eight times in the past 21 games after smacking just five long balls in the first 63 games. Despite the power surge, his perceived value remains low and more homers are coming.

Honorable Mentions: Scott Baker (SP, Twins); Josh Barfield (2B, Indians); Jason Bartlett (SS, Twins); Chris Burke (2B, Astros); Jose Contreras (SP, White Sox); Stephen Drew (SS, Diamondbacks); Chris Iannetta (C, Rockies); Kameron Loe (SP, Rangers); Dustin McGowan (SP, Blue Jays); Sergio Mitre (SP, Marlins); Jeff Weaver (SP, Mariners); [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] (OF, Diamondbacks)

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Prospects: Balentien and Olson
After mentioning the Futures Game last week and noting that the USA team looked considerably stronger, the World team naturally went out and won the game 7-2. Despite the loss, Jay Bruce's laser of a triple and Justin Upton's homer were two of the more memorable events. On the World side, Franklin Morales looked excellent, making fantasy owners everywhere curse that he'll be stuck playing half his games at Coors Field. Wladimir Balentien, who is profiled later in this column, also looked good while delivering a sacrifice fly and an RBI double.

As a reminder, next week I'll be doing a spotlight column on the Eastern League All-Star game. After that I'll go back to the standard column format before shifting to a piece on all of the prospects dealt at the trading deadline.


Callups


Jeff Bailey ? 1B Red Sox ? One of the older players you'll ever see in this space, Bailey is a 28-year-old former catcher called up by the Red Sox this past week. A second round selection by the Marlins way back in 1997, Bailey's defense just never cut it behind the plate. He tried to stick there for years while also bouncing around the outfield, first base, and designated hitter, but Bailey has finally given up trying to be a catcher. Now a full-time first basemen, Bailey has always shown a solid but unspectacular bat. The right-hander hit .275 with 22 homers for Triple-A Pawtucket last season while also drawing 74 walks.

Bailey was off to a slightly slower start this year, hitting just .250 with nine homers and 40 walks in 74 games. However, he was at a respectable .301/.400/.493 against left-handers. The Red Sox promoted Bailey with Kevin Youkilis unavailable and a couple of southpaws due up this past weekend. Bailey could have a smidgen of value if he ever got into a platoon role at the big league level, but lefty mashing Triple-A first basemen aren't hard to come by and the Sox would certainly look for an upgrade if they were ever in a position to need Bailey for an extended period of time. Since Youkilis is expected to be near full strength after the All-Star break, Bailey's unlikely to have any value. Recommendation: Ignore in AL-only leagues.

Pat Misch ? LHP Giants ? A fifth round pick out of Western Michigan in 2003, Misch was your typical finesse left-hander with good command. However, Misch never found much success in college, and he wasn't as polished at keeping hitters off balance and painting the corners as most southpaws. Despite the lack of refinement in his college performance, Misch pitched rather well after signing in 2003 and began his 2004 campaign at Double-A Norwich as a result. He handled the Eastern League well, recording a 3.06 ERA and 123/35 K/BB ratio in 159 innings of work. That he passed the Double-A test was a big positive, but Misch still wasn't considered a top prospect.

Moved to Triple-A Fresno the following season, Misch struggled mightily and was eventually sent back to Double-A. The left-hander again pitched well in the Eastern League and then began 2006 with a 2.26 ERA in 18 appearances while in his third year at Double-A. Misch finally moved up to Fresno for good later that season, posting a solid 4.02 ERA and 57/11 K/BB ratio in 65 innings. That Misch gave up 74 hits, nine of which were homers, highlighted his lack of stuff, but he was doing a decent job without too much to work with.

Misch features a mid-80s fastball that he spots well, but his changeup is his best pitch and he also has a pair of average breaking pitches in his low-80s slider and mid-70s curveball. Moved to a relief role this season, Misch had a 2.03 ERA and 62/16 K/BB ratio in 57 2/3 innings for Fresno. That he had allowed just 40 hits and two homers was also a big improvement. Misch will continue to work out of the pen with the Giants, and it's a role he's likely to stick with for the rest of his career. He's capable of developing into a fine seventh-inning option. Some might consider him a sleeper in an unsettled Giants' bullpen, but Misch has even less closer-worthy stuff than players like Brad Hennessey and Kevin Correia. He's unlikely to ever get an extended look in the ninth, but he could help those in deep NL-only leagues. Recommendation: Monitor in deep NL-only formats.

Garrett Olson ? LHP Orioles ? A supplemental first rounder in 2005 out of Cal Poly, Olson was coming off an excellent junior season in which he went 12-4 with a 2.71 ERA and 128/47 K/BB ratio in 136 innings. Olson's lack of frontline starter stuff made him an appropriate selection at 48th overall, but he was still a quality prospect. The Orioles were certainly pleased when the 6'1", 200-pound left-hander posted a 1.99 ERA in 14 appearances between the New York-Penn League and the Carolina League after signing.

Back at High-A Frederick to start the 2006 campaign, Olson showed good command and the ability to put away Single-A batters when necessary. Before a mid-season promotion to Double-A, Olson had recorded a 2.77 ERA and 77/19 K/BB ratio in 81 1/3 innings. The left-hander continued pitching similarly for Bowie, though that his walk rate went up over one free pass per nine innings was a concern. Assigned to Triple-A Norfolk to begin the 2007 campaign, Olson was posting solid numbers across the board with a 3.46 ERA and 94/31 K/BB ratio in 104 innings.

The 23-year-old Olson still doesn't appear to have front of the rotation potential, but he could be a solid No. 3 starter if everything breaks right. The southpaw has an above average sinking fastball that sits in the high-80s or low-90s to go with a quality curve and an average changeup. Despite the sinking action on his fastball, Olson has never been much of a groundball pitcher and he gives up his share of extra-base hits as a result. Olson probably has decent enough command and strong enough stuff to be a No. 5 starter right now, but too many well-hit balls would spell trouble.

The left-hander will get at least a handful more starts with Steve Trachsel on the disabled list, and if he pitches well he'll earn a rotation spot for good. Olson is worth retaining in keeper leagues and those in deep AL-only leagues can take their chances with him right now, but it'd be better to take a wait-and-see approach. Limiting the number of free passes and hard-hit balls will be the keys to Olson's success, and he's a better bet for 2008 after having some time to adjust to the majors. Recommendation: Monitor in AL-only leagues; claim in keeper formats.

Jo-Jo Reyes ? LHP Braves ? The 6'2", 220-pound Reyes was a second round selection out of a California high school in 2003. A debut in the Gulf Coast League went well after signing, but Reyes' 2004 performance at Single-A Rome was a mixed bag. While the then 19-year-old posted an impressive 71 strikeouts and 25 walks in 74 1/3 innings, Reyes also surrendered more than a hit per inning, including 10 home runs, and was left with a disappointing 5.33 ERA. While Reyes wasn't expected to have ace-type stuff, he was expected to be a middle of the rotation starter and that he was being hit so hard was a surprise. It turned out that he needed Tommy John surgery halfway through the season, so perhaps some of the struggles can be blamed on that.

Reyes went back to Rookie ball after returning in 2005, then tore an ACL after just 48 2/3 innings of work. Finally fully healthy in 2006, Reyes had an all-around solid season with a 3.51 ERA and 142/61 K/BB ratio in 141 innings between Single-A Rome and High-A Myrtle Beach. The left-hander showed better control and a higher strikeout rate at the lower level, but that he was still just 21-years-old and was setting a career-high for innings pitched held back any substantial concerns.

Assigned to Double-A Mississippi to begin the 2007 season, Reyes again looked like a prospect with a quality strikeout rate and a modest 3.56 ERA. That his command hadn't help up at higher levels was a concern, but the Braves promoted him to Triple-A Richmond anyway. The left-hander has remained successful since the promotion despite continued control issues. Reyes has an above average low-90s fastball and gets good deception with his delivery, so better use of his slider and continued development of his changeup would make him a very intriguing prospect.

With John Smoltz going on the disabled list for a couple of weeks, Reyes was able to make his major league debut last week. He struggled in the outing, walking three and giving up two homers to the Padres in just three-plus innings. Reyes will get another start in the majors before Smoltz returns, but he's not ready to be a fantasy contributor just yet. Still only 22-years-old, Reyes has some time to finish developing as a pitcher. He's a better bet for mid-2008 than this season, but this is a fine opportunity to snag him in keeper formats. He'll be a No. 3 starter if he can improve his command. Recommendation: Ignore in one-year leagues; monitor in NL-only keeper formats.

Jeff Salazar ? OF Diamondbacks ? A former top prospect with the Rockies, Salazar looked like a future regular after a well rounded performance in the South Atlantic League in 2003. That season, Salazar hit .284 with 29 homers, 28 steals, and a 74/77 K/BB ratio as a 22-year-old. The 6'0", 180-pound left-hander was obviously old for the league, but a broad skill set and quality production earned him high marks in prospect circles. A move up to High-A Visalia went even better the next season, but Salazar hasn't produced like a future regular since the first half of that 2004 campaign.

The outfielder didn't top an 800 OPS in two stops at Double-A Tulsa or two spots at Triple-A Colorado Springs over the next two and a half seasons. Now with the Diamondbacks and assigned to Triple-A Tucson to begin 2007, the now 26-year-old Salazar was having his best season in three years with a .301/.383/.492 line in 319 at-bats. He was also stealing bases effectively (14-for-18) and showing good plate discipline (47/43 K/BB ratio), so this was the type of performance that was expected from Salazar, albeit several years behind schedule. That he's old for the league and playing in a hitter-friendly environment means the performance should be discounted, but it's still an encouraging few months.

With Jeff DaVanon out for at least a few games, the Diamondbacks recalled Salazar this past week. He went 3-for-10 with a double and a walk in three games since being recalled. The club could decide to stick with Salazar even when DaVanon returns, and Salazar does have the potential to be a useful platoon outfielder. That he'll be on the better side of the platoon and possesses a broad range of skills might mean he'll have fantasy value down the road. Salazar won't reach the expectations that were set for him three years ago, but the club doesn't have any better options for right field presently and a Salazar-Scott Hairston platoon could make plenty of sense. Recommendation: Monitor closely in NL-only formats.


Prospect Profiles


Wladimir Balentien ? OF Mariners ? A highly touted hitter when he signed as a 16-year-old way back in 2000, Balentien was always thought to have immense power potential. Realizing that power potential while also refining the rest of his skills would be the challenge, but the raw talent was certainly there. A native of Curacao, Balentien initially played for the Mariners' baseball academy in Venezuela and didn't debut in professional baseball until the 2003 season. Assigned to the Arizona League after debuting, Balentien slugged a whopping .658 in 187 at-bats. The right-hander struck out more than once per game, but he was just 18-years-old and it was an incredible debut.

Moved up to full-season ball the following spring, Balentien's production tailed off some for Single-A Wisconsin and High-A Inland Empire. His .279 batting average and .513 slugging percentage were both fine results, but that Balentien struck out more than once per game and drew just 16 walks in 86 games meant he still had work to do. A full season at Inland Empire the following season went better, with Balentien smacking 25 homers, eight triples, and 38 doubles for a .553 slugging percentage. His .291 batting average remained encouraging, but the underlying 160/33 K/BB ratio in 123 games was a big red flag.

Moved up to Double-A San Antonio last season, Balentien's average plummeted to .230 and his slugging percentage went down 118 points. Balentien was still striking out too much with 140 punchouts in 121 games, but that he deliberately started taking more pitches and ended up with 70 walks was an intriguing result. If the poor season was due to Balentien trying to learn better control of the strike zone regardless of the results, it was an effort that could well pay dividends in the long-term. That Balentien was still chasing breaking pitches out of the strike zone too often limited the optimism, however.

Indeed, it appears that Balentien's focus on better understanding the strike zone has paid off. The 6'2", 190-pound right-hander is off to an outstanding start for Triple-A Tacoma, batting a career-high .328 with 20 homers, 20 doubles, and 39 walks in 329 at-bats. He's third in the league in both slugging and OPS. His 67 strikeouts in 85 games are still a bit high, but it's easily the best mark of Balentien's career and that he's been able to cut down on the strikeouts while increasing his power and maintaining his walk rate is an extremely encouraging development. Moving to the Pacific Coast League from the Texas League may have helped, but Balentien plays half his games in a fairly neutral park and hits just as well at home.

Given that Balentien has always had some of the best power potential in the minors, he's a very desirable commodity now that his game is fully coming together. In addition to his excellent bat, he's a good defender in right field and at least an average runner who could steal 10-15 bases annually. Balentien is technically in his age-22 season, but his birthday is a day after the cutoff and he's already 23. However, that's plenty young enough that his dominance in Triple-A doesn't need to be discounted.

The Mariners could look to Balentien later in the year, but he's a better bet to break camp with the club next season. He'll still have to prove that he's capable of laying off tougher breaking pitches and I believe his batting average is more likely to be in the .270 range, but he's got plenty of potential for both the Mariners and fantasy leaguers. Balentien has legitimate 30+ homer potential and has enough additional skills to make an All-Star team some day. He's probably a bit riskier than his excellent production in Triple-A indicates, but the progress he's made over the last two seasons is striking and he comes highly recommended as a result.

Johnny Cueto ? RHP Reds ? Signed as an 18-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 2004, Cueto has impressed during each season since debuting in professional ball. The right-hander made his debut with the Gulf Coast Red Sox in 2005 and acquitted himself nicely, showing good command and an above average strikeout rate while moving between the rotation and the bullpen. A late season promotion to High-A Sarasota was meant to challenge Cueto, and he gave up two runs in six innings over two appearances after the move.

Moved back to Single-A Dayton to start the 2006 campaign, Cueto started striking out more batters and his ERA headed south as a result. His strikeout rate jumped from 8.08 K/9 the previous season to 9.67 for Dayton, all while still showing an excellent want rate. The result was a 2.59 ERA and more than five strikeouts per every walk (82/15 K/BB). A mid-season promotion back to Sarasota ensued, and Cueto continued looking like a very intriguing prospect. Opposing batters still weren't getting to him very often and his strikeout rate remained near one per inning. That his walk rate almost doubled was of concern, but it was an encouraging set of results.

Back at Sarasota to start this season, Cueto continued to show excellent results. In 78 1/3 innings over 14 starts before being promoted, the right-hander had a 3.33 ERA to go with a 72/21 K/BB ratio and just three homers allowed. Cueto had struggled with the long ball at times in previous seasons, but he's worked hard to limit mistakes up in the zone and it appeared to be paying off. That Sarasota is a pitcher's park certainly helped, but Double-A Chattanooga would prove a better test. In three starts since being promoted to the Southern League, Cueto has given up just one run while striking out 27 batters in 19 innings of work. He also had the opportunity to make a fill-in start for Triple-A Louisville, giving up two runs in five innings against a mediocre Charlotte lineup.

Cueto's overall numbers are impressive, but his recent streak of starts better highlights just how well he's pitching. Since the start of May, Cueto has an 80/10 K/BB and a 2.36 ERA while going at least six innings in 9-of-13 starts. Even more importantly, Cueto's recent streak is fully backed by his scouting report. The right-hander has excellent command of a low-to-mid-90s heater that can touch 96-97. He continues to make progress with his slider, and it's now a plus pitch. Former Reds starter Mario Soto taught Cueto a changeup before the 2006 campaign, and he continues to refine that pitch as well. It could be a third plus pitch in time, giving Cueto considerable potential.

The biggest negative with Cueto is his size, as he's listed at just 5'11" tall. That he's put on some weight prior to the season should help his durability and I'm typically not as worried about diminutive pitchers as most, so it's not something that knocks Cueto's prospect status down much. Still just 21-years-old, Cueto will likely finish the season out at Double-A. A late season promotion to Triple-A could happen if he keeps dominating, but it's more likely he'll see Louisville next spring. That means a mid-season promotion to the majors next season is a real possibility. Cueto doesn't have the elite fastball or breaking pitch to consider him a future ace, but both pitches grade out as above average and that his command is excellent means he could be a No. 2 starter.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Taking stock at the break
The All-Star break is a welcome respite for major leaguers and fantasy players alike. Slumping stars such as Jason Bay and Pat Burrell can use the time off to clear their heads and refine their swings. Andy Pettitte and Brian Fuentes can double-check their mechanics. John Smoltz can rest his ailing shoulder.

Fantasy owners can take stock of where they are in the standings and plot their strategy for the stretch run.

The break is a great time to talk trade. A couple of my keeper leagues have the final out of the All-Star Game serve as their trade deadline.

Of course, this is also the time of year when league commissioners have to deal with the inevitable dump trades. But that's a topic for another day.

This week we focus on numbers that can help your second-half surge.

Turning it up a notch

The concept of a "second-half player" is largely a myth. In most cases, those who hit well overall are going to be the best no matter how you slice it.

For instance, Vladimir Guerrero leads all active outfielders in career batting average after the break at .326. Derek Jeter has the best mark among shortstops: .324. Chipper Jones tops all third basemen at .315. And Todd Helton (whose .331 career average is behind only Ichiro Suzuki's .332) leads everyone with a .344 mark after the break.

However, last year's post All-Star stats can shed light on what a good second half can do for a player and his fantasy owners.

Remember when Mark Teixeira had nine home runs going into the 2006 All-Star Game and everyone was wondering what was wrong? He bounced back ? his 24 homers the rest of the way were second only to Ryan Howard's 30.

Andruw Jones and Lance Berkman hit 21 homers apiece after the break a year ago. A similar showing would put them at 36 homers and more than 110 RBI by season's end. Not too shabby for two guys who've been viewed as major disappointments so far.

And with only 16 home runs, Albert Pujols might be this year's Teixeira. He entered the break on a 22-game homerless streak. A surge is on the way, and last year's post-All Star numbers (.344, 20 HRs, 61 RBI) provide a good reference point.

In terms of batting average, Robinson Cano hit .365, Garrett Atkins .354 and Adam LaRoche .323 after the break a year ago. All three started slow this season but have begun to warm up. Buy low if you can.

If you're looking for extra points in stolen bases, it might be time to make a play for Carl Crawford. The three-time American League steals king has 22, but last season he was 26-for-27 after the break, and he's swiped more than 50 three times in the last four seasons.

Pitching tougher to project

No pitcher won 20 games last season, but Johan Santana made a pretty good run at it. The Minnesota Twins ace was 10-1 after the All-Star Game with a 2.54 ERA to put him one victory from 20.

If there's a case for any second-half pitcher, Santana is it.

The results are similar to 2005, when he went 9-2 with a 1.59 ERA after the break. In 2004, Santana was even better ? carrying many fantasy teams to a championship with a 13-0 record and a 1.21 ERA.

But Santana is exceptional. Of the three other pitchers who matched his post-All-Star win total last year (Smoltz, Chien-Ming Wang and Jon Garland also won 10), none has come close to matching Santana's consistency. Over the last three years, only Roy Oswalt (29 wins) is even in the same ballpark as Santana's post-break 32 wins.

Santana has also been among the majors' top 10 in post-break ERA and WHIP in each of the last three years. No one else can say that.

Only Roger Clemens has had a top-10 ERA more than once in that period.

Only Ben Sheets and Chris Carpenter have top-10 WHIPs in each of the last three seasons.

Damage control

Top-notch starting pitchers are an important part of any title run. But wins and ERA can be fickle stats because they involve a number of factors beyond a pitcher's control. Especially late in the season, it might be smart to begin replacing some of your lesser starters with low-risk relievers to protect your ERA and WHIP.

The concept is similar to the one financial planners use when they shift their clients' assets from volatile stocks to more stable funds as retirement approaches: limit the potential for significant loss.

Jon Garland owners know the pain all too well. Last week against the Twins, Garland was rocked for 12 runs (11 earned) in 3⅓ innings. His mound opponent, Scott Baker, gave up seven runs in five innings in that wild 21-14 game.

For the most part, Garland is a reliable pitcher. Despite the blowup, his ERA is still a respectable 3.92. But if you're carrying the likes of Robinson Tejeda or Josh Fogg or Adam Eaton to get wins or strikeouts, it might be time to readjust your portfolio.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

More Magic From Wandy?
Welcome back from the All-Star break! It was painful to not check fantasy stats for three days, wasn't it?

Before we get to the waiver pickups, we should probably get on the same page about the dollar values I use in this column. Here's how I do it: I assume a $100 budget to spend on free agents all season long. So when I say Julio Lugo is worth $12, I'm recommending you spend 12% of your budget on him if he's on your AL-only waiver wire. I think the steals are worth that. If you actually operate under this free agent budget situation, you'll have to dole it out carefully to only a handful of much-needed players all year long.

Many of you couldn't care less about dollar amounts, because you don't bid to make your pickups. I'm with you; I actually prefer it that way. In that case the dollar values are still useful to gauge how valuable I think these free agents are relative to one another. The values also hint at whether the player is worthy of a high priority waiver spot. If I put Tim Lincecum at $55 in NL-only, then yeah, I'd use a #1 pick on him.

One other note ? I definitely appreciate all the email I receive from you guys and gals. I read them all, even the negative ones. It's very cool to me to reach a wide audience. I used to try to reply to every email but now it would probably take me two hours a day. I get a lot of fantasy advice questions that I just can't tackle in a reasonable amount of time. Occasionally I am able to shoot a reply to the less elaborate questions. Otherwise I'll just note what you consider hot topics and try to cover those here or on my blog.

American League

Julio Lugo, SS, BOS ? After hitting rock bottom, Lugo finally started to show some signs of life in July. It wouldn't be a total shock to see Lugo hit around .280 from here on out and steal another 20 bags. Unfortunately, he probably won't be sniffing the leadoff spot again. AL: $12, Mixed: $1.

Joe Saunders, SP, LAA ? There are rumblings that Saunders could replace Ervin Santana in the Halos' rotation. He's shown excellent command in Triple A with a 3.4 K/BB ratio, but he's been very hittable (almost ten hits per nine innings). That level of command has not translated to the bigs yet and he might top out as a #4 starter. He could be worth spotting in here and there but don't be fooled by this year's pretty 2.92 big league ERA. AL: $4, Mixed: No.

Garrett Jones, DH, MIN ? Jones is a 26-year-old, 245 lb. first baseman. He's not really a prospect at this point, but he does have decent power. He doesn't draw walks, so his game is one-dimensional. Jones seems to have overcome his problems hitting lefties; he's on his third season at Triple A. Ron Gardenhire's goal is to give him some looks in the DH spot until the Twins acquire someone better. AL-only players could gamble a buck on his OK power. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

Matt Garza, SP, MIN ? Back on June 29th, I pegged Garza at $3 as he didn't have a rotation spot at the time. Now he's got eight scoreless innings under his belt and he does have a spot. I think he'll be more helpful to the Twins than your fantasy team. I'm not expecting much better than a 4.50 ERA, which could still be useful in AL-only. I think last year's prospect hype might be causing some people to overdo it. AL: $8, Mixed: No.

Adam Jones, OF, SEA ? There was a false alarm on Wednesday, as some reports had Jones getting the call and taking over right field for the Mariners on Thursday. Now word is that it will happen "soon." OK. Jones is a young stud in the Carlos Beltran/Vernon Wells mold, and it will be a joy to watch him and Ichiro chasing down flies. Just remember that the kid hasn't yet reached his 22nd birthday. He's got power, speed, and defense, but strikes out plenty. I am looking for a .250 average, maybe 12 home runs, and not too many steals until he learns the league. AL: $10, Mixed: No.

Jonny Gomes, OF, TBA ? I have long been a Gomes fan, tantalized when he hit 21 HR in 348 at-bats as a rookie. After a lost 2006 that ended in shoulder surgery, Gomes seems fully recovered. He's back on that 30 HR pace (if he were to amass 550 at-bats that is). He's playing every day now after an earlier minor league stint this year. Gomes has hit .333/.370/.679 with 7 HR in 84 at-bats since June began, so pick him up already! Seriously, stop reading this and snag him. AL: $20, Mixed: $8.

National League

Rafael Soriano, RP, ATL ? It's been an odd year for Soriano, and his 2.79 ERA and 0.83 WHIP don't tell the whole story. Basically he was untouchable in May but that was between a mediocre April and June. His strikeouts are lower than we're used to, and he's been a tad homer-prone. However, his control has been very good, back to his 2003 level. While Soriano may be inconsistent, Bob Wickman is simply bad. This is a closer turnover waiting to happen, so be on the ball. NL: $16, Mixed: $10.

Geovany Soto, C, CHN ? Soto will join the Cubs as their third catcher today. He's having a breakout season of sorts, hitting .341/.412/.584 in 226 Triple A at-bats. Keep in mind, though, that that was his third shot at the level. Catchers are often late bloomers, so Soto may yet carve out a career as the Cubs' regular catcher. However, I think it would be overly optimistic to expect him to rake in his first extended big league trial. NL: $10, Mixed: $1.

Chris Burke, OF, HOU ? Here's a little Chris Burke history for you:

October 2006: Surgery to repair torn labrum.
December 2006: Willy Taveras traded to Rockies, opening up full-time center fielder job for Burke.
April 26, 2007: Despite struggling defensively, Burke gets vote of confidence from GM Tim Purpura.
April 27: Purpura calls up Hunter Pence, who replaces Burke in center.
May 10: Burke gets his first start since Pence's recall and homers.
May 11: Burke is demoted to Triple A, ponders possibility of a trade.
May 12-June 2: Posts a .670 OPS in Triple A.
June 3: Recalled to Majors.

It was a confusing chain of events to be sure. Burke hasn't hit much since his return save his last two games against the Mets. Purpura is now talking about giving Burke another shot as the second baseman, with Craig Biggio's milestone out of the way. As a regular Burke would offer some steals and maybe a few homers. NL: $7, Mixed: No.

Wandy Rodriguez, SP, HOU ? Rodriguez boasts strong peripherals and quietly has the tenth-best WHIP among starters in the National League. He's upped his strikeout rate while slicing his walk rate and hasn't been scored upon since June 26th. Wandy's ERA had been lagging behind his other stats until those last two scoreless starts. He's been consistent with his newfound command this year, and is worth owning in normal-sized mixed leagues for the strikeouts and WHIP. He will have a five-run stinker here or there, so you have to be in it for the long haul. NL: $22, Mixed: $10.

Lastings Milledge, OF, NYN ? A constant theme throughout Milledge's young career has been controversy. From spiking John Schuerholz's son to high-fiving fans to the profane rap song, he's consistently made headlines for the wrong reasons. None of that matters in fantasy baseball, though, and he hasn't had attitude problems this year to the best of my knowledge. He remains a .290-hitting, 20/20 bat at age 22. He'll have to hit the ground running to overtake Shawn Green once Moises Alou returns. NL: $15, Mixed: $3.

Tom Gordon, RP, PHI ? Flash is rehabbing his sore shoulder, and all was going well until he got tattooed by rookie ball hitters on Wednesday. He's further along than Brett Myers, but I wouldn't count on Gordon for too many more saves this year. NL: $10, Mixed: $1.

Shane Youman, SP, PIT ? With Zach Duke on the shelf, Youman gets to stay in the Pirates' rotation. Both his starts this year have been solid, but the southpaw was very hittable in Triple A before that. He's a bad choice in any league. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Kip Wells, SP, STL ? After the Kipper tossed 11 sparkling innings in relief, Tony La Russa decided to move him back into the rotation. The move could be short-lived as Chris Carpenter is just a couple of weeks away. Unless Wells solves his persistent control problem, you can ignore him in all but the deepest NL-only leagues. NL: $1, Mixed: No.

Tim Redding, SP, WAS ? Redding, the quintessential replacement level pitcher, could stick in the Nats' rotation until Micah Bowie returns. I can't decide which pitcher excites me more. Note: that was sarcasm. Neither have any business on any fantasy roster. NL: No, Mixed: No.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

ARod, Posada Eye Free Agency
One day after Alex Rodriguez indicated that he won't negotiate a contract extension during the season and plans to test free agency, the Yankees reportedly told him that they have no plans to bid for him on the open market. If both sides live up to their word, that would seemingly mean that Rodriguez's time with the Yankees will come to an end after this season. Of course, Rodriguez has until November 10 to opt out of his deal and plenty can change before then.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have reportedly approached both Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada about extending their contract before free agency hits this offseason. Rivera indicated that he'd be willing to negotiate now, but Posada followed in Rodriguez's footsteps by saying that he plans to test free agency. "I want to wait," Posada said. "I've never experienced free agency. I'm looking forward to it. First time ever. Probably the only time ever. I want to see what it's all about."

While we all prepare for the various newspapers in New York to publish several billion articles about the contract status of Rodriguez, Posada, and Rivera between now and October, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* After saying earlier this week that he'd likely need offseason knee surgery, David Ortiz revealed Thursday that he's been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee since the middle of last season. "It wasn't anything major," Ortiz said. "I just kept playing through it last year. This year, it's been bothering me more than it used to." If Ortiz knew about the injury last year, it seems odd that he didn't choose to undergo what is a relatively minor surgery to fix it during the offseason.

Despite the ongoing knee problems, Ortiz went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs Thursday. Much has been made of his decline in power because Ortiz is on pace for just 27 homers after going deep 54, 47, and 41 times over the previous three seasons. However, he's now hitting .319 with a .997 OPS that ranks fourth in the AL behind only Alex Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, and Carlos Pena (and ahead of Gary Sheffield, Vladimir Guerrero, and Justin Morneau).

* Josh Hamilton was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a sprained right wrist that he suffered Saturday. With Hamilton out, Ryan Freel figures to take over as the Reds' everyday center fielder. Freel started in his place Thursday and went 0-for-4, dropping his batting average to a career-low .252 while in the midst of an 89-plate appearance stretch that has seen him draw a grand total of one walk.

Regardless of how well he hits, Freel's excellent stolen-base ability will guarantee that he has tons of fantasy value while playing every day. Beyond that, his starting in center field should keep manager Pete Mackanin from benching Edwin Encarnacion at third base. Demoted to Triple-A in early May, Encarnacion has hit .297 with an .825 OPS in 42 games since returning. Despite that, he's been on the bench for three of the past 15 games.

* I'm still celebrating the Mets' decision to hire Rickey Henderson as their new hitting coach, but they ruined some of my buzz by designating 48-year-old Julio Franco for assignment a few hours later. As fun as it'll be to have Henderson around for daily quotes and stories in the second half, it would have been even better if he was being employed to help Franco with his swing. Instead, Franco will attempt to find another team with which to pursue his goal of playing as a 50-year-old.

While I'd like to spend another 1,000 words discussing the Henderson-Franco stuff, the team's real fantasy news from Thursday is that the Mets recalled Lastings Milledge from Triple-A. With Moises Alou. Carlos Gomez, and Endy Chavez all on the disabled list, Milledge will take over as the everyday left fielder after hitting .342 with four homers and six steals in 19 minor-league games. If he plays well or Alou has a setback, he may keep the job for the next decade or so.

* Originally thought to be headed to the disabled list with a knee injury, Aaron Hill was instead in the Blue Jays' lineup Thursday, going 2-for-4 against the Red Sox. Toronto also got Lyle Overbay back from the DL and Troy Glaus returned as well after sitting out since the Fourth of July with ongoing foot problems. Glaus will resume starting over John McDonald at third base, while Overbay's return sent Curtis Thigpen back to the minors and could lessen Matt Stairs' at-bats.

AL Quick Hits: After numerous setbacks, the Devil Rays are finally expected to activate B.J. Upton (quadriceps) from the disabled list Friday ? After aggravating his foot injury Thursday, Melvin Mora is scheduled for an MRI and CT scan ? Eyeing a mid-August return, Joel Zumaya (finger) began his throwing program by playing catch Thursday ? As expected, the A's placed Rich Harden (shoulder) back on the shelf Thursday, with a month-long absence likely the best-case scenario ? Eligible to return next week, Al Reyes (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Thursday ? Placido Polanco (strained lat) played in the All-Star game, but was held out of Thursday's lineup ? Taking the mound for the first time since June 18, Curt Schilling (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday and said that he expects to return before August ? Initially expected to miss 6-8 weeks, Mike Napoli (ankle) now hopes to return Tuesday ? One of Daily Dose's "sell-high" picks, Jeremy Guthrie began the second half Thursday with his worst start of the season.

NL Quick Hits: Activated from the disabled list Thursday, Brad Lidge (oblique) figures to take over ninth-inning duties from Dan Wheeler immediately ? Out since June 15, Jim Edmonds (back) said Thursday that he's hoping to come off the DL within 7-10 days ? Making a minor-league rehab appearance Wednesday in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Tom Gordon (shoulder) coughed up five runs while recording one out ? X-rays on Jose Valentin's hand were negative after he reportedly injured it over the All-Star break while trying to break up a fight in Puerto Rico ? Not only did Orlando Hernandez pick up a victory Thursday, the 41-year-old stole his second career base following a second-inning single ? After throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, Eddie Guardado (elbow) said that he's ready to come off the DL ? Pending free agent Eric Byrnes said Thursday that he'd give the Diamondbacks a "discount" to remain in Arizona, but also mentioned the five-year deals signed by J.D. Drew ($70 million), Gary Matthews Jr. ($50 million), and Juan Pierre ($44 million) as the type of contract that he's likely looking for.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bullpen Report: Week 15
Several readers have written in asking about Kerry Wood. Do yourselves a favor and spend your time thinking about someone else. Wood has ranged from being a disappointment to a disaster over the last four seasons. If his name wasn't Kerry Wood, he'd have already been written off by most fantasy owners. Instead, the right-hander gets chance after chance, but in the end never fails to under perform his acquisition price.

Maybe everything will come together for Wood as a reliever, but at this point in his career I'm not wasting any resources on the former star until he shows some extended health and productivity. I fully suspect Wood will return, strike out a couple of guys, and then get picked up in quite a few leagues as owners chase a big name. If there were a stock market that allowed the shorting of players, that'd be a great time to strike.

Even if Wood were able to return and look like a capable option, what incentive would the Cubs have to try him in the closer's role? If the team is in a playoff push, there's no point in swapping out a productive Ryan Dempster for a consistently unreliable option such as Wood. If the club is out of it, the team would be better served looking at younger options like Carlos Marmol or Angel Guzman, especially with Wood a free agent at season's end. There simply isn't a plausible scenario where Wood has much value this year, and that's if he beats the odds and looks healthy.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, Co-Closer or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Locked In)

Key setup men: Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon, Doug Slaten

Valverde appeared in two games this week, throwing a scoreless inning in a non-save situation in the first and then giving a run and taking a loss in the second. In that second outing, Valverde walked a pair of Reds in the bottom of the 11th inning before giving up a game-winning single to Scott Hatteberg.

It'd be a gutsy move if they're still in a playoff race and with Valverde requiring two more years of service time before he hits free agency, but the Diamondbacks would be well advised to at least listen to offers on the right-hander. With a closer in waiting in Tony Pena and Valverde's value at its peak, the team could see if any organization is willing to blow them away with an offer.

However, that there will be attractive alternatives on the market lessens the chance of a deal and teams have been less willing to part with top prospects in mid-season trades recently. On the flip side, general manager Josh Byrnes is creative and that Valverde can be spun to general managers, fans, and ownership alike as something other than a rental will help. The odds are very much against something happening, but I suspect some phone calls will take place. I'd go as far to use a bench spot on Tony Pena in shallow leagues for the next two weeks in case something happens.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Shaky)

Key setup men: Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Wilfredo Ledezma

Wickman is still a solid 16-for-20 in save opportunities, but he had another scare on Sunday that fantasy owners weren't too happy about. The right-hander entered with a four-run lead in the ninth, but gave up five hits and three runs before finally ending the rally. Wickman did strike out three batters in the inning, but it was a non-save situation and owners would surely prefer he not harm their ratios so much. That Wickman has given up at least one run in three of his last five outings is discouraging, but he's still not going to lose his job just yet. A few more rough outings might do the trick, but he's the favorite to be closing for the Braves come September.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (Shaky)

Key setup men: Paul Shuey, Chad Bradford, Danys Baez, Jamie Walker

Ray appeared in just one game this week, striking out two in a scoreless bottom of the eighth in a one-run game against the Rangers. The Orioles were down at the time, but Ray hadn't pitched in five days and the All-Star break was the following day, so there was little reason not to use him. It's too early to say that Ray is back, but he has struck out five without allowing a baserunner since Shuey was given a save opportunity last week. I still recommend buying-low.

However, should Ray begin to struggle again, the setup situation is unclear. Shuey was the option a week ago, but he's given up four runs over his last two appearances. Baez just returned from the disabled list, but he was working in middle relief before the injury and probably has to prove himself in low leverage situations first. That means Shuey is still probably the backup option, but that could change in a very short amount of time.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Hideki Okajima, Brendan Donnelly (DL), Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen

In one of the better games of the season, Papelbon took a loss after serving up the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning against the Tigers on Saturday. Okajima entered the All-Star break with an usual feat ? his ERA was equal to his WHIP at an astounding 0.83. That performance got Okajima named to the All-Star team as the fan's selection, but he didn't appear in the game. Not using Albert Pujols in the ninth was certainly the bigger blunder, but if winning wasn't the first priority (and even if it was) then making the fans feel as if their votes mattered by using Okajima would have been a good idea.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (DL), Bob Howry (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Angel Guzman (DL), Carlos Marmol, Mike Wuertz, Kerry Wood (DL)

Discomfort in his injured oblique caused Dempster to shut down a bullpen session on Friday. As a result, it was announced on Sunday that the right-hander wouldn't be able to come off the disabled list this Friday as originally hoped. It's probably only going to set Dempster back a week or less, but oblique injuries can be tricky and if the injury continued to be a nuisance it'd be far from surprising. Howry will continue to close for now and is worth keeping in all lineups for next week.

Guzman is recovering from a strained ligament and looked good in his first inning of work since returning. He's still at least two weeks away, however, and he'll be ranked behind several of the team's current relievers at least initially. That said, if the Cubs look to another closer later in the season, Guzman might still be the choice even with Marmol pitching so well. Both are worth owning.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Locked In)

Key setup men: Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal (DL), Boone Logan

Jenks pitched in two games and picked up a save despite allowing a run this week. Unfortunately for his save totals, the rest of the bullpen remains a train wreck. David Aardsma got demoted again, MacDougal is on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, and even Thornton gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innings this past week. Outside of the Thornton, the club lacks any other remotely dependable option. The Devil Rays are the only AL team with a worse set of middle relievers right now.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Secure)

Key setup men: Eddie Guardado (DL), Jon Coutlangus, Mike Stanton, Jared Burton

Weathers picked up a pair of saves with two scoreless innings to start his week, then gave up two runs against the Diamondbacks to blow a save opportunity. The two runs came on a pair of singles and a double with two outs in the ninth, tying the score at 3-3. Weathers pitched out of the jam then, and the Reds did win the game in 11 innings. It's not something that should affect his status as closer.

Guardado, continuing to make his return from Tommy John surgery, threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Saturday and complained of no problems. He'll likely resume pitching in the minors this week, then rejoin the big club just before the end of the month. To make sure I sound like a broken record, I don't believe he's going to have value any time soon.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Secure)

Key setup men: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Tom Mastny

Borowski finished a 9-4 game against the Tigers with a scoreless inning of work in his only appearance this week. He's given up just one run in his last 7 2/3 innings pitched, and continued excellence might mean the Indians are comfortable sticking with the right-hander in the ninth. However, it's much more likely that Borowski struggles and the club attempts to bring in a better alternative.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Manny Corpas (Shaky)

Key setup men: Brian Fuentes, Jorge Julio, LaTroy Hawkins,

Fuentes pulled out of the All-Star game with a strained muscle in his left side, and didn't pitch in a game before or after the break this week. Corpas struck out the side in his first save of the season this past week, and he also picked up a win with another scoreless inning of work. He'll do a very solid job filling in for Fuentes, and it's likely that the situation will remain as is for at least a week or two.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya (DL), Fernando Rodney (DL), Jose Capellan, Macay McBride

Jones struggled in late June and his overall ERA is still above 5.00, but the veteran right-hander has been much better since a vote of confidence from management. Jones has thrown six scoreless innings since the announcement, picking up four saves in the process. He remains secure in his role as closer.

Capellan hasn't been anything special with the Tigers, but he is showing the stuff and strikeout rate required of prototypical closers. He could be next in line at the moment, but Rodney is expected back within 10 days.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Kevin Gregg (Secure)

Key setup men: Armando Benitez, Henry Owens (DL), Matt Lindstrom

Gregg picked up a couple of saves with two scoreless innings this week, though he did make things interesting by walking the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning of a one-run game against the Dodgers. Benitez returned from a sore back to throw three scoreless innings since, but he struggled with his command and remains firmly behind Gregg on the team's depth chart.

Houston Astros

Closer: Brad Lidge (Shaky)

Key setup men: Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, David Borkowski

Lidge threw a scoreless inning for Double-A Corpus Christi in his first rehab appearance on Wednesday, then was activated from the disabled list on Thursday. The oblique injury that sidelined him for a month isn't supposed to be an issue going forward, though I'm somewhat skeptical. Lidge should move into the closer's role right away. If he looks healthy and produces as a closer like he did as a middle reliever earlier in the year, Lidge is a very good bet to be dealt within the next two weeks. Wheeler will work the eighth for now, then take over should Lidge get traded or return to the disabled list.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (Secure)

Key setup men: Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria, Joel Peralta, David Riske

Dotel blew a one-run lead against the Devil Rays on Saturday thanks to an unearned run, but the right-hander picked up a win when the Royals won it in the bottom of the ninth. Greinke pitched twice this week, throwing a scoreless inning in his first outing then giving up two runs in a blowout win in the second. He remains ahead of Soria on the depth chart for when Dotel is dealt or injured.

However, Soria is already putting pressure on Greinke to perform by having thrown 14 straight scoreless innings since returning from shoulder inflammation. Since Soria could also be a long-term option in the ninth and the club may decide to eventually move Greinke back to the rotation, a change in direction is quite possible.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier (DL), Dustin Moseley, Darren Oliver

K-Rod gave up one run this week in three innings of work in non-save situations. He did pick up a win for his efforts. Shields hasn't given up a run since May 20.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Yhency Brazoban (DL), Chin-Hui Tsao, Rudy Seanez

Saito appeared in just one game this week, blowing a one-run lead in the ninth after Miguel Cabrera doubled in Dan Uggla with one out. Broxton gave up 12 runs in a six-game stretch from late May to early June, but he's rebounded with 14 2/3 scoreless innings since.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva, Yovani Gallardo

Cordero threw two-thirds of an inning in his only appearance this week, but he wasn't credited with a save since it was a four-run game and he entered with nobody on base. Gallardo would be the best setup man to own in keeper leagues if the move was permanent, but he's only here because the club knows he's too good to be pitching in Triple-A right now. He'll help the club in middle relief until there's a spot open in the rotation. Turnbow, who has pitched better since some May struggles, is next in line.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Pat Neshek, Juan Rincon, Matt Guerrier

The biggest news out of Minnesota this week was when manager Ron Gardenhire stated that he thought Neshek "had the mentality" to be a closer at some point. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but if Gardenhire is thinking of Neshek in terms of a future closer than so should you. I had Neshek pegged for an eighth inning role for years to come, pairing off with a left-handed counterpart for platoon situations. However, Neshek hasn't been bad against southpaws and his overall numbers are ridiculous, so it'd be a fine move as far as I'm concerned.

The statement is enough to move Neshek ahead of Rincon on the depth chart, in part because the veteran has struggled with consistency issues this season. With Nathan a free agent after the 2008 season, there's a good chance Neshek will take over in the spring of 2009. With Johan Santana also a free agent after 2008 and the rest of the team's core getting more expensive, a big salaried player is likely going to have to leave to offset the increase. That someone could be Torii Hunter this off-season and/or Nathan next winter, meaning Neshek's value just took a huge jump in keeper leagues.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano

While some New York talk radio hosts complain about Heilman's production, he's hardly been a problem at all. His ERA is right around where it was in 2006 and he's still logging plenty of innings. That he's not an elite setup man may disappoint some after an excellent 2005 campaign, but he's still doing a solid job as an eighth inning man and he'd qualify as an upgrade for many teams. Any critique of why the Mets are "only" 2 ? games up in the NL East should start and stop with an offense that is 10th in the NL and has been outscored by the Marlins, Astros, Royals, and Devil Rays.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth, Luis Vizcaino, Brian Bruney

Rivera appeared in two games this week, giving up one run over three innings to pick up a save. The future Hall of Famer still has just 11 saves on the season, but there's a decent chance he finishes with triple that number. Even if the Yankees don't end up making the playoffs, they're a team that can't get any worse in the second half. While more wins would certainly help, luck alone should mean more save opportunities for a team that was tied for second lowest in the category during the first half.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Huston Street (DL), Alan Embree (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero

Street's return from a right ulnar nerve injury is going slowly, but he should start to face live batters in the next few days and could be back in the majors within 10 days. Embree will continue filling in, but he's slowed down recently and the better bet to back up Street down the line is Casilla. The young right-hander hasn't stopped dominating big league hitters yet, giving up just one run while striking out 23 in 20 innings of work.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Brett Myers (DL), Tom Gordon (DL), Antonio Alfonseca (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

Gordon hasn't reported any more problems as he rehabs from a shoulder injury, but you sure wouldn't have guessed he was feeling okay after giving up five runs while recording one out in a rehab appearance on Wednesday. Gordon was supposed to be back this weekend, but that seems unlikely now. Myers is about to start his own rehab assignment, so the two could rejoin the big club within a few days of each other. That means Alfonseca will probably continue to close until Myers is ready to return. He should be left active in all leagues for next week's games.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Matt Capps (Locked In)

Key setup men: Salomon Torres (DL), Damaso Marte, Shawn Chacon

Capps pitched just twice this week, throwing two scoreless innings and picking up a save in one of his outings. Torres will pitch in two games on his rehab assignment this weekend, and if all goes well he'll be activated on Monday. It remains to be seen if the club will honor his request to be traded, but I wouldn't expect it to happen until he's thrown a few healthy innings in the majors anyway. He'll back up Capps while still in Pittsburgh.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Heath Bell, Cla Meredith, Kevin Cameron

Hoffman picked up his 25th save and lowered his ERA to 1.91 with a scoreless inning in his only outing this week. Meredith has given up just two runs in his last seven innings, but he's still behind Linebrink and Bell for now.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Brad Hennessey (Shaky)

Key setup men: Kevin Correia, Randy Messenger, Jonathan Sanchez (DL)

In a surprising move, Hennessey was pulled from a save situation this past week. The right-hander retired the first two batters he faced in a three-run game against the Cardinals, but he was pulled after a walk and a single. The tying run was indeed at the plate, but Hennessey still had plenty of margin for error. That left-handed slugger Chris Duncan was up likely was the primary motive behind the move, but the decision hints that Hennessey can't afford too many poor outings and keep his job. Both runs came around to score in the game, though the Giants did win 4-3.

Hennessey bounced back with a scoreless inning for a save the next day, so while it is concerning it's not something that should affect his value too much. Correia has struggled a little of late while Messenger has pitched well, including finishing the above referenced game against the Cardinals. I'd guess that Correia is still ahead of Messenger for the moment, but another week in which the two go in opposite directions would be enough to change that.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brandon Morrow, Chris Reitsma, George Sherrill

Putz continues to dominate as few players can, throwing two more shutout innings to bring his ERA to an incredibly low 0.86. Throw in 25 saves and a 0.60 WHIP and he's been one of the better value picks at closer this season.

Morrow pitched just once this week, hurling a scoreless inning in which he struck out one and walked none. It was just the ninth time in 30 appearances in which he didn't walk a batter. The Mariners are playing with fire by hoping he can get his command straightened out at the big league level, but they seem intent on continuing to do so. His awful WHIP makes him an unattractive play in 4x4 leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Ryan Franklin, Tyler Johnson (DL), Russ Springer

Isringhausen threw two more scoreless innings this week, picking up a save in one of them. His 1.53 ERA is easily the lowest mark of his career, and his 0.91 WHIP is also a career-best. Even those that gambled on his health this off-season couldn't see such an excellent bounce-back season coming.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes (DL), Gary Glover (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Brian Stokes, Shawn Camp

Reyes has thrown successful bullpen sessions on back-to-back days, and it looks like he'll be able to come off the disabled list on Wednesday. That makes for a tough decision for those owning Glover, but since he's not a good bet to pitch well anyway he can probably be benched next week. He's had just one save opportunity since Reyes went down, but he did successfully converted it despite giving up a run and putting the tying run on base.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (Secure)

Key setup men: Akinori Otsuka, Joaquin Benoit, Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson

With a 1.32 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and good peripherals, Gagne is going to be one of the hottest commodities at the trade deadline. It'd be absolutely shocking if he wasn't traded, with the Indians being the most likely destination. Otsuka continues to succeed in a setup role, and he'll resume closing once Gagne is moved.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: Jeremy Accardo (Secure)

Key setup men: Casey Janssen, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor

Accardo appeared in a pair of games this week, recording a save despite giving up a run in the first and then picking up a win with a scoreless inning in the second outing. He's still firmly ahead of Janssen on the team's depth chart.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Secure)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome (DL), Luis Ayala

Cordero pitched in three games this week, giving up one run and picking up a save in the middle outing while throwing scoreless innings in the other two. Colome should be close to returning from a buttocks injury.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Week That Was
The return from the DL of Big Tex, BJ Upton, and Oliver Perez and Schultz's first half all-stars in this week's Week That Was.

Paul LoDuca:: . Paul Lo Duca went 0-for-4 in the Mets loss Friday night. That makes the Duke hitless in his last 16 at bats. Not good. Catchers generally wear down in the dog days of summer. Catchers who catch all the time (like LoDuca) are even more likely to wear down and suffer a significant decrease in offensive production. If you own LoDuca, wait for an offensive spurt, brag to your leaguemates about how the Duke is back and sell, sell, sell.

Oliver Perez: Staying with the Mets (as I have been criticized for writing more blurbs about the Yankees), Oliver Perez will come of the DL on Sunday to face the Reds. Perez looked sharp, striking out 7 in his last rehab outing. This is a serious buying opportunity. Perez has been very strong all year (save a couple of aberrant outings), posting a 3.14 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 85K. Harp about injuries and inconsistency and steal a talented young lefty who could be a centerpiece for your fantasy championship run.

Dontrelle Willis: Dontrelle Willis continues to struggle mightily. Friday night, the D Train derailed, giving up 8 hits and 8 runs (though some were unearned) and failed to get out of the 4th inning. On the season, Dontrelle has a 4.81 ERA (not good) with a WHIP approaching 1.60. Add in the fact that he walked 83 last year and is on pace to challenge the century mark this year and you have trouble. It is time to cut bait unless you have him cheap, are in a keeper league, and are already out of contention.

Jhonny Peralta: Jhonny Peralta continued his hot hitting, banging out two hits and scoring two runs Friday night. With over 50 runs and RBI in the first half, Peralta is well on his way to a great fantasy MI year. One more note here ? Peralta's success was very predictable to those that pay attention to the small details. At the end of last year, Peralta disclosed he was having trouble picking up the ball and had his vision problem corrected. Now he is doing what hitters need to do ? see ball, hit ball, run hard.

Erik Bedard: Erik Bedard was great Friday night, tossing seven scoreless innings. While he does not get the press that C.C. Sabathia or Dan Haren get, Bedard has been just as good. 156 strikeouts in 128 innings is just awesome. Buy if you can. Feel free to pay full price. This guy is worth it.

Mark Teixeira: Texas activated Mark Teixeira. Big Tex is back from the DL and ready to post great second half numbers as usual. Unfortunately, this means that Wilkerson, Byrd and Sosa will have to share fewer at bats. Hard to figure which of the three is the best bet ? all are streaky and prone to low averages (Byrd's current gaudy numbers notwithstanding). I would be hesitant to count on any of the three as a key part of your fantasy team.

B.J. Upton: Tampa Bay activated B.J. Upton from the DL and installed him as their everyday centerfielder. Good news for the Rays and Upton owners. B.J. should be a solid source of speed and power (look for at least 10 dingers and 15-20 swipes in the second half). Add in the fact that Upton is eligible at 2B, SS and OF in most leagues and you have a very valuable player. Buy.

Felix Pie: In what continues to be a baffling situation (the Cubs outfield), Felix Pie was sent back to AAA. Frankly, I have never been a big Lou Piniella fan, but his shuffling of players and refusing to set a lineup is out of control. I will admit that Pie should play everyday at AAA. However, you just know they will yo-yo him back to Chicago soon. As of now, it looks like Jacque Jones and Angel Pagan will get more time, but who knows.

Salomon Torres: According to reports, Salomon Torres is likely to be activated from the DL on Monday. This presents a very interesting situation in the Bucs pen. Before getting hurt, Torres had12 saves, but at the expense of a 5.14 ERA and a WHIP over 1.35 (way high for a closer). His replacement, Matt Capps, on the other hand, has 9 saves with a much more appetizing 2.37 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Bottom line, the Bucs should stick with the younger, more effective Capps, but you have to assume Torres will steal at least some of the saves. Price and trade accordingly.

Jose Vidro: Jose Vidro smacked 3 hits out of the gate in Thursday's opener of the second half. Given all of the rumors about Adam Jones being called up and Vidro being sent to the bench, Jose picked a very good time to have a good game. That said, you should sell immediately. It never made sense to have a slap hitter as a DH. The Mariners have or will shortly realize this and move Vidro to a bench player. Sell.

And last, but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "Before we get to this year's mid-season All-Schultz awards, let's talk about this Tony LaRussa guy in St. Louis for a moment. The whole "This One Counts" philosophy that Major League Baseball has adopted towards the game is supposed to increase interest in the otherwise meaningless exhibition game. Ever since the tie game in 2002, MLB has tried everything short of strippers and explosions to get people to watch and lo and behold, come the 9th inning of this year's game, they got their dream scenario: bases loaded with 2 outs in a one run game; Francisco Rodriguez, one of the most dominant closers in the past 3 years on the mound and Albert Pujols, the National League's greatest hitter, coming to the plate. Er, that's what we would have had if baseball's greatest dunderhead wasn't managing the NL squad. After all, this is the same "managerial genius" that pinch hit Kerry Robinson for Mark McGwire in Game 5 of the 2001 NLDS; a substitution that ignominiously brought McGwire's career to a close. Of course, they lost that game as well.

For the first time in years, there was the potential for an insanely dramatic ending to the All-Star game; one that would have had anyone still watching the game salivating to see a Pujols-K-Rod all-or-nothing matchup. Instead we get to watch Aaron Rowand weakly pop up to end the game. Tony LaRussa set back baseball backwards by his ass-hatted logic of saving Pujols for a possible extra-inning at-bat. At the very least, send up Pujols and tell him to knock one out of the park or don't come back. If this is the fan's game, give the fans what they want to see! For all the books and laudatory praise written about LaRussa, he sure gives nothing back to the people who enjoy the game.

Only two All-Schultz teams for this mid-season:

The first is the ALL-SIDLER team made up of players who have come out of nowhere to have a significant fantasy impact.

C Ryan Doumit, PIT - an aging bonus baby, Doumit found the stroke that had everyone salivating years ago. Even better, he doesn't really catch, so he plays everyday -- when his hamstring lets him.

1B Carlos Pena, TB - nearly out of baseball after being release by the Yankees at the end of last season, Pena has rebounded in Tampa Bay with 20 homers and a surprising .288 average. Honorable Mention: Dmitri Young, WAS.

2B Kelly Johnson, ATL - while not a complete surprise, Johnson was supposed to platoon not thrive in the Braves' leadoff spot. Yunel Escobar may be cutting into his playing time though in the second half.

SS J.J. Hardy, MIL - finally healthy, Hardy has shown legitimate power knocking out 18 and driving in 54 for the surprising Brewers squad.

3B Casey Blake, CLE - Blake was slated to be the odd man out in the Tribe's lineup but with Andy Marte faltering, he's stepped in to provide solid power and clutch hitting at the top of the Indians' potent lineup.

OF Jack Cust, OAK - reclaimed from San Diego's farm system after an injury to Mike Piazza, Cust has blossomed in what was likely his last chance for big league success.

OF Eric Byrnes, AZ - he's quietly become a bit of a fantasy monster, .306, 14 HR, 49 RBI, 53 R and 17 steals from someone better known for running into brick walls at high velocity.

OF Corey Hart, MIL - emerged from the Brewers outfield logjam by displaying speed (16 steals) and power (11 home runs).

SP Jeremy Guthrie, BAL - the former prize of Cleveland's farm system was left for dead when the Tribe cut him this pre-season. A couple months with Leo Mazzone and he's regained his poise, skill and the ability to strike people out. Honorable Mentions: John Maine, NYM, James Shields, TB.

RP Joakim Soria, KC - the Rule 5 pick emerged to pick up quite a few saves in Octavio Dotel's absence and may get a few more before the season ended. Honorable Mention: Al Reyes, TB.

You take some good, you take some bad, you take them both and her you have - not The Facts of Life - the ALL-GIGLI team made of players who haven't provided any return on their high expectations.

C Jason Kendall, OAK - with Pittsburgh, Kendall was always an outside threat to win a batting title, this year, he's flirted with Mendoza and may be replaced with a Suzuki not named Ichiro.

1B Carlos Delgado, NYM - amidst a potent Mets lineup, Delgado is hitting .243 with a disappointing 14 home runs. He has shown signs of life lately.

2B Rickie Weeks, MIL - in a season of breakout years for many of the Brewers young stars, Weeks doesn't seem to be joining in the fun. 5 HR, 19 RBIs and a .221 average aren't getting him confused with Princes and other royalty.

SS Miguel Tejada, BAL - Julio Lugo is too easy a target here. Miggy's power has been practically non-existent this year and a broken wrist won't help matters at all. I'll leave the pontificating and speculating as to whether his power drop-off has any relation to HGH to other holier-than-thou pundits.

3B Garrett Atkins, COL - he may be coming off this list soon but his .259 pre All-Star break average is far from what everyone expected from the Rockies third baseman.

OF Manny Ramirez - BOS - .287 and 11 HR aren't what people paid a premium dollar for. Then again, it's probably just Manny being Manny.

OF Bobby Abreu, NYY - many targeted Abreu, who started the season as the Yankees' #3 hitter, as a fantasy monster waiting to happen. 6 HR and a .270 average later and he's become the highest paid singles hitter not named Ichiro.

OF Vernon Wells, TOR - Wells has been celebrating his 7 year, $126 million dollar contract by taking 2007 off. Honorable Mention: Andruw "contract year" Jones, ATL.

SP the entire Yankees starting rotation - Chien-Ming Wang has been serviceable but everyone else who's started for the Bronx Bombers this year has gotten hurt or gotten bombed. Optimists can take heart though; it can't get worse. Honorable Mentions: Bronson Arroyo, CIN; Jose Contreras, CHW

RP Mariano Rivera, NYY - through little fault of his own, Rivera has only 11 saves, far off the pace of the Corderos and Papelbons of the world. He's pitched fine, he just hasn't had the opportunities to provide the numbers people paid for.

and just in case my Dad still reads the column: Happy Birthday K. Paul!!!

Response: Really, really good stuff (except the phrase "ass-hatted", but hey, why pick nits).

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

AL Team-by-Team Notes
David Ortiz will likely admit now that he should have undergone knee surgery after last season. The torn meniscus is something he'll continue to play through, even though he could come back at 100 percent for the final 4-6 weeks if he underwent surgery now, and it's likely that he'll remain fairly productive. The 40-homer power isn't coming back until 2008, but he's making enough solid contact that he'll probably keep his average over .300 and he should drive in more runs if the Red Sox continue to go with J.D. Drew and Dustin Pedroia at the top of the lineup. View him as a top-20 player in trade talks.

American League Notes

Baltimore - Chris Ray has struck out eight in four hitless innings this month, giving him some additional job security. If he can finish July strong, it might increase the chances that the Orioles would move him, as they'd be more likely to get the kind of offer that would warrant consideration. Since he's not a free agent until after 2011, Ray may appeal to some teams even more than Brad Lidge, Eric Gagne or Akinori Otsuka. Colorado is one team that would love to have a young closer. It seems unlikely that anything will happen, but if it does, Paul Shuey might be the short-term favorite for saves, with Danys Baez an option later on. Also, Cory Doyne, who is closing at Triple-A Norfolk, could be this year's Tom Mastny. ? Melvin Mora had to go on the DL Saturday because of the foot injury he originally sustained July 1. Chris Gomez and Aubrey Huff will share time at third base. That should mean more playing time against right-handers for Jay Gibbons, who has been losing too many at-bats to Jay Payton. Gomez can play short when Huff starts at third, but the Orioles are suddenly taking a liking to the defensive-minded Luis Hernandez there.

Boston - Ortiz isn't the only Red Sox batter with injury concerns. The thumb injuries suffered by Mike Lowell and Coco Crisp seem to be getting better, though Lowell is likely to continue to fade anyway. Kevin Youkilis remains clearly limited by a strained quad and might benefit from a DL stint, though he's unlikely to get one. J.D. Drew tweaked his hamstring again Friday and will miss another game Sunday. ? The Red Sox got some good news Friday on Curt Schilling's shoulder. He could make a rehab start as soon as Saturday and knock Kason Gabbard or Julian Tavarez out of the rotation soon thereafter. ? When the Red Sox called up Jacoby Ellsbury to fill in for Crisp, it seemed like a strong indication that they've soured on Wily Mo Pena. Pena needs more at-bats in order to contribute, and when the Red Sox had a rare chance to give him three or four straight starts, they chose to go in a different direction. It'd be no surprise to see Pena get moved for a right-handed setup man later this month. He won't bring back Lidge or Gagne, but maybe he could net Jon Rauch from the Nats.

Chicago - Scott Podsednik (ribs) and Darin Erstad (ankle) are both candidates to return this week, with Podsednik looking like the better bet. Jerry Owens figures to head back to the minors. The White Sox will probably continue to play both Podsednik and Erstad even if they trade Jermaine Dye and admit that they're out of contention. There's no big incentive to giving Andy Gonzalez or Owens at-bats. Taking another look at [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1893"]Brian Anderson[/URL] would be a good idea, but he's out until at least mid-August with a wrist injury. Ryan Sweeney is the best choice to replace Dye, though he's also been a disappointment in 2007. Both Podsednik and Erstad will get all of the at-bats they want as long as they're healthy, even though the White Sox shouldn't be looking to bring either back in 2008. ? If Tadahito Iguchi is dealt, the White Sox will likely turn second base over to Danny Richar, the 24-year-old they picked up from the Diamondbacks last month. Richar, a left-handed hitter, doesn't offer a lot of home run power or speed, but he could prove to be an adequate option as a second baseman against righties for a few years. The White Sox could start Alex Cintron or Gonzalez against lefties.

Cleveland - With David Dellucci out until late August or September and Trot Nixon resembling one of the game's worst players for a full two months now, the Indians might want to think about making acquiring a corner outfielder a priority. Jacque Jones would make sense, though the Cubs don't seem to be as eager to deal him as they were a couple of weeks ago. Dye is probably too costly, especially since the White Sox would drive a harder bargain to move him within the division. Reggie Sanders can still contribute and would come cheap after he returns from a hamstring injury. Kenny Lofton is another possibility in left. ? The Indians are currently going with Franklin Gutierrez, Jason Michaels and Ben Francisco in left. It's Francisco getting most of the at-bats right now, but he's cooled off of late. Gutierrez might prove to be the top fantasy option. He's showed nice pop in limited action, and that he's the best of the group defensively helps his case for at-bats.

Detroit - Sean Casey is suddenly sporting pretty respectable numbers and Marcus Thames has stepped up as a legitimate candidate to start over Craig Monroe, so it no longer looks like there's much chance of the Tigers adding a regular in a trade. They still might want another bench bat, preferably a left-handed hitter. However, the team can concentrate primarily on adding bullpen help this month. ? While Monroe still has a chance to drive in 80 runs for a third straight season, he's been just brutal against right-handers this season, hitting .185/.249/.312 in 205 at-bats. He posts lousy OBPs even when he's playing up to his ability, so the Tigers might as well limit him to duty against left-handed pitchers for now. If it happens, Thames, who would play left field against righties and first base over Casey versus lefties, would be worth adding in mixed leagues. He's up to 36 homers in 491 at-bats over the last two seasons.

Kansas City - With Mike Sweeney probably out until September after knee surgery, Billy Butler should be up for good. The Royals have tried him at first base this year after he failed to make as much progress as hoped in left field, but realistically, he needs to be the team's DH going forward. There's just not going to be any reason to go back to Sweeney during the final month of the season. Butler is a legitimate .300 hitter and he should be good for 20 homers as soon as next year. Sweeney is a goner at season's end, and he's the kind of player who should last until January or February as a free agent. ? With Octavio Dotel a strong candidate to be traded, Zack Greinke is worth having stashed away in most formats. He'll be the favorite to close over Joakim Soria. ? Sanders is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Monday, but the Royals shouldn't be looking to give him many at-bats. There's a good chance they'll trade him later this month.

Los Angeles - It was pretty impressive the way the Angels just went ahead and got rid of Shea Hillenbrand and Hector Carrasco. Most GMs would have worried about the salaries and forced their managers to continue to bury them as the 25th man or 12th pitcher. Carrasco probably has enough left to contribute to an NL team, and the Mets and Rockies are known to be interested. Hillenbrand will also find work, but it seems unlikely he'll make the Angels regret parting ways with him. ? Howie Kendrick returned to the disabled list because of another broken finger, making Maicer Izturis the Angels' primary second baseman for at least the next two weeks. [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] will see occasional duty at third, putting Chone Figgins at second, but Izturis is the better option in AL-only leagues.

Minnesota - With no return for Rondell White in sight, the Twins are going to give Garrett Jones a chance to play regularly against right-handers. He'll hit the occasional homer, but he'll probably struggle to a .220-.240 average and a sub-.300 OBP. The Twins have been slow to address their needs, but they still figure to add a bat before the deadline. Whether it'll be a third baseman or an outfielder-DH type remains unclear. Mike Piazza would be a very nice fit, even if he wouldn't knock Nick Punto out of the lineup. They don't appear to be interested in Sammy Sosa. Edwin Encarnacion might not make as much of a difference as Piazza this year, but indications are that he's available and he could be a long-term third baseman for the Twins. ? Matt Garza impressed in his first start of the year against the White Sox and is set to remain in the rotation over Kevin Slowey. It'd be tough to use him with the Tigers and Angels on the schedule this week, but he's a big-time sleeper in AL-only leagues for the rest of the season.

New York - With an easy schedule the rest of the month likely to improve their record, the chances of the Yankees being sellers at the trade deadline are quite slim. Instead, the Bombers will probably still go get themselves a first baseman. Hillenbrand remains a possibility, though he's about the worst choice out there. Scott Hatteberg and Kevin Millar will be available. Amazingly enough, Millar is hitting .286/.401/.468 and might be the best option out there. The Orioles typically don't like dealing with the Yankees, but if Andy MacPhail has as much authority as rumored in Baltimore, perhaps something could get done. ? Phil Hughes (hamstring) was sharp in his latest rehab start, but the Yankees aren't going to bring him back to start in Saturday's doubleheader. Matt DeSalvo is expected to get the nod instead. It looks like Hughes will make two more rehab starts. If all goes well, he could replace Kei Igawa in the rotation after that. It's time to stash him away in any mixed leagues in which he was dropped.

Oakland - The A's are bringing Piazza (shoulder) back from the DL as a designated hitter, if they bring him back at all. The team was content with Jack Cust, though after having being held to three runs or fewer in nine straight games, perhaps they shouldn't be so quick to dismiss a future Hall of Famer with something left in the tank. Rumor has Piazza being shopped, with the Twins and Yankees the most logical suitors. The A's are set to be sellers, so I'm thinking a trade will get done. ? Other possibilities to be dealt include Dan Johnson, Shannon Stewart, Mark Kotsay, Jason Kendall, Bobby Kielty, Alan Embree, Joe Kennedy and Kiko Calero. Maybe some team could bowl Billy Beane over with an offer for Joe Blanton, but it seems unlikely. Rich Harden also figures to stay with his trade value at an all-time low. Stewart, Kielty, Embree and Kennedy are the best bets to go. Daric Barton could come up if Johnson is dealt, but since there isn't a big market for first basemen right now, the A's might find they're better off keeping Johnson until the offseason.

Seattle - Kenji Johjima didn't seem to have much problem handling a heavy workload last year, as he hit five homers and drove in 18 runs in September. However, he's gotten progressively worse this season, with the Mariners continuing to give him an awful lot of playing time even though they've gotten a more-than-respectable performance from Jamie Burke. Despite having a few day-to-day injuries, Johjima has started 71 of the team's 88 games behind the plate, and by month, he's posted OPSs of 933, 827 and 704. He's at 544 so far in July even after his grand slam Saturday. Mixed leaguers may need to begin exploring alternatives. ? Horacio Ramirez (shoulder) is set to rejoin the rotation Monday, but he can't be used in any format. Seattle added rotation insurance last week by signing Tomo Ohka to a minor league deal. If Mark Lowe (elbow) can come back strong to aid the pen, the Mariners might not need to acquire pitching help before the deadline. They've talked to the Marlins about Dontrelle Willis, but Willis would still be extremely costly and he just isn't throwing well enough to help an AL contender right now.

Tampa Bay - B.J. Upton's move to the outfield isn't necessarily permanent, but the Rays might find they're better off keeping him in center and moving Akinori Iwamura to second to make room for Evan Longoria next year. Rocco Baldelli could be pedaled or kept as a designated hitter. The latter might work out, since even though Baldelli is a worse hitter than Jonny Gomes, he could rebuild his trade value by turning in two or three healthy months. With Baldelli (hamstring) likely to miss at least another three weeks, it's Gomes who will get most of the time at DH over Greg Norton. Ty Wigginton is playing regularly at second base, though he's a strong candidate to be moved later this month. The Rays could give Jorge Cantu a last chance as a second baseman if Wigginton goes. Bill Mazeroski has nothing on Cantu, who has turned two double plays in his three innings at the position this year. ? Al Reyes (shoulder) will be back Wednesday and should immediately resume closing over Gary Glover. Reyes remains a possibility to be traded, but with the questions about his shoulder and his ERA up to 4.09, he's not going to have quite as much value as it looked like he would a few weeks ago. With absolutely no one else they want closing games, the Rays will probably choose to keep him and pick up his option for 2008.

Texas - The Rangers have benched Brad Wilkerson the last two days with Mark Teixeira back. It's known that they're shopping Sosa, and Lofton should also be available, with the Brewers and Indians reportedly interested. If both get moved, the club would likely use Marlon Byrd in center and Wilkerson in right, with Jason Botts coming up to DH. Wilkerson could also break back into the lineup with a Teixeira trade, though a deal of that magnitude seems increasingly unlikely. Maybe Wilkerson, instead, will be moved. He doesn't seem to fit with whatever Ron Washington is trying to do, and he is a free agent at season's end. Whatever happens with the veterans, it looks like the Rangers are committed to giving Botts a shot, making him worth having stashed away in AL-only leagues. ? Kevin Millwood is back looking like an option in mixed leagues, especially with his upcoming schedule. He'll get the A's and Royals on the road and the Mariners at home before the end of the month. ? Akinori Otsuka (elbow) is expected to be available out of the pen in the series against Oakland. He last pitched July 1.

Toronto - Finally healthy, the Toronto lineup should take a big step forward in the second half, with guys like Aaron Hill and Gregg Zaun also likely to benefit from hitting with more runners on base and getting driven in with greater frequency. Hill's supposed breakthrough season has really been nothing more than a big April following by 2 ? months of mediocrity. However, he is capable of another surge and he's still on pace for about 90 runs scored and RBI. Alex Rios has a realistic chance of reaching 110 runs scored and 100 RBI. ? Left out for now are Matt Stairs and Adam Lind. Lind was a disappointment after a quick start, but Stairs has been as productive as anyone on the team on a per-at-bat basis. He's the best bet of all of the Jays to be involved in a deadline deal. The Tigers picked him up for the stretch run last season and could use him again. ? Royce Clayton could also be available, though J.P. Ricciardi will need good luck finding a buyer there. The Jays are going with John McDonald as their primary shortstop, and Ray Olmedo would be at least as good of an option as Clayton to serve as a backup.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

The Dog Days of Summer
There's 2 1/2 months remaining in the Major League Baseball season now, and a lot can still happen. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jake Peavy and Brad Penny take the mound twice this week, while Al Reyes, Horacio Ramirez, Steve Trachsel and Mike Piazza are scheduled to come off the disabled list. Melvin Mora, Rich Harden and Brian Fuentes each were just placed on the shelf, and the Bronx Bombers are slated for a rare eight-game week. The Week Ahead will get you up to speed for week 16.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS vs. CHW Javier Vazquez, vs. CHW John Danks
Jake Peavy SD vs. NYM Orlando Hernandez, vs. PHI J.D. Durbin
Brad Penny LA vs. PHI Jamie Moyer, vs. NYM Jorge Sosa
Roy Halladay TOR @ NYY Andy Pettitte, vs. SEA Horacio Ramirez
Andy Pettitte NYY vs. TOR Roy Halladay, vs. TB James Shields
Barry Zito SF @ CHC Sean Marshall, @ MIL Claudio Vargas
Jon Garland CHW @ CLE Paul Byrd, @ BOS Tim Wakefield
Orlando Hernandez NYM @ SD Jake Peavy, @ LA Mark Hendrickson
James Shields TB vs. LAA Ervin Santana, @ NYY Andy Pettitte

More strong options:
Tim Lincecum SF @ CHC Rich Hill, @ MIL Dave Bush
Rich Hill CHC vs. SF Tim Lincecum, vs. ARI Micah Owings
Dave Bush MIL vs. ARI Micah Owings, vs. SF Tim Lincecum
Bronson Arroyo CIN @ ATL Jo-Jo Reyes, @ FLA Wes Obermueller
Tim Wakefield BOS vs. KC John Thomson, vs. CHW Jon Garland
Cliff Lee CLE vs. CHW John Danks, @ TEX Jamey Wright
Ervin Santana LAA @ TB James Shields, @ MIN Matt Garza
Sean Marshall CHC vs. SF Barry Zito, vs. ARI Yusmeiro Petit
Nate Robertson DET @ MIN Matt Garza, vs. KC Brian Bannister
Matt Garza MIN vs. DET Nate Robertson, vs. LAA Ervin Santana
Jamie Moyer PHI @ LA Brad Penny, @ SD David Wells
Paul Byrd CLE vs. CHW Jon Garland, @ TEX Robinson Tejeda
Claudio Vargas MIL vs. ARI Yusmeiro Petit, vs. SF Barry Zito
Micah Owings ARI @ MIL Dave Bush, @ CHC Rich Hill
Braden Looper STL @ FLA Byung-Hyun Kim, @ ATL Buddy Carlyle
Brian Bannister KC @ BOS Kason Gabbard, @ DET Nate Robertson
John Danks CHW @ CLE Cliff Lee, @ BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka

Other two-starters:
Aaron Cook COL @ WAS Jason Simontacchi, @ WAS Tim Redding
Kei Igawa NYY vs. TOR Josh Towers, vs. TB TBA
Jorge Sosa NYM @ SD David Wells, @ LA Brad Penny
David Wells SD vs. NYM Jorge Sosa, vs. PHI Jamie Moyer
Mark Hendrickson LA vs. PHI J.D. Durbin, vs. NYM Orlando Hernandez
Woody Williams HOU @ WAS Mike Bacsik, @ PIT John Van Benschoten
Brian Burres BAL @ SEA Horacio Ramirez, @ OAK Joe Kennedy
Byung-Hyun Kim FLA vs. STL Braden Looper, vs. CIN Bobby Livingston
Joe Kennedy OAK vs. TEX Jamey Wright, vs. BAL Brian Burres
Kyle Davies ATL vs. CIN Bobby Livingston, vs. STL Brad Thompson
Josh Towers TOR @ NYY Kei Igawa, vs. SEA Jeff Weaver
Yusmeiro Petit ARI @ MIL Claudio Vargas, @ CHC Sean Marshall
Taylor Buchholz COL @ PIT John Van Benschoten, @ WAS Mike Bacsik
Brad Thompson STL @ FLA Wes Obermueller, @ ATL Kyle Davies
Robinson Tejeda TEX @ OAK Chad Gaudin, vs. CLE Paul Byrd
John Van Benschoten PIT vs. COL Taylor Buchholz, vs. HOU Woody Williams
Horacio Ramirez SEA vs. BAL Brian Burres, @ TOR Roy Halladay
J.D. Durbin PHI @ LA Mark Hendrickson, @ SD Jake Peavy
Wes Obermueller FLA vs. STL Brad Thompson, vs. CIN Bronson Arroyo
Jamey Wright TEX @ OAK Joe Kennedy, vs. CLE Cliff Lee
Mike Bacsik WAS vs. HOU Woody Williams, vs. COL Taylor Buchholz
Bobby Livingston CIN @ ATL Kyle Davies, @ FLA Byung-Hyun Kim
Tim Redding WAS vs. HOU Chris Sampson, vs. COL Aaron Cook

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Eight-game schedule: NYY
Seven-game schedule: ARI, ATL, BOS, CHC, CHW, CIN, COL, FLA, LA, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD, SF, STL, TB, TEX, TOR, WAS
Six-game schedule: BAL, CLE, DET, HOU, KC, LAA, MIN, OAK, PIT, SEA
Five-game schedule: none

Rain threatened games:
Monday, 7/16: CHW @ CLE (60%), ARI @ MIL (60%), CIN @ ATL (60%), STL @ FLA (40%)
Tuesday, 7/17: CHW @ CLE (40%), COL @ PIT (40%), CIN @ ATL (50%)
Wednesday, 7/18: COL @ PIT (40%), CIN @ ATL (40%), HOU @ WAS (40%), KC @ BOS (40%), TOR @ NYY (40%)
Thursday, 7/19: CIN @ FLA (40%)
Friday, 7/20: CHW @ BOS (40%), COL @ WAS (40%), TB @ NYY (40%), STL @ ATL (40%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN - MLB Park Factors - Major League Baseball
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.291 runs ? 3 @ KC, 4 @ CHW
4. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.131 runs ? 4 vs TOR, 4 vs TB
5. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 1.130 runs ? 3 vs STL, 4 vs CIN
8. Jacobs Field (Indians) 1.109 runs ? 3 vs CHW
9. Wrigley Field (Cubs) 1.101 runs ? 4 vs SF, 3 vs ARI

No Games: 2. Kauffman Stadium (Royals) 1.198 runs, 3. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.191 runs, 6. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.129 runs,
7. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.121 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
1. Turner Field (Braves) 0.806 runs ? 3 vs CIN, 4 vs STL
2. Petco Park (Padres) 0.842 runs ? 3 vs NYM, 4 vs PHI
4. Tropicana Field (Devil Rays) 0.869 runs ? 3 vs LAA
6. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.908 runs ? 3 vs SEA
7. RFK Stadium (Nationals) 0.911 runs ? 3 vs HOU, 4 vs COL

No Games: 3. Busch Stadium (Cardinals) 0.867 runs, 5. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.889 runs

Caught Stealing %:
Toughest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. David Ross, CIN 23-for-41 (43.9%) ? 3 @ ATL, 4 @ FLA
2. Gerald Laird, TEX 41-for-68 (39.7%) ? 3 @ OAK, 4 vs CLE
3. Ronny Paulino, PIT 36-for-58 (37.9%) ? 3 vs COL, 3 vs HOU
4. Kenji Johjima, SEA 26-for-41 (36.6%) ? 3 vs BAL, 3 @ TOR
5. Russell Martin, LA 48-for-75 (36.0%) ? 3 vs PHI, 4 vs NYM

Facing these catchers is bad news for Hanley Ramirez (27-for-35 SB), Willie Harris (14-for-18 SB), Alfredo Amezaga (11-for-15 SB), Willy Taveras (20-for-28 SB), Kaz Matsui (16-for-18 SB)

Easiest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. Michael Barrett, SD 51-for-62 (17.7%) ? 3 vs NYM, 4 vs PHI
2. Jason Kendall, OAK 58-for-72 (19.4%) ? 3 vs TEX, 3 vs BAL
3. Johnny Estrada, MIL 38-for-48 (20.8%) ? 4 vs ARI, 3 vs SF
4. Jason Varitek, BOS 28-for-36 (22.2%) ? 3 vs KC, 4 vs CHW
5. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW 37-for-48 (22.9%) ? 3 @ CLE, 4 @ BOS

Facing these catchers is good news for Kenny Lofton (20-for-24 SB), Eric Byrnes (17-for-23 SB), Ian Kinsler (11-for-11 SB), Dave Roberts (17-for-20 SB), Julio Lugo (23-for-25 SB), Coco Crisp (16-for-21 SB), Alex Gordon (9-for-11 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers
Minnesota: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (7 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (4 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers) note: SAT vs NYY (TBA)
Texas: (3 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Orioles, Royals, Rangers and Blue Jays play at least three left-handers this week. That's good news for Freddie Bynum (.417 vs LHPs), Miguel Tejada (.359 vs LHPs), Corey Patterson (.325 vs LHPs), Mark Teixeira (.404 vs LHPs), Ian Kinsler (.329 vs LHPs), Marlon Byrd (.385 vs LHPs), Sammy Sosa (.344 vs LHPs), Troy Glaus (.346 vs LHPs), Alex Rios (.375 vs LHPs), Aaron Hill (.325 vs LHPs)

And bad news for Ryan Shealy (.125 vs LHPs), Alex Gordon (.195 vs LHPs), Kenny Lofton (.224 vs LHPs), Michael Young (.233 vs LHPs), Gerald Laird (.234 vs LHPs), Victor Diaz (.212 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3264"]Jason Phillips[/URL] (.191 vs LHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
New York Mets: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Pittsburgh: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers))
San Francisco: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (7 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Diamondbacks, Rockies, Astros, Dodgers, Brewers and Giants play three southpaws, while the Nationals don't play any. That's good news for Ryan Spilborghs (.455 vs LHPs), Matt Holliday (.325 vs LHPs), Willy Tavares (.375 vs LHPs), Troy Tulowitzki (.351 vs LHPs), Mike Lamb (.345 vs LHPs), Craig Biggio (.350 vs LHPs), Hunter Pence (.349 vs LHPs), Carlos Lee (.325 vs LHPs), Russell Martin (.371 vs LHPs), Rafael Furcal (.325 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4048"]Ryan Braun[/URL] (.545 vs LHPs), Kevin Mench (.320 vs LHPs), Johnny Estrada (.323 vs LHPs), Randy Winn (.323 vs LHPs), Dmitri Young (.327 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Tony Clark (.136 vs LHPs), Stephen Drew (.218 vs LHPs), Carlos Quentin (.175 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] (.227 vs LHPs), Scott Hairston (.217 vs LHPs), Chris Snyder (.206 vs LHPs), Eric Byrnes (.229 vs LHPs), Chris Iannetta (.107 vs LHPs), Brad Hawpe (.203 vs LHPs), Jeff Baker (.209 vs LHPs), Lance Berkman (.227 vs LHPs), Juan Pierre (.229 vs LHPs), Nomar Garciaparra (200 vs LHPs), Geoff Jenkins (.175 vs LHPs), Rickie Weeks (.228 vs LHPs), Dave Roberts (.159 vs LHPs), Fred Lewis (.182 vs LHPs), Omar Vizquel (.216 vs LHPs), Pedro Feliz (.224 vs LHPs), Felipe Lopez (.227 vs RHPs), Nook Logan (.216 vs RHPs), Ryan Zimmerman (.223 vs RHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 17:
Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Mark Buehrle, Jake Westbrook, Andrew Miller, Johan Santana, Odalis Perez, Julian Tavarez, Bartolo Colon, Scott Kazmir, Kevin Millwood, Lenny DiNardo, Shaun Marcum, Roger Clemens, Doug Davis, Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang, John Smoltz, Jeff Francis, Ian Snell, Jason Jennings, Jason Bergmann, John Maine, Greg Maddux, Kyle Kendrick, Chad Billingsley, Matt Cain, Carlos Zambrano, Kip Wells, Dontrelle Willis

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Moises Alou (quadriceps) ? return mid-July
Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) ? out indefinitely
Freddie Bynum (hamstring) ? return late July
Endy Chavez (hamstring) ? return late July
Jeff DaVanon (shoulder) ? return early August
Chris Denorfia (elbow) ? out for the season
Jim Edmonds (back) ? return mid-July
Darin Erstad (ankle) ? return mid-July
Carlos Gomez (hand) ? return mid-August
Josh Hamilton (wrist) ? return August
Scott Podsednik (oblique) ? return late July
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return July/August
Cody Ross (hamstring) ? return mid-July
Reggie Sanders (hamstring) ? return July
Terrmel Sledge (thumb) ? return late July
Jayson Werth (wrist) ? return mid-July
Rondell White (calf) ? out indefinitely
Preston Wilson (knee) ? out for the season

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) ? out indefinitely
Hank Blalock (arm) ? return August
Aaron Boone (knee) ? return late July
Juan Castro (elbow) ? return late July
Joe Crede (back) ? likely out for the season
Adam Everett (leg) ? return August
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2653"]Alex Gonzalez[/URL] (bereavement list) ? day-to-day
Cristian Guzman (thumb) ? out for the season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? return July
Howie Kendrick (finger) ? return early August
Ian Kinsler (foot) ? return August
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return August/September
Doug Mientkiewicz (wrist) ? return mid-August
Melvin Mora (foot) ? return early August
Pablo Ozuna (leg) ? return August/September
Jason Smith (abdomen) ? out indefinitely
Miguel Tejada (wrist) ? return August

Catchers:
Eliezer Alfonzo (knee) ? return August/September
Henry Blanco (neck) ? return early July
Hector Gimenez (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Mike Napoli (ankle) ? return late July
Vance Wilson (elbow) ? out for the season

Designated Hitter:
David Dellucci (hamstring) ? return September
Jason Giambi (foot) ? out indefinitely
Mike Piazza (shoulder) ? return mid-July
Mike Sweeney (knee) ? out indefinitely

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Micah Bowie (hip) ? return mid-August
A.J. Burnett (shoulder) ? return late July
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? return August/September
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return July/August
Gustavo Chacin (elbow) ? return mid-July
Lance Cormier (arm) ? return early July
Zach Duke (elbow) ? return late July
Freddy Garcia (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) ? return August
Shawn Hill (elbow) ? return late July
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Phil Hughes (hamstring) ? return July/August
Josh Johnson (forearm) ? return late July
Randy Johnson (back) ? return late July
Jeff Karstens (leg) ? out indefinitely
Jon Lieber (ankle) ? out for the season
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return July
Adam Loewen (elbow) ? out for the season
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return August
Wade Miller (back) ? out indefinitely
Eric Milton (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return July
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return mid-July
Russ Ortiz (arm) ? return late July
Vicente Padilla (triceps) ? return mid-July
John Patterson (biceps) ? out indefinitely
Carl Pavano (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Prior (shoulder) ? out for the season
Horacio Ramirez (shoulder) ? return Mon vs BAL
Darrell Rasner (finger) ? return August/September
Curt Schilling (shoulder) ? return late July
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) ? out for the season
John Smoltz (shoulder) ? return late July
Steve Trachsel (gluteus) ? return late July
Randy Wolf (shoulder) ? return mid-July
Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? out indefinitely

Important Relievers:
Danys Baez (arm) ? return early July
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (shoulder) ? out for the season
Jesse Crain (shoulder) ? out for the season
Ryan Dempster (ribs) ? return mid-July
Elmer Dessens (shoulder) ? return mid-July
Brendan Donnelly (arm) ? return late July
Justin Duchscherer (hip) ? out for the season
Brian Fuentes (back) ? return early August
Mike Gonzalez (elbow) ? out for the season
Tom Gordon (shoulder) - return early July
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return mid-July
Angel Guzman (arm) ? return mid-July
Hong-Chih Kuo (elbow) ? return early August
Brett Myers (shoulder) ? return early July
Joel Pineiro (ankle) ? return late July
Al Reyes (rotator cuff) ? return Wednesday
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? out for the season
Fernando Rodney (biceps) ? return mid-July
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? out for the season
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Huston Street (elbow) ? out indefinitely
Ryan Wagner (rotator cuff) ? out for the season
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return late July
Joel Zumaya (finger) ? return August

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

NL Team-by-Team Notes
Maybe if they exploded coming out of the gate after the break, the Astros could have avoided being sellers at the deadline. However, they were swept by the Cubs at Wrigley, leaving them just two games ahead of the Reds for the worst record in the NL. Astros GM Tim Purpura would be smart to move Jason Jennings, Mark Loretta, Mike Lamb and at least one of his top three relievers this month. Morgan Ensberg remains a candidate to go, but if anyone was willing to give up anything for him, a deal would have gotten done months ago. Brad Ausmus should also be shopped, though as a 10-and-5 player, he can reject a move. I don't think anything will come from the Roy Oswalt speculation. If the Astros could get a package starting with Adam Jones and Jeff Clement from Seattle or Clay Buchholz and Jed Lowrie from Boston, it's something they'd have to consider. However, an Oswalt trade would start a full rebuilding effort and it's hard to see the Astros going there with Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee both on the wrong side of 30.

National League Notes

Arizona - Conor Jackson is doing plenty of sitting against righties lately, as the Diamondbacks are still trying to work Mark Reynolds into the lineup and give Tony Clark one start per week. Jackson is batting .288/.370/.477 since May 15, but a lot of that has come against left-handers. The Diamondbacks need to settle on some sort of a more permanent arrangement, because [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3586"]Chad Tracy[/URL], Reynolds and Clark all have OPSs in the neighborhood of 700 since the beginning of June and the job sharing isn't helping anyone settle into a groove. Jackson and Tracy both look like pretty weak options in mixed leagues with things the way they are now. ? With Carlos Quentin regaining his stroke in Triple-A, the Diamondbacks have turned to Jeff Salazar as their starting right fielder, bypassing Scott Hairston and the constantly rehabbing Jeff DaVanon. DaVanon's rehab assignment is about to expire, so the team has a decision to make there. A trade involving Hairston would come as little surprise. Salazar isn't likely to last in right, but he would be a fine long-term replacement for DaVanon as a fourth outfielder. In the meantime, he has short-term value in NL-only leagues. Right field could belong to Quentin again by the beginning of August. It doesn't seem like Arizona has ruled out trying Justin Upton, but Upton isn't nearly on the same kind of roll now that he was in April and May. He's probably not going to be a factor this year.

Atlanta - Now that Andruw Jones has put his slump behind him, it's pretty reasonable to expect a .260 average with about 18 homers over the rest of the season. He hasn't cost himself much money as he heads into free agency. Andruw's resurgence is also very good news for Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur owners, as those two will get to hit with more guys on base. ? Scott Thorman just isn't getting any better, and the Braves would likely be upgrading if they went to Jarrod Saltalamacchia as their primary first baseman. They're toying around with the idea of bringing in Julio Franco as another option against left-handers. It wouldn't hurt, since he'd likely bump Chris Woodward from the roster. However, what they really need to do is to give Salty a try and then upgrade through a trade if it doesn't work out. ? John Smoltz is expected back to start Wednesday against the Reds. He'll probably be able to manage his shoulder for the rest of the season, but if the Braves fall out of contention, it'd be no surprise to see him get shut down early.

Chicago - The Cubs' second base and shortstop situations remain unsettled, but for the moment, it looks like Ryan Theriot is back as one of Lou Piniella's favorites. With Mark DeRosa likely to play second against most right-handers, that puts Theriot at short and leaves Mike Fontenot and Cesar Izturis on the bench. DeRosa can start in right field against lefties, but that hardly helps the left-handed-hitting Fontenot. Izturis will likely see more time versus southpaws. ? The center-field situation, on the other hand, has cleared up nicely with Felix Pie back playing regularly in Triple-A. Jacque Jones is starting against righties, which is probably how it should have been all along. Angel Pagan can play over him versus southpaws. If the Cubs become content with Jones, then catching help might be the only big need at the deadline. Ramon Hernandez would make a lot of sense for them. ? Ryan Dempster could return from a strained oblique before the end of the week. Maybe he'll make one or two appearances in middle relief initially, but he'll be back in the closer's role soon enough. ? Kerry Wood (shoulder) was reportedly throwing 92-93 mph in his first rehab appearance Friday. The Cubs would be crazy to count on him, but perhaps he'll provide the bullpen with a lift over the final two months. He shouldn't be a candidate for saves. ? The Cubs hope to have Cliff Floyd (shoulder) back on Monday or Tuesday, making him playable in NL-only leagues this week.

Cincinnati - Reds interim manager Pete Mackanin seems to be pro-Norris Hopper and anti-Edwin Encarnacion, which makes me think GM Wayne Krivsky needs to find a real replacement ASAP. Hopper is batting .270/.324/.333, but that actually overestimates his contribution, considering that he's managed two RBI in 127 at-bats and he's been caught on four of his nine steal attempts. If he remained an option in the infield, maybe he'd be a nice use of a roster spot. The Reds haven't used him anywhere except the outfield, so he's not helping. Also, he's four years older than Encarnacion, the player he started over on both Friday and Saturday. I didn't think there was much chance Encarancion would be traded when he got sent down in May. Now, however, it seems like a real possibility. ? The Reds had to know going in that they were going to have trouble handling left-handed pitchers again this season. What they couldn't have counted on was Ryan Freel hitting .133 with one walk and two steals against them in 90 at-bats. He hit .303 with 23 walks and 15 steals in 109 at-bats against them last year. It doesn't seem fair that he gets a free pass when he's been a pretty lousy player for nearly a full year now. He hit just .216 between August and September in 2006. ? Bobby Livingston is coming up to get the start Monday against the Braves. The Reds have backed off their guarantee that Homey Bailey will be recalled later in the week after he struggled in his one start for Louisville. It could happen, but it doesn't seem to be a sure thing.

Colorado - One criticism after last month's rankings was Kaz Matsui's relatively low standing at second base. It's true that he's playing like a top-10 second baseman when he's in the lineup, but he's already missed a big chunk of time this year and the Rockies are constantly sitting him against lefties in an effort to keep him healthy. He's worth playing in mixed leagues when the Rockies are at home ? he's hitting .348 at Coors Field this year ? but he's not an every-week guy. ? Brian Fuentes (lat) is likely to come off the DL on Thursday, but Manny Corpas should remain the favorite for saves through the end of the month. Ideally, Fuentes will pitch well enough to win back his job by early August.

Florida - The Marlins don't want to give up, but they're 7 ? games back of the Mets and seventh in the wild-card standings, making an October vacation likely. The typically underrated Larry Beinfest deserves some blame for not going and getting his team a legitimate center fielder even though it was an obvious need throughout the winter. With the Marlins likely to be sellers, Dontrelle Willis could be the biggest pitching name available at the deadline. His trade value should be down, but with little else out there, odds are the Marlins will still get some very good offers for him. Miguel Cabrera seems nearly certain to stay. Aaron Boone showed enough in a bench role earlier this season that someone might offer a minor prospect for him. Miguel Olivo could be made available if the Cubs come calling. Also, I like the idea of selling high on Kevin Gregg, though it seems doubtful anything will happen there. If that changes, Armando Benitez would take over the closer's role. ? Josh Johnson (forearm) could return this weekend against the Reds, but he can't be used in NL-only leagues right away. Rick Vanden Hurk will be called up to start in his place on Tuesday.

Houston - Brad Lidge is back and should resume closing this week. However, he's probably the favorite of the Astros' relievers to be dealt. Dan Wheeler's trade value is completely in the tank because of his 8.55 ERA since the beginning of June. Chad Qualls is drawing considerable interest, but with a 1.66 WHIP and six homers allowed in 35 innings since the beginning of May, he isn't terribly attractive at the moment. Lidge, on the other hand, is back looking nearly unhittable, though only in non-save situations, and he still has the knee issue that isn't going away. He'd make a lot of sense for a team that doesn't need him as a closer, with the Mets and Red Sox a couple of the possibilities. ? I don't normally recommend Woody Williams in NL-only leagues, but with road starts against the Nationals and Pirates on the schedule, this is a week to try him.

Los Angeles - This is not Brad Penny's time of year, and now there's an additional concern because he's dealing with a finger blister. Penny had a 2.91 ERA before the break and a 6.25 mark after last season. His career split isn't so extreme, but going into this year, he had made 115 career starts before the break and 80 afterwards. His only 200-inning season was 2001, when he finished at 205. If Penny finishes this year as a legitimate Cy Young candidate, I'd be surprised. ? Nomar Garciaparra this season: .270/.315/.327. Wilson Betemit this season: .223/.351/.489. Betemit since the beginning of May: .275/.384/.659 in 91 at-bats. Is this really so difficult? The Dodgers have the NL's best record anyway, but at some point, production is going to have to matter more than name recognition. It's not like Garciaparra is just slumping. He also had a sub-700 OPS in the second half of 2006. ? Randy Wolf (shoulder) probably won't return this week as hoped. Brett Tomko might get a second start Friday against the Mets.

Milwaukee - There's good reason for concern regarding Ben Sheets' finger injury. The Brewers still haven't confirmed that he'll undergo an MRI on Monday, but a little piece of mind would be nice even if he is feeling better. A ligament tear would make it tough for him to return at any point during the season. The Brewers are currently hoping he won't require a DL stint, but they'll probably take a cautious approach if he's still feeling it next time he picks up a baseball. ? Yovani Gallardo, who would enter the rotation if Sheets needs to miss some time, is a must-own player in mixed leagues. ? Rickie Weeks' wrist problems are threatening to turn 2007 into a lost year for the 24-year-old. I don't think the Brewers are helping him at all by batting him eighth and subjecting him to such a large number of breaking balls. However, he would still be struggling hitting second. Until he works his way back up in the lineup, he's a weak play in mixed leagues. ? Bill Hall is going to beat the pessimistic timetable for his return from a sprained ankle. Maybe he won't be activated Friday like he's hoping for, but it looks like he'll soon push Tony Gwynn Jr. back to the minors. Gwynn, who was linked to the Rangers' Akinori Otsuka in trade rumors, should be available in talks once again.

New York - Things are looking up for the Mets. The rotation got Oliver Perez back Sunday, and Jorge Sosa (hamstring) is being activated to pitch Monday. Pedro Martinez (shoulder) is still making progress, though his timetable seems to have been pushed back by a week or two. Lastings Milledge has already taken a big step towards fulfilling his promise since taking over as the Mets' left fielder on Thursday. Now if only Paul Lo Duca could ever come up with a big hit again, the team just might have something. ? Continued success from Milledge would be about the best thing that could happen for the Mets, short of the 2003 version of Pedro walking through the clubhouse door in mid-August. Shawn Green has collected 13 RBI in 187 at-bats since the beginning of May and is an increasing liability in right field. Milledge should get a chance to start over him when Moises Alou returns from a torn quad. ? It's usually a good idea to reserve unexceptional starters when they're initially returning from the DL, especially when they didn't go on rehab assignments, but since Sosa gets to pitch in San Diego and Los Angeles this week, he seems worth gambling on.

Philadelphia - It may not last, but Pat Burrell is forcing the Phillies to play him regularly with a big first half of the month, again making him worth using in mixed leagues. Management probably wouldn't hesitate to trade him if his recent surge is noticed by other teams. However, he has veto power and is likely to be very picky. ? The Phillies activated Tom Gordon (shoulder) after Sunday's game and will send Brett Myers (shoulder) on a rehab assignment this week. Gordon will likely be eased back into the closer's role. Depending on how he performs, he'll get a chance to keep the job after Myers returns. The Phillies reiterated for the 100th time last week that Myers won't be returned to the rotation, so in order for him to have fantasy value, he'll need to be put into save situations. I'm skeptical that we'll see him at 100 percent at any point over the rest of the season. ? Tuesday's starter is unannounced, with the Phillies deciding between J.D. Durbin and J.A. Happ. It makes sense to give Durbin the nod, as the Dodgers have a clear OPS advantage against lefties (782 to 729). Happ remains the better long-term bet of the two, but neither is much of a fantasy sleeper.

Pittsburgh - [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3803"]Jose Bautista[/URL] was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a lacerated hand. He isn't expected to miss more than the minimum, but Jose Castillo will be needed to fill in for him for a couple of weeks. The Pirates would surely love to see Castillo get hot and maybe give himself some trade value. A Jack Wilson deal seems unlikely, so Castillo is the infielder most likely to go. ? Salomon Torres backed off his trade demand before being activated from the DL on Sunday. The Pirates didn't seem to be taking it very seriously anyway. Torres could be moved this month, but he'd have to regain some value, making a waiver deal in August a better bet. Matt Capps should be Pittsburgh's closer for the rest of the year. ? Chris Duffy (ankle) appears unlikely return to the lineup this week.

St. Louis - Now that Albert Pujols has regained his power stroke and seems poised for a monstrous second half, the Cardinals might still have a chance. They'll definitely need a healthy Jim Edmonds (back). It looks like they could get their center fielder back within 7-10 days, but just how close he'll be to 100 percent is anyone's guess. Even if the offense begins to click, the Cardinals will be major long shots, especially following Chris Carpenter's setback. Still, there's been little indication that they'll be sellers at the deadline. My guess is that they'll go get an Odalis Perez or a Steve Trachsel and do their best to stay in the race. ? Of the current group of starters, only Adam Wainwright is an option in NL-only leagues. Braden Looper was 6-3 with a 3.10 ERA on May 24. He's now 6-7 with a 4.72 ERA. Maroth has given up 18 runs ? 13 earned ? in 20 1/3 innings for his new team. Brad Thompson, like Looper, should still be in the bullpen. Kip Wells should be in the PCL. The Cardinals said they're not recalling Anthony Reyes until September, proving that in a battle between a stubborn team and a stubborn player, the player is going to lose every time. One more starter is hardly going to solve the Cardinals' problems. Still, getting Wells out of the mix might result in a couple of more wins over the rest of the season.

San Diego - Surely it's not a good sign that Jake Peavy had to have his first start after the break pushed back because of biceps soreness. However, the Padres have nursed him through minor arm troubles in the past without having to resort to using the DL. It's definitely a situation to watch, but I see no reason to sell right now. ? With some concern about Peavy and the innings totals of the rest of the starters, the Padres are likely to bringing in some additional depth later this month or in August. Unfortunately, it looks like Clay Hensley (shoulder) can be written off for the rest of the year. He'll be a sleeper in 2008, but it's just not happening for him now. The Padres do have Shawn Estes working his way back from Tommy John surgery, but he's no better of a fallback than Mike Thompson. It's possible the Padres will bring in someone who would start over Justin Germano, though that's not necessarily going to be the priority. ? Brian Giles definitely seems to be heating up the last few days. With the Phillies on the schedule for this week and series at Colorado and Houston the following week, he needs to be picked up in any mixed leagues in which he was dropped.

San Francisco - The Giants already missed out on the best time to trade Matt Morris. They might still be able to dump his contract because of the lack of starting pitching available, but he shouldn't bring much in return. There can't be a contender out there that would actually be eager to have him to start a postseason game. He just doesn't have the stuff to handle top lineups any longer. ? The Omar Vizquel-to-Boston talk seems completely fictional. Vizquel should be shopped, but he doesn't want to leave unless he's going to be a regular elsewhere and there just aren't any contenders looking to get better at shortstop. Maybe that will change if an injury strikes. ? Fred Lewis and Kevin Frandsen figure to be the big beneficiaries fit he Giants dump veterans. Lewis has some fantasy value anyway while serving as the fourth outfielder. A Randy Winn trade or an injury to Barry Bonds or Dave Roberts would make him a regular. The Giants would also recall Nate Schierholtz in that case and use him as their fourth outfielder.

Washington - The plan is for Alex Escobar (ankle) to get a look as the Nationals' primary left fielder when he comes off the DL, possibly by the end of the week. One of the most injury-prone players of the last 10 years, he could land right back on the DL before the end of the month. However, he will have to be owned in NL-only leagues while he's playing regularly. He hit .356 with four homers in 87 at-bats in between DL stints last year. ? Escobar's return will push Ryan Church to center and force Nook Logan and Ryan Langerhans to the bench. Tony Batista could be released to make room on the roster. ? If the Nats are willing to put Church in center, then they might as well give Kory Casto an opportunity to play left when Escobar gets hurt again. With a .254/.353/.413 line in Triple-A this year, Casto has been a disappointment. Still, he's 25 and it's time to give him a long look. ? Other candidates to come up from Triple-A Columbus include Bernie Castro and Larry Broadway. The speedy Castro would be the best option to play second base if Ronnie Belliard is traded and could be a source of steals in NL-only leagues. Broadway was recently bumped from the Nationals' 40-man roster, but he has gotten better after an awful start in Triple-A. The Nats might as well try him at first base if Dmitri Young is moved.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Sheets Hurting Again
After back-to-back injury wrecked seasons in 2005 and 2006, Ben Sheets had been pitching well (10-4 record, 3.41 ERA) and staying healthy (18 starts, 116 innings) coming into Saturday's start against the Rockies. Unfortunately, he left the game after just 3.1 innings because of a sprained middle finger on his pitching hand. Sheets was in noticeable pain after throwing a pitch to Todd Helton and quickly exited the field, with Yovani Gallardo relieving him.

Sheets said Sunday that he couldn't "put any pressure on it," which makes it likely that he'll undergo an MRI to determine the exact problem. The worst-case scenario is that Sheets has an injury similar to the one suffered by Joel Zumaya earlier this season, which would most likely knock him out for the rest of the year. Whether short or long term, Gallardo figures to replace Sheets in the rotation, restoring his fantasy value after a move to the bullpen.

While Brewers fans are careful what they wish for when it comes to finding a way to get Gallardo into the starting rotation, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* After hitting .304 with a 1.044 OPS in 16 games as the Blue Jays' leadoff man while Reed Johnson was on the disabled list, Vernon Wells has been moved back to his rightful place in the middle of the lineup. Leading off successfully got him back on track, but Wells drove in just 16 runs from that spot despite batting .304 with seven homers, four doubles, and a .667 slugging percentage in 77 plate appearances.

Wells was one my favorite "buy-low" picks for the second half in this space last week and shifting back into an RBI spot makes him an even better target. Johnson's .347 career on-base percentage is far from great for a leadoff man, but he got on base at a .390 clip last season and No. 2 hitter Alex Rios figures to be in scoring position for Wells to drive in quite a bit. Despite the disappointing first half, Wells has a good chance to crack 25 homers and 100 RBIs.

* Albert Pujols was able to bring his batting average up well over .300 despite an awful start to the season, but entered the All-Star break with a 22-game homerless streak during which he slugged just .384 and drove in only eight runs. After being left on the bench by manager Tony La Russa during the All-Star game, Pujols has gone deep in each of the first three games of the second half.

He launched a pair of long balls Sunday against the Phillies, making him 6-for-14 (.429) with four homers and a 1.786 OPS since the All-Star break. Pujols has put together a couple of power surges before without being able to keep them going, but this is definitely a very encouraging sign. He's now hitting .368 with 14 homers, 38 RBIs, 40 runs scored, and a 1.116 OPS in 52 games dating back to mid-May.

* Chris Carpenter's injured right elbow started acting up again during his minor-league rehab assignment last week, with stiffness and swelling causing him to shut things down. Reports out of St. Louis are that multiple doctors are putting their heads together to determine what steps to take next, but it certainly sounds unlikely that Carpenter will be able to meet the original timetable that had him potentially coming back by early August.

* Tom Gordon returned from the 60-day disabled list Sunday, but figures to work off the rust in a middle-relief role before eventually being given a chance to reclaim ninth-inning duties. Antonio Alfonseca doesn't present much of a road block for Gordon when it comes to grabbing saves, but he may have to move relatively quickly. Brett Myers is scheduled to throw a simulated game Tuesday and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment shortly after that.

AL Quick Hits: Jermaine Dye homered twice Sunday, but his attempts to open up long-term contract negotiations with the White Sox have reportedly been shot down ? Huston Street (shoulder) hopes to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this week and could come off the disabled list as soon as Friday ? Barring a setback, Al Reyes (shoulder) is expected to return Wednesday ? Torii Hunter plans to play through a sore hamstring, but it figures to cut into his stolen-base totals at the very least ? Jason Giambi (foot) has begun working out at the Yankees' minor-league complex, but no timetable has been laid out for his return ? After getting seven at-bats in an extra-inning game Sunday at Triple-A, the A's may bump up the timetable for Mike Piazza's (shoulder) return ? X-rays on Jason Varitek's thumb came back negative, meaning he could play Monday ? Plunked on the thigh by a Justin Verlander pitch Sunday, Ichiro Suzuki is questionable to play Monday ? Showing no rust, Mark Teixeira is 4-for-12 with four extra-base hits in three games since returning from the DL ? Glen Perkins (shoulder) has suffered a setback in his recovery and likely won't be a factor in the second half.

NL Quick Hits: Scheduled to come off the disabled list Thursday, Brian Fuentes (rib) will first make a minor-league rehab appearance Tuesday at Single-A ? Bill Hall (ankle) hasn't begun running yet, but it sounds like he'll avoid missing anything close to the initial 6-8 week recovery timetable ? If things go well during a bullpen session Tuesday, Pedro Martinez (shoulder) could pitch a simulated game later this week ? Barring a setback, Ryan Dempster (oblique) will make two rehab appearances at Triple-A and then return this weekend ? Derrek Lee's homer Sunday was his first in 126 at-bats ? With seven shutout innings Sunday against the Phillies, Adam Wainwright now has a 3.03 ERA over his past 10 starts ? Barry Bonds went 0-for-5 in Sunday's loss to the Dodgers and is now 1-for-22 over his past seven games ? Because of ongoing knee problems, Brad Lidge figures to wear a brace for the remainder of the season ? After sitting out two weeks with a sore back, Oliver Perez returned to the mound with six solid innings Sunday against the Reds ? Carlos Quentin is hitting .455 in seven games since a demotion to Triple-A.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

A's Send Kendall to Cubs
With an eight-game losing streak putting them 10.5 games out of a playoff spot, the A's parted with what figures to be the first of several veterans Monday, trading Jason Kendall to the Cubs for Rob Bowen and Jerry Blevins. Originally acquired from the Pirates for Arthur Rhodes and Mark Redman in November of 2004, Kendall was a tremendous disappointment with the A's after making three All-Star teams while hitting .306/.387/.418 in nine seasons in Pittsburgh.

Kendall struggled to throw out runners from behind the plate while hitting just .271/.337/.321 in parts of three seasons in Oakland, including .226/.261/.281 in 80 games this year. Rather than rely upon some combination of Bowen, Geovany Soto, and Koyie Hill, the Cubs will hand the everyday job to Kendall just weeks after trading former starter Michael Barrett to the Padres in a deal that netted them Bowen.

In the final year of a $60 million contract signed in 2000, Kendall figures to benefit from a move back to the NL. However, his skills have clearly eroded to the point that he has little chance of being a fantasy asset in mixed leagues and has marginal value even in NL-only formats. Manager Lou Piniella said Monday that Kendall will likely bat seventh in the Cubs' lineup, which limits his potential value even further.

Combined with the news that Mike Piazza will not be returning as a catcher, parting with Kendall means that the A's are committed to going with Kurt Suzuki as their starter behind the plate. Suzuki is somewhat similar to the player Kendall once was in that he doesn't offer much power, but is solid defensively and has good on-base skills. He's worth grabbing in AL-only leagues, but even at just 23 years old his long-term fantasy potential is pretty limited.

A relatively generic backup catcher, Bowen figures to stick as Suzuki's caddy, although the A's also have one-time Rockies prospect J.D. Closser hitting .259 with an .856 OPS at Triple-A. A 6-foot-6 left-hander, Blevins has a 1.02 ERA, 69-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and .190 opponent's batting average in 53 innings between Single-A and Double-A. He lacks overpowering stuff, but the 23-year-old has a chance to develop into a solid reliever down the road.

While the Cubs play musical catchers and A's general manager Billy Beane works the phones as a seller, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Brad Lidge has turned in back-to-back hitless innings while racking up four strikeouts since coming off the disabled list, with manager Phil Garner apparently seeing enough to return him to the closer role Monday. Not only does Lidge have a 2.21 ERA and 48-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 36.2 innings overall, he's sporting a 0.86 ERA, 44-to-9 strikeout-to-ratio, and .156 opponent's batting average in 31.1 innings spread over 29 appearances since late April.

Despite being one of baseball's most dominant relievers over the past three months and racking up 103 saves over the past three years, Lidge has yet to save a game this season. "I'm definitely ready to get back and close some games," Lidge said. "We need to start winning games and hopefully I can get a lot of opportunities to help us win." Lidge should have little trouble holding off Dan Wheeler for ninth-inning duties, but a trade remains possible and knee problems linger.

* An MRI on Ben Sheets' injured middle finger reportedly showed no further damage Monday, but the Brewers still placed him on the disabled list with what is being called a sprain. He'll miss at least 2-3 starts, but further tests Tuesday could reveal a much lengthier recovery timetable. With Sheets out, Yovani Gallardo will slide back into the rotation beginning Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

One of the elite pitching prospects in baseball, Gallardo posted a 2.79 ERA and 19-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three starts in place on an injured Chris Capuano before moving to the bullpen. He has tremendous value in NL-only leagues and is a must-grab in mixed leagues as well. As manager Ned Yost said Monday when asked about Gallardo replacing Sheets: "We're covered, we're in good shape. I've got a lot of confidence in Gallardo. We're not going to miss a beat."

* As expected, the Royals activated Reggie Sanders from the disabled list Monday and optioned Joey Gathright back to Triple-A. Gathright hit .328 with a .450 on-base percentage in 50 games at Omaha earlier this season and batted .315 with a .390 on-base percentage in 25 games with the Royals, so the move clearly had nothing to do with performance and everything to do with the fact that he had minor-league options remaining.

"I told Joey that I didn't know what to say to him," manager Buddy Bell said. "We want him on our club. He's just in a position where he got caught up in some roster issues." While the Royals were somewhat limited in terms of how they could create a spot on the roster for Sanders, a viable alternative to demoting Gathright would have been simply releasing Sanders. They're no doubt showcasing the 39-year-old for a trade, but the value they figure to get back is marginal.

Instead, they'll give the oft-injured veteran a couple weeks of at-bats to show that he's healthy so that they can potentially cash him in for a mid-level prospect. Briefly sending Gathright to Triple-A is certainly not the end of the world, but the Royals will be compounding their mistake if they allow Sanders to steal playing time from Billy Butler at designated hitter. Between Sanders and Emil Brown, at least one lineup spot will essentially be used solely to entice teams into a trade.

AL Quick Hits: According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the A's have discussed trading Dan Johnson to the Yankees for Scott Proctor ? Darin Erstad (ankle) and Scott Podsednik (ribs) are scheduled to share an outfield while rehabbing at Triple-A beginning Wednesday ? Huston Street (shoulder) threw a simulated game Monday and is hoping to come off the disabled list early next week ? Jason Giambi (foot) has begun a running program, but is likely still at least three weeks from returning ? According to the Kansas City Star, the Dodgers are the frontrunners to acquire Octavio Dotel, but have balked at the Royals' asking price of Matt Kemp or James Loney ? Miguel Tejada is scheduled to begin hitting off a tee and fielding ground balls Tuesday ? Eric Chavez was scratched from Monday's lineup because of a sore back ? Ichiro Suzuki's bruised thigh limited him to designated-hitter duties Monday, but he went 2-for-3 with a walk and a steal ? The Indians are reportedly interested in bringing Kenny Lofton back for his third stint in Cleveland.

NL Quick Hits: John Smoltz (shoulder) is scheduled to come off the disabled list to start Wednesday against the Reds ? With Brian Fuentes (ribs) set to return Thursday, Manny Corpas pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning Monday for his second save ? In the midst of a 0-for-18 slump, Barry Bonds sat out Monday's game with sore legs ? Carlos Zambrano said Monday that he's optimistic about finally working out the long-rumored contract extension with the Cubs ? Ken Griffey Jr.'s three-run homer Monday moved him past Frank Robinson into sixth place on the all-time list with 587 career long balls ? Josh Hamilton (wrist) hasn't been cleared to begin baseball activities yet, so he won't be ready to return when eligible Monday ? Michael Barrett went 3-for-4 with three RBIs Monday, but has yet to draw a walk in 57 plate appearances since joining the Padres ? Roughed up Thursday at Triple-A, Homer Bailey will remain in the minors for at least one more start ? After holding the Cubs to one run over 6.1 innings Monday, Tim Lincecum has a 1.37 ERA over his past four starts.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Difference Makers


This week I'll talk about some players who may be able to help you get back into contention. I'll also provide some direction for those making that tough decision between fantasy baseball and their woman.
[SIZE=+1]Topic of the week: Fantasy or Woman?[/SIZE]
A colleague of mine recently educated me on the video-game craze known as World of Warcraft (he refers to it as "World of War Crack"). Apparently, it's so addicting that dudes have been known to let their marriages rot as they play it until 2:00 a.m. every day. My first thought was, "Man, that's worse than fantasy baseball!"
Still, fantasy baseball can be pretty addicting in its own right, and I've had a couple of emailers explain how their infatuation with the game resulted in divorce from their wives. (I think they were bragging.)
If you are considering choosing fantasy baseball over a woman, you should jot down some pros and cons to aid in the decision. In fact, I'll help you get started. (Cons first for our purposes.)
Con: Fantasy baseball can't cook for you.
Pro: Fantasy baseball won't invent some recipe that includes a random assortment of fruits and vegetables, chicken, and pasta tossed with low-fat salad dressing?then get insulted when you don't stuff every last bite down your throat.
Con: Fantasy baseball cannot be a lifelong mate.
Pro: Fantasy baseball won't burn your house down if you play fantasy football.
Con: You can't take fantasy baseball on a romantic expedition
Pro: Fantasy sports doesn't insist on driving an Expedition that it handles like a car carrier and trying to squeeze it into the "customer with infant" parking spot when there are wide open spaces 15 feet further from the market.
Con: Fantasy baseball won't help discipline the kids.
Pro: Fantasy baseball won't look at you like a savage, heartless hostage taker when you raise your voice to the kids.
Con: Fantasy baseball does not have a brain.
Pro: Fantasy baseball does not think fantasy baseball is stupid.
Con: Fantasy baseball will not help you keep your temper in check.
Pro: Fantasy baseball doesn't classify casually flipping another motorist the bird as "extreme roadrage."
Con: Fantasy baseball has no emotions.
Pro: Fantasy baseball will never learn from some modern day Sally Jessy that every woman?regardless of how ugly, dumb, and self absorbed she may be?is entitled to a man with the looks of Orlando Bloom, the sensitivity of Dr. Phil, and the wallet of Ichiro.
Con: Fantasy baseball cannot drive.
Pro: Fantasy baseball will never run the rear passenger-side tire over the curb when making a right turn.
Con: Fantasy sports will never say, "I love you."
Pro: Fantasy baseball will never say, "You'd be so proud of the amazing deal I got on these Gucci shoes!"
Got more? Send them to jgangi@rotoworld.com.
[SIZE=+1]Players of Note: 2nd-Half Difference Makers[/SIZE]
For those that need to dig a little to get back into contention, here are some under-the-radar guys who might be able to help.
Kevin Millwood ? Despite his ugly 5.77 ERA, Millwood has really turned things around of late. Over the last month, he's tallied four wins to complement a 3.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP and 33 K in 39 innings. Although his career ERA is just under 4.00, we've seen Millwood dominate for stretched, as he did in 2005 (2.86 ERA), 2002 (18 wins and a 3.24 ERA) and 1999 (2.68 ERA, 18 wins, and 205 K). On the chance that his recent performance marks the start of one such stretch, he makes a smart pickup right about now. In fact, if you put any stock in second-half trends, consider that Millwood's post-All-Star ERA is a full run lower than his pre-All-Star mark (3.41 to 4.41). Given that he plays for the worst team in the AL West, however, he's unlikely to continue racking up four wins a month.
Corey Patterson ? In what was my best move of the season thus far, I picked Chone Figgins out of the trash in late May when he was batting a gag-inducing .108 with just three steals. Since then he's been a fantasy super stud, raising his average to .307 and swiping an insane 21 bags?sorry, make that 22?he just nabbed another as I write this sentence. Go Chone! If you missed out on the bargain bonanza that was Figgins, perhaps Patterson will turn out to be the next best thing. After managing just one dinger over the first three months, he's "broken out" with three over the last two weeks. For the month of July, he's hitting .333. And you can't ignore his 20 SB. He's hit as many as 24 round trippers in a season (2004) and stolen as many as 45 bases (2006). I don't have to tell you how rare that kind of speed/power combination is. Does .275 with 10 HR and 20 SB over the remainder of the season seem realistic? Is that not something you could use?
Jonny Gomes ? One of my preseason sleepers, Gomes disappointed over the first two months of the season, hitting just .167 in April and .211 in May. Since then, though, he has turned it on, hitting .322 in June and .344 thus far in July. He's also smacked six homers over the last month. The kid clearly has pop, as evidenced by the 32 long balls he hit over the second half of 2005 and the first half of 2006. The big question is, can he get consistent at bats? Manager/Clock Blocker Joe Maddon inexplicably benches Gomes in favor of Greg Norton and his .178 AVG at times (thereby limiting Gomes' fantasy value), but Gomes is worth a roster spot if you have space in case reason prevails in the end.
Andruw Jones ? Well, it took long enough, but Jones is finally coming around. For the month of July, he's hitting .295 with six homers. Let's not forget, this is a guy?in the prime of his life?who jacked 92 long balls across 2005 and 2006. Perhaps trading Adrian Gonzalez for him back in May will turn out to be my second best move of the year! Richie Sexson ? No sign of a turnaround yet from Sexson, who's hitting .203 at the moment. Given that he's a career .265 hitter who's traditionally performed better in the second half, though, the chance of improvement seems high.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Ervin's Road Act Wearing Thin
Ervin Santana's tremendous road struggles have been a story all season, but it sounds like the Angels are finally fed up and close to yanking him from the rotation. Santana was shelled for seven runs on 14 hits Tuesday in Tampa Bay, making him 1-9 with an 8.79 ERA in 11 starts away from home this season and 10-20 with a 7.16 ERA on the road for his three-year career. Meanwhile, he's 23-7 with a 3.16 ERA at home, including 4-2 with a 3.42 ERA this year.

With Santana's next start scheduled to come Sunday in Minnesota, manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday that the Angels are "going to look at stuff" and "there are some options we might look at moving forward." Those options are Joe Saunders and Dustin Moseley, but Saunders has a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A and Scioscia seems hesitant to move Moseley from the bullpen given his 3.18 ERA in 34 innings as a reliever.

If Santana is removed from the rotation, general manager Bill Stoneman figures to get plenty of calls from teams interested in dealing for him. While the inability to avoid disastrous starts on the road has no doubt been incredibly frustrating for the Angels, the odds are certainly against it being a legitimate career-long problem. Plus, even with the road struggles, Santana is a 24-year-old pitcher with a 33-27 record and 4.87 ERA in 447.2 career innings.

While the Angels try to figure out Santana's Jekyll and Hyde act, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Originally diagnosed as merely a sprain, further test results revealed Tuesday that Ben Sheets has a partial tear of the tissue surrounding the tendon in his middle finger. While not quite the worst-case scenario, Sheets will be shut down for 10-14 days and is now expected to miss a total of 4-6 weeks. The good news is that it sounds like Sheets should be back in September, giving him some time to shake off the rust in preparation for a potential Brewers playoff run.

With Sheets likely out for over a month, Yovani Gallardo will step into his spot in the rotation and may never look back. Gallardo will have at least a handful of starts to impress and could easily hold onto a rotation spot once Sheets returns, with Claudio Vargas the most likely candidate to get bumped. In the meantime, the 21-year-old right-hander a major asset in NL-only leagues and figures to have good value in mixed-league formats as well.

* One day after returning from the disabled list, Tom Gordon revealed Tuesday that he plans to pitch through a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder. Labrum injuries are horrible news for pitchers and present a much bleaker outlook than even Tommy John surgery, but Gordon may be able to pitch with the injury depending on the severity of the tear. Pedro Martinez remained effective for years despite a partially torn labrum, although he was much younger than Gordon.

Brad Radke is perhaps a better comp. Already planning to retire following last season, Radke pitched through a labrum tear (among other injuries) to go 12-9 with a 4.32 ERA before calling it quits at the age of 33. At 39, Gordon is no doubt hoping to coax another season or two out of his arm, because surgery to repair the labrum would almost certainly signal the end of his career. With Brett Myers nearing a return, Gordon will have to pitch well to continue closing.

* In the midst of a 3-for-45 (.067) slump and 9-for-61 (.148) since returning from the disabled list in mid-June, Rickie Weeks is no longer the Brewers' starting second baseman. Manager Ned Yost announced Tuesday that Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino would split playing time there for now, saying that Brewers are "at the stage where production matters" and "not in the phase of developing anymore," adding that "I've got to put my most productive players on the field."

Coming back from last August's season-ending wrist surgery, Weeks posted an .859 OPS with five homers and five steals in April. Since then he's hit .197 while going 163 plate appearances without a homer, with speculation that his Gary Sheffield-like swing is being hampered by further wrist problems. At just 24 years old Weeks has far too much talent and long-term upside for the Brewers to give up on him, but he's clearly not 100 percent healthy.

AL Quick Hits: Al Reyes (shoulder) is expected to come off the disabled list Wednesday, with Gary Glover heading back to a setup role ? After fielding ground balls and hitting in a batting cage Tuesday, Miguel Tejada (wrist) is optimistically targeting a July 28 return ? According to the New York Post, the Yankees have been trying to acquire Wilson Betemit since last season by offering up Scott Proctor ? Meanwhile, both sides shot down a rumor that the White Sox were targeting Conor Jackson ? Michael Young broke out of a 10-for-53 (.189) slump Tuesday, going 5-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs ? Jack Cust's two-run homer helped the A's score more than three runs Tuesday for the first time since July 2, but they still lost 11-4 ? Reggie Sanders said Tuesday that he'd welcome a trade to the Red Sox, with the Boston media speculating that a deal could happen despite the presence of Wily Mo Pena ? Alex Gordon had three hits Tuesday to break out of a July slump and also stole his 10th base.

NL Quick Hits: In his first appearance since reclaiming closing duties, Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday to pick up his first save of the season ? Kerry Wood (triceps) has begun a minor-league rehab assignment at rookie-ball, with a move up to Single-A scheduled for next week ? After lining out as a pinch-hitter Tuesday, Barry Bonds is just two hitless at-bats shy of tying his career-worst 0-for-23 slump ? Including among the Phillies' 26 hits Tuesday were a pair of two-run homers from Ryan Howard ? Randy Johnson (back) reportedly felt good after a bullpen session Tuesday, but is not close to returning ? Todd Helton was scratched from Tuesday's lineup because of a headache ? After tossing a perfect inning in his first rehab appearance Tuesday at Triple-A, Ryan Dempster is on track to return this weekend ? A Daily Dose "buy-low" pick last week, Bronson Arroyo tossed seven shutout innings Tuesday ? Barry Zito won Tuesday for the first time in seven starts ? Roy Oswalt made a one-batter appearance out of the bullpen Tuesday, relieving for the fourth time since his rookie season.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Dontrelle Scuffling in Florida
Dontrelle Willis was knocked around at home again Wednesday, allowing six runs on 11 hits in three innings. Willis has gone nine straight starts without a win dating back to May 29 and is now 7-9 with a 5.13 ERA on the season. While he's been reasonably effective on the road, going 5-2 with a 4.47 ERA in nine starts, Willis' ugly outing Wednesday dropped him to 2-7 with a 5.64 ERA in a dozen home starts.

The home-road split is likely a fluke, but Willis' declining control is worth being concerned about. After walking just 2.1 batters per nine innings when he went 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA in 2005, Willis' walk rate has jumped to 3.3/9 in 2006 and 4.1/9 this season. Never a big-time strikeout pitcher despite a reputation that says otherwise, Willis' strikeout-to-walk ratio is down to 84-to-55 in 121 innings. Throwing over 800 innings through the age of 24 might be catching up to him.

While the Marlins hope that Willis isn't washed up at 25 years old, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* With the Cardinals in Florida, Scott Rolen has traveled back to St. Louis in order to have his ailing left shoulder examined by a team doctor. Rolen has started 16 straight games, but hit just .246 with zero homers and a .634 OPS over that stretch, giving him a measly .709 OPS in 79 games this season. It's possible that Rolen will get a cortisone shot and jump right back into the lineup, but the odds are against him turning in a productive second half.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are expected to hear an official word on Chris Carpenter's elbow injury Thursday. Carpenter has gotten second and third opinions on his status after experiencing continued soreness following surgery to remove bone spurs in May, and manager Tony La Russa indicated Wednesday that further surgery remains an option. Carpenter hasn't pitched since giving up five runs in six innings against the Mets on Opening Day.

* NBCSPORTS.COM VIDEO: Fantasy Fix ? Second-Half Studs and Duds

* As expected (and discussed in this space yesterday), the Angels have optioned Ervin Santana to Triple-A. His rotation replacement hasn't been named officially yet, but the fact that Dustin Moseley worked in relief Wednesday night suggests strongly that it'll be Joe Saunders. Saunders went 3-0 with a 2.97 ERA in five starts filling in for Bartolo Colon and Jered Weaver earlier this season, but has gone just 4-7 with a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A.

His 84-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 86.1 innings at hitter-friendly Salt Lake suggests that Saunders' high ERA is somewhat misleading, but at best he projects as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. Following Santana's demotion, manager Mike Scioscia made it clear that the Angels aren't giving up on the 24-year-old and expect him to reclaim a rotation spot by season's end. In the meantime, Saunders should get at least a month's worth of starts to impress.

* According to the Kansas City Star, the Royals are "sifting trade offers" for Octavio Dotel, with the Red Sox, Dodgers, Indians, Tigers, and Braves "among those teams known to have some interest." Dotel would likely act as a setup man in all those destinations, so his fantasy value figures to plummet the moment he's traded. Meanwhile, Joakim Soria will likely take over as the Royals' closer once Dotel is dealt, which will give his fantasy value a huge boost.

* Assuming his minor-league rehab appearance Thursday at Triple-A goes well, Ryan Dempster is expected to come off the disabled list Friday. Dempster hasn't pitched since June 22, but manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday that he'll immediately resume ninth-inning duties once he returns. That'll push Bob Howry back into a setup role after Howry went 6-for-7 in save chances with Dempster out.

* Erik Bedard was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday against the Mariners because of a stiff neck. Daniel Cabrera took his place and struggled on three days' rest, allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings to drop to 6-10 with a 5.30 ERA on the year. While being scratched from a start is obviously never good news, the current plan is for Bedard's next outing to simply be pushed back to Friday against the A's, which is a better matchup for him anyway.

* Roger Clemens' first four outings came against NL teams and he posted a 5.09 ERA while racking up 22 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. Since then he's started five times against AL teams, compiling a 3.24 ERA, but has managed just 12 strikeouts in 33.1 frames. The inability to overpower AL lineups likely isn't a coincidence. After back-to-back eight-inning, one-run starts to begin July, Clemens has allowed 14 hits with a 5-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11.1 innings.

AL Quick Hits: After throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, Curt Schilling (shoulder) has been cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Saturday at Triple-A ? With Schilling due back soon and Jon Lester still waiting in the wings, the Boston Herald speculates that Julian Tavarez's loss Wednesday may have been his final start ? Johan Santana held the league's best offense to three runs over eight innings Wednesday, but dropped to 11-7 when the Twins failed to score more than three runs for the 11th time in his 20 starts ? An MRI on Eric Chavez's injured back came up negative, so he's expected to return this weekend ? According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox are "actively seeking to deal Wily Mo Pena" and are also trying to find a right-handed hitting outfielder to replace him ? Phil Hughes (hamstring) is nearing a return after tossing four innings of one-run ball in a rehab start Wednesday at Double-A ? Marcus Thames made a sprawling, game-saving catch Wednesday, but suffered a strained hamstring on the play ? Demoted to Triple-A after losing his rotation spot to Matt Garza, Kevin Slowey tossed a complete-game shutout Wednesday.

NL Quick Hits: After sitting out two weeks with a shoulder injury, John Smoltz racked up 11 strikeouts in seven shutout innings Wednesday ? Likely hobbled for a few days by a sore ankle anyway, Derrek Lee has decided to begin serving his five-game suspension ? Handed an early 9-0 lead against a Giants lineup that didn't include Barry Bonds, Carlos Zambrano exited after five scoreless innings to pick up his NL-leading 12th win ? Starting Wednesday despite manager Ned Yost saying that Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino would take his job, Rickie Weeks went 0-for-4 to make him 9-for-65 (.138) since coming off the disabled list ? After sitting out Tuesday's game thanks to a headache, Todd Helton returned to the lineup Wednesday with his ninth homer ? Greg Maddux left Wednesday's game with a hamstring injury, but said afterward that "it's more of a cramp than a sprain" ? Hitting just .189 since June 1, Marcus Giles is expected to sit out three straight games while working on his swing ? Willie Harris has officially come back to earth, going 1-for-7 Wednesday to make him 6-for-40 (.150) this month.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bullpen Report: Week 16
Tom Gordon was activated from the disabled list this past week, then revealed he's going to try and pitch through a partially torn labrum. The Phillies are going to try and "manage" the injury for the remainder of 2007 and all of 2008, but if they manage the injury as well as they manage the rest of the team Gordon will require surgery soon enough.

It's a development that knocks Gordon's value down quite significantly, and it's a good idea not to count on him for much while pitching at less than 100 percent. That he also isn't likely to pitch more than a couple of days at a time further limits his value, and his days as a closer could well be done. The club may try and ease Gordon back into the role if Brett Myers doesn't return as planned, but Antonio Alfonseca has done a fine job, Myers is due back in a week, and Gordon would have to pitch well for that to happen. The odds are against everything aligning properly for the right-hander to return to the role.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, Co-Closer or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Locked In)

Key setup men: Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon, Doug Slaten

Valverde appeared in just one game this week, recording a save in a scoreless inning against the Padres. Pena hasn't looked as dominant as of late while giving up 10 baserunners, but just two runs, in his last 4 2/3 innings. Continued struggles might mean Lyon becomes Valverde's backup again, but manager Bob Melvin has indicated that he sees Pena as a future closer and he'll remain in that role for now.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Secure)

Key setup men: Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Oscar Villareal

A poor week before the All-Star game got Wickman downgraded to 'Shaky', but he's bounced back with three scoreless innings and a win since. That Soriano has given up three runs over his last three appearances adds to the logic for keeping Wickman in the role for now. I'll bump him back up to 'Secure' this week, but he's still on the low end of that spectrum.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (Secure)

Key setup men: Paul Shuey, Chad Bradford, Danys Baez, Jamie Walker

I recommended buying Ray in all leagues when he was kept out of a save situation two weeks ago, and the advice is already looking rather sound. The right-hander has rebounded with five straight scoreless innings, giving up just three baserunners and striking out 10 during that span. There's still some risk that he'll lose confidence and revert to his previous ways, but Ray is much more likely to turn in an excellent second half and resemble a great long-term option.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Hideki Okajima, Brendan Donnelly (DL), Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez

Papelbon pitched in two games this week, notching a save with a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays in the first and then throwing another scoreless inning in a one-run loss to the Royals. Okajima is working on a 17-inning scoreless streak, dating back to June 3. Amazingly, that's only his second longest stretch of the year, as he had a 21 1/3 inning streak after giving up a homer to start the season. Delcarmen had been a mild disappointment for Triple-A Pawtucket this season, but he's pitched much better since a promotion to the majors. He could take over eighth inning duties down the road, and he's fine to use in deep AL-only leagues for now.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (DL), Bob Howry (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Angel Guzman (DL), Carlos Marmol, Mike Wuertz, Kerry Wood (DL)

Dempster threw a perfect inning for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and will again pitch in a game on Thursday. He should be activated on Friday or Saturday and then move right back into the closer's role. Howry, who went 6-for-7 in save opportunities despite giving up eight runs in 13 outings while Dempster was out, will return to a setup role. While the right-hander did a fine job, Marmol could be chosen to close next time the club has a vacancy. Despite taking a loss on Tuesday, he's been excellent to date and has long-term closer potential. Guzman is currently rehabbing his strained elbow in the minors and could be back later this month, but he hasn't pitched in 10 days and is more of a sleeper for 2008.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Locked In)

Key setup men: Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal (DL), Boone Logan

Jenks has fallen into a bit of a slump, giving up seven runs and blowing three saves over his last seven appearances. It's a development the team could ill-afford with the rest of their bullpen in shambles, but it doesn't really matter as the club has long been out of playoff contention. As long as Jenks is healthy and eventually snaps out of the funk, the team will look forward to using him as their closer in 2008.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Secure)

Key setup men: Eddie Guardado (DL), Jon Coutlangus, Mike Stanton, Jared Burton

Weathers started the week with back-to-back scoreless innings in non-save situations, but his next two outings didn't go nearly as well. In the first, Weathers gave up a run and brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth against the Braves, but he retired Andruw Jones to protect a one-run lead and earn a save. In the second, Weathers was charged with a blown save after giving up a run in the bottom of the 10th. A few excellent defensive plays bailed him out of further trouble in that one, and the Reds did end up winning the game in 15 innings. The outings aren't something that should affect his value yet, but it's worth watching.

Guardado threw a 30-pitch simulated game on Tuesday and reported no issues. He'll continue to pitch on the side and could be back in a week or two.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Shaky)

Key setup men: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Tom Mastny

Borowski started the week by blowing a one-run lead in the ninth after two singles and two sacrifices scored the tying run for the Royals. The Indians won the game in the bottom of the inning, giving Borowski a victory. The right-hander followed up the blown save with a pair of scoreless innings and a save later in the week. The club will explore upgrade options at the deadline, but with so few quality players available it could be a seller's market the team decides to stay away from. Either way, expect to hear a lot of rumors in the coming week.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Manny Corpas (Shaky)

Key setup men: Brian Fuentes (DL), LaTroy Hawkins, Jorge Julio, Jeremy Affeldt

Fuentes is recovering from a strained rib-cage muscle in the minors and should be activated on Thursday. However, he won't go back to the closer's role just yet. Corpas has converted all three save opportunities put in front of him thus far and has given up just one run since Fuentes went down. The club will still go back to Fuentes as soon as he's healthy and effective in middle relief, but it's a good sign for Corpas' long-term value.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya (DL), Fernando Rodney (DL), Jose Capellan, Macay McBride

Jones picked up two more saves with scoreless innings this past week. He hasn't given up a run in eight innings since getting a vote of confidence from management on June 28. Rodney will throw from a mound this weekend and could be ready to rejoin the club within a week. He'll resume eighth inning duties right away, though he's no lock to be effective.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Kevin Gregg (Secure)

Key setup men: Armando Benitez, Henry Owens (DL), Matt Lindstrom, Taylor Tankersley

Gregg appeared in three games this week, picking up two saves and giving up one run. Benitez struggled around the change in months, but he's rebounded with 5 1/3 scoreless innings since. However, Gregg has pitched well enough in the closer's role to have some job security now. It'd take more than a bad outing or three to get him removed in favor of Benitez.

Houston Astros

Closer: Brad Lidge (Shaky)

Key setup men: Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, David Borkowski

So who had July 17 in the pool for the date of Lidge's first save? Along with Mariano Rivera not garnering his first save until April 28, Lidge's drought was among the more surprising events as it relates to bullpens. Lidge struck out two and walked one in a scoreless inning while recording said save. While the right-hander is still a risk to implode for mental reasons, he looks like a pretty strong bet to recover after giving up just one run in his last 18 innings of work. He'll need a few more outings under his belt before he can move up to a 'Secure' ranking, but expect it to happen.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (In Danger)

Key setup men: Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria, Joel Peralta, David Riske

Dotel hasn't been as dominant as he once was since returning from the disabled list, but his slider's back and his fastball is still a plus pitch. His command hasn't been exceptional, but that he pitched two scoreless innings against tough offenses (the Red Sox and Indians) this week should help his trade value. The Dodgers are supposedly interested in the right-hander, but another setup man is low on their list of priorities and the Royals reportedly asked for too much anyway. Expect the team's demands to come down as the deadline nears and Dotel to end up in a setup role on August 1. Greinke remains next in line.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier, Dustin Moseley

K-Rod totaled three scoreless innings and a win over two outings this week, lowering his ERA to 2.16. Shields was working on a 24 2/3 inning scoreless streak before giving up a pair of runs to the Rangers on Sunday. Speier is back from an intestinal infection and has struck out four batters and given up one run in two innings thus far. It'd probably be best to wait another week before activating him in AL-only leagues, but he should have value over the season's final two months.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Yhency Brazoban (DL), Chin-Hui Tsao, Rudy Seanez

Saito blew a one-run lead in the ninth inning against the Giants to start his week, but the Dodgers ended up winning the game in extra innings and Saito followed with two scoreless innings for saves later in the week. Tsao's shoulder continues to be an issue and he's back on the disabled list for a second time. Despite looking strong to start the season, he's still not someone that should be counted on.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva, Manny Parra

It was a strong week for Cordero, who struck out six and picked up three saves in four scoreless innings of work. Parra will work out of the bullpen for now, but he has a very intriguing future in the club's rotation and won't be here for long. He can be used in deep NL-only leagues in the meantime, however.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Pat Neshek, Juan Rincon, Matt Guerrier

Nathan continued his dominance this week, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings while earning a pair of saves. Neshek celebrated the announcement that the team thought he could be a future closer by recording five shutout innings of work over the last six days. For those who don't know, Neshek has a blog that he updates frequently. There are a lot of insightful posts detailing the life of a ballplayer in addition to some entertaining discussions, so I recommend checking it out.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano

Wagner lowered his ERA to 1.52 with three shutout innings of work this week. He also picked up three more saves, bringing his season total to 20. Guillermo Mota's strikeout and walk ratios are about the same as before he was caught cheating, but he's also giving up more hard hit balls. His current 6.08 ERA should come down at least a little due to luck alone, but he's not a good bet to be as productive as he was before the suspension.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth, Luis Vizcaino, Brian Bruney

It's about time. Rivera finally had a dominant week for the Yankees, earning four saves with 5 2/3 scoreless innings of work. With the Yankees playing better and Rivera due for more save opportunities anyway, the future Hall of Famer is in for a big second half. If Rivera's setup men can hold on to leads more frequently than they have he'll be a threat to save 20 games in the second half.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Huston Street (DL), Alan Embree (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero, Rich Harden (DL), Dallas Braden

Street threw a simulated game on Monday and reported no problems with the nerve in his right arm. He'll make an appearance in the minors this weekend, and could be activated as early as Monday. The club has no incentive to rush him back or put added pressure on him, but he'll probably return as a closer anyway. He's fine to activate for next week's games. Check in on Sunday to see how his rehab is going, as Embree could be worth using as well. Once Street is back, Embree will return to a setup role. If Street has to head back to the disabled list, Casilla is more likely to take over than Embree.

Calero is back from right shoulder inflammation, but he hasn't looked particularly sharp yet. It's an injury that could linger, and I'd hold off on activating him if possible. Harden is back on the disabled list as well after throwing just 6 2/3 innings since returning from injury. He'll be someone to take a flier on next season, but his draft price is going to have to drop by 75 percent or so to make it worth the risk.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Brett Myers (DL), Antonio Alfonseca (Filling-In)

Key setup men: Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

Myers threw a simulated game on Tuesday and is set to start a rehab assignment on Friday. He should be back late next week, though he doesn't need to be activated in fantasy leagues just yet. With Gordon pitching at less than full steam, Myers could return to closing duties right away. Due to the uncertainty with both Gordon and Myers I wouldn't recommend dropping Alfonseca in shallower leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Matt Capps (Locked In)

Key setup men: Salomon Torres, Damaso Marte, Shawn Chacon

Capps threw a scoreless inning in a non-save situation in his only appearance this week. Torres has backed off of trade demands and will resume pitching the eighth inning for now. He still could be trade bait, but the odds are that he'll be a Pirate through the end of the season.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Heath Bell, Cla Meredith, Kevin Cameron

Hoffman notched his 26th save with another scoreless inning this week. The outing lowered his ERA to 1.85, which would be the second best mark of his career if the season ended today. Not bad for a 39-year-old. Bell's ERA finally climbed over 2.00 with a couple of poor outings, but he bounced back with three straight scoreless appearances. I'm still banking on him putting up an ERA below 3.00 from here on out. Meredith has given up just one earned run in his last 7 2/3 innings, but the club still trusts Linebrink and Bell more at the moment.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Brad Hennessey (Secure)

Key setup men: Randy Messenger, Kevin Correia, Jonathan Sanchez (DL)

Hennessey threw two shutout innings in the Giants' 8-7 loss in 12 innings to the Dodgers on Saturday, then picked up a save with a scoreless inning against the Cubs on Tuesday. He's still less than two weeks removed from being taken out of a save situation, but I believe he has some job security. Correia continues to struggle in a setup role, so Messenger is next in line for now. He's far from an exciting option, however.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brandon Morrow, Chris Reitsma, George Sherrill

Putz was credited with four saves after hurling 4 1/3 scoreless innings this week. It's July 19 and his ERA is 0.79 and his WHIP is 0.55. Take that in for a second. Reitsma has returned from the disabled list by giving up one run in two innings of work spread over three outings. Morrow still has trouble hitting the broad side of a barn with most of his pitches and the club doesn't trust him in close games at the moment, so Reitsma has already moved back into an eighth inning role.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Ryan Franklin, Tyler Johnson (DL), Russ Springer

Isringhausen is still pitching some of the best baseball of his career, lowering his ERA to 1.45 with two more shutout innings this week. The Cardinals will do everything they can to stay in playoff contention while trying to defend their title, so Isringhausen should see plenty of save opportunities in the second half.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes,

Key setup men: Gary Glover, Brian Stokes, Shawn Camp

Reyes was activated from the disabled list on Wednesday after missing the minimum of 15 days due to a rotator cuff strain. He threw a scoreless inning later that day and will resume his duties as closer immediately. A strong couple of weeks would give him a good deal of value at the trading deadline, but the Devil Rays have warmed to the idea of keeping him around for another year. Glover is next in line.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (Secure)

Key setup men: Akinori Otsuka, Joaquin Benoit, Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson

Gagne notched two more saves with scoreless innings this week, and the Rangers are going to make him readily available over the next two weeks. Since he looks like the best option out there to contenders needing a closer, expect them to ask for the moon, then take the best offer if nobody caves in by July 31. Otsuka has been rumored in trades as well, but he's much more likely to remain with the club.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: Jeremy Accardo (Secure)

Key setup men: Casey Janssen, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor

Accardo went 2-for-3 in save opportunities this week, recording two against the Red Sox and then blowing one against the Yankees in a game the Blue Jays would ultimately lose. Frasor's recent struggles have ensured that Janssen is next in line, but Accardo still has plenty of job security.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Secure)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome (DL), Luis Ayala

Cordero threw three more scoreless innings this week, picking up a pair of saves in the process. He should have plenty of trade value if the Nationals decide to move him, but there has been almost no noise coming out of Washington on the issue.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

What To Do With Weeks?
In my haste to recommend Jonny Gomes last week, I blanked on B.J. Upton's imminent return. Sure enough, that relegated Gomes back to the bench. He should be DHing regularly, but until then he can't be used in a mixed league. Thanks to all who emailed on that point. Let's get to it.

American League

Kason Gabbard, SP, BOS ? The 25-year-old southpaw opened some eyes with an eight-strikeout shutout against the Royals on Monday. He wasn't too bad in his previous start against the Tigers, either. He's fairly hittable, and allowed a surprising rate of home runs at Triple A despite his groundball tendencies. I'm not saying he can't carve out a career as a fourth or fifth starter, but starting him in AL-only is still a roll of the dice right now. He could stick even after Curt Schilling returns. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Joakim Soria, RP, KCA ? Now is the time for a pre-emptive pickup of Soria if he's available in your league. He's been dominant in recent months, and will assume KC's closer job when Octavio Dotel is traded. AL: $18, Mixed: $10.

Joe Saunders, SP, LAA ? The combustion and demotion of Ervin Santana should lead to a rotation spot for Saunders. I think he can keep his ERA under 5, for what that's worth. You know, 5 is the new 4 as far as ERAs go. Our kids are going to think 6 is an OK ERA. AL: $4, Mixed: No.

Matt Garza, SP, MIN ? As Garza keeps tossing up scoreless innings, my doubts on him start to fade away. No reason he can't post a 3.80 ERA moving forward, which is useful in most leagues with more than eight teams. AL: $15, Mixed: $5.

Scott Baker, SP, MIN ? I've always liked Baker, and it's nice to see him succeed. Once again, his command has been superb. When the hits don't drop in he'll have some nice starts. However, as a guy who's always around the plate, he will be prone to 5-7 run explosions randomly. AL: $9, Mixed: No.

Mike Mussina, SP, NYA ? Moose is a popular mixed league add this week, even though his last two starts haven't been anything special. His strikeouts are way down, and despite the name value it's time to put him out to pasture. By that I mean you can only use him in AL-only. AL: $11, Mixed: No.

Lenny DiNardo, SP, OAK ? No one seems to trust DiNardo, but he's posted many scoreless starts this year. Though his 3.72 ERA is fine, his other numbers in his eight starts have been ugly. His groundball tendencies can't be discounted, but he remains risky in all leagues. AL: $2, Mixed: No.

National League

Mark Reynolds, 3B, ARI ? Reynolds went nuts in May after injuries granted him a big league opportunity. He was terrible in June but is hitting well once again in July. Projection systems validate the 25 HR pop, and he's worth owning in deep mixed leagues again. NL: $13, Mixed: $2.

Jo-Jo Reyes, SP, ATL ? Joey Jo-Jo may stick as the Braves' fifth starter with Kyle Davies demoted, though that will change if they acquire a starter. Didn't like the big man in mixed leagues when he came up a few weeks ago and nothing's really changed. NL: $4, Mixed: No.

Julio Franco, 1B, ATL ? Franco, a former teammate of Pete Rose the year I was born, hooked on with Atlanta in attempt to push towards age 50 as a big leaguer. We're all rooting for him, but he's a non-factor in fantasy. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Buddy Carlyle, SP, ATL ? The 29 year-old righty has risen from the ashes to become the Braves' fourth starter. He's a textbook journeyman, having traveled from Mobile to Japan to Las Vegas and everywhere in-between. He's got decent peripheral stats this year in nine starts, though it should be noted that he's done his finest work against the Pirates and Nationals. You could still throw a few bucks his way in NL-only, if he's out there. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Jake Fox, 1B/OF, CHN ? Fox started the year as a catcher but had been playing first base and the outfield recently in Double A. With Derrek Lee serving his suspension and some other players banged up, Fox could get some at-bats over the next week or so. He's got good power but unless he really mashes he'll be back to the minors shortly. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Jason Kendall, C, CHN ? The Cubs are banking that Kendall has something left, and failing that at least he can handle the pitching staff. However, intangibles don't count in fantasy baseball. At most, Kendall can provide a .290 average. That's possible but still unlikely so I suggest you leave him on the waiver wire. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Bobby Livingston, SP, CIN ? Homer Bailey's injury and the likelihood of a Kyle Lohse trade should make Livingston's job relatively secure. He's known for amazing control but doesn't throw hard and is very hittable. I wouldn't try him in any league despite his hitting prowess. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, COL ? Jimenez can bring it in the high 90s, and he has a plus changeup too. However, his control was terrible in Triple A. The Rockies have granted him a rotation spot, but there's no reason to expect him to figure it out against tougher competition. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Cody Ross, OF, FLA ? Ross has shown pretty good power before in Triple A. He had a nice run (albeit in a tiny sample size) in April until he tore his hamstring. If the Marlins are facing a southpaw, Ross is worth using in any league. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Tony Graffanino, 1B/2B/SS/3B, MIL ? The versatile 35 year-old is showing surprising power, with seven home runs in 77 at-bats since the start of June. With the benching of Rickie Weeks, Graffy should play semi-regularly. He's the classic supersub, and is worth a few bucks in NL-only. NL: $6, Mixed: No.

Yovani Gallardo, SP, MIL ? If Gallardo isn't already owned in your league, pick him up now and join a better league next year. NL: $40, Mixed: $20.

Rickie Weeks, 2B, MIL ? Outside of his five home run/five steal April, Weeks has been either hurt or terrible this year. Now he's been benched. He's been a huge disappointment, but may be feeling the lingering effects of wrist surgery. He could make a nice post-hype sleeper for 2008, but right now there's no reason to keep him around. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Moises Alou, OF, NYN ? Look for Mo to rejoin the Mets sometime around Tuesday against the Pirates at Shea. You know the story on Alou ? he hits when he's on the field. He's a fine pickup in all leagues; ride out the wave of health. NL: $16, Mixed: $8.

Cesar Izturis, SS, PIT ? Izturis is a Pirate now, which could lead to a slight increase in playing time. He could even regain full-time status if the Bucs can dump off Jack Wilson's contract on someone. Regardless, Izturis has negative fantasy value. NL: No, Mixed: No.

J.D. Durbin, SP, PHI ? Durbin has been a promising pitcher plagued by health issues his entire career. The hard-thrower made the Futures Game in 2003 but needed surgery to fix a partially torn labrum by May of '04. He was never healthy enough to earn a real look with the Twins, and ran out of minor league options. Then the fun began as teams tried to sneak him through waivers and he became a Diamondback, Red Sox, and Phillie in the course of a few weeks. The 25 year-old was not impressive in Triple A for the Phils, but injuries have granted him a rotation spot. He recently posted a fine start against the Dodgers but I'd pass for now. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Noah Lowry, SP, SFN ? Lowry is a popular recent add in mixed leagues. He's got a 3.50 ERA despite poor control and a below average strikeout rate. Lowry has morphed into a groundball pitcher since striking out 172 back in '05. His WHIP will remain high; his ERA is headed up ? I would pass in all but the deepest of mixed leagues. NL: $12, Mixed: $3.

Jim Edmonds, OF, STL ? Edmonds finally came off the DL last night, going 1 for 3 against Tim Hudson. Look for decent power and some ribbies while he's healthy. He's someone to consider in deep mixed leagues. NL: $12, Mixed: $2.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Surgery for Carpenter
The Cardinals' worst fears were realized Thursday, with the announcement that Chris Carpenter will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. Carpenter hasn't pitched since Opening Day and had bone spurs removed from his elbow in May, but having T.J. surgery this late in the season means that the odds are now stacked against him making a significant impact in 2008. At best, he might come back for the final two months, but likely wouldn't be at full strength.

Already under the Cardinals' control through 2008, Carpenter signed a three-year, $50 million contract extension in December. The deal takes him through the 2011 season, but to get there he'll have to first come back from a major arm injury for the second time in five seasons. After missing most of 2002 and all of 2003, Carpenter came back to become one of the best pitchers in baseball, going 51-18 with a 3.10 ERA in 645.1 innings from 2004-2006.

He's one of the best success stories of a pitcher bouncing back from major surgery, but doing so again at the age of 33 figures to be far more difficult. With his value for 2007 gone, keeper leaguers shouldn't rely on Carpenter being a fantasy asset until 2009. Even then, it's probably wishful thinking to count on a 34-year-old with his history of arm problems jumping right back into the mix as one of the league's premiere pitchers.

While the Cardinals' already forgettable post-championship season gets even worse, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* In the midst of a 0-for-21 slump and absent from the starting lineup for three straight games to rest his sore legs, Barry Bonds returned in style Thursday against the Cubs, going 3-for-3 with two homers and six RBIs. Both homers came against left-handed pitchers (starter Ted Lilly and reliever Will Ohman, if you're keeping track), giving Bonds 19 long balls this season and 753 for his career.

Just two homers away from tying Hank Aaron's all-time record, it's possible that the Giants will rest Bonds on the road this weekend in Milwaukee, which coincidentally is where Aaron's 755th and final homer came on July 20, 1976. In another interesting twist of fate, the Giants open up a seven-game homestand Monday against the Braves, for whom Aaron played 21 of his 23 major-league seasons (and hit 733 of his 755 homers).

* NBCSPORTS.COM VIDEO: Fantasy Fix ? Dodgers Thoughts

* Lost in the shuffle of Carpenter going under the knife is that the Cardinals did get some good news Thursday. Jim Edmonds returned from the disabled list after sitting out over a month with a pinched nerve in his back, starting in center field and going 1-for-3. Meanwhile, Scott Rolen received a cortisone shot in his injured shoulder and is expected to return to the lineup soon. However, as discussed in this space yesterday, Rolen is a poor bet for a strong second half.

* With Ben Sheets' injury securing his spot in the rotation for at least the next month, Yovani Gallardo resumed starting Thursday after spending three weeks in the bullpen and picked up right where he left off. Gallardo shut out the Diamondbacks for six innings, improving to 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 23-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in four starts. Toss in his relief work and the 21-year-old right-hander has a 2.34 ERA and 31-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 34.2 innings.

* After watching him go 1-5 with a 7.31 ERA and 25-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in seven starts since early June, the Braves optioned Kyle Davies back to the minors Thursday. Davies pitched reasonably well early in the season, but at no point did he look like the one-time top prospect who put up fantastic numbers in the minors. Instead, he looked much like the same guy who struggled through injuries while going 3-7 with an ugly 8.38 ERA in 14 starts last season.

Davies is still just 23 years old, but he now sports a 14-21 record and 6.15 ERA in 237 big-league innings spread over three seasons. With the Braves potentially looking to add a veteran starter or capable bat before the trading deadline, Davies could be on the trading block. He's just a couple years removed from ranking as one of the best pitching prospects around, so if the Braves have officially soured on him they'll likely still be able to cash him in for some value.

AL Quick Hits: After homering in a minor-league rehab game Thursday at Triple-A, Mike Piazza (shoulder) could come off the disabled list this weekend ? Batting .354 at the end of May, Kevin Youkilis has hit just .238 in 37 games since ? Optioned to Triple-A Thursday, Jorge Cantu said that he doesn't expect to ever play for the Devil Rays again ? Torii Hunter (hamstring) expects to be back in the lineup Friday, but Michael Cuddyer (thumb) may miss several more games ? In the lineup Thursday only because Cuddyer was scratched, Jason Kubel went 3-for-4 with a homer ? Hitting just .125 this month, Orlando Cabrera was given what manager Mike Scioscia called a "mental day off" Thursday ? After essentially playing with a 24-man roster since July 1, the Rangers finally placed Akinori Otsuka (forearm) on the shelf Thursday, making it less likely that he'll be traded ? C.C. Sabathia allowed four runs in six innings Thursday, but once again got good run support on the way to becoming MLB's first 13-game winner ? Daisuke Matsuzaka walked a career-high six batters in Thursday's loss to the White Sox.

NL Quick Hits: X-rays on Lance Berkman's injured hand showed no structural damage, so he'll remain in the lineup while wearing a protective pad ? Originally expected to return Thursday, Brian Fuentes' (ribs) timetable has been pushed back several days ? Josh Johnson (forearm) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Friday at Single-A ? With a homer Thursday, Andruw Jones is now hitting .321 with four homers and 11 RBIs in seven games since the All-Star break ? Handed a 6-0 lead in the first inning Thursday, Tom Glavine still failed in his bid for career win No. 299 ? After back-to-back rough outings at Triple-A, Homer Bailey has been placed on minor-league disabled list with a strained groin ? Eric Byrnes said Thursday that long-term contract talks with the Diamondbacks have broken down ? With Ryan Dempster (oblique) due back Friday, Bob Howry converted what might be his final save chance Thursday, making him 7-for-8 in Dempster's place ? If a bullpen session Friday goes well, Randy Wolf (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment next week at Single-A.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Week That Was
Tommy John surgery, trades, another ding to Big Papi and more in this week's Week That Was.

Kip Wells:: Kip Wells looked like, well, someone other than Kip Wells Wednesday night, blanking the Fish for 8 innings. You could here whispers all around the stadium "who are you and what did you do with Kip" as Wells posted goose egg after goose egg. Ok, enough clowning around. Only teams desperate to make a major run from the cellar should gamble on Wells. One outing does not a season make. You can do better (and if you cannot, play for next year).

Ervin Santana: In the culmination of a quick and ugly fall from grace, the Angels sent Ervin Santana to AAA. Fact is Ervin, who shares a real first name with "Magic" Johnson, has been anything but magic so far in 2007. A 6+ ERA is just not the answer to any question (unless the question is "what Angels pitcher is doing his best Kei Igawa imitation?"). Ok, again, enough of the pathetic attempts at humor. If you are in a keeper league, keep Santana. If you are out of contention, go get Ervin at the bottom of his value. He is a classic case of a pitcher that just needs to recalibrate. He has the talent (unlike Kei) and he will be back. Final thought here -- if you have some FAAB money left, Joe Saunders makes a good risk/return investment for the rest of the year.

Chris Carpenter: In news that makes Cardinal fans (and Carpenter owners) reach for the bottle of Maalox, Chris Carpenter will undergo Tommy John surgery. Not only is he done for this year, he is likely cooked for 2008 as well. Wow, was this thing mismanaged or what? Attempting rehab to try and get something for their huge investment in 2007 has cost the Cards 2008 as well. The Cards have no choice but to hope someone took out insurance. However, in fantasy world, you should keep Carpenter only if you are in a long term keeper league, paid way, way below healthy Carpenter market price, and have league rules that allow you to keep a player in 2008 even though they will not pitch until 2009. Hey, maybe the Yankees can dump Igawa on the Cards? Nah, Carpenter will provide a better return on investment this year than Ew-Gawa.

Yovani Gallardo: . Yovani Gallardo looked strong again Thursday, beating Arizona with 6 very solid innings. Fact 1 ? Gallardo's minor league numbers are staggering. Fact 2 ? Ben Sheets is often hurt and no one knows how soon he will be back to form after the latest injury. Fact 3 ? Gallardo is better than Claudio Vargas (if not other members of the Brew Crew rotation). Bottom line: Gallardo is a must buy in all formats. The only problem is that it is probably already too late.

Cesar Itzturis: The Lou Piniella merry-go-round continues as the Cubs dealt Cesar Izturis to the Pirates. This deal is a bit confusing. First, why do the Pirates want Cesar? They already have Jack Wilson, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3803"]Jose Bautista[/URL], Freddy Sanchez and Jose Castillo (i.e, 4 players to fill 3 slots). So, it seems that Itzturis's value will stay down for the near future. Only another deal can save Cesar's fantasy season. Second, the Itzturis deal does mean more consistent time for Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot and Mark Derosa. All are good third MI candidates for deep leagues.

Octavio Dotel: According to a number of reports, the Royals have received multiple offers for Octavio Dotel. One's initial reaction would be that Dotel's value will plummet. Well, of course his value is higher as the KC closer than as a set up man for a contender. However, do not downgrade too much. Dotel posts strong ratios and strikeouts. Also, on a contender, he will be in a position to vulture wins over the last two months. If there is a Dotel owner in your league panicking, go fleece him. If you own Dotel, hold unless you are so dominating the pitching categories that quality consistent innings are unimportant to you. Final thought here ? do you think the Yankees could use Dotel as a bridge to Mo? Oh, that's right, they let Dotel go last year and spent the money on Igawa. Doh!

Chris Capuano: Capuano tossed 7 quality innings Wednesday, reversing the recent trend of injuries and bad outings. Maybe the emergence of Yovani Gallardo inspired Cap. Maybe the injury to Ben Sheets forced Cap to realize that the staff needs a leader. Or, maybe he got two-plus weeks of needed rest, worked off the rust and is ready to post solid numbers the rest of the way. I vote for option three. Cap is a buy low candidate in deep NL leagues.

Jason Kendall: The Cubs continued the catching merry-go-round at Wrigley by acquiring Jason Kendall from the A's. So? First, I see no way to throw a barb at Kei Igawa here other than to say that Kendall's value decreases just by virtue of not getting to hit against Igawa. Second and more relevant, do not break the bank on Kendall. He has no power, his speed has diminished and his average has not been up to snuff. Thus, unless you are in a very deep NL league and have a very sorry catching corps, I would hold my FAAB for a more lucrative player. The one opportunity that the deal does create is in the AL where Kurt Suzuki (who can hit) will get regular AB's in Oakland. Now there is a shot at catching lightning in a bottle. Oh, and for those of you who think Piazza will do a lot of catching for Oakland, think again.

David Ortiz: According to Terry Francona, Big Papi's left shoulder strain is not that serious. Could be. However, when you add in a knee that will need surgery, you have a very expensive roto player with serious risk. My advice: If you can move Papi for a quality hitter with no known injury problems, do it. Winning roto is about minimizing risk.

Kei Igawa: Are some of you wondering why I am so hard on Kei Igawa? First and foremost, it entertains my readers. Second, it might be because the Yankees paid the gross national product of a small nation for a pitcher who anyone who spent 5 minutes in little league would have known could not possible provide a return on that investment. Or, maybe because I never thought they Yankees would run such a sorry starter out to the hill that I would find myself rooting for the horror movie himself (Mike Myers) jog out of the bullpen and toss underhanded jelly donuts. Oh, you want fantasy advice ? here is some ? cut Igawa. Phillip Hughes is on his way back to the Bronx shortly.

And last, but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "Defending World Series champions are usually a good source of dependable rotisserie talent. This year, though, with the exception of Chris Duncan, the St. Louis Cardinals have been a bottomless pit of stats with no one pleasantly exceeding expectations. Even Albert Pujols hasn't been providing a satisfactory return on investment. Although it would be fun to blame it on baseball's favorite killjoy, Tony LaRussa, this is simply a cursed year for the Redbirds. With the news this week that Chris Carpenter will have Tommy John surgery and Scott Rolen's shoulder is acting up, it might be wise to look elsewhere if you're scrounging for talent at your deadline . . . unless the Pujols owner in your league is ready to cut bait on Phat Albert -- he seems veerrry motivated after his coach's All-Star slight. Hmmm, maybe LaRussa had the larger picture in mind in San Francisco . . .

If he can remain healthy, Andruw Jones should be poised for a tremendous second half. While the science of predicting strong second halves from anyone not named Johan Santana can be a bit akin to reading tea leaves, a couple factors work in Jones' favor. First off, as you may have heard, he's in a contract year, a time in every athlete's life that inspires them to work hard from day one and finish strong. It's an effort well worth making: you can spend the length of your next contract resting up for the next contract year. Second, we woefully underperformed in the first half. Under the Tony Gwynn theory, the best time to get the about-to-be Hall of Famer is when he's hitting .240 so you can enjoy the benefits of his climb towards his typical .333. Over the past 5 years, Jones has consistently hit around .260. As he is currently batting .220, he's a good bet to get hot and come near his traditional benchmark. The team that has him is surely down on him, it's worth a shot to try and pry him away on the cheap.

In his brief visit to the big leagues before going down with an injury, Phil Hughes made quite an impression. When he does return, which should be quite shortly, he will continue his chase of Johnny Vander Meer's hitless inning streak. Hughes won't be joining Francisco Cabrera, Jimmy Leyritz or Bucky Dent on baseball's list of one-hit wonders, but those expecting Hughes to consistently dominate like he did in his last outing -- only his second big league start -- should give themselves a bit of a reality check. Keep your expectations tempered and expect him to pitch like a 21 year old learning how to pitch in the major leagues.

Response: Once again, pretty good stuff. However, I do want to note that the Cards have not been as bad roto-wise as the baron of the bottom of the page would have you believe. Jason Isringhausen has been a solid and reliable closer and Ryan Franklin has come off the scrap heap to post a 1.32 ERA and .082 WHIP. Not too shabby: .

Personal Note: I write this week from the baseball mecca known alternatively as "the Windy City," the "Second City" or simply Chicago. Cubs fans here are very excited about their team (Sweet Lou and his antics not withstanding). What I found most intriguing is the new summer Saturday event of choice when not going to Wrigley ? cleaning one's apartment (you cannot make this stuff up). Also, Cubs fans have decided to simplify their view of the baseball world this year. One fan, when asked what Chicagoans have to say about the team that has not won since the first decade of the last millenium, responded simply "Go Cubs." Who knows, simple phrases and clean apartments could bring Chicago to baseball nirvana for the first time in . . . . well, a VERY long time.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

AL Team-by-Team Notes
A few people have asked, so I'll start this column with a checkup on my Krause Publications Experts league squad. Unfortunately there will be no successful defense of last year's title, as I've been running between seventh and tenth over the last couple of months. Below is the team I drafted, along with the players I have now.

C - Ivan Rodriguez (12)
C - Gerald Laird (20)
1B - Lyle Overbay (15)
3B - Hank Blalock (13) - [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4048"]Ryan Braun[/URL]
CI - Edwin Encarnacion (21) - Kevin Youkilis
2B - Jeff Kent (8)
SS - Freddy Sanchez (16) - J.J. Hardy
MI - Jose Vidro (23) - Jose Lopez
OF - Vladimir Guerrero (1)
OF - Vernon Wells (3)
OF - Adam Dunn (7)
OF - Rocco Baldelli (10) - [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3797"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4378"]Luis Gonzalez[/URL][/URL]
OF - Jeff Francoeur (11)
DH - Chris Duffy (18) - Richie Sexson

P - Chris Carpenter (2) - Kelvim Escobar
P - Jake Peavy (4)
P - Brandon Webb (5)
P - Rich Harden (14) - Orlando Hernandez
P - Jose Contreras (19) - Dave Bush
P - Chuck James (22)

P - Billy Wagner (6)
P - Brad Lidge (9) - Jeremy Accardo
P - Octavio Dotel (17)

So, I went pitching heavy and it bit me, as can happen. I currently have 27 hitting points and 36 pitching points in the 12-team league. I thought the hitting could be middle of the pack, but there have just been too many disappointments.

On to the notes.

American League Notes

Baltimore - The rumors about Erik Bedard being available seem far-fetched, but the Orioles will gleefully part with Steve Trachsel and could surrender Daniel Cabrera if it brings top talent in return. Cabrera has a 5.30 ERA this season and a career mark of 4.87 in four seasons, but there isn't a pitching coach in baseball that wouldn't like to have a shot at turning him around. Cabrera and Jay Payton to the Mets for Lastings Milledge would make a lot of sense. ? Garrett Olson was sent back down to Triple-A Thursday, but he'll get a permanent spot once the Orioles move a starter. He's erased doubts about his ability to stay in the rotation with his performance in the minors this year, and he should turn into a long-term No. 3 for Baltimore. It's too bad the Orioles face the Yankees and Red Sox too often down the stretch to make him a quality option in AL-only leagues. ? Jay Gibbons and Corey Patterson both have OPSs approach 1000 in July after three-month slumps to open the season. Unfortunately for the Orioles, it's probably come too late for either to bring back a decent return in trade. Fantasy leaguers, though, will benefit. Patterson is again a fine play in mixed leagues. Gibbons could an option for power-starved teams if the Orioles move Payton or Kevin Millar. He's still not playing enough right now, something that needs to change.

Boston - The Giants and Red Sox continue to be linked, with Omar Vizquel, Randy Winn, Dave Roberts and, gulp, Matt Morris getting mentioned as possibilities for Boston. Still, I don't see how there can be much to it. Morris' trade value is gone. Winn is owed $16.25 million in 2008-09 and Roberts is due $13 million over the same timeframe, making them way too expensive to be carried as fourth outfielders. Vizquel has made it clear he doesn't want to be a utilityman. About the only thing that would make sense is Julio Lugo for Vizquel and one of the outfielders. However, now that Lugo has turned it around, the Red Sox aren't going to be looking to make a change there. They probably weren't in the first place. ? Bobby Kielty to Boston still could be a possibility if Wily Mo Pena is moved for a reliever. Kielty wouldn't have any fantasy value with the Red Sox, but he would be a nice asset against left-handers. ? Curt Schilling (shoulder) is nine or 10 days away from bumping Julian Tavarez to the bullpen. Kason Gabbard isn't as good as he's performed his last two starts, but he's on his way to securing a permanent rotation spot and he should be picked up in AL-only leagues. ? Fortunately, David Ortiz's shoulder injury sustained Friday isn't serious. He'll probably be back by Monday.

Chicago - With four homers since the break, Jermaine Dye's trade value is on the way back up. The Diamondbacks have been mentioned the most frequently as a suitor for Dye. The Padres were shocked by the White Sox's asking price of Khalil Greene and Scott Linebrink. The Yankees, Mets and Angels could be sleepers to land him. Arizona won't want to part with Carlos Gonzalez for a rental, but Micah Owings could be up for grabs, and if the White Sox are willing to move Jon Garland along with Dye, then the Diamondbacks could get serious about trading Gonzalez, either Carlos Quentin or Conor Jackson and a good young arm. The White Sox, though, want to keep Garland and make a run next year. ? While Dye's value is climbing, Jose Contreras hit a new low after he gave up 10 runs to the slumping Red Sox on Friday. Since he won't bring back anything valuable, the White Sox might just keep him and hope for the best. Contreras' velocity isn't where it should be, so it doesn't look like he's going to bounce back in a big way. Maybe he'll be an adequate No. 4 the rest of the way if he begins to realize he can't throw his fastball by hitters. ? Javier Vazquez is a sell-high candidate. He has a nice run every year, but he still ends up with an ERA over 4.00. Of course, he'll remain strong in WHIP and strikeouts even when he does begin to struggle a bit, so he shouldn't be given up cheap. ? The White Sox could activate both Scott Podsednik (ribs) and Darin Erstad (ankle) Monday and return them to the top of the order.

Cleveland - Because of the way Trot Nixon is playing, the Indians could acquire a corner outfielder and still keep Franklin Gutierrez in the lineup most of the time. Nixon no longer gets the benefit of the doubt after a year and a half of well below average production for a corner outfielder. Gutierrez might not prove to be much of an offensive upgrade, but he will play some great defense when he slumps. He could be an asset in AL-only leagues the rest of the way. ? It doesn't look like the Indians will be getting much help from the minors. Shin-Soo Choo won't be an option before September because of an elbow injury, and left-hander Tony Sipp underwent Tommy John surgery. Andy Marte seemed to have it turned around for a while last month, but he's batting .243/.282/.434 for Triple-A Buffalo now. He'll need a big finish if he hopes to be considered for a starting job next spring. Adam Miller's finger still seems to be a problem, as he's been lit up three times in a row for Buffalo. With the exception of Friday's complete game, Jeremy Sowers (1-4, 4.72 ERA) also hasn't been any good since his demotion. The Indians will have to go back to Jason Stanford it they lose a starting pitcher to injury.

Detroit - It's been suggested that the Tigers could be in the mix for Adam Dunn, but if they add a hitter before the July 31 deadline, it'll probably be a left-handed bat for the bench. Marcus Thames, who had overtaken Craig Monroe on the depth chart, probably won't miss too much time after going on the DL with a strained hamstring, and Monroe returned Saturday after sitting out a couple of games with back spasms. If the Tigers did decide to go all out for a big bat, Mark Teixeira would make more sense than Dunn. Comerica Park isn't at all kind to left-handed power hitters, and Dunn's defense would be a problem if he's asked to play left. The stadium would also give Teixeira trouble -- he's hit .217/.280/.464 in 69 career at-bats in Detroit -- but at least he's already plenty familiar with the league's pitchers, and there's at least as much of an opportunity to upgrade at first base as there is in left. ? The Tigers likely will trade for relief help before the deadline anyway, but Joel Zumaya (finger) and Fernando Rodney (shoulder) seem to be making steady progress. Rodney could be back next week after a brief rehab assignment, and Zumaya said his finger no longer bothers him. He's probably three or four weeks away.

Kansas City - The Royals indicated last month as though Zack Greinke had overtaken Joakim Soria as the primary fallback to Octavio Dotel. It's obviously a big concern now with Dotel a top candidate to be traded. Until giving up a homer Saturday, Soria had been flat-out dominant of late, allowing seven hits and striking out 24 in 18 1/3 scoreless innings since the beginning of June. Greinke has been pretty good during the same timeframe, amassing a 3.12 ERA, but he can't compare with that. It seems likely that Soria will be the choice to close. That makes more sense anyway, as Greinke's future likely remains in the rotation. I don't buy the talk that the Royals are going to move him to the Braves or Cubs. ? Ryan Shealy (hamstring) began his rehab assignment on Saturday, but it's unclear whether he'll get his starting job back. The Royals currently have Ross Gload, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler sharing time at first, with Esteban German playing the hot corner when Gordon slides over. There's no sense is trying to figure out in advance who will be at the position on any given day. "There is just no rhyme or reason for it. It's just a hunch or feel, or matchups," manager Buddy Bell told MLB.com. Shealy will probably start against lefties and the occasional righty after coming off the DL. It could be some time before he's worth using in AL-only leagues. ? Scott Elarton (foot) is coming off the DL to start Tuesday, which is great news for fans of the Yankees and Rangers. He'll face both teams during his first week back.

Los Angeles - I'm not going to argue with Ervin Santana's demotion; the time had come. Still, the Angels seemed to be setting him up for it. We're talking about the guy with the most well known home-road splits in the AL. He has a career ERA of 3.16 in Anaheim and a 7.16 mark in away games. Still, the Angels had him make 11 of his 19 starts this year on the road. Coming out of the break this year, they had three games at home, six on the road and then six at home. With the freedom to do practically anything with the rotation, they still arranged it so that Santana would start games four and nine -- putting him on the road in both outings. Of course, he never made it to the second one. Joe Saunders is taking Santana's place on Sunday and should prove to be a nice upgrade. He's worth using in AL-only leagues right away. ? The Angels shook up their lineup on Friday, dropping Reggie Willits from first to ninth in the order. It's the same thing manager Mike Scioscia did with Chone Figgins last year. It's bizarre that Scioscia seems to view the two spots as nearly interchangeable, but that's the way it works in Anaheim. Since he loses an at-bat a game, Willits won't be worth using in shallower leagues until he moves back up. ? The Jose Molina trade suggests a new-found confidence in Jeff Mathis. He'll get to stick around as Mike Napoli's backup.

Minnesota - While it won't make up for losing Michael Cuddyer to a sprained thumb, the Twins might finally get Rondell White (calf, hamstring) back this week. He'll likely be the primary DH initially, with Jason Kubel playing left field and Garrett Jones, Darnell McDonald, Lew Ford and Jason Tyner all seeing time in right. ? With White DHing, Jeff Cirillo could start over Nick Punto at third base against left-handers. Punto, a switch-hitter, is batting just .190 versus southpaws this season. It'd be great if the Twins could upgrade at third base before the deadline, but barring that, they might as well get Cirillo into the mix more frequently.

New York - It's safe to assume the Yankees have more in store than a backup catcher upgrade from Wil Nieves to Jose Molina. Andy Phillips has done a fine job at first base lately, but the Bombers know they can do better. The rumored Ty Wigginton-for-Scott Proctor deal would further upgrade the bench, but it wouldn't do much to address first base. Wigginton and Phillips are very similar offensively and neither should be playing first base against right-handers for a contending club. I imagine the rest of the AL contenders would love to see the Yankees make that move and do little else to address the offense. ? Johnny Damon says he's healthy and started to show it with his first two extra-base hits in three weeks in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. There was also a favorable report on Jason Giambi's status Saturday. If the Yankees thought they could count on those two hitting anywhere near their career levels over the final six weeks of the season, it'd be easier to stand pat for now. Damon seems like the better bet of the two. ? Phil Hughes' fourth rehab start will come Monday. It's possible that he'll switch places with Kei Igawa after that, though it's at least as likely that he'll make one additional rehab start over the weekend. He's likely to have value in mixed leagues during the final two months.

Oakland - The Jason Kendall trade was probably just the first step as the A's become full-fledged sellers for the first time during Billy Beane's reign. Kurt Suzuki will be the regular catcher for the rest of the season, giving the team plenty of time to evaluate whether a veteran needs to be brought in during the offseason. Suzuki likely will prove to be an adequate regular. He doesn't have the power to be a fantasy force, but he's worth using in AL-only leagues now and he could be a $6-$8 player next year. He should have a .350 OBP and 10-12 homers in his best years. ? The A's have to play Mike Piazza regularly at DH after activating him Friday, but that might not keep Jack Cust out of the lineup. Cust has 100 points of OPS over anyone else on the team, so he needs to be in there most of the time, even if it means playing him in right field. Piazza should start every day until the trade deadline. If he's not moved then, perhaps he'll clear waivers and go in August. ? Huston Street (elbow) is due back this week after his rehab appearance Saturday. He might have to be eased back into the closer's role, but it won't be long before he replaces Alan Embree.

Seattle - The Mariners are still winning often enough, but they're averaging just under four runs per game this month, suggesting that some changes to the lineup would be a good idea. The obvious move would be to promote Adam Jones, move Raul Ibanez to the DH and to start convincing Jose Vidro how every great team needs a great pinch-hitter. Not only would it likely boost the offense, but it'd aid the defense as well. Vidro can still start over Ibanez against lefties and help back up Richie Sexson at first base. Maybe it won't happen quite that way initially, but it's at least 50/50 that Jones will be up before the end of the month. He shouldn't be an asset in mixed leagues right away, but he could be a major asset in AL-only leagues.

Tampa Bay - The Rays seem serious about keeping B.J. Upton in center field and Jorge Cantu is again looking to be moved after his demotion to Triple-A, so it's hard to tell what they would do at second base if they traded Wigginton. Josh Wilson might get most of the playing time, but he's strictly in the "capable stopgap" category. Giving Cantu one last chance at the position would make more sense. Moving Akinori Iwamura to second and going with Evan Longoria at third base seems like the biggest long shot of them all. However, if Upton is moving to the outfield permanently, Iwamura should prepare to play second base in 2008. Longoria won't be kept down for long. ? Don't expect to see Elijah Dukes in center at any point over the rest of the season. He's been on the restricted list for a month now, and there's been no timetable for him to report to Triple-A Durham. ? Carl Crawford should be kept active this week. The ankle sprain he suffered Saturday isn't believed to be very serious.

Texas - The chances of a Mark Teixeira deal seem little better than they did a week ago. Perhaps the Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees can't be counted completely out, but each of those teams is more likely to address its pitching needs and hold on to its best prospects. The Braves also seem less than serious about pulling off a major deal. The Angels might be the most significant suitors. The Rangers would surely prefer to move Teixeira out of the division, but if they can pull off a deal that helps them long-term, it shouldn't matter where they're sending him. If they could grab both Casey Kotchman and Ervin Santana, it'd make sense to pull the trigger. The real darkhorse here is San Francisco. The Giants could offer up Noah Lowry, Jonathan Sanchez and one of their less desirable contracts (probably Winn or Morris) in an attempt to bring in a star to replace Barry Bonds as a foundation of the franchise. Still, it'd make more sense for them to do the deal in the offseason than it would now. I think Teixeira is staying. ? Akinori Otsuka (forearm) is also remaining in Texas now that he's going to be on the DL through the deadline. If the Rangers can sign Eric Gagne to an extension, then they probably won't be big players on July 31. Joaquin Benoit is available and should be attractive to contenders. C.J. Wilson would be pursued if the Rangers put his name out there, but they'll keep him and look to move Ron Mahay instead. Kenny Lofton and Brad Wilkerson are the hitters most likely to go. There just isn't much interest in Sammy Sosa. He might get a pink slip in August to make room for Jason Botts. ? Hank Blalock (ribs) still isn't ready to make hard throws, so he's at least three weeks away.

Toronto - Troy Glaus is supposed to be available, but a deal is increasingly unlikely. The Padres don't appear to have the money to bring him in, and both the Angels and Dodgers are getting by with their current third-base situations. A trade to the Yankees would make sense, since the Bombers could use him at first base and then move him back to third if Alex Rodriguez leaves, but the Jays would surely prefer not to move him within the division and Glaus might block a trade to an East Coast team anyway. Matt Stairs, Josh Towers and maybe Scott Downs are the Jays most likely to be dealt. ? The Jays finally dumped [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3264"]Jason Phillips[/URL] and brought up Curtis Thigpen to share time with Gregg Zaun. Thigpen could get 40-50 percent of the starts for now and 60 percent in September as the Jays try to decide how he fits into their plans for 2008. A line-drive hitter with pretty good on-base skills, Thigpen is rather similar to Zaun, though he doesn't switch-hit. He's a little below average defensively, so he'd probably be better off catching 80-90 games per year, not 120-130. If the Jays go forward with him, they should trade Zaun over the winter and bring in a stronger defender to handle part-time duties. ? With few contenders looking for catching help, Zaun doesn't figure to go now. He loses fantasy value with Thigpen up, but he's still the superior option of the two in AL-only leagues at the moment.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Chasing History
History is about to go down. Barry Bonds stands just two homers shy of tying immortality. With 753 career home runs, the Giants legend is about to become baseball's home run champion. Hank Aaron has been the game's leader since Opening Day in 1974, but Bonds could surpass him this week as San Francisco hosts the Braves and Marlins. Tom Glavine is also just two wins shy of becoming just the 23rd member of the exclusive 300-win club. He'll face off against the Pirates in his journey to join Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux as the only active players to hit the milestone. Meanwhile, ARod is just one RBI from becoming the first player in baseball to 100 RBI, and he's just two long balls from joining the 500-HR club.

Also, soon-to-be 49-year-old Julio Franco signed with the Braves, Chris Carpenter is done for the season and Curt Schilling, Moises Alou and Scott Podsednik are closing in on their returns. Aces Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano and John Smoltz are some of the other top two-start hurlers, while Lenny DiNardo, Yovani Gallardo and Andrew Miller are also strong plays with their multiple matchups. The Week Ahead breaks down the latest around the league to help you make those tougher lineup decisions.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Johan Santana MIN @ TOR Shaun Marcum, @ CLE C.C. Sabathia
Carlos Zambrano CHC @ STL Kip Wells, @ CIN Matt Belisle
Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS @ CLE C.C. Sabathia, @ TB Andy Sonnanstine
C.C. Sabathia CLE vs. BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka, vs. MIN Johan Santana
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] SD @ COL Ubaldo Jimenez, @ HOU Jason Jennings
Jeremy Bonderman DET @ CHW Javier Vazquez, @ LAA Joe Saunders
Aaron Harang CIN vs. MIL Chris Capuano, vs. CHC Sean Marshall
Chien-Ming Wang NYY @ KC Scott Elarton, @ BAL Brian Burres
Tim Hudson ATL @ SF Matt Morris, @ ARI Livan Hernandez
Roger Clemens NYY @ KC Odalis Perez, @ BAL Jeremy Guthrie
John Maine NYM vs. PIT Shane Youman, vs. WAS Jason Bergmann
Derek Lowe LA @ HOU Jason Jennings, @ COL Ubaldo Jimenez
John Smoltz ATL @ SF Matt Cain, @ ARI Doug Davis
Javier Vazquez CHW vs. DET Jeremy Bonderman, vs. TOR Roy Halladay
Chad Billingsley LA @ HOU Chris Sampson, @ COL Jeff Francis
Yovani Gallardo MIL @ CIN Matt Belisle, @ STL Kip Wells
Jeff Francis COL vs. SD Greg Maddux, vs. LA Chad Billingsley
Matt Cain SF vs. ATL John Smoltz, vs. FLA Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Willis FLA @ ARI Doug Davis, @ SF Matt Cain
Chad Gaudin OAK @ LAA Bartolo Colon, @ SEA Felix Hernandez

More strong options:
Andrew Miller DET @ CHW Mark Buehrle, @ LAA Jered Weaver
Kevin Millwood TEX vs. SEA Horacio Ramirez, @ KC Scott Elarton
Greg Maddux SD @ COL Jeff Francis, @ HOU Chris Sampson
Chris Capuano MIL @ CIN Aaron Harang, @ STL Brad Thompson
Lenny DiNardo OAK @ LAA Kelvim Escobar, @ SEA Miguel Batista
Shaun Marcum TOR vs. MIN Johan Santana, @ CHW Jose Contreras
Bartolo Colon LAA vs. OAK Chad Gaudin, vs. DET Kenny Rogers
Matt Morris SF vs. ATL Tim Hudson, vs FLA Sergio Mitre
Daniel Cabrera BAL vs. TB Scott Kazmir, vs. NYY Mike Mussina
Livan Hernandez ARI vs. FLA Sergio Mitre, vs. ATL Tim Hudson
Doug Davis ARI vs. FLA Dontrelle Willis, vs. ATL John Smoltz
Jason Jennings HOU vs. LA Derek Lowe, vs. SD [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL]
Jeff Suppan MIL @ CIN Kyle Lohse, @ STL Mike Maroth
Jose Contreras CHW vs. DET Justin Verlander, vs. TOR Shaun Marcum

Other two-starters:
Kyle Kendrick PHI vs. WAS Jason Bergmann, vs. PIT Shane Youman
Miguel Batista SEA @ TEX Brandon McCarthy, vs. OAK Lenny DiNardo
Jake Westbrook CLE vs. BOS Julian Tavarez, vs. MIN Matt Garza
Sergio Mitre FLA @ ARI Livan Hernandez, @ SF Matt Morris
Chris Sampson HOU vs. LA Chad Billingsley, vs. SD Greg Maddux
Matt Belisle CIN vs. MIL Yovani Gallardo, vs. CHC Carlos Zambrano
Julian Tavarez BOS @ CLE Jake Westbrook, @ TB J.P. Howell
Kip Wells STL vs. CHC Ted Lilly, vs. MIL Jeff Suppan
Jason Bergmann WAS @ PHI Kyle Kendrick, @ NYM John Maine
Andy Sonnanstine TB @ BAL Erik Bedard, vs. BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka
Kip Wells STL vs. CHC Carlos Zambrano, vs. MIL Yovani Gallardo
Horacio Ramirez SEA @ TEX Kevin Millwood, vs. OAK Dallas Braden
Matt Chico WAS @ PHI Cole Hamels, @ NYM Tom Glavine
Shane Youman PIT @ NYM John Maine, @ PHI Kyle Kendrick
Odalis Perez KC vs. NYY Roger Clemens, vs. TEX Robinson Tejeda
Ubaldo Jimenez COL vs. SD [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL], vs. LA Derek Lowe
Scott Elarton KC vs. NYY Chien-Ming Wang, vs. TEX Kevin Millwood

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Eight-game weeks: CHW, DET, MIL, SEA
Seven-game schedule: ARI, ATL, BOS, CIN, CLE, COL, FLA, HOU, KC, LA, NYY, NYM, OAK, SD, SF, STL, TEX, WAS
Six-game schedule: BAL, CHC, LAA, MIN, PHI, PIT, TB,TOR
Five-game schedule: none

Rain threatened games:
Monday 7/23: LA @ HOU (40%), SEA @ TEX (40%)
Wednesday, 7/25: BOS @ CLE (40%), LA @ HOU (40%), MIL @ CIN (40%)
Thursday, 7/26: SD @ HOU (40%)
Friday, 7/27: SD @ HOU (40%)
Saturday, 7/28: SD @ HOU (40%), LA @ COL (40%)
Sunday, 7/29: LA @ COL (60%), SD @ HOU (60%), WAS @ NYM (60%), NYY @ BAL (60%), PIT @ PHI (60%)

According to National and Local Weather Forecast, Radar, Map and Report

Stadium Factor:
ESPN - MLB Park Factors - Major League Baseball
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
2. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.181 runs ? 4 vs MIL, 3 vs CHC
3. Kauffman Stadium (Royals) 1.179 runs ? 4 vs NYY, 3 vs TEX
4. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.141 runs ? 3 vs SD, 4 vs LA
6. Jacobs Field (Indians) 1.123 runs ? 4 vs BOS, 3 vs MIN
9. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.082 runs ? 4 vs DET, 3 vs TOR

No Games: 1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.268 runs, 5. Wrigley Field (Cubs) 1.125 runs, 7. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.103 runs, 8. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 1.092 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
3. Tropicana Field (Devil Rays) 0.851 runs ? 3 vs BOS
4. Busch Stadium (Cardinals) 0.885 runs ? 3 vs CHC, 3 vs MIL
6. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.900 runs ? 3 vs LA, 4 vs SD
8. Shea Stadium (Mets) 0.922 runs ? 3 vs PIT, 3 vs WAS
11. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.932 runs ? 3 vs MIN

No Games: 1. Turner Field (Braves) 0.821 runs, 2. Petco Park (Padres) 0.845 runs, 5. Metrodome (Twins) 0.896 runs, 7. RFK Stadium (Nationals) 0.912 runs, 9. PNC Park (Pirates) 0.926 runs, 10. McAfee Coliseum (Athletics) 0.929 runs,

Caught Stealing %:
Easiest to steal against (total SBs)
1. Jorge Posada, NYY 64-for-84 SB - 4 @ KC, 3 @ BAL
2. Jason Kendall, CHC 61-for-76 SB ? 3 @ STL, 3 @ CIN
3. Michael Barrett, SD 57-for-70 SB ? 3 @ COL, 4 @ HOU
4. Russell Martin, LA 52-for-81 SB ? 3 @ HOU, 4 @ COL
5. Paul Lo Duca, NYM 46-for-62 SB ? 3 vs PIT, 3 vs WAS

Facing these catchers is bad news for Brian Roberts (29-for-34 SB), Corey Patterson (21-for-26 SB), Alex Gordon (10-for-13 SB), Brandon Phillips (18-for-25 SB), Ryan Freel (15-for-23 SB), Willy Taveras (24-for-32 SB), Kaz Matsui (17-for-19 SB), Felipe Lopez (14-for-20 SB), Chris Duffy (13-for-17 SB)

Toughest to steal against (total SBs)
1. David Ross, CIN 25-for-45 SB - 4 vs MIL, 3 vs CHC
2. Kenji Johjima, SEA 27-for-44 SB ? 3 @ TEX, 4 vs OAK
3. Jason Varitek, BOS 30-for-40 SB ? 4 @ CLE, 3 @ TB
4. Brian Schneider, WAS 31-for-45 SB ? 3 @ PHI, 3 @ NYM
5. Brad Ausmus, HOU 32-for-42 SB ? 3 vs LA, 4 vs SD

Facing these catchers is good news for Corey Hart (16-for-19 SB), Ryan Theriot (15-for-17 SB), Kenny Lofton (21-for-25 SB), Carl Crawford (31-for-38 SB), Grady Sizemore (25-for-29 SB), Josh Barfield (10-for-13 SB), Jose Reyes (47-for-60 SB), Shane Victorino (29-for-32 SB), David Wright (21-for-23 SB), Jimmy Rollins (16-for-20 SB), Juan Pierre (40-for-49), Russell Martin (17-for-20 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers
Minnesota: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (6 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers) note: TUE vs TBD
Tampa Bay: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Yankees and Rangers play at least three left-handers. That's good news for Jorge Posada (.351 vs LHPs), Derek Jeter (.333 vs LHPs), Manny Ramirez (.372 vs LHPs), Magglio Ordonez (.432 vs LHPs), Brandon Inge (.328 vs LHPs), Craig Monroe (.329 vs LHPs), Maicer Izturis (.344 vs LHPs), Reggie Willits (.378 vs LHPs), Orlando Cabrera (.329 vs LHPs), Mark Teixeira (.385 vs LHPs), Sammy Sosa (.329 vs LHPs), Marlon Byrd (.346 vs LHPs),

And bad news for Bobby Abreu (.235 vs LHPs), Alex Rodriguez (.253 vs LHPs), J.D. Drew (.217 vs LHPs), Curtis Granderson (.158 vs LHPs), Casey Kotchman (.225 vs LHPs), Gary Matthews Jr. (.213 vs LHPs), Kenny Lofton (.211 vs LHPs), Victor Diaz (.323 vs LHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
New York Mets: (2 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (3 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers) note: THU (vs TBD)
Pittsburgh: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers))
San Francisco: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: ( 4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Diamondbacks, Reds, Mets (four) and Pirates play against at least three lefties, while the Cubs don't see any. That's good news for Brandon Phillips (.357 vs LHPs), Norris Hopper (.322 vs LHPs), Moises Alou (.348 vs LHPs), Jose Reyes (.343 vs LHPs), Paul Lo Duca (.330 vs LHPs), Ronny Paulino (.361 vs LHPs), Freddy Sanchez (.344 vs LHPs), Derrek Lee (.335 vs RHPs), Angel Pagan (.328 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Eric Byrnes (.241 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3586"]Chad Tracy[/URL] (.186 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] (.203 vs LHPs), Scott Hairston (.212 vs LHPs), Stephen Drew (.222 vs LHPs), Ryan Freel (.128 vs LHPs), Adam Dunn (.218 vs LHPs), Shawn Green (.195 vs LHPs), Chris Duffy (.211 vs LHPs), Jason Bay (.221 vs LHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 18:
Josh Beckett, Fausto Carmona, Justin Verlander, Jose Contreras, Carlos Silva, Jesse Litsch, Kei Igawa, Gil Meche, Joe Blanton, John Lackey, Miguel Batista, Brandon McCarthy, Andy Sonnanstine, Erik Bedard, Chuck James, Noah Lowry, Ted Lilly, Mike Maroth, Scott Olsen, Brandon Webb, Brett Tomko, Roy Oswalt, Jeff Suppan, Kyle Lohse, Ian Snell, Tom Glavine, Justin Germano, Aaron Cook, Matt Chico, Cole Hamels

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Moises Alou (quadriceps) ? might return on Monday
Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) ? out indefinitely
Freddie Bynum (hamstring) ? return late July
Endy Chavez (hamstring) ? return late July
Michael Cuddyer (thumb) ? return early August
Chris Denorfia (elbow) ? out for the season
Chris Duffy (ankle) ? return late July
Darin Erstad (ankle) ? might return on Monday
Carlos Gomez (hand) ? return early September
Bill Hall (ankle) ? return late July
Josh Hamilton (wrist) ? return early August
Scott Podsednik (oblique) ? might return on Monday
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return August
Jayson Werth (wrist) ? return late July
Rondell White (calf) ? return late July
Preston Wilson (knee) ? out for the season

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) ? out indefinitely
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3803"]Jose Bautista[/URL] (hand) ? return early August
Hank Blalock (arm) ? return mid-August
Aaron Boone (knee) ? return late July
Juan Castro (elbow) ? out indefinitely
Joe Crede (back) ? likely out for the season
Adam Everett (leg) ? return August
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2653"]Alex Gonzalez[/URL] (bereavement list) ? day-to-day
Cristian Guzman (thumb) ? out for the season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? out indefinitely
Howie Kendrick (finger) ? return late July
Ian Kinsler (foot) ? return August
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return August/September
Doug Mientkiewicz (wrist) ? return mid-August
Melvin Mora (foot) ? return early August
Pablo Ozuna (leg) ? return August/September
Scott Spiezio (finger) ? return early August
Neifi Perez (suspension) ? return early August
Miguel Tejada (wrist) ? return early August
Marcus Thames (hamstring) ? return early August
Jose Valentin (leg) ? out indefinitely
Daryl Ward (calf) ? return early August

Catchers:
Eliezer Alfonzo (knee) ? return August/September
Henry Blanco (neck) ? return mid-July
Hector Gimenez (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Vance Wilson (elbow) ? out for the season

Designated Hitter:
David Dellucci (hamstring) ? return September
Jason Giambi (foot) ? return mid-August
David Ortiz (shoulder) ? day-to-day, might be out until Wednesday
Mike Piazza (shoulder) ? return mid-July
Mike Sweeney (knee) ? out indefinitely

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Micah Bowie (hip) ? return mid-July
A.J. Burnett (shoulder) ? return early August
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? out for the season
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return August
Gustavo Chacin (elbow) ? return mid-July
Zach Duke (elbow) ? return early August
Freddy Garcia (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Shawn Hill (elbow) ? return early August
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Phil Hughes (hamstring) ? return late July
Josh Johnson (forearm) ? return late July
Randy Johnson (back) ? out indefinitely
Jeff Karstens (leg) ? return early August
Jon Lieber (ankle) ? out for the season
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return early August
Adam Loewen (elbow) ? out for the season
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Wade Miller (back) ? out indefinitely
Eric Milton (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return late July
Russ Ortiz (arm) ? return late July
Roy Oswalt (chest) ? might miss start on Wednesday vs LA
Vicente Padilla (triceps) ? return late July
John Patterson (biceps) ? out indefinitely
Carl Pavano (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Prior (shoulder) ? out for the season
Darrell Rasner (finger) ? return August/September
Curt Schilling (shoulder) ? return late July
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) ? out for the season
Ben Sheets (finger) ? return early September
Jason Simontacchi (elbow) ? out indefinitely
John Thomson (back) ? return early August
Randy Wolf (shoulder) ? return late July
Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? out indefinitely

Important Relievers:
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (shoulder) ? out for the season
Jesse Crain (shoulder) ? out for the season
Elmer Dessens (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Brendan Donnelly (arm) ? return early August
Justin Duchscherer (hip) ? out for the season
Brian Fuentes (back) ? return late July
Mike Gonzalez (elbow) ? out for the season
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return late July
Angel Guzman (arm) ? return late July
Brett Myers (shoulder) ? return late July
Akinori Otsuka (arm) ? return early August
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? out for the season
Fernando Rodney (biceps) ? return mid-July
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? out for the season
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return August
Huston Street (elbow) ? might return on Monday
Ryan Wagner (rotator cuff) ? out for the season
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return mid-August
Joel Zumaya (finger) ? return August

Column published at 2pm on Sunday July 22. Everything is subject to change.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

NL Team-by-Team Notes
The standings say the Diamondbacks are in the thick of the race, but with so many questions about the offense and Randy Johnson unlikely to be 100 percent even if he can gut it out through the final two months, management needs to be considering the possibility that this team just isn't a serious contender. The Diamondbacks have already said they won't consider trading Eric Byrnes, but maybe they should. Livan Hernandez, another free agent to be, almost certainly would go if the team decided to sell. And a most intriguing possibility would be to capitalize on Jose Valverde's excellent year and trade him at the peak of his value. Tony Pena looks like an option as a long-term closer, and Micah Owings could quickly become another late-inning guy if shifted to the pen. Orlando Hudson would be another candidate to go, but he's under control for 2008 and is a lot more likely than Byrnes to get a long-term contract. The Diamondbacks will probably stay the course at the deadline and hope for the best ? they have plenty of young players anyway and adding more to the mix might not be ideal for contending in 2008 ? but if not, they're in position to capitalize on what could be a bare marketplace.

National League Notes

Arizona - The surprising decision to send Jeff Salazar down leaves the Diamondbacks with Jeff DaVanon and Scott Hairston in the vacant spot in the outfield now. If Hairston had options remaining, he probably would have gone instead of Salazar. However, the Diamondbacks remain unwilling to lose him without getting anything in return. A trade remains a possibility there. Cartos Quentin, who is batting .385/.467/.615 in 11 games for Triple-A Tucson, could be brought back early next month. ? Owings isn't losing his rotation spot just yet, but he can't be used in NL-only leagues with his July ERA up over 9.00. If Johnson can return early next month, Owings could be sent to the pen, with Yusmeiro Petit remaining the fifth starter.

Atlanta - It's one thing to sign Julio Franco as a 25th man. It's another entirely to start him three times in four games. The Braves have a knack for finding unexpected sources of production, but they can't realistically expect to be a factor in October with Franco and Willie Harris in the starting lineup. The Braves may treat pitching as a priority over the next couple of weeks, but there's no reason they can't bring in a bat, too. Dmitri Young, Scott Hatteberg and Brad Wilkerson are among those capable of helping. Returning Ryan Klesko to Atlanta would be another interesting possibility. ? Kyle Davies' demotion leaves both Jo-Jo Reyes and Buddy Carlyle in the rotation. Reyes looked good Sunday against the Cardinals, providing hope that he is ready for the majors. He'll lose the strike zone from time to time, but he's capable of putting up decent numbers anyway. Still, he's more likely than Carlyle to be bumped if the Braves bring in a starting pitcher. That's the only thing that keeps him from being a quality pickup in NL-only leagues.

Chicago - As well as things are going right now, the Cubs could be facing a quiet deadline. The Jason Kendall acquisition gave the Cubs a reliable catcher, though that's perhaps the best thing that can be said about him at this stage of his career. Carlos Marmol's emergence has lessened the need for bullpen help. The club might even get Kerry Wood (shoulder) back in a couple of weeks. Jacque Jones seems to have convinced Lou Piniella that he's a decent enough option in center, leaving no big holes in the offense. If Torii Hunter or Aaron Rowand suddenly became available, the Cubs would have to make an offer. However, there are no obvious upgrades out there right now. ? The idea of using Ronny Cedeno as trade bait no longer seems like a possibility after the Cubs chose to give Cesar Izturis away. Ryan Theriot is doing fine as a stopgap, but Cedeno, who has more range, might be the club's best option at shortstop down the stretch. He's hitting .366/.430/.551 with 10 homers in 243 at-bats for Triple-A Iowa. ? Derrek Lee's ankle is fine, so he'll be back in the lineup Tuesday after serving his five-game suspension.

Cincinnati - Kyle Lohse is likely entering his last days with the Reds. It'd actually make a lot of sense to keep him if he projected as a Type-A free agent, enabling Cincinnati to get two high draft picks if he leaves. However, it's quite a bit more likely that he'll be a Type B, meaning the Reds would get just one supplemental first-rounder as compensation for him. They should be able to do better than that in a trade. Lohse is a tough pitcher to rely on, but there are more than a few contenders that could use a capable innings-eater at the back of the rotation. Plus, the fact that he will bring in that pick only makes him more attractive. The Braves, Padres and Dodgers are a few potential fits. ? Since Homer Bailey is on the minor league DL with a strained right groin, left-hander Phil Dumatrait figures to get the call to join the rotation in the event of a Lohse trade. He's not much of sleeper in NL-only leagues, primarily due to his subpar command. Bailey probably won't be an option for the Reds before mid-August.

Colorado - The Rockies remain in the market for relief help and apparently are looking at both the Yankees' Kyle Farnsworth and Boston's Julian Tavarez. The Yankees would have little trouble finding a taker for Farnsworth if they picked up half of the approx. $7.5 million he's owed through the end of next year. The Rockies would likely insist on such an arrangement, while a team like the Phillies could take on more salary. Tavarez for Jeff Baker would make sense if the Red Sox first move Wily Mo Pena. Baker is out of options, and the Rockies clearly prefer Ryan Spilborghs right now. As a result, Baker has made just one start this month. ? With Yorvit Torrealba really taking control of catching duties for the first time, Chris Iannetta is 0-for-17 this month. If the Rockies had it to do over again, they probably would have hung on to Javy Lopez or found another veteran backup, allowing them to have Iannetta open the year in the minors. Iannetta can't be lumped in with Ben Petrick or J.D. Closser yet ? Petrick likely would have developed if not for his battle with Parkinson's and Closser was never as good of a prospect as either ? but if he doesn't improve his average over the rest of the year, he still could begin 2008 in Triple-A. A trade for a veteran capable of splitting time with Torrealba over the rest of this year can't be ruled out.

Florida - Scott Olsen is set to make his start Wednesday following his arrest Saturday on charges of DUI and resisting arrest, but it looks like his behavior will get him traded this winter. It's a shame, because the Marlins would be selling very low. Olsen has No. 2-starter ability, but he's rarely pitched up to it this year and as troubled as he seems to be, he could well be on the Milton Bradley career path. One option might be to send him to Kansas City for Joey Gathright. It's a trade the Marlins and Rays discussed in spring 2006. ? Josh Johnson (forearm) will rejoin the rotation after one more rehab start Wednesday. He'll probably bump Rick Vanden Hurk, even though Vanden Hurk has done nice work in back-to-back outings. Perhaps the Marlins could trade Byung-Hyun Kim instead, but as little as he'd bring in return, there's no reason to do it. He's been a pretty solid starter for Florida. ? Hanley Ramirez had his left shoulder pop out of its socket Sunday, but that's not a new experience for him. Since he could return Tuesday, he should be left active in all formats.

Houston - Roy Oswalt will miss his start this week after injuring his chest in his outing Friday. He's penciled in to make his next start July 31. Matt Albers will pitch in his place Wednesday and could take a permanent rotation spot if Jason Jennings or Woody Williams gets moved before the deadline. ? Astros owner Drayton McLane reportedly ordered GM Tim Purpura to trade Brad Lidge a year ago, though nothing ever got done. Now McLane has chimed in publicly this time, saying he wants the closer to stay. With Lidge's trade value clearly on the way back up, the Astros have to listen to any offers that come in. They'd improve their chances of contending in 2009 and 2010 by taking a step backwards in the pen now. It's less than 50-50 that anything will get done, but the Mets, Red Sox, Yankees, Indians and Tigers could make bids before the deadline. ? Mark Loretta remains more likely to go. There's talk of the Astros keeping him and re-signing him to start at second or third next year, but that would be a mistake. His 2008 figures to more closely mirror his 2006 than his 2007 to date, and it looks like he might already be fading this month. The Astros could likely get a fine prospect for him if they moved him now and should do so. If it happens, Eric Bruntlett would become a quality play in NL-only leagues. ? Hunter Pence is hoping to play Monday after injuring his wrist in Sunday's win. It seems safe to keep him active.

Los Angeles - Takashi Saito's "stiff" shoulder has become a major concern with the closer scheduled for an MRI on Monday. The Dodgers would be taking a huge downgrade in the eighth inning if Saito had to land on the DL, and Jonathan Broxton hasn't looked like quite as much of a sure thing as usual in his limited opportunities to close so far. Barring an Octavio Dotel acquisition, Broxton would still be the choice for saves with Saito out. It could be time for the Dodgers to take a look at top prospect Jonathan Meloan. Roberto Hernandez, who pitched the eighth on Friday and Sunday, is only setting up opposing hitters so far. ? Just when it looked like Wilson Betemit was ready to claim more playing time, Nomar Garciaparra homered in his two starts during the series against the Mets. The Dodgers want nothing more than for Garciaparra to get hot, so Betemit's 1475 OPS this month only matters so much. ? Mark Hendrickson is apparently still in the rotation after getting bumped in favor of Eric Stults on Sunday. He's likely to pitch Tuesday. With Randy Wolf (shoulder) returning next week, it might be that the Dodgers will be able to send both Hendrickson and Brett Tomko back to the pen if they acquire a starter before the deadline. Pitching has become more of a priority than a hitter for GM Ned Colletti, and it'd be a surprise if he didn't come up with something.

Milwaukee - I can't see Yovani Gallardo coming out of the rotation when Ben Sheets returns (hopefully in 3-5 weeks). He's very capable of being a top-30 starter the rest of the way. ? Bill Hall (ankle) is expected to be activated Wednesday after two games in the minors. He'll probably initially replace one of the 13 pitchers the Brewers are carrying (Manny Parra?), but Tony Gwynn Jr. should be in danger of losing his spot soon thereafter. Gwynn is 5-for-26 while helping to fill in for Hall in center. ? Hall's return shouldn't cost Corey Hart much playing time with Hart having established himself as one of the Brewers' key players. However, the slumping Hart did get moved down in the order on Sunday, with Rickie Weeks taking over in the leadoff spot. It's probably not a permanent switch, and I can't see benching Hart in mixed leagues with the Reds and Cardinals on the schedule this week. ? Weeks is still playing quite a bit for someone who supposedly lost his starting job. Maybe that will begin to changwhen Hall comes back. The Brewers would love to see Weeks, who replaced Hart in the leadoff spot Sunday, heat up. However, his wrist problems will likely prevent it. Tony Graffanino should get the majority of the starts at second base that don't go to Weeks.

New York - Jose Valentin's broken shin creates the possibility that the Mets will trade for a second baseman. Ruben Gotay is the replacement for now. While it seems as though Gotay has been around forever, he's just 24, suggesting that his offensive improvement this year could be for real. He also has plenty of range at second. Still, it'd be hard for a contender to commit for him. The Mets do have veterans Marlon Anderson and Damion Easley as fallbacks, but going out and getting Ronnie Belliard, Tadahito Iguchi or Mark Loretta would be the safe way to play it. Perhaps it's for the best here that Omar Minaya hasn't typically been one to go the safe route. Gotay is worth using in NL-only leagues for as long as he has the job. ? It's already clear that manager Willie Randolph is quite fond of Marlon Anderson. Anderson is a nice upgrade over David Newhan off the bench, but it's doubtful he has another Sept. 2006 in him. It'd be for the best if he's not in the starting lineup more than once or twice per week. If Randolph wants to use him more than that, it might be necessary to send Lastings Milledge down when Moises Alou (quad) is activated Tuesday. Milledge hasn't done nearly enough to force Randolph to play him over Shawn Green in right field.

Philadelphia - Brett Myers (shoulder) had a successful first appearance for Single-A Clearwater, though there were no reports regarding his velocity. He might be activated after making another appearance Monday and return to the closer's role within a week or two. There's good reason for skepticism given that he's missed two months. He probably doesn't have the same level of damage in his shoulder that Tom Gordon does, but it'd still come as no surprise if he ended up back on the DL at some point. ? J.D. Durbin's shutout of the Padres on Sunday definitely qualifies as one of the most surprising performances of the season. The stuff has always been there for "The Real Deal," but his command leaves a great deal to be desired, and after his arm problems last year, it looked like he'd be a reliever if he made it at all. NL-only leaguers can pick him up and start him against the Pirates, but he's more likely to hurt fantasy teams than help them over the rest of the season. ? Kyle Kendrick is another solid play in NL-only leagues with the Pirates and Nationals on the schedule this week.

Pittsburgh - The Cesar Izturis acquisition didn't make Jack Wilson's expendable. Wilson's performance makes Wilson expendable. Wilson's salary makes Wilson expendable. Brian Bixler makes Wilson expendable. Izturis simply makes Wilson redundant, assuming that the Pirates don't mind going from having a well below average offense shortstop to possessing one of the worst in baseball. The 24-year-old Bixler at least has some actual upside. I thought he was more of a utiltyman entering the season, but he's hit .294/.385/.433 in Triple-A to turn himself into a realistic option as a regular. He's also 21-for-23 as a basestealer. If the Pirates find a taker for Wilson, it'd make more sense to install Bixler than to keep treading water by turning the position over to Izturis. Still, if that's what the Pirates wanted to do, they probably wouldn't have made the trade with the Cubs. ? With no realistic options at shortstop in the minors, Toronto is as good of a fit as there is for Wilson. The Jays, though, might insist that the Pirates include Zach Duke or Paul Maholm if they want to dump Wilson's full salary and get any talent at all in return. ? If anyone wants him, Jose Castillo is clearly available. The Pirates have started Matt Kata over him three straight days. With his trade value at a new low, Castllo may stick around and then get released once the season ends. ? [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3803"]Jose Bautista[/URL] (hand) is eligible to return in a week and could be ready then. Chris Duffy (ankle) seems to be at least as far away,

St. Louis - The decision to have Chris Carpenter undergo Tommy John surgery seemed to finish the Cardinals as possible contenders. Should GM Walt Jocketty decide to sell, it's Jason Isringhausen who would likely become the most popular topic of conversation. Scott Rolen's bum shoulder makes the 32-year-old a terrible risk with him being owed $40 million through 2010. None of the starting pitchers seem likely to go, though maybe someone would want to take Braden Looper and move him back to the pen. Ryan Franklin just signed an extension, but there's still a slight chance he could be moved. He would close if he stays and Izzy is dealt. David Eckstein should be made available, though the Cardinals would likely prefer to keep him and re-sign him as a free agent. There isn't a contender in baseball that wouldn't like to have Eckstein as a utility player. Still, he's probably staying. Juan Encarnacion is the hitter most likely to be moved, even if he wouldn't bring much back in return. ? I can see Izzy closing in Cleveland. The Indians have top infield prospect Asdrubal Cabrera to make available in such a deal. ? The Cardinals are considering giving Anthony Reyes another opportunity this week. The initial plan appeared to be for him to remain in Triple-A until September, but that's going to have to change if the team decides to focus on 2008. NL-only leaguers shouldn't forget about him.

San Diego - Jake Peavy certainly wasn't at his best Sunday in the loss to the Phillies, but neither was there any big indication that his arm was bothering him. I still suggest holding on to him. We know there's a tender biceps issue, but if it was anything more than that, the Padres would have backed off and put him on the DL. More than anything, it was just really good hitting that caused him to lose Sunday. And it only helped that umpire Chris Guccione turned a blind eye to the Padres' complaints about Phillies hitters illegally positioning themselves out of the batter's box. ? With only Geoff Blum available as an alternative at second base, the Padres need Marcus Giles to snap out of his slump soon. At 10-for-23 for the month, Blum is hot at the moment. Still, he's pretty weak as far as utility players go, and that he was making his fourth start in five games on Sunday qualifies as a definite problem for San Diego. Since they're not interested in giving Craig Stansberry an opportunity, picking up another reserve infielder, preferably one who could play shortstop, should be a priority for the Padres. Mark Loretta, Ty Wigginton, Carlos Gomez and Clint Barmes are a few possibilities.

San Francisco - The Giants are trying to drum up interest in their veterans, but it doesn't seem to be working so well. Matt Morris looks worse with every start, and Randy Winn and Dave Roberts are making more than they're worth. A new possible destination for Ray Durham opened up when Jose Valentin went down, but the Mets probably won't want to take on his $7.5 million salary for next year when he's hitting just .244/.315/.389 this season. On the plus side, Pedro Feliz's well-timed hot streak might give him a little value, especially since he's only signed for 2007. He wouldn't be an upgrade for a lot of teams, but he would provide more than Nick Punto in Minnesota. ? While the Giants say there are no plans to limit Tim Lincecum's innings, there's a pretty good chance that they will shut him down for the final two weeks or so of the season. It's something non-keeper leaguers should think about if his name comes up in trade talks. ? The Giants are going to stretch out Russ Ortiz (forearm) just in case they need to replace a starter next month. There's no one in Triple-A deserving of an opportunity, and they don't want to risk getting Jonathan Sanchez hurt by converting him back into a starter.

Washington - The Chad Cordero talks should heat up soon, with the Tigers, Mets, Red Sox, Indians, Phillies, Brewers and Rockies candidates to be in the running for the closer. The scary thing for Cordero owners is that he would only be a candidate to close for Cleveland, Philadelphia and Colorado, three of the longer shots to get him. Even the Indians and Phillies might prefer Joe Borowski and Myers, respectively. Cordero owners should be hoping GM Jim Bowden sticks to his unreasonably high asking price. Jon Rauch, who would likely close in Cordero's place, might be the better bet of the two to go in a trade. On the off chance that both are dealt, Luis Ayala would likely lead the closer-by-committee, at least until Jesus Colome (buttocks) comes off the DL and climbs back up the depth chart. ? Alex Escobar's debut as the Nationals' starting left fielder has been pushed back indefinitely. His ankle is OK, but the right shoulder he separated last August apparently isn't. Nook Logan and Ryan Langerhans will continue to share time for now. ? The Nats are contemplating adding 22-year-old left-hander John Lannan to the rotation. A 2005 11th-round pick out of Siena, Lannan is 12-3 with a 2.35 ERA, 92 H and 72/42 K/BB in 122 2/3 innings at three levels this season. He might get enough grounders to survive, but it's doubtful that he'll thrive in the majors.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Big Papi Hurting
David Ortiz left Friday's game with a strained left shoulder after sliding headfirst into second base while trying unsuccessfully to stretch a single into a double. An MRI reportedly came back negative, but Ortiz was held out of the lineup over the weekend and said Sunday that he didn't expect to play again until at least Wednesday. Ortiz should know better than to take chances with headfirst slides given his history with such decisions dating back to his days in Minnesota.

If Ortiz can avoid the disabled list, the Red Sox figure to replace him with a quasi-platoon of Wily Mo Pena and Eric Hinske. If he needs a stint on the DL, the team may decide to recall Jacoby Ellsbury from Triple-A, starting him in left field while Manny Ramirez shifts to designated hitter. Ramirez reached base in all five of his plate appearances Sunday, giving him a .339 batting average and 1.055 OPS so far this month.

While Big Papi learns the hard way that his body is built for station-to-station baserunning (at most), here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Out since mid-May with an elbow injury, Huston Street is scheduled to come off the disabled list Monday, but will apparently rejoin the A's bullpen in a setup role initially. Manager Bob Geren said Sunday that he "won't use him to close a game the next outing or two or three," but plans to use him "in the sixth or seventh inning, to make sure he's ready to do that." That means Alan Embree, who's 10-for-12 in save chances, will likely retain ninth-inning duties for another week.

* Hanley Ramirez left Sunday's game in the first inning with a partially dislocated left shoulder, which is concerning given his history of similar problems. However, manager Fredi Gonzalez said afterward that the injury is "nothing alarming right now" and added that "he did it last year a little bit." Ramirez has been on fire this month, batting .412 with five homers, 17 RBIs, and a 1.238 OPS, but Alfredo Amezaga will likely start in his place for at least Monday's game.

* Unavailable over the weekend because of shoulder tightness, Takashi Saito is scheduled to remain behind in Los Angeles Monday while the team flies to Houston so that he can undergo an MRI. The Dodgers continue to insist that Saito's injury is minor, but the MRI results will prove that right or wrong soon enough. In the meantime, Jonathan Broxton will step into the closer role and the Dodgers may intensify their reported interest in Octavio Dotel.

* Houston announced Sunday that Roy Oswalt has been scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday against the Dodgers because of chest soreness. Oswalt suffered the injury Friday, leaving his start against the Pirates in the seventh inning. He'll be replaced by Matt Albers, but hopes to avoid the disabled list and miss just one turn through the rotation. "Every time I try to move I can feel it," Oswalt said. "At the most I'll miss one start and then I'll be ready, for sure."

Meanwhile, the Astros appear to have dodged a bullet with Hunter Pence, who left Sunday's game with a wrist injury. X-rays reportedly revealed no fractures and the team is calling him day-to-day with a sprain. "He doesn't feel like it's going to be very severe at all," manager Phil Garner said. "It's just a strain on the outside part of his wrist. He thinks he'll be fine." Pence will be reevaluated Monday and may sit out a game or two just to be safe.

* Called up from Triple-A on Friday, Shelley Duncan made a Shane Spencer-like debut with the Yankees over the weekend, beginning his big-league career with three homers and seven RBIs in a dozen at-bats. Chris Duncan's older brother (and Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan's son), Shelley was hitting .295 with 25 homers, 79 RBIs, and a .957 OPS in 91 games at Triple-A before being called up.

However, he's far from a top-notch prospect. Duncan is a 27-year-old minor-league veteran who came into this season with a .251 batting average in over 2,300 pro at-bats and has struck out nearly once per game. He's always shown big-time power and his performance at Triple-A this season suggests that perhaps he's made some strides when it comes to boosting his batting average, but expecting him to be a major asset down the stretch is a bad bet.

AL Quick Hits: He hasn't been cleared by doctors yet, but Miguel Tejada hopes to come off the disabled list Friday after saying Sunday that his fractured wrist is healed ? Out since the third game of the season, Rondell White (calf) will take over as the Twins' designated hitter until his next injury ? Thanks to Monday's off day, Carl Crawford (ankle) should be able to return Tuesday ? Chris Ray was held out of Sunday's game because of arm stiffness, with Jamie Walker getting the save chance, but the Orioles don't sound overly concerned ? With Sunday's loss to the Angels, Matt Garza fell to 1-2 despite a 1.33 ERA ? Sammy Sosa left Saturday's game after being hit on the head by a pitch, but is expected to be back in the lineup Monday ? Felix Hernandez's streak of four straight Quality Starts was snapped Sunday against the Blue Jays ? With Julian Tavarez demoted to the bullpen, Jon Lester has been called up from Triple-A to join Kason Gabbard in the rotation until Curt Schilling (shoulder) returns.

NL Quick Hits: According to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Nationals are talking to the Reds about Adam Dunn ? Bill Hall (ankle) is scheduled to begin a brief minor-league rehab assignment Monday and could come off the disabled list at some point this week ? Despite being arrested Saturday, Scott Olsen remains on track to make his scheduled start Wednesday ? With Jose Valentin (leg) out for six weeks, Ruben Gotay should get plenty of playing time at second base ? Woody Williams is just 5-11 with a 5.03 ERA overall, but has thrown five straight Quality Starts, including eight shutout innings Sunday ? With another homer Sunday, Albert Pujols has gone deep six times in 10 second-half games ? Meanwhile, after missing five straight games, Scott Rolen homered Sunday for the first time since June 18 ? After tossing a complete-game shutout Sunday against the Padres, J.D. Durbin is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA over his last two outings after beginning his career 0-3 with a 10.91 ERA ? Once expected to come back last week, the Rockies are now saying that there's no timetable for Brian Fuentes' (ribs) return.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bye, Bye, Biggio

You can accuse Craig Biggio of being a fringe major league player the last couple of seasons; just don't try to suggest he doesn't have a flair for the dramatic.

On Tuesday, Biggio announced that he's hanging 'em up after this, his 20th big league season. Then he went out and smacked a grand slam that snapped a tie game and helped the hometown Astros dump the Dodgers 7-4. Needless to say, the Houston fans were more than just a little stoked over this turn of events.

Once Biggio passed 3,000 career hits earlier this season, many suspected this announcement was just a matter of time. After all, with a .233 BA against righties last season, and just a .222 mark against them this year, Biggio was clearly no longer fit to be an everyday player.

Going forward, he's expected to play in most of the Astros' remaining home games while resting more on the road as Houston prepares for life without him. Look for Mark Loretta (assuming he's not peddled) and Chris Burke (once Hunter Pence returns) to begin taking more of the starts away from the 41-year-old Biggio.

Does Biggio deserve enshrinement in the Hall of Fame? His accomplishments would certainly suggest so: perhaps the best player at the keystone corner of our generation, Biggio is only man in major league history with as many as 3,016 hits, 661 doubles, 287 homers and 413 steals. Throw in over 1,800 runs, an NL record 51 leadoff home runs and a soon-to-be major league record for HBPs, and you've got a compelling argument for Biggio to take up residence in Cooperstown.

While we consider the game of baseball without Biggio, let's explore the rest of Tuesday's happenings around the diamond:

• Bartolo Colon landed on the DL with a sore right elbow in a move that couldn't have surprised his owners much. After all, considering he's struggled through a 1-6 mark with a 9.26 ERA over his last 10 starts, it must be almost a relief to know he's hurting again. Colon missed most of April while recovering from a shoulder injury and other than a few strong starts to begin the season, has looked generally horrid. It wouldn't be shocking if this latest health woe sidelined the big guy for a month or more. In the meantime, the Angels, who may have to turn their attention to the trade market in search of another hurler, will likely go with Dustin Moseley as Colon's replacement. Colon's injury could also expedite Ervin Santana's return to the majors, but for now, the team will probably let him continue to build back his confidence at Triple-A.
• Colon wasn't the only starter making health-related headlines on Tuesday. Padres starter [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL], enjoying a superb season, came out of his start after just two innings last night because of an oblique strain. He's uncertain to make his next start on Sunday, and a DL stint remains a possibility. If Young can't take the hill this weekend, the Padres will probably have to call up Mike Thompson, who has had a rough go of it lately at Triple-A. Justin Hampson might also get the call; he looked strong in tossing 3 2/3 shutout frames in relief of Young last night.
• Orioles' closer Chris Ray might be DL-bound after an MRI exposed a bone spur in his elbow. Interim manager Dave Trembley said that Ray's been pitching through the ailment and is on medication to reduce the inflammation. The team expects to have a better fix on the situation Wednesday. Should Ray land on the DL, Paul Shuey and Jamie Walker, who has saves in his past two outings including last night, would battle over the closing duties.

AL Quick Hits: Scott Podsednik is off the DL for the ChiSox and, after taking an 0-fer in the first game of the doubleheader, delivered an RBI single and stole a base in the nightcap?Speaking of injured players making returns, Miguel Tejada (broken wrist) will play minor league games for the next couple of days and is expected to be activated for Friday's game?The ChiSox swept the doubleheader against the Tigers but lost Toby Hall to a minor concussion after he was hit in the head by Carlos Guillen's backswing in the second game. Maybe this will knock some sense into Hall, whose power game has been completely AWOL this season with a whopping .224 slugging percentage. He's day-to-day?Eric Gagne enjoyed a career first Tuesday by recording two saves in one day as Texas swept its doubleheader over the Mariners. He's obviously put Monday's rough outing behind him?Ryan Feierabend was called up to start the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader against Texas, and while he was effective ? giving up just six hits and two runs in five innings to lower his ERA almost a run ? he was sent back to Triple-A after the start, as expected. Still, he certainly set himself up for a future assignment the next time Seattle needs a starter. Not 22 until next month, Feierabend has been a little too hittable in Triple-A for my taste, but he's held his own considering his tender age.

NL Quick Hits: Moises Alou didn't come off the DL as planned Tuesday. What a shocker?Keep an eye on early-season surprise Shawn Hill. He's on the comeback trail after tossing BP at Class A on Monday and will throw a two-inning, 35-pitch simulated game today as he works his way back from a strained left shoulder. Hill could return early next month and if he can pitch as well as he did over the first six weeks of the season, he'll be worth a look?Prospect Angel Salome, considered the Brewers' catcher of the future, has been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Don't tell me there's another player who has read Neifi Perez's "Guide to a Hall of Fame Baseball Career"?Now that they've locked up Ronnie Belliard for another two years, the Nats are talking with Dmitri Young about a contract extension. Young's enjoyed a tremendous comeback season, batting .335 with a .390 OBP through 310 at-bats, but locking him up for too long could prove to be a mistake for Washington?After another solid outing Tuesday, punctuated by his first career home run, John Maine (11-4, 3.04) leads the Mets in wins and strikeouts and his ERA is just four points higher than the 3.00 put up by Oliver Perez. Any doubt who the Mets' ace has been this season?...Yovani Gallardo also did it with his arm and bat, earning the win while delivering a big RBI single

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Expect a dud of a deadline
Everyone loves trade deadline time. It's the time of the year when major league general managers act like fantasy GMs, desperately searching for the final pieces that will turn their team into a championship contender.

For those in AL- or NL-only leagues, there's the possibility that the free agent pool will soon include an exciting mix of veterans and top prospects from the other league.

But if you've saved all your FAAB dollars this season hoping to snag that superstar who switches leagues, you're going to be disappointed. This year's trade deadline is likely to resemble an abandoned fireworks stand ? plenty of bang for the buck possible, but no one willing to make a purchase.

First of all, teams are more reluctant to part with young talent for a two-month rental player. The turning point might have been reached three years ago when the New York Mets acquired Victor Zambrano for 20-year-old lefty Scott Kazmir. Zambrano made three starts before an injury ended his season. Since the trade, Kazmir has a winning record (29-26) and an ERA under 4.00 for the lowly Tampa Ray Devil Rays.

Financial ramifications play into trades, and inexpensive young players are valuable commodities. At last year's deadline, there were many inquiries about Phil Hughes, but the Yankees never gave any of them serious consideration.

Lost free agents still have value. The Washington Nationals shopped free-agent-to-be Alfonso Soriano at last year's deadline, but couldn't find any team willing to meet their asking price. Rather than give Soriano away, the Nats kept him and received a pair of draft picks (No. 31 and No. 67 overall) as compensation when he signed with the Cubs.

For fantasy owners, there's one more reason the July 31 deadline figures to be a dud. The likely destinations for many of the top trade targets won't give their fantasy values a significant boost. Three of the biggest sluggers who could be dealt ?Adam Dunn, Jermaine Dye and Mark Teixeira? play in three of the best hitters' parks in the majors. A trade to a contender might give them more RBI opportunities, but that's about it.

On the pitching side, the number of worthwhile starters available is thin ? especially with Mark Buehrle signing a long-term deal with the Chicago White Sox. Playoff contenders are more likely looking to upgrade their bullpens, anyway, and the best relievers available probably won't continue to be closers if dealt.

However, there are still a few players who could benefit from a deadline deal:

Ty Wigginton: The versatile Devil Ray could be a regular at first, second or third base for any number of contenders. He had back-to-back four-hit games last week and is a good bet to reach 20 homers for a second consecutive season.

Conor Jackson: The 25-year-old has seen his playing time decrease in Arizona with the emergence of Mark Reynolds. Here's a guy who hit .291 last season but won't get close to matching the 485 at-bats he had in 2006. The Diamondbacks recently started him in the outfield as a way to increase his trade value.

Joakim Soria: He isn't on the trade block, but if Octavio Dotel is dealt, the Kansas City Royals will turn the closer's job over to the 23-year-old Rule 5 pickup. Soria notched 10 saves earlier when Dotel was hurt and recently extended his scoreless streak to 20 2/3 innings. His ERA and WHIP have been outstanding all season, and he's striking out more than a batter per inning. He may not only be closing later this season, but for years to come.

Morgan Ensberg: He's fallen out of favor with the Houston Astros, who've fallen out of the playoff chase. He's starting against mostly left-handers these days, which doesn't give him tons of playing time but does help him post better trade-worthy numbers. Still, some team ought to be willing to take a chance on a guy who had 36 homers and 101 RBI two seasons ago.

Dmitri Young: Moving to the AL and being able to DH could reduce the chance of an injury derailing his All-Star season. Plus, a move to a home park other than Washington's RFK Stadium might allow him to hit a few more homers.

Wily Mo Pena: Probably better suited to be a DH than an outfielder, Pena is still only 25, and a rebuilding team wouldn't be taking a huge gamble by giving him full-time at bats. He did hit 26 homers in only 336 at-bats with the Reds in 2004.

Reggie Sanders: Could provide a contender with a decent right-handed power bat. He's not in the Royals' rebuilding plans, so a trade might make him worth owning in AL- or NL-only leagues.

Clay Hensley: Here's a sleeper pick because he's pitching in the minors and isn't in the Padres' plans for this year. Still, he won 11 games and posted a 3.71 ERA a year ago.

Even though no blockbuster trades loom on the horizon, that doesn't mean general managers will stop making phone calls. Until the deadline finally hits, there's still hope that one or more of those big deals will be made.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Platoon Gems: Righty Killers


This week, I'll bring you part one in a series of articles on platooning. I'll start by discussing how platooning can give you a huge advantage, and then I will provide a long list of guys that kill right-handed pitching?both at the plate and on the base paths. In the weeks that follow, I'll cover guys that kill left-handed pitching and those that perform markedly better at home or on the road.
Unfortunately, this week's piece is so long, it doesn't leave room for a "Topic of the Week" or "Trash Dump," but I'll bring those back shortly. I received some great emails in response to last week's column "Fantasy or Woman?" that I definitely want to share.
[SIZE=+1]Platoon Gems: Righty Killers[/SIZE]
In fantasy baseball, there are few things more disheartening than having a weak spot in your lineup that you can't solidify no matter how many waiver-wire hopefuls you audition. If you could only find one serviceable guy to plug that hole, you might compete for your title. Problem is your league is deep, and that guy just isn't there for the taking.
Well, don't throw in the towel just yet. A platoon could be the answer to your problems. In fact, the right combination of guys could end up being more productive than that "serviceable" player you so coveted. Maybe you can't find one guy who will hit .290 with 10 HR and 5 SB over the remainder of the season. But I'm betting you can find a guy who will hit .320 with 5 HR against lefties and another who will hit .320 with 12 HR and 10 SB against righties and another who will hit .280 with 8 HR at home. Juggle those guys adroitly, and you might just end up getting something like .310 with 12 HR and 8 SB from that slot.
Of course, this approach is best suited for daily transaction leagues, where you can start your lefty killer on days he faces a southpaw starter and your righty killer on days he faces a righthanded starter, etc. However, it can also be employed in weekly transaction leagues. For example, in a weekly format, you might start your righty killer when he's slated to face five or more right-handed starters or your hometown hero when he plays all of his games at home, etc.
Granted, things won't always lineup perfectly for you. There will be days when your lefty killer is facing a righty, and your righty killer is facing a lefty, and your hometown hero is on the road. But you can cycle guys in and out of the trash to offset that. And just because a guy starts against a lefty doesn't mean he'll get four AB against lefties. Still, you should see good results if you manage the situation closely.
With that in mind, I'm going to spend the next few weeks talking about platoon-friendly players. Most will be guys that you might find on the waiver wire, but some will be established producers whom you might want to bench in certain situations. This week, I'll cover righty killers. Next week, I'll bring you some lefty killers. And after that, I'll talk about "hometown heroes" and "road warriors."
The Killers
Carlos Pena ? His 19 HR against righties is 5th best in the majors. He also sports a .305 AVG and 1.044 OPS against righthanders.
Chris Duncan ? 18 of his 19 HR have come off righties, whom he's batting .310 against.
Brad Hawpe ? 17 of his 18 HR have come off righties, and he has a .339 AVG and 1.078 OPS against them. You definitely don't want to use Hawpe against lefties, as he hits .190 against them.
Curtis Granderson ? With 189 total bases against righties, Granderson is second only to A-Rod in that category! His numbers versus righties: .333 AVG, .390 OBP, 1.026 OPS. His numbers versus lefties: .190 AVG, .229 OBP, .571 OPS. Not to mention all 11 of his steals came against righties.
Kenny Lofton ? Left-handed-hitting speedsters make prime platoon targets, as they generally perform much better both at the dish and on the basepaths against righties. Lofton epitomizes this trend. He hits .324 against righties to just .222 against lefties, and all 21 of his steals have come off righties.
Dave Roberts ? Another left-handed-batting base stealer, Roberts is batting .282 with 18 SB against righties contrasted to .164 with one steal against lefties.
Willie Harris ? Yet another left-handed-batting burner, Harris is batting .343 with 14 SB against righties contrasted to .214 with two SB against lefties.
Ryan Freel ? Another gazelle who excels against righties (though he bats from the right side of the plate), Freel has hit .318 with 12 SB off righties but .122 with three SB off lefties.
Josh Hamilton ? He owns a .294 AVG and 1.009 OPS against righties, and 13 of his 14 HR have come off them.
Jack Cust ? Despite a less-than-mediocre .257 AVG against righties, Cust has mashed right-handed pitchers to the tune of 12 HR in 140 AB. To put that in perspective, at that pace, if he faced a full season's worth of at-bats against righties, he'd leave the yard about 48 times. He also sports a .949 OPS against righties.
Jim Thome ? We think of Thome as an everyday guy, but maybe he'd be most valuable in a platoon. Against righties, he boasts a .329 AVG to go along with a sick .510 OBP and 1.167 OPS. Off lefties, though? .189 AVG, .295 OBP and .606 OPS.
Scott Hatteberg - .Versus righties, he's hit .313 with seven HR. Versus lefties, he's hit .217 with one dinger.
Pat Burrell ? Though he has similar power against lefties and righties, Burrell hits 50 points higher against righties (.252 to .202).
Josh Willingham: Versus righties, he owns a .291 AVG, .399 OBP, .957 OPS, 14 HR, and 4 SB in 251 AB. Versus lefties, he owns a .181 AVG, .294 OBP, .538 OPS, 1 HR, and 0 SB in 94 AB.
Casey Kotchman - .All nine of Kotchman's homers have come off righties, and he hits .297 against righties as opposed to .225 against lefties.
Brian Roberts ? Roberts has a .337 AVG, .414 OBP, and .912 OPS versus righties but a .258 AVG, .373 OBP, and .698 OPS against lefties. Strangely, though, he's able to steal off lefties as well as he does off righties.
Willy Taveras ? Though Taveras hits better against lefties, 22 of his 24 steals have come off righties.
Nick Markakis ? Cakes has hit .304 with 11 SB off righties in contrast to .262 with one steal off lefties.
Bobby Abreu ? Should you be sitting Abreu versus lefties? His numbers say yes: .287 with 11 SB and seven HR off righties; .235 with three SB and one HR off lefties.
Alex Gordon ? Though he has more power against lefties (three HR in 83 AB versus three in 244 AB against righties), his power is inconsequential thus far, and he is better against righties in every other aspect. Against righties, he's hit .246 with 10 SB. Against lefties, he's gone .193 with no steals.
Luis Castillo - .Surprisingly, the powerless Castillo makes a decent start against righties, whom he is hitting .315 with nine SB against. You never want to play him against lefties, though, as he hits .271 with no steals against them.
Mark Teahen - .Versus righties, Teahen has hit .294 with seven steals and five long balls. Versus lefties, he's hit .278 with one steal and no homers.
Matt Stairs ? Though he hits for better average against lefties (.300 to .272), all of Stairs' 14 HR have come against righties.
Chris B. Young ? As evidenced by his .234 AVG, Young (a right-handed batter) will kill you in that category no matter who he's facing. However, if you're in a situation in which AVG is not so important but power is, you could find some use for the youngster, who's cranked 14 long balls against righties
Pedro Feliz ? Like Young, Feliz (a right-handed batter) will hurt your average but help you in homers. He's hit 13 of his 15 against righties.
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2653"]Alex Gonzalez[/URL] ? Another right-handed batter with power (12 HR) against righties. He hits .266 against righties versus .215 against lefties. He should come off the bereavement list soon.
John Buck ? Here is a guy that can go either way depending on the league. If your league uses AVG, you should be playing Buck against righties, whom he hits .247 against (versus .217 against lefties). If your league uses OBP, it's the opposite: Buck's OBP vs. lefties is higher (.345 to .323). Eric Byrnes ? Interestingly, the right-handed Byrnes has comparable numbers when it comes to OBP, SLG, and OPS but hits for a much higher average against righties (.326 to .250). So, platooning Byrnes is clearly most effective in leagues that use AVG.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Under the Radar

Blinded by the glare of the spotlight on Barry Bonds and his either meaningful or farcical chase to break the sport's ultimate record, it's easy to overlook the fact that a pair of genuinely meaningful events are about to be achieved.

Both Alex Rodriguez and Tom Glavine are about to hit significant milestones in their tremendous careers, but each of these stories are forced to take a back seat as the baseball world gawks at Bonds' exploits as if we're watching Sumo wrestlers driving clown cars smashing into a multi-vehicle pileup on a highway covered in Mazola oil. Or something like that.

The other night, I was watching the Giants-Braves' 13-inning marathon and praying it would end soon so I could get some much-needed sleep, when Bonds stepped up to the plate. The broadcast, an FSN Bay Area production, flashed an immense and gaudy "Chase for 755" logo on the screen, complete with the only known photo to have captured Bonds actually smiling. I swear, this monstrosity of a graphic took up a third of my TV screen. If history was about to be made, I'd only be able to see a portion of it. You can rest assured I tuned over to TBS for Bonds' next trip to the plate. I'd rather put up with ducks walking across the screen.

At any rate, after rattling around the outfield for all 13 innings on his 43-year-old bones Tuesday, Bonds got the day off Wednesday, which gave the aforementioned A-Rod and Glavine a chance to take center stage.

What's most ironic is that A-Rod's pursuit of 500 homers has been extremely low key while we focus on Bonds, but is there a player in the game more capable of one day usurping Bonds as the all-time home run king than Rodriguez?

Still a day shy of 32 years of age, Rodriguez cranked his 499th career jack last night to pull within one of becoming the 22nd player to reach 500. The long ball was his MLB-leading 35th of the year in his 100th game ? matching his entire season output from 2006, when he played 154 games.

Just over two years ago, you may recall, A-Rod became the first player in history to hit the 400 mark before his 30th birthday. That milestone dinger came against Jorge De La Rosa, then with the Brewers. In another ironic twist, tonight A-Rod goes for his 500th against that same hurler, now a Royal.

Can he ultimately break Bonds' mark? Let's arbitrarily suggest that Bonds finishes his career with, say, 775 homers. That would leave A-Rod 276 shy of the ultimate record as of today. Using his career average of 44 homers every 162 games (or a home run in 27.2 percent of the games he plays), he'll need to play in 1,015 more games to reach 775. To be safe, and factor in what will likely be a declining home run rate as he reaches his mid to late 30s, let's assume it will take A-Rod another 1,100 games to hit 276 homers. That would require playing every game of every season for 6.79 years, which is unlikely. Let's be conservative then, and assume it will take him 7.5 years to play in another 1,100 games. So as long as he avoids major injuries, A-Rod should be able to reach 775 homers before his 40th birthday.

Let's not forget Glavine. A few years ago, he looked like an extreme long shot to be reaching this hallowed mark, but after last night's victory, the 41-year-old lefty is staring 300 wins in the face. On Tuesday in Milwaukee, Glavine gets his first chance to become the 23rd pitcher to achieve this many wins.

Wednesday night's win over the Pirates wasn't exactly vintage Glavine (six innings, eight hits, three runs), but it was night and day compared to his previous start, when ? despite being staked to a 6-0 lead ? he couldn't get out of the third inning.

With the Bonds watch taking a much-needed day of rest, let's see what else was going on Wednesday:

• It's become pretty obvious that Bobby Crosby simply can't stay healthy. He busted a hand Tuesday after getting nailed by a pitch and will sit for the next four-to-six weeks. Even a typical A's second-half miracle probably won't salvage this season, but before 2008, Oakland needs to explore other options at shortstop.
• According to the Dallas Morning News, The Braves and Rangers are "heavily involved" in trade talks regarding Mark Teixeira. Jarrod Saltalamacchia would be the key piece headed to Texas, but in an expanded version of the trade, the Braves could also get either Eric Gagne or Ron Mahay, while parting with Elvis Andrus and either Kyle Davies or Matt Harrison. The Dodgers are also hot and heavy after Teixeira and the Angels have entered the picture as well, increasing the chances that Texas is going to be able to play these teams against each other and get a seriously good package in return.

AL Quick Hits: Have you noticed the serious tear that Hideki Matsui is on? He's batting .340 in July with 10 homers, 21 RBI and 25 runs. Suddenly I have the lyrics to a classic Blue Oyster Cult song running through my head: "Oh no, they say he's got to go; Go go Godzilla, yeah; Oh no, there goes Tokyo; Go go Godzilla, yeah." (Sorry?it's a '70s thing?I'm back now.)?Perhaps we haven't given you enough Yankees news today? Jason Giambi will kick off a rehab assignment Friday and could return as soon as Monday. So much for the Shelley Duncan era?Chris Ray, who we discussed yesterday, did wind up on the DL after all. In Ray's absence, look for Danys Baez and Jamie Walker to alternate save chances depending on the situation, but don't overlook Cory Dayne to sneak into the mix, especially if Ray requires surgery and is out long term?Gary Sheffield was idle Wednesday because of a sore shoulder. In his place, Magglio Ordonez took over DH duties and Ryan Raburn handled RF. Raburn had four hits, including two homers, and drove in seven runs. There's a game for the DVD collection.

NL Quick Hits: How impressive was Aaron Cook last night? A complete game on just 74 pitches? He's won his last two starts and suddenly looks quite useful again after a real rough patch?What's this? Milwaukee making a deadline deal to improve itself? The Brewers added Scott Linebrink to help set up closer Francisco Cordero. The cost? Three pitching prospects. Of course, losing Linebrink won't help the Padres' pen, currently struggling with a collective 8.87 ERA over the last six games?Since coming off the DL on May 25, Ryan Howard has 22 homers, 60 RBI and a .313 BA. Ah yes, I remember why he won the NL MVP last year?With Jason Simontacchi on the DL, Washington, in need of another starter, has farmed out Chris Booker (who served up RyHo's game-winning blast last night) and called up rookie John Lannan to make his major league debut today. Lannan, a 22-year-old lefty, was pitching in High-A as recently as mid-May, but his combined numbers of 12-3, 2.36 in 122 2/3 innings has put him on the fast track this season?.Derek Lowe, who came out in the fifth inning last night because of his groin, is headed for an MRI?Tom Gorzelanny left in the third inning Wednesday because of shoulder stiffness, but he says he'll make his next start.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bullpen Report: Week 17
To say that it's been a disappointing season for Chris Ray is an understatement. A year after posing 33 saves and an ERA under 3.00 in just his second big league season, Ray's gone from a potential top-10 closer to someone who likely won't finish the campaign ranked in the top 25.

The 25-year-old got the season started on the wrong foot by yielding a couple of high-profile grand slams against the Yankees and Red Sox in April. He followed it up with a solid May, but before his season totals could look respectable again he was struggling mightily in June. The right-hander was eventually kept out of a save situation in late June as a result, but he rebounded with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings thereafter.

Ray appeared to be back on track and ready to do his best to make up for his first half slump when he was placed on the disabled list this past week. Ray was diagnosed with a bone spur in his elbow and will rest for at least a month. Since the Orioles are already out of it, Ray having surgery to remedy the problem now would seem to be the best idea. There's simply no point in throwing an injured pitcher back on the mound when the games are meaningless, even if it's something that isn't going to get worse by pitching.

On the plus side, Ray's injury isn't of any long-term consequence. He'll be one of my favorite value picks next season coming off a poor ERA and a disappointing save total. His peripherals are good, he looked to be on track before the injury, and he has the stuff and pedigree to continue succeed in the role. I fully expect Ray to rebound with 30 saves and 3.00 ERA next season, so I strongly recommend buying low on him in keeper formats.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, Co-Closer or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Locked In)

Key setup men: Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon, Doug Slaten

After a week in which he recorded three saves with scoreless innings of work, Valverde's ERA dropped to an impressive 2.48. It's the lowest mark he's been at since April. That he's pitched well for four straight months is encouraging, but his past can't be completely discounted as of yet. If he finishes the year with an ERA below 3.00 and 35-40 saves I'll advise letting someone else take the plunge next season.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Secure)

Key setup men: Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Oscar Villareal

Wickman threw two scoreless innings and recorded one save to start the week, then blew a save when he gave up a two-run double and an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning against the Giants. Wickman entered with two runners on base and was charged with just one run, but it again highlights how little he can be trusted. Soriano continued to struggle while yielding three more runs this week, but he's still next in line.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (DL), Jamie Walker (Co-Closer), Danys Baez (Co-Closer)

Key setup men: Paul Shuey, Cory Doyne, Chad Bradford

With Ray now on the disabled list, manager Dave Trembley has failed to name a successor. Given the lack of quality options the club has, it's likely to be a committee. Jamie Walker will likely handle any southpaw-heavy matchups in the ninth, as he has with two saves during the last week. Baez has pitched reasonably well of late and has plenty of closing experience, so he figures to be the right-handed side of this platoon.

Shuey picked up a save last month and could also be in the mix, though he's probably behind Baez for now. Cory Doyne was doing an excellent job closing for Triple-A Norfolk, but he's unlikely to get into the mix for now. Doyne, current minor leaguer James Hoey, and Ray could form a dominant 1-2-3 punch in the late innings as early as next season. In the short-term, only Walker and Baez are worth using in most formats.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Hideki Okajima, Brendan Donnelly (DL), Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez

Papelbon continued his dominance with two more scoreless innings for saves this week. He has an excellent 53 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings. It's July 26 and Okajima still has an ERA below 1.00. Not bad, for a rookie.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (Secure)

Key setup men: Bobby Howry, Angel Guzman (DL), Carlos Marmol, Mike Wuertz

Dempster has pitched twice since returning from an oblique injury, throwing a scoreless inning in the first outing and then giving up an unearned run while still converting a save opportunity in the second. Marmol gave up two more runs this week, but his ERA is still a stellar 1.80. With the Cubs still in the race, I suspect Howry remains next in line despite Marmol's excellent performance to date.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Locked In)

Key setup men: Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal (DL), Boone Logan

Jenks appeared in three games this week, picking up a save against the Red Sox in the first outing then closing out both games against the Tigers in a double-header on Tuesday. Despite the White Sox having a disappointing season and the team's middle relief being in shambles, Jenks has 28 saves on the season.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Secure)

Key setup men: Eddie Guardado (DL), Jon Coutlangus, Mike Stanton, Jared Burton

Weathers pitched in two games this week, recording shutout innings in both outings and a save in the first appearance. Guardado threw 30 pitches to hitters on Tuesday and reportedly felt fine. He could begin a rehab assignment later this week, and a return towards the end of next week is rather possible. I'm not expecting him to have value over the season's final two months.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Shaky)

Key setup men: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Tom Mastny

Borowski did go 2-for-2 in save opportunities this past week, but that he made both outings interesting by yielding three runs ? one earned ? might be enough to tip the scales in favor of the Indians acquiring a closer. Octavio Dotel probably wouldn't be a sizeable upgrade, but if he's cheap enough expect the Indians to show interest. Rumors on other potentially available closers have died down, but there's still plenty of time for that to change.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Manny Corpas (Shaky)

Key setup men: Brian Fuentes (DL), LaTroy Hawkins, Jorge Julio, Jeremy Affeldt

Fuentes going on the disabled list was the best thing that could have happened to Corpas. He's shown that he can handle closing duties just as well as he handled the eighth inning, and it should lock him in as Fuentes' backup until the left-hander is traded or leaves via free agency. Fuentes is still working his way back from a strained muscle and could begin a rehab assignment within the week. Expect him back in about two weeks. He'll need to pitch well as a setup man before taking over for Corpas again, but expect it to happen before August is out.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya (DL), Fernando Rodney (DL), Jose Capellan, Macay McBride

Jones recorded saves with scoreless innings in his first and third outings of the week, but his middle appearance didn't go so well as he gave up two runs in a blown save against the Royals. It was his fifth blown save of the season, but he's not at all in danger of losing his job any time soon.

Rodney has been pitching in the bullpen and should begin a rehab assignment on Friday. He should be back within 10 days. Zumaya is also beginning to work towards returning to the mound and is reportedly feeling great. He's probably three weeks away.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Kevin Gregg (Secure)

Key setup men: Armando Benitez, Henry Owens (DL), Matt Lindstrom, Taylor Tankersley

Gregg pitched in just one game this week, giving up a run in a non-save situation against the Reds. Benitez has been sick and was forced to stay in his hotel room for a game this past week in order to avoid infecting his teammates. I hear homeritis is rather contagious, so it was probably the best move.

Houston Astros

Closer: Brad Lidge (Shaky)

Key setup men: Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, David Borkowski

While the overall results have been there for Lidge, his performance since returning to the closer's role has really been a mixed bag. The right-hander is 5-for-5 in save opportunities and has yet to give up a run, but he's come close to blowing several of the games. In four of the five games Lidge has allowed the tying run to come to the plate, and in two of the outings he let the tying run get into scoring position. It's encouraging that Lidge was able to keep his composure and pitch out of the jams, but he wasn't all that far away from blowing a few games. He'll move up to 'Secure' if he can continue to pitch out of jams while mixing in a few more uneventful saves.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (In Danger)

Key setup men: Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria, Joel Peralta, David Riske

Dotel isn't as dominant as he used to be, but he's done well to raise his trade value with a good strikeout rate and an impressive slider. He's almost surely going to be on the move, and he'll most likely end up on a team as a setup man. It appears the only chance he has of remaining a closer would be on the Indians, though they have reportedly balked at Kansas City's asking price.

A few weeks ago it looked clear that Greinke would take over once Dotel departed. However, that may not be the case now. While manager Buddy Bell had announced that Greinke was next in line during June, Soria has gone on a tear and lowered his ERA to 2.34. That caused Bell to suggest that he could see Soria as a closer, though he gave no definitive answer as to who would take over. Bell has also said that he would prefer to see Greinke move back into a starting role next season, which would mean moving Soria into the role makes more sense. For that reason I'll say that Soria is a 65:35 favorite to take over, but both players need to be owned until it is announced.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier, Dustin Moseley

K-Rod started the week with a scoreless inning against the Devil Rays to pick up his 25th save of the season. On Wednesday Rodriguez blew a three-run lead in the ninth against the Athletics, only to pick up a win when the Angels scored in the bottom of the inning.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Yhency Brazoban (DL), Chin-Hui Tsao (DL), Rudy Seanez

It was a frustrating week for Saito owners, as the right-hander failed to get in a game due to right shoulder tightness. It's an issue he missed a few days with earlier in the season, and the Dodgers sent him for an MRI to make sure nothing was wrong. The evaluation showed no structural damage, so Saito should be fine to get back into action after a few days of rest. The right-hander has since thrown off a mound and reported no problems, so he'll be back in action as early as Thursday. Broxton went 1-for-2 in save opportunities during Saito's absence and remains the backup.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva, Manny Parra

Cordero increased his major league leading saves total to 32 this week while also lowering his ERA to 2.43 with a pair of scoreless innings. The bigger news was the club acquiring Linebrink from the Padres. He'll move into an eighth inning role immediately, and should be an upgrade over Turnbow. With Wise, Villanueva, and Parra also in the pen, it's one of the best groups in the National League.

It's concerning that Linebrink has given up 18 homers since the start of last season while playing half his games at Petco Park. It's something that could be of more concern while in Milwaukee. That he's given up seven runs over his last three outings is also discouraging, but he can't be benched as of yet. Despite the concerns, I still think he's likely to remain a solid option that produces an ERA in the low 3.00s.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Pat Neshek, Juan Rincon, Matt Guerrier

You know you have a good bullpen when your top two relievers give up a total of four runs in a week and it's actually one of their worst outings of the season. Neshek was the big contributor after giving up three runs in just 1/3 of an inning against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. It was just the third time this season he gave up more than one run in an outing.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano

Wagner garnered three more scoreless innings and three additional saves this week, bringing his season total to 23. He also hasn't given up a run since June 13.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Proctor, Luis Vizcaino, Kyle Farnsworth, Brian Bruney

Rivera failed to add to his save total while appearing in just one game this week, but his owners can't be upset by the fact that he already has four saves since the All-Star break. Vizcaino has regained some of manager Joe Torre's trust after giving up just three runs since the start of June and looks like a fine play in AL-only leagues for now.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Alan Embree (Filling-In)

Key setup men: Huston Street, Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero, Rich Harden (DL)

Street returned from a nerve injury in his elbow this week, but he's going to be working in middle relief for a handful of games before moving back into the closer's role. He has appeared in one game so far, giving up one run during one inning of work in a blowout win versus the Angels. Embree notched a save the very next day, so the club doesn't feel Street is ready as of yet. He'll probably take back the ninth within a week and he should be active in all leagues next week.

With the Athletics out of it, expect Casilla to get any save chances that open up after Street moves back into the ninth. Casilla has had a few mediocre outings of late, but he's been spectacular overall and could the club's eighth-inning option for the future.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Brett Myers (DL), Antonio Alfonseca (Filling-In)

Key setup men: Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

Gordon returned from his rehab assignment with two scoreless innings in a setup role and looked fine despite pitching with a partially torn labrum. Alfonseca continues to fill in, though that he gave up three runs and blew a save on Wednesday might expedite his removal from the role. With Myers set to return on Thursday or over the weekend, Alfonseca's days as a closer are numbered. Myers will probably be given a week to work back into action, then return to the closer's role if he pitches well. That means he doesn't need to be activated for next week's games, but plan on playing him in two weeks.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Matt Capps (Locked In)

Key setup men: Salomon Torres, Damaso Marte, Shawn Chacon

Capps added two more shutout innings to his totals this week, extending his scoreless streak to 10 appearances. Unfortunately, he failed to pick up a save in either outing. Torres still isn't happy with Pirates' management and a trade to a contender is rather possible. The Red Sox have been mentioned as a possible destination, and the Tigers, Yankees, and Dodgers also figure to be interested. His value isn't likely to change much.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Heath Bell, Kevin Cameron, Cla Meredith

The trade of Scott Linebrink to the Brewers shakes up the middle relief a bit, but this is still one of the league's better groups. Manager Bud Black wanted Bell to take over eighth inning duties even before Linebrink was gone, and now he's going to do just that. With a 2.06 ERA in 56 2/3 innings of work, he deserves it. Meredith is struggling again and is now more towards the back of the club's pen. Cameron and his 0.54 ERA should continue to see an increased workload in the second half, making him a better option in NL-only formats.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Brad Hennessey (Secure)

Key setup men: Randy Messenger, Kevin Correia, Jonathan Sanchez

Hennessey threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings this week while also picking up his seventh save of the season. Messenger has outpitched Correia by a significant margin of late, and he's probably next in line as a result. That may not last long and Hennessey has some job security right now, so it's not a pressing change.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brandon Morrow, Chris Reitsma, George Sherrill, Mark Lowe, Sean Green

Putz gave up his first run since June 2 when he surrendered a two-run homer to the Rangers' Ramon Vazquez on Wednesday. The runner on base wasn't charged to Putz's account, but he did get stuck with a blown save and a loss. The blown save was Putz's first in his last 32 save opportunities.

Morrow had an impressive week, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out six batters in the process. Even more important, he walked just one. It's not enough to get him back into high leverage situations just yet, but he's worth watching closely.

Reitsma has given up six hits and two runs in four innings since returning from the disabled list. He has the most experience closing and could be next in line should Putz be unavailable. Green has pitched well for the club, but he's not going to sniff closing duties even if Putz is hurt. Lowe returned from surgery on his elbow this past week, though he's yet to appear in a game at the major league level. He could be the club's eighth inning man next season.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Ryan Franklin, Tyler Johnson (DL), Russ Springer

Isringhausen gave up a run but still picked up a save in his first outing of the week, then added a win with two scoreless innings in his second appearance. The Cardinals have an $8.8 million option on the right-hander for next season, and with the way he's pitched the club is sure to exercise it. If there were no option he'd have been a prime trade candidate. Maybe he will be next season with Chris Carpenter already likely not to be a big factor.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes (Secure)

Key setup men: Gary Glover, Brian Stokes, Shawn Camp

Reyes missed the minimum of 15 days with a rotator cuff strain and is back as the Devil Rays' closer. He's pitched twice since returning, throwing scoreless innings in both outings while not allowing a baserunner. There haven't been many rumors of Reyes being dealt, but perhaps if he looks healthy over the next week something will happen. The Devil Rays have warmed to the idea of keeping him around for another year, but the lack of options on the market might mean they'll get a good price for him.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (Secure)

Key setup men: Akinori Otsuka (DL), Joaquin Benoit, Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson

Gagne started the week by yielding four runs over a pair of non-save situations, but he rebounded by saving both ends of a double-header against the Mariners on Tuesday. That he was able to pitch twice in a day highlights just how far he's come back, and is a positive sign going forward. The Rangers also seem to have warmed to the idea of keeping Gagne and trying to resign him, but a deal can't yet be ruled out. Otsuka is now on the disabled list through the trading deadline, so he won't be dealt.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: Jeremy Accardo (Secure)

Key setup men: Casey Janssen, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor

Accardo pitched in three games this week, logging 2 2/3 scoreless innings and three saves for his efforts. He remains comfortably atop the team's depth chart.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Secure)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome (DL), Luis Ayala

Cordero gave up just an unearned run in four innings this week, recording two saves in the process. There's been very little rumors surrounding him being dealt, but that's probably because the Nationals are asking for too much. Perhaps something will come up, but what looked like a possibly active deadline for closers has quickly become a quiet one.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Lane Worth A Look
Two major events with fantasy baseball implications: Chase Utley's injury, and the trade deadline.

If you're an Utley owner, your team immediately lost points in the standings when that John Lannan pitch hit his hand. Neither you nor Utley knew it at the time, but he'll be out a month. In a good, strong NL-only league, you're screwed. In one of those ridiculously shallow ESPN leagues, you've got options. Kelly Johnson, arguably the eighth best fantasy second baseman in the game, is unowned in 30% of ESPN leagues. And Johnson has to split time with Yunel Escobar. Aaron Hill, Brendan Harris, or Mark Ellis might be available as well. You'll take a loss, but it won't kill your team.

As for the trade deadline, you should really just take Tuesday off work to focus on trades. That's what I'm doing. That way you can be lightning quick with pickups once you realize the fantasy fallout of certain deals. The best area to exploit is saves. I suggest trading a closer or two to fill a need right now, with the knowledge that several new stoppers will be anointed very soon. Joakim Soria, Jon Rauch, and Joaquin Benoit are three to watch.

American League

Danys Baez, RP, BAL ? Baez has been awful this year, but OK in his four July appearances. Somehow this puts him squarely into the mix for saves over Chad Bradford. Baez will likely come into save situations with mostly right-handed hitters due up. He is incredibly risky, like Gary Glover risky. AL: $5, Mixed: $1.

Jamie Walker, RP, BAL ? He's gotten two saves this week in Chris Ray's absence, but was used in the seventh inning last night. In the first save, two of three hitters were lefties. Similar situation for the other one. The Yankees are up next, and they've got southpaws in Damon, Abreu, Matsui, and Cano. Melky Cabrera and Jorge Posada are switch-hitters. Walker seemingly has a 50/50 chance of pitching if there's a save opportunity in the Yankees' series. That seems possible with Jeremy Guthrie starting today. AL: $6, Mixed: $1.

Jon Lester, SP, BOS ? My expectations were not high for Lester; his control was shaky and he struck out fewer than seven per nine innings in 14 Triple A starts. Nonetheless, he pitched quite well against a tough Cleveland offense on Monday in his season debut. It's hard not to root for him, and maybe the stats don't tell the whole story. But I think he's a shaky fantasy pick in all leagues this year. AL: $5, Mixed: No.

Ryan Raburn, OF, DET ? Rayburn is a 26 year-old semi-prospect with decent power and questionable defensive abilities. Hard to argue with results though: 10 for 20 with three home runs and the game of a lifetime against the White Sox (though he may have encountered tougher pitchers than Jose Contreras while in the minors.) He's been filling in at all three outfield positions. The Tigers will keep working him in as the fourth outfielder until Marcus Thames returns. He's an OK AL-only pickup but nothing more. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Dustin Moseley, RP, LAA ? The fifth starter turn won't come up again for L.A. until August 4th at Oakland, by my count. At that point, the Halos will choose between Dustin Moseley and Ervin Santana (assuming Santana is still part of the organization). Moseley might be the favorite by default but he's had a very rough month. There's also the possibility the Angels import a starter for the stretch drive. Bottom line, stay away from Moseley and Santana. AL: No, Mixed: No.

Shelley Duncan, 1B, NYA ? At 27, Duncan is too old to be considered a prospect. But this year was his first real attempt at Triple A and he posted a .957 OPS. He greeted the Majors with three home runs in his first five games. He strikes out a lot, so don't look for a strong average. He can pick up some at-bats at DH or first base, but will probably go back down if Jason Giambi can return in a week or two. Duncan is worth a short-term AL-only pickup. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Jason Giambi, 1B, NYA ? Speaking of Giambi, he'll play in a couple of minor league games this weekend to see if he can join the Yankees next week. His foot seems fine for the time being, though that doesn't guarantee he'll hit. He's certainly capable of knocking 10-15 homers over the next two months, so pick him up if he's been dropped in your mixed league. AL: $20, Mixed: $10.

Joba Chamberlain, SP, NYA ? Joba the Hutt is one of the game's best pitching prospects right now. He was lights out in his recent Triple A debut. With a 13.3 K/9, he's a fine keeper and could ascend to the Yankees' setup or seventh inning job in August. He could post Zumaya-like numbers right out of the gate and could merit a look in deep mixed leagues. AL: $4, Mixed: Not yet.

Marco Scutaro, SS, OAK ? Scooter figures to get the majority of starts at short with Bobby Crosby out a month or longer. Problem is, he doesn't offer any fantasy value. AL: No, Mixed: No.

Donnie Murphy, SS, OAK ? Murphy might be young enough to be called a prospect (he's 24). He had a nice stint at Triple A, hitting .326/.388/.509 in 179 at-bats. He's bounced up and down from the minors this year, but is here to stay with the Crosby injury. Since the A's are out of it, it would make sense for Murphy to overtake Scutaro as the main shortstop in August. He's a decent little sleeper. AL: $4, Mixed: No.

Mike Piazza, C, OAK ? Piazza is a hot pickup in shallower leagues this year, though in any decent league he'd already be owned because of his catcher eligibility. He's 10 for 25 with two home runs in six games this month, and is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere to DH without interruption. That'd only enhance his value. AL: $18, Mixed $9.

Jason Botts, OF, TEX ? Botts, now 27, deserves an extended look as the Rangers' DH. Hopefully Sammy Sosa is cleared out to allow that. While Botts is slugging .550 in Triple A, it's his third crack at the level. There's a chance he could have a nice little Jack Cust tear if he plays regularly. Jon Daniels has basically promised that he will play. Botts recently fractured his fingertip, but he's fine now. He makes a solid AL-only pickup, though his opportunity is tied to Sosa. AL: $5, Mixed: No.

National League

Yusmeiro Petit, SP, ARI ? Petit is not overpowering; instead he uses a plus changeup as his out pitch. He's been at least decent in all five of his starts this year, and Randy Johnson's status is still indeterminate. Color me skeptical though ? Petit failed to crack six strikeouts per nine in Triple A this year. He remains a risk in NL-only, and should be avoided in mixed. NL: $4, Mixed: No.

Kerry Wood, RP, CHN ? Woody's next test is back-to-back appearances, which will happen today. Can the Cubs get 20 innings out of him this year? Despite all the glowing reviews it's a long shot. This guy was practically done a few weeks ago and setbacks are a way of life for him. Sure, he could work his way into a few save chances if Ryan Dempster falters, but we're a long way from that possibility. NL: $1, Mixed: No.

Ronny Cedeno, SS, CHN ? Put together his two half seasons in Triple A, and Cedeno has 18 home runs in 492 at-bats. He doesn't exude Ryan Theriot's scrappiness, but he deserves a look as the Cubs' regular shortstop. 2006 was certainly a learning experience; Cedeno was one of the worst regulars in baseball. But that doesn't mean he's not the best option at short right now. At best you'll probably see Lou let him split time with Theriot, so fantasy value is limited. NL: $2, Mixed: No.

Matt Albers, SP, HOU ? I think Albers is an important part of the Astros' future. He's got a solid power repertoire, even if it hasn't shown up in the numbers yet. His recent spot start for Roy Oswalt was excellent, but it's right back to the bullpen now. He'll need a rotation spot and some more time to take his lumps, but Albers is one to keep an eye on in deeper leagues. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Jason Lane, OF, HOU ? Lane, now 30, gives us a third useful outfielder in this week's Waiver Wired who's lost his prospect status. Seems like these guys are a dime a dozen in the minor leagues, but I think they can help big league clubs. Lane hit 26 home runs for the Astros in '05; those skills might still be in there somewhere. The injury to Hunter Pence might grant Lane semi-regular playing time in center field. So far he's been getting the nod over Chris Burke. I can see Lane drawing a few walks, popping the occasional homer. He's worth owning in NL-only. NL: $4, Mixed: No.

Scott Linebrink, RP, MIL ? While Will Inman will probably never be a star, he seems likely to contribute in the Majors as a fourth or fifth starter. Joe Thatcher is already in the Padres' bullpen. So I think Kevin Towers really got the best of Doug Melvin in the Linebrink trade. Linebrink has for years been one of the game's best setup guys, but this year his strikeout rate is way down. The Brewers are counting on Mike Maddux to fix this declining reliever; I expect the trade to be a bust for Milwaukee. Of course, I've been wrong before. But pass on Linebrink in fantasy leagues. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Abraham Nunez, 3B, PHI ? Nunez should see more playing time with Chase Utley out. You couldn't design a bigger dropoff if you tried, going from Utley to Nunez. He has zero fantasy value. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Greg Dobbs, 1B/3B, PHI ? Dobbs has been a useful utility guy this year, and Charlie Manuel has mostly made sure he's avoided southpaws. Versus righties, Dobbs has a healthy seven home runs in 184 at-bats this year. If he starts appearing regularly at second base like he should, you've got a nice pickup on your hands. You could even stretch it to a deep mixed league if the playing time is there. NL: $4, Mixed: No

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Tough Break

It didn't take long for rookie John Lannan to make an impact in his major league debut Thursday.

Despite pitching for the going-nowhere Nats, Lannan immediately affected the NL playoff race ? with just one pitch. A fifth inning toss that nailed Phillies star second baseman Chase Utley on the right hand could very well wind up costing Philadelphia its shot at a playoff spot.

The original diagnosis is that Utley will miss four-to-six weeks because of a broken hand, which would put him out until late August to early September. We'll know a lot more after his visit with a hand specialist Friday, but surgery remains an option and if that's deemed necessary, all bets are off in terms of how long Utley may be out.

The NL All-Star second baseman insists he'll return this year. Regardless of whether he can make it back or not, you can definitely cross his name off the list of NL MVP candidates. And make no mistake, with a .336 BA, NL-leading 41 doubles and top six ranking in RBI, runs, total bases, hits, slugging, on-base percentage and multi-hit games, Utley was in the mix. Unfortunately, he also leads the majors with 17 HBPs and this most recent one is costly, indeed.

Now the Phils will turn to Abraham Nunez to man the keystone corner in Utley's absence. Nunez hasn't seen much action this year, and he obviously can't come close to filling Utley's shoes offensively ? especially in the power department. An extreme ground ball hitter, Nunez has failed to go yard in 180 at-bats this year.

Really, there is no replacing a player who is as talented offensively and defensively as Utley. The Phillies' quest for their first playoff spot in 14 years ? not to mention the title hopes of Utley fantasy owners everywhere ? just hit a major roadblock.

While the Phils contemplate life without Utley, let's check in on the rest of the happenings on Thursday:

• The BoSox sure snapped their way out of a mini slump that had seen them score only one run in the past two games in Cleveland. Thursday, the Sox exploded for 17 hits en route to a 14-9 win over the Tribe, and Manny Ramirez was a huge reason why. He was 3-for-4 overall with four runs and four RBI courtesy of a double and two home runs ? one of which might still be in orbit somewhere over the Ohio valley. Manny turned around Cliff Lee's first offering of the second inning and deposited it over the centerfield wall. And I mean way over it ? as in an estimated 481 feet, the third-longest blast in the Jake's 14-year history. Sure, Ramirez is having a down year with a 920 OPS (his lowest since 1994), but really, he's been weighed down by a very poor April. Since then, he's been doing his Manny being Manny thing, which in this case means terrorizing AL pitchers. He's batting .368 with six homers, 21 RBI and 21 runs in July, and after his 49th career multi-homer game (which, incidentally, ties him with Hall of Famers Mel Ott and Eddie Matthews for 12th on the all-time list), Man-Ram is now tied for 10th in the AL in home runs. He's also in the top 10 in walks and OBP. Not bad for an off year.
• Josh Johnson's injury-plagued sophomore season may be about to take a turn for the worse. After winning 12 games with a 3.10 ERA as a rookie in 2006, it's been one health problem after the other for him in 2007. Johnson began the season on the DL because of an irritated ulnar nerve and he wasn't exactly looking good once he was finally activated (0-3 in four starts with an ERA of almost 7.50). The 23-year-old righty landed back on the DL on July 5 because of forearm tightness and Wednesday, after lasting just three innings in rehab start, he experienced elbow stiffness. Next up: a visit next week to Dr. Andrews, never a name you like hearing uttered in the same sentence as your hurler. If Tommy John surgery is deemed necessary, it will probably cost Johnson all of 2008, a major burn for a pitcher who was part of the wonderful class of rookie moundsmen in 2006.

AL Quick Hits: Exhibit A of how pitching on a good team can give a starting pitcher some value, at least in terms of wins: Steve Trachsel undeservedly won 15 games with the Mets last year; this season, after tossing a sixth straight winless start Thursday, he's stuck at five wins for Baltimore. The Orioles can't really be surprised by this, can they?...Curt Schilling gave up just two hits in five shutout innings while fanning eight for Triple-A Pawtucket yesterday. He'll make a third rehab start Tuesday, but definitely looks ready to rejoin the Sox. Either Jon Lester or Kason Gabbard will be farmed out to make room for Schilling when he returns?Playing for Single-A Frederick Thursday, Miguel Tejada was 2-for-2 with a homer and a walk in his final rehab game. He'll be activated for tonight's action against the Yankees?According to Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com, the Rangers have received an offer of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Matt Harrison and Elvis Andrus for Mark Teixeira alone. Yesterday, we suggested that the deal for Teixeira could be expanded to include these three if Texas was adding a reliever, but this is the entire package being offered for just Teixeira. Something sounds sketchy about this one.

NL Quick Hits: There's more news on Dmitri Young's possible extension with the Nats. It's said to be for two years and $10 million, which makes you wonder where Young plays in 2008 once regular first baseman Nick Johnson returns healthy?Roy Oswalt (chest) was encouraged enough by his bullpen session Wednesday that he'll start Saturday instead of waiting until Tuesday as originally scheduled?Paul Maholm won for the third time in four starts, providing a huge boost to a Pirate team that had lost 10 of 11 since the break. In his last six starts, Maholm has given up more than three runs just once, and thanks to a much-reduced hit rate this season (140 hits allowed in 132 IP), he's now just one shy of matching his win total from 2006?After Derek Lowe was hurt Wednesday night, Brad Penny also came out of his start early last night after pulling up lame running to first. He says it's just an abdominal strain, however, so he should be fine to make his next start?While Jose Reyes' stolen base rate is up nicely with 48 in 100 games, his power has dropped off the table with just seven homers this season after clouting 19 last year.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Week That Was
Trades, recent callups, and some thoughts on Barry Bonds in this week's Week That Was.

Kei Igawa: In news that excites Yankee fans and AAA hitters alike, the Bombers sent Kei Igawa packing ? off to treat AAA hitters to meatballs and fat pitches at Scranton. For those of you who still have Igawa active on your fantasy squads, I have two questions. One: why? Two: What are you going to send to Brian Cashman as a present for saving you from yourself? Ok, in all seriousness, the true fantasy effect of this move is its indication that the Yankees are confident that Phil Hughes will be ready to take his rightful place in the rotation next weekend. Oh, and just to make Yankee fans rejoice further, it looks like they will deal the pyromaniac himself, Scott Proctor, before the deadline ? a clear sign that they believe they have burned him out (and no that was not a fire joke).

Reed Johnson: Reed Johnson smacked four hits Friday night, going 4-for-5 against the pale hose. A number of pundits are bearish on Reed. I disagree (to a point). I agree that he will not likely regain the power he had the last couple of years. However, you have an everyday player on a good offensive team that hit .285 and .319 in the last two years and now is hitting only .258. Call the Johnson owner in your league, talk all about the injury and middling .258 average and get solid production cheap the rest of the way.

Tadahito Iguchi: The Phillies wasted no time addressing the gaping hole in their lineup left by the injury to Chase Utley by snatching Tadahito Iguchi. Be careful here. Sure, it was a great deal for the Phils. However, Iguchi comes with some serious warning signs ? he is hitting only .251 with 6 dingers in a hitters' park. What to do? Well, if you are in a deep NL league, Iguchi is likely better than your backup MI and will mean an upgrade. However, do not pay for .285 and 20 HR power because you are not likely to get it.

Danny Richar: With Iguchi now in Philly, the pale hose will reportedly go with Danny Richar at second base. Richar has had a bit of a puzzling season in AAA. First, he hit .284 at Tucson. Not terrible, but hardly exciting in the hitters league out west. Then, after being acquired by Chicago, Richar moved east to Charlotte and raked at a .346 clip. For those of you in AL only leagues in need of a jump start to get back in the race, Richar could be lightning in a bottle. However, you are now warned that you do not know which Richar (Tucson or Charlotte) will show up.

Randy Johnson: In a much delayed announcement of the inevitable, Arizona announced that the Big Unit will have disc surgery and be out for the year. Tough break for Unit owners, but hardly surprising. If you invested market value in the 43 year-old hurler with a balky back, you got what you deserved. As we say ad nauseum in this space, winning fantasy baseball is about risk aversion. When you spend big on a player, there can be NO warning signs. After all, even players who are seemingly made of iron get hurt. Lesson learned?

Miguel Tejada: Miguel Tejada was activated from the 15-day disabled list in time to play against the Yankees this weekend. Good news for Tejada owners, but how good? Sure, Miggy is better than anyone you could have replaced him with from the free agent pool. However, it is hard to be bullish on Tejada for the rest of the year. Ordinarily, one would expect reduced power from a player recovering from a wrist injury. When you combine that with the fact that Miggy had only 7 HR in 289 AB before the injury, you have a significant likelihood of a continued power outage. What to do? If you need average and decent production from MI, Miggy is your man. If you need power, look elsewhere.

Brian Buscher: In a move that some of your leaguemates might miss (unless they are loyal readers of this space of course), the Twins called up Brian Buscher from AAA. Buscher immediately paid dividends, going 2-4 in his debut as the Twins 3B. Given that Nick Punto has just been awful, there stands a good chance Buscher will man the hot corner regularly. What to expect you ask? Well, Buscher has been on an upswing recently. He hit .313 at AAA, after hitting .308 at AA. Bottom line, he is a good risk. My favorite stat from his AAA line is his 1/1 K/BB ratio. Buy.

Kenny Lofton: In a return engagement about which Schultzie is very excited, the Indians reacquired Kenny Lofton. Fantasy effects? Well, Lofton will continue to produce, continue to get nicked up, and in the end, be a decent 4th fantasy outfielder. The bigger effects are upon the other Indian outfielders. Ben Francisco was shipped back to AAA, the hot Franklin Gutierrez is now catching splinters on the pine and Trot Nixon is now on the hot seat. Who knows, maybe this is the kick in the pants Nixon needed. In his first game sharing the outfield with Lofton, Trot went 3-4, pushing his average back above .250. One hint ? Gutierrez is a good player who will hit in the bigs for years to come. If you are in a keeper league and not going to win this year, grab him and stow him away.

Matt Murton: The Cubbies finally woke up and recalled Matt Murton. This just represents another in a long series of player management by the Cubs that I fail to understand. Murton hit .297 in 455 big league at bats last year, is hitting .331 in minors this year and it took almost until August for the Cubs, who are in contention, to realize he can help the big club. Go ahead and grab Murton. He may only play against lefties at first, but he can hit, should play, and if you are lucky, he will be traded away from the mercurial management that is the hallmark of a Lou Piniella team.

Moises Alou: Good news for owners of Met outfielder Moises Alou, the Mets activated him from the 15-day disabled list. Bad news is that Alou has posted only 114 at bats and we are days away from August. Not to sound like a broken record, but why would any fantasy owner pay full value for a 41 year old injury prone outfielder moving to a pitcher's park. Alou was a risk you should have avoided. If you paid full value, well, too bad. What about going forward you ask? Well, same answer, Alou is likely to continue to get nicked up and lose time in the crowd that is Milledge, Beltran, Green, Alou and soon, Chavez. Pass.

Last but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "So a priest a rabbi and Kei Igawa walk into a bar . . . oh sorry, lame Igawa jokes were last week's gimmick.

One of my all-time favorite Indians, Kenny Lofton, will be coming home to Cleveland in the hopes of continuing his impressive streak of being traded from last place to the playoffs. While I could discourse for pages on how exciting the prospect of Lofton bringing the same good fortune to the Tribe as he did with the Giants and Cubs (and to a lesser extent the Yankees), this isn't exactly the time or place. His departure from Texas should clear the way for Marlon Byrd to receive a significant boost in playing time. Once a hot prospect with the Phillies, Byrd has been abysmal the last two years, failing to make any type of impact on the relatively impotent Washington team. There must be something in the water cooler in Texas, though, (calm down, that isn't a steroid reference). Last year, Gary Matthews, Jr. went from also-ran to All-Star and now Byrd, with his .350 average, looks like the second coming of Ty Cobb -- although without the mean-spiritedness and blatant racist behavior. I'll leave it up to you to determine whether Byrd's resurgence is for real or just a bunch of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Brett Myers will be making his return this weekend. Pre-season, Myers seemed ready to build on his improvement over the past couple seasons and looked poised for a breakout year. As his owners are well aware, it's gone badly and it's happened quickly. If you've held onto him since the beginning of the year, you already accounted for your closer situation at your draft/auction and Myers should be an expendable reliever. Myers' comeback comes just in time for you to move him if you have him. He'll eventually slide back into the stopper role, so play this up and be thankful that you might be able to get full value for him.

For those who have good memories and organizational skills, keep Max Ramirez, Will Inman and Steve Garrison in the back of your mind; the minor league prospects that get traded at the deadline usually tend to pop up in a couple years as very good players. It wasn't that long ago that Randy Johnson was traded for three unknown minor leaguers who grew up to be Carlos Guillen, Freddy Garcia and John Halama. In fact, the Big Unit himself was once a "whodat" prospect he went to Seattle for the much ballyhooed Mark Langston.

So, did you hear the one about Kei Igawa on a plane with the smartest man in the world and a boy scout?

Response: To answer the last question, no. But the smartest man in the world would not pay 46 Million (or 46 cents) for Igawa. Ok, enough. Leaving aside the Schultz's pro-Indian rant, the stuff at the end about prospects dealt at the end of July is good stuff. Those in deep keeper leagues should strongly consider Ramirez, Inman, and Garrison. However, they are hardly a sure thing. Remember Caderet, Plunk and Polonia (the Yankees take for Rickey Henderson)? Well, maybe you do, but not for their baseball stardom. Remember Jimmy Jones, Stanley Jefferson and Lance McCullers (the Yankees take for Jack Clark)? Hardly a roster of future hall-of-famers. You get the point.

Final note: No matter what one thinks of Barry Bonds, we are a nation built on the inalienable notion of innocent until proven guilty (for those who know me, I believed that just as fervently as a federal prosecutor as I do now on the other side of the table). Right now, Barry is presumed innocent. If the proof comes in, punish him then ? IF!. As of now, it has not. Oh, and another thing ? for those who say "he is just not a likeable guy, so I cannot root for him," I ask you ? have you ever met Barry Bonds? If not, then how do you know what kind of guy he is? I do not. In the end, I will leave opinions and legal theory aside and just enjoy the excitement of seeing an undoubtedly gifted athlete chase a hallowed record. Each time he comes to bat, it will be fun to watch. Enjoy it rather than play judge and jury.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

AL Team-by-Team Notes
With Texas GM Jon Daniels going for the slam dunk, the Angels are reportedly out of the mix for Mark Teixeira even after offering both Casey Kotchman and Joe Saunders for the Rangers first baseman. Bill Stoneman's reluctance to pull the trigger on major deals gets him criticized, but in this case, he's absolutely right not to make the move. Kotchman is batting .300/.370/.488 this year and is about Teixeira's equal on defense. Plus, the Angels have a perfectly solid platoon partner for him in Robb Quinlan. Sure, maybe it would be better to have Teixeira batting cleanup in the playoffs, but Kotchman is also capable of getting the job done there if given the chance, and the difference between the two probably wouldn't result in even one more win for the Angels over the rest of the regular season. With Saunders going from luxury to absolute necessity after Bartolo Colon's latest round of arm woes and Ervin Santana's spectacular plunge, it makes absolutely no sense for the Angels to deal any pitching at the moment. Instead, they should be in the market for a Jon Garland or a Jason Jennings. The offense isn't great, but there are no big holes at the moment and they could supplement it with Russell Branyan for free or with Reggie Sanders for little more. Let someone else overpay for Teixeira.

American League Notes

Baltimore - Miguel Tejada returned from a broken wrist just in time to get a few games in before the trade deadline. Still, it seems unlikely that he's going anywhere. Steve Trachsel, Jay Payton, Ramon Hernandez, Daniel Cabrera, Kevin Millar, Corey Patterson, Chad Bradford and Jay Gibbons are the Orioles' top candidates to go, arranged from most to least likely. A Trachsel or Cabrera trade would get Garrett Olson into the rotation. If Payton goes to the Cubs ? and Matt Murton doesn't come back in return ? it'd free up a lot of at-bats for Gibbons. Hernandez appeared more likely to stay after the Cubs got Jason Kendall, but now word is that they'd still consider adding a catcher. Millar says he wants remain in Baltimore, and since it seems that the third-tier first basemen aren't going to bring much of anything in return, odds are that the O's will keep him around. They might even look to sign him to a one-year extension. ? Chris Ray appears to be done until at least September, and with the Orioles saying he has a sprained MCL, major elbow surgery can't be ruled out. Danys Baez is supposed to be the favorite for saves in Baltimore's pen right now, though he's yet to receive an opportunity, in part because of an illness. Jamie Walker could keep closing against lefty-heavy lineups. ? If Ray ends up undergoing Tommy John surgery, Baez would likely enter 2008 as the Orioles' closer and James Hoey and Radhames Liz would be very interesting sleepers. Liz would probably start off in the rotation at Triple-A, but his future appears to be in the pen and he could be a long-term closer, whereas Hoey is more of a potential setup man. ? Melvin Mora (foot) could be back by the end of the week.

Boston - With Mark Teixeira seemingly out of reach, the Red Sox have been trying to acquire Jermaine Dye to act as a part-time player. It'd certainly provide the team with a big boost if he keeps hitting like he has lately. Should it happen, J.D. Drew would be the big loser in the arrangement. No one in management is close to giving up on him, but he hasn't adjusted to the league switch nearly as well as hoped. I'd still project him to be the team's third best hitter next year. ? The Red Sox did pick up Brady Clark as a possible replacement for Wily Mo Pena, who remains likely to be shipped off in a deal (to Washington for Jon Rauch still makes the most sense to me). The Red Sox continue to have interest in Bobby Kielty, but a Dye deal would change that. ? Kason Gabbard's fifth-inning meltdown against Indians has opened the door for Jon Lester to remain in the rotation with Curt Schilling come back. Odds are the Red Sox will need both left-handers to make several starts the rest of the way, but one figures to be demoted to make room for Schilling next Sunday or Monday. I thought Lester would be the choice to go, but it will likely come down to how each performs this week. The one kept will be worth using in AL-only leagues.

Chicago - Because of the desire to grant Danny Richar an opportunity and no possibility of picking up a draft pick or two this winter, the White Sox practically gave Tadahito Iguchi away, receiving only a low-A reliever, Michael Dubee, in return from the Phillies. The 24-year-old Richar, who was picked up from Arizona last month, was hitting .346/.400/.556 in 133 AB for Triple-A Charlotte. A left-handed hitter, he was batting .382 with all five of his homers against righties. The White Sox should use him as a platoon player and will give him a long look in an effort to decide whether he'll be worthy of a starting job next year. He's a solid enough all-around player to be an asset now in AL-only leagues, and he could be worth $8-$10 in 2008. ? The Sox could still trade Jermaine Dye and/or Scott Podsednik, plus a starting pitcher. Moving a corner outfielder would open up a spot for Ryan Sweeney. If Jon Garland or Jose Contreras goes, Gavin Floyd would likely move into the rotation. He's a long shot to have any value, though. ? The White Sox are saying Jerry Owens will remain their primary center fielder after Darin Erstad (ankle) comes off the DL. There's no reason not to do it that way ? Erstad shouldn't have been a regular in the first place ? but Owens is likely to prove to be the fifth outfielder the team thought he was at the beginning of the year. He'll have some value in AL-only leagues the rest of the way, but he shouldn't be a big piece in any keeper-league deals.

Cleveland - The Kenny Lofton acquisition looks like a nice pickup for Cleveland, though it'd be less helpful if Trot Nixon remained in the lineup over Franklin Gutierrez. Maybe it won't last, but Gutierrez has a huge offensive advantage over Nixon the last couple of months. Even if that goes away, he's the obviously superior defender in right. Gutierrez should get most of the playing time until Nixon does something to justify his presence. ? Since the Indians are using him as a No. 2 hitter, Lofton's fantasy value is essentially unchanged for now. Depending on how he's performing, he could lose at-bats after David Dellucci (hamstring) returns in three or four weeks. ? Cliff Lee's well deserved demotion apparently will get Aaron Laffey into Cleveland's rotation. I'm not very high on the 22-year-old left-hander, but it could take the league a month or two to figure him out. With the Indians offense supporting him, he's worth gambling on in AL-only leagues. ? The rumor about the Indians being unwilling to surrender Ben Francisco for Octavio Dotel seems bogus to me. I can see the Royals asking for Gutierrez and being turned down. Francisco, though, will likely be a long-term reserve and isn't enough for Dotel alone. I don't see why the Indians wouldn't move him for bullpen help. ? Joe Borowski's ERA remains over 5.00, but he'd continue to close in the event of a Dotel acquisition. Eric Gagne's arrival would likely thrust Borowski into an eighth-inning role, but there's very little chance of the Indians nabbing him.

Detroit - Fernando Rodney (shoulder) could be back this week and Joel Zumaya (finger) is on track to return in mid-August, but the Tigers continue to shop for relief help, with Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch of the Nationals, Al Reyes and Kyle Farnsworth on their list. The Tigers aren't looking to displace Todd Jones, and since top prospect Cameron Maybin is going nowhere, Rauch is probably a more realistic target for them than Cordero. An offer of right-hander Jair Jurrjens and a second prospect could be sufficient to tempt the Nats. ? Gary Sheffield is no stranger to playing through shoulder soreness ? he was in a lot of pain over the final four months of 2004 before offseason surgery to clean out his left bursa sac ? but it is of concern that he had to miss two games with right shoulder soreness last week. He's had two singles in nine at-bats since returning to the lineup on Friday. I don't doubt that he'll continue to play through his problems, but if his power doesn't come back next week, it will be time to begin to shop him in fantasy leagues.

Kansas City - Zack Greinke's name keeps popping up in rumors, but of the 12 pitchers on Kansas City's roster, he's the last one who should be moved in a deal (with Joakim Soria not far behind). Greinke has displayed legitimate closer potential while working out of the pen ? though that's still likely to be Soria's job if Dotel goes ? and he has plenty of upside left if put back into the rotation. He's just 23. Maybe no one is untouchable, but I can't imagine the Royals would get anyone in return with more ability than he possesses. ? The Royals have been targeting young second basemen in trade talks for Dotel and others. The Dodgers' Chin-Lung Hu keeps getting mentioned, but he belongs at short, and unless the Royals are looking to turn Tony Pena Jr. into a utilityman ? and they're not ? he wouldn't be the best bang for the buck. The Indians and Red Sox both like Dotel and have two of the game's best second base prospect in Asdrubal Cabrera and Jed Lowrie, respectively. The Indians probably wouldn't make the swap one-for-one, but the Red Sox might find themselves willing to part with Lowrie, especially if Mike Timlin's shoulder woes appear to be significant. Tony Abreu, Hu's double-play partner at Triple- A Las Vegas, is another player the Royals like but probably can't get. ? At .257 with one homer and two RBI in nine games on his rehab assignment, Ryan Shealy (hamstring) isn't forcing the Royals to give him another chance. He might be left in Triple-A for another week. ? Regardless of what happens with Dotel, the Royals need to dump either Sanders or Emil Brown this week in order to get Joey Gathright back to the majors. They shouldn't have waited this long.

Los Angeles - The Angels can't count on Colon making it back this season from an impingement in his right elbow. They're moving Dustin Moseley into the rotation, but even though he's been a nice surprise as a reliever this season, his below average fastball makes him a weak bet as a starter. That he's set to face Detroit and Boston in two of his first three starts makes him someone to avoid in AL-only leagues. The Angels have to hope that Santana can return in mid-August and be a capable No. 5 the rest of the way. ? Losing Mike Napoli (hamstring) just a week after giving Jose Molina away may be an annoyance, but if they really wanted to take a look at Jeff Mathis, here's their opportunity. Don't be surprised to see them pick up Jason LaRue or another veteran as insurance. Mike Piazza is still an option for the club, but he wouldn't be part of the mix at catcher initially. Mathis should have some fantasy value in AL-only leagues for the next couple of weeks.

Minnesota - I know he's handcuffed by Carl Pohlad, but GM Terry Ryan deserves a lot of blame for the way the Twins' season has soured. The guy signed Sidney Ponson and Ramon Ortiz to begin the year in the rotation and thought both Rondell White and Nick Punto were quality regulars. He failed to trade Juan Rincon when he still had plenty of value in the offseason. He opened the year with a bench of Jeff Cirillo, Mike Redmond, Jason Tyner, Luis Rodriguez and Chris Heintz. Frankly, his performance last winter was a huge black mark against his rep as supposedly the game's best GM. ? Mainly because of their failures to address obvious black holes, the Twins are set to be sellers at the deadline. Torii Hunter seems to be staying, but Luis Castillo probably isn't and Rincon is a candidate to follow him out of town, though his value is way down. If Castillo goes to the Mets or another team, the Twins will probably play Punto regularly at second, with Brian Buscher at third. Buscher apparently will get a shot at third either way, so he's worth owning in AL-only leagues. Alexi Casilla remains the future at second base, but since he's struggling mightily in Triple-A right now (540 OPS in July), the Twins could wait to go to him. ? Michael Cuddyer (thumb) is eligible to return Thursday, but he might need a few extra days. Mixed leaguers will want to keep him reserved, and AL-only leagues should also seek out a better play this week.

New York - The Yankees will pass on parting with Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in a Teixeira deal and they declined to give up Scott Proctor for Ty Wiggington, but they will do something before the deadline. Eric Gagne seems to be their top priority at the moment. The Rangers wouldn't insist on either of the two elite arms in a Gagne deal, but they likely would want No. 3 prospect Ian Kennedy and more. Gagne would lose a lot of value in New York, of course, but he'd still be worth using in mixed leagues, in no small part because of his win potential in a setup role. Plus, there's always the possibility that the Yankees will find the need to give Mariano Rivera two or three weeks off. ? Dan Johnson is another possibility for the Yankees. Andy Phillips has done a nice job at first base, but Johnson is the better bet against right-handers going forward. The two would likely platoon. ? The Yankees haven't said anything to indicate they'll play Johnny Damon at first base after Jason Giambi (foot) returns. That may mean both Damon and Melky Cabrera would become part-time players. Giambi began a rehab assignment on Saturday and could return to the DH role before the end of the week. Shelley Duncan apparently won't get the chance to follow in the footsteps of Kevin Maas and Shane Spencer. ? With Kei Igawa gone to the minors, everything is all set for Phil Hughes to rejoin the rotation Saturday. He'll be worth using right away in mixed leagues.

Oakland - Justin Speier robbed the A's of the opportunity to properly evaluate their situation at shortstop when his pitch broke Bobby Crosby's hand last week. Crosby should be back in September, but that barely leaves the team enough time to decide whether it will need to upgrade this winter. In the meantime, manager Bob Geren will get by with Marco Scutaro and Donnie Murphy. Scutaro could get the majority of the at-bats, but Murphy is the more intriguing property in AL-only leagues. ? Eric Chavez's sore back looks like a big enough problem to potentially get the third baseman shut down for the year in September. If it happens, Murphy would likely get most of the playing time at the hot corner. ? If the A's were to move Johnson, it wouldn't necessarily result in top prospect Daric Barton joining the team prior to September. Nick Swisher could play first base regularly. Barton is more likely to come up if Oakland moves either Piazza or Shannon Stewart along with Johnson. Because of his lack of power, Barton probably wouldn't be a big asset in AL-only leagues if tried now. ? Huston Street is likely to return to the closer's role this week after being eased back into action. Alan Embree is a possibility to be traded, but since the A's have him under control through 2009 (the last year is an option), he would be rather expensive to acquire.

Seattle - With no must-fill holes, the Mariners could choose to sit back and see if any bargains become available. Sure, they could use a No. 4 starter, a setup man or an outfielder to shove Raul Ibanez into DH duties, but they've been able to get by just fine until recently and they can and should turn to Adam Jones to address the offense. With Mark Lowe back to aid the bullpen, I think the acquisition of a starter is the most likely scenario. It'd be hard to be confident in either Jeff Weaver or Horacio Ramirez as a No. 4 starter come playoff time. ? The Mariners only recently ruled out the idea of sending Brandon Morrow back to the minors to start games, with the idea of seeing if he could upgrade the rotation down the stretch. It might have worked, but there's no better way to get a young pitcher hurt than an in-season shift from relieving to starting. Morrow has been much sharper of late and appears poised to reclaim a role as the top setup man for J.J. Putz, barring an acquisition. ? If the Mariners do go get Jones, it'd be the first time all year that they made a transaction involving a hitter. They did have Felix Hernandez and Ramirez land on the DL earlier, but their exceptionally good fortune when it's come to health is a big reason they're where they are right now.

Tampa Bay - The Rays got busy last week, moving Ty Wigginton for Dan Wheeler, picking up Grant Balfour for Seth McClung and dumping Jorge Cantu. They're unlikely to benefit much from the Cantu trade, which brought relievers Calvin Medlock and Brian Shackelford from the Reds, but the other two scored immediate relief for the game's worst pen. In Wheeler, they reacquire a 29-year-old who had been one of the NL's top relievers for 2 ? years before a miserable June and whose arm is a lot less likely to fall off than Scott Proctor's. Wheeler, who is under control through 2008, should close if Al Reyes goes to Detroit, Seattle or another team. He's bounced back some recently, so he's certainly worth grabbing. ? The Rays did lose a little upside by swapping McClung for Balfour, who is 29 and has had major shoulder and elbow surgeries in his past. Still, Balfour has plenty of stuff and could make it as a setup man if he figures out he can attack major league hitters the same way he did those in Triple-A. He'll be a sleeper next year if Reyes is gone. ? Josh Wilson is set to play second base in Wigginton's place for now, giving him some value in AL-only leagues. B.J. Upton could return to the position if Rocco Baldelli returns from his latest hamstring injury, but neither scenario is close to a sure thing. The Rays could bring Baldelli back as a DH and keep Upton in center. Akinori Iwamura should be the team's second baseman next year, but there hasn't been any indication that an in-season switch would be considered. Evan Longoria is the future at third base for Tampa Bay and could be ready at the start of 2008. ? Carl Crawford is questionable for Sunday's game with a right wrist problem, but he should be fine to leave active for the week.

Texas - I believed last week that it was 70/30 that Teixeira would stay with the Rangers until the winter. Now it's more like 40/60. Both the Braves and Angels stepped up with more-than-adequate offers, with the Red Sox, Dodgers, Yankees and Diamondbacks perhaps still somewhere in the race. Arizona is a new name, but the talent is there for GM Josh Byrnes to make the move if he doesn't think Conor Jackson is worth committing to. The Braves are the frontrunners at the moment with a reported offer of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, left-hander Matt Harrison and shortstop Elvis Andrus for Teixeira and a reliever. It'd be interesting to see what the Rangers would do with Salty if the trade is consummated. The plan would be for him to become the long-term catcher, but would they play him at first base now in an attempt to justify the deal? Or would they trade Gerald Laird to the Cubs or another team and make him the catcher right away? The latter scenario seems more likely. I can't see the Cubs parting with Felix Pie for anything less than Laird and Gagne, but they could get Laird alone with pitching. The Rangers could ask for Sean Gallagher or lefty Donald Veal as the primary piece in a deal. ? [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1390"]Nelson Cruz[/URL] is going to play regularly in right field with Lofton gone, and after his two-homer game Saturday, the rush will be on to pick him back up in AL-only leagues. Expect solid power numbers and a subpar average. ? The Rangers will also try Jason Botts at some point. Neither Sammy Sosa nor Brad Wilkerson seems like a great bet to go before the deadline, but both will likely remain available into August. Wilkerson, in the meantime, is supposed to sit the majority of the time, cutting into his fantasy value. Ironically, he'll likely play against lefties in a platoon with Frank Catalanotto. Manager Ron Washington wouldn't use the left-handed hitter versus southpaws early on, ignoring the fact that he had been just as good versus lefties as righties in his career. Wilkerson would benefit from a Teixeira deal, but only if the Rangers don't get a first baseman in return.

Toronto - GM J.P. Ricciardi seems to think selling would be an admittance of failure, so the Jays are poised to stand pat, even though they have as few quality prospects as any organization in baseball. It's one thing to hold on to Troy Glaus. It's another to retain Matt Stairs and Josh Towers. Towers would be expendable even if the Jays didn't have both A.J. Burnett and Gustavo Chacin coming back next month. Towers could be dealt in August, but his value already likely peaked. ? Dustin McGowan is still inconsistent and likely will be for years, but he's had enough strong outings this year to reaffirm his place in the Jays' long-term plans. This is a guy who very possibly would have received the Francisco Rosario treatment if not for the fact that he was awarded an additional option year in the offseason, allowing Toronto to send him back to Triple-A. While his walk rate remains high, he's throwing a lot more strikes than he did in his previous stints in the majors, and when his curveball is on, he tends to dominate. He has a chance to be a $15 pitcher in a couple of years.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Deadline Day
Tuesday represents Major League Baseball's trade deadline as Mark Teixeira looks to be headed to Atlanta, and Octavio Dotel, Jermaine Dye, Adam Dunn and Eric Gagne might also be wearing new uniforms. Tom Glavine is just one victory from joining the exclusive 300-win club, Alex Rodriguez is a homer shy of his 500th long ball and Barry Bonds is a home run away from tying Hank Aaron for the game's all-time HR leader. Week 18 features two starts from Josh Beckett, Dan Haren and Fausto Carmona, while Phil Hughes, Ian Kinsler and Darin Erstad are set to return from the disabled list. The Week Ahead will get you up to speed to help you with your fantasy lineups.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Dan Haren OAK vs. DET Justin Verlander, vs. LAA John Lackey
Cole Hamels PHI @ CHC Ted Lilly, @ MIL Yovani Gallardo
Josh Beckett BOS vs. BAL Erik Bedard, @ SEA Miguel Batista
Erik Bedard BAL @ BOS Josh Beckett, @ TB Andy Sonnanstine
Brandon Webb ARI @ SD Justin Germano, @ LA Mark Hendrickson
John Lackey LAA @ SEA Jeff Weaver, @ OAK Joe Blanton
Fausto Carmona CLE vs. TEX Brandon McCarthy, @ MIN Carlos Silva
Tom Glavine NYM @ MIL Jeff Suppan, @ CHC Jason Marquis

More strong options:
Ted Lilly CHC vs. PHI Cole Hamels, vs. NYM John Maine
Joe Blanton OAK vs. DET Kenny Rogers, vs. LAA John Lackey
Adam Wainwright STL @ PIT Tom Gorzelanny, @ WAS Billy Traber
Mike Mussina NYY vs. CHW Jose Contreras, vs. KC Jorge De La Rosa
Tom Gorzelanny PIT vs. STL Adam Wainwright, vs. CIN Kyle Lohse
Chuck James ATL vs. HOU Chris Sampson, vs. COL Aaron Cook
Noah Lowry SF @ LA Mark Hendrickson, @ SD Justin Germano
Kenny Rogers DET @ OAK Joe Blanton, vs. CHW Jose Contreras
Gil Meche KC @ MIN Scott Baker, @ NYY Phil Hughes

Other two-starters:
Jeff Suppan MIL vs. NYM Tom Glavine, vs. PHI Adam Eaton
Dustin McGowan TOR @ TB Andy Sonnanstine, vs. TEX Brandon McCarthy
Jason Marquis CHC vs. PHI Adam Eaton, vs. NYM Tom Glavine
Miguel Batista SEA vs. LAA Kelvim Escobar, vs. BOS Josh Beckett
Scott Olsen FLA vs. COL Aaron Cook, vs. HOU Chris Sampson
Justin Germano SD vs. ARI Brandon Webb, vs. SF Noah Lowry
Mark Hendrickson LA vs. SF Noah Lowry, vs. ARI Brandon Webb
Scott Baker MIN vs. KC Gil Meche, vs. CLE C.C. Sabathia
Aaron Cook COL @ FLA Scott Olsen, @ ATL Chuck James
Jose Contreras CHW @ NYY Mike Mussina, @ DET Kenny Rogers
Adam Eaton PHI @ CHC Jason Marquis, @ MIL Dave Bush
Braden Looper STL @ PIT Paul Maholm, @ WAS Matt Chico
Kyle Lohse CIN @ WAS Matt Chico, @ PIT Tom Gorzelanny
Carlos Silva MIN vs. KC Jorge De La Rosa, vs. CLE Fausto Carmona
Brandon McCarthy TEX @ CLE Fausto Carmona, @ TOR Shaun Marcum
Andy Sonnanstine TB vs. TOR Dustin McGowan, vs. BAL Erik Bedard
Jorge De La Rosa KC @ MIN Carlos Silva, @ NYY Mike Mussina

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Seven-game schedule: CHC, KC, LAA, MIN, OAK, PHI
Six-game schedule: ARI, ATL, BAL, BOS, CHW, CIN, CLE, COL, DET, FLA, HOU, LA, MIL, NYY, NYM, PIT, SD, SEA, SF, STL, TB, TEX, TOR, WAS
Five-game schedule: none

Rain threatened games:
Tuesday, July 31: COL @ FLA (40%)
Wednesday, August 1: COL @ FLA (40%)
Thursday, August 2: COL @ FLA (40%)
Friday, August 3: COL @ FLA (60%)
Saturday, August 4: COL @ ATL (60%)
Sunday, August 5: COL @ ATL (60%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN - MLB Park Factors - Major League Baseball
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.277 runs ? 3 vs BAL
4. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.153 runs ? 3 vs CHW, 3 vs KC
7. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 1.101 runs ? 3 vs COL, 3 vs HOU
8. Wrigley Field (Cubs) 1.094 runs ? 4 vs PHI, 3 vs NYM
9. Jacobs Field (Indians) 1.092 runs ? 3 vs TEX

No Games: 2. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.168 runs, 3. Kauffman Stadium (Royals) 1.154 runs, 5. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.143 runs, 6. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.107 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
1. Tropicana Field (Devil Rays) 0.832 runs - 3 vs TOR, 3 vs BAL
2. Petco Park (Padres) 0.856 runs ? 3 vs ARI, 3 vs SF
3. Turner Field (Braves) 0.867 runs ? 3 vs HOU, 3 vs COL
5. RFK Stadium (Nationals) 0.881 runs ? 3 vs CIN, 3 vs STL
6. Metrodome (Twins) 0.890 runs ? 4 vs KC, 3 vs CLE

No Games: 4. Busch Stadium (Cardinals) 0.871 runs

Caught Stealing %:
Easiest to steal against (total SBs)
1. Jason Kendall, CHC 67-for-72 SB (18.3%) ? 4 vs PHI, 3 vs NYM
2. Michael Barrett, SD 57-for-70 SB (18.6%) ? 3 vs ARI, 3 vs SF
3. Johnny Estrada, MIL 46-for-57 SB (19.3%) ? 3 vs NYM, 3 vs PHI
4. Jorge Posada, NYY 65-for-85 SB (23.5%) ? 3 vs CHW, 3 vs KC
5. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW 43-for-57 SB (24.6%) ? 3 @ NYY, 3 @ DET

Facing these catchers is bad news for Jose Reyes (48-for-62 SB), David Wright (22-for-24 SB), Michael Bourn (18-for-19 SB), Jimmy Rollins (18-for-23 SB), Shane Victorino (31-for-34 SB), Eric Byrnes (27-for-33 SB), Jerry Owens (13-for-16 SB), Johnny Damon (19-for-21 SB), Gary Sheffield (17-for-21 SB)

Toughest to steal against (total SBs)
1. David Ross, CIN 26-for-46 SB (43.5%) ? 3 @ WAS, 3 @ PIT
2. Gerald Laird, TEX 42-for-71 SB (40.8%) ? 3 @ CLE, 3 @ TOR
3. Kenji Johjima, SEA 28-for-45 SB (37.8%) ? 3 vs LAA, 3 vs BOS
4. Ronny Paulino, PIT 40-for-62 SB (35.5%) ? 3 vs STL, 3 vs CIN
5. Russell Martin, LA 54-for-73 SB 34.9%) ? 3 vs SF, 3 vs ARI

Facing these catchers is good news for Felipe Lopez (15-for-21 SB), Chris Duffy (13-for-17 SB), Grady Sizemore (27-for-33), Chone Figgins (26-for-33 SB), Kenny Lofton (21-for-25 SB), Reggie Willits (20-for-25 SB), Julio Lugo (26-for-29 SB), Coco Crisp (17-for-22 SB), Brandon Phillips (19-for-26 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers
Minnesota: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers) note: SAT vs CLE (TBA)
New York Yankees: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: Boston, Chicago, Minnesota and Seattle play three southpaws, while Texas and Toronto don't play any. That's good news for Manny Ramirez (.391 vs LHPs), Mike Lowell (.324 vs LHPs), Dustin Pedroia (.323 vs LHPs), Josh Fields (.385 vs LHPs), Torii Hunter (.333 vs LHPs), Mike Redmond (.327 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2353"]Jose Guillen[/URL] (.404 vs LHPs), Kenji Johjima (.352 vs LHPs), Ichiro Suzuki (.342 vs LHPs), Jose Vidro (.319 vs LHPs), Marlon Byrd (.345 vs RHPs)

And bad news for J.D. Drew (.209 vs LHPs), Darin Erstad (.159 vs LHPs), Jim Thome (.200 vs LHPs), Nick Punto (.192 vs LHPs), Justin Morneau (.214 vs LHPs), Raul Ibanez (.231 vs LHPs), Jose Lopez (.226 vs LHPs), Jerry Hairston Jr. (.153 vs RHPs), Gerald Laird (.227 vs RHPs), Sammy Sosa (.215 vs RHPs), Ian Kinsler (.209 vs RHPs), Brad Wilkerson (.209 vs RHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (1 vs. Right-handers, 5 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (5 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers) note: Thu vs COL (TBA)
Houston: (2 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
New York Mets: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (3 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Pittsburgh: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers))
San Francisco: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: (2 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Cubs, Dodgers and Brewers plays three lefties, the Astros, Phillies and Cardinals play four southpaws and the Reds go against five left-handers. Meanwhile Washington and Florida don't see any. That's good news for Brandon Phillips (.336 vs LHPs), Mike Keppinger (.353 vs LHPs), Norris Hopper (.323 vs LHPs), Aaron Rowand (.345 vs LHPs), David Eckstein (.356 vs LHPs), Carlos Lee (.337 vs LHPs), Craig Biggio (.330 vs LHPs), Aramis Ramirez (.369 vs LHPs), Derrek Lee (.348 vs LHPs), James Loney (.459 vs LHPs), Jeff Kent (.357 vs LHPs), Russell Martin (.345 vs LHPs), Matt Kemp (.350 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3797"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4378"]Luis Gonzalez[/URL][/URL] (.333 vs LHPs), Andre Ethier (.333 vs LHPs), Rafael Furcal (.353 vs LHPs), Kevin Mench (.325 vs LHPs), Johnny Estrada (.327 vs LHPs), Hanley Ramirez (.315 vs RHPs), Dmitri Young (.329 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Ryan Freel (.142 vs LHPs), Adam Dunn (.206 vs LHPs), Edwin Encarnacion (.214 vs LHPs), Carlos Ruiz (.175 vs LHPs), Michael Bourn (.190 vs LHPs), Scott Rolen (.178 vs LHPs), Ryan Ludwick (.181 vs LHPs), Jason Lane (.135 vs LHPs), Felix Pie (.125 vs LHPs), Juan Pierre (.241 vs LHPs), Nomar Garciaparra (.222 vs LHPs), Damian Miller (.205 vs LHPs), Geoff Jenkins (.200 vs LHPs), Rickie Weeks (.228 vs LHPs), Miguel Olivo (.210 vs RHPs), Joe Borchard (.201 vs RHPs), Nook Logan (.189 vs RHPs), Felipe Lopez (.225 vs RHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 19:
Steve Trachsel, Kason Gabbard, John Danks, Kei Igawa, Nate Robertson, Dallas Braden, Brian Bannister, Boof Bonser, Jered Weaver, Felix Hernandez, Jamey Wright, Josh Towers, Jason Hammel, Micah Owings, David Wells, Bobby Livingston, Mike Bacsik, Rodrigo Lopez, Byung-Hyun Kim, Wandy Rodriguez, Buddy Carlyle, Oliver Perez, Dave Bush, Jamie Moyer, Rich Hill, Tim Lincecum, Brad Penny, Braden Looper, Paul Maholm

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) ? out indefinitely
Freddie Bynum (hamstring) ? return late July
Endy Chavez (hamstring) ? return late July
Michael Cuddyer (thumb) ? return early August
Chris Denorfia (elbow) ? out for the season
Chris Duffy (ankle) ? return mid-Augusts
Darin Erstad (ankle) ? might late July
Carlos Gomez (hand) ? return early September
Josh Hamilton (wrist) ? return early August
Hunter Pence (wrist) ? return early September
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return August
Jayson Werth (wrist) ? return early August
Preston Wilson (knee) ? out for the season

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) ? out indefinitely
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3803"]Jose Bautista[/URL] (hand) ? return early August
Hank Blalock (arm) ? return mid-August
Aaron Boone (knee) ? return mid-August
Joe Crede (back) ? likely out for the season
Bobby Crosby (hand) ? might be out for the season
Adam Everett (leg) ? return August
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2653"]Alex Gonzalez[/URL] (bereavement list) ? day-to-day
Cristian Guzman (thumb) ? out for the season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? out indefinitely
Howie Kendrick (finger) ? return late July
Ian Kinsler (foot) ? return July 31
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return August/September
Doug Mientkiewicz (wrist) ? return mid-August
Melvin Mora (foot) ? return early August
Pablo Ozuna (leg) ? return August/September
Scott Spiezio (finger) ? return early August
Neifi Perez (suspension) ? return early August
Marcus Thames (hamstring) ? return early August
Chase Utley (hand) ? return early September
Jose Valentin (leg) ? might be out for the season
Daryle Ward (calf) ? out indefinitely

Catchers:
Eliezer Alfonzo (knee) ? return August
Henry Blanco (neck) ? return early August
Hector Gimenez (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Mike Napoli (hamstring) ? return mid-August
Vance Wilson (elbow) ? out for the season

Designated Hitter:
David Dellucci (hamstring) ? return September
Jason Giambi (foot) ? return mid-August
Mike Sweeney (knee) ? out indefinitely

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Jason Bergmann (hamstring) ? return mid-August
A.J. Burnett (shoulder) ? return early August
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? out for the season
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return August/September
Bartolo Colon (elbow) ? out indefinitely
Zach Duke (elbow) ? return early August
Freddy Garcia (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Shawn Hill (elbow) ? return early August
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Phil Hughes (hamstring) ? return Sat vs KC
Josh Johnson (forearm) ? out indefinitely
Randy Johnson (back) ? out for the season
Jeff Karstens (leg) ? return early August
Jon Lieber (ankle) ? out for the season
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return early August
Adam Loewen (elbow) ? out for the season
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return late August
Wade Miller (back) ? out indefinitely
Eric Milton (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return late July
Russ Ortiz (arm) ? return late July
Vicente Padilla (triceps) ? return late July
John Patterson (biceps) ? out indefinitely
Carl Pavano (elbow) ? out for the season
Mark Prior (shoulder) ? out for the season
Darrell Rasner (finger) ? return August/September
Curt Schilling (shoulder) ? return August 5 or 6
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) ? out for the season
Ben Sheets (finger) ? return early September
Jason Simontacchi (elbow) ? out indefinitely
John Thomson (back) ? return early August
Randy Wolf (shoulder) ? return late July
Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] (ribs) ? return mid-August

Important Relievers:
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (shoulder) ? out for the season
Jesse Crain (shoulder) ? out for the season
Elmer Dessens (shoulder) ? return mid-August
Brendan Donnelly (arm) ? return early August
Justin Duchscherer (hip) ? out for the season
Brian Fuentes (back) ? return late July
Mike Gonzalez (elbow) ? out for the season
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return early August
Angel Guzman (arm) ? return late July
Akinori Otsuka (arm) ? return early August
Chris Ray (elbow) ? return early September
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? out for the season
Fernando Rodney (biceps) ? return late July
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? out for the season
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return August
Ryan Wagner (rotator cuff) ? out for the season
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return early August
Joel Zumaya (finger) ? return August

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

NL Team-by-Team Notes
I'm taking my first ever in-season vacation beginning Thursday. I plan on getting the August rankings done before I leave for a week, but I'm not sure exactly when they'll be posted on the site. The notes columns will be back on Aug. 12 and 13.


Ty Wigginton on Saturday became the newest addition to the Island of Misfit Infielders. Fed up with Morgan Ensberg, the Astros traded a valuable property in Dan Wheeler for a guy with career OPS 70 points lower and with a weaker glove at third base. Wigginton even has the higher career strikeout rate, and it was the strikeouts, as much as anything else, that caused the Astros to turn on a player who was one of the league's best in 2005. In Tim Purpura's defense, Ensberg truly was a bust this year. His decline in 2006 appeared to be the result of a shoulder injury. In 2007, he didn't have any known medical issues, and he still struggled mightily, at least until the last couple of weeks (he was hitting .379 since the break). At this point, there is reason to wonder if even a change of scenery will help his cause. However, the Astros should have gone in a different direction rather than replace him with a poor defender incapable of hitting righties well enough to be a quality regular. Wigginton will put up solid run and RBI numbers while playing everyday, especially with Minute Maid Park helping him out, but when all is said and done, he'll have taken away from the Astros' chances of contending next year.

National League Notes

Arizona - Randy Johnson's decision to undergo back surgery apparently won't make the Diamondbacks sellers. Eric Byrnes, Livan Hernandez and Jose Valverde all seem set to stay with Arizona still in the thick of the race. A trade for a starting pitcher is a possibility with Micah Owings in need of a stint in the bullpen or in Triple-A. Kyle Lohse might be the best they can do. ? Conor Jackson has been hot since the break and was only especially disappointing in April, but that the Diamondbacks made an offer for Mark Teixeira suggests they're not completely satisfied with their situation at first base. The 25-year-old Jackson likely was a big part of Arizona's offer to Texas, with top outfielder prospect Carlos Gonzalez also rumored to be involved. Since it wasn't enough to get a deal done, it's a long shot that Jackson will be moved during the season. Still, the Diamondbacks may opt to go in a different direction next year if they're convinced Jackson won't be a 20-homer guy. [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=778"]Chris Carter[/URL], who is batting .333/.394/.535 with just 49 strikeouts in 411 at-bats in Triple-A, would be an option to replace him. ? After about three years of rumors, Arizona finally moved Scott Hairston, getting relief prospect Leo Rosales from the Padres in return. That opened the door for Carlos Quentin to rejoin the team as the primary right fielder. Expect Quentin to hit .270 with a half dozen homers the rest of the way. Jeff DaVanon will play over him at times for now, but the Diamondbacks want Quentin to prove himself.

Atlanta - As handcuffed as the Braves have been by their budget the last couple of years, it came as a surprise to see them emerge as the leading suitors for Mark Teixeira last week. Because he's been aided by a great environment for offense through the years, Teixeira is a little overrated. Still, he'd be a huge addition for a team that has gotten next to nothing from its first basemen this year. I'd even say it's worth parting with Jarrod Saltalamacchia for him. Giving up two more very good prospects seems like overkill, but it's likely the only way to get a deal done and the Braves aren't serious threats to go to the World Series without upgrading at first base or in left field. The chances of a trade appear to be about 50/50. ? The Braves would almost certainly designate Scott Thorman for assignment if they get Teixeira. Brayan Pena would be called up to replace Salty as Brian McCann's backup. ? The Braves are also in the mix for pitching help, though they probably won't trade Yunel Escobar to bring in a middle-of-the-rotation guy. Picking up some bullpen help in the Teixeira deal remains a possibility, as does a trade for Salomon Torres, Troy Percival, Scott Downs or David Riske. They haven't been in on Kyle Farnsworth, who spurned them to sign with the Yankees prior to last season.

Chicago - The latest word is that the Cubs aren't as close to a Jay Payton acquisition as thought. Payton would be a nice option as a center fielder against left-handers and as a backup to the fragile Cliff Floyd, but since he's due $5 million in 2008, he is awfully pricey for a fourth outfielder. The Cubs could decide to stick with what they have on offense. Byrnes would be an ideal acquisition for them, but he's probably unavailable. Juan Encarnacion would also make sense, but he makes even more than Payton and it's hard to see the Cards helping their rivals. Jermaine Dye appears to be out of reach. ? Unconvinced that Jason Kendall is the right man for the job, the Cubs are also looking at catchers, with Gerald Laird apparently at the top of their wish list. Laird is under control through 2010, and while he's unspectacular, there's the huge benefit that his arrival would likely prevent Jim Hendry from throwing a bunch of cash Paul Lo Duca's way this winter. If he could be had for a quality pitching prospect or two, he'd be a fine pickup. ? It doesn't look like we'll be seeing as much of Mike Fontenot in the future. I still think he's a better hitter than Ryan Theriot, but since he's not a quality option anywhere other than second base, he probably should be on the bench in favor of Mark DeRosa until he regains his swing.

Cincinnati - The market for Adam Dunn remains cool, in no small part because he can be a free agent at season's end if dealt. It's ironic that the Reds hurt their chances of moving him by not guaranteeing a third year when they signed him prior to the 2006 season. There are a few teams that would like to have him locked up at $13 million for 2008, but since the option is voidable, no one wants to surrender much talent for him. ? Lohse is probably a goner and should bring back a pretty good prospect. Jeff Conine seems more likely to be dealt than Scott Hatteberg, even though the Reds should be trying to clear a spot for Joey Votto. Conine's departure would create room for the newly acquired Jorge Cantu as a first baseman against left-handers. Cantu could also be an option in the outfield if Dunn is moved or Ken Griffey Jr. gets hurt. Because of his pathetic walk rate, Cantu has to hit close to .300 to be a valuable player. He's still quite young at age 25, but it's not looking very good for him right now. He's a long shot to have fantasy value during the final two months. ? Look for left-hander Phil Dumatrait to come up and join the rotation. Regardless of whether Lohse goes, he might be needed anyway with Matt Belisle struggling and Aaron Harang bothered by a sore back and unlikely to pitch before Saturday. Dumatrait would be a poor bet to have value in NL-only leagues.

Colorado - Todd Helton has been a .250 hitter for about 11 weeks now, and since he's again on pace for right around 15 homers, that's just not enough to make him above average regular, even if he does rank second in the NL in walks. There hasn't been any trade speculation recently, and it looks like the Rockies might have missed their last good chance to move a large portion of his contract. He'd have to bounce back to get the Red Sox, Angels or Yankees interested again this winter. ? The Rockies failed to acquire Wheeler from Houston and don't seem to be in on Farsnsworth at the moment. They might yet be in the mix for Jon Rauch or Julian Tavarez, but it doesn't look like they'll pick up anyone who would knock Manny Corpas out of the closer's role. Brian Fuentes (lat) would have to come back strong next month to unseat the right-hander.

Florida - The Marlins are also in for a quiet deadline. They're far enough back that it wouldn't make sense to give up young talent in order to add help, but they don't have much to sell other than Dontrelle Willis and all signs point to Willis staying. He's thrown better his last two outings and could again be worth using in mixed leagues before long. ? The Marlins have failed time and time again in their attempts to bring in a center fielder. Maybe they should stop trying. The club already possesses a player capable of being one of the game's truly elite center fielders for the next 10 years. I assumed Hanley Ramirez would develop into an above average defender, but it just hasn't happened. In fact, the numbers say he's about as poor as any regular shortstop in the majors. His tools would almost certainly translate well to center, and the Marlins need to strongly consider moving him there next spring. Sure, they'd be opening up another massive hole, but it's one that'd be easier to fill, even if it's only with a defensive specialist. The Marlins would help their pitchers a ton next year if they put Miguel Cabrera at first, Dan Uggla at third and brought in a whole new middle infield. ? In the meantime, it looks like Alejandro De Aza (foot) will return in mid-August to challenge Alfredo Amezaga and Cody Ross for at-bats in center. He'd likely prove to be a subpar regular.

Houston - With Wheeler gone, there's little chance of the Astros moving either Brad Lidge or Chad Qualls. Lidge struggled some in his second inning of work Sunday against the Padres, but he's otherwise looked very good. He can be a top fantasy closer the rest of the way. ? The Wigginton acquisition increases the chances that Mike Lamb and Mark Loretta will go. A Lamb-Wigginton platoon at third base would likely be quite productive, but the Astros won't go in that direction, and with Wigginton likely to play full-time, Lamb probably won't be re-signed as a free agent this winter. The Astros still could retain Loretta to play second base next year, but Chris Burke would likely outperform him, even before cost is figured into the equation. Since the Astros could likely get a pretty good youngster for Loretta now, they need to do it. They already blew one chance to upgrade the farm system in the Wheeler deal. ? With the Astros seemingly down on Burke, Jason Lane is getting a chance to play regularly in center field in place of the injured Hunter Pence (wrist). Also, Luke Scott is back getting more time in right field, though he's really had to earn it with a .394 average and three homers in 33 at-bats since the break. Lane is available in trade talks, but there probably won't be any interest. He'll need to heat up soon in order to stay in the lineup. NL-only leaguers can pick him up and hope for the best.

Los Angeles - Especially now with Randy Wolf (shoulder) out indefinitely, pitching is going to be the priority for the Dodgers at the deadline. They're the one team that might have to meet the White Sox's asking price for Jon Garland. The Dodgers would be a relatively low scoring team even after adding another outfielder or corner infielder, and they probably wouldn't be able to win postseason games started by Mark Hendrickson or Brett Tomko. They need a legitimate No. 3 and Garland might be the only one available. The White Sox would likely ask for Matt Kemp or Jonathan Broxton, but a deal could get done with a non-Clayton Kershaw pitching prospect, reliever Jonathan Meloan and shortstop Chin-Lung Hu. ? Derek Lowe won't start Tuesday as scheduled because of a hip problem. The earliest he'll go is Saturday, and a DL stint is possible. Mixed leaguers should probably look elsewhere for the week. ?. Brad Penny, on the other hand, is set to start Tuesday after leaving his last outing with an abdominal strain. ? Russell Martin's heavy workload has left him with a stiff back, causing the Dodgers to play him once in four days with Monday's off day. His offensive decline is likely to continue, though he'll probably be a top-five catcher over the final two months anyway.

Milwaukee - The Brewers paid a high price for Scott Linebrink, but compensation picks were a major issue there. The Padres value their draft picks as highly as any team in the NL, and Linebrink likely would have brought two when he left as a free agent. It seems a lot better for Milwaukee if the trade is broken down as Will Inman for Linebrink and left-handers Joe Thatcher and Steve Garrison for the picks. ? The Linebrink acquisition may have freed up Derrick Turnbow to be used in a deal. According to ESPN, the Brewers were the third team in the Dye-to-Boston deal that fell through, and it makes sense that the Red Sox were trying to get Turnbow for the White Sox. The Brewers, though, would just as soon leave their bullpen intact. They could consider adding outfield help with Geoff Jenkins getting worse every month, but they probably wanted more of a sure thing than Wily Mo Pena. That's why they've been mentioned as a possible suitor for Dye. Also, they should place a call to see what it would take to get Torii Hunter. They probably already have. In Manny Parra and Tony Gwynn Jr., they have the foundation of a decent offer if Minnesota is willing to deal.

New York - Moises Alou's return coincided with Carlos Beltran's oblique strain, giving the Mets more time to evaluate whether Lastings Milledge or Shawn Green should play right field. As slow as the Mets have been to shake things up, Green could get most of the at-bats. Still, Milledge will have to play at least three or four times per week, with Alou likely to be rested frequently. Milledge is batting 300 with three homers and 14 RBI in 60 at-bats since being called up. Green has just seven RBI in 156 at-bats since coming off the DL in June. ? The Mets weren't nearly as quick as the Phillies to bring in a veteran at second base. They're still looking at Loretta, Luis Castillo and Mark Grudzielanek, but with Gotay batting .350, they may leave well enough alone and focus on aiding the pitching staff. They're in on Garland and Joe Blanton. Jose Contreras now seems to be off their list. ? I'm guessing that Beltran will end up on the DL on Tuesday. He's too risky to play in mixed leagues this week. ? Lo Duca, unfortunately, says he'll be fine to catch Tuesday. The Mets would be better off capitalizing on [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3901"]Ramon Castro[/URL]'s hot bat. Lo Duca left Saturday's game with a hamstring injury.

Philadelphia - I'm not his biggest fan, but Phillies GM Pat Gillick deserves praise for getting Tadahito Iguchi before ever needing Abraham Nunez to make a start at second base. The downgrade from Chase Utley to Iguchi is still massive and will hurt the Phillies' chances of playing into October, but Iguchi is capable and Nunez isn't. If he plays well, he'll probably get a look at third base after Utley returns from his broken right hand in three or four weeks. ? The Phillies have Brett Myers and Tom Gordon back, but Ryan Madson, who led the team in innings pitched and ERA among relievers, became the latest victim of shoulder problems when he went on the DL Sunday. Gillick is still looking for both a starter and a reliever before the deadline. He'll probably have to settle for one or the other. Michael Bourn is supposedly being treated as bait, though it would be risky to move him with Aaron Rowand eligible for free agency at season's end. The Phillies might end up surrendering a young pitcher, such as J.A. Happ or Josh Outman, instead. The reacquisition of Carlos Silva from the Twins would make some sense. The Phillies are looking at Lohse, but he's too much of a flyball pitcher for that park. ? Myers, who has pitched one scoreless innings since returning Friday, could be back at closing at the end of the week.

Pittsburgh - It looks like no one is biting on Jack Wilson, but Pirates relievers Damaso Marte and Salomon Torres, as well as Shawn Chacon to a lesser extent, are in demand. While a Torres-for-Wily Mo Pena swap was rumored, the Red Sox would much prefer Marte. Torres' stuff just isn't likely to translate very well if he switches leagues. The Braves like both Torres and Chacon and have Eric Campbell to offer up. It'd be a shame if the Pirates passed on these opportunities so that they can pursue a 70-win season. Many are down on Pena, but there are only so many potential 35-homer guys out there and the Pirates need to gamble on guys with upside after spending so many first-round picks on potential No. 3 starters and trading Oliver Perez for Xavier Nady. ? John Van Benschoten is gone and probably won't get another look as a starter anytime soon. Unfortunately, that just means Tony Armas Jr. will rejoin the rotation. It was my belief at the beginning of the year that Armas' best hope was to reinvent himself as a reliever, and he was showing some potential in that role with one run and five hits allowed in 12 innings this month. I doubt it will carry over now that he's returning to the rotation. He was 0-3 with an 8.46 ERA in seven starts before being moved to the pen. ? Tom Gorzelanny (shoulder) will miss his scheduled start Tuesday. The Pirates hope he'll pitch Saturday instead, but mixed leaguers shouldn't risk it. As much as I like Gorzelanny as a pitcher, I won't be recommending him next year because of concerns about his arm.

St. Louis - It doesn't look like the Cardinals will go into firesale mode. Jason Isringhausen and Scott Rolen appear nearly certain to stay, while Russ Springer, for non-baseball reasons, also is off the market. One move the Cardinals could make would be to sell Juan Encarnacion, who has helped his value by hitting .380 with 14 RBI in 50 at-bats since the break. If it happens, Ryan Ludwick could get the majority of the playing time over So Taguchi, Scott Spiezio and Skip Schumaker for now. Rick Ankiel, who has 29 homers in Triple-A, would be a threat to play regularly in September. ? Also up for grabs is Troy Percival, who had offers from the Braves, Tigers, Phillies and Indians before choosing to attempt his comeback with St. Louis. Each of those teams might still have interest in him now. ? Anthony Reyes will stay in the rotation after improving to 1-10 on Saturday. He'll go either Thursday or Friday, with Brad Thompson or Mike Maroth getting sent to the pen to open up a spot. Since he'll be facing either Pittsburgh or Washington, he's worth playing in NL-only leagues this week. He could be a nice surprise over the final two months.

San Diego - The Padres continue to bargain hunt for offensive help, picking up Scott Hairston to join Michael Barrett and Milton Bradley. Hairston won't have nearly as significant of a role as the other two, and while I still like his chances of turning in a 20-homer season one of these years, he was probably a downgrade for the team's bench, as he replaced Russell Branyan on the roster. Branyan had the better OPS by nearly 100 points this season and that was while playing in Petco. Hairston doesn't figure to be a factor in NL-only leagues. ? Sticking with Marcus Giles would give the Padres their best chance of receiving solid production from second base over the rest of the season, but they're rumored to be exploring alternatives beyond Geoff Blum. Loretta is believed to top their list. Unfortunately, Hairston just isn't a realistic option at his old position. ? [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL]'s oblique injury got Tim Stauffer a start Sunday, but he did nothing with it, illustrating why the Padres have been in the market for a sixth starter. The hope is that Young will be back after missing just one more turn. ? Jake Peavy eased some concerns about his arm with a fine outing Friday against the Astros. It wasn't exactly the best he's looked all year, but I think he's close to getting his 'A' game back.

San Francisco - Unfortunately for Brian Sabean, there doesn't seem to be much interest in the Giants' collection of overpaid veterans. There's been little talk regarding Ray Durham, Omar Vizquel or Randy Winn lately. Ryan Klesko's name remains out there, and he'd be a great fit for Atlanta if the team doesn't come up with Teixeira. It'd take a very desperate team to pick up Matt Morris' contract after his performance of late. Steve Kline appears to be the Giant most likely to go. ? Bengie Molina has been the starting catcher in 84 of the Giants' 103 games, which is a 132-start pace. His career high for starts is 123 and that happened seven years ago. He hasn't topped 100 since 2003. As a result, it should come as little surprise that he's hitting just .219 this month. The Giants will give him more time off after Eliezer Alfonzo returns next week, but he probably won't have any additional months like his May (.319-4-23).

Washington - The Nationals are still aiming very high in Chad Cordero trade talks, making a deal unlikely. They are known to want Milledge from the Mets, which probably means they asked the Tigers for Cameron Maybin and the Red Sox for Jacoby Ellsbury. Cordero is a fine reliever, but he's not going to net that kind of return. Jon Rauch remains the better bet of the two to go, with the Tigers, Yankees and Red Sox all believed to be interested. The Nats will want pitching prospect Jair Jurrjens in a trade with Detroit and probably Ian Kennedy or Alan Horne from the Yankees. Boston's Wily Mo Pena has been linked to the Nationals in the past and in the present, but if GM Jim Bowden was willing to trade Rauch for him, there's a good chance it would have gotten done already. ? Dmitri Young is off the block after receiving a two-year extension, making Ryan Church more likely to be traded. The stated plan is for Young to move to left field next year, and while Church can play center, he's not a long-term option there. If the Nats traded Church now, they'd likely go with Robert Fick in left field and then put Alex Escobar there if he can return from his shoulder woes. Kory Casto is also an option, but probably not until he heats up at Triple-A. The move to sign Young was a sign that the Nationals have soured on Casto, who is currently batting .254/.348/.423 for Columbus.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bombs Away

While watching the scores roll in Sunday afternoon and evening, you can be excused if you did a double take and suddenly wondered if you were looking at pre-season football results.

With August just around the corner, you've probably already got Sundays filled with pigskin viewing on the brain, but with scores like 18-11, 14-10, 13-4 and 10-6 rolling by on the ticker, you had to wonder where Terry Bradshaw was on Sunday Night Baseball.

Instead, we were treated to a trio of broadcasters that, if Orel Hershiser would just add about 40 pounds, looked amazingly like the Teletubbies in their bright, colorful shirts. The Angels took that nailbiter by three field goals, by the way.

I get the whole concept that strange things happen under a full moon, but come on ? eight teams scoring 10 or more runs, two of which wound up on the losing end of their games? Even weirder, despite all the offensive fireworks, there were four shutouts hurled and three other teams limited to one run each.

On a day when hits were flying all over the place like drunken astronauts, you'd expect there to be some offensive fantasy lines that have your team jumping up the standings a spot or two. But strangely, the runs tended to be spread out. Oh sure, there were big-time days from Adrian Beltre (2-for-4, home run, three runs, four RBI), Mike Cameron (3-for-5 with a walk, two doubles, home run, three runs, three RBI) and Johnny Damon (3-for-5 with a walk, double, four runs, two RBI), but for the most part, the football-like scores were taking their toll on the hurlers.

For instance, I pity the owners who had any of these starters active on Sunday [Editor's note: viewing of these pitching lines not suitable for children under eight]: Jason Jennings (0.2-8-11-11-3-0-2), Jeremy Bonderman (2.1-9-11-10-3-4-0), Livan Hernandez (4-8-8-8-3-0-1), Lenny DiNardo (3-7-7-7-2-0-1) and Tim Stauffer (3.2-4-7-7-3-3-3).

Please tell me that if you ventured outside last night, you went suitably armed with silver bullets, garlic and a sharp, pointy spike.

At any rate, we'll leave the analysis of the day's crazy events to the Teletubbies or an equally advanced species. In the meantime, here's our take on Sunday's stories that we can make sense of:

• Do you think it's a coincidence that ever since Carlos Zambrano turned around his nightmare season, the Cubs are the best team in baseball? Let's harken back to Opening Day in the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, when the Big Z was touched up for six hits and five earned runs in just five innings. That set in motion a first two months of the season that were simply horrific, punctuated by a June 1 start against Atlanta during which Zambrano was drilled for 13 hits and seven runs ? six earned ? in just five innings. His ERA at the time was 5.62.
  
  Since then, Zambrano has been a completely different pitcher, going 9-2 with a 1.41 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. The Cubs have followed suit, going a major league best 33-17 since June 3, including an outstanding 23-9 mark over their last 32 games.
  
  Sunday, Zambrano returned to the scene of the crime and dominated the Reds in Cincy, tossing 7 1/3 innings of two-hit shutout, fanning six and walking three, to become the major league's first 14-game winner. Who would have thought that about eight weeks ago when Big Z owners were ready to cut bait?
  
  The big dude even pitched in on offense, lashing three singles to equal his career high for hits in a game.
  
  Best of all, he's getting it done on the road ? one of the true tests of an ace. Over his last 11 starts away from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, Zambrano is 9-1. Stretch that back to his last 45 starts on the road and the record is 27-7.
  
  It doesn't seem like anything can stop Zambrano right now. He was drilled in the ankle with a line drive in the sixth, and shook it off like an elephant struck by a flea. Although he had to come out in the eighth with cramps in his right calf, Zambrano is not expected to miss a start.
• There's plenty more news on the Mark Teixeira trade front, but still no deal with the deadline just over a day away. The Diamondbacks have entered the fray with an offer, but it's apparently not as strong as Atlanta's pitch. Arizona probably lacks the pitching necessary to entice Texas to pull the trigger, so the Braves remain the frontrunner to land the switch-hitting slugger, with the Angels also a strong possibility to nab him. Atlanta had to amend its offer because Matt Harrison has been shut down with shoulder tendonitis, taking him off the table. The Braves have countered with a list of young pitchers to add to a package that already includes Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Elvis Andrus, but Jo Jo Reyes is apparently still not in the mix.

AL Quick Hits: Kenny Rogers, who looked amazing after coming off the DL, but has been less than impressive lately, is back on the sidelines thanks to elbow inflammation. Jordan Tata will take Rogers' place for at least the next two times through the rotation?C.C. Sabathia continues to pitch lights out for the Tribe. If his defense and offense supported him more, he'd have 16 or 17 wins by now. He's lost his last two starts despite giving up just 11 hits and four runs ? two earned ? in 14 2/3 innings with 18 strikeouts and not a single walk. And how about that nine innings of three-hit shutout he tossed in a no-decision on June 10?...A-Rod is in an 0-for-12 funk since cranking his 499th career home run?One for the X-Files: Paul Bako, who had drawn 10 walks in 43 games this year and who has never had more than 27 walks in a season, earned four free passes Sunday.

NL Quick Hits: With Paul Lo Duca out because of his hammy, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3901"]Ramon Castro[/URL] was 2-for-2 with a homer, a double and two RBI. Explain to me why the Mets don't give this guy another game per week?...In his second start in place of the injured Jason Simontacchi, Billy Traber proved he's not a viable long-term option for the ever-changing Washington rotation?Can we stop whining about Derrek Lee's lack of power this year already? The dude went yard for the third time in four games Sunday and now has five blasts in his past nine?Matt Belisle, a nice early-season surprise after he went 5-4 with a 4.26 ERA over the first two months of the season, has now gone 10 straight starts without a W. His record has dropped to 5-8 and his ERA has soared over a run per game to 5.30?Jimmy Rollins is 7-for-12 with four RBI in three games since taking over from Chase Utley as the No. 3 man in the Phils' lineup.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Deadline Day
I'm back from a weeklong, baseball-filled vacation in St. Louis just in time for deadline day and it's tempting to fill today's Daily Dose's with the endless supply of trade rumors that are circulating right now. However, this afternoon's trading deadline will have come and gone by the time many of you read this and new rumors will have popped up in the meantime anyway. Instead, I'm going to focus on analyzing trades that have already taken place or are reported to be all but finished.

With that said, if it's juicy rumors and breaking stories that you crave, Rotoworld definitely has you covered with our up-to-the-minute player news department, headed by my main man Matthew Pouliot. If a rumor shows up somewhere, we'll pass it along to you. If a trade goes down, we'll have all the details and a full breakdown within minutes. I'll be refreshing the Rotoworld baseball page all afternoon and, work be damned, you should join me.

While I wear out the "F5" button on my laptop, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* As of Tuesday morning, multiple sources report that the Braves and Rangers have agreed to a trade that will send Mark Teixeira to Atlanta for a package of prospects. Texas will reportedly receive Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feriz, and a fourth player, initially believed to be Matt Harrison. Harrison is among the better left-handed pitching prospects in baseball, but recently exited a start at Double-A because of shoulder problems.

If the Rangers aren't satisfied that Harrison is healthy, they could make the fourth piece of the trade a Player to be Named Later and include him on a list to choose from at a future date. Whatever the case, the Rangers are getting a fantastic return for Teixeira, who'll make over $10 million in 2008 before becoming a free agent. Rather than lose him next offseason or lock him up to a massive multi-year deal, the Rangers used Teixeira to help stock their long-term core.

Saltalamacchia is the clear centerpiece of the deal and could wind up as a full-time catcher now that he's no longer stuck behind Brian McCann on the depth chart. For now, the Rangers figure to give him playing time at catcher, first base, and designated hitter. While he doesn't possess the same type of offensive potential as Teixeira, Saltalamacchia has a chance to be an impact hitter and could conceivably have more all-around value if he can remain behind the plate.

Harrison is the Braves' premiere pitching prospect, and at 18 years old Andrus is one of the game's better shortstop prospects despite struggling at Single-A and being several years away from the big leagues. Feriz is a hard-throwing 19-year-old right-hander putting up great numbers in rookie-ball, but is several steps below Saltalamacchia, Andrus, and Harrison in terms of current value.

Before selecting the Braves' package, the Rangers were reportedly turned down by the Angels when they asked for Casey Kotchman, Joe Saunders, and either [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL], Nick Adenhart, Howie Kendrick, or Ervin Santana. Meanwhile, the Braves are said to have put a potential trade for Octavio Dotel on hold until the Teixeira deal is finalized. A Dotel-for-Kyle Davies swap was reported as nearly complete Monday night, but Dotel remains on the market as of this writing.

* The Twins have given no indication that they'll trade Torii Hunter, but dealt fellow pending free agent Luis Castillo to the Mets for a pair of low-level prospects Monday. Castillo immediately steps into New York's lineup as the starting second baseman and No. 2 hitter, but figures to have minimal fantasy impact. Always one of the least-powerful hitters in baseball, Castillo is no longer a consistent stolen-base threat and leg problems often force him out of the lineup.

With Castillo gone, the Twins called up Alexi Casilla from Triple-A and figure to work him into the mix at second base along with Nick Punto. If manager Ron Gardenhire was willing to give Punto consistent playing time at third base despite his horrible production, it only stands to reason that he'll be even more likely to play him at second base. However, Casilla is a Castillo-like speedster who's viewed as the long-term answer at second base and was seemingly called up to play.

* Traded from Cincinnati to Philadelphia, Kyle Lohse moves from one hitter-friendly home ballpark to another. However, despite being a fly-ball pitcher, Lohse was actually quite effective pitching at home for the Reds, posting a 3.43 ERA in 89.1 innings at Great American Ballpark. Given those numbers it's possible that he could suffer more from the trade than the overall park factors suggest, but either way he's not a strong bet for big fantasy value down the stretch.

The good news is that Lohse should receive significantly more run support from the Phillies' league-leading offense, even with Chase Utley sidelined. Lohse went 6-12 for the Reds despite a 4.58 ERA because the lineup scored him just 3.6 runs per nine innings. Philadelphia leads with the NL with 5.5 runs per game, which is 20 percent better than Cincinnati's overall offensive production. With Lohse gone, Bobby Livingston's spot in the Reds' rotation looks secure.

* As a result of the Ty Wigginton-for-Dan Wheeler swap, the Devil Rays have shifted Brendan Harris to second base. Harris has been a pleasant surprise, batting .299 with a .798 OPS, but was clearly stretched defensively at shortstop and has a much better chance of sticking at second base long term. Of course, that would mean that B.J. Upton is no longer an option there after playing mostly center field of late, but that situation could change if Rocco Baldelli is ever healthy.

With Harris sliding to second base, Ben Zobrist and Josh Wilson will split time in an arrangement that manager Joe Maddon called "shortstop by committee." Zobrist entered the season as the Devil Rays' starter there before giving way to Harris after a brutal start, but has the minor-league track record to suggest that he can be an above-average regular with a strong on-base percentage.

AL Quick Hits: After going 2-for-4 with two RBIs Sunday at Triple-A, Ian Kinsler (foot) is expected to come off the disabled list Tuesday ? Out of the starting lineup because of a sore wrist, Carl Crawford entered Monday's game as a pinch-runner and later won it with a walk-off homer in the 11th inning ? Howie Kendrick (finger) had his splint removed Monday and could begin strengthening exercises this week ? Marcus Thames said Monday that his injured hamstring is improving, but isn't expected to return until at least next week ? Juan Rivera's recovery from a broken leg is reportedly progressing slower than expected and his return timetable may be pushed back to September ? Darin Erstad (ankle) is 6-for-43 (.139) in his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A ? With three runs Monday, Curtis Granderson is just a half-dozen short of matching his total of 90 from all of last season ? Miguel Batista hasn't pitched all that well overall, but tossed seven shutout innings Monday to match his career-high with 11 wins on the season ? Shoulder problems knocked oft-injured prospect Jeff Niemann out of his start Monday at Triple-A after just five pitches.

NL Quick Hits: Brett Myers (shoulder) returned to the closer role Monday, picking up his first save since May 20, but may not be ready to pitch on back-to-back days yet ? If his minor-league rehab appearance Tuesday at Double-A goes well, Kerry Wood (shoulder) could come off the disabled list as soon as Thursday ? Carlos Beltran's strained oblique looks likely to put him on the shelf ? Pedro Martinez (shoulder) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Wednesday at Single-A ? Jason Isringhausen said Monday that he plans to invoke his no-trade clause if the Cardinals attempt to deal him ? Signed to a minor-league contract by the Padres, Shea Hillenbrand went 0-for-5 in his Triple-A debut Sunday ? Barring a setback, Eddie Guardado (elbow) could come off the DL next week ? Adam Everett (leg) has begun hitting off a tee and hopes to begin taking ground balls this week ? Rick Ankiel smacked his 30th homer Sunday at Triple-A, but his .269 batting average and .318 on-base percentage remain horrible for a 28-year-old in the Pacific Coast League.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Prospect Report
Last week I wrote that this trading deadline looked to be one of the more boring ones in recent years, but instead it looks like there will be a decent amount of activity. We knew Octavio Dotel was going and figured that Eric Gagne probably would, but Mark Teixeira quickly turned from an idea to an actual trade after the Braves' made an intriguing offer. Smaller deals for Luis Castillo, Kyle Lohse, and Kenny Lofton have already transpired as well, with a few more complimentary players likely to go quite soon. There's also been a lot of talk on the Jermaine Dye front, but the White Sox are rightfully asking for a bunch in return for a player who will be a Type A free agent this winter and not likely to accept arbitration. It doesn't look like Adam Dunn, Troy Glaus, Todd Helton, or any of the other rumored sluggers are moving and a deal for Dye is looking increasingly less likely. However, with this many deals already being agreed to, it's been a more intriguing deadline than expected.

Once the dust has settled I'll be evaluating all of the key prospects dealt at the trading deadline. I'll weigh in on the merits of each deal, but ultimately the purpose will be to analyze the minor leaguers and their likely projections big league projections and ETA. If you need an opinion on a traded player before next week's column for free agent bidding purposes, feel free to send an e-mail along.

Callups

Brian Buscher ? 3B Twins ? A third round selection out of South Carolina in 2003, Buscher showed solid plate discipline but surprisingly littler power after entering professional baseball. The Giants had no problems exposing him in the minor league portion of last year's Rule 5 draft after he posted a 687 OPS as a 25-year-old in Double-A. However, back in the Eastern League to begin the 2007 campaign, Buscher has begun to show some of the promise he displayed while at South Carolina. The 6'0, 200-pound third basemen was batting .308/.391/.478 in 63 games for Double-A New Britain before a promotion to Triple-A Rochester. He lasted just 35 games at that level, hitting an impressive .313/.385/.530.

It appears that Buscher may have figured things out after a long trend of below average performance. He's not just producing a quality batting average and above average power, but he's also showing the best plate discipline of his career with more walks (44) than strikeouts (41) between the two levels. Now in the majors, Buscher is a candidate to get a fair amount of playing time at third base. There's only room for two of Buscher, Nick Punto, and Alexi Casilla (see below), but Punto isn't playing well even by the Twins' standards and Casilla is a rookie who was struggling of late in the minors. That might mean Buscher could scratch out a few starts per week. It wouldn't be surprising if his sudden breakout season stalled upon reaching the majors, but he's always had solid tools and his performance to date can't be completely ignored. Recommendation: Claim in AL-only leagues.

Alexi Casilla ? 2B Twins ? With the Twins sending Luis Castillo to the Mets on Monday there is a gaping hole at second base in the majors. As we discussed above, one possible solution is moving Nick Punto to second and starting Buscher, but that's not a long-term arrangement and the club might as well get a look at Casilla again. I profiled the speedy second basemen when he was given a quick look earlier in the season, and Casilla went 10-for-43 with four steals in limited action.

In short, Casilla is a diminutive second basemen at 5'9" tall and 160 pounds. He succeeds by slapping the ball around the yard and using his speed, much like Castillo. The switch-hitter also has good control of the strike zone and draws a fair number of walks, helping his value to a big league club. Fantasy owners like that he stole 50 bases in 60 attempts between two levels last season and his speed grades out favorably enough that a repeat in the majors one day is rather possible. He'll also likely be a plus defender in time, so he's a legitimate prospect.

Moved up to Triple-A Rochester to begin the season, Casilla has been a disappointment with a .269 batting average while being caught stealing 12 times in 36 attempts. That Casilla is still drawing plenty of walks helps, but his lack of power means he's going to need to hit .290 or better to be a quality regular in the majors. The low batting average can mostly be attributed to Casilla striking out more often than normal, but it's something he should be able to correct. He's also been an excellent percentage base stealer in the past, so I wouldn't expect his low success ratio to continue.

The Twins will let Casilla take over as a regular and start most days. The club loves to run and won't put the reigns on Casilla, so he's ready to help AL-only leaguers even if he's not going to produce much else. He's the type of player who could hit .250 and still steal 15 bases in two months. He's a better bet to produce quality production in batting average and runs in 2008, but he'll still have plenty of value for now. Recommendation: Claim in AL-only and keeper formats.

Danny Richar ? 2B White Sox ? Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2001 by the Diamondbacks, Richar didn't look like a future big leaguer in his first few seasons. While the right-handed second basemen was hitting for average, he showed little control of the strike zone, promised little in the way in power, and was unrefined on defense and on the bases. That outlook changed some for Richar when he hit .300/.347/.537 for High-A Lancaster in 2005. His strikeout-to-walk ratio also improved, but Richar was a little old for the level at 22 and was also enjoying the benefit of playing in one of the minor's most hitter-friendly environment. Indeed, while Richar looked like a future All-Star by posting a 1035 OPS at home, he was a mere mortal with a 732 mark on the road.

A poor performance at Double-A Tennessee the following season reinforced beliefs that Richar was only a product of his environment. The 6'0", 170-pound Richar moved up to Triple-A anyway to begin the 2007 campaign, and he was showing more power with eight homers and 20 doubles in 66 games played. Of course, that he was back in a favorable hitting environment means those numbers need to be discounted. Richar was then traded to the White Sox for Aaron Cunningham on June 16 and has gone on a tear by batting .346 with a .556 slugging percentage in 32 games for Triple-A Charlotte.

With the White Sox selling off Tadahito Iguchi to the Phillies, Richar will be given a chance to prove if he's capable of being a regular. Alex Cintron's presence means Richar won't get six starts per week, but he should be in the starting lineup at least four times in every six games. A lifetime .293 hitter in the minors, Richar should be able to post a decent average and record the occasional homer or steal. However, he's not likely to develop into a long-term regular due to his mediocre plate discipline and below average power. That means he's not someone to pursue aggressively in keeper formats, but he should have some value for a few months. Recommendation: Claim in AL-only formats.

Jordan Tata ? RHP Tigers ? Tata, who appeared in eight games as a reliever with the Tigers last season, is back in the majors with Kenny Rogers hitting the disabled list. A former 16th round selection in the 2003 draft, Tata has had a consistently solid yet unspectacular minor league career. A big right-hander at 6'6" and 220 pounds, Tata sports a solid career ERA of 3.20 in the minor leagues. He's also been consistently around that level, and he did have a 3.29 mark for Triple-A Toledo after recovering from some early season shoulder woes.

Tata does have an impressive 89-94 MPH fastball with good movement. He also spots the pitch well, and it's easily his best offering. Tata also possesses a decent changeup and a promising knucklecurve, though neither is a plus pitch at the moment. Despite a solid repertoire that looks impressive on paper, Tata has always posted merely adequate strikeout and walk ratios and he's never been all that good at avoiding hard hit balls. That Tata's stuff grades out a bit better than his results is somewhat frustrating for scouts, but it does give him some upside. Still, since he's also not much of a ground ball pitcher and does turn 26 in September, Tata's likely a fifth starter.

With Rogers only expected to miss the minimum number of days, Tata will likely only get two starts before being sent to the minors. While that means he's not worth chasing in AL-only leagues, a quality couple of starts could get him anointed as the club's next option should another starter go down. He could be of use to those desperate for innings, but expecting more than an innings eater is optimistic. A more realistic scenario is that he bounces between the majors and the minors for a few seasons. Recommendation: Monitor in AL-only formats.

Prospect Profile

Collin Balester ? RHP Nationals ?
Moved up to High-A Potomac of the Carolina League in 2006, Balester struggled early in the season. The right-hander was working on some changes to his mechanics, but they clearly weren't helping matters. The change showed up in the statistics, as Balester gave up 58 hits, 30 walks, and five homers in 46 2/3 innings, or 10 starts, to begin the season. The Nationals and Balester agreed to return to his old methods, and the results were drastically different. Over his next 16 appearances, Balester surrendered 83 hits, 29 walks, and seven homers in 89 2/3 innings. That's an improvement of three hits and three walks for every nine innings of work. The result was a more solid 3.71 ERA over the rest of the season that looks more impressive considering how young he was.

Despite the fact that he didn't turn 21 until June, Balester was assigned to Double-A Harrisburg to begin the season. The right-hander had made three impressive starts there late in 2006, but it was still an aggressive move. However, Balester looked the part with another solid performance, posting a 3.74 ERA and 77/25 K/BB ratio in 98 2/3 innings. Three starts at Triple-A Columbus haven't gone as well, but Balester is still holding his own despite his young age.

When projecting a career path for Balester there's a lot to like. To start, the right-hander has an ideal 6'5", 190-pound frame that's both strong and athletic, allowing him to repeat his delivery well and without too much effort. These traits bode well for command and durability down the line, and that he's had no injury issues to date is a positive. In addition, Balester still has room to grow into his body, and it's possible he'll add more velocity to his fastball as he matures physically.

In addition to his physical measurements, Balester has a repertoire to get excited about. His fastball sits in the 91-94 MPH range, and his tall frame allows the pitch to jump on hitters due to a long delivery. His curveball is also an above average offering and could be better if he's able to control it as well as his fastball. Lastly, Balester also works with a promising changeup. The pitch is going to need work to become even an average major league offering, but the Nationals have been encouraged with his development to date.

That Balester hasn't translated his stuff into more strikeouts is concerning, but that he's so young and at such a high level means it's not as much of an issue as usual. Given his fast progression and need for further refinement, holding Balester back and letting him spend most of 2008 at Triple-A might be a good idea. He'd still be plenty young if he debuted in the majors late next season, and working his way up to dominating minor league hitters would be a good boost to his confidence. As is, the Nationals will probably recall Balester well before then. He's probably not going to be very effective right away, but he's the type of player you shouldn't get down on after a rough start. He'll likely develop into a No. 3 starter in time for the Nationals, but if his velocity increases or his changeup truly takes off he may be a future No. 2 option.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Platoon Gems: Lefty Killers


This week I'll provide a long list of lefty killers that you can use in platoon situations, and I'll finally bring you emailers pros and cons as they relate to choosing fantasy baseball over a woman.
[SIZE=+1]Platoon Gems: Lefty Killers[/SIZE]
In last week's column, I talked about how platooning players can reap big rewards?especially in daily leagues?and discussed a long list of guys who demolish right-handed pitching. This week, I'll turn my attention to guys who dominate left-handed pitching.
Of course, most right-handed batters will do at least slightly better against left-handed pitchers, so I'm only covering guys who have dramatic splits and warrant use in a platoon situation. As such, lefty mashers like Magglio Ordonez and Aaron Rowand are omitted from this list.
The Killers
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4048"]Ryan Braun[/URL] ? Not that you should sit Braun against righties, but his amazing numbers against lefties just demand to be highlighted. The fifth overall pick in the 2005 draft boasts a .500 AVG and a 1.669 OPS against left-handed pitching, and he's jacked ten homers in 64 at bats against lefties. To put that in perspective, if 72% of the pitchers he'd faced were lefties instead of righties, his overall batting average for the season would be .442 instead of his already remarkable .347.
Brandon Phillips ? Phillips leads the majors with 85 total bases against lefties. He's cranked as many homers off lefties as he has off righties?in half the at bats. His average is almost 90 points better when facing southpaws (.336 to .249). And, oddly, he steals nearly twice as often against lefties.
Ryan Zimmerman ? After hitting extremely evenly against left- and right-handed pitching last season, Zimmerson has surprisingly posted some of the most lopsided splits in the league this year, batting .367 versus lefties as opposed to .229 off righties.
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2353"]Jose Guillen[/URL] ? A prime platoon candidate, Guillen hits .396 against lefties with a .476 OBP and 1.147 OPS. Against righties, he hits .244 with a .310 OBP and .672 OPS.
Mike Cameron ? Another platoon gem, Cameron hits .340 with a 1.016 OPS against lefties but just .221 with a .667 OPS off righties. He's also twice as likely to go yard against lefties. Keep in mind, though, that all 10 of his steals came off righties. In fact, he's 0 for 3 in stolen base attempts off lefties versus 10 of 11 off righties.
Sammy Sosa ? Slammin' Sammy slams moonshots off anyone, but he hits 106 points higher against lefties (.321 to .215).
Kevin Mench ? Here's a guy you should only use when he gets the start against a southpaw. Versus lefties, Mench owns a .325 AVG, .905 OPS with six HR in 117 AB. Versus righties? Eek. .230 AVG and no homers in 100 AB.
Shane Victorino ? The switch-hitting Victorino hits about 20 points better against lefties and with more power. However, most of his value comes on the base paths, of course, and running on lefties is not nearly as easy. In fact, only five of his 32 steals have come against lefties.
Randy Winn ? Winn falls into the category of serviceable against lefties but unusable against righties. The switch hitter provides few long balls or steals regardless of who he's facing, but he does hit .354 off lefties contrasted to .268 off righties.
Bill Hall ? Like Winn, what limited fantasy value Hall has provided this season has come when facing lefties. Currently, his average stands at .296 against left handers and .260 against right handers. He's also about twice as likely to homer off a lefty.
Ty Wigginton ? Though his average against lefties and righties varies little, most of Wigginton's power comes off lefties. He's belted eight homers against each but done so in just 103 AB vs. lefties to 280 AB vs. righties. His OPS is also nearly 200 points higher off lefties (.921 to .736).
Craig Monroe ? Here's a guy you can plug in against lefties in leagues that use AVG. Against southpaw's he's hit .306 with five round trippers in 85 AB. Against righties, it's another story: .190 AVG and six HR in 231 AB. In leagues that use OBP instead of AVG, the point is moot, as Monroe owns a not-so-impressive .322 mark against lefties in that category.
Frank Thomas ? Against lefties The Big Hurt hits .308 with a .432 OBP, a 1.021 OPS, and six HR in 78 AB. Against righties he hits just .233 with a .350 OBP, .740 OPS, and 10 HR in 262 AB.
Nick Swisher ? Versus lefties: .301 AVG and .480 OBP. Versus righties: .242 AVG and .362 OBP.
Troy Glaus ? Versus lefties: .323 AVG, .423 OBP, and 1.115 OPS. Versus righties: .250 AVG, .339 OBP, and .763 OPS.
Jason Michaels ? Okay, we're talking deep leagues here, but if Michaels is slated to start against a lefty in your daily league, you could do worse than his .293 AVG and .363 OBP. He'll even toss in a homer every 25 at bats or so.
Aaron Hill ? See Jason Michaels, but substitute .302 for the .293, .346 for the .363, and 19 for the 25.
Corey Hart ? Hitting .318 with 7 HR and 25 runs in 110 AB against lefties. Paul Lo Duca ? Hits .351 against lefties but .236 against righties.