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| Jorge de la Rosa threw six scoreless innings to earn his second win of the season for Triple-A Omaha on Sunday. He allowed three hits, two walks and struck out six. |
Our View: De la Rosa’s ERA is down to 1.15, and he is aligned in the rotation now with Luke Hochevar. Hochevar will probably get at least one more shot, but should he falter again and John Bale remain in the DL, de la Rosa could get a chance to start for the Royals in the coming weeks.
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| Mike Pelfrey, who gave up 10 hits and four runs in five innings of work Sunday night, threw almost nothing but fastballs. The results of such were not what the right-hander or the Mets were aiming for. All Star second baseman Chase Utley single handedly did Pelfrey in hitting his seventh and eighth home runs of April. |
Our View: Pelfrey had been good in his first two starts, recording a 1.50 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. The Mets' right hander escaped the loss and gets a chance to record his third victory of the season Friday versus Atlanta.
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| Brad Lidge escaped a shaky ninth for his third save of the season, and the Phillies defeated the Mets 5-4 on Sunday night. |
Our View: Lidge still doesn't have complete command of his arsenal. The right-hander allowed a hit, issued a walk and struck out one in the final inning.
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| Chase Utley hit two home runs, his second and third in the last two games, leading the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Mets on Sunday night.
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Our View: Utley went 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored.
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| After suffering through a tough start because of a flu bug on Tuesday, Aaron Harang was back throwing strikes on Sunday, allowing four hits in eight innings of work. The right-hander struck out eight with his only mistake on the day, a home run my Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy.
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Our View: Harang, who has 2.43 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP, hasn't disappointed his managers this season.
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| Yovani Gallardo, who was activated off the disabled list before Sunday's game, allowed only four hits through eight innings of work. Gallardo proved he is fit and ready to resume his starting role by throwing 112 pitches in a no-decision. |
Our View: The 112 pitches may end up costing the Brewers. Pitchers coming off the disabled list, who throw more than 100 pitches in the first start back, typically struggle in their second start. The right-hander is scheduled to start in a favorable Friday matchup against Florida.
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| Edwin Encarnacion assisted the Brewers take a 3-1 lead in the top of the 10th by committing an error on a hurried throw to second base. The Reds third baseman redeemed himself by hitting a 10th inning home run, sparking the Reds to their eighth victory of the season. |
Our View: Encarnacion has four home runs, nine RBI and eight runs scored in April. The streaky hitter has always been a liability in the field, and an inconsistent hitter. However, his upside is he's capable of tearing the cover off the ball for a week at a time.
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| Outfielder Gregor Blanco started over Matt Diaz for the third straight game on Sunday. The left fielder was 1-for-2 with a walk after having two hits in each of the first two games of the series. |
Our View: Blanco replaced Diaz, who had shown little pop in his bat over the last week.
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| Outfielder Gregor Blanco started over Matt Diaz for the third straight game. The left fielder was 1-for-2 with a walk after having two hits in each of the first two games of the series. |
Our View: Diaz hasn't shown much punch at the plate, but his .267 average, nine RBI is more than many of the Braves have supplied in April. Diaz pinch-hit for Blanco in the seventh and did little to make a case for a return to the starting lineup by striking out twice.
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| After starting the season on fire, and recording a career best 12-game hitting streak, James Loney was 0-for-12 with five strikeouts in a series sweep by the Braves. |
Our View: Loney failed on a number of occasions to assist the Dodgers offense. He struck out when all he need to do was put the ball in play and left more than 10 runners in scoring position during the series.
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| Russell Martin is trying to break out of his April slump. In Sunday's 6-1 loss to the Braves, the LA catcher accounted for the only Dodgers offense hitting a home run off Jair Jurrjens in the fourth inning. |
Our View: It was Martin's second home run of the season, and his Sunday RBI game him six on the season. These numbers are far from what is expected of the talented hitter.
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| Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda allowed seven hits, walked four and gave up two runs in six innings of work Sunday. The right-hander struggled to find the plate, which was evident by his four free passes, but he was able to record four strike outs in the loss.
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Our View: He pitched well enough to win, but Los Angeles hitters were only 1-for-23 with runners in scoring position during the series, offering very little run support to the pitching staff.
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| Jair Jurrjens recorded his second win of the season on Sunday pitching three-hit ball over seven innings. The right-hander beat Japanese import, Hiroki Kuroda, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-1. |
Our View: Jurrjens struck out countryman Andruw Jones three times on the day, and normally that would be considered a feat. However, the ex-Brave isn't hitting (.169) his weight and has showed little reason to believe he's working his way out of an April funk.
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| Ubaldo Jimenez pitched 6.2 innings in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Astros. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits, walked five and struck out six. |
Our View: Jimenez threw his fourth straight quality start.
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| Former Rok, Shawn Chacon, allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings of work on Sunday. He struck out three and walked one in the no-decision. |
Our View: Chacon has been a surprise this season. His 2.77 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and his 5.00 K Rate have actually assisted managers in Roto formats.
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| Jose Valverde returned to his normal ninth inning role on Sunday recording three outs for his second save in four chances this season. |
Our View: Doug Brocail vultured a save this weekend, leading many fantasy owners to fear that Valverde might have lost his closer role. Valverde is going to have to find an injury before the team trusts Brocail as their primary ninth inning option. The Sunday save was Valverde's 100th of his career.
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| Brad Hawpe went 3-for-4 in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Astros. Hawpe and the Roks saw their April record even out at 9-9. |
Our View: The Colorado right fielder hit his fourth double of the season, added two singles and raised his average to .246.
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| Sunday's poor effort by Braden Looper against San Francisco should come as no surprise. The former closer is 0-3 with a 5.65 ERA and two saves in 31 career appearances, including two starts, against the Giants. |
Our View: Looper was hit hard Sunday lasting only three innings. The veteran allowed seven runs on ten hits, walked none and struck out one in the loss.
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| The Cardinals are holding off activating reliever Russ Springer (elbow) from the disabled list. The staff wants to see how he feels after throwing and performs in another simulated effort Monday. |
Our View: Springer, who was shut down for a week due to a nerve problem in his elbow, threw to hitters for the first time on Saturday.
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| Jonathan Sanchez pitched two-hit ball in Sunday's 8-2 win over the Cardinals. The left-hander needed 101 pitches over five innings to get his first win of the season. |
Our View: Sanchez took several batters to full counts and walked four while striking out five in the win.
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| John Bowker hit his third career home run on Sunday sparking the Giants to a season high in runs, hits and winning margin with a 8-2 victory over St. Louis. |
Our View: Bowker played in his seventh game of the season, but when he's taken the diamond and the batters box, he has been productive. Bowker is hitting .364, has four runs and nine RBI in 22 at-bats.
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| Bengie Molina hit three doubles and drove in three runs in the Giants 8-2 win over the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. |
Our View: Molina now has 13 RBI, seven runs and is hitting .292 on the season.
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| Injured Cubs reliever Chad Fox (right elbow) is scheduled to head to Class-A Daytona for a rehab stint on Tuesday, this according to the AP. |
Our View: Retiring? Or is the veteran returning? Fox has the ability to add a power right arm to the Cubs pen, but his inability to stay healthy over the last half decade makes him more of a fan attraction -- than fantasy hopeful. Fox nearly called it quits in November of 2005 when he discovered he would need another TJ procedure, but like the Eveready Bunny, he just keeps going and going.
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| Pittsburgh's Nate McLouth extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a single in the first inning of Sunday's loss to the Cubs. |
Our View: The Pirates leadoff hitter now has the longest streak since Jason Kendall hit in 20 straight in 2004.
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| Derrek Lee continues to hit the cover off the ball. The Cubs first baseman registered another two hits on Sunday, two RBI, two runs scored and raised his average to .364. |
Our View: The only thing missing is having Lee be more aggressive on the base paths. But, the 12-6 Cubs have not had a lot of reason to run as of late.
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| Overshadowed by a three game sweep, and 28 runs allowed, Ryan Doumit's two solo homers for Pittsburgh almost went unnoticed as the Cubs bounced the Pirates like a Single-A team this weekend. |
Our View: Without sounding to harsh, that is exactly how the 7-11 Bucs played in Chicago this weekend. Doumit, the most versatile Pirate, has been doing his part. The catcher/outfielder is hitting .320 this April with six RBI, three home runs and nine runs scored.
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| The Cubs scratched Kosuke Fukudome from their Sunday lineup because of a small cyst above his right eye. Chicago skipper Lou Piniella told WGN during the broadcast that the ailment is not serious and called it "a one-day thing." |
Our View: The Japanese import is expected to return to the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.
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| Zach Duke, who was 4-2 with a 2.01 ERA in nine previous starts against Chicago, allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings of work in Sunday's 13-6 loss. |
Our View: The left-handers ERA climbed from 2.89 to 4.37. He walked two and hit two batters. Only 36 of his 69 pitches were for strikes.
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| Ryan Dempster won his third game of the season on Sunday as the Cubs swept a three game series from the Pirates. The former closer allowed three runs on five hits, walked two and struck out three in five innings of work. |
Our View: Dempster has been better than expected so far this season. After a sub par spring the right-hander has an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of just over 1.00.
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| Chicago shortstop Ryan Theriot recorded four hits, scored three runs and drove in two, as the Cubs took over first place in the National League Central. |
Our View: Theriot, better known for his speed, is hitting .338 on the season, he's scored 14 runs, and has five RBI this April. He also has three stolen bases and is the speed at the top of the Cubs lineup now that Soriano is on the disabled list.
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| Aramis Ramirez tied a career high with four hits, including a two-run homer, in a 13-6 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday. |
Our View: Ramirez is starting to warm up. The third baseman raised his average to .274, has 11 RBI, 16 runs scored and with his Sunday home run, now has four on the year.
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| The Braves won't be activating Rafael Soriano from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday, this according to the team website.
When asked when Soriano will begin throwing off of a mound, Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell responded, "when he's able to throw without any discomfort."
While playing catch over the past few days, Soriano hasn't been able to throw without feeling some discomfort in his right elbow. |
Our View: The team is just hoping that the right-handed closer will at least be able to begin throwing off of a mound some time this week.
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| Conor Jackson had three hits in Sunday's loss to San Diego. The first baseman went 8-for-14 with a double, two triples, a homer and four RBI in the three-game series. |
Our View: Jackson is finding his stride and living up to the potential many tagged him with in 2007. Jackson has 17 RBI, 16 runs scored and a stolen base on the season.
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| Padres' Randy Wolf threw his second strong outing on Sunday as the Padres defeated division leader Arizona. The left-hander allowed four runs on six hits, walked one and struck out seven over 6.1 innings of work. |
Our View: Wolf's fourth start indicates that the Padres rotation is the strongest in the National League.
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| Khalil Greene was 3-for-5 in Sunday's win over Randy Johnson and Arizona. The power hitting shortstop has suffered a power outage this April. Until his two runs on Sunday the shortstop had a total of two runs scored in the teams first 18 games. |
Our View: Greene isn't going to wow fantasy managers with his average, nor is he a threat to steal. His ability to record 20 home runs and 60 RBI is why managers in deep mixed formats have him in the starting lineup.
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| Randy Johnson gave up six runs, four of them earned, and six hits in 5.2 innings. He walked three and struck out six in Sunday's loss to the Padres. |
Our View: Johnson struggled with his slider and his velocity was registering in the high 80's for most of the afternoon.
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| Justin Huber connected against Randy Johnson for his first career home run as the Padres beat up on the D'backs, 9-4. |
Our View: Huber has only played in six games this year and has a total of 12 at-bats. In other words, he has no fantasy value.
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| Mark Mulder, who is trying to come back from two shoulder operations, pitched six scoreless innings for Double-A Springfield on Sunday, this according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. It was the left-handers second rehabilitation outing.
Mulder allowed three hits, walked three and struck out one, and needed only 76 pitches while facing Tulsa.
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Our View: He could rejoin the St. Louis rotation after one more rehab start.
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| Outfielder T.J. Bohn was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday to fill the roster spot of the disabled Chris Snelling (knee), notes MLB.com. |
Our View: Bohn last played for the Mariners in 2006 when he had two hits in 14 at-bats. In those plate appearances he struck out eight times.
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| Infielder Brad Harman was recalled from Double-A Reading to fill the roster spot of the disabled Jimmy Rollins on Sunday, this according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Harman has no big league experience and currently has no fantasy value, either.
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| Outfielder Chris Snelling (left knee) was put on the disabled list on Sunday, retroactive to April 17, notes MLB.com. |
Our View: The oft-injured Snelling was once a highly touted prospect for the Mariners, but was never able to stay healthy suffering multiple knee injuries during his Seattle tenure.
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| Shortstop Jimmy Rollins is headed to the disabled list for the first time in his eight-year Major League career, this according to MLB.com.
The Phillies announced before Sunday's finale of a three-game series against the Mets that Rollins was placed on the 15-day DL.
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Our View: Rollins is hitting .308 (12-for-39) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBIs and two stolen bases.
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| Chipper Jones irritated his strained right quad while while running out a double and left the Braves' game against the Dodgers on Sunday, according to the AP. Jones notably tweaked his right quad on April 9 at Colorado, and felt more soreness as the Braves’ road trip continued in Washington.
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Our View: There are no more details at this time, and his status is yet to be updated.
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| David Eckstein crushed a three-run homer in Sunday's 5-3 win over Detroit. He went 2-for-4 overall. |
Our View: He collected six total bases today as his other hit was a double. That was also his first home run of the season, and he now racked up 11 RBI over 17 games. He could make a favorable option for your roster if you need depth at the position.
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| Scott Olsen remains unbeaten at 3-0 this season, as he only allowed one run on three hits over seven innings of work against Washington in Sunday's 6-1 win, with two walks and three strikeouts. He notably trimmed his season ERA down to 2.60. |
Our View: This was another strong outing for him, and his fantasy stock has risen a bit more.
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| Hanley Ramirez collected a pair of home runs in Sunday's 6-1 win over Washington. He went 2-for-5 with three RBI overall, while racking up eight total bases. He now has five homers for the season. |
Our View: He played up to his ranking as a top three fantasy performer today.
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| Odalis Perez pitched well in a no-decision on Sunday, as he only allowed one run on five hits over six innings of work against Florida, with three walks and seven strikeouts. |
Our View: Perez remains winless in 2008 over five starts.
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| Austin Kearns went 1-for-3 with an RBI in Sunday's 6-1 loss to Florida, and he notably blasted his second homer of the season. |
Our View: He was only hitting 13-for-63 heading into today's game, and really only holds value in the power category.
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| The Giants have purchased the contract of infielder Emmanuel Burriss, according to the SF Chronicle. Outfielder Rajai Davis was designated for assignment, which opened up a roster spot for Burriss. |
Our View: He has good speed, and could spell Brian Bocock at shortstop. He could be used as a pinch-runner as well.
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| Luis Vizcaino's throwing session has been cancelled on Saturday due to soreness, according to MLB.com. He has been on the DL since April 4 due to a shoulder strain. The session, in which he would have faced live hitters, was one of the final steps that Vizcaino needed to take before going on a Minor League injury rehab assignment. But Vizcaino stated that he "felt sore a little bit" after a bullpen session on Wednesday. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca added, "We held him off, so until we get back to Denver and get a better handle on it, it's out of my hands. We're going to be conservative with it, making sure this isn't something that's going to be longer than it needs to be. We'll be on the safe side and let our doctors look at it."
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Our View: Hopefully he can get back on schedule soon. He was going to hold a role as a right-handed setup man before getting hurt.
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| Manny Ramirez was ejected in the second inning today against the Rangers by plate umpire Paul Emmel for arguing a called third strike, according to the AP. |
Our View: He left fantasy owners with a nice 0-for-1 day, with one strikeout.
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| Jack Cassel has been recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to potentially make a start against the Reds on Thursday, according to the AP. He would make a spot start in place of lefty Wandy Rodriguez, who has been placed on the 15-day DL due to his groin injury. |
Our View: His fantasy stock could go up, but likely just for a brief time.
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| Tim Byrdak has been recalled from Triple-A Round Rock, according to the AP. The team placed lefty Wandy Rodriguez on the 15-day DL. |
Our View: The former member of the Tigers holds little fantasy value.
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| Wandy Rodriguez has been placed on the 15-day DL, according to the AP. He was brought down by a strained right groin, and the injury was believed to have been bothering him over his last couple of outings. GM Ed Wade does not believe the ailment will be a long-term problem. |
Our View: The team purchased the contract of lefty Tim Byrdak from Triple-A Round Rock. They also announced that Jack Cassel will be recalled to start on Thursday against Cincinnati.
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| Kosuke Fukudome has been scratched from the Cubs' lineup on Sunday due to a small cyst above his right eye, according to the AP. Manager Lou Piniella noted that it is not a serious issue and "just a one-day thing." |
Our View: Mark DeRosa starts in right field and Matt Murton gets the call in left.
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| Jimmy Rollins is not likely to play on Sunday, according to the Philadelphia Enquirer. His sprained ankle continues to bother him, and Manager Charlie Manuel noted that the ankle is at about 75% right now. Rollins could miss a few more days and commented, "I know I'm not ready, so it really doesn't bother me that much. If I felt I was ready and couldn't get clearance, then that would be a different story, but I know I'm not where I need to be. My plan is to stay off it as much as I can."
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Our View: Eric Bruntlett will continue to cover shortstop until he can return.
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| For the first time in his recovery from microfracture knee surgery, Chad Tracy ran the bases in cleats at full speed on Saturday and reported no pain or complications afterward, according to the Arizona Republic. Manager Bob Melvin noted it would be at least a few more days before Tracy begins a minor-league rehab assignment. Once he gets to that point, he will need around 40 plate appearances before activation.
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Our View: This is favorable news, and he will fight Mark Reynolds for playing time at third base when he ultimately returns.
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| Yovani Gallardo has been activated from the DL and will start on Sunday against the Reds, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is also projected to bat eighth, rather than ninth in the order. |
Our View: This is good news, and his fantasy stock will go back up with a favorable outing.
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| David Weathers has been placed on the 15-day DL due to ulnar nerve irritation in his right elbow, according to the AP. He said, "You just know when something’s not right. It started on that one pitch, a burning sensation. If you stop, you can catch it early maybe, and I don’t want to push it over the edge."
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Our View: The 38-tear old is 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in eight appearances this season (with only one strikeout), and his fantasy value remains very low.
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| Callix Crabbe will likely spell Kevin Kouzmanoff at third base during the Padres' upcoming series against the Astros, according to the North County Times. Crabbe notably started at shortstop on Saturday in place of Khalil Greene. Kouzmanoff is the only remaining Padres player who has played in every game so far, and the team wants to give some rest this week. |
Our View: Crabbe only has one hit over his first 14 at-bats this season, and is not worth acquiring as of now.
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| Mark Prior is set to resume his rehab program on Monday after eight days without any baseball activity, according to the North County Times. He hasn't thrown since last Saturday, when the Padres shut down a batting practice session early due to stiffness in his right shoulder. It was notably the second time Prior had to cut a session short. He commented, "I don't think its anything that's alarming or major. We all didn't want it to happen, but we knew this could happen. Unfortunately, it came at a time where I was kind of getting close to where I could get out and start getting into some games. I feel good. It's not a situation where I'm aching and hurting day in and day out. It's just the life kind of came out of the ball. It wasn't coming out as clean as I'd like."
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Our View: His fantasy stock shall remain low.
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| Rich Harden threw long toss for the second time in three days, but has yet to do any work off a mound, according to the SF Chronicle. He continues to rehab from a right shoulder strain. |
Our View: He is eligible to come off the DL on Friday, but won't likely return to Oakland until early May.
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| Tony Clark was unavailable for Saturday night action due to a leg injury, and could miss a few more games, according to the San Diego Union Tribune. |
Our View: Clark provides a solid bat off the bench for the Padres, and also serves as insurance for Adrian Gonzalez at first base, but his fantasy value remains limited.
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| Moises Alou continues to progress, according to the NY Daily News. Alou is recovering from hernia surgery, and played five innings in left field and got six plate appearances in an extended spring training game on Saturday. |
Our View: It appears that Alou remains on target to return before the end of April.
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| Closer Billy Wagner pitched four straight days for the Mets, according to NY Daily News. That matches his career high, and he notably racked up three saves over the stretch. He commented, "It's feast and famine, but you have to prepare yourself to know what you've got, and really stay mentally prepared as much as possible." |
Our View: He should be fine, and he is impressively yet to allow a hit over seven innings of work, with six strikeouts and one walk.
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| Catcher Gustavo Molina has been scratched from a Triple-A New Orleans game on Saturday, according to the NY Daily News. The team is believed to be preserving him for a potential call-up following the forearm injury sustained by starting catcher Brian Schneider. |
Our View: Ramon Casanova is expected to start at catcher on Sunday, and Molina's fantasy value remains very limited.
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| Raul Casanova is likely to start at catcher on Sunday following last night's forearm injury sustained by Brian Scheider, according to the NY Daily News. It remains to be determined how long Schneider may be out of action. |
Our View: Casanova is hitting 1-for-9 in limited action this season, with four strikeouts, and his fantasy stock remains low.
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| Brian Schneider took a foul tip from Chase Utley off his right forearm in the ninth inning during battle with the Phillies on Saturday, according to NY Daily News. His fingers were numb and he had significant swelling on the injured area, but no bones were broken. He said, "It's just a lot of pain. It doesn't have a lot of grip right now. It's iced down now, so it's numb. I don't know what the pitch was - 96, 97 mph. It came straight down on me." The team did not comment how long he may be out of action.
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Our View: Raul Casanova will likely start on Sunday in his place.
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| Tommie Hanson extended his High-A streak of not allowing an earned run to22 innings after throwing six scoreless innings on Saturday. He has allowed only five hits, six walks and has struck out 32 so far this season. |
Our View: To say that the 21-year-old Hanson is ready for Double-A would seem like the understatement of the year. If he is available in a keeper league and you can stash him, you should wait no longer to do so.
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