Yup, he's back. It's winnin' time. The Angels have recalled First Ballot Howie from Triple-A Salt Lake, where he hit .346/.414/.526 with four steals in 20 games. Here's the roster fallout via the OC Register:

Infielder Sean Rodriguez was optioned back to Salt Lake following Friday’s game to make room for Kendrick. ... Kendrick’s at-bats could come at the expense of shortstop Erick Aybar. Scioscia indicated that he will be inclined to keep Maicer Izturis in the lineup as much as possible even with Kendrick back.

This is truly the best Independence Day since '29. Be safe, everyone. 

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Note: Due to BBQ/family committments, this week's Rundown is slightly condensed. Have a safe, but explosive Fourth!

LEADING OFF

Stepping away from the geek machines this holiday weekend, several fantasy owners will likely engage in a variety of risky behaviors. Diet beer consumption, Roman candle wars and whiffle ball games a handful of days removed from surgical sterilization are sure to jeopardize the health of many.   

The virtual masses would universally agree plucking Mike Hampton off waivers is also a perilous activity. But the seemingly ancient hurler is in a prime position to post explosive numbers this upcoming week.

Umm, yes, you read that correctly.

In his past four starts, the former All-Star has been stealthily effective. Though matched against infirm opponents (Pit (2), Ari, SD), he's emerged victorious twice and tallied a 2.16 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 25 innings. More impressively, he's accumulated a 64.9 groundball percentage over that stretch. According to ‘Stros pitching coach Dewy Robinson, Hampton's sudden resurrection is primarily due to a renewed emphasis on his four-seam fastball:

"We felt some of the teams were just sitting on his off-speed stuff, his sinker, his changeup, his curveball and slider. He needed to speed up the bats because they were sitting on the off-speed."

Playing hot potato with a short-wicked M-80 might seem less endangering than trusting an over-the-hill starter in an unforgiving ballpark, but with home matchups against Pittsburgh and Washington, he's unmistakably user-friendly.

In three starts this season against the Bucs (20 IP), he's dominated, racking an impeccable 3-0 record with a 0.90 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and ridiculous 16:2 K:BB split. The southpaw has yet to face the Nationals this year, but the perpetual basement dwellers have batted .244 and averaged a mere 3.6 runs/game since June 1, the fifth-worst mark on the senior circuit.

Obviously, he's a one-week rental in 14-team mixed leagues, but based on his gracious slate, the six percent-owned Astro is a terrific roll-of-the-dice option.

Fearless Forecast (this week): 14 IP, 2 W, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 10 K

•Battered, bruised or should not be used: Aramis Ramirez (rehabbing in low minors, returns Monday), Erik Bedard (smooth simulated game Friday, may start Tuesday), Kevin Slowey (DL'ed with strained right wrist), Scott Downs (should be activated by Monday), Josh Hamilton (rehabbing at Triple-A Oklahoma City, will suit up for Texas sometime this week), Edinson Volquez (started throwing session, probably 2-3 weeks away), Raul Ibanez (rehab assignment now won't start until Sunday, late-week activation likely), Ryan Doumit (participated in first rehab game without restriction, back right after break), Juan Pierre (Man-Rammed)

DOUBLE DIPPERS

For stream conscious owners who want to push the innings-pitched envelope this is the list for you. Run support, ballpark factors, historical and recent trends, opposing offenses, opposing SPs, managerial tendencies and meteorological influences are painstakingly taken into account to give you the top double dippers of each week.

Other AL Double Dippers: Brett Anderson, Oak (at Bos, at TB), Jeremy Sowers, Cle (at ChW, at Det)

Other NL Double Dippers: Barry Zito, SF (Fla, SD), Sean West, Fla (at SF, at Ari), Jordan Zimmermann, Was (at Col, at Hou), Jason Hammel, Col (Was, Atl), Jon Garland, Ari (SD, Fla), Walter Silva, SD (at Ari, at SF), Virgil Vasquez, Pit (at Hou, at Phi), Craig Stammen, Was (at Col, at Hou)

FEAST OR FAMINE?  

Torn between two stat-similar infielders this week? Use the pitching and hitting staff sorters below to help you decide whether or not Adam LaRoche or Rick Porcello is fantasy feast or famine. Stats are for games played through July 3:

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Image courtesy of US Presswire

Happy Birthday, Uncle Sam and Uncle George. Let's celebrate our great country with a look around 15 ballparks.

• I had Chris Volstad on my possible breakthrough list for 2009 but it doesn't look like it's going to happen this summer. Volstad's had trouble commanding his sinker (pitching coach Mark Wiley said as much in mid-June) and the NL isn't missing; a rising fly ball rate and a persistent gopher problem (17 on the year) are what you get when you can't pound the bottom of the zone. The Pirates knocked him around for two homers and four runs Friday, and Fredi Gonzalez didn't wait long with the hook – Volstad was gone before the fourth inning. It's going to take multiple starts in the right direction before I consider the struggling young righty (5-8, 4.85 ERA) in any kind of mixed league, even the deeper pools.

Charlie Morton didn't knock anyone's socks off on the other side Friday, but it's hard to quibble with his bottom line (6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K). That's his third straight useful start (albeit the prior two turns were just five innings) and it at least makes me curious to see what he does in Houston next week.

• Alfonso Soriano was rested but not productive when he returned to action Friday – he went 0-for-5 in Chicago's extra-inning victory over Milwaukee. Soriano is now in a .173 funk over his last 36 games, and according to the Chicago Tribune it looks like Sam Fuld will be in the leadoff spot Saturday with Soriano getting dropped in the order. Lou Piniella is long overdue with this move – a leadoff man's first job is getting on base, and that's something Soriano hasn't been doing all year (.291 OBP). Fuld collected four hits and two walks as the temporary leadoff man earlier in the week, albeit his Triple-A resume from earlier in the year (.286/.358/.399) didn't make anyone forget Rickey Henderson.

• The Manny Ramirez return at San Diego almost had a soccer game feel to it, with a boisterous crowd and a rare Petco sellout (thanks to the LA fans). Chad Gaudin did everything he could in the first inning to make the Dodgers feel at home, falling behind just about every batter and trashing all the goodwill he earned in his previous three starts. When the smoke cleared Los Angeles had five runs and the game was effectively over; Hiroki Kuroda was passable into the sixth and the Padres didn't get a hit off the Dodgers bullpen. Manny finished the night 0-for-3 with a walk. Closing Time favorite Scott Hairston hit a solo homer for San Diego, while CT scapegoat Rafael Furcal had one of his better nights of the year (four hits, stolen base).

• I can't get past the feeling that Phil Hughes is going to have a very significant role with the Yankees at some point this year, be it in the rotation or as a late-inning bridge to Mariano Rivera. Hughes cleaned up the eighth inning in Friday's win, and has quietly worked 9.2 scoreless innings over his last seven appearances (four hits, one walk, ten strikeouts). Keep him on your radar.

Coincidence or not, Alex Rodriguez has picked it up since his siesta down in Florida two weeks back; he's at .324 over his last 11 games, with five homers (one Friday) and 12 walks. Robinson Cano also homered for the Yanks, and A.J. Burnett was strong in his second start against his former Toronto mates (7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K).

• Nate McLouth (hamstring) finally got back in action Friday, posting a 1-for-6 night out of the leadoff spot. The Braves offense picked up the slack, collecting 14 hits and nine runs and holding off the pesky Nats. Martin Prado (6-3-3-0) continues to rake and it looks like we won't be seeing Kelly Johnson play for a while. Mike Gonzalez cruised in the eighth for Atlanta (three whiffs), while Rafael Soriano struggled through a rocky save in the ninth (two runs), albeit Soriano faced the meat of the Washington lineup.

• The train kept a rollin' for Shin-Soo Choo in Cleveland, as his monster night single-handedly dispatched of Oakland Friday (4-5, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, SB). Tip your cap to Choo for his versatile skill set; he's got a great eye at the dish (48 walks), he's a frozen-rope machine (23.7 percent line drives) and he's heady on the bases (13-for-13 on steals). It's amazing that the Indians have managed the worst record in the American League despite the third-best offense in the majors (420 runs). The sell-by date on Eric Wedge probably passed a while ago.

• Huston Street was called on for the final out of Colorado's win, for some reason. The Rockies held a 5-0 lead and no one was on base, but nonetheless Jim Tracy made the call. Ian Stewart homered and stole a base for the winners; let's see if that keeps him in the lineup through the weekend. It's hard to figure Jorge De La Rosa at times, but he was superb Friday (8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K) and has won five of his last six turns.

• There are 1,000 little stories from Detroit's marathon victory at Minnesota Friday, a quirky 11-9 victory that took 16 innings, but if you only have time for one, consider what Joel Zumaya was able to do in his stint (2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 K). Ignore the two walks, they were both intentional. Zumaya didn't necessarily make up any ground in the bullpen's pecking order – Fernando Rodney retired all six men he faced but just keep this guy's name stashed in the back of your mind for now.

Injury Blog: The Mariners decided to keep David Aardsma out of Friday's game, citing a sore back (he also threw 29 pitches Thursday). "I could have gone out there, but they wanted to give me a day to get past it," Aardsma explained to The Olympian. Mark Lowe grabbed the rogue save at Fenway, allowing one run to the Red Sox in the bottom of the 11th. … Scott Downs (toe) did some bullpen throwing Friday and might be in the mix to be activated at some point this weekend. Esteemed Toronto bureau chief Andy Behrens is standing by and will track this story hour-by-hour through the holiday. … Kevin Slowey's wrist strain is serious enough that the Twins slapped him right on the disabled list. Anthony Swarzak is up from Triple-A to fill in; he posted a 3.90 ERA in five major-league starts earlier in the year. … Nelson Cruz got some treatment on his back before Friday's game, then went 1-for-4 against Tampa Bay. … Edinson Volquez (elbow) did a little throwing Friday but he's a long way from being back with the Reds. … Erik Bedard (shoulder) worked a simulated game Friday and should be able to pitch Tuesday against Baltimore. … A cold kept Bengie Molina out of San Francisco's 13-run party Friday, and Randy Winn left with a sore foot, albeit it didn't look like a major injury. … Mark DeRosa (wrist) is available for pinch-running but probably won't start again until Tuesday. Teammate Kyle Lohse (forearm) is looking at one more rehab start before joining the Cardinals for a turn on July 12. 

Speed Round: Nyjer Morgan headed a reshuffled Washington lineup, going 0-for-4 with a walk and a steal. Cristian Guzman dropped to the No. 6 slot and posted a 4-0-2-3 line . . . Jimmy Rollins collected two more hits and is now 4-for-9 since rejoining the lineup. Philly went for seven early runs against Livan Hernandez, making a winner out of retread Rodrigo Lopez (6.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K). … You have to pitch to Albert Pujols when the bases are loaded, and he did the predictable thing against Cincinnati's David Weathers. … After allowing just three homers over eight starts, Tim Wakefield gave up two taters (en route to five runs and ten hits) in eight innings against the Mariners. Be very careful with Wakefield; he's had a nice run of late, but the knuckleball can be a cruel and fickle pitch, warmer weather is coming, and the AL East (not to mention Fenway Park) will eventually take its tax. … Frank Francisco had one of his smoother outings of late, retiring the Rays in order on just 13 pitches (11 strikes) in the ninth. C.J. Wilson took the eighth, putting away three of the four men he faced. … Another gem from John Danks (7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K), and all of a sudden the White Sox are playing inspired baseball. … The Padres aren't afraid to be aggressive with speedster Everth Cabrera. He swiped a base while the Friars were down 6-0 Friday, and it came while the pitcher was squared around to bunt. Generally it's a death sentence for any NL hitter batting eighth, especially a speedster, but it's encouraging that the club is turning Cabrera loose. … Hank Blalock is basically powerless against lefties these days, but he continues to hammer away at right-handed pitching. Fourteen of his 17 homers have come against the northpaws, along with a tasty .594 slugging percentage.

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Photos via Getty Images

Closer Scott Downs threw in the bullpen prior to today's game, testing that pesky sprained big toe on his left foot. Downs said recently that he would love to be activated from the DL this weekend -- he's now eligible. Said [manager Cito] Gaston: "I doubt if it'll be here, but who knows? ... We'd love to get him back as soon as we can." A lot will depend on how Downs feels on Saturday.

Jason Frasor owners, let's just hope we can get one more lousy save. Downs has been lights-out this year, delivering a 1.98 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, eight saves and a silly 7.00 K/BB. His job is secure; Frasor is a placeholder. 

Weekend programming notes: Closing Time and the Rundown will air at their regularly scheduled times during the holiday weekend, but they might be a little lean. We've all got stuff to explode. Important: I've got CT duty on Sunday and Ubaldo is scheduled to start. You know what to do.

And please remember, live scoring is now free. 

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Photo via Getty Images

For earlier results, follow the links: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4.

LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers FC - Round 5, Pick 1. As threatened, this team drafted another big man, filling a tricky position. Aldridge's post-break numbers from last year (19.1 PPG, 8.6 REB) are completely attainable for him over the course of a full season -- and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he exceeded 20.0 PPG. He'll shoot respectable percentages while giving you a steal and a block per night. (Behrens)

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs PG - Round 5, Pick 2. Not a bad consolation PG for a team that just missed out on D-Rose in Round 4. I'm not necessarily expecting another 22.0 PPG, but Parker remains a lock for 18-20 points, a terrific FG percentage, and a useful assist total (6.9 per game in '08-'09). (AB)

Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies F - Round 5, Pick 3. Gay didn’t build on his breakout 2008-09 season last year, instead dropping off in every category, albeit mostly slightly. Still, he contributes across the board and now entering his fourth year in the league, Gay should improve in 2009-10. (Del Don)

OJ Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies SG - Round 5, Pick 4. Mayo impressed as a rookie, averaging 18.5 PPG, 3.8 REB, 3.2 AST, 1.1 SPG and 1.8 3PT while shooting 87.9 percent from the free throw line. As previously mentioned here, players often make the biggest leap during their second year in the league, which means Mayo could be a monster this season. In hindsight, the 2008 NBA Draft looks extremely strong, especially the top-10. (DDD)

Hedo Turkoglu, Portland Trailblazers GF - Round 5, Pick 5.At this pick, I was obviously being mindful of finding a player with a solid FT% (see Dwight Howard pick in Round 2). But this team was also in need of assists and someone who can fill the small forward spot. Turkoglu is a check mark for each criteria, as he hit on nearly 81 percent of his free throws and also was fourth among small forwards last season with an average of 4.9 assists per game. I think he'll prove to be a nice fit in Portland alongside Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. (Funston)

Shawn Marion, Toronto Raptors F - Round 5, Pick 6. Marion’s star has fallen dramatically from a time not so long ago when he was considered a top-five lock. But he still offers unique value in his roto versatility -- low TOs, solid ratios, 8-plus rebounds and a block and steal per game. His scoring took a dip last season, mostly because he suddenly became a non-factor behind the arc (0.1 3PG) after averaging more than one three-pointer per game in each of the previous six seasons. His scoring did improve after he was dealt to Toronto, a D’Antoni-style offense, and I think there’s a decent chance he can rediscover his deep ball if he remains with the Raptors and develops a greater comfort level with the team. Either way, he’s a solid get this late in the draft. (BF)

Andris Biedrins, Golden State Warriors C - Round 5, Pick 7. Even with the drama-filled Nellie soap opera going on in Golden State over the couple seasons, Biedrins has managed to fly under the radar and has become the only player on that team whom you can really depend on to deliver consistent production from season-to-season. His shooting percentages dipped a bit last season, but he managed to set career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. (Phan)

Nene Hilario, Denver Nuggets FC - Round 5, Pick 8. Nene's comeback campaign ranked right up there with Dwyane Wade and teammate Chris Andersen as he battled back from testicular cancer to put up the best numbers of his career. You can't help but be a bit skeptical about his value heading into next season, but the upside of him putting up top 25 production once again is just too much to pass on at this stage in the draft. The Nuggets' frontcourt situation will remain the same, so the opportunity for him to match his '08 numbers is certainly there. (JP)

Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors FC - Round 5, Pick 9. Bargs took a solid step forward in his third season (15.4 PPG, 40.9 percent 3PT, 1.2 BPG) and I'm expecting even better things this coming year - he'll be locked in as the Raptors' starting center from the outset. His unorthodox and efficient fantasy line fits in well on this squad, as does his center-eligibility. (Buser)

Marcus Camby, Los Angeles Clippers FC - Round 5, Pick 10. Despite a drop-off in production, Camby finished the past season 24th in per-game impact and, despite missing 20 games, his season rank was a very solid 44th. The Zach Randolph trade not only clears the path for Blake Griffin but also means Camby's role as a backup big is now more significant, and starter Chris Kaman's recent injury history is much more extensive than Camby's. (MB)

Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers C - Round 5, Pick 11. We know the story here. He’s got the talent to be a fantasy force in the pivot (15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks is a reasonable per-game expectation). But he’s also fragile (almost a full season missed over last two years). With big men it’s easier to assume a guy is injury prone rather than unfortunate, but I’m willing to gamble at the C2 position on a guy who could easily be a top 10 force at his position. (Romig)

Ray Allen, Boston Celtics SG - Round 5, Pick 12. There’s not much going on here in the hustle categories (3.5 rebs, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks), but even in his advanced years Allen can still score and be a reliable source of 3s who won’t sap your field-goal percentage (41-percent treys in 2008-09). And OK, maybe I’m still a bit mesmerized by that 18-for-32 performance in Game 6 vs. the Bulls. That was special. (Mig)

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Photos via Getty Images

No doubt fireworks are on the way with the holiday weekend upon us, but there weren't a lot of explosions from the Thursday activity on the sandlots. Here's a peek at the notes I collected.

• Given how Albert Pujols has ripped through the National League over the decade, he's been walked less than you might suspect. Last year was the first time he collected more than 100 free passes (including 34 intentional walks), though he's going to sail past those numbers this year, sitting at 64 walks with 28 intentional. The Giants shifted their strategy after Pujols homered twice on Tuesday – Sir Albert received four intentional passes over the final two games of the series, including one in the first inning of Wednesday's game. Ryan Ludwick stands to benefit if Pujols starts receiving the "Bonds treatment" – he drove in three runs over the past two games, and has started to take some better cuts this week.

• Pittsburgh outfielder Garrett Jones has spent most of this decade in the minors and his prospect status expired a while ago (he just turned 28), but that doesn't mean we can discount him out of hand. He was in the midst of a solid campaign (.307, 12 homers, 14 steals) before the Pirates recalled him Wednesday, and Jones made an impact in his second start, collecting three extra-base hits (double, triple, homer) against the Mets. Jones batted third in his Pittsburgh debut and fifth Thursday, for what it's worth. You could make a worse spec play in deeper mixed groups.

• John Lackey was excellent for the third time in four starts Thursday (8 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 K) and he's probably someone I priced too low on the current Shuffle Up and Deal dollar values. He's gone at least seven innings in all but one of his last eight starts; when Lackey is right, this is a horse who gives you a chance to win every five days. He's going to allow his share of fly balls and homers, sure, but with his strikeout rate rallying back of late (31 over his last 30 innings), there's no reason to be paranoid here. Lackey should miss enough bats to be successful.

• The Diamondbacks played their usual game at Cincinnati Thursday – Mark Reynolds homered, Stephen Drew went hitless, and the Snakes lost. Doug Davis also followed his personal script to the season (pitching well with no win), allowing just one run over seven innings despite a whopping 11 baserunners. It would be nice if fantasy owners could sell high on Davis's 3.15 ERA (his FIP is in the mid-4s), but good luck finding someone who actually believes in this journeyman. His next start comes at home against San Diego.

• Derrek Lee didn't hit a lick in April but he's been mashing ever since – .326, 13 homers, 38 RBIs. He knocked two balls over the ivy and drive in seven as the Cubs cruised pass Milwaukee Thursday night. Alfonso Soriano once again was a healthy scratch; Sam Fuld lead off and went 2-for-4 with a walk (the same line as Wednesday night).

• Mark Buehrle had the Royals off balance all night Thursday, taking a shutout into the ninth despite just one strikeout. The hosts eventually got a run on David DeJesus's bloop double, setting up a cheap save for Bobby Jenks. Mark Teahen, who's owned Buehrle through the years, had two of Kansas City's six hits. Buehrle's next turn is a home start against scuffling Cleveland.

• Trey Hillman says that Miguel Olivo will keep his regular at-bats even when John Buck is ready to play again. Olivo's 12 homers in 190 at-bats get your attention, but he's walked just twice all year and it's unlikely he'll be hitting .258 very much longer. How badly do you need some pop at the position?

• Tim Redding was hammered yet again for the Mets Thursday (2.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R), pushing his ERA to 6.99 and his WHIP to 1.57. How many starts is New York going to waste on this guy? He's already toed the rubber nine times, and the Mets are just 3-6 in those games (albeit they rallied to win at Pittsburgh Thursday). You're a big market club, New York – figure something out.

Speed Round: Alex Gordon (hip) has hit Triple-A in his rehab work and should be back in the majors after the All-Star break. … Nate McLouth (hamstring) took BP and did some running Thursday but Bobby Cox nonetheless kept him out of the lineup. Yunel Escobar (hip) was able to go, however; he went 1-for-3, batting fifth. … Jimmy Rollins had a pair of singles at Atlanta, snapping his 0-for-28 skid. … Alexei Ramirez (finger) missed another game, while Jayson Nix homered in his absence. Ramirez says the injury only bothers him when he's throwing the ball, and it looks like he'll probably go Friday. … Todd Wellemeyer held the Giants down with a strong turn (7.1 IP, 2 R) and probably saved his rotation spot in the process. … A swarm of bees delayed the Astros and Padres for 52 minutes Thursday. Don't blame this one on Biggio and Bagwell – the game was played in San Diego. The Astros quieted the Kevin Correia buzz when order was restored, knocking him around for eight hits and six runs. … Is Ichiro Suzuki going to give Joe Mauer a run for his money? Ichiro hit .407 in June and he collected two more hits at Yankee Stadium Thursday, along with his 17th stolen base. Russell Branyan added his 20th homer in the top of the ninth, counterfeiting David Aardsma's save chance. … Jorge Posada had a minor thumb injury and was rested Thursday. … Joey Votto has been unstoppable since returning to the Reds, and he had four hits in Thursday's win, including the walk-off hit in the bottom of the tenth. It would be nice if Dusty Baker would wise up to Ryan Hanigan's professional bat; the good-looking catcher got a start and went 3-for-3, upping his average to .336. … Scratch Raul Ibanez (groin) and Mark DeRosa (wrist) from your weekend plans; neither player will be able to go until next week at the earliest. Ibanez's rehab assignment, twice pushed back, is now scheduled to begin Friday. … Bobby Abreu has three homers over the last eight games (including two Thursday) after hitting just three in his first 63 starts. With or without the power, he's still a useful fantasy player because the eyes (45 walks) and wheels (17-for-20 on steals) are intact.

Here's a look at all the starting-pitching options that look ownable in a mixed league right now. What's happened on the field to this point is merely an audition; what's below, in theory, would be my cheat-sheet if I had a new draft tonight. Players at the same cost are essentially even, and assume a 5x5 format, as always.

Next week I'll price the outfielders. Your respectful and intelligent disagreement is welcome in the comments, as always.

$30 Tim Lincecum
$28 Zack Greinke
$28 Roy Halladay
$28 Dan Haren
$26 Chad Billingsley
$26 Johan Santana
$26 Yovani Gallardo
$25 Josh Beckett
$25 Chris Carpenter
$25 Jon Lester
$24 CC Sabathia
$24 Justin Verlander
$23 Felix Hernandez
$22 Josh Johnson
$22 Javier Vazquez
$21 Cliff Lee
$21 Matt Cain
$20 Matt Garza
$20 James Shields

We're all flying blind on Santana. He just had the worst full month of his career. I know all about regression to the mean, but what if there's an injury here? I've called all my scouting and double-secret probation favors on this one, no one knows. … I tried to get Billingsley in all of my leagues and went 0-for. That's not fun. … If I knew Carpenter wouldn't break all year, he'd be a lot higher. But health is a skill, too. … Cain still walks too many guys and he's been cheating his peripherals all season. He's on my two most important teams, but if a good offer came along, I'd be selling.

$19 Cole Hamels
$18 Adam Wainwright
$18 Jered Weaver
$17 Rich Harden
$17 Joba Chamberlain
$17 Roy Oswalt
$17 Johnny Cueto
$16 Aaron Harang
$16 Carlos Zambrano
$16 A.J. Burnett
$16 Ted Lilly
$16 Edwin Jackson
$15 Clayton Kershaw
$15 Ricky Nolasco
$14 Wandy Rodriguez
$14 Tommy Hanson
$14 Scott Baker
$14 John Danks
$14 Gavin Floyd

Hamels has been just as frustrating as Santana, for different reasons. Did the 2008 workload (October included) take a toll? Maybe the early-season nicks were a blessing, he'll be fresh down the stretch. … Anytime you're ready, Joba. I'm giving you one more month to thrill us. … Nolasco's been a completely different guy since his demotion and he's passed the eye test as well. … Kershaw can't be priced as an elite arm until he learns how to work deeper in games. It's hard to get wins with all those early exits.

$13 Erik Bedard
$13 Mark Buehrle
$13 John Lackey
$13 Jair Jurrjens
$12 Max Scherzer
$12 Randy Wolf
$12 Ubaldo Jimenez
$12 Scott Kazmir
$12 Kevin Millwood
$11 Derek Lowe
$11 Edinson Volquez
$11 Kevin Slowey
$10 Jake Peavy
$10 Ryan Dempster
$10 Aaron Cook
$10 David Price
$9 Gil Meche
$9 Ricky Romero
$8 Francisco Liriano
$8 Jarrod Washburn
$8 Jordan Zimmermann

Lowe's never been a strikeout guy, but 2009 marks the lowest K/9 of his career, tied to a walk spike. What about the sinker, you say? It's the worst GB percentage of his career, too. I watched every pitch the other night and his command was a problem - he's not putting pitches where he wants them, and batters are taking advantage. At least the AL starts are over; the other league roughed him up. But I'm not optimistic here at all. … So many things are in line for Zimmerman to push forward in the second half (K/IP, FIP far under actual ERA), go get him low. … Everyone tells you to sell high on Millwood (us included), but who's buying? If you're got a story from the front lines, share it please.

$7 Ervin Santana
$7 Joe Saunders
$7 Randy Johnson
$7 Hiroki Kuroda
$7 Jason Marquis
$6 Chris Young
$6 Andy Pettitte
$6 Jose Contreras
$6 John Smoltz
$6 Dallas Braden
$5 Zach Duke
$5 Brad Bergesen
$5 Phil Hughes
$5 Kevin Correia
$5 Brandon Morrow
$4 Chad Gaudin
$4 Paul Maholm
$4 Felipe Paulino
$4 Chris Volstad
$4 Vin Mazzaro
$4 Chien-Ming Wang
$4 Rick Porcello
$4 Randy Wells
$4 Nick Blackburn
$4 John Lannan

Home/road splits aren't always reliable or worth applying, but I do think Pettitte belongs in the skim file right now. … Hughes is going to be needed for an important role in New York, eventually. … The second and third time around the league might be catching up to Porcello, not to mention all the bats he's hitting. I love his future, but bumps for 2009 are ahead.

$3 Carl Pavano
$3 Brad Penny
$3 Joel Pineiro
$3 Doug Davis
$3 Koji Uehara
$3 Clay Buchholz
$3 Scott Richmond
$3 Jeff Niemann
$3 J.A. Happ
$3 Jason Hammel
$2 Luke Hochevar
$2 Trevor Cahill
$2 Sean West
$2 John Maine
$2 Russ Ortiz
$2 Barry Zito
$2 Kenshin Kawakami
$2 Glen Perkins
$2 Mike Pelfrey
$2 Jorge De La Rosa

Ortiz has been handy for a month now, but given the back story I'm petrified to let him even sit on my bench. … I let Citi Field talk me into a deep-league Pelfrey here and there. I didn't realize the Mets wouldn't take defense seriously. … You're Charlie Brown, and Hochevar is Lucy with the Football. Good luck with that.

$1 Tim Wakefield
$1 Brian Tallet
$1 Brett Anderson
$1 Jamie Moyer
$1 Micah Owings
$1 Bronson Arroyo
$1 Jonathan Sanchez
$1 Dave Bush
$1 Sean Marshall
$1 Todd Wellemeyer
$1 Jason Vargas

Carlos Carrasco? Let's see a start first. Self-service on the singletons. I'll catch you in the comments.

For earlier results, follow the links: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3.

Stephen Jackson, Golden State Warriors GF – Round 4, Pick 1. There’s a give and take here. Captain Jack is good for 20 points, six boards and seven assists per game, and he’ll also get his hand in an occasional passing lane (career 1.3 steals per game). He’s also an erratic volume shooter and a high-dribbler, which makes him a triple threat on every possession – he can score, he can take an ill-advised shot in early offense or he can turn it over (career-worst 3.9 per game in 2008-09). The last two picks on this team (Garnett, Rondo) don’t shoot the three, so we’ll take some of the negative here to inherit Jackson’s 5-6 trey attempts per game. (Romig)

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs SG – Round 4, Pick 1. Ginobili was a top-30 player in per-game averages last year in a season cut short by injuries that delayed the start and forced an early end to his campaign. The Spurs got better as a team with the acquisition of Richard Jefferson and if there’s a guy who won’t skip a beat with a new sheriff in town it’s Ginobili, who does a little bit of everything and earns his buckets through hard work. He may never be a 19-point scorer again, but there’s a comfortable floor here and the steals and 3s aren’t likely going anywhere. (Mig)

Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors G - Round 4, Pick 3. I wanted nothing to do with Ellis this past season, but he deserves credit for gutting out 25 games on his ankle, with reasonable production to boot (per-game rank of 85). Another six months of rest and rehab should do wonders for him in 2009-10, and Ellis is one of the few players on the Warriors' roster who you don't have to worry about "the Genius" suddenly pulling from the rotation on a whim. Ellis' season rank was 23 in 2007-08, and I'm using pick 39 on him here. (Buser)

David West, New Orleans Hornets PF - Round 4, Pick 4. There's not a lot to dislike when it comes to West - he's consistently productive, efficient, and plays with the best point guard in the world. The Hornets are a two-man show these days - and, given their salary situation, for the foreseeable future - so West is going to continue to get as many touches as he can handle. West's respective season ranks over the past two seasons were 26 and 29, and I'm grabbing him with pick 40. (MB)

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic F - Round 4, Pick 5. I must be missing something here, but why is a player who has finished in the top 25 in each of the past four seasons still on the board in the mid-fourth? Things should be business as usual in Orlando heading into next season as the team won't miss a beat with Vince Carter sliding into Hedo Turkoglu's spot at small forward. There's been talk about the Magic pursuing Brandon Bass in free agency, but it shouldn't have a significant effect on Shard's production as he has proven to be adept at playing both the 3 and the 4. (Phan)

Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks FC - Round 4, Pick 6. After taking Durant, Calderon, and JRich in the Rounds 1-3, I needed to grab a big man who would beef up my boards, blocks, and FG percentage. Horford was huge after the break last season, putting up top-30 production: 13.0 PPG, 10.6 REB, 1.3 BPG, 1.0 SPG, and 53.2 percent from the field. Although the Hawks still have plenty of questions to answer during free agency, Horford's status as a double-double threat with upside is unaffected. (JP)

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics GF - Round 4, Pick 7. You know what you get with Pierce, and I was pretty happy to get it with the No. 43 pick. This team needed another big-time scorer after it took Jason Kidd and Brook Lopez with the previous two picks, and Pierce has done no worse than 19.6 points per game in any of the past 10 seasons. If he can keep his FG percentage above 46, his game has proven top 25 worthy. (Funston)

Mo Williams, Cleveland Cavaliers PG - Round 4, Pick 8. Continuing the quest to deemphasize Dwight Howard’s FT percentage impact on the team, I went with Williams, who knocked down freebies at a 91.2 rate last season. This squad also needed a point guard and some assists, and my hope is that, while LBJ will still start (and finish) offensive possessions a lot of the time, Williams will boost his assists mark back towards 6.0 because of the addition of Shaq and, perhaps, a free agent signee with some offensive skills. (BF)

Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers FC - Round 4, Pick 9. Brand was a big disappointment even before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury last year, averaging the fewest points (13.8), rebounds (8.8), assists (1.3) and blocks (1.6) of his career. Still, some explosiveness should return now two years removed from the Achilles’ injury, and his shoulder should be fully healed as well. There’s some risk with a player on the wrong side of 30 who has missed 127 games over the past two seasons, but Brand was typically a first-round pick last year, is center-eligible and has averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks during his career. He’ll be motivated for a bounce back, and playing in the Eastern Conference now comfortable in Philly, he could be a steal at this stage of the draft. (Del Don)

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls PG - Round 4, Pick 10. Rose is already one of the best point guards in the NBA, and while more threes and steals would be nice, there aren’t too many weaknesses in his game. With Ben Gordon gone and Kirk Hinrich likely to follow, this backcourt belongs to Rose, and he has the talent to take full advantage of it. Don’t be surprised if he’s a first-round pick in 2010. (DDD)

* BEHRENS PAUSES DRAFT *

That Rose pick was devastating, even in a mock. That's your steal right there. He nearly went in Round 3 instead of 'Melo. To quote Mr. Funston from an earlier write-up, "The biggest jump in value in a player’s career is most often from his rookie campaign to his second season." D-Rose is still just 20, and he's about to become the latest in a line of players (all sports) who've burned our commenting friend, MDS.

* BEHRENS RESTARTS DRAFT *

Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz FC - Round 4, Pick 11. This team was locked in on Rose, but Boozer will have to do. You know what you're getting here, no matter who employs Carlos next year: Double-digit rebounds, no fewer than 16 points per game, and a stellar field-goal percentage. It helps a little that I was glued to Game 3 of the Lakers-Jazz series, when Boozer went for 23 and 22. (Behrens)

David Lee, New York Knicks FC - Round 4, Pick 12. No, we can't say with perfect clarity where Lee will land, not on July 2. I'm hoping it's New York, where the points and boards will be plentiful (16.0 and 11.7 last year). There's a reason why you don't draft fantasy teams in mid-summer. Wherever Lee finds himself, he'll bring along his outstanding shooting percentages (56.4 career FG percentage). This squad needed rebounds, and they'll pick up a few more with the first pick in Round 5. (AB) 

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Photos via Getty Images

That's right, Yahoo! offers FREE LIVE SCORING, beginning now. As the marketing propaganda says, "You Talked. We Listened. We've improved StatTracker and made it free." Consumer surveys apparently revealed that our users prefer stuff that costs nothing versus stuff that costs $9.99. Odd but true.

Sign up today. It's quick, free and painless.

If you've already bought a Yahoo! PLUS league, you'll essentially get an early-bird special: Expect a full refund of your purchase price with continued access to features that remain unique to PLUS, like trade review, draft kits, scouting reports and league prizes. The new cost of PLUS is just $29.95. Not such a bad deal for those with a fondness for bobbleheads. 

Free StatTracker is clearly exciting, but that isn't the only enhancement to the game. New free features for '09 include the following:

• Free Agent Acquisition Budgets (FAAB). If you'd rather be at the mercy of the waiver queue, that remains an option. But if you'd prefer to actively bid against other owners for the right to acquire, say, Andre Brown in Week 3, then you're in luck. Yahoo! Football '09 is fully FAAB compliant. (Pictured right). The highest bidder wins the player. Management of FAAB resources is tricky, but that's a subject for a later feature.  

• Rivalry Week. Every private fantasy league has its own version of Bears vs. Packers (or, if your league includes a bejeweled octogenarian, Raiders vs. Chiefs). Yahoo!'s customized schedules allow your commissioner to establish a Rivalry Week, where ancient scores are settled. Incentivize these match-ups however you like. 

• New Flex and Individual Defensive Player (IDP) positions. Check the league settings below. If you're an IDP player -- and you really should be, because it's a stellar way to learn the NFL -- then you're going to be pleased. Last year's IDP game was checkers (Connect Four at best); this year it's chess. Please also note the number of divisions available in the '09 game, too. 

Before concluding the sales pitch -- and it's not really selling, per se, since everything you want is FREE -- we'll also remind you of a few additional details:

• Yahoo!'s 2008 preseason rankings were deadly accurate. We finished well ahead of every other major provider in the year-end ranking of the ranks. Look it up.

• We're keeper compatible. 

• Historically, the reliability of our game is unmatched. We don't break. You should perhaps want an Internet services company to host your online league. 

• Mock drafting is available whenever you need it. Dive right in. We're talkin' about practice, franchise. 

So let's summarize: If you want the most reliable and user-friendly game, superior player rankings, free live scoring, and new features that cater to the most competitive leagues, then sign up here. Operators are standing by. And if you just can't trust something that you didn't pay for, then please...order a magazine!

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Photo via Getty Images

It's Canada Day, everyone. Rejoice!

Toronto's Ricky Romero celebrated by shutting down the Rays -- baseball's highest-scoring team -- and extending his streak of scoreless innings to 20. His change-up was, as the kids say, filthy. (Highlights). Romero lowered his season ERA to 2.84 and his WHIP to 1.24. He now has 61 Ks in 72.2 innings. You can't really call Romero unusually lucky, since he entered Wednesday's start with a .292 BABIP.

Nonetheless, the left-hander has been dropped in over 2,000 leagues today, because streamers have no patience whatsoever. They just kicked an excellent pitcher to the waiver wire. Let's hope those six innings from Doug Davis on Thursday are worth it.

Those of you who kept Romero rostered will get two more starts before the All-Star break (at TB, at BAL). You don't mess with a streak. So far this month, the 24-year-old Romero has delivered terrific fantasy lines against Texas, Philadelphia (twice) and now the Rays. He's earned your trust.

Elsewhere in le base-ball d'imagination...

• Frank Francisco officially reclaimed the closer's role for the Rangers on Wednesday afternoon, and he blew a save just as officially on Wednesday night. He worked an unusually sloppy ninth, allowing a double, two walks, a wild pitch and a three-run homer to Juan Rivera. Francisco picked up an undeserved win, however, when Hank Blalock hit a walk-off shot against Justin Speier. I'm not quite ready to drop CJ Wilson. He pitched well during Francisco's absence, and he struck out the side in the eighth tonight against the Angels.

One more Texas note: Nelson Cruz exited in the sixth inning with lower back stiffness. He was replaced by 23-year-old rookie Julio Borbon (.298/.365/.387, 19 SB at Triple-A). 

• Leo Nunez earned his second save of the post-Matt Lindstrom era, working a perfect ninth against the Nats. Dan Meyer took the eighth. Under-owned Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann held an opponent to two runs or less for the fifth consecutive start, but he has just one win over that stretch.

• The Phillies begin a 10-game homestand on Friday, and there's been plenty of recent buzz about the possibility that 22-year-old Carlos Carrasco (pictured) might take the mound in the opener. But alas, you'll get former O's legend Rodrigo Lopez. No need to add.

• Justin Morneau left the Twins' 5-1 win with groin tightness, but after the game he declared, "I should be good to go by Friday."

• Facing the Rockies, Clayton Kershaw delivered the stat line that should be named in his honor: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 5 K, ND.

• Orlando Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 14 games, and his average reached .250 for the first time since April 30. He hasn't walked once during the streak.

• This is not your finest work, Alberto Callaspo.

• Alexei Ramirez has a finger injury of unknown severity, and he's not expected to play on Thursday. X-rays are scheduled. Apparently he hurt the finger on Tuesday while fielding balls during batting practice. If necessary the Sox can slide Gordon Beckham to short, which would likely give Josh Fields short-term relevance. Carlos Quentin (plantar fasciitis) claims that he's "getting closer" to a return, but it sounds like you should expect a lengthy rehab.

• Sam Fuld hit lead-off for the Cubs because Alfonso Soriano was resting and...well, because apparently the left-fielder always leads off. Lou Piniella (pictured) finally broke his string of ejection-less games, getting tossed for arguing (with cause) in the sixth. 

• Martin Prado has pushed aside Kelly Johnson in Atlanta, at least for the moment. Prado went 4-for-5 on Tuesday and 2-for-4 on Wednesday, batting second for the Braves. He's raised his average to .305. Atlanta has a four-game series at Colorado prior to the break, so it's not a bad time to give Prado a look.

• Eternal prospect Colby Rasmus hit a tenth inning walk-off against the Giants on Wednesday. (Give an assist to Pablo Sandoval; his error made it possible). Rasmus went 2-for-5 in the win, nudging his average to .270. The homer was his eighth this season. If you watch the Rasmus clip, stick around for the highlights of Adam Wainwright's many Ks. Silly breaking stuff there. 

The Cardinals received a relatively good report on Mark DeRosa's injured wrist:

"It's a huge relief," DeRosa said Wednesday afternoon. "Last night back at the hotel I was a little scared. When you hear a pop and when it's in one of those small tendons and joints and stuff like that, you never know."

DeRosa is expected to miss a few games, but the worst-case scenario seems to have been eliminated.

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Photos via US Presswire (Giant Jay) and Getty Images (Carrasco)

Washington is putting on a clinic in how to reduce the trade value of young, talented outfielders -- and the 25-year-old Dukes is clearly on the block. This from MLB.com's Bill Ladson:

The Nationals have been unhappy with their outfielders for quite some time. They have come to the conclusion that Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham belong in the American League as designated hitters ...

Really? Stunning. Let's continue: 

... and Elijah Dukes makes too many fundamental mistakes. ... Rizzo is far from done in terms of making deals. He is looking for a starting shortstop. The Nationals feel that Cristian Guzman, who is on the trade block, has lost a few steps. ... The team is also looking to trade Dukes, and that may be hard to do because he comes with a lot of off-the-field baggage. Who they want for Dukes is not known.

Dukes went 2-for-3 with a run scored last night, and he gunned down another base-runner. (Video here. Close play, nice throw). But he's struggled since returning from a hamstring injury (.586 OPS in June) and the Nats are playing .293 baseball, so they're out of patience. The future apparently belongs to Nyjer Morgan and Willie Harris.

Ladson also reports that Washington GM Mike Rizzo offered the following quote while announcing the Milledge/Morgan deal:

"We are open for business."

Maybe that's just irrational enthusiasm for the 29-year-old Morgan, but it sure seems like a clear signal that the trading desk is open. If you're an NL-only owner with Dunn or Guzman on the roster, beware.

Nationals Park has been a pitcher-friendly environment this year (with a disappointing food and beverage selection) and the team now finds itself in the bottom half of the league in runs scored (329). If position players leave via trade, they aren't likely to lose fantasy value. 

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Photo via Getty Images, dawg. I ain't even [expletive].

For earlier results, follow the links: Round 1, Round 2.

Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers GF - Round 3, Pick 1. Iguodala has played all 82 games in back-to-back seasons and -- like the other two pieces of this roster (Paul, Wallace) -- he fills the stat sheet thoroughly. Last year, the 25-year-old gave you 18.8 points, 5.7 boards, 5.3 assists, one three-pointer and 1.6 steals per game. A return to the '06-'07 free throw percentage (82.0) would be appreciated; Iguodala shot just 70.3 percent from the line after the break in '09.

It's no picnic drafting at the turn, by the way. Center is a tricky fill. None of the available names seems worthy of the 25th overall pick, but I'll listen to arguments in comments. (Behrens)

Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets SF - Round 3, Pick 2. With LeBron and Butler already rostered, perhaps 'Melo isn't the right fit here. But my fondness for elite scorers trumped my fondness for Derrick Rose (he'll be great, not merely good). And of course we're always looking to please Trigga Play. That's secretly the core mission of this blog. Anthony is a high-volume shooter who can still deliver excellent percentages (see '05-'06 to '07-'08). He'll also give you seven boards, a steal and a three. (AB)

Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks G - Round 3, Pick 3. Johnson’s 2008-09 campaign was nearly identical to his previous season, and when you’re averaging 21.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 boards and 1.9 threes, that’s a good thing. He may have to lose some shot attempts to the newly acquired Jamal Crawford, but few guards offer Johnson’s consistency and durability. (Del Don)

Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks F - Round 3, Pick 4. Smith’s numbers were down across the board last season, but that just means he’ll come cheaper at the draft table in 2009-10. It was nice to see him shoot a career-best 49.2 percent from the floor, and his career-worst 58.8 percent from the charity stripe should improve back to the 70.0-range this year. The big concern was the drop in blocks last season, but if Smith gets that back in the 2.5 range (last year marked the first time he was ever below 2.0 BPG in his career), he could be a steal. If rumors prove true of a trade to uptempo Phoenix, that would be even better. (DDD)

Kevin Martin, Sacramento Kings SG - Round 3, Pick 5. It’s maybe a few picks earlier than I’d like to take Martin, but remember, this team is consciously trying to negate Dwight Howard’s negative free throw percentage impact. Along with Nowitzki, Martin is another excellent piece of that puzzle. Last season, Martin and Howard were the only players in the league to average more than 10 free throw attempts per game. But, instead of being a coin-flip bet to make the shot each time he stepped to the charity stripe, he delivered a stellar 86.7 percent success rate, nearly 30 percent better than Howard. Of course, Martin also brings nice value in PTS, STL and 3PM. If he can play 70-plus games, I think we can make this Dwight Howard thing work in a roto format. (Funston)

Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets FC - Round 3, Pick 6. The biggest jump in value in a player’s career is most often from his rookie campaign to his second season. I expect that to be the case for Lopez, who was a borderline top 50 fantasy player in his inaugural NBA tour of duty. And he was inside the top 40 overall in the second half of the season. With Vince Carter gone, he’s expected to absorb more of the scoring load. Assuming his points output reaches a positive roto impact level this season (a two-point jump in scoring average would do the trick), he should offer six beneficial stat outputs from the center spot: PTS, REB. BLK, FG%, FT%, TO. With Granger and Kidd already in tow, Lopez is a good fit here. (BF)

Jason Richardson, Phoenix Suns GF - Round 3, Pick 7. Coach Alvin Gentry will look for Richardson to pick up much of the slack left behind after the Suns dealt a rejuvenated Shaquille O'Neal away to the Cavs for the corpse and expiring contract of Ben Wallace. JRich will have one of the best distributors in the game at his side along with a workable nucleus of Amar'e Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, and Earl Clark. Keep in mind that he is only 28 years old and still has a lot of run-n-gun left in him. Expect him to approach his '07-'08 level of production that ranked him among the top 15 players in the league. (Phan)

Mehmet Okur, Utah Jazz FC - Round 3, Pick 8. With the future of the Jazz's frontcourt very much up in the air heading into the free agency period, we can only draw two assumptions from the situation that apply to next season: 1) Okur will be the team's starting center, and 2) it is highly unlikely that both Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap will be wearing Jazz uniforms. Okur will surely be a bigger part of the offensive scheme than he ever was in the past, and with a floor rank value in the mid-40s, there is little risk but a lot of reward to be had here. (JP)

Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards SG - Round 3, Pick 9. By the time the regular season rolls around, Agent Zero will be a full year removed from left knee surgery. He's got some wiggle room up and down from here, depending on the updates, but there aren't a lot of players left in the pool with his potential in terms of nine-category roto impact. From 2004-2006, Arenas' per-game rankings were 11th, ninth and sixth. Even though he's not likely to climb all the way back up the mountain, he merits pick No.33 ... particularly in early July. (Buser)

Vince Carter, Orlando Magic SF - Round 3, Pick 10. VC's contributions are a nice complement to the two bigs (of varying repute) that are already on board here (Al Jeff and Murph). You have to give Carter at least a bit of relative credit for playing out this past season as he did, and all the variables are lining up for some serious motivation to succeed this coming season. Something of particular note for fantasy purposes is that, in replacing Hedo Turkoglu in Orlando, he certainly shouldn't miss a beat in terms of usage. (MB)

Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards SF - Round 3, Pick 11. Jamison is one of those guys you never get excited about drafting, but for fantasy purposes his owners very rarely feel like they're due a refund. His one season as a role player in Dallas didn't work out, but since then he's been good for in the neighborhood of 20 points, nine boards, one steal and 1.5-2 3-pointers per game. A healthy return for Arenas will likely drain a bit of Jamison's offensive production, but he was a 19.8 ppg scorer in the Agent's last full campaign. (Romig)

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics PG -- Round 3, Pick 12. We've got a couple good passers on board here with Brandon Roy and Kevin Garnett, but no true point guard yet, which brings us to Rondo. His playoff run was otherworldly at times -- three triple-doubles, one 19-assist game and two near 30-point efforts. So of course the Celtics are (allegedly) shopping him around. Rondo doesn't shoot FTs particularly well, but he's not a volume shooter from the line, so his lone category weakness is easy to overcome. (Mig)  

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Photos via Getty Images

There's no reason to force a theme on you tonight – obviously June 30, 2009 will go down in world history as the day the Yankees acquired Eric Hinske. If the shock has worn off from that deal and you're ready to move onto other stories and players, enjoy the bulleted content below.

• It's time to start collecting theories on Johan Santana's slump. He lost again at Milwaukee Tuesday (6 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K), and he has just 18 strikeouts over his last six turns (to go along with a 6.19 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, the worst full month of his career). Is his surgically-repaired left knee giving him a problem? Is it a blister? Is he tipping his pitches? Perhaps it's a concentration issue – somehow, Santana has issued five walks to opposing pitchers over the course of the year. Let's collect as much intelligence as possible and get through this together, gamers. Santana's next turn comes on the weekend at Philadelphia.

• The Rangers finally had a laugher at Arlington, throwing nine runs, four homers and five steals at Joe Saunders and the Angels. Marlon Byrd slugged two of the homers, while Elvis Andrus swiped four of the bags. The only Texas starter left out of the fun was, predictably, Chris Davis; he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and is down to .202. What would it take to get this guy benched or demoted?

• Derek Lowe took a step forward with a quality start against the Phillies (6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K), though the execution wasn't as tidy as the numbers might suggest. Lowe's command was off most of the night – although he had just two unintentional walks, he was missing his target consistently – and the Phillies had him in trouble just about every inning. It's too early to say the sky is falling on this established pro, but at this point I'm expecting that his end-of-year ERA will be 4.00 or higher and everyone knows there's not a lot of strikeout upside here. If he beats Washington on the weekend, get aggressive and downshift into sell mode.

• Jason Marquis continues to have a snappy little season that no one believes in. He threw a gem of a game at Chavez Ravine Tuesday night (two-hit shutout, 66 of 86 pitches were strikes), improving to 10-5 on the year, and yet he can't get a shred of respect in the fantasy community. Marquis has been on the NL Tout Wars trading block all season without a nibble, and in an NL-West-only mini draft this week that included 25 pitchers being selected, Marquis's name never came up.

Marquis has outperformed his FIP to this point but it's not a huge gap (4.36 vs. 4.22 entering Tuesday night), and a major ground-ball spike this year (57.2 percent) has kept him out of trouble more often than not. It's never easy recommending a low-strikeout arm or a Coors Field pitcher, but I've finally accepted that this Marquis run isn't one giant fluke.

• The surging George Sherrill grabbed save No. 17 on Tuesday, stranding a couple of Boston runners and putting the caps on a crazy win for the Orioles (Boston led 10-1 at one juncture, then watched the hosts score 10 runs in the seventh and eighth innings). If the Baltimore front office is thinking proactively, it will realize how fungible relief pitching can be and aggressively shop Sherrill at the trade deadline; he must be impressing some other clubs right now, given that he's been scored on just once in his last 21 appearnces. Star center fielder Adam Jones wasn't a part of Tuesday's rally; he left the game early after crashing into the outfield wall. We'll check on his shoulder and neck Wednesday.

Injury Blog: The second opinion on Carlos Beltran's knee came back positive – he's merely got a bone bruise, apparently, and although a timetable hasn't been set yet, the club is hoping he'll be able to come back after the All-Star break. … Josh Hamilton (abdomen) remains on pace to potentially rejoin the Rangers this weekend, with Saturday being the earliest day the Rangers would get him back. The key test comes Thursday, when he'll get aminor-league start in the outfield. … Adrian Gonzalez left Tuesday's game with a strained right knee; we'll see what we learn on this Wednesday. … Scott Downs (toe) had a little discomfort during his bullpen session Tuesday but nothing major. He's probably week-to-week at this point. … Rather than consider Mike Lowell (hip) day-to-day for an extended period of time, the Red Sox decided to put him on the DL and pick up a healthy body for the interim. He shouldn't be out past the minimum rest time. … The Mariners think they might have Erik Bedard (shoulder) ready to go Saturday against Boston (on a limited pitch count, per the Seattle Times), but Adrian Beltre (shoulder) finally had surgery and is gone for 6-8 weeks. … Nate McLouth (hamstring) and Yunel Escobar (hip) remain absent from the top of the Atlanta order, though each player took BP Tuesday and were in the preliminary lineup. … Matt Lindstrom's elbow apparently isn't in such terrible shape, and he might be able to begin a throwing program this weekend according to the Miami Herald. While he's getting right, Fredi Gonzalez will continue to mix and match in the ninth inning, with Dan Meyer and Leo Nunez getting most of the consideration. … Chipper Jones tok an awkward swing during his second at-bat Tuesday and briefly slumped to the ground in discomfort, but he wasn't forced out of the game. When we're talking about a player with Chipper's recent physical history, you take every nick and tweak seriously.

Speed Round: Jimmy Rollins was back in the Philly lineup but with the same old results - 0-for-5, two strikeouts. He's hitless over his last 24 trips. … Everybody gets hit sometimes department – Chris Carpenter (5 IP, 11 H, 6 R) didn't have it against the Giants, and Cliff Lee was batting practice for the White Sox (3 IP, 11 H, 7 R) . . . Albert Pujols (two more homers) isn't from this planet, and that's all I have to say about that. … Ryan Theriot was dropped to the No. 8 spot against Pittsburgh. He had one of Chicago's six hits on the night in the shutout loss; the unassuming Ross Ohlendorf had his way with the Cubs offense (7 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 8 K). … Brandon Morrow's return to the starting rotation continues to be a work in progress; his messiest start to date came Tuesday at Yankee Stadium (4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 4 K). He's yet to work more than five innings since the change came a few weeks ago. … J.P. Howell worked for the fourth time in five games and put away the Jays with a scoreless ninth inning. … It took a little while for Gordon Beckham to get comfortable, but he's been swinging sweetly for the White Sox over the last five days (10-for-17, with a homer and bag thrown in). He's up to .267 over 75 at-bats.

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Images via Associated Press

Whoops, sorry. Somehow we dropped a bunch of letters from Braylon's name. Weird. Just dropped 'em. They were right there, but we couldn't hold on. Strange. Hmm.  

Pianowski says: It's not difficult to build a smear campaign against Braylon Edwards. He dropped passes by the truckload in 2008, and the Browns offense couldn’t find the end zone with a GPS system. Chad Ochocinco’s quarterback has Pro Bowl upside, while Edwards has to deal with a journeyman (Derek Anderson) and an unproven kid (Brady Quinn).

That said, fantasy success is often tied to having a short memory. I’m happy to play the opportunity and talent card on Edwards, getting a tasty price after last year’s crash landing.

By picking Edwards you get a receiver who’s two inches taller, five years younger, and infinitely less likely to go AWOL. Cleveland’s passing game will feature Edwards no matter what – there’s no proven No. 2 receiver and Kellen Winslow is gone. Edwards is also playing for his next contract. And as ugly as the 2008 stats and pictures were, he is just two years removed from a game-changing season (1289 yards, 16 TDs).

Johnson, err, Ochocinco has to fight for his looks in Cincinnati, where Laveranues Coles and Chris Henry share the field. Carson Palmer is saying positive things about Chad now, but two months back he seemed fed up with the veteran wideout. Even in 85’s best days, he’s never been a dynamic touchdown guy – he hit double-digits just once. When you’re selecting that No. 2 or No. 3 receiver for your roster, it’s no time to play it safe. Edwards has the potential to win your league for you; that tag no longer applies to Sir Whines a Lot in Cincinnati.

Behrens says: Yikes...this is quite the decision.

Possibilities for our next Spin Doctors include "lethal injection vs. public stoning," "beets vs. radishes," and "fleas vs. ticks." Can't wait to write those.

Look, no one is asking you to like Ochocinco. But for fantasy purposes, you need to appreciate his skills and his situation. From 2003 to 2007, Ocho averaged 1374 yards, 92.4 receptions and 8.6 TDs per season. Yes, he's 31, but that's not the end of line for receivers. Two years ago, in Edwards' breakout campaign, Chad actually gained more yards (1440 to 1289) and caught more passes (93 to 80).

Edwards led the NFL in drops (officially 16) and passes-not-caught (83) in 2008. His catch-percentage was an atrocious 39.9. It was a disastrous season, and the Browns averaged just 14.5 points per game. If you think anyone on that team is approaching 16 TDs this year...well, I'll take that bet.

In fantasy, I'll also take the guy with the superior quarterback, a much greater history of success, and a renewed commitment.

"It's obvious that [Ocho's] hungry," said Carson Palmer. "It's obvious that he's embarrassed about last year and wants to make a change."

"He's looking a lot quicker, faster," said Andre Caldwell.

"He's in a lot better shape," said Marvin Lewis. "He worked at it."  

The Bengals are more likely than the Browns to return to their '07 level of production (23.8 PPG, 250.8 pass yards), and Chad is a safer play than Braylon at their ADP (Rounds 5-7).

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For earlier results, just follow the links: Round 1.

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics PF – Round 2, Pick 1. To get the jump on the folks in the gallery below, yes Garnett’s minutes have declined for two consecutive years – his 31:06 per game last season was his lowest total since his rookie year – and he’s recovering from knee surgery, no slam dunk at age 33. The Celtics want Big Baby back as KG insurance, but they also appear willing to part with Ray Allen or Rajon Rondo, a sign they still think Garnett can be centerpiece of a title team. They’re expecting Garnett to be 100 percent for camp. He fell just outside the top-10 in per-game fantasy output last season. Healthy, we’d expect first-round returns. (Romig)

Deron Williams, Utah Jazz PG – Round 2, Pick 2. Some day, perhaps shortly after Bud Selig retires and Barry Bonds is elected to the Hall of Fame on his sixth ballot, sports historians will abandon steroids and cast a critical eye on the NBA’s juiced-ball era. Do you realize that of the top 30 single-game assist totals in NBA history, 15 were recorded between 1988-1992? Only one of the top-25 single-season assist totals has been recorded in the last 10 years. My point: now that all those NBA official scorers have been reassigned to Mellon Arena and tasked with making sure Sidney Crosby gets at least a secondary assist on every Pittsburgh goal from now until 2025, the assist is harder to come by. This makes Williams’ back-to-back 10.5-plus assist seasons all the more remarkable. He’s also an efficient scorer who will provide in the neighborhood of 19 points, one 3-pointer and one steal per game. (Mig)

Troy Murphy, Indiana Pacers FC - Round 2, Pick 3. Murphy followed up Mike Dunleavy's breakout season with a breakthrough of his own, setting career-highs in four of six positive counting stats (2.2 3PT, 11.8 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.8 SPG) while maintaining an incredible level of efficiency (47.5 FG%, 45.0 3PT%, 82.6 FT%, 1.6 TO). He finished the season ranked seventh in per-game impact and only improved as the season went on. Murphy is once again poised to have a huge season in the very friendly Indiana system, paticularly with Mike Dunleavy's timetable being completely wide open, and he'll validate a pick here even if his numbers regress slightly. (Buser)

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns PG - Round 2, Pick 4. Nash was the 12th ranked player in per-game impact after Alvin Gentry took over last season, and that was with Shaquille O'Neal still on the roster. The Shaq trade frees the Suns to return to their fun-and-gun ways, so Nash regains elite status for roto re-draft purposes (and most others as well). He'll get occasional rest and won't push for 35 minutes per game, but the fantasy impact will be there. (MB)

Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets PG - Round 2, Pick 5. I have absolutely no problem dialing up the Department of Redundancy Department once again to lock up a player who hasn't dropped outside of the top 20 in cumulative value a single time over the past five seasons. To give you some historical perspective, only two other players have accomplished this feat over that five-season span – LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki. (Kobe fell short in '04-'05 with a cumulative rank of 28) Mr. Big Shot is well into his 30s but has shown no signs of slowing down. Count on him to deliver another 75-game season of 17 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 treys, and a steal.

Jose Calderon, Toronto Raptors PG - Round 2, Pick 6. There isn't a whole lot of flash and flare to Calderon's game, but his record-breaking efficiency alone makes him a fantasy commodity and vaults him into the top 20. His 4.3 AST:TO ratio topped fantasy-MVP Chris Paul's figure, while his 151-154 (98.1%) conversion rate on free throws shattered Calvin Murphy's record that had stood for 18 seasons. Calderon opted to undergo surgery during the offseason to repair a damaged ligament in his left ring finger and should be better than ever heading into training camp.

Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks PG - Round 2, Pick 7. Those who avoided Kidd last season because of his odometer reading missed out on a top-10 performance in the Yahoo! game. Despite being 36 years old, Kidd has managed to remain healthy – four straight seasons of 80-plus games played. He also maintained his career-average of two steals per game last season, while dropping his turnovers to a very palatable 2.3 per game clip. Teamed with Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas has proven to be a nice home for Kidd. But rumors that New York has sincere interest in signing Kidd in free agency this summer, and a reciprocal interest from Kidd, is an enticing scenario to consider. Running the point for head coach Mike D’Antoni, whose teams haven’t finished out of the top five in scoring offense in any of the past five seasons … well, one just needs to look at Chris Duhon to see what kind of an impact D’Antoni’s system can have on a point guard. (Funston)

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic C - Round 2, Pick 8. I’m no doubt playing with fire here by agreeing to take on fantasy’s single-most negatively impacting stat last season -- Howard’s 59.4 free-throw percentage. Call this an experiment, though, as this mock team’s roster also possesses Dirk Nowitzki, who produced the third-most positively impacting FT mark last season -- 6.7 attempts per game at an 89.0 clip. Based on last year’s numbers, Nowitzki and Howard combined for a 66.2 free throw shooting percentage, which still leaves me with a lot of work to do in the category. Foul shooting accuracy will have to figure into the thought process for every pick on this team the rest of the way. If you throw out free throw shooting, Howard was the fourth-most valuable fantasy player last season. If his charity stripe work can be somewhat negated, he’s a nice deal at No. 20 overall. (BF)

Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets PG - Round 2, Pick 9. Harris truly broke out last season, averaging 21.3 PPG, 6.9 APG and 1.7 SPG while finally given more than 30 minutes per game for the first time in his career. His wiry frame is a concern as far as durability, but at age 26, there’s also still room for further growth. And with Vince Carter traded away to Orlando, Harris is going to assume an even bigger role in the offense -- and since he also averaged 7.7 APG after the All-Star break last season, a monstrous 2009-10 could be in store. (Del Don)

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs FC - Round 2, Pick 10. Duncan is trending the wrong way, as his rebounds, steals and blocks all declined in 2008-09 compared to the previous season. While his minutes will continue to be monitored with San Antonio concentrating more on the postseason than the regular season, Duncan remains a double-double machine and an effective shot-blocker. Few center-eligible options offer his assist production as well. Duncan is 33 years old and has accrued a ton of mileage throughout his career, but he’s played in at least 75 games in each of the past four seasons. With other owners looking for the next big thing and Duncan being past his prime, he now comes at a discount on draft day. (DDD)

Caron Butler, Washington Wizards GF - Round 2, Pick 11. My greatest fantasy weakness -- other than an inexplicable fondness for Boof Bonser -- is an appreciation for offseason self-hype. When elite players say things like this, I'm interested:

"I know, personally, I will be in the best shape of my life, the best condition of my life. Physically, mentally, I will be better than ever. I will have the best year of my career next year. I'm putting that on paper. I will have the best year of my career, on the court and off the court. I will be seriously ready."

Butler's per-game averages were excellent last year (20.8 PPG, 6.2 REB, 4.3 AST); it's all about durability. He's missed at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons. But even if this career-year stuff is just lip service, he'll be a useful fantasy piece. He's paired with LeBron James here. (Behrens)

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats F - Round 2, Pick 12. And here's another multi-category beast with durability issues. Wallace's improved shooting percentages boosted his value significantly last season; he was a 60-something percent free throw shooter as recently as '06-'07, but last year he cracked 80 percent. You know you're getting points (16.7 in '08-'09), rebounds (7.8), blocks (0.9) and steals (1.7). In fact, with Wallace and Chris Paul on the roster, this team may already have a steals surplus. (AB)

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The Bucs controlled the news of the day Tuesday with a couple of trades, the major one involving Milledge. Pittsburgh shipped Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to Washington in exchange for Milledge (currently rehabbing in the low minors off a finger injury) and Joel Hanrahan. On the trading undercard, the Pirates sent Eric Hinske to the Yankees in exchange for two Single-A prospects (C/OF Eric Fryer, RHP Casey Erickson).

It's a excellent job of buying low by the Bucs. While there are no guarantees that Milledge will ever put things together and become the star most of us expected, his upside is far and away the biggest of anyone in this deal and he's still just 24. Let's not forget the production he posted down the stretch in 2008 (.299, seven homers, 11 steals over his final 58 games). Morgan is five years older and we're seeing him at the top of his game right now – a fourth outfielder on a good club, a starter on a weaker team. He'll probably settle in as Washington's regular center fielder, which nixes Willie Harris's moment of glory and also complicates the issue for Elijah Dukes and Josh Willingham.

It's not clear yet what the Pirates plan to do with Milledge initially; the Nationals scapegoated him and dispatched him to the minors in April, but a focused Milledge can probably help a big-league club immediately. In deeper mixed fantasy leagues where the outfield pickings are slim, I'd strongly consider grabbing Milledge right now, at least until we know how the Bucs plan to play this out. In leagues with 10 owners or less, I'd hold off on a move (unless you're just trying to get past the boredom of a stupid bloody Tuesday).

Hanrahan's got the raw stuff to someday get a look at closing again down the line, but the Pirates have a mechanics and confidence rebuild with him first; he's probably done as a fantasy commodity in 2009. Burnett is a name to clip-and-save; the lefty and former first-round pick has quietly broken through this year (3.06 ERA, 1.14 WHIP), and might get some late-inning consideration in Washington if and when the Mike MacDougal experiment hits a rough patch. Burnett has been dominant against lefties and strong against righties this year, so he might be an exception to the general convention against left-handed closers.

And there's one more name that's tied to all these trades, Pittsburgh outfielder Garrett Jones. The 28-year-old outfielder was recalled from Triple-A after the Hinske deal and while he's too old to be considered a true prospect any longer, he is in the middle of a productive year (.307/.348/.502, 12 homers, 14 steals). It will be interesting to see how John Russell fills out the lineup card tonight.

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CARLOS BELTRAN'S SEASON (CAREER?) COULD HINGE ON DIAGNOSIS

Last Monday, Beltran was placed on the disabled list due to an expanding bone bruise in his right knee. This Monday, he was in Vail, Colorado visiting Dr. Richard Steadman, the guy who invented microfracture surgery.

The Mets keep calling it a second opinion, which of course it is, but it's something more ominous as well. Dr. Steadman is really the new Dr. Andrews. This from Newsday:

The Mets were hoping to have Beltran return after two weeks on the DL, but the visit with Steadman could have more far-reaching implications. Beltran had surgery on both knees in October 2007 that was described as a debridement of the patellar tendons, essentially a cleaning up of tissue in that area.

Beltran initially denied that this recent injury was related to his previous operation, but it is possible that wear and tear could have further damaged his right knee, which has always been more of a problem than the left. That could make him a candidate for microfracture surgery, which stimulates the growth of new cartilage by drilling small holes in the bone.

There's plenty of speculation in that report, obviously, and few hard facts. But you'll recall that New York GM Omar Minaya wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine when Beltran hit the DL:

"If we get him back for the second half, after the All-Star Break, I'd sign up for that right now." 

Interestingly enough, the Mets' Web site managed to cover Beltran's visit to Vail without ever using the word "microfracture." Their report simply refers to Dr. Steadman as someone "who specializes in the surgical and conservative treatment of knee disorders."

They do not add "...with a four-month minimum recovery time."

Beltran has been a five-category contributor this year -- he's on pace for a 96-19-96-26-.336 season despite the missed time -- so there's no way to easily replace him for fantasy purposes, unless you're in a very small league. If you're looking to the free agent pool, you really need to identify one or two categories where you can least afford to do without Beltran's contributions. This could lead to a wheel play where you don't necessarily add an outfielder -- although 10 percent owned Nate Schierholtz is scorching hot -- but instead add the best available source for short-term steals, without regard to position (like, say, four percent owned SS Everth Cabrera).

It's fantasy triage, basically, while you wait for news from Vail. The Mets themselves are rumored to have an interest in Adam Dunn, Nick Johnson, Aubrey Huff and Matt Holliday. (Link, link).

If you traded Beltran two weeks ago because you have the gift of precognition, please comment...

UPDATE, 1:15 pm: The early reports from Vail aren't too bad, all things considered. Via the Daily News:

Dr. Richard Steadman, who examined Beltran on Monday, agreed with the team medical staff’s assessment that the center fielder is suffering from a bone bruise. Steadman is expected to recommend Beltran remain inactive slightly longer than Mets doctor David Altchek initially suggested — until after the All-Star break.

That's fine news for those of us who've been staring at this nonsense every morning:

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Five weeks ago Ricky Nolasco was the guy killing your season. Today, he's the arm pitching you back into contention. Queue the Dennis Green clip – Nolasco, in the end, is who we thought he was, one of the most dynamic pitchers in the National League.

Nolasco carried a shameful 9.07 ERA when the Marlins optioned him to Triple-A in late May, but it's been a redemption song since he came back to the majors. He won his third consecutive start Monday against Washington, retiring the last 13 men he faced over an eight-inning gem (4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 K). Nolasco was ahead in the count all night and needed just 106 pitches – basically one for every Florida fan in attendance on this drizzly evening. He's fashioned a tidy 1.91 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over his last five starts, with 33 strikeouts (and just five walks) over 33 innings. Ace numbers, indeed. He's got a tasty matchup on the weekend, getting Pittsburgh at home.

Stats are one thing, but Nolasco was just as impressive to the eye on Monday night. While he didn't consistently have his best fastball (Ryan Zimmerman clocked one out of the county in the second), Nolasco was able to throw his slider and curve for strikes all night and he changed speeds brilliantly. The Nats took a bunch of defensive swings and in truth they were lucky to get their second run (courtesy of a fluke infield hit). Had the pitcher's spot not been due up to lead off the bottom of the eighth, Nolasco probably could have gone the route.

While Nolasco's start wasn't that much of a surprise given his recent success, it was a stunner to see Scott Olsen sparkle on the other side (7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 7 K). Olsen was making his first turn off shoulder problems and he certainly looked healthy; his slider was biting all night and he had a few extra ticks on his fastball (getting into the 90s). It's going to take more than one strong appearance for me to buy into the Olsen story – he's been mediocre for far too long – but this start at least puts him back on the scouting radar. Let's see what he's able to do with the Braves this weekend

The other story of note from this duel came from the top of the ninth inning, when Fredi Gonzalez spun the closing carousel again. Southpaw Dan Meyer had a shot to close out a two-run victory but Gonzalez gave him the hook when two of four men reached; surprisingly, it was a pair of singles from lefties Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn that forced Meyer out. Leo Nunez entered and sealed the deal, getting Josh Willingham to fly out to deep center.

• The Cubs finally got to use their blueprint from the winter in Monday's 3-1 victory over Pittsburgh. Rich Harden started things off with seven strong frames (9 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K), Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg worked a perfect inning each, and Milton Bradley (two hits, RBI) sparked the offense. Jake Fox also had a hand in the victory (3-1-2-0, plus a walk); it will be interesting to see what his role becomes when Aramis Ramirez is ready to play in July.

• Has Rick Porcello hit the rookie wall? He's got just 12 whiffs over his last six turns, and he didn't strike anyone out in a mediocre effort against Oakland Monday (4.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 BB). His ERA crept up to 3.90 after the poor turn, and you're losing ground with his 1.42 WHIP. A heavy ground-ball trend (56.9 percent) has been cushioning Porcello most of the year, but not all of the secondary numbers back his case; his FIP has been trading in the high 4s most of the year (it was 4.82 entering Monday). I'd buy stock in Porcello's career prospects for sure, but I'm concerned over what we might see as he circulates around the league for a second and third time. Caveat emptor.

• Don't brush off Gavin Floyd's impressive start in Cleveland on Monday (7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K); the Indians entered the night as the third-highest scoring club in the majors behind the Rays and Yankees. Floyd has been one of the AL's best starters over the last six weeks, quietly posting a 1.39 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over that span along with 46 strikeouts. His overall stats aren't as good as they were in 2008, but the component stats defend Floyd this time around (it was the opposite last year). No one expects this recent surge to continue indefinitely, but he's a legitimate asset in a mixed league.

• Carlos Beltran got a second opinion on his ailing right knee Monday, the New York Daily News reports, and the doctor consulted just so happens to specialize in microfracture surgery. The Mets insist that's just a coincidence and there's no bigger story here. Stay tuned.

Speed Round: Aramis Ramirez (shoulder) is expected to begin a rehab assignment Thursday. … Colby Rasmus (hiatal hernia) was pulled from Monday's lineup, and it will be interesting to see how much he plays in the rest of the San Francisco series with two lefties coming over the next three days (southpaws have owned him all year). … Alexei Ramirez left Monday's game after taking a Chris Perez pitch off the helmet but he didn't seem concerned afterwards. Dexter Fowler also took a shot off the helmet in LA (courtesy of a Rafael Furcal throw), but was abe to stay in the game. … Josh Hamilton (abdomen) DHed for his first rehab game, going 1-for-4 with a stolen base. … Raul Ibanez (groin) probably won't be ready to come off the DL when first eligible Friday. … Scott Downs (toe) will do some throwing off a mound Tuesday, though it looks like a long shot that he'll be ready to go on the weekend. … Jeff Niemann allowed just one run over 7.1 innings at Toronto, outdueling Roy Halladay, albeit he struck out just one. … There's nothing I can tell you about Tim Lincecum (shutout at St. Louis) and Jon Lester (7 IP, 0 R, 8 K) that you don't already know; do your sack dance in the comments. … Edwin Encarnacion (wrist) might be able to rejoin the Reds on the weekend, though Dusty Baker sets the timetable at 7-10 days. … The Dodgers and Rockies combined to use 14 pitchers in LA's 12-inning victory Monday. Much-rested Jonathan Broxton was in top from for his one inning (three strikeouts, a few 100-mph fastballs), while the Rockies finally gave Huston Street a day off after three straight days of work (he's got 13 appearances this month). … Rest was also the order of the night for J.P. Howell, who got two saves and a win on the weekend against Florida. Randy Choate picked up a one-batter rogue save north of the border, retiring Lyle Overbay to close out the Jays.

Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets PG - Round 1, Pick 1. OK, fine, so he only blocked 10 shots last year. Elsewhere, Paul was exceptional (except maybe in Game 4 vs. Denver). He comfortably led the NBA in assists (11.0) and steals (2.8) while finishing eighth in scoring (22.8). Paul was also among the NBA's top rebounding guards (5.5), and his shooting percentages were outstanding (50.3 FG, 86.8 FT). He's a cornerstone. (Behrens)

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers SF - Round 1, Pick 2. James doesn't thoroughly own any single fantasy category quite like Paul owns both assists and steals, but of course he's an across-the-board monster: 28.4 PPG, 7.6 REB, 7.3 AST, 1.7 STL, 1.2 BLK, 1.6 3PT. His improved free throw percentage (69.8 percent in '06-'07, 78.0 in '08-'09) is no small thing, considering how often he gets to the line. James seems capable of leading the league in anything he likes, and he's still just 24. (AB)

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat G - Round 1, Pick 3. An easy choice. With Wade finally developing a three-point shot, he could strongly be considered with the No. 1 pick. Durability remains a concern, as well as turnovers in leagues that use that category, but Wade led the league in scoring last year while shooting a remarkable 49.1 percent from the field and finishing second in the NBA with 2.2 steals per game. He’s a beast. (Del Don)

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers SG - Round 1, Pick 4. With better teammates surrounding him, Bryant’s numbers decreased across the board last season, as he saw his fewest minutes per game since his second year in the league. That trend should continue in 2009-10, especially considering the fact Bryant is approaching 1,000 games played in his career. Still, at age 31, any decline will hardly be precipitous. Bryant can still fill a stat sheet, and another run at a scoring title can’t be ruled out. (DDD)

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks PF – Round 1, Pick 5. It’s all about consistency with Dirk. Even in a season when he had to deal with a "girlfriend" who was arrested for forgery and felony theft charges, and who was known by law enforcement to have at least 14 different aliases, Nowitzki still managed to log his usual top five season in the Yahoo! game. He’s now put together a string of nine consecutive seasons with at least 76 games played and averages of at least 21.8 points and 8.4 rebounds to go with excellent shooting ratios. And, it should also be noted that the power forward position is nearly as depth-thin as the center position. (Funston)

Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers GF – Round 1, Pick 6. Granger, who finished fourth in the Y! game, led all players in combined threes/steals/blocks per game (5.1) and averaged at least one of each – one of four players to do so. He also finished tied for fourth in the league with a scoring average of 25.8. At 26, Granger is in his prime, he satisfies this fantasy squad’s good character mandate, and Pacers GM Larry Bird recently floated the idea that Granger could play some power forward this season, which may bolster his Yahoo! eligibility at some point during next season. But even if he remains entirely at small forward, Granger is a rock solid pick six. (BF)

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder SF - Round 1, Pick 7. Credit the Bennett City Hijackers for finally coming to their senses and seeing that the Durantula was much better suited at the 3 than at the 2. The move to small forward allowed Durant to open his game up considerably and utilize every weapon in his offensive arsenal. The improvement in his shooting proficiency was astounding as his eFG% on jumpers jumped from an anemic .397 in '07-'08 to a respectable .452 mark last season. He also showed marked improvement on the glass where he upped his defensive rebounding percentage from 9.9% to 15.1%. We are witnessing the makings of a superstar here, and there is little doubt in my mind that Durant will have solidified his spot in the top 5 come next summer. (Justin Phan)

Amar'e Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns C - Round 1, Pick 8. As a top 4 pick in almost every fantasy draft last year, STAT had a near-disastrous season by his standards. Not only did his per-game averages drop him out of the top 20, but he also ended up missing 29 games due to a season-ending eye injury. With that said, there's a lot to be optimistic about heading into next season. Shaq's departure allows Amare to slide back to center where he is more comfortable playing and has a track record of putting up better numbers. The rumors of STAT being shipped to the Warriors appear to be dead. With a likely return to coach Alvin Gentry's run n' gun system, all signs point to a bounceback season. Keep in mind that Amare is just two season removed from putting up top 2 fantasy production. (Phan)

Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers PF - Round 1, Pick 9. Gasol was absolutely massive for the Lakers last season, finishing with a per-game rank of 12 – he also improved as the season went on, posting a per-game rank of 7th over the final two months. The beautiful thing about Gasol's game is that he's an enormous help in a number of areas and doesn't hurt you anywhere. In 2008-09, he supported 18.9 points on 57-percent shooting, 9.6 boards, 3.5 assists, and 1 block with just 1.9 turnovers, 78-percent shooting from the line, and 0.6 steals. I don't anticipate Gasol resting on his new-found laurels – I expect his upcoming age-29 season to be his finest – and I don't expect Andrew Bynum's "potential" development to work against him. (Matt Buser)

Al Jefferson, Minnesota Timberwolves C - Round 1, Pick 10. Jefferson's ACL injury derailed what was a leap into fantasy superstardom. He finished the season with a per-game rank of 9th, and over his past 173 games, the 24-year-old has averaged 20.9 points on 50 percent shooting, 11.2 boards, 0.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks. To top that kind of production off, he was one of only four players that averaged over 20 points per game to also average less than 2.0 turnovers this past season. More things to consider: despite the Wolves' rotation being in constant flux and very inconsistent guard play since he joined the team, he's been consistent throughout. There's just no good reason to pass on Jefferson here. As for that injury, initial reports are that he's ahead of schedule – obviously, we'll get a bit more detail on that front over the next few months. (Buser)

Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors C, Round 1, Pick 11. You wanted Bosh on your side with league titles hanging in the balance – in nine April games he averaged 22.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks on 50.3 percent shooting. He's also one of the better passing bigs for fantasy purposes, ranking fifth on the season in total assists among players who wear the "C" in their eligibility field. If you want to talk motivation, Bosh won't sign an extension this summer, so he's playing for his next contract along with everyone else in the 2010-11 mega-class. Oh, and he still wants your vote. (Matt Romig)

Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers PG, Round 1, Pick 12. Roy is a remarkably efficient player when you consider he's part of the backcourt duo for one of the least experienced teams in the NBA. In 2008-09 he was one of a small handful of players to average at least 5.0 assists per game and fewer than 2.0 turnovers per contest. He makes his shots (48.0-percent floor, 82.4-percent line) and has averaged slightly north of one steal and 3-pointer per game in his three-year NBA career. In short, he doesn't have a blind spot – we'll get our blocks on the cheap a bit later – which is all you can ask for at the tail end of the first round. (Mig)    

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Mariano Rivera made his major league debut in Anaheim just over 14 years ago, on May 23, 1995, and he was not treated well by the Angels. He went 3.1 innings, allowing eight hits and five runs. Rivera was pulled in the fourth after giving up a homer to Jim Edmonds and a walk to Tim Salmon. If anyone looked like a Hall of Famer that day,  it was Anaheim left-hander Chuck Finley (9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 15 K).

The Yankees were this close to dealing Rivera to Detroit that June...but then his velocity jumped. New York GM Gene Michael shut down trade discussions. Rivera introduced his cutter in '97 -- he discovered the pitch accidentally, playing catch with Ramiro Mendoza -- and he's been nearly unhittable ever since. 

Five hundred saves later, Rivera is clearly an inner-circle great. He leads all active pitchers in career ERA (2.30) and WHIP (1.02), his ERA+ is the best in major league history (197), and he ranks fourth in K-to-BB ratio (3.93). Rivera has eight sub-2.00 ERA seasons to his credit. In the postseason, he somehow gets better: 8-1, 0.77 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 5.81 K/BB, 34 SV, 117.1 IP. He's recorded the final out in the World Series three times.

It's difficult to make a serious argument on behalf of anyone else as the greatest closer of all-time. In fact, it's possible that no one in baseball history has ever been as good at anything. We don't have many reasons to discuss Rivera in this column because he eliminates all doubt, but today -- before the usual parade of Nats and Marlins -- let's tip the imaginary cap to No. 42.

• Matt Lindstrom is on the DL (elbow), yet Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez still seems reluctant to replace him. Leo Nunez and Dan Meyer are the key members of the committee. This from the Miami Herald:

Once Nunez shows the ankle is no longer a concern, Gonzalez said he would give him an opportunity to close. But Gonzalez also said that, with Matt Lindstrom on the disabled list until late July, he doesn't have a definitive closer.

"I said he (Nunez) would get an opportunity," Gonzalez said. "When he shows he's healthy, and he's ready to go and when Meyer can't go. We could go back and forth (between Nunez and Meyer)."

It sounds increasingly like a 50/50 matchup proposition. There's still a clear opportunity here for someone to take over Lindstrom's closing duties. Meyer qualifies at SP, which enhances his value a bit. The brutally overused Kiko Calero (shoulder) is a solid speculative DL add.

• Frank Francisco will need "at least one more non-save appearance" before reclaiming the ninth inning from CJ Wilson, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Francisco allowed a game-tying two-run bomb to Mark Reynolds last Thursday. (And it really was a bomb. Video here).

• When asked if Scott Downs would return from the DL when eligible on July 3, Cito Gaston replied, "I have no confidence in that at all."

• Mike MacDougal was flat-out impressive during the Nats' tour of the A.L. East. He pitched well in the biggest moments -- back-to-back saves in New York, two scoreless frames against the Jays -- and, despite a curious lack of Ks, he now has a relatively secure hold on the closing gig in Washington. He's still just as scary as ever, of course. He's issued five walks in his last seven appearances, and he's whiffed only one batter.

• If you're looking for relatively safe, un-owned RPs who might inherit post-deadline saves, try Baltimore's Jim Johnson (great all year, lights-out in June), Pittsburgh's John Grabow and Cleveland's Chris Perez.

If instead you're looking for a refreshingly minty spreadsheet, keep scrolling...

Photos via Getty Images

Is the glass half full or half empty with closer Mike MacDougal? The positive spin first – he's 3-for-3 as the Nationals closer, he's got a 1.32 ERA over 14 appearances since hitting DC, and he retired the Orioles 1-2-3 on Sunday. But he's also carrying a 1.24 WHIP, he's walked seven against seven strikeouts, and three unearned runs have shielded the ERA. There's something to be said for positive momentum and I'm tenuously running with MacDougal in the Friends & Family League right now, but I'm kicking him to the curb at the first sign of duress. At the end of the day, it comes down to one question – how badly do you need those saves?

It's also time for my yearly Willie Harris pitch. The Washington jack-of-all-trades is coming off a productive eight-game stretch (.355, three homers, three steals) and he offers three positions of eligibility in Yahoo! leagues (second, third, outfield). When has Willie Harris been relevant in mixed leagues, you ask? Go look at what he did for us over his final 61 games of 2008: .270, eight homers, seven steals. Those numbers play very nicely as a third middle infielder or at a rover position off the bench. I'll give him a trial run over the next three days against the Marlins.

John Lannan has pitched his way into mixed-league leagues as well, collecting three wins over a tidy five-start run this month (2.19 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, .214 BAA). He hasn't been fattening up on patsies, either; his last three starts came against AL-East clubs. He'll host the Braves next weekend.

If you're desperate for an NL-only catcher, Josh Bard is worth a look. He's started five of the last six games (10-for-18), and Many Acta will give him a shot to take the starting gig and run with it. Keep in mind Bard hit .338 and .285 with the Padres back in 2006-07, albeit in a time-share assignment.

• Tommy Hanson's minor-league dominance hasn't completely translated to the major leagues yet (17 walks, 18 strikeouts, 1.41 WHIP), but it's hard to quibble with four straight wins, especially with three of them coming against the rough-and-tumble AL East. He pitched through the flu Sunday and shut out the Red Sox over six innings (2 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 97 pitches). "If he was sick, I really don't want to see him when he's not sick," an impressed Terry Francona said. Hanson looks like a strong play against Washington (ahem) next weekend.

• It's been a bang-up month for David Ortiz (.313, seven homers, .672 slugging), and he's also more useful in our game with his new-found eligibility – he's now played six games at first base and will carry that tag for the rest of the year in many formats. Next up for Papi is conquering his problems on the road, where he carries a .190 average and .588 OPS. The Red Sox head to Baltimore for a three-game set Monday.

• Despite the presence of Albert Pujols, the Cardinals are far and away the NL's worst offense against left-handed pitching (.226 average, .662 OPS). It's amazing that guy keeps seeing good pitches to hit. You can point the finger at several Cardinals for the southpaw problem, but Colby Rasmus has been the biggest offender (.128/.226/.191 over 47 at-bats). Randy Johnson and Barry Zito work in St. Louis over the four-game set that starts Monday.

Khalil Greene, unfortunately, won't be part of the solution in St. Louis for a while. His anxiety issues have cropped up again and he's probably going to head back on the disabled list. No doubt this had a lot to do with the team moving for Mark DeRosa over the weekend.

• David Aardsma was saving games despite himself at times in May, but he's been a completely different guy during a lights-out June (11 IP, 0 R, 4 BB, 20 K). When this guy is getting ahead of batters, he's flat-out unhittable. Forget Aardsma closing merely for the balance of the year; it looks like the Mariners have found their stopper into the next decade (with Brandon Morrow sliding to a starting role). Don't forget the pedigree at play here – Aardsma was a first-round pick of the Giants in 2003, and he's got serious gas on a fastball that routinely hits the high 90s.

• Chad Gaudin is sorry to see interleague play come to an end; he piled up 28 strikeouts over his last three turns, including nine Sunday in a stunning one-hit gem at Arlington (8 IP, 0 R, 2 BB). "He was a different pitcher than I've seen in the past," Texas outfielder David Murphy said. "He located his fastball a lot better, and he was using his slider more, and more effectively." Gaudin gets a home turn this week against the Dodgers.

• The Braves say Yunel Escobar has been sitting with a sore hip, but we have to share this nugget from Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Make of it what you will. 

While Escobar is likely still bothered by this hip ailment that has troubled him over the past month, there is strong suspicion that his absence is a punitive response to the unprofessional reaction he provided after being charged with an error during Thursday night's game against the Yankees.

Injury Blog: Josh Hamilton (abdomen) is ready for a rehab assignment; he'll head to Double-A on Monday and start off as a DH. He's hoping to be back with the Rangers by next weekend. … Adrian Beltre will have surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday and it's not clear when he'll be able to play again. A mid-August return has been discussed, but it's just speculation at this point. … Mike Lowell (hip) has an injection scheduled for Monday and won't be back in the lineup until the middle of the week. … Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon are both dealing with a flu bug. Jeter was able to start Sunday night (2-1-1-0, with three walks), but Damon sat out. … So much for the Josh Outman story; the good-looking lefty is probably going to need Tommy John surgery, and he's been moved to the 60-day DL. … Aramis Ramirez (shoulder) took batting practice again on Sunday and is looking at a rehab assignment soon, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. He's still dealing with some soreness as he takes his cuts, but that's to be expected. … Nate McLouth (hamstring) is hoping to be back in the lineup Tuesday. … Asdrubal Cabrera (shoulder) rejoined the Indians Sunday and went 1-for-5 out of the leadoff slot. The Tribe doesn't seem too worried about Cabrera given they let him play a full nine innings in what turned out to be a blowout loss. Cabrera started at shortstop, with Luis Valbuena manning second and Jhonny Peralta settling at third. … Mark Ellis (calf) came off the DL Sunday and went 1-for-4 with a double, batting ninth. He'll probably see partial time for the first few weeks while he gets back into the flow. Adam Kennedy shifted to third base Sunday, for what it's worth. … Pablo Sandoval is dealing with a stomach virus and had to leave Sunday's game early. … Ryan Doumit (wrist) is expected to begin a rehab hitch Tuesday, though he probably won't rejoin the Pirates until after the All-Star break. 

Speed Round: The Aaron Cook train keeps rolling along (8 IP, 1 R), but he'll have to deal with the thin air of Coors Field against Arizona next week. … Ian Snell brought the noise in his first Triple-A turn, striking out 17 over seven electric innings (at one point he fanned an astounding 13 in a row). Snell allowed just two hits and one unearned run in the stint. "These guys are great and these guys are a bunch of goofballs," said a relaxed Snell. "It makes you want to be here and pitch well here." … Brad Lidge had to work around two baserunners in the ninth, but he was able to put the Jays away and pick up save No. 14. … Nate Schierholtz is worth a hot-hand pickup after a .480 week with two homers. He went 4-for-5 in Sunday's win over Milwaukee. … Scott Olsen (shoulder) is off the DL and will start Monday against Florida. Probably a good time to get your favorite Fish into the lineup. … Alexei Ramirez had three hits including a homer Sunday, putting him at .290 with seven taters this month. … Aaron Hill broke out of a mini-slump with four home runs this week, including two against the Phillies Sunday. … J.P. Howell grabbed his fifth save Sunday and hasn't allowed a run over 17 appearances. It's not hard to see that he's the best reliever the Rays have, by far, and he's the guy Joe Maddon trusts most with the game on the line. For a southpaw to close you absolutely need to get right-handed hitters out, and that hasn't been a problem with Howell; they're hitting just .159 against him. … Mariano Rivera recorded career save No. 500 in style, getting the last four outs at Citi Field and adding an RBI to boot. The lock Hall of Famer is 18-for-19 on the year.

Mark DeRosa is the headliner in Saturday's Cards-Indians trade, but most of the actionable fantasy fallout is on Cleveland's side of the deal, so that's where we begin...

• Cost-controlled Chris Perez becomes the appropriate handcuff for struggling closer Kerry Wood. "He has swing-and-miss stuff," said Indians GM Mark Shapiro. "[Perez] has the potential to be a core contributor at the back end of our bullpen." His path to saves is certainly much clearer in Cleveland than it was in St. Louis. Perez has a closer-quality arsenal -- mid-90s fastball, tough/unreliable slider -- but he's a bit strike zone-challenged (5.70 BB/9). He hasn't recorded a hold since May 27, though he'll soon have opportunities. The Tribe cannot allow Wood's 2011 option ($11M) to vest. 

• Asdrubal Cabrera (shoulder) will be activated from the DL and return to short for Cleveland, while Jhonny Peralta will play third. Luis Valbuena's extended audition in the middle infield should continue; he was hitting .321/.436/.538 at Triple-A prior to his call-up in early May. The 23-year-old has modest power and speed, although he's batting just .208 in 125 major league at-bats this season.

• The Indians are clearly in a rebuilding phase, so outfield prospects Matt LaPorta (9 HR, .301/.370/.522 at Triple-A) and Michael Brantley (23 steals in 26 attempts for Columbus) have both been mentioned as potential call-ups. According to MLB.com, "Neither LaPorta nor Brantley, however, are on their way to Cleveland just yet." Still, it's unlikely that Cleveland is finished dealing.

As for De-Ro...

• St. Louis clearly upgrades at third base, adding a versatile player in the final year of his deal. DeRosa doesn't earn high marks for his infield defense, but that's not a critical fantasy concern. He'll actually make his Cards debut in left-field, batting cleanup on Sunday against lefty Francisco Liriano. Khalil Greene gets the start at third.

Don't be surprised to see DeRosa bat second on occasion, breaking up the left-handedness at the top of the Cardinals' order (Schumaker, Rasmus). Either way, he'll often find himself on either side of the most dangerous man in baseball. That's not a bad place to be. You can't expect a massive increase in DeRosa's fantasy production, however. He's leaving the third highest-scoring team in MLB. (Cleveland's problem: runs allowed). If Troy Glaus (shoulder) can somehow make it back from the DL -- he's reportedly hitting, but throwing is another matter -- DeRosa can obviously slide over to second or fill a corner outfield spot. This move should quiet the Matt Holliday-to-St. Louis rumors, all of which involved crazy price tags.

Cubs fans and bloggers are predictably horrified by the DeRosa (Bleed Cubbie Blue , North Side Baseball). My only suggestion to them is to revisit the second inning of Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS, and the fifth inning of Game 3 from the '07 NLDS. (Seriously, Livan Hernandez couldn't buy a strike). You won't feel so bad. DeRosa authored the signature moments in consecutive playoff failures.

Whether you're angry, pleased or indifferent about the move, you're now free to comment. For the record, in NL-only leagues I'm not spending top waiver priority for DeRosa, nor am I FAABing too aggressively. Those things are very need- and team-specific, though. DeRosa a nice piece, but not break-the-bank sort of player.

You can't possibly grade this deal until you know the PTBNL. As it stands, this is a swap that serves the interests of both teams. 

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Photos via Getty Images

LEADING OFF

The quintessential National League DH, Jake Fox, is an offensive powder keg cursed by an iron glove.

Equipped with the speed of a three-toed sloth and the agility of a brick, he has lived a nomadic existence in the field over his entire professional career. Experiments at catcher, left field and both corner infield positions have yielded adventurous results to say the least. Due to his well-documented defensive inefficiencies, the slugger's Ruthian bat has rotted away in storage.  

But for a Cubs squad struggling offensively, Fox has been a godsend in Interleague play.

In his second tour of duty with the senior club this season, he's split time between right, third and DH in recent days. The increased opportunities have ignited the 26-year-old's bat and Chicago's sputtering offense. Since June 21, he's collected 10 hits, including five extra-base knocks (2 HR, 3 2B), and nine RBIs in a mere 20 at-bats. More astonishingly, despite his horrendous defensive reputation, he's yet to commit an error in 38 innings.

Though still wavering on whether or not to give Fox regular playing time until Aramis Ramirez returns in roughly 2-3 weeks, Lou Piniella is warming up to the idea:

"Fox swings the bat. He's going to have some not-so-pretty at-bats. The kid's got some bat speed and he's swinging it. I'm going to let him play whenever I can get him in there. It's refreshing to see somebody go up there and powder river the ball {Noise note: "Powder river" in terms of striking a baseball has no known origin. I'm guessing Lou manufactured the phrase after watching Eastwood westerns late one night on WGN or learned it in his "rocks for jocks" class while a student at Tampa University.), it really is."

Further Lou reflection on the youngster:

"We're looking for offense anywhere we can get it, and that's why you see him over there. If we were scoring more runs, we probably wouldn't get that liberal. We've got Ramirez coming back here in the next couple of weeks. So Fox can make a statement. If he wants to stay here the rest of the summer, it's OK with me.''

The egoless corner infielder is 100 percent supportive of his manager's uneasiness.

''He's in the business of winning ballgames, that's his job, to put the best team out there to win a game. I would be apprehensive to put me out there also. I'm grateful for the fact that he feels comfortable enough to put me out there. He took the chance to put me out there, and it was a big risk. Now I've shown him I can go out there and do it.''

Bottom line: Fox's offensive firepower outweighs his defensive downside. When the Michigan product plays, he rakes. He desrves to be in the lineup every single day until Ramirez regains full strength. It's taken the stubborn Piniella an eternity to see the light. 

Fox's aggressive approach (2.6 BB%), low contact rate (68.2 CT%) and fly-ball heavy profile (0.93 GB/FB) do not support a long-term BA over .300. However, the Playstation numbers he posted earlier this year at Iowa suggest otherwise. Because he's likely to net at least 4-5 starts against pitching challenged Pittsburgh and Milwaukee this week, the 12 percent-owned Bald Bomber is worth streaming in 12-team and deeper mixed leagues. But understand once Ramirez is activated, he's destined to return to a pinch-hit role.

Fearless Forecast (next two weeks): 38 at-bats, .315 BA, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 0 SB

QUICK HITTERS

•Blockbuster season on the silver screen and diamond is upon us. Based on the rumors swirling in St. Louis, a swap of "Transformers" proportions may soon be finalized.

According to the Post-Dispatch, the historically trade-conservative Cardinals are angling to acquire early round bust Matt Holliday. Struggling outfielder Ryan Ludwick, a prospect and one of St. Louis' many premium bullpen hands -- Jason Motte, Chris Perez or Kyle McClellan -- could be the compensatory pieces.

Once worshipped by the fantasy masses just two short seasons ago, the outfielder's time in Oakland has, as expected, been filled with disappointment. On pace for a solid, but in Holliday terms, underachieving campaign (18-88-82-18), he currently ranks 39th among outfielders in Yahoo! fantasy. A shift to the Midwest would likely resuscitate his dwindling value. Hitting behind Albert Pujols certainly would have its RBI advantages.

It's a foregone conclusion Holliday will not don Oakland green by the deadline. With St. Louis pressing hard for his services, it would be sage for virtual GMs to also pitch an offer. This week he attracted Matt Cain, CC Sabathia, Michael Bourn and Grady Sizemore in one-for-one Plus league deals.

NL-only leaguers anxiously awaiting a difference maker to hit the waiver wire, be prepared to slap the wallet. Holliday is easily worth 90 percent of your remaining budget.

Update 10:26 PM CT: Per the Associated Press, the Cardinals have acquired infielder Mark DeRosa from the Indians in exchange for reliever Chris Perez and the always intriguing player-to-be named later. The Holliday-to-St. Louis whispers will likely fade away.

As a devoted Cubs and DeRosa supporter, seeing him don rival colors stings a bit. Assuming he bats behind Pujols, a slight power numbers increase should be expected. However, if he's slotted into the two spot, anticipate a runs boost. He will provide much needed consistency at third base for Tony LaRussa.

Meanwhile in Cleveland, Perez, who was once tabbed the Cardinals' closer of the future, instantly vaults into the primary setup role behind Kerry Wood. The artist formerly known as Kid K has struggled mightily of late, blowing two saves in his past three outings. He's also surrendered four earned over that span. Owners vulturing for saves should monitor Perez's availability closely. If he can harness his often wild comamnd (5.70 BB/9), the flamethrowing righty has the stuff to develop into a very effective end-game option. In 23.2 innings, he's posted an eye-popping 11.41 K/9. 

•In other potential wheeling and dealing news, disgruntled Washington farmhand Lastings Milledge could be headed to Pittsburgh in exchange for Juan Pierre impersonator Nyjer Morgan. Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, talks between the two sides stalled earlier this week when Buccos officials pushed to include Craig Stammen -- quite an honor for a pitcher sporting a 5.49 ERA. Despite the setback, both sides have rekindled talks and could settle on a deal imminently.

If agreed upon, the transaction would benefit all parties involved. Morgan, who lost his leadoff position to hotshot rookie Andrew McCutchen, would log at-bats exclusively at the top of the order for a fairly potent Nationals lineup, slightly enhancing his runs and steals value.

Meanwhile, Milledge, who is slated to return to Triple-A action after nursing a broken finger for the past six weeks, would earn everyday playing time as Morgan's replacement in left. Still a pup at 24, the former elite prospect is just one year removed from a very serviceable .268-14-61-65-24 season with the Nationals. A change of scenery and, most importantly, an everyday opportunity would revive his once promising career. The M&M combination of McCutchen and Milledge at the top of the Buccos order could be deadly for years to come. Consider stashing the four percent-owned outfielder in wire-exhausted leagues.   

•Battered, bruised or should not be used: Jimmy Rollins (suckitis/mental vacation, day-to-day), Derek Jeter (flu, day-to-day), Asdrubal Cabrera (shoulder, expected to suit up Saturday or Sunday), Josh Outman (elbow, Dr. Death visit Monday), Antonio Bastardo (shoulder, will have start skipped), Mike Lowell (hip, should return midweek), Nate McLouth (sprained hammy, day-to-day), Ervin Santana (rehabbing in Arizona; could return when eligible Friday), Yunel Escobar (hip, day-to-day), Ryan Doumit (wrist, set to start rehab assignment this week)

DOUBLE DIPPERS

For stream conscious owners who want to push the innings-pitched envelope this is the list for you. Run support, ballpark factors, historical and recent trends, opposing offenses, opposing SPs, managerial tendencies and meteorological influences are painstakingly taken into account to give you the top double dippers of each week.

Other AL Double Dippers: Rich Hill, Bal (Bos, at LAA), Sean O'Sullivan, LAA (at Tex, Bal), Jason Berkman, Bal (Bos, at LAA)

Other NL Double Dippers: Ross Ohlendorf, Pit (ChC, at Fla), Braden Looper, Mil (NYM, at ChC), Josh Banks, SD (Hou, LAD), Craig Stammen, Was (at Fla, Atl), Brad Thompson, StL (SF, at Cin), Mike Barns, Mil (NYM, at ChC), Josh Geer, SD (Hou, LAD)

FEAST OR FAMINE?  

Torn between two stat-similar infielders this week? Use the pitching and hitting staff sorters below to help you decide whether or not Adam LaRoche or Rick Porcello is fantasy feast or famine. Stats are for games played through June 26:

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Image coutesy of Getty

Millwood grabbed another win Friday with six solid innings against the Padres (4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K). His ERA sits at 2.64 and you have to admit this guy is working hard for his money – he threw 113 pitches in this turn, right around his season average (111.2). Will the veteran righty hold up during the summer months in Arlington? I'm certainly in the skeptical camp, but then again, I've been wrong on this guy all year.

A look under the statistical hood reveals more facts than flukes with Millwood. His 2009 success has come despite a dip in strikeouts and a mild bump in walks. His BABIP has been favorable but not ridiculous to this point, .263. His sharp slider (which he's throwing more than ever) has been a large reason why his line-drive rate has fallen sharply in 2009, and his HR/FB ratio is normal, but when you shake all the component stats together and pull out the final result, the peripheral-suggested ERA is in the mid-4s. Say what you want about this direction of analysis, but I'll wager my frayed 1979 Topps set that Millwood isn't carrying a sub-3 ERA very much longer.

I know it's frustrating to read about sell-high suggestions on players that don't command much of a market, but perhaps three months of positive Millwood results are enough to convince one of your opponents that this story is going to keep on playing. Me, I'm betting on player history, Arlington heat, and a heavy workload.

• Let's take a moment to appreciate just how fantasy friendly Tampa Bay's offense is. The Rays lead the majors in runs, OBP and stolen bases (by a zillion), they're second in slugging and fourth in homers. Joe Maddon doesn't seem to mind if his players strike out a lot or run into a few outs now and again. There's a definite lesson to be grasped here.

B.J. Upton led the way in Friday's 7-3 victory over Florida, posting a 4-3-2-3 line (with a walk) along with bag No. 27. Upton's early-season slump is ancient history at this point; only Albert Pujols has been more fantasy friendly over the last month than Bossman Junior (.336, 22 runs, 20 RBIs, 3 homers, 14 steals). The "which Upton in 2010?" debate is a long way from being settled.

There's reason for optimism with Tampa's pitching staff as well – Scott Kazmir's quad has healed up nicely and he's confirmed to start Saturday. This pushes David Price back to Sunday – an extra day wouldn't hurt given his recent struggles – and it also mercifully takes Andy Sonnanstine out of the rotation. For all of your Sonnanstine autograph needs, please forward your correspondence to Triple-A Durham.

• The Orioles threw 16 hits and 11 runs at the beleaguered Nationals, though savior-of-baseball Matt Wieters didn't have a share in the fun (2-0-0-0, two walks). Wieters actually made both of his outs in the game-deciding sixth inning, when the O's scored eight times and made the game a rout. His defense has been impressive, however, and he's definitely had a role in the recent surge of Brad Bergesen (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K). Bergesen has five quality starts in his last six turns, and he's allowed more than four runs just once all season (not bad in the hitter-friendly American League).

• Alex Rodriguez showcased one of his best skills Thursday, the late-game homer that came well after the Yankees had the match secured. In this case it was a two-run shot in the eighth inning, pushing the Bronx Bombers to a 7-1 lead over the crosstown Mets. A-Rod's offensive game has come alive over the last three days (two homers, eight RBIs, six walks), and Joe Girardi says Rodriguez will play through the weekend as the Yankees are facing an off-day Monday.

Friday's round-tripper was No. 564 for Rodriguez, moving him past Reggie Jackson and into 11th place on the all-time list. A-Rod calls Reggie a "close friend and a mentor" but unfortunately Rodriguez has never been able to hit in October like Jackson could.

• Ricky Romero would like your attention – he's been outstanding in his last five turns, with the gem of the lot coming Friday against the Phillies (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K). Romero had a no-hitter working into his final inning before Chase Utley broke it up. Here's the math of Romero's recent run: 34.1 IP, 2.36 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a whopping 33 strikeouts (notable because he wasn't projected to be a big strikeout guy). Brad Evans wrote an intriguing pro-Romero take earlier this year, worth revisiting. The young lefty gets a challenge with Tampa Bay next week.

Injury Blog: So much for the Xavier Nady comeback – he needs Tommy John surgery and is officially done for 2009. … Roy Halladay had a smooth throwing session and is cleared to return to action Monday. … Evan Longoria (hamstring) got back to work and had a couple of hits. … Chris Young (hamstring) got back in the Arizona lineup and went 0-for-2 with a walk. … Rod Barajas suffered a hamstring injury Friday night and landed immediately on the 15-day disabled list. The unexciting Raul Chavez takes over behind the plate in the meantime.

Speed Round: No worries with C.C. Sabathia (biceps) – he shut down the Mets over seven superb innings (3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K). … Andre Ethier must be excited about Manny's pending return – he knocked three balls over the wall against the Mariners. … J.J. Hardy got a chance to hit second again and went 2-for-4 with a homer against the Giants. … David Ortiz clubbed his eighth homer of the year and now has four games at first-base – check your league's eligibility rules. It looks like a fair bet that Ortiz will get at least one more start in the field at Atlanta this weekend. … The Astros didn't want to push Jose Valverde into a third straight day of work so LaTroy Hawkins got the save against Detroit. There's a modest chance that Valverde will be in trade talks later this summer, so keep Hawkins in mind even in shallow mixed leagues; it's entirely possible he'll be needed in the ninth inning again this year. … Daniel Murphy hasn't started the last three games for the Mets, odd given he was swinging the bat pretty well prior to the move. Get in line if you don't understand the whims of Jerry Manuel. … Lou Piniella sent Milton Bradley home after a mid-game tantrum Friday afternoon (manager and player exchanged some heated words), but Sweet Lou says Bradley will be back in the lineup Saturday. 

There's a logical division and flow to the other four Shuffle Up components – infielders, outfielders, starting pitchers, relief pitchers, all self-contained units. But what do we do with the backstops? I've considered lumping them together with the infielders and maybe I will next time around, but in truth this is the orphan position of fantasy, especially in leagues where you only need one starter.

Below is my peace offering to those that wear the Tools of Ignorance – position ranks and one comment per player. Dig in, and bring your intelligent, respectful disagreement to the comments.

The same disclaimers apply: I'm ranking the players from today-on, the results to this point are merely an audition; assume a 5x5 scoring format; players at the same price are considered even.

Catcher Prices as of 6/26/09

$23 Joe Mauer - Forget .400, but .370 wouldn't surprise me.
$21 Victor Martinez - Gets a boost from all those 1B starts.
$20 Brian McCann - On a .356 surge over last five weeks.
$16 Brandon Inge - Too late to turn back now.
$15 Pablo Sandoval - Sizzling last 26: .404, five homers, 18 RBIs.
$14 Matt Wieters - Hasn't revolutionized the game, yet.
$14 Bengie Molina -A .300 stick at home, .223 away.
$14 Mike Napoli - Owns lefties, struggling against righties.
$14 Geovany Soto - Four homers in eight games.
$10 Chris Iannetta - Still owed a kickback from Coors.
$9 Russell Martin - A joke in June: .185, one RBI.
$9 Jorge Posada - Loses 208 slugging points on the road.
$8 Yadier Molina - Unreal glove, underrated bat.
$8 A.J. Pierzynski - You'll never lose money on him.
$8 Miguel Olivo - Surging over last five weeks: .286, eight homers.
$7 Ryan Doumit - Hoping for a mid-July return.
$5 Kurt Suzuki - Might eventually steal 10-plus a year.
$4 Ramon Hernandez - Leave him on the plane: ugly .203/.277/.309 line on road.
$4 Ivan Rodriguez - Falling back to earth this month (.295 slugging).
$3 John Baker - Has no right hitting second.
$3 Omir Santos - Free swinger but it's working for him.
$2 Rod Barajas - Left Friday's game with undisclosed injury.
$2 Jarrod Saltalamacchia - Anytime you're ready, Salty.
$2 Jason Varitek - His pop isn't worth the other numbers.
$2 Jason Jaramillo - Nice player but Doumit looms.
$2 Ronny Paulino - Deserves a little more time with Baker scuffling.
$1 Kelly Shoppach - Put 2008 into the fluke file.
$1 Chris Snyder - On the DL with a cranky back.
$1 Kenji Johjima - Returns this weekend, release the balloons.
$1 Josh Bard - Flores won't be back anytime soon.
$1 Miguel Montero - Gets extra time with Snyder out.
$1 Jason Kendall - Now and then he hits a single.
$1 Brian Schneider - They say he's pretty good defensively.
$0 Dioner Navarro - Four walks, .216 average, enough said.
$0 Gerald Laird - A bunch of walks, not much else.

Now it's your turn, how should we shift these guys around? Discuss. 

When Derek Lowe got a four-year, $60 million package from the Braves over the winter, one thought immediately jumped to my mind – Atlanta is going to regret this deal at the end of the contract. Now I'm starting to wonder if the timetable needs to be accelerated. The veteran righty shows plenty of red flags at the moment, and keep in mind he just turned 36.

The Yankees were the latest team to knock Lowe around, throwing up eight runs (six earned) and 11 hits at the righty over three-plus innings Thursday night. The messy outing kicked Lowe's ERA up to 4.53, and he has just one win over his last six turns.

Lowe's never been a strikeout ace for his career, but in 2009 he's pretty much unable to dodge bats. He didn't strike out any Yanks and he's got just 26 whiffs over his last 11 starts; it's hard to be successful when you're welcoming that much contact. Maybe it wouldn't be that big a deal if Lowe's sinker were in fine form, but his ground-ball rate has taken a sharp hit, too, and he's even walking more guys this year. If not for a crazy-lucky HR/FB rate (under 4 percent), Lowe's ERA would probably be gigantic right now.

Normally I'd be advising a quiet sell of a name player like Lowe, but it's been my experience that he's not the most coveted arm in the fantasy world, even when times are good. The modest strikeout numbers keep people on guard. With that in mind, you're left with three general strategies here: advertise that you want to move a pitcher and let your opponents come to Lowe; wait until he has a strong outing, then push the sell ticket; or hold onto him and see if he can find his sinker again. An established pitcher with Lowe's track record can't be kicked to the curb after a few rough turns, but it's very possible his days the sub-4 ERA are done for good. The circus leaves town for everyone eventually.

• Willy Taveras got back into the leadoff spot at Toronto and came through, rapping out three hits and stealing a base. And how can you not root for the Joey Votto comeback story? He had four hits in Cincinnati's win, including the homer that put the Reds ahead.

• John Smoltz returned to the majors with mixed reviews; the Nationals piled up four runs against him in the bottom of the first, but Smoltz (5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 5 K) looked sharp over the next four frames. "I know it was a tough game, but if he throws the ball like that, if he feels like that physically, he's going to be just fine," Terry Francona told the Associated Press. Smoltz's next turn comes at Baltimore next week.

Jordan Zimmermann was outstanding on the other side, holding the Red Sox down over seven superb innings (5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K). He's allowed two runs or less in four of his last five turns, and he's been on the FIP-sleeper list for a while (his suggested ERA is over a run lower than the real thing right now). If Zimmerman's recent run had come with a higher-profile team, the cover would be blown for good. Instead, you can probably add him in some shallower mixed pools right now; when you pitch for the worst team in the majors, it can be hard to draw attention to your performance, even when it's roto-worthy.

• Mark Reynolds did his usual bit in Arizona's loss; a pair of homers, one strikeout, one error at third. He's up to 21 taters for the season. Justin Upton went 2-for-4 with a pair of walks in the extra-inning tilt; he also stole a base and scored four times. He's got a modest 10 steals on the year but there's no reason why he can't get 30-40 a season if he wants it .

• Chris Ray is back from the minors but he's still a work in progress; Hanley Ramirez ripped a grand slam off him Thursday. If George Sherrill winds up being moved by the Orioles around the trade deadline, Jim Johnson is the first name to speculate on. Ramirez recently had a stretch of just one steal over a four-week period, but he's swiped two in his last two games.

Speed Round: Leo Nunez (ankle) threw on the side Thursday and also did some fielding and running drills. Dan Meyer is at the head of the Florida bullpen committee for the moment, but Nunez will enter the mix the moment he's healthy enough to pitch again (which should be this weekend). … Josh Hamilton (abdomen) is making excellent progress and he's hoping for return next Friday. The Rangers have yet to sign off on that timetable, however. … Who had June 25 in the Nick Johnson pool? The Washington first sacker left Thursday's game with a shin contusion. … Eric Byrnes broke his left hand, courtesy of a Scott Feldman fastball, and is out for 4-8 weeks. Mixed-leaguers cut bait on Byrnes a long time ago; now it's time for NL-only players to give up. … It's going to be a while before I recommend Chris Davis to anyone out there, but it's my job to tell you he collected four hits, including a homer, in Thursday's extra-inning victory at Arizona. The binge raised his average to .209. … Grady Sizemore was given a routine day off Thursday. … Alex Rios took a collar Thursday but we'll give him a pass; his game has perked up nicely since the Jays moved him down to the No. 6 slot in the order two weeks ago (.300 average, six steals).

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Photos courtesy Associated Press

You have to figure that Jimmy Rollins will eventually hit his way out of this season-long 2009 funk, but it's not going to happen over the next two games. Charlie Manuel rested his star shortstop for Thursday's game in Tampa (that's cruel, denying him access to Master of the Meatball Andy Sonnanstine), and he'll do the same Friday. The goal, says Manuel, is to let Rollins "sit and relax."

Rollins is hitless in his last 19 at-bats, dropping his average down to .211, and he's been struggling on the bases as well – after swiping 88-of-97 bags over the prior two seasons, he's just 10-for-15 this year. It's easy to blame his puny average on an unlucky .218 BABIP, but there's more to the story – with a career-worst 16.5 line-drive rate, Rollins is clearly getting himself out a lot. He's also walking less and strikeout out more than he did in 2008. I'm still willing to buy on Rollins if there's a discount present – the team environment and the park can't be ignored – but there's no way I'd pay the pre-season sticker price.

• Homer Bailey's recent run in the minors (4-0, 0.47 ERA over five starts) has earned him another test with the Reds; he'll go against Cleveland on Saturday, stepping into Edinson Volquez's spot. There's still a lot of buzz tied to Bailey – his minor-league stats deserve it – and I think we're still one more failed chance away from a post-hype discount truly applying. Perhaps you can start Bailey on spec and not worry about it, but I'm still in a "prove it up here" mode with the kid.

• Scott Baker had three turns without a homer allowed but his gopher problems came back at Milwaukee – the Brewers went deep twice in the sixth, ruining Baker's shutout and sending him to the showers. He still got a win, however, and overall it was a useful line (6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 K); I'll endorse him for next week's turn at Kansas City. Denard Span stepped off the DL and back into the leadoff spot nicely, posting a 2-3-1-0 line with three walks.

• Ian Snell had three quality starts before Tuesday's meltdown against the Indians, but according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, it was Snell who requested Thursday's demotion to Triple-A. "I told them I want to go down.," Snell said. "I just felt like it was the best decision for me and for this team. I went with my gut, and I feel like I need to work on some stuff and I need to do it there." Tom Gorzelanny is expected to step into Snell's vacated spot.

• We know Mike Jacobs can't hit lefties but lately he's not making contact against anyone; another collar at Houston Thursday dropped his average to .221, and he's got a measly one RBI this month. First base isn't that hard of a spot to fill, Kansas City.

Speed Round: Brad Lidge (knee) came off the DL prior to Thursday's game and is ready if needed. … Geovany Soto tested positive for marijuana while playing in the WBC this spring; it won't affect his MLB status, but he's banned from international play for two years. "I fully understand the ramifications of my actions," Soto said. "I have and will accept any and all consequences." … I watched every Ricky Nolasco pitch over his last two starts and he absolutely passed the eye test. As you know, he's been tremendous since the Triple-A tune up (1.80 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 25 strikeouts in 25 innings). I believe. … It's a shame Jake Fox doesn't play for an American League club, because he's hitting whenever the Cubs give him a chance (12-for-34, three-run homer at Detroit Thursday). … Erik Bedard (shoulder) is aiming at a July 4 return. … A sore wrist kept Robinson Cano out of the lineup Thursday in Atlanta. …The Mariners put Yuniesky Betancourt (hamstring) on the DL Thursday, but Jose Lopez (personal) is back with the club and Kenji Johjima should be available on the weekend. … After going 40 games without a homer, Magglio Ordonez finally clubbed No. 3 Thursday. Release the balloons. … Evan Longoria (hamstring) remains day-to-day and didn't start Thursday. … Because Joe Torre was waiting patiently for a save situation that never showed, the Dodgers lost a 13-inning game at the White Sox with Jeff Weaver (2.2 IP, 5 H) absorbing the final blow. Highly-regarded Chicago prospect Aaron Poreda got the win; he's yet to allow a run over 4.2 MLB innings (one walk, six strikeouts).

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Photo courtesy Getty Images. 

We've got two options for you:

• Buser Sports, for thoughtful fantasy spin and a subtle whiff of Rafer

• Ball Don't Lie, for Skeets, KD, Trey and Eamonn's delightful stylings

Enjoy the show. 

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Photo via Getty Images 

But why limit ourselves to just one Favre-specific preseason post? For the same reason that we aren't going to dedicate thousands of words to, say, Jason Campbell: He's a fantasy back-up. We reserve the right to update this post as needed, but we will not become virulent purveyors of Favrotica. That's really not our niche. 

Whenever No. 4 signs with Minnesota -- and it may or may not have happened already -- he'll be no higher than 20th in my preseason QB ranks, just ahead of Campbell/Bulger territory. That seems fairly generous, considering Favre's atrocious finish in '08. He threw nine picks and just two touchdown passes over the final five weeks, torpedoing the Jets' season. Yeah, he's surgically enhanced, allegedly pain-free, and he fits the system. But he'll also turn 40 in October. Favre basically profiles like an old version of Sage Rosenfels: Talented, inconsistent, terminally reckless.

Adrian Peterson will continue to be the primary and secondary focus of opposing defenses, no matter who's at the controls of Minnesota's offense. In fact, the defensive backs of the NFC North would welcome the opportunity to chase after 35 Vikings pass attempts per game. That's not a threat so much as a favor. There's an argument that Peterson helps Favre in no small way, but the same would be true for Rosenfels. Neither Bernard Berrian nor Percy Harvin will get a bump in my rankings if/when Favre signs. Visanthe Shiancoe will (slightly), since Brett is a known tight end fetishist.

Still, Favre doesn't significantly move the needle for the Vikes' skill position players. If you think we're being too pessimistic, then please state your boyish, gun-slinging, riverboat gambling, real comfortable case in comments. Those of you who consider Favre a starter in 16-team fantasy leagues will need to show your ranks. Here are the names I've currently got ahead of Favrenfels, No.'s 9 through 19: Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Jay Cutler, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, Matt Cassel, Eli Manning, Matt Hasselbeck, Kyle Orton, Trent Edwards, David Garrard.

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Photo via AP Images 

Funston opens: In fantasy football, touchdowns are the trump card. And in a comparison between Greg Jennings and Roddy White, Jennings holds the trump card.

The fourth-year speedster from Western Michigan has scored 23 touchdowns in his past 31 games (two postseason tilts included). In White's past 31 games (one postseason contest included), he's scored nine fewer touchdowns (14). Last season, White picked up roughly 90 more receiving yards and the per game fantasy value favored Jennings by only a slight margin. But in both player's '07 breakout campaign, Jennings was roughly a field goal (2.8 points) better than White on a per game basis. In fact, in each of the three years that Jennings has been in the league,  he's been a better fantasy wideout (points per game).

Last season, White was targeted 27 more times than Jennings, but that discrepancy could shrink with Atlanta's acquisition of Tony Gonzalez, who led TEs with 154 targets in '08. He'll command a sizeable amount of Matt Ryan's attention. And, with the second-most rushing attempts and rushing yards in the league last season, you can bet that Atlanta will remain a run-first offense. Let's face it, there are a lot more mouths to feed in Atlanta than in Green Bay.

I'm not going to tell you that there are major differences between Jennings and White from a fantasy standpoint, because there's not. But Jennings has been the more trustworthy touchdown producer, and he owns a larger share of the offensive spotlight in Green Bay.

Evans responds: The paper differences between Jennings and White are practically negligible. Each wideout's non-PPR fantasy points per game (White: 11.3, Jennings: 11.5), targets (148, 140), receptions (88, 80) and scores (7, 9) were nearly identical a season ago. To no one's surprise, they're being drafted in roughly the same round in 12-team drafts per Mock Draft Central (Round 3).

Based on the numbers, it would seem both wideouts are mirror images of one another. However, the similarities end there. 

With his pistons greased, Hot Roddy is poised to finish in the WR top-five, leaving Jennings choking on a cloud of rubber-peeling smoke in his wake.

Why? The fifth-year target boasts stronger peripheral influences.

For starters, Tony Gonzalez's presence will undoubtedly entice coverage, freeing the fleet-footed pass catcher from double teams downfield. Secondly, Atlanta's inflexible offensive line and bone-crushing running game are far superior to Green Bay's. Finally, Matt Ryan, who is primed for a major numbers explosion, possesses the necessary qualities to catapult into the upper QB tier. It's due to those potential impacts White's 15.7 yards per catch average and 1,382 receiving yards from last season -- the fourth-highest total among WRs -- are sure to grow.

Presumably, the consistency kings will again sit on the throne of the top-10 by year's end. In fact, the disparity between the two in per game output will likely be less than a point in standard leagues. But White's spectacular accessories make him more fantasy desirable regardless of format.

Fearless Forecast: 152 targets, 91 catches, 1,465 receiving yards, 16.1 ypc, 8 touchdowns

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Images courtesy of Getty

Unlikely as it sounds, many of us are beginning to miss the old Rich Harden -- the unhealthy version. He was delicate, sure, but the innings he gave you were brilliant even if they weren't plentiful.

This 2009 model is like the anti-Harden: He's ineffective, yet he just won't stop pitching. These were his comments after Wednesday's 5-3 loss:

“It was an ugly game and I was unhappy with my performance,” he said. “That’s all I have to say.”

Hopefully that addressed all your questions. If not...

Harden needed 109 pitches to get through 5.1 innings against Detroit. He walked four batters and gave up solo homers to Miguel Cabrera (video) and Gerald Laird. Harden has allowed 13 home runs in 60 innings this year; he yielded only 11 over 148 frames in '08. His velocity was OK on Wednesday, topping out at 95 mph in the first, but he threw just 58 pitches for strikes. The ball that Cabrera crushed was placed on a tee.

Check out the sixth inning pitch sequence to Brandon Inge, the final batter faced by Harden (via Gameday, right). He was missing not by inches, but by feet. Repeatedly. Aaron Heilman then entered the game and did what he does best: allow inherited runners to score.

Harden's ERA is now 5.10 and his WHIP is 1.42. He entered the night with a 4.87 FIP, so it's not as if he's pitched substantially better than the fantasy totals indicate. His next start should be Monday in Pittsburgh, where the Bucs are hitting .291/.355/.432 as a team.

I'm not sending Harden to the bench just yet (own him in one league, N.L.-only), but I'm not issuing votes of confidence, either. I'd only buy out of complete desperation. Could he be injured? Of course. He's Rich Harden. If you're more bullish, please share your sunny optimism in comments. 

• We covered the Matt Lindstrom-to-the-DL situation earlier in the day, so we won't rehash all the details now. Leo Nunez (ankle, not serious) was unavailable on Wednesday, so lefty Dan Meyer received and converted the first save opportunity of the post-Lindstrom era. It did not involve a high degree of difficulty -- the Marlins had a three-run lead in the ninth -- but Meyer pitched a 1-2-3 inning. He's a threat to poach future saves, although Fredi Gonzalez has committed to giving Nunez a serious look:

"When Nunez is ready to go, I think we'll give him an opportunity to do it," Gonzalez said. "Or Meyer. Maybe Nunie goes two days in a row, and Danny goes the next day. We've got at least four weeks to figure it out and use both of those guys."

If any Marlins reliever can close competently over the next month, there won't be much of an argument to hand the job back to Lindstrom. 

• Two more Florida notes: Ricky Nolasco put up his third straight useful line against an A.L. East opponent (7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K vs. BAL). Wednesday's effort prompted Gonzalez to say, ''We're seeing the Nolasco that we saw last year, the pitcher who won 15 games for us."

The heads-up base-running play of the night belonged to Emilio Bonifacio. (Video). He stole second base in the seventh inning, then advanced to third when the throw went into shallow center. As Felix Pie lobbed the ball casually toward the infield, Bonifacio took off for home, sliding under Matt Wieters' tag. It was a Little League play, basically.

• And while we're on the subject of Little League plays, check the tape of Jason Kendall's double. 

• CJ Wilson picked up another save for Texas in a 2-1 win over Arizona. Frank Francisco pitched the eighth, drawing a tougher assignment: Drew, Upton, Reynolds. Don't ready much into this one game; we knew that Francisco wouldn't immediately reclaim ninth inning duties. Per the team's Web site:

[Ron] Washington is still undecided when Francisco might return to his closer's role. This was just his second outing since coming off the disabled list on Saturday.

• Evan Longoria exited the Rays' win with hamstring soreness, but he downplayed the severity of the issue after the game:

"I didn't really feel that shooting, sharp pain that I did the last time. That's a good thing. ... [I'll] get some ice on it and hopefully feel good tomorrow. ... It feels fine right now."

• The Rangers are moving elite prospect Neftali Feliz to the bullpen at Triple-A Oklahoma City. This from the Dallas Morning News:

"We'd like to see if he's an option to help the major-league club in that role," [GM Jon] Daniels said in an e-mail. "We still feel he may start for us in the future, but we're going to go down this path first."

Feliz is a hard-throwing, well-hyped 21-year-old who's held his own at an advanced level (3.86 ERA, 55 Ks, 27 BB in 60.2 IP). A one-year move to the 'pen would allow Texas to potentially upgrade the relief corps without paying a deadline premium, and they'll limit Feliz's innings. Maybe he'll become a useful K/IP play as you near the innings max in roto leagues, but if he makes it to Texas at all, he'll have a non-starting/non-closing role. 

• Homer Bailey is likely to start for the Reds at Cleveland on Saturday. The 23-year-old has a career 7.01 ERA in the majors, but he's been outstanding in his last five starts at Triple-A (38.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 BB, 38 Ks) and the fantasy community is abuzz over his new splitter. I'll withhold an official recommendation, having not actually added Bailey in any leagues. I'm willing to let him become another owner's post-hype/post-bust success story. 

• Koji Uehara could miss his next start, according to the Baltimore Sun:

"Physically, I'm OK," Uehara said through his interpreter, Jiwon Bang. "Elbow-wise, not perfect. It's like a fatigue."

...Asked if his next start was in jeopardy, Uehara said, "At this moment, I don't know. I'm not a young guy, so I have to confer with my body."

That next start happens to be a win (Sunday vs. WAS). Let's hope the conferring goes well, and all parties agree that Koji can go five innings.

• So this play sure could have ended badly for Nick Green. Yikes. Manager Terry Francona was not entirely sympathetic:

“I’m probably not sounding like a loyal manger, but I wanted him to make the play. Get out of the way, catch it and make the play.”

Making the play seems awfully tough when there's a pinwheeling bat-dagger traveling along the same line as the ball, and it arrives first.

• Ryan Church went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and hit clean-up for the thoroughly disabled Mets. Fernando Nieve moved to 3-0, pitching six scoreless innings, but the longtime minor leaguer still shouldn't be on the public league radar.

• Kenshin Kawakami was whacked in the neck by a soft liner hit by Joba Chamberlain, bringing an early end to his night. The injury isn't thought to be serious, however.

“I’m fine. I’m alive,” Kawakami said through an interpreter. “At first I was very worried that it might have hit a bone.”

... “We think he’s going to be OK, but we won’t know for sure for at least two days,” [Bobby] Cox said of Kawakami. “There’s a lot of swelling, a lot of discoloration."

•  Here's Randy Wolf, after giving up five earned runs and three home runs to the White Sox in Chicago: "There is no way to candy-coat it, I stunk." He also faced ideal hitting conditions in a homer-friendly park. Try to let it go, Wolf loyalists.

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Photos via US Presswire (Harden, Nolasco) and Getty Images (Longoria)

We're almost 12 weeks into this dance as he hit the third cycle of the Shuffle Up and Deal rankings, the list I'd be using if I had a draft tonight. What's happened to this point in the year is only an audition; the ranks are attempting to figure out who will hold the most value from this moment forward. Assume a 5x5 scoring format, and players at the same dollar value are essentially even. Your respectful and intelligent disagreement is most welcome in the comments.

This particular list contains infield-eligible players only; that's why you can't find Carl Crawford or any of the Uptons below. I'll be attacking a different set of positions in this space every week, throughout the season.

$37 Albert Pujols
$32 Hanley Ramirez
$31 Miguel Cabrera
$31 David Wright
$29 Evan Longoria
$29 Mark Teixeira
$28 Chase Utley
$28 Ryan Howard
$28 Justin Morneau
$27 Ian Kinsler
$27 Prince Fielder
$26 Alex Rodriguez
$26 Kevin Youkilis
$26 Adrian Gonzalez
$24 Jimmy Rollins
$24 Mark Reynolds
$23 Lance Berkman
$23 Victor Martinez

Pujols would be in the top spot on his bat alone; the fact that he's running too is almost unfair . . . Reynolds might look misplaced at this price but his power-speed combo demands respect . . . If there's even the slightest Rollins discount available to you right now, prepare your offer . . . Martinez is getting plenty of time at first base, which keeps him in the lineup and saves the wear and tear on his knees.

$22 Ryan Zimmerman
$22 Dustin Pedroia
$22 Derek Jeter
$21 Brian Roberts
$21 Troy Tulowitzki
$20 Adam Dunn
$20 Carlos Pena
$19 Chone Figgins
$19 Brandon Phillips
$18 Aaron Hill
$18 Joey Votto
$18 Alexei Ramirez
$17 Michael Young
$17 Derrek Lee
$17 Jose Reyes
$16 Robinson Cano
$16 Mike Lowell
$16 Chipper Jones
$16 Ben Zobrist
$15 Aramis Ramirez

Jeter's rebound season has been, surprisingly enough, a little under-reported. Imagine that . . . You're getting home runs and RBIs from Adam Dunn, nothing else. He's not running, the average doesn't help you, and he almost never crosses home plate . . . Jose Reyes is the hardest player to value right now. No one knows . . . Zobrist Mafia, I'll hear your case as to why Z should be priced higher.

$14 Jorge Cantu
$14 Paul Konerko
$14 Dan Uggla
$14 Adrian Beltre
$14 Stephen Drew
$14 Brandon Inge
$14 Miguel Tejada
$14 Pablo Sandoval
$14 Yunel Escobar
$13 Aubrey Huff
$13 Orlando Hudson
$13 Jason Bartlett
$13 Freddy Sanchez
$13 Clint Barmes
$12 Jhonny Peralta
$12 Asdrubal Cabrera
$12 Ryan Theriot
$12 Billy Butler
$12 Ian Stewart
$11 Mark DeRosa
$11 James Loney
$11 Russell Branyan

Inge has done it for three months and he carries catcher eligibility, can't deny the price . . . What's the big thing about Stephen Drew, again? . . . Peralta's bat has come alive over the last week, finally, and Cabrera might be back with the Tribe by the weekend.

$10 Rafael Furcal
$10 Jose Lopez
$9 Russell Martin
$9 Marco Scutaro
$9 Adam LaRoche
$9 Todd Helton
$9 Kevin Kouzmanoff
$8 Scott Rolen
$8 Casey Blake
$7 J.J. Hardy
$7 Felipe Lopez
$7 Kendry Morales
$7 Alex Gordon
$7 Placido Polanco
$6 Nick Johnson
$6 Chris Davis
$6 Hank Blalock
$6 Jerry Hairston Jr.
$5 Cristian Guzman
$5 Mark Teahen
$5 Nick Swisher
$5 Andy LaRoche
$5 Khalil Greene

If you want to let Martin off the hook, that's your business. It's been a year since he was driving the ball with any authority . . . Guzman is the poster child for an "empty .300 hitter" . . . Blalock's overmatched against lefties and really should be a platoon player at this point.

$4 Melvin Mora
$4 Casey Kotchman
$4 Orlando Cabrera
$4 Kazuo Matsui
$4 Edwin Encarnacion
$4 Casey McGehee
$3 Mike Jacobs
$3 Howie Kendrick
$3 Joe Crede
$3 Carlos Guillen
$3 Kelly Johnson
$3 Skip Schumaker
$3 Alberto Callaspo
$3 Edgar Renteria
$3 Lyle Overbay
$3 Pedro Feliz
$3 Brendan Harris

Every winter the Braves try to do better than Johnson at second base; I think this time around, they'll get it right . . . Kendrick's been mashing in the minors and figures to come up quickly . . . Jacobs has adequate pop against right-handed pitchers, but he's a paper tiger against lefties.

$2 Elvis Andrus
$2 Garrett Atkins
$2 Emilio Bonifacio
$2 Willie Bloomquist
$2 Ryan Garko
$2 Carlos Delgado
$2 Luis Castillo
$2 Mat Gamel
$2 Craig Counsell
$2 Brendan Ryan
$2 Chris Coghlan
$2 Chris Getz
$2 Jamey Carroll
$1 Chase Headley
$1 Willy Aybar
$1 Adam Kennedy
$1 Yuniesky Betancourt
$1 Alex Cora
$1 Maicer Izturis
$1 David Eckstein
$1 Erick Aybar
$1 Jack Wilson
$1 Jason Giambi

Self-service commentary on the aces and deuces. Let's take this to the comments.

Florida's Matt Lindstrom can keep the ninth inning as long as he wants it, apparently.

Yesterday he allowed four consecutive two-out ninth inning hits to the O's, and he was eventually charged with three earned runs. Two days earlier he gave up three hits, one walk and two earned runs to the Yankees, picking up the shakiest of saves. Lindstrom's ERA is now 6.52 and his WHIP is a remarkable 1.90. Manny Acta would have demoted him twice already.

But not Fredi Gonzalez. Lindstrom managed to extend his substantial MLB lead in votes-of-confidence on Tuesday. (Lidge is still second, six votes behind). This from the Palm Beach Post:

"Something has to change," [said Lindstrom.]

But that will not be the closer, at least not now, according to manager Fredi Gonzalez.

"He's just got to learn how to get that third out," Gonzalez said."Sometimes that's the most difficult out to get the whole game.

"We'll keep running him out there and let him learn how to do that."

Leo Nunez is dealing with an ankle issue, though it's not considered serious. Dan Meyer has been the best of the Marlins' healthy relievers (2.10 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 29 Ks), but, well...who are we kidding?

Lindstrom has been granted tenure. They'll keep running him out there, without mercy for the big-WHIPped fantasy owners among us. You wanna buy low? Great. Make me an offer.

Update, 4:50 pm: OK, maybe "closer for life" was an overstatement. The Marlins have found the perfect place for Lindstrom: The DL.

Via the team's Web site:

The Marlins on Wednesday afternoon placed right-hander Matt Lindstrom on the 15-day disabled list with a right elbow sprain.

The hard-throwing right-hander is on a no-throw status for four weeks. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the team would mix and match the closer spot. Leo Nunez, Dan Meyer and Brian Sanches are closer options.

... Nunez also is dealing with a sprained ankle, but he said on Wednesday that he is ready to pitch.

Leo Nunez is my preferred add; Meyer is Plan B. The 30-year-old Sanches doesn't seem like a credible threat (4.76 career ERA, 1.65 WHIP), and Renyel Pinto is awfully walky (15 BB in 24.1 IP). Kiko Calero (shoulder) could be a factor when he returns from the DL, but then Fredi couldn't use him every day.

Update No. 2, 8:40 pm: Nunez unavailable tonight due to the ankle. Pinto gets the eighth, walks the first batter he sees, escapes. Meyer warming for the ninth. 

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Photo via Getty Images 

Thus, Manny Ramirez is a member of the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. His 50-game suspension for using a banned male enhancer gender reassignment drug fertility treatment will end July 3, barring any rainouts or postponements.

On Tuesday, Ramirez faced Manny Parra (currently pitching in exile in Nashville), going 0-for-2. He struck out swinging in the first inning and hit a soft chopper to short in the third. He saw only eight pitches. The tentative plan is for Ramirez to play three games with Albuquerque, then visit Single-A Inland Empire for as many as four. Nothing is etched in stone, though. This via the Dodgers' Web site:

"It's pretty much left to him -- it's a comfort thing," [Joe] Torre said.

... Torre said Ramirez will need to play some games in the outfield and could take "a couple days off during the time."

When Ramirez is reinstated, Juan Pierre and his 17 steals will return to the bench:

Torre also said his goal is to get Pierre one or two starts a week in center field, with Kemp moving to right. But Torre dismissed the suggestion that Pierre might displace Ethier as a starting outfielder.

"Matt's our center fielder. Ethier, with what he brings to the table. Manny, because of his ability, he'll play," said Torre. "Ethier is still a threat."

Pierre's fantasy value will obviously collapse unless the Dodgers find a buyer -- and the pricetag is crazy ($10 million in 2010, $8.5M in '11). The White Sox have reportedly been interested in Pierre for years, and the Seattle Times addressed the possibility of a Jarrod Washburn-for-Pierre deal on Monday.

However, Yahoo!'s Tim Brown discussed -- and essentially dismissed -- the Pierre trade talk last week. (Video). Pierre is a useful piece for a Series contender like L.A., and the Dodgers can't be too interested in paying him to play elsewhere. The Beast Mode experience has been better than anyone could have reasonably expected, but May's MVP (23 R, 18 RBI, 9 SB, .369) is looking like July's drop.

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Photo via US Presswire

It hasn't been a banner year for San Diego baseball. The Padres have a mediocre 31-38 record and are buried alive in the NL West standings. Jake Peavy went from the trading block to the disabled list in June, Chris Young has been a mess, Chase Headley continues to struggle. Even one of the city's everlasting icons – The Famous Chicken – is contemplating retirement (The Chicken's act is mostly a road show these days, coming to a minor-league park near you.) Stay Classy, San Diego? It's hard to stay positive, period.

That all said, there's a good fantasy story with any of the 30 clubs, and this forgettable team actually has a bunch of unheralded fantasy gems flying under the radar right now, just waiting for your point-and-click. Let's go hunting for some waiver-wire gems.

Scott Hairston might not be the sexiest name in the outfield these days – his Q-rating didn't quality for Andy's timely pregame show Tuesday – but the Padres consider him one of their best offensive weapons and Hairston immediately went into the No. 3 spot in his first game off the DL Tuesday. The two best spots in the San Diego lineup are on either side of Adrian Gonzalez (cleanup Tuesday) – if you hit in front of Gonzalez the opponents are forced to throw you strikes (in theory), and if you hit after Gonzo you're going to get plenty of RBI chances as teams routinely pitch around the slugger. Hairston and No. 5 man Kevin Kouzmanoff both went 2-for-5 Tuesday (Gonzalez added his 24th homer) and Bud Black figures to keep this 3-4-5 combination together for a while.

It's convenient for the Pads that out-machine Brian Giles (.191/.277/.271) went on the DL Tuesday with a right knee contusion; he must have some juicy Polaroids on Black because the San Diego skipper has refused to bench the scuffling, aging outfielder. Hot prospect Kyle Blanks is going to take some at-bats away from the outfield crew when the Padres return home next week, but we won't worry about it while the club continues with play in AL parks.

It's easy to dismiss the Padres rotation out of hand now that Peavy and Young are out of the mix, but there are some spot-start candidates getting it done right now for the Friars. Kevin Correia has been outstanding over his last four turns (2.03 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, 20 strikeouts in 26.2 innings) and Chad Gaudin has 19 whiffs in his last two turns after an outstanding effort at Seattle Tuesday (7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 11 K). I'm not suggesting that these guys are going to be three-month stalwarts for your mixed-league clubs, but hey, pitching in roomy Petco Park half of the time is a cushy assignment. That established, I don't have the nerve to roll with either guy at Texas on the weekend, no matter that the recent games in Arlington have been low scoring. Let's revisit the Padres rotation when the Friars return home next week.

• Nothing has been determined for sure yet on Brandon Webb and his balky shoulder, but where there's smoke, there's often fire. Webb had another MRI Tuesday and the Arizona Republic is reporting that it's likely Webb will need surgery. The Diamondbacks pretty much are out of the playoff race already – Dr. Behrens discussed their pending yard sale earlier Tuesday – and it doesn't make sense to take any chances with Webb's long-term status. I'm certainly no doctor, but I'll be surprised if we see Webb on a mound again this year.

• Ubaldo Jimenez deserved a better fate (7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 5 K) against the Angels. He had a 3-2 lead and a bunch of pitches to his name through seven innings, then things fell apart.

Jimenez started the problems with a 3-2 walk to Jeff Mathis (.212) but his defense let him down after that. Ian Stewart made two mental mistakes on back-to-back bunts; a hesitation and some indecision gave Erick Aybar a gift hit, and Stewart botched a force-out one batter later when he wasn't able to step on third base during a bang-bang play. Bobby Abreu followed with a clean single, plating two, and the Angels had their game-winning rally in the books.

Brian Fuentes worked the ninth for his 20th save, somehow coaxing his fairly-straight high-80s fastball past the Rockies for a couple of strikeouts (Garrett Atkins didn't swing during his at-bat, though he was punched out on a questionable call).  Turn No. 2 for Sean O'Sullivan wasn't as exciting for the Angels (5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 K, two gopher balls served to the surging Troy Tulowitzki), but the Rockies didn't get a hit off the Los Angeles bullpen.

• Matt Lindstrom had another ninth-inning meltdown in Florida, allowing four hits and three runs and frittering away Andrew Miller's brilliant turn (7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K). Technically Lindstrom didn't get the blown save because the tying run scored on the watch of Brian Sanches, but when you pitch this poorly with a game on the line, red ink goes on your file. Hedging against Lindstrom is a little tricky; Leo Nunez left Tuesday's game with an ankle sprain, and while Dan Meyer has been excellent most of the year, he can be a bit wild and he also has to fight against the left-handed closer bias. Fredi Gonzalez has been remarkably patient with Lindstrom through the first three months, but there comes a point where spotty results force a move. We'll see how the Marlins spin this in the next few days.

• Nothing tops Fangraphs when it comes to detailed component-stat analysis (a mandatory bookmark for any serious fantasy player), but if you're looking to get jiggy with the basic 5x5 stats in a variety of packages, give BaseballMonster.com a try. It's a sharp looking site, customizable to the nth degree, easy to use, and hard to step away from.

Not an Injury Blog: Roy Halladay (groin) had a bullpen session Tuesday and remains on schedule to rejoin the Jays Monday. … Raul Ibanez (groin) didn't want to go on the DL in the first place and should be able to get back to action when he's first eligible next week. … Ryan Howard (flu) got the call at DL Tuesday and stroked a run-scoring double. … David Bush (arm fatigue/home run whiplash) went on the disabled list Tuesday; if you watched his batting-practice act in Detroit on the weekend, you probably connected the dots on this one. … Alex Gordon (hip) is making decent progress and hopes to return to the Royals right after the All-Star break. … Aramis Ramirez (shoulder) should be able to take live batting practice by the weekend, Carrie Muskat reports, but the Cubs aren't discussing return timetables yet. … Jason Kubel has been one of Minnesota's best hitters this month, but a flu bug has kept him down the last few days. … Coco Crisp (shoulder) is officially out for the year. If you're looking for a replacement, consider the Funston-approved David DeJesus, who's settled into the leadoff spot. … Scott Kazmir (quad) says he's ready to rejoin the Tampa rotation; the club won't make a decision until after Kazmir throws in the bullpen Wednesday.  

Speed Round: Manny Ramirez made his Springfield Albuquerque Isotopes debut and went 0-for-2. The fan response was very favorable throughout. Ramirez wore his trademark No. 99 for the minor-league club; he's probably the second-most significant 99 in pop culture history at this point, behind Wayne Gretzky and ahead of Barbara Feldon. … Kevin Gregg threw a pair of hanging curves to Ryan Raburn in Detroit Tuesday; Raburn took the first one, then clubbed the second one out of the yard for a walk-off, two-run homer. Gregg's blown save becomes more interesting with Carlos Marmol coming around; Marmol struck out the side in the eighth. … Jhonny Peralta has eight hits and two homers over his last five games; welcome to the season, big guy. … Magglio Ordonez was back in Detroit's lineup and went 0-for-2 with a walk. … Order has been restored to the Toronto bullpen: Jason Frasor worked a smooth save Tuesday while a groin injury has Jeremy Accardo out of the picture. … Philadelphia's 10-1 rout at Tampa featured 46-year-old Jamie Moyer (6 IP, 1 R) outdueling 23-year-old David Price (4.1 IP, 10 R, 5 ER). Price doesn't have a quality start to his name through six turns this season. 

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Images courtesy Associated Press 

Hit the links for details:

• Joey Votto (via MLB.com)

• Grady Sizemore (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

• Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Daily News)

• Magglio Ordonez (Detroit Free Press)

Votto's story is definitely worth a read. Get him active in all leagues, then click. He'll face Brian Tallet in Toronto. 

When the lead story on a team's Web site declares that the general manager will be a seller at the trade deadline, then it's clearly more than just a rumor.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are 29-41 and they were just swept by the Mariners, so they've finally placed a "FOR SALE" sign on the Fiero and parked it on the lawn. This from MLB.com's Steve Gilbert:

"It's the middle of June and we're 10 games under .500, so I think there's a reality as far as the types of discussions we have had and will have with other clubs," [GM Josh] Byrnes said.

... "I do think we have a lot of good players in here, but the results are the results. I think there are decisions you have to make based on your results, not on your potential."

To this point, Byrnes has given no indication that he is planning a major overhaul. So, for now, if the team makes a move, look for it to be with one of the veterans who are in the final year of their contracts.

Don't make Arizona fans angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry (see above).

Arizona made an expensive commitment to Dan Haren through 2012, so he doesn't fit the veteran/final year description. The trade chips specifically mentioned by Gilbert are Jon Garland, Doug Davis, the injured-but-rehabbing Chad Tracy (oblique) and Felipe Lopez. Let's discuss those four.

If Arizona moves either Garland or Davis -- both are free agents in 2010, assuming Garland's $10M option isn't of interest -- there won't be much to spin, fantasy-wise. Garland is an eater of innings who doesn't strike anyone out; that's a terrible combination in 5X5 roto. Davis has a respectable K-rate (6.38 K/9), but you'll recall where he fell in the FIP/ERA discussion (current FIP is 4.61, ERA is 3.53). Also take note of the unfortunate monthly trend in Davis' '09 WHIP, as it drifts toward the 1.5's. 

Tracy is just roster filler, owned in one percent of Yahoo! PLUS leagues. He only qualifies at 1B, where his best-case-scenario contributions are below average. Few if any contending teams would view him as a serious everyday option. Lopez is a different story, though. He's hitting .297/.352/.409 and offers adequate-to-sketchy defense at a variety of positions. He qualifies at 2B, SS, 3B and OF in Yahoo! leagues. If dealt, he'll need to remain a top of the order hitter in order to retain his fantasy value. That's the worry. Lopez is currently on an 84-run, 10-homer, 12-steal pace with Arizona.

Chad Qualls and Jon Rauch seem like candidates for the trading block, too, although they weren't named by Gilbert. There are injury concerns with Qualls (forearm) and performance concerns with Rauch (4.94 ERA, 1.48 WHIP). Tony Pena is next in line to close, while Daniel Schlereth (future closer) and Clay Zavada (badass 'stache) would advance in the bullpen hierarchy.

It's really too early to think about RHP Jarrod Parker, by the way, no matter what happens with Garland or Davis. The D-backs' top prospect has adjusted well to Double-A (3.19 ERA, 46 K, 20 BB in 42.1 IP), but he's only 20. He's also superficially injured right now after taking a line-drive off his wrist. In dynasty leagues, he's already owned; in standard leagues, it's too soon. 

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Photo via Getty Images

• Aaron Cook generally isn't the type of pitcher you run towards in a mixed league; he toils in Colorado and he's a little light on the strikeouts. That said, he's really got the feel of his sinker right now and he's been super in his last four turns (all wins), including Monday's outing in Anaheim (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K). If you're leery on using Cook for thin-air turns, at least there's a cushy Oakland assignment waiting for him Sunday. Colorado's resurgence as a team (the Rockies are on a sterling 17-1 run) helps the cause as well.

• Carlos Beltran was battling a sore knee for about a month and the other cleat dropped Monday; the Mets decided, after an MRI, to put the star outfielder on the 15-day disabled list. The club is cautiously optimistic that Beltran will be out the minimum time but it's too early to say with any certainty. Fernando Martinez is back with the team and will see some run in center field, though Jeremy Reed got the call Monday.

• Maybe Akinori Iwamura's 2009 season isn't done for after all. It turns out he's only got a partial tear in his ACL, which leaves the door open for a possible return in the final quarter of the year. Iwamura had the knee scoped on Monday, with a 6-8 week rehab period to follow. In a very deep mixed league, you could do worse as a DL stash-and-hope.

• Khalil Greene went 1-for-3 with a run for the Cardinals Monday, his least-eventful game since returning from the DL last week. In his first three starts he collected three homers and two injuries (foot contusion; sore knee from a HBP), though neither nick appears to be a serious thing. He's going to get an extended shot at third base, while Tyler Greene and Brendan Ryan appear to be Tony La Russa's platoon men at short. Position eligibility, power, a good story, I'm a sucker for this Greene set-up, one more time.

• Trevor Cahill did all he could to make Brad Evans look good Monday, checking the Giants over seven strong innings (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K). Brad Ziegler took over from there and got a working-class save, striking out four of the six men he faced (Andrew Bailey needed a rest anyway).

Jonathan Sanchez was likely pitching for his rotation spot on the other side and he didn't pass the test, getting knocked around for eight hits and four runs over 5.1 innings. Look at the Oakland lineup, for crying out loud - Rajai Davis was batting sixth. Travis Ishikawa accounted for the lone Giants run, swatting his third homer in four games. It's not enough for me to consider a pickup; Ishikawa strikes out too much (38 times in 126 at-bats), he's stuck in the bottom third of the order, and he's got a mediocre .421 slugging percentage. 

Handshakes: Bobby Cox played the matchups in the late innings Monday, which is why lefty Mike Gonzalez came into the game before Rafael Soriano (save No. 6). … Francisco Rodriguez (19) needed just 10 pitches to put down the Cardinals, 1-2-3. … Huston Street wasn't needed with the Rockies winning a laugher in Anaheim; a day of rest is important for Street, given that the club has lost Manual Corpas for a while and Taylor Buchholz for the season.

More Injury Blog: There's a good chance Grady Sizemore (elbow) will be back with the Indians Tuesday. … Yunel Escobar sat out Monday's game due to a strained right hip. The club hopes to get him back Tuesday, but keep in mind he had a similar injury in May and it cost him a week. Kelly Johnson is also nicked up for the Braves; he played six innings Monday, then came out with leg cramps. … Denard Span (ear infection) is on a rehab assignment and should rejoin the Twins Thursday. … Ervin Santana (forearm) hit the DL Monday; apparently he had some discomfort during his pitching session on the weekend. Sean O'Sullivan steps into the Anaheim rotation Tuesday. … Xavier Nady (elbow) is ready to start his rehab assignment; he'll report to Scranton/Wilkes Barre on Wednesday. He's probably looking at an early July return to the Yankees. … Asdrubal Cabrera (shoulder) is only hitting left-handed in batting practice right now, but nonetheless he's set to begin a rehab assignment. … John Maine (shoulder) might be ready to return to the Mets on the weekend, not that you want to trust him against the Yankees. … Joey Votto (ear) is traveling with the Reds, and context clues point to him playing Tuesday in Toronto. … Alex Gonzalez had elbow surgery Monday and is out indefinitely, which extends the leash for Jerry Hairston Jr. … Josh Outman (elbow) probably won't make his Wednesday turn. He hasn't picked up a ball since Friday. 

Speed Round: Vladimir Guerrero had an 0-for-3 night and hasn't homered in 25 games. … After going 22 games without a steal, Dexter Fowler (2-for-5 Monday) now has two swipes in his last three starts. … Chris Iannetta's season stats still look like dirt, but he's on a 9-for-31 stretch with three homers over his last 11 games and physical issues had something to do with his early-season funk. He's not universally owned right now but he absolutely should be. … Omir Santos never met a pitch he didn't want to hack at - he's got just six walks in 121 plate-appearances - but so far the approach is working for him. He collected four singles in the Mets win over St. Louis, pushing his average up to .298. … Garret Anderson went 2-for-4 Monday and has quietly hiked his average up to .285 after a slow start. He's hitting .321 in June.

Evans opens: For the second-straight season, "The Slasher" is destined to slice the opposition's jugular.

Grossly overlooked in many drafts last summer, Slaton emerged from the deep rounds to be become one of fantasy's most dependable all-around backs. Entering the season, several scouts questioned whether he possessed the skill set and durability to perform as a featured back. Silencing the naysayers, he displayed excellent cut-back ability, game-breaking speed and eagle vision in Gary Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme. In total he accumulated nine 100-plus total yard games and 10 end-zone splashes in 15 starts. Overall, he finished ninth among RBs in points per game (14.1), four spots ahead of Captain Quick (Johnson).

Hungry to prove he's not a one-year wonder, Slaton has added 10 pounds of muscle this offseason in the hopes of exceeding last year's touch total (318). Keep in mind the Texans were 5-0 in contests in which he toted the rock 20-plus times. With a year under his belt, he's also fully grasped the playbook and shown marked confidence in mini-camp.

Per ADP values, the difference between the two appears negligible. But because Johnson will cede several goal-line touches to chalk-eater LenDale White, he will likely finish with roughly 2-4 fewer touchdowns than his backfield comparison. Understand last year Slaton dwarfed Johnson 66-29 in red-zone attempts. Also, Houston's passing attack is far superior, which means the Texans' rocket will see fewer stacked boxes, increasing his chances for long runs and goal-line dives.

Both are deserving of first round considration, but The Slasher is the more terrorizing force.

Fearless Forecast: 279 carries, 1,311 rushing yards, 4.7 ypc, 55 receptions, 402 receiving yards, 12 total touchdowns

Piano Man retorts: From a fantasy perspective it was hard to differentiate between Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton last year. Both backs went for around 14 fantasy points per game as rookies, both runners did better work between the tackles than expected, both guys held up surprisingly well in the second half for undersized backs, and both freshmen hit their share of home runs on the perimeter (Johnson is the fastest back in the league; Slaton had four runs over 40 yards). So why is Johnson my play? It's all about reading the tea leaves since 2008 ended.

Although Slaton handled 318 touches without any problem, the Texans would like to take some of the short-yardage work away from him. Gary Kubiak has mentioned the possibility of Chris Brown being the No. 2 and specialist; while it's hard to take Brown seriously, it's clear what Kubiak has in mind. If the Texans can limit Slaton's wear and tear the second time around, they're going to do it - and that's likely to hurt in the TD column.

Johnson essentially matched Slaton on a points-per-game basis even as the Titans were farming the short-yardage work to LenDale White (15 TDs). Given the circus that's been White's career to this point, I find it hard to imagine another perfect storm where he scores that many times again; Johnson could easily add a few TDs to his rookie total of 10. I also feel better about Johnson's ball security (Slaton had a fumbling problem down the stretch) and the offensive line he's working behind. I'm not hatin' on Slaton, but CJ is my play.

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Images courtesy of US Presswire

If you're an aggrieved owner of Jason Frasor who's wondering why, exactly, Jeremy Accardo picked up a save last Thursday in Philadelphia, Jays manager Cito Gaston has an explanation for you:

"I screwed it up."

Specifically, Gaston screwed up the double switch protocol.

In case you haven't read the details already, we'll recap. Toronto held a one-run lead over the Phillies in the eighth inning. There were two outs, a runner was on second base, and the Jays had the pitcher's spot due up in the ninth. Gaston's intention was to bring catcher Rod Barajas into the game, replacing Raul Chavez, while also bringing in Frasor to relieve Brandon League. That would have allowed Barajas to lead off the next inning while keeping Frasor on the mound.

But Gaston failed to share his plan with the proper authorities. This from MLB.com's Jordan Bastian:

Where Gaston messed up was in walking straight to the mound and not consulting with the home-plate umpire.

"I thought about it," Gaston said, "and then after I went to the mound, then you couldn't [double switch]. You have to approach the umpire first before you do that and I went to the mound."

... Once there, he turned back to the dugout and made a hand motion toward the dugout, pounding his fist in an open hand -- signaling for the catcher. Someone in the dugout alerted him that the double switch had to be called off, though.

Naturally, things worked out perfectly for the Jays. Chavez gunned down a would-be base-stealer, Barajas belted a pinch-hit homer in the top of the ninth, and Accardo finished things off with an assist from BJ Ryan. Frasor ended up with the win. 

"I think," said Gaston, "if you had to do it again, you'd probably do it a little different, just to save another pitcher."

Frasor remains the preferred fantasy add while Scott Downs (toe) is shelved. You'll find a few key details on Frasor's improvement here, via the Toronto Star's Richard Griffin:

Frasor is a much better pitcher now than he was in 2004 when he recorded 17 saves for the Jays. He has added that funky split-change thing with the little-hand grip. That extra off-speed pitch to go with a 94 m.p.h. fastball and a decent breaking ball allows him to fill in while Downs nurses his toe back to health.

Downs is throwing from flat ground, but we still don't have a timetable for his return. "I've just kind of put Downs out of my mind right now," said Gaston. As if his closer were just another rule that he could disregard.

In other toe-related news...

• Jonathan Broxton allowed four hits and four earned runs in 2.1 innings over the weekend. He's throwing his usual 96-98 mph, but it's not clear that the issues with his right big toe are completely behind him. Broxton had a cortisone injection last week and the back-to-back appearances are certainly encouraging, but grabbing Ramon Troncoso (7 HD, 4 SV) wouldn't be the worst move. 

• Brad Lidge (too many [expletive] runs knee) is expected to return from the DL later this week, possibly as early as Wednesday. He threw a scoreless inning for Double-A Reading on Saturday (1 H, 2 Ks) and reportedly felt no lingering pain. Ryan Madson owners should be thrilled that Lidge is almost back, because last week did not go well: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 BS, 2 L.

• Chad Qualls hasn't been lights-out lately, but don't put Sunday's loss on him. Check the highlight. That's a brutal first loss for Clay Zavada (pictured), the pride of Streator, Illinois. 

• Kiko Calero hit the DL with shoulder inflammation after appearing in 36 of his team's first 67 games. "It's nothing serious," said manager Fredi Gonzalez. He'd use Calero today if you let him. 

• Chris Ray is back from Triple-A Norfolk after posting 13 Ks and a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings. Jim Johnson figures to be next in line for saves if/when George Sherrill is traded, however. 

• Kerry Wood blew a pair of save opportunities in his return to Wrigley over the weekend, but he'd made 11 straight scoreless appearances (and six hitless) before the Cubs roughed him up. His velocity is actually better than it was in '08. Don't panic. Unless you're Eric Wedge.

• Frank Francisco (shoulder) returned from the DL and pitched yet another scoreless inning on Saturday. He's allowed just one run (earned or unearned) in 20.2 innings so far this year. After he was activated, manager Ron Washington declared, "I won't use [Francisco] right away in the closer's spot." It shouldn't take too long, however.

CJ Wilson has been an excellent replacement (2.89 ERA, 6 SV), so don't kick him to the curb until it's clear that Francisco can close back-to-back games.

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Photo via Getty Images 

This sound familiar: You take a stroll through your league's free agency pool, do a sort for the past week or month, notice some unexpected player bubble to the top of the rank list, consider adding the player, decide better of it because the player's pedigree defies his current production, then the player continues on his tear and you end up adding him a week or so later? It's happened to me at least a couple times this season in the Yahoo! Friends and Family League. I missed a nice chunk of Adam Kennedy's May explosion before I was finally convinced to extend him an offer. And, this past week, Milwaukee's Casey McGehee reminded me again of the perils of hesitation.

Had I added McGehee last week when I initially considered it, I'd have enjoyed a sweet seven-game run in which he's hit .461 (12-for-26) with two home runs (including an opposite field solo shot today against Justin Verlander on a first pitch, eye-high fastball in his first at bat), four RBIs and seven runs scored. But I was dissuaded by a past that fails to inspire upside optimism.

That said, McGehee is flexing his gap power to the tune of a 24.6 LD% this season, which would place him among the league leaders in that category if he had enough at bats to qualify. With Rickie Weeks done for the year, the utilityman is getting regular play at second base and hitting regularly in the No. 2 spot in the order, where he's been feasting (.333 BA) on a steady diet of fastballs and scoring at a near per game clip (9 runs in 10 games).

McGehee's home run off Verlander today pushed me to finally pick him up in the F&F league. It's a 14-team league where middlemen like Brendan Ryan, Chris Getz, Jamey Carroll and Craig Counsell have recently been, or are still currently, rostered. So long as he keeps waiting for quality pitches (his current 11.8 BB% is a considerably better mark than he has posted at any other time or professional level in the past three years) from his perch near the top of the Brewers order, there's no reason to think he can't be a viable contributor (batting average and runs) in deeper mixed league, like the F&F. I'm not going to try and make him into anything more than he is. But he's in a good situation, and he's in a groove. Sometimes, that's all you can ask for.

• As closers go, Fernando Rodney has been a bit of a bumpy ride. His ERA is north of 4.00 (4.08) and, prior to today, he'd allowed three walks in two of his past four appearances. But he mowed down the Brewers today in 1-2-3 fashion, making him a perfect 14-for-14 in save opportunities. You'll occasionally hear rumblings about how Joel Zumaya and Brandon Lyon might be moving in on his territory but, in actuality, Rodney has a pretty solid grip on the job. In his 14 save opportunities, Rodney has posted a 0.64 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 14 innings pitched. The only run he allowed in a save situation came via the only home run he has served up this season – Mike Aviles (April 26).

• It was a tough day for Yovani Gallardo and his owners. He stuff was sharp against Detroit and he was cruising through the Tigers lineup for the first 5.1 innings – 3 H, 0 ER, 6 K. But, with an out in the sixth inning, he gave up a single to Miguel Cabrera, then coaxed a fly out from Marcus Thames before allowing another single by Don Kelly. Then, with two outs and two on, he made one of the few mistakes of the day, floating an off-speed breaking ball right into Brandon Inge's wheelhouse – letter high and right over the heart of the plate. Inge crushed the pitch for his 16th home run of the season, giving Detroit all it would need in a 3-2 win. Justin Verlander pitched yet another gem for the Tigers (7.2 IP, 2 ER, 8 K) to pick up his eighth win, but this one was Gallardo's for the taking.

• Felix Hernandez was cruising towards his second consecutive complete game shutout when, like Gallardo, it all came to a crashing halt with one swing of the bat. But, unlike Gallardo, Hernandez didn't make a mistake pitch. Instead, in a pitcher's count with one out and one on in the eighth inning against Arizona, Hernandez threw a darting fastball low and away from Mark Reynolds, who made a lunging, all-upper body stab at the pitch and sent it over the wall in deep centerfield. When you see a guy hit an improbable bomb like that, you don't doubt the legitimacy of his 19 home runs – it's no wonder he ranks among the top five in the league in average distance per home run. The streakiness (he was 0-for-16 prior to the at bat) and strikeouts will always be a part of the equation, but I'm confident that it will also come with 35-40 home runs this season, as well.

• The most notable injury of the day belongs to New York's CC Sabathia, who left his outing against Florida after allowing three hits, a walk and a run in 1.1 innings. He was, reportedly, experiencing tightness in his left biceps. Obviously, we'll learn in the next few days whether this is something to be worried about.

• The shakiest save of the day goes to Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom, who gave back two runs to the Yankees in the top of the ninth to shrink the Marlins' lead from 6-3 to 6-5. Lindstrom allowed three hits and a walk, marking the ninth time this season he has allowed at least three base runners in an inning of work or less. As rocky of a road as it's been for Lindstrom, though, he deserves credit for running his saves streak to 11 straight without a blown opportunity.

• Just when Khalil Greene was starting to feel good following a 19-game hiatus because of social anxiety disorder – he hit a home run for the third consecutive game on Sunday – he got plunked on the right knee by a pitch from Kansas City's Gil Meche in the fourth inning and had to leave the game. Stay tuned for news on the severity of the injury. If it's minor, then you can start considering that three-game home run streak from a guy who hit 27 home runs just a couple seasons ago.

• Welcome to the Land of Milk and Honey, Randy Wells. Prior to today's start, Wells ranked just 138th in run support (4.41) among those pitchers that have logged 40-plus innings this season. But the Cubs finally staked him to a comfortable lead against Cleveland on Sunday, scoring six runs in the first five innings while Wells methodically shut down the Indians, allowing two runs in 6.2 IP. The effort was good for his first win as a major leaguer. But, with nine starts at a 2.57 ERA clip, including six quality starts in his past seven outings, it's fair to say that that first victory should have come a while ago.

• Mark Buehrle is now 19-6 in interleague play after shutting out Cincinnati for seven innings on Sunday. The guy doesn't strike many hitters out, he gives up a ton of hits and a fair share of long balls, but he's basically the major league equivalent of a tide table when it comes to his predictable 12-16 win, mid-3.00 ERA seasonal outputs. I'm as guilty as anyone for not giving him the credit he deserves.

• The combined five runs in the San Diego/Oakland game (the Padres prevailed by a score of 4-1) was fairly predictable considering that it pitted the two worst offensive teams in the league – both sport team batting averages below .240. On this day, the A's made journeyman Kevin Correia look like Kevin Brown. Actually, Correia has been looking rather Brown-esque over his past four outings – 3-1, 26.2 IP, 13 H, 2.02 ERA, 2 BB, 20 K. Both manager Bud Black and Oakland's Orlando Cabrera seemed to agree on the reason for Correia's success on Sunday. Said Black, "He’s finding the strike zone with good pitches. The walks are down; the hits are down … " Cabrera expressed the same sentiment: "He was really tough to hit. He was throwing it on the corners and he was able to get ahead in the count and make pitches." Correia's next start comes at Texas, so you probably want to hold off on a trip to the waiver wire right now and see how things shake out in Arlington.

• Houston's Jose Valverde picked up a seamless save against Minnesota, making him a perfect three-for-three in save chances since his return from a calf strain a week ago. Houston is using him in a manner that suggests health is no longer even a question, as he's pitched six times in the past nine days, allowing a mere three hits, no runs and no walks (compared to seven strikeouts) in 5.1 IP in that span.

• Ricky Romero was a ground-ball factory against Washington, inducing 12 ground outs compared to three fly outs – he also swatted away six Nats by way of the K. In picking up his fourth victory of the season with two runs allowed in seven innings, the rookie now has seven quality starts in nine outings. As mentioned, he's inducing grounders (his GB% of better than 50 percent is one of the better marks among starters) and his K/9 of 7.4 plays very nicely for fantasy purposes.

• Troy Tulowitzki starting to turn things around at the plate at this time of year following an early season slump/injury is nothing new, but the fervor he's showing on the base paths currently is unprecedented, and probably ill advised. He's already attempted to steal a base seven times in June, which are easily the most attempts for a month in his career. He picked up his sixth caught stealing of the season today compared to nine successful attempts, and he's barely above a 50/50 proposition for his career (20 steals in 38 career attempts). After going 3-for-3 at the plate today in Colorado's 5-4 victory over Pittsburgh, Tulo is now hitting .409 in his past 14 games with five home runs, 11 RBIs, 13 R and five stolen bases. He should easily finish north of 20 home runs, but the increased aggressiveness on the bases is lending credence to the idea that he can join the 20/20 club this season, assuming manager Jim Tracy continues to ignore Tulo's success (or lack thereof) rate on the bases.

• Chris Davis struck out today. Obviously, this is nothing new. He's on a record-setting pace in that department, as he now has 101 whiffs for the year. And ESPN's Baseball Tonight pulled out the fact that he is the fastest man to reach the 100-K mark in MLB history. I keep hearing there'll be no (Justin) Smoak without a fire. But a record-setting pace for strikeouts and a .194 batting average 68 games into the season looks like an inferno to me.

Other must-mentions to avoid the ire of the commenters: Albert Pujols (4-for-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R); B.J. Upton (4-for-6, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R); Lyle Overbay (3-for-5, HR, 5 RBI, R); Clint Barmes (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R); Evan Longoria (4-for-5, RBI, R); Chris Coghlan (3-for-4, 3 R); Jose Guillen (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R); Wandy Rodriguez (W, 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 8 K); Barry Zito (W, 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 8 K)

Alright, I'll turn things over to you now. But before I do that, I just want to wish all the dads out there a happy conclusion to Father's Day, whatever that may consist of …

LEADING OFF

Behind every darkened corner of the waiver wire a fantasy ninja lurks. Though underappreciated by shallow leaguers, these masters of the mound, not the martial, arts are fearsome commodities who can aid owners in their attempt to sneak up on the competition.

Oakland's Karate Kid, Trevor Cahill, is one such product.

Barely old enough to legally imbibe an adult beverage, the cherub-faced 21-year-old has already earned a green belt. Flying way under-the-radar (16 percent-owned), the rookie has posted six-straight quality outings, yielding three earned runs or less in each. Despite unspectacular strikeout totals, minimal run support and team-wide defensive gaffes, he's netted an admirable yield over the past month -- 37.1 IP, 2 W, 2.65 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 5.58 K/9. Per Baseball Monster, that output has turned the once undependable righty into a trustworthy back-of-the-rotation staple. During that stretch, he's even outperformed rotation anchors Carlos Zambrano, Cliff Lee and Chad Billingsley.

Entering the season, most expected Brett Anderson, not Cahill, to rocket up the fantasy ranks. But on a team loaded with pitching pups, the homegrown product has become the pack leader.

He's benefited greatly from fortunate circumstances, indicative in his .269 BABIP, 3.66 BB/9 and 5.07 FIP. But the most important factor behind his rapid advancement is the inclusion of a front-door sinker. A similar pitch Greg Maddux mastered during his legendary career, the gravity ball has drawn abundant groundballs (1.54 GB/FB) and confounded lefties, hitters who've historically befuddled Cahill.

Unquestionably serviceable in eight Coliseum starts this year (3-4, 3.67 ERA, 1.18 WHIP), he's a hurler worth serious pick-up consideration. With home matchups this week against the Rockies and offensively-challenged Giants, Cahill is primed to drive his fist through a stack of cinder blocks.

Fearless Forecast (this week): 12.2 IP, 1 W, 3.69 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 9 K

QUICK HITTERS

• Ignoring his 2.00 WHIP, demonstrative Detroit rookie Alfredo Figaro was impressive in his big league debut against the Brewers. Tossing 96 pitches over five innings for the W, Fernando Rodney's cousin surrendered two runs on eight hits and two walks. He also punched out seven.

Effectively wild, the 24-year-old righty, who's a harder throwing version of Jose Lima, showcases two plus pitches, a sharp-moving change and an electric 93-97 mph heater. His secondary weapons -- a slider and curve -- are still a work in progress but can bewilder hitters when drawing white. However his 1.06 HR/9 at Double-A means he could be long-ball prone with the senior club. Today, Ryan Braun deposited a Figaro 82 mph changeup into Comerica's left field bleachers.

With Dontrelle Willis logging additional time on the psychologist's couch, Figaro will take the ball every fifth day over at least the next two weeks. Based on his quality strikeouts history in the minors (7.81 K/9 at Erie), improving command (2.25 BB/9) and offensive support, he could cement a permanent rotation spot with a couple more quality starts. Consider him near-term useful in AL-only and very deep mixed leagues.

• Another product from the deep recesses of the waiver wire that's suddenly proved very productive is Cleveland's Luis Valbuena. Filling in for injured starter Asdrubal Cabrera, the slick-fielding infielder clubbed two homers Saturday against the Cubs -- his second and third of the series. Scorching in Interleague action, he has slapped eight hits and driven in eight in his past 19 at-bats.

Per Baseball America, the lefty-swinger is a contact hitter with an above average line-drive stroke. He also possesses low double-digit upside in power and speed. Last year between two levels in the Mariners system, he totaled a respectable .303 BA with 11 homers, 60 RBI and 18 steals.

Valbuena has looked overpowered at times, evident in his 31.6 strikeout percentage, but with Cabrera not expected to return until at least Saturday, and with tasty matchups against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, he is employable in leagues where free agent options are exhausted.

• Battered, bruised or should not be used: Grady Sizemore (elbow, revving up baseball activities), Joey Votto (stress, rehabbing in minors, could return midweek), Ryan Howard (flu, day-to-day), Jermaine Dye (strained calf, day-to-day), Carlos Beltran (knee, precautionary MRI scheduled this week), Xavier Nady (elbow, rehabbing on the farm; about 10-14 days from activation), Chris Young (Ari) (groin, will only miss weekend, but awesome .204 BA worthy of permanent deactivation), Denard Span (inner ear infection, scheduled to return Friday), Ervin Santana (forearm, positive flat ground exercise; could toe the rubber for Angels Tuesday), Daisuke Matsuzaka (destined to be served with side of wasabi; rotation turn will be skipped)

DOUBLE DIPPERS

For stream conscious owners who want to push the innings-pitched envelope this is the list for you. Run support, ballpark factors, historical and recent trends, opposing offenses, opposing SPs, managerial tendencies and meteorological influences are painstakingly taken into account to give you the top double dippers of each week.

Other AL Double Dippers: None

Other NL Double Dippers: Joel Piniero, StL (at NYM, Min)

FEAST OR FAMINE?  

Torn between two stat-similar infielders this week? Use the pitching and hitting staff sorters below to help you decide whether or not Adam LaRoche or Rick Porcello is fantasy feast or famine. Stats are for games played through June 19:

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Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The book on Thames is well-known by now. He's a power station against left-handed pitching (.541 slugging, .867 OPS) but far less interesting against righties; put a northpaw on the mound against Thames and he drops off 28 batting-average points and almost 100 OPS points. That said, there's something intriguing about a player who goes deep once every 14.5 at-bats, and Thames knocked a couple out of the park Friday in Detroit's rain-shortened victory over the Brewers (giving him four homers in a week).

The Tigers have been begging for another power hitter in the middle of the lineup – that's why Magglio Ordonez isn't playing right now – and you get the idea Thames will get a shot at regular time over the balance of the month. Let's give him some run and see if anything sticks. Hitting behind Miguel Cabrera helps the cause, and Comerica Park isn't the death sentence for hitters that it's mistaken to be – over the last three seasons, it's played out slightly more favorable than the average American League park (hat tip, Bill James Handbook).

• There was an adjustment period for Matt Holliday in the AL and his first month was a train wreck, but let's give credit where it's due – he's been a five-category guy for the last seven weeks (.297, 30 runs, 7 homers, 26 RBIs, 8 steals). Put me in a mixed-league redraft tomorrow and I'll make sure Holliday doesn't get past the third round. And keep in mind he's getting it done despite the home park that he toils in; if Holliday gets moved at the trade deadline, and there's probably a 30-40 percent chance that he will, any new location figures to push his value up a little bit.

• There's a fine line between patience and stubbornness; the Red Sox have been plenty patient with Daisuke Matsuzaka, but this organization is too smart to let this mess continue much further. Dice-K threw another clunker on the fire Friday against Atlanta (4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 BB, 2 K) and the Red Sox have plenty of rotation-ready options waiting for a chance (the rehabbing John Smoltz will get one soon; sparkling prospect Clay Buchholz deserves a shot, too). This is your last call to make a speculative add on Buchholz before anything becomes official; I have no specific knowledge that the club is going to get him into the rotation, but it's not that difficult to connect the dots here. Theo Epstein and Terry Francona aren't going to wait forever.

Before I downshifted into column mode tonight, I dropped Dice-K in the Friends & Family League. No pickup here, amigos, I just wanted his act off the roster (I wasn't using him anyway). Forget any fear about watching him potentially shine for an opponent; I want to give Matsuzaka the chance to mess up someone else's ERA and WHIP.

• The hits keep coming for Troy Tulowitzki; he hit another one out Friday, giving him five homers and five steals over his last 11 games. Jim Tracy bumped him up to the No. 5 slot, too. At this point even the cheesy scribes who make a living by presenting false fantasy contexts to you will have to admit that the buy-low window no longer exists. What's the price for Tulo from here on out? Would you go $18, would you go $20?

• The set-up with Kevin Kouzmanoff isn't difficult to understand. He hits behind Adrian Gonzalez, who gets as much respect as any non-Pujols hitter in the league. Kouzmanoff regularly comes up with men on base. When he gets hits, RBIs are going to follow. The third-sacker collected two more hits and two more RBIs in Friday's loss to Oakland; over the last 11 games, he's got 15 hits and 16 RBIs. I'm sorry to keep throwing the same "We love ya, Kouz" story into this space, but his ownership level is still laughably low. Time to fix that, gamers.

• Derek Jeter (ankle) got back to work and went 2-for-4 with a run and a walk; leave it to the captain to come through for the Yankees while other guys are scuffling (wink, wink). If you want to deconstruct the struggles of his infield teammate, come join Andy Behrens and friends over here.

• Maybe I'm going to need a mulligan on that Jason Frasor recommendation – Frasor came into a tie game at Washington and did all he could to make sure the Blue Jays walked off in defeat, allowing four consecutive men to reach (two singles, two walks). Mind you the rally started with an infield hit from Cristian Guzman, but Frasor fell apart from there, walking the next two batters. You'd like to think that Frasor's outstanding body of work for the season would stick in the mind of Cito Gaston, but closing situations often become a case of "what have you done lately?" B.J. Ryan can't be discounted here, and Jeremy Accardo made a strong pitch Friday (2 IP, 4 K).

• Fernando Nieve would like your mixed-league attention; he's quietly put together two solid turns and they've come against AL East clubs. Nieve got a victory last weekend when he contained the Yankees over six innings, and Friday night he was even better against the Rays (6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K). His next turn, assuming the Mets don't mess with the rotation, will come at home against the Cardinals.

Handshakes: Kevin Gregg hasn't been scored on in 12 of his last 13 appearances, and he's fallen into a couple of wins for the Cubs this week. Add that to the Carlos Marmol slump and the leash is getting longer. … Has any fantasy owner ever lost money on Joe Nathan? He's got 16 saves, a 1.69 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP and he's so rarely talked about. … rancisco Rodriguez quickly rebounded from his blown chance in Baltimore, setting down the Rays 1-2-3. … Andrew Bailey struggled with command and put a couple on at San Diego but got out of it; he's up to seven saves and this might be a decent time to try to sell high on his numbers. … God only knows what the Giants would do without Brian Wilson (perfect inning, save No. 18). … David Aardsma continues to mark his territory, striking out the side against the Diamondbacks. … Brian Fuentes worked around a couple of baserunners, struck out two, and got save No. 19.

Speed Round: Poor Khalil Greene can't get a break; he had a homer and a double working Friday, then left the game with a left foot injury. He didn't sound too worried about it, however. … Brad Lidge (knee) will start his rehab assignment Tuesday in Double-A. … Manny Ramirez is expected to start a rehab assignment next week; he can return to the Dodgers on July 3. … The sneaky-valuable Josh Outman departed in the second inning with tightness in his pitching arm. … Willy Taveras was given a night off by the Reds, dragging his .219/270/.274 line to the bench. He's in a 1-for-46 funk, too. Pinch-running, anyone? … Harold Reynolds, buddy, what are you thinking? … Despite 12 quality starts this year, Cliff Lee has just four wins; the Cleveland bullpen collapsed at Wrigley Friday afternoon, sending Dr. Behrens home happy. … Andy Sonnanstine had another typical turn for him, mediocre but not altogether horrendous (6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 K). It will be interesting to see what the Rays do with their rotation when Scott Kazmir is ready to come back. … Arizona's Chris Young (hamstring) probably won't play this weekend. … The Mariners expect Erik Bedard (shoulder) back in a couple of weeks, but they're fearing the worst on Endy Chavez's knee injury Friday night. … We'll find out soon if Coco Crisp indeed has a torn labrum; it's very likely that he'll have surgery and miss the rest of the year. 

The team has given no indication that Rodriguez's half-repaired hip is giving him trouble. That would be the major worry for fantasy owners. A-Rod is having an odd season at the plate, but, if it weren't for the spring surgery, we'd write off his current slump as a complete fluke. He's had no luck on balls-in-play (with one notable exception), posting a .192 BABIP. A-Rod's walk rate is up, his K-rate is down, and he's still getting on base at a .370 clip. He's hit nine homers, too. Without the hip issue, he'd be such an obvious buy-low that no one would actually sell.

Peter Abraham offers several interesting nuggets at the LoHud Yankees blog, including this:

Meanwhile, Alex told us that he went to see Girardi after the game last night and asked for time off. But he was in the lineup today. Then, after a conversation that included Brian Cashman, not only was he out of the lineup today, he’s out tomorrow as well.

A-Rod has been told to do nothing. But he will be available to pinch hit.

Alex spoke to the media for longer than he has all season after going over what he was going to say with the media relations director.

Abraham provides nine minutes of A-Rod pregame audio. It's worth a listen if you're a panicked Rodriguez owner. Tough to say which responses were actually a product of consultation with a media relations professional. This was my favorite exchange:

Reporter: "But two games? Doesn't that seem a little excessive?"

(Pause)

Rodriguez: "I don't know."

Reporter: "Have you ever taken two games? Have you ever been told you're gonna sit two games?"

Rodriguez: "No, I wasn't told. We made this decision as a team."

So let's not call it a benching. Or an injury. It's "fatigue," with just a touch of "flawed mechanics":

Hitting coach Kevin Long said that of Alex’s last 70 swings, 50 were “reaches.” That compact swing he has when he’s going well is missing.

If he's indeed back in the lineup on Sunday, crisis averted.

(Delightful) Update, Sunday, 10 am CDT: A-Rod may have been too tired to help the Yankees, but he was perky enough for Kate Hudson (via the Palm Beach Post)...

Benched for alleged "fatigue," slumping New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez partied until 2:30 a.m. Saturday in Miami Beach. He then disappeared into the tropical night with actress Kate Hudson in the back seat of his chauffeured Maybach.

Don't judge. Rehab takes many forms.

Funston says...

In the past four years, here’s a look at where Steven Jackson finished among running backs in fantasy points per game, along with the Rams’ record for that season in parentheses:

2008: 3rd (2-14)
2007: 9th (3-13)
2006: 3rd (8-8)
2005: 11th (6-10)

It’s important to note that not once in those four years did Frank Gore average more fantasy points than Jackson. Also consider, as it’s very likely to happen once again in ’09: not once in that span did the Rams finish with a winning record. So, if you are going to argue against S-Jax, it can be for only one reason: durability.

In each of the past two seasons, Jackson has missed four games because of injuries. But it’s actually pretty amazing that that was all the time he missed considering his two ailments were a torn groin and a torn hamstring, injuries that have derailed others for much longer.

Rams GM Bill Devaney made the obvious statement this offseason that, " ... our best player on the team is Steven Jackson. First and foremost, we’re going to try to run the ball and try to establish ourselves as a strong running team." The Rams plan to employ a run-heavy version of Andy Reid’s West Coast offense, which means S-Jax will have a Westbrookian, all-purpose role, and Jackson’s receiving skills will get the kind of attention it hasn’t seen since ’06.

Face it, Gore’s no Ironman. In a choice between the two, I’ll go with the higher proven upside.

Pianowski says...

It’s never been a question of talent with Gore – he’s proven over his four-year career that he can dominate a football game in a variety of ways. But in 2009 the Niners finally have the full package of support in place for Gore, and with that in mind I’m calling for his best season.

Fantasy production from running backs is generally tied to winning clubs, something the Niners have a good shot at being this year. San Francisco had a sneaky 7-2 finish last year and now they get the seventh-easiest schedule on paper. Head coach Mike Singletary and OC Jimmy Raye have made it clear that Gore is going to be the focus of the offense; Mike Martz had trouble maximizing Gore’s talents. The team also catered to Gore’s one request in the offseason, re-signing fullback and blocking dynamo Moran Norris. When Gore was tilting fantasy championships back in 2006, the unsung Norris was clearing the way.

Gore’s durability comes up often as a flag but while he’s missed three games in the last two years, Jackson has sat out eight times. Gore can’t match Jackson’s pure power but he’s capable of making inside yards and he’s got a better breakaway gear outside (4.7 YPC to 4.3 YPC). The Niners are probably a coin flip to be a winning club this year; does anyone want to make that bet on the Rams? We’re looking at two talented backs, but Gore’s environment is far safer. Double-down on No. 21.

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Photos via Getty Images

The 22-year-old Blanks is an absolute mountain (6-6, 285). Check the tape:

Blanks was batting .283 with 12 home runs and a .393 on-base percentage at Triple-A Portland. He hit .325/.404/.514 with 20 homers and 107 RBIs at Double-A in '08, winning the Topps Texas League Player of the Year. He qualifies at first base right now because that's where he's spent most of his time in the minors, but he's expected to play left field for the Pads. We'll see how that goes. He's not a small man.

According to the team's Web site, Blanks "held his own in the outfield, broke well on balls, both in front of him and behind him."

The Blanks callup isn't quite prediction contest-worthy, but he's worth a speculative add in large, competitive mixed formats. He's two percent-owned in PLUS leagues right now. 

The problem -- and it's not a terrible one for fantasy owners -- is that Reynolds has significantly outperformed even the most aggressive preseason projections. (Bill James forecast a 101-32-105-10 line; Reynolds is on a 108-44-116-32 pace). He's currently the No. 13 overall player in the Yahoo! ranks, yet his average draft position was 204.7. There's a buy/sell/hold decision to make.

Reynolds is an outlier in all sorts of ways. He and Jayson Werth are the only players in the N.L. who've reached double-digits in both homers and steals. Reynolds leads the league in standard home run distance according to Hit Tracker; the typical Reynolds bomb travels 417.5 feet. His homer-per-flyball rate is 27.7 percent, the third highest in baseball.

So he's got a little power. This is something we all knew heading into the season, of course. Reynolds belted 28 homers in 2008. He also swiped 11 bases in 13 attempts last year, so the steals aren't a complete shock, although he rarely burgled in the minors.

The number that really seems impossible is the .275 batting average. Last year, at age 24, Reynolds hit .239 while establishing a new single-season strikeout record (204). Not surprisingly he also posted the league's worst contact-rate (62.3 percent). The strikeouts are still there in '09 (95 in 244 at-bats) and the contact percentage remains low (61.6), but Reynolds' average is suddenly respectable.

Why? Because nearly everything the guy puts in play falls for a hit. His current BABIP is .374. That's a remarkable number when you consider the fact that Reynolds has one of the lowest line-drive rates in baseball (14.2 percent).

In the table to the left you'll find the ten players who've hit the fewest line-drives as a percentage of total balls-in-play (minimum 200 at-bats). You'll notice that a low BABIP generally accompanies a low LD-rate...with one exception. It's tough to imagine how Reynolds can possibly keep this up, though his career BABIP is actually .357. (Home runs are excluded from BABIP, by the way).

If you think Reynolds will finish the season with an average north of, say, .260, then please share your reasoning in comments. Those of us who overinvested in him back in March are worried about the possibility of total collapse. The fear is that he's Rob Deer. The hope is that he's Adam Dunn 2.0: Stronger, faster, strikeoutier.

Were he to maintain something close to his current pace, then Reynolds would be no worse than a second round pick in 2010 drafts. That's how useful he's been. He's the most valuable third baseman for fantasy purposes year-to-date, just ahead of Evan Longoria (14) and David Wright (20) in Y! rank.

So...are you optimistic about his next 90 games? Or did the Reynolds market peak with the home run off Zack Greinke on Wednesday? It's important that we settle this today. Trade offers are pending...

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Photo via Getty Images, data via Fangraphs

Our Thursday Closing Time package is cut into two pieces today for easy handling; for a look at what happened during the daytime, go to the leadoff post, here.

I'm not a meteorologist and I don't play one on the internet. All I know is that I miss the keg-tapping slugfests from that gem of a park down in Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers just finished a somewhat-disappointing nine-game homestand; despite plenty of good pitching over the last week and a half, Texas had to settle for a 4-5 record. The Rangers scored just 28 runs in these nine games, while their opponents managed 34. Every game played at Arlington over this stretch went under the total, most by several runs. Listen closely and you can almost hear Sam Rothstein laughing.

Let's trot out some possible theories on the scoring drought at Arlington:

It's the wind. Every MLB box score has a wind tag at the bottom of the agate, and here's what Arlington is spitting out over the last seven games: 15 mph, in from right; 18 mph, in from right; 14 mph, in from right; 15 mph, in from right; 18 mph, in from center; 14 mph, in from right; 7 mph, in from right.

It sounds pretty ominous, sure, but Arlington's known for having swirling winds, and the measure of wind is taken at one point in time. A bad hitting wind in the first inning might not be the case in the later innings, and it's not hard to find high-scoring games that occurred despite game-time conditions that didn't seem conducive to scoring. We have to assume the wind has something to do with this stretch, but it's probably not the full reason.

It's just a random streak. Nine games, honestly, isn't that big of a deal over the 162-game grind of the regular season (it's roughly equivalent to one week of the NFL). Remember how Florida started the season? Do you think we'll be discussing Colorado's 11-game winning streak three months from now?

It's good pitching (and/or bad hitting). There's talent on this Texas pitching staff; the Rangers are sixth in the AL in starter's ERA despite the presence of their home park. Kevin Millwood, as much as a lot of us don't trust in him, is making a solid case for the All-Star team. Scott Feldman has just one poor start out of 10. Frank Francisco and C.J. Wilson are a combined 18-for-19 on save chances. Perhaps it's time to take Arlington pitchers off the restricted list.

I'm not going to spend this entire evening talking about ballparks, let's discuss some players and happenings from Thursday night:

• There's no need to get excited about Washington's Craig Stammen, who shut out the Yankees over 6.1 innings, but Mike MacDougal's second save in as many nights is something we have to deal with. Look, it's just not that hard to hold a 1-3 run lead for one inning in the majors, no matter how much romanticism we want to throw to the role at times. I'm not going to say MacDougal won't blow up, but he's probably got at least a 30-50 percent chance of collecting double-digit saves for this mess of a ballclub, and there's a value for that in most leagues. Do you feel lucky?

• Make it three strong turns in a row for Ricky Nolasco, who stopped the Red Sox in a rain-shortened affair (5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K). His teammates have been effusive in their praise of Nolasco since he returned to the fold, and it's important to consider that his last two strong outings came at Toronto and at Boston, very difficult places to work. I held more than a healthy amount of Nolasco skepticism into this start, but now it's time to turn him loose and see what's what, beginning with next week's home date against the Orioles. As poorly as Nolasco pitched before his demotion (you don't get an ERA over 9 by accident), there were some other things at play – chief among them, the most unlucky BABIP in the majors (over .400).

• Brandon Webb's shoulder still isn't right and the Diamondbacks have canceled his bullpen session scheduled for Friday. Given where Arizona currently sits in the standings – 15 games out in the NL West, seven games out in the Wild Card (and behind several teams) – we can't automatically assume that Webb pitches again this year. The club is staying tight-lipped about this; stay tuned.

• The Dodgers decided to hold Jonathan Broxton out for a second game Thursday; he's dealing with a sore big toe and had a cortisone shot Wednesday. In the short term I realize this is frustrating to Broxton owners – especially when they have to watch Ramon Troncoso get the stand-in save Thursday – but over the long haul, this is the right move.

Speed Round: Vin Mazzaro passed the eye test and the numbers test at Chavez Ravine, working six sharp innings (5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K). He'll shoot for his fifth consecutive quality turn against San Francisco next week. … Kevin Kouzmanoff struggled for most of Thursday (three strikeouts, five men stranded), but his final swing turned into the game-winning hit, a single in the bottom of the tenth. He's slotted for production, hitting behind much-respected Adrian Gonzalez. … Francisco Rodriguez couldn't find his release point at Baltimore and it led to his second blown save of the year. Only nine of K-Rod's 20 pitches found the strike zone. …Quick Pitch on MLB Network is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I may never watch Baseball Tonight again. … Maybe it's just me, but that crazy advertising scheme in the Kansas City outfield makes me dizzy. How about something less obtrusive, guys?. … The Mariners limited Brandon Morrow to 74 pitches in his second start back in the rotation (4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K). There's progress here, and I'm curious to see what he does in a rematch with the Padres next week in Seattle. … Arizona's Chris Young just can't get a break. He had four hits and a walk at Kansas City Thursday but wound up leaving the game with a leg injury. … Jose Valverde looked sharp at Texas en route to his third save, and he hasn't allowed a run in four appearances off the disabled list.

Images via Getty

• I wouldn't read too much into Jeremy Accardo's rogue save in Philadelphia Thursday afternoon.  Jason Frasor was brought into an eighth-inning jam because the game was in the balance (albeit he allowed a game-tying double, working without a net), then was forced out in the top of the ninth because the Jays – in a National League park – had to pinch-hit for him. It also made sense for Cito Gaston to use B.J. Ryan in the bottom of the ninth given that Charlie Manuel (once again) had lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hitting back-to-back.

Do Accardo and Ryan have some value in the deepest of leagues to the most desperate of save chasers? Sure. But if you have one ticket to punch in Toronto while Scott Downs is out, Frasor still makes the most sense. Today's Accardo save looks more like a perfect storm to me than anything else, and while he's been steady as a Triple-A closer this year (nine saves, 3.38 ERA, dicey 1.46 WHIP), Gaston figures to trust Frasor's work in Toronto (1.88, 0.79) before anything else.

• When does a bad start become a bad season? The Tigers are probably at that point with Magglio Ordonez. Jim Leyland announced Thursday that Ordonez will be out of the starting lineup "indefinitely" – in the skipper's words, "I'm going to get him away from it." Ordonez is hitting .273 for the year but there's absolutely no bite in that average – he's got just nine doubles, two homers and a puny .343 slugging percentage, numbers that certainly don't feed the cat when you're a corner outfielder. Ryan Rayburn picks up the start in right field Thursday.

• Raul Ibanez didn't feel that his nagging groin issue was enough to merit a DL trip, but that's the decision the club made before Thursday's game. Ibanez went for an MRI Thursday afternoon. "He was not pleased with [the DL decision]," general manager Ruben Amaro conceded. "[But] we have to kind of see the forest for the trees here. He stood a chance to really damage the groin if he continues to play on it, and if he does that, he could be out for a very, very long period of time, and it just doesn't make any sense for us to do that with him."

John Mayberry figures to be a regular for the Phillies while Ibanez is out. He's been progressing at a deliberate rate since his first-round selection in 2005, and his Triple-A numbers from this year don't jump out at you (.263/.341/.480). That all said, he's hit two homers for the club in just 14 at-bats, including one Thursday. If you're scraping for participation in a very deep mixed league, Mayberry has some value as a short-term rental.

Speed Round: The Brewers aren't overly worried about Ryan Braun's lower back. … Brad Lidge (knee) might be ready to start a rehab assignment this weekend and he could be back with the Phillies as soon as Tuesday. He threw 42 pitches in the bullpen Thursday. … Jose Lopez has left the Mariners for the time being so he can be with his ailing sister in Venezuela . … The Yankees sat Derek Jeter (ankle) for a second straight game, which makes sense when you consider how much rain has been dumped on the New York area lately. … Dontrelle Willis (anxiety) heads back to the DL, where he can't walk anyone. … The slumping Elijah Dukes was given a day off Thursday. … Khalil Greene (anxiety) is just about ready to be activated in St. Louis, where he'll play third base. … As expected, San Diego's Chris Young (shoulder) is headed to the disabled list. … Cold-like symptoms kept Joe Mauer on the bench Thursday. … Carlos Marmol continues to struggle, allowing three hits and two runs over a messy two-thirds of an inning against the White Sox. The universally-panned Kevin Gregg worked a scoreless ninth and picked up a win a few minutes later when Alfonso Soriano stroked the game-winning hit. … Tommy Hanson didn't have electric stuff at Cincinnati but he was able to pitch out of trouble (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 2 K) en route to his second win. … The heavily-worked Huston Street labored in a messy save against Tampa Bay (two runs, 29 pitches) and probably will need to take Friday off.

• I don't mean to kick Alfonso Soriano when he's down but the average has dipped to .225 after Wednesday's collar and he's got an OBP under .300 – unacceptable for the leadoff spot. He's also stopped the running game, attempting just two swipes since May 1 (one of them was a ninth inning "just take it" bag that could have easily been called defensive indifference). Is Soriano's knee still bothering him? Is he getting himself out too often swinging at pitches out of the strike zone? Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune doesn't mince words with his Soriano take: When Piniella gets up from his nap, tell him to sit Soriano.

• Javier Vazquez has fantastic stuff and a gaggle of strikeouts but when it comes to pulling defeat out of the jaws of victory, there's no one more tragic than him. He allowed just four hits at Cincinnati on Thursday and struck out seven over eight tight innings, but a couple of home runs – one by Micah Owings – got him beat. Despite his 112 whiffs over 92.1 innings and a WHIP a shade over 1, Vazquez is carrying a 4-6 record and, as always, an underachiever's ERA (3.41). He's still a valuable pitcher, no doubt, but there's a reason this guy constantly underperforms his suggested ERA every darn season.

• Troy Tulowitzki clocked a three-run homer into the shrubbery Wednesday and Chris Iannetta added a solo shot as the Rockies became the latest team to burst David Price's bubble. Tulo now has four homers and four steals over his last nine games; unless you plan on drugging your league opponents or stealing their internet passwords, the buy-low window has been emphatically shut. As for Price, at least he forced the Rockies to beat him with the bat (10 hits); he didn't walk anyone over his seven-inning stint and he struck out five. Aaron Cook has quietly strung together three straight wins for Colorado. 

• Russell Martin continues to hit eighth for the Dodgers; he went 0-for-3 with a walk in Wednesday's game, dropping his average to .236. More disconcerting is his absolute lack of power – with no homers and just nine doubles, he's carrying around a puny .278 slugging percentage for the year. Is Martin going to hit a homer this year and if so, when? Is Joe Torre's crazy usage of Martin over the last couple of years the culprit here? Let's bat these questions around in the comments.

• The angels put down their harps and sighed around 8:05 pm EST tonight when future immortal Matt Wieters hit his first major league home run. It wasn't the most titanic shot – the lazy opposite-field fly ball barely cleared the left-field fence – but it looks like a 500-foot clout in the boxscore. The Crabcake Kid is on an 8-for-22 roll the last few games, if you wanted to know, though he's got just three walks against 12 strikeouts for the season. It doesn't look like he'll be leaving the bottom third of the order anytime soon.

Handshakes: Francisco Cordero (16) rebounded nicely from his last blown save, retiring three of four Braves. … Bobby Jenks is now 15-for-17 after setting down the Cubs in order. … Mike MacDougal in Yankee Stadium doesn't sound too promising, but he got a double-play grounder from Robinson Cano en route to a rare Washington save. … Brian Fuentes (18) struck out two of three Giants and continues to thrive in the OC save machine. … Andrew Bailey worked around an infield hit by Rafael Furcal (thanks, official scorer) and grabbed conversion No. 6. … David Aardsma (12) needed a lot of deep counts to get three outs in San Diego, but with two strikeouts and a handshake at the end, why quibble? The M's managed this one strictly by the save rule, which kept Aardsma from the Adrian Gonzalez assignment in the eighth inning. … Huston Street (14) keeps rolling along, setting down the Rays on 10 pitches. … Ryan Franklin (16) beguiled the Tigers with his beard and breaking pitches, working a perfect inning. … A scoreless frame from George Sherrill (13), who figures to be on the market all summer. Intriguing hedge Jim Johnson got the win for Baltimore, working two scoreless innings and striking out two. … Trevor Hoffman finally fritted away a ninth-inning lead, which allowed for lefty Mitch Stetter to pick up a rogue save in extra innings.

Not an Injury Blog: Jonathan Broxton had a cortisone shot in his big toe and wasn't available Wednesday, though the Dodgers expect him to be ready for Thursday. … Scott Downs (toe) went on the DL Wednesday and Andy Behrens has your wall-to-wall coverage of the Toronto bullpen here. … The MRI on Derek Jeter's ankle came back clean, though the Yanks still kept him out of Wednesday's game. … Ryan Braun headed to the showers early on Wednesday, dealing with a sore lower back. … Erik Bedard (shoulder) went on the DL and has a date with James Andrews, which makes the summer trade deadline a lot less interesting. … Scott Hairston (biceps) is once again taking batting practice but it's not clear when he might be able to play again. … Scott Kazmir (quad) worked into the fifth inning during his first rehab start and didn't allow a run. … Carl Pavano will essentially skip a turn as he deals with a tired shoulder. … Joey Votto is swinging a bat again and is ready for a rehab assignment.

Speed Round: Dustin Pedroia broke out of his slump with a 5-0-3-3 line and two steals. He would have had a fourth ribbie if not for the painfully-slow running of the captain, Jason Varitek. … Another day on the bench for Fred Lewis, who should probably be kicked to the curb in any sort of competitive mixed league. Andres Torres batted leadoff for the Giants Wednesday and went 1-for-5, scoring a run and knocking one in. … Jose Lopez hit one of out Petco and now has five homers and a .309 average this month. … Pedro Martinez says he might be signing a major league contract soon; he told the Associated Press that he's spoken to the Cubs and Rays. … Curtis Granderson moved back into the leadoff spot at St. Louis and came through with two homers, a single and a stolen base. … Chien-Ming Wang was improved but not all that great against the Nats, working five ordinary frames (6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR). Phil Hughes relieved Wang and retired six of the seven men he faced. … Francisco Liriano had his longest appearance in six weeks (7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 6 K), though it wasn't enough to beat Ian Snell and the Pirates. The Brothers LaRoche homered for the Bucs, and Andrew McCutchen also hit one out.

No, not the freeze-Mauer's-head conversation. The other one -- the .400 discussion.

Mauer doesn't quite qualify for the batting average leaderboard just yet because he hasn't reached the minimum number of plate appearances. However, since Mauer would still lead the A.L. in average if you added the appropriate number of hitless at-bats to his current total, he'd be awarded the title if the season ended today. That's MLB's rule, not mine. (Rule 10.22 to be precise). Mauer would get to keep his .429 average, too.

Don't completely dismiss .400 as an impossibility in the modern era. It's a plateau that's actually been reached over stretches of 162 consecutive games in recent years, though not within a single season. Tony Gwynn hit .402 between July 27, 1993 and May 13, 1995; Wade Boggs hit .401 between June 9, 1985 and June 6, 1986.

Mauer has had terrific luck on balls in play this year (.443 BABIP), and you can't reasonably expect that pace to continue. Still, the 26-year-old does have a pair of batting crowns to his credit. It's not difficult to argue that Mauer is a hitter of Gwynn/Boggs quality. If he continues to draw walks at his current rate (13.3 BB%) and he manages to get another 320 plate appearances, this blog's research department believes that a .386 rest-of-season average would allow Mauer to finish at .400.

Of course, a .386 average is crazy-high. It's a wild longshot and Mauer plays baseball's most physically demanding position. But if he were to DH a bit more frequently, and if he were to keep his at-bat total low, and if he could take advantage of rule 10.22, well...it's not entirely unimaginable, right?

Let's hear your forecast in comments. Some of us have midseason drafts tonight, and projecting Mauer is an urgent matter.

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Photo via Getty Images

MLB.com's Jordan Bastian isn't too optimistic: "There is a realistic chance Downs will wind up on the disabled list."

Following the game, manager Cito Gaston sounded like a man who was completely blindsided by interleague play. He also wasn't too happy that it became necessary (arguably) for his closer to bat. This from the Toronto Star:

Gaston resented having to play by National League rules, arguing that forcing pitchers to hit put American League teams at a disadvantage and endangered hurlers unaccustomed to the rigours of baserunning. ...

"That's what happens," said a disgusted Gaston. "My guys don't take batting practice every day and they don't run, so things like this are going to happen."

Perhaps some light running wouldn't be the worst idea. You know...to prepare for baserunning's rigours.

If you're chasing saves, Jason Frasor should be next in line for saves in the Toronto bullpen. He's been just as effective as Downs this season (1.90 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 4 W, 1 SV, 3 HD). Deposed closer BJ Ryan can't yet be ruled out, though. Ryan hasn't allowed a run in six June appearances, but he's only struck out two batters in his last seven innings.

Frasor has been my primary fantasy add; Ryan is Plan B.

Update, 4:30 pm CDT: Downs has officially hit the DL according to the Star.

The Jays closer suffered a sprained left toe Monday in Philadelphia while running out a ground ball. Downs apparently suffered the injury on his first step out of the batters' box. ... The Jays were forced to place Downs on the 15-day DL as well today, with a retroactive date to Tuesday.

Roy Halladay also hit the disabled list with a strained right groin. (He's bi-groined. Very rare). Via the team's Web site:

"I feel a lot better," Halladay said. "It's just that I feel a little bit of tightness." ... The right-hander will be eligible to be activated from the DL by June 28, and he hopes to be ready by then.

Update No. 2, 9:00 pm CDT: It's officially official. Frasor is the add:

While Downs recovers on the DL, Gaston said right-hander Jason Frasor will be turned to as the primary closer. Replacing Downs on the roster will be right-hander Jeremy Accardo, who has posted a 3.38 ERA in 21 games for Triple-A Las Vegas this season.

Ryan got some work today in a situation where he couldn't do much damage. Note the results:

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Photo via Getty Images 

Then this bombshell dropped:

Former slugger Sammy Sosa tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003, The New York Times reported Tuesday on its Web site. The Times, citing lawyers familiar with the case, reported Sosa is one of 104 players who tested positive in a 2003 baseball survey.

Let's not rush to judgment here. Just because the New York Times and several lawyers say something, that doesn't make it true. This is really the first hint of a whisper of an allegation about Samuel P. Sosa. Give the man a chance to clear his name before you relinquish your title and any associated winnings (the honorable thing to do in these cases, clearly). Allow all the samples to be tested and re-tested. Maybe the Times meant Jorge Sosa. Or Sammy Fuld.

And in any case, you weren't a one-man team in '03. You totally could have won that head-to-head league without Sosa. He was just lineup decoration. It's not like the guy had four homers and six RBIs over his final four games or anything.

While we wait for this unfortunate PED misunderstanding to get sorted out, please enjoy some bulleted fantasy content...

• Toronto closer Scott Downs injured his left leg or foot while running to first on a groundout in the 10th inning in Philadelphia. The Jays batted around in the frame, bringing Downs to the plate. He slapped a ball toward short and stumbled out of the batter's box. Lousy luck.

Jesse Carlson finished off the 8-3 win over the Phils. Jason Frasor is the safe speculative add (1.90 ERA, 0.76 WHIP); BJ Ryan is the somewhat more desperate add (5.94, 1.68). Ryan has been effective so far in June, but the Ks aren't there. We'll have additional details on Downs as they emerge. The early reports and Tweets are not encouraging. 

Ricky Romero put up a useful line in a seven-inning no-decision for the Jays: 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 9 K. Ryan Madson had his first blown save since April 17 for Philly. He walked home the tying run in the ninth, then escaped a one-out, bases-loaded situation.

• Derek Jeter checked out of the Yanks-Nats game with "left ankle stiffness." This via MLB.com:

"He was just not running real well, and when we took the lead, it was time to take him out," Girardi said.

Jeter had no tests performed here and left without speaking to reporters. He is listed as day-to-day but Girardi did not seem optimistic that Jeter would play Wednesday.

• You shouldn't add Emmanuel Burriss as a one-day replacement for Jeter. He was sent down by the Giants after going 0-for-June (or whatever he is this month). 

• Look, Mike MacDougal is fitting in perfectly:

Don't pretend that you're shocked. MacDougal threw 17 pitches, only six of which were strikes. If you're looking ahead to the next Washington closer, then you're truly a masochistic fool. And Joe Beimel could be the guy. He picked up a rogue save last Thursday when MacDougal was unavailable. That's blown save No. 16 for the 16-win Nats. 

• Jhonny Peralta sat again for the Tribe. He somehow went 0-for-5 in the 26-run game on Monday, and he's stuck in a 5-for-35 malaise. Eric Wedge had some choice comments:

“[Peralta]’s got to get his head straight. He’s not a baby anymore. He’s been up here four or five years. He’s got to figure it out. It’s the big leagues.”

• We finally have a timetable on John Smoltz's return. He'll make a brief appearance for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday, then make his Red Sox debut next Thursday against the Nationals. Smoltz will be slotted between Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. He K'd six batters in his last minor league start. Boston will go to a six-man rotation, at least temporarily.

From the Herald: 

“It might be (a six-man rotation) for a time or two through,” manager Terry Francona said. “It certainly could happen. I don’t know that we need to make our rotation out a week or two ahead of time. That wouldn’t be the worst thing for a short period of time - not for a long period because guys won’t pitch enough. But for a short period of time, I think we could live with that, yeah.”

Clay Buchholz could very well be better than two of those six, and he's not entirely pleased about the current predicament:

"There's nowhere to go, and it's sort of a logjam up there (in Boston)," Buchholz said. "Whenever they come to a problem, they seem like they find a way to fix it without me being in the picture. It is what it is -- it's frustrating at times."

• Casey Kotchman (shin) returned to the lineup for the Braves and did what he does best: bat low in the order and hit singles. He went 2-for-3 with a walk.

• Jason Bartlett (ankle) came off the DL for the Rays and went 2-for-4 at Colorado, raising his average to .376. 

• One more DL return: Kazuo Matsui (hamstring), 0-for-3.

• Kyle Farnsworth required four stitches on his non-throwing hand after he was bitten by Paul Wilson one of his dogs. He's not expected to miss time, though.  

• Denard Span (dizziness, nerve-eating ear virus) hit the 15-day DL for the Twins, temporarily resolving the Minnesota outfield pileup. Carlos Gomez stole his sixth base of the season on Tuesday and went 2-for-4. Every member of the Twins' lineup had at least one hit -- Joe Mauer, of course, had four -- as they mauled the Bucs and Paul Maholm (5.0 IP, 14 H, 8 ER, 1 BB, 4 K).

• Albert Pujols tried to take another chunk out of the "BIG MAC LAND" sign (which now says "B G MAC LAND"), but he hit this thing just a little too well. 

• The Angels' 2-3-4-5 hitters went 12-for-20 against the Giants with two home runs and three doubles. Jonathan Sanchez was a fantasy disaster: 3.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 3 K. Sean O'Sullivan earned the win in his major league debut, but you can't get too excited, considering the opponent and the recent minor league history (5.82 ERA in 68.0 IP, 49 K). Ervin Santana was skipped due to elbow/forearm discomfort, but an MRI was reportedly clean. 

• Here's your abbreviated injury roundup: Everyone played catch and/or improved today, except Jose Reyes. Jerk.  

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Photos via Getty Images (Sosa, Smoltz) and US Presswire (Downs)

Evans says...

Paying fruitful dividends in his first full season as a starter, Green Bay’s A-Rod, like everyone’s favorite narcissist, deserves to smooch himself in the mirror. Arguably the finest QB bargain in drafts a year ago, Aaron Rodgers was a consistency king. He posted nine games of 250-plus yards and 10 multi-TD efforts. Overall, he showed tremendous poise, command over the spread offense and, most importantly, durability, a quality many pundits questioned. His 22.4 fantasy points per game mark ranked second only to Drew Brees in standard leagues. Anticipate a similar yield in 2009.

With premiere weapon Greg Jennings back, dependable veteran Donald Driver still viable and emerging talents James Jones and Jordy Nelson expected to take a step forward in their development, Rodgers has plenty of suitable targets to excel. Also, his scrambling ability should not be underestimated. Last season, he averaged 12.9 rushing ypg and splashed four TDs, the best ground total of any QB. Plus, Green Bay’s transition to a 3-4 defense likely won’t be seamless considering the current personnel’s general inexperience with it, meaning Rodgers will again be pressed into several comeback attempts, increasing his opportunities to rack points.

Rivers is a dependable No. 1, but with LT2 expected to tote 300-plus carries, his 478 attempts from ’08 likely will diminish. Throw in his infinitesimal contributions on the ground, and Rodgers, who is going almost a round later than Rivers in early drafts, is the wiser choice.

Fearless Forecast: 16 games, 255 passing ypg, 30 passing TDs, 15 interceptions, 223 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs.

Behrens says...

Last year, at age 26, Philip Rivers turned in one of the greatest single-season passing performances in NFL history. His ascendance to elite status went largely unreported, but fantasy owners shouldn't ignore the numbers. Rivers finished with the 13th highest QB-rating of all-time (105.5) in 2008, and he led the NFL in touchdown passes (34). Only 15 quarterbacks have ever thrown as many TDs. 

Rivers became the centerpiece of the Chargers' attack in '08, and you can't reasonably expect him to return to a supporting role. LaDainian Tomlinson isn't a 400-touch RB at this point in his career. In fact, LT2 is covered in red flags. He's suffered three serious injuries over the past 16 months (MCL, toe, groin), his contract was recently restructured, he turns 30 next week, and his team just franchised Darren Sproles. Let's not assume 320 carries for Tomlinson just yet. The Chargers threw more often than they ran in '08 (29.9 pass/game vs. 26.3 rush); expect a similar split in '09.

Still, it's not an either/or situation with Rivers and Tomlinson. The Chargers offense has finished in the top-five in scoring in each of the past five seasons. There's no shortage of fantasy points in San Diego. Rivers can continue flinging TD passes to his outstanding receiving corps -- Gates, Jackson, Floyd, Chambers -- and LT2 can still get all the work he can handle. Rivers is surrounded by talent, he's in his prime, and he's coming off a brilliant year. He won't disappoint.

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Photos via US Presswire

Five Injury Nuggets From Monday

• Grady Sizemore (elbow) cleared to start throwing and swinging again

• Jason Bartlett (ankle) is off the DL

• Ervin Santana (forearm) will miss Tuesday's start

• Gary Sheffield (knee) will continue to play through discomfort

• Jason Isringhausen (elbow surgery) is done

Five Fantasy Items From Monday's Two Games

• Torii Hunter leaves after collision with wall (hopes to return Friday)

• Carl Pavano, Barry Zito and Dave Bush all hammered

• Sean Rodriguez bats eighth, homers

• Fred Lewis comes off the bench again

• Trevor Hoffman now 16-for-16

Five Name-Brand Starting Pitchers I Don't Want

• Daisuke Matsuzaka (at what point is he mixed-league droppable? I'm petrified to use him in the Friends & Family)

• Scott Kazmir (doesn't work deep enough into games)

• A.J. Burnett (they'll eventually regret this contract)

• John Lackey (I'd sell those 10 strikeouts tonight)

• Chris Young (the steals, the homers, the road problems)

Five Closers I'd Be Worried About (Nats don't count)

• Chad Qualls (doubt he's healthy at any point)

• Brad Lidge (like the rest of you)

• Fernando Rodney (with team contending, leash won't be that long)

• Kevin Gregg (and sadly, he's just about untradeable)

• George Sherrill (he's fine, but trade looks likely)

Five Annoying Things Fantasy Opponents Do

• Trade off big-name players without surveying the league

• Make ridiculous lowball offers (it's almost a point-and-click test for your computer)

• Anything that seems "lawyerly"

• Slow picks during draft day (the day takes long enough as is)

• Partners that play "good cop, bad cop" (so transparent)

Five Surging Starters I Would Sell High On (no-market Millwoods and Dukes don't count) 

• Edwin Jackson (sorry, Salfino)

• Matt Cain (who's on my two most important teams, shhhh)

• Chris Carpenter (dominant when healthy, but can't ignore the history)

• Felix Hernandez (it's sell-high, not give away)

• Javier Vazquez (there's always a sympathizer who will overrate him)

Five People I Would Never Give a Talk Show To

• Joe Buck (constantly smug)

• Joe Buck (not funny)

• Joe Buck (consistently annoying)

• Joe Buck (I thought his dad was overrated; apparently everyone else adored the guy)

• Joe Buck (fill in your own comment here)

Five Tip-Earning Things the Waiter/Waitress Can Do

• Visit the table quickly after seating

• Unsolicited drink refills

• Be understanding and proactive if there's a problem

• Process the check quickly

• Be friendly and pleasant

Five Mistakes Smart Fantasy Owners Consistently Make

• Overvalue rookies

• Hold onto pre-season opinions too long

• Reluctance to trade

• Rigid draft plans

• Too risk-averse with pickups

Five Best Albums by The Beatles

• Abbey Road

• The White Album

• Revolver

• Rubber Soul

• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (a clever record and a good one, but honestly, it's the most overrated album in rock history; the concept surpasses the execution)

Five Annoying Things the Fantasy Industry Often Does

• Play the straw man (make up an imaginary argument that no one really believes, then dismantle it)

• Assume *everything* regresses to the mean

• State the obvious as if it's something profound

• Assume ownership of something just because the true founder isn't known

• Make up acronyms just for the sake of making up acronyms

Five Movies I'll Rewatch Anytime They're On

• The Shawshank Redemption

• This Is Spinal Tap

• Anything by Alexander Payne

• Goodfellas

• The better half of Cameron Crowe (not so fast, Elizabethtown)

I wanted to end this group of lists with a video salute to Mike Damone's Five-Point Plan, but it's no longer available on You Tube; this transcript will have to do. Just know we're thinking of you, Damone, and we hope you move those Blue Oyster Cult tickets.

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Images via Associated Press

Lobbying for the win on the last page of comments didn't exactly hurt Tony's cause. You might even call it a key to victory. His prediction wasn't perfect, but at least he nailed the ERs and Ks. He gets the second midseason invite.

If you think your Hanson prediction was better, please email. Arrangements can be made. Or if you just feel like you deserve a fantasy baseball re-do, please email us a one-sentence explanation of what went wrong in your original draft (use the link over on the right). The midseason Commenter Invitational drafts on Wednesday afternoon at 5:30 pm CDT.

Jason Isringhausen was placed on the 60-day disabled list following this scary wild pitch. He'll undergo an MRI on his right elbow today. Let's hope for the best; that was an ugly scene.

Isringhausen had an opportunity to lead the closing committee for the Rays when Troy Percival (shoulder) hit the DL, and Izzy's recent appearances have gone well (2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 Ks in June). Left-handers have clearly seized control the Tampa Bay committee, however. The 46 percent-owned JP Howell and 17 percent-owned Randy Choate have earned the Rays' last five saves. Howell struck out the side in the ninth against the Nats on Sunday; a two-out Austin Kearns HBP was the only blemish. Howell is the guy to roster, assuming you're only willing to make room for one Ray.

Please enjoy a few notes, followed by our fourth spreadsheet in eight days. It's almost time to buy a refill cartridge of "light turquoise."

• Frank Francisco had a bullpen session on Sunday, everyone said it went well, and then he hit the DL. The move is retroactive to June 4. CJ Wilson is the guy to own for now, but it doesn't sound like Francisco will be gone for long:

Francisco will play long toss and have another bullpen session Tuesday. If all goes well there, the Rangers will send him on a rehab assignment. ... Francisco will be eligible to join the Rangers on Friday in San Francisco. ... "I feel good," Francisco said. "I can go. They want me to face some hitters."

• Not only did Jose Valverde (calf) return from the DL over the weekend, but he also pitched in back-to-back games. He recorded three Ks in a perfect ninth against the Diamondbacks on Sunday in a non-save situation. In Valverde's first post-DL appearance he set-up LaTroy Hawkins, but there's no controversy in Houston. Valverde is the guy to own; both he and Hawkins are probably deadline trade bait for the Astros, so beware.

• Chad Qualls allowed an unearned run in a somewhat shaky save against the Giants last Thursday, but he gave the D-Backs a perfect inning of work on Sunday. He continues to deal with forearm issues, so Tony Pena remains on the fantasy radar. Qualls is another deadline deal waiting to happen. Again, beware.

• George Sherrill, Matt Capps, Huston Street, Bobby Jenks and both Braves should also be on the trade watch list, probably in that order.

• Scot Shields (knee) and Taylor Buchholz (elbow) are both done for the year, holds chasers.  

• Somewhat miraculously, Matt Lindstrom hasn't actually blown a save since Black Friday. He picked up a save and a win last week, just when another ugly line could have cost him the closing gig.

• In Washington, the first save of the Mike MacDougal Era went to Joe Beimel. Nothing to see there, though. MacDougal had pitched three innings over two days.

• Brad Lidge (knee) had a cortisone shot, and he doesn't really sound like a man who wants to be on the DL for more than more that 15 days.

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Photo via US Presswire

Owners really should pay more attention.

It's a well-known fact Matt Wieters' mystical powers could end feline AIDS, replenish the world's glaciers and single-handedly dominate North Korea in a nuclear war. Seriously, he's destined to become baseball's first 20-time MVP winner. Though the future perennial All-Star hasn't lived up to his massive offensive expectations thus far (.233 BA), he has excelled in a category unmeasured in virtual baseball: game calling. Just ask Bradley Bergesen.  

On the outside, the burgeoning chemistry between the two O's may seems like the baseball equivalent of Shaun Hill to Michael Crabtree. Based on each player's ownership numbers it undoubtedly is. But the widely available Bergesen (11 percent owned) has quickly developed into a relevant starter, even in 12-team mixed leagues.

This afternoon against Atlanta, the 23-year-old righty tossed his fourth-straight quality start and first career complete game, surrendering just two runs on seven hits. Although Gregg Zaun crouched behind the dish today, it was Wieters' previous three outings with Bergesen, and the pitcher's inclusion of a newly developed breaking ball, which have greatly enhanced his comfort level and overall fantasy worth. The proof is in the splits:

Pre-Wieters: 50.1 IP, 2 W 4.85 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 4.85 K/9, 2.69 BB/9
Post-Wieters: 32 IP, 3 W, 1.41 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 4.22 K/9, 1.41 BB/9

Because Bergesen plays in the hitter-heavy AL East and subscribes to a pitch-to-contact philosophy (84.8 CT%) many will unfairly write-off his recent accomplishments. But given his soaring confidence, groundball-inducing stuff (2.25 GB/FB) and masterful control, he's essentially the junior circuit's version of Zach Duke.

It's time to hop aboard the bandwagon.

• Blitzkrieged in the Bronx, Johan Santana was torched for nine earned in three innings, the worst outing of his career. It was also the first time the two-time Cy Young winner had conceded seven or more earned runs in a game since May 17, 2005. The rough outing skyrocketed his ERA from 2.39 to 3.29. Supporters expressed their frustration by shouting expletives.

Even for superstars, occasional implosions happen, but the southpaw's sharp decline in velocity raises a red flag. Against the Yanks, his fastball was routinely clocked between 88-90 mph. His heater's average speed heading into today was 90.9. 

It's tough to pinpoint Johan's specific ailment. It could merely be a dead arm period. However, it could be something much worse.

Johan owners: keep your lips firmly pressed to the bottle and your cursor over the Roto Arcade banner as the story unfolds. 

• The Rays end-game slot machine registered three Hs as J.P. Howell nailed down his third save of the season, closing out the Nationals on three consecutive punchouts. Despite blowing five saves on the year, the crafty lefty has showcased quality stuff in his past several appearances. The four-year vet has not yielded a run since May 23. He has also tallied an impressive 10.63 K/9 on the year. If the 57 percent available reliever is waiting to be rescued in the free agent pool, toss a life raft immediately. It appears he's forged a ninth-inning platoon with fellow southpaw Randy Choate.

• Hidden behind Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and Kendry Morales, Juan Rivera has quietly thrived. Hitting in the fifth-spot, the 29-year-old clubbed his seventh and eighth homers of the season. Scorching since June 7, he's tallied nine RBIs and four multi-hit games, raising his BA to an outstanding .308. Only 23 percent owned in Y! Plus leagues, his robust 89.3 contact rate implies a .300-plus BA is sustainable. Throw in his 25-homer, 80-RBI skill set and it's safe to conclude Rivera might be the most disrespected outfielder in fantasy.

• After receiving sparse run support in previous campaigns, Giants flamethrower Matt Cain has benefited greatly from San Fran's occasional offensive spurts. Extending his record to a nearly flawless 9-1, the power righty tossed a complete game, one-earned effort against cross-bay rival Oakland. He also notched a stellar 9:0 K:BB split.

Despite the libido-driving performance, Cain is someone to auction off. Heading into today his -1.66 difference between FIP and ERA pointed to an inevitable decline. If he can slice his BB/9 further, he will continue to defy the law of averages. However, his historical track-record of inconsistent control evokes unconfident feelings. This week he was shipped for Javier Vazquez, Curtis Granderson, Miguel Tejada and Trevor Hoffman in one-for-one Plus league transactions.

• Bumming a Lucky Strike off Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver continued to throw Lady Luck the Heisman, hurling a five-hit complete game shutout against the dreadful Pads. Sage owners should shop his services immediately. His 0.67 GB/FB, .251 BABIP and 3.42 FIP suggest he's simply not 2.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP good. His "Jeff" side will eventually surface. This week he attracted Alex Rios, Adrian Gonzalez and Adam Lind in one-for-one Plus league deals.

Quick Hitters: Ryan Howard swiped his third base of the season. Entering '09 he had two steals in 572 career games. In other news, the Noise has begun construction on an underground backyard bunker...Gabe Kapler reached the cheap seats for the third straight game. Now with Matt Joyce wallowing in Triple-A, he could see extensive action this week, especially given his scorching stick...Piano Man favorite Ty Wigginton accumulated a crooked tally today totaling a 4-4-3-3, 2 HR line. The O's Swiss Army knife is a part-time stopgap, but has the talent to be deep league serviceable if a significant injury fells Melvin Mora or Brian Roberts...Adam Jones was a late scratch with a bruised shin. He's considered day-to-day...Jermaine Dye didn't roam right field due to a strained calf. He should return Tuesday...Apparently, Godzilla is not yet extinct. The gimpy outfielder clocked his 10th homer of the season. Matsui (46 percent owned) has a nearly identical line to Ryan Ludwick (95 percent) in just ten more games...Ronny Paulino, who has primarily started against LHP, launched two homers and knocked in three in a 4-for-5 outburst versus Toronto. Hitting .379 this month, he could wrest away more starts from John Baker if he continues to hit...Corey Hart is finally turning things around, launching two homers today against the Sox. Over his past four games he has six hits, two homers, six RBIs and five runs. Your opportunity to buy low is quickly disappearing...Charlie Morton's start Tuesday was pushed back a day, meaning Paul Maholm will net two starts in the upcoming scoring period. Adjust your rosters accordingly...A walks snowman for Dontrelle Willis versus the frightening Buccos. City officials should strap him to Tigers Stadium when it's detonated. His value to fantasy society is completely worthless.

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Image courtesy of AP

LEADING OFF

Although his name conjures thoughts of a certain deceased thoroughbred, Barbaro Canizares, Atlanta's brawny 6-foot-3, 240-pound rookie first baseman, is more of the beer-toting variety of equine.

The Cuban defector, who's playing in just his first full season in U.S. baseball after experiencing previous immigration problems, has been one of the minor league's best kept secrets. Prior to his promotion late this past week, the perceived 29-year-old -- some insiders dispute he's really 31 -- compiled an eye-opening .344 BA with eight homers and 37 RBIs in 227 at-bats at Triple-A Gwinnett. Farm compadre and cancer curer Tommy Hanson believes Canizares possesses beastly dish qualities:

"He just goes up there and rakes. That's what he does. He's a hitter. When I was there [Gwinnett] he was on a tear."

Per Talking Chop's fantastically detailed scouting report from April, his statistical upside compares favorably to fellow Castro castaway and teammate Yunel Escobar.

Offensively, he's an ultra-aggressive contact hitter. While hacking away in the International League, he coaxed a free pass just 10.6 percent of the time. Despite his attacking approach, he's hit above .300 at every stop in professional U.S. baseball. From a power perspective, his 56.5 groundball percentage this year in the minors suggests he's equipped with marginal 15-20 pop. 

Defensively, he's a sloth-footed liability similar to Chicago's Jake Fox. His glove shortcomings will limit his at-bats, but with the Braves slated to begin a three-game set in Boston Friday, he'll undoubtedly serve as Bobby Cox's primary DH. He may also earn a sport start or two against Cincinnati early in the week pending the return of Casey Kotchman.

So far 3-for-9 with a double in two contests, he should continue to see adequate action even when Kotchman returns. More importantly, Cox's confidence in his bat means he'll earn steady appearances in the RBI-friendly 4-6 spots.

Obviously, first is an overloaded position in fantasy, but deep league or stream conscious managers hoping to unearth a short-term BA behemoth from the wire depths should employ the one-percent owned Clydesdale's services.

Fearless Forecast (Rest of the season): 210 at-bats, .291 BA, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 19 R, 0 SB

QUICK HITTERS

• Tragic bust Howie Kendrick has finally been put out of his misery. Though it looked like he was starting to turn the corner going with six hits in his past 23 at-bats, the maligned middle infielder, who made a critical base-running gaffe earlier this week, was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake late Friday night. Per Mike Scioscia, it appears Angels management is aiming for a short-term farm stint to help rebuild the 25-year-old's fading confidence. From MLB.com:

"We feel it is time for Howie to go down to take a little bit of pressure off and exhale a little bit and get some at-bats. We want him to find his swing and then get back up here and hopefully be a quick turnaround once he begins to feel it in the batter's box. I know he is pressing and he just needs to go down and get some at-bats. He will be back."

Kendrick is expendable in 14-team and shallower mixed formats, but for owners with questionable options at second in wire-exhausted leagues, don't kick him to the curb just yet. As discussed in this week's Noise, his peripheral numbers display several resurgent signs. If he can rediscover his stroke, he could storm back with a vengeance. He's always possessed the pedigree to be successful.

Detailed by Grizzly Behrens June 1, Sean Rodriguez, who was ripping up Triple-A, fills Kendrick's vacated roster spot. However, with fly-swatter Macier Izt