I'm almost afraid to write anything today, because I don't want that fantastic Billy Butler image to disappear from the main fantasy page.

Just look at him. Such zeal. Such glee. Such abundant neck.

If there were a caption-this-photo contest, my entry would be "Mmm! Tapioca!"

We're going to begin with one of those catch-all, heavily-bulleted posts today, just to ensure that Butler continues to lead the site...

• Aramis Ramirez will miss the Cubs' next three games "to tend to family matters back home in the Dominican Republic," according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

He apparently asked for four games, and the team gave him three. So he'll fly from the Dominican Republic to San Francisco on Thursday (that's thousands of miles and many hours), face Tim Lincecum (against whom he's hitless), then travel with the team to St. Louis (for the start of a huge weekend series).

Let's hope Thursday's 0-for-3 is somehow worth all the trouble.

Here's Gordon Wittenmyer on Chicago's lineup options:

The Cubs are likely to use Mark DeRosa and Ronny Cedeno at third base, depending on which games manager Lou Piniella wants to use Matt Murton in injured left fielder Alfonso Soriano's spot.

There are many acceptable, widely-available 3Bs in fantasy leagues. For example: Brian Buscher, Casey Blake, Scott Rolen, Jorge Cantu, Ty Wigginton, Jerry Hairston Jr. Just make sure you cover Ramirez's absence somehow, and try to address the category (or categories) of greatest need. 

• Here's an interesting note on Manny Ramirez, from the Providence Journal:

Manny Ramirez shoved Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the ground in an argument over Ramirez' ticket allotment. Several onlookers moved quickly to separate the two.

Ramirez had asked McCormick for 16 tickets for Saturday night's Red Sox-Astros game, an unusually high number for day-of-game ... When McCormick cautioned Ramirez that he might not be able to fulfill his request, Ramirez responded by shouting: "Just do your job!"

An argument insued [sic] and Ramirez pushed McCormick, sending him to the ground.

It sounds like McCormick won't be suspended by the team for sassing Manny and failing to do his job, which sends the wrong message to traveling secretaries everywhere.

• It's tough to believe we could ever return to another Kemp/Ethier job-share, but that now seems possible. Per the Dodgers' website:

Torre said (Andruw) Jones will take back his starting spot in center and Juan Pierre will stay in left field, leaving Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier for right field.

Torre said the right-field situation will not be a straight platoon between the righty Kemp and lefty Ethier.

"More likely, it would be who's playing well or who has a hot bat or who seems to have more life in their body, or something like that," Torre said. "It's going to be more a feel thing than just a platoon thing."

At least that was the plan before Juan Pierre injured his left knee on Sunday. He'll have an MRI today, and he did not travel with the team to Houston. Pierre clearly loses all fantasy value if he's limited on the base-paths.

• Insightful comments on Johnny Cueto from Jerry Hairston Jr., via the Pulse-Journal:

"You can tell he has made a valiant effort to get better," Hairston added. "He's just like Edinson Volquez was two years ago when I saw him in Texas. "Man, it takes time to become a good major-league pitcher."

The 22-year-old Cueto was mass-dropped earlier in the year, and he's given up 18 home runs through 98.0 innings. Not ideal. Still, he's been a useful source for Ks (83), and he'll get the Nationals in his next start.

Related: Fantasy Baseball