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| Justin Verlander allowed three runs (two earned), five hits and a walk to the Giants while striking out seven for the Tigers. He picked up a no-decision when Fernando Rodney blew the game in the eighth inning.
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Our View: Thats the fifth quality start in six outings for Verlander who has clearly turned around his slow start of late as he is once again starting to resemble the pitcher who won 35 games the past two years for the Tigers.
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| Carlos Silva was ejected from his 15th start of the season on Monday night after arguing a safe call at first base in a matchup with the Marlins. |
Our View: Silva allowed two runs and five hits in 4.2 innings before he was replaced by Ryan Rowland-Smith.
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| Daisuke Matsuzaka, in his first game since straining his rotator cuff, allowed three hits and two runs against Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to the Associated Press. Matsuzaka struck out five, walked one, and threw 47 of 65 pitches for strikes. |
Our View: Matsuzaka hopes to be able to face the Cardinals this weekend, and baring any unforeseen setbacks, it appears that he should be able to do just that.
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| Matt Holliday had two hits, one a double the other a single, on Monday night in five trips to the plate to finish the night with a .318 batting average. |
Our View: This night gives Holliday a .296 average in 27 AB since returning from the DL as he has now gone seven games without a long ball.
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| J.D. Drew hit his 12th home run of the year on Monday off of the Phillies Cole Hamels in the Red Sox 8-2 loss to the Phils. |
Our View: Drew has been one of the best hitters in all of baseball in June as he has eight home runs, 17 RBI and a .440 batting average in 15 games. When he is healthy that smooth swing is a thing of beauty, and right now he has it all going for him, though we wouldn't be at all surprised to find him injured at some point soon given his track record.
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| David Murphy continues to put up tremendous numbers in his effort to capture the AL Rookie of the Year award, according to the Dallas News. |
Our View: Murphy is tied for the AL rookie lead in home runs (10), is first in RBI (47), doubles (20) and is second with a .787 OPS. His minor league numbers simply don't support the level of production we have seen thus far, so don't be surprised if things slow down considerably in the second half.
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| Vladimir Guerrero is hitting .429 in 10 games in June with three home runs and seven RBI after a dismal May (.219), according to MLB.com. However, the rest of his teammates have really struggled in June with Garrett Anderson (.140), Casey Kotchman (.222) and Torii Hunter (.212) failing to do much of anything. |
Our View: Chone Figgins and Howie Kendrick are now back in the fold, so perhaps with everyone back in the roles they were expected to fill this year, the results will turn around soon.
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| Travis Buck will try to recapture the form he had last season at Triple-A as the A's will go with Ryan Sweeney and Carlos Gonzalez at the big league level, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Besides having to battle injury and the effects that brought to his timing, Buck will need to work on quieting his hand movement while waiting for the pitch as he has too much movement at the plate. Look for him to return as soon as an injury strikes an A's outfielder.
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| Ichiro Suzuki will be returned to his former home, right field, according to the Associated Press. “I’ve been thinking about it for over a month. It’s nothing against Ichiro in center field, of course. I just think he’s a great right fielder and I want to see his zest and smile and everything going,” manager John McLaren said |
Our View: The Mariners will audition Willie Bloomquist, Jeremy Reed and Wladimir Balentin in center field. None of these options is appealing from a fantasy perspective though Bloomqvist could add a nice set of legs to a team in need of the stolen base if he is given a real shot at the position.
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| Fernando Rodney, out due to shoulder tendinitis, has been activated from the DL on Monday, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t know exactly how I’ll use Rodney, whether in a big-game situation," manager Jim Leyland said. "I’d like to get his feet wet for an inning. It was nice to put his name on the card. It’s been a while.” |
Our View: Rodney will be joined by bullpen mate Joel Zumaya, hopefully by the end of the week, as the Tigers' pen will finally begin to resemble the unit they thought they would have this off-season. Rodney has suffered multiple setbacks this year, so take a careful approach toward adding him to your roster.
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| Joel Zumaya is on schedule to return to the Tigers in time for the clubs weekend series against the Padres, according to the Detroit News. Zumaya is schedule to throw 25 pitches on Monday night, and then throw an additional 25 pitches on Tuesday. |
Our View: If everything goes to plan Zumaya will be bringing the heat for the Tigers in no time, just as the Tigers offense is finally starting to kick things up a notch. Zumaya should be added in mixed leagues if he is still available considering he could end up in the closers role at some point in the second half.
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| Bartolo Colon was forced from his start on Monday against the Phillies with back stiffness, according to the Associated Press. Colon allowed six hits, two walks and four runs before exiting the game in which he picked up his second loss of the season. |
Our View: Colon had all kinds of control issues tonight as his four seam fastball was darting all over the place leading to a bunch of his pitches leaking out over the plate. If this ends up being a DL type injury, Justin Masterson would likely be left in the rotation even when Daisuke Matsuzaka returns from injury.
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| Jamey Carroll has stepped into the void at second base for the Indians and performed quite well, according to the Cleveland Plains Dealer. Asdrubal Cabrera is currently in the minors, and Josh Barfield on the DL, leading to Carroll's shot at starting. "With a situation like this, you don't know what's going to happen. That's what they have me here for." |
Our View: Carroll has pushed his average from .194 t0 .287 over the last month, and he will continue to be a decent play in AL Only leagues even if he lacks any measurable power as he can provide the odd steal and help in the average category. If he does well, he could turn this audition into a full-time gig.
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| Curt Schilling had a bit of a rough go on Friday during a throwing session, and therefore he has been deemed to have suffered a setback in his recovery from an injured shoulder, according to the Providence Journal. "He's stuck for the moment," said manager Terry Francona. "We'll have to get with him the next day or so and figure out where we need to go (in his rehab)." |
Our View: Everything had proceeded pretty well so far, but it was foolish to expect his recovery to come off without a hitch. Hopefully this setback is minor and Schilling will still be able to contribute at some point in the second half.
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| Kevin Youkilis had back spasms on Monday that have resulted in his being scratched from the Sox lineup, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Sean Casey will take over for this night, though we have no idea of how long Youkilis will be out of action, though hopefully it won't be more than a day or two.
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| Updating an earlier report, David Ortiz did have the cast removed from his wrist on Monday and the good news is that he will now have his limb placed into a removable forearm splint, according to the Boston Herald. “It’s a very good sign because they weren’t going to do that until he was pain-free,” manager Terry Francona said. |
Our View: The upshot of this news is that Ortiz will be able to begin range of motion exercises immediately which, theoretically, should help to shorten his return to active duty, though no timetable has of yet been established for him to begin to swing the bat.
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| Scott Baker was the first pitcher in Twins history to record four strikeouts in an inning on Sunday, according to MLB.com. "I didn't even think about it," Baker said of the feat. "I came in [the clubhouse] and heard somebody say something about it. Yeah, that's pretty crazy. |
Our View: This was the first time an AL pitcher accomplished the feat since 2003 when Kurt Suzuki turned the trick for the Mariners.
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| The Mariners fired their GM, Bill Bavasi, on Monday while promoting assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas on an interim basis, according to MLB.com. "Change is in order," club chief executive officer Howard Lincoln said. "We have determined new leadership is needed in the GM position. With a new leader will come a new plan and a new approach. A search will begin immediately for a permanent GM, and Lee will be a candidate for the position." |
Our View: The Mariners are languishing at 24-45 thanks in part to a roster full of bloated contracts tied to ineffective players. A complete overhaul might be in order, so the new GM will certain have his hands full.
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| Pitcher Thomas Diamond has been activated from the minor league DL, and optioned to Double-A Frisco, according to the AP. |
Our View: The former first-round pick missed all of last season after elbow ligament replacement surgery.
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| Sidney Ponson has been placed on waivers by the Rangers, according to the AP. The team also activated minor league pitcher Thomas Diamond from the DL, and he was optioned to Double-A Frisco |
Our View: Ponson was 4-1 over nine starts with the Rangers, but held a 3.88 ERA and poor 1.56 WHIP and fell out of favor with the team when he rubbed management the wrong way.
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| Xavier Nady's MRI results have revealed that he sustained a sprained left shoulder, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. There is no damage to the cuff or labrum.
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Our View: The team will take the next two to three days to decide what to do next with Nady, and there is no plan to put him on the DL, as of now.
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| Chien-Ming Wang doesn't need surgery for his foot injury, but could miss two-to-three months of action, according to the NY Daily News. A source close to the situation said, "He's going to be out for awhile. It could be 60 to 90 days. The good news is he doesn't need surgery. We're delighted it's not more serious, but we're very concerned that it'll take him out for a couple months."
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Our View: That means he will be on the shelf until at least mid-August, on the short end. This is a tough loss for the Yankees' rotation, and the team is already dealing with injuries to Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. The team is yet to name a replacement for Wang.
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| Carlos Silva will take the hill tonight when the Mariners host the Marlins, according to MLB.com. Silva is 3-7 with a 5.79 ERA and 1.46 WHIP this season over 84 innings, with only 31 strikeouts. |
Our View: Silva faced the Marlins last season, while a member of the Twins, and only surrendered one earned run on four hits over seven innings of work. Silva should still be avoided from your lineups for tonight, as he allowed at least five earned runs in five of his last eight starts.
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| Michael Aubrey has been placed on the minor league DL with Triple-A Buffalo, according to the TribeTimeReport.com. Michael Valdez took his spot on the Bisons' roster while he is out of action. |
Our View: The team did not disclose why he was placed on the DL. Aubrey was hitting .313 over 17 games in Triple-A, but only hit .185 over 27 at-bats with the Indians, and holds no fantasy value.
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| Jered Weaver will make his 15th start of the season tonight when the Angels host the Mets, according to MLB.com. Weaver is 6-6 this season with a 4.45 ERA and decent 1.31 WHIP. He has never faced the Mets, but is 3-0 with a 3.10 ERA in four career inter-league starts. |
Our View: Weaver only allowed one earned run on four hits over eight innings in his last outing (against the Rays), but has been erratic from start to start, and he remains a risky fantasy hurler. In his favor, he does have a good record in inter-league play and is at home tonight.
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| Chris Davis keeps on hitting. The first baseman is batting .355 with six homers, 20 RBI, and 18 runs over 22 games since his promotion to Triple-A. Over his two stops, the 22-year-old Davis is hitting .340-19-62-61 over 68 contests. |
Our View: The Rangers are set to try out Hank Blalock at first base, but Davis is pushing to get a call later this year. He probably profiles best as a DH in the long run.
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| Francisco Liriano worked 7.1 innings against Triple-A Louisville on Sunday, and he allowed only five hits and two runs while improving to 3-2. The southpaw walked none, struck out five, and threw 62 of his 95 pitches for strikes. He has picked up a victory in each of his last three starts. |
Our View: We have to believe Liriano is getting closer and closer to a bump up to the majors. We don't know that we'll see a dominant Francisco this year, but he's beginning to look more like the hurler of old.
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| David Ortiz is scheduled to have his cast removed on Monday, in order to have his injured left wrist examined, according to the Boston Herald. A decision will then be made regarding keeping the cast off and beginning the rehab process. Ortiz sustained a torn tendon sheath in the left wrist, and there is a chance that another cast will be put on the wrist as a precautionary measure for a few more days, especially if the wrist remains tender. Manager Terry Francona said, "The pain level is actually gone, which is good news. That’s basically what we’ve been told is kind of the criteria for cast removal because the sheath will heal over. You go off the pain because they say when the pain goes away, he’s going to be OK."
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Our View: We will keep you posted on the team's decision for his next step following his cast removal and exam today.
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| Xavier Nady is scheduled for an MRI on his ailing left shoulder on Monday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Nady hopes he only sustained a bruise, and Manager John Russell added, "It's definitely not as bad as we initially thought it might be. Your first instinct is, 'Well, he's hurt pretty bad.' But we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves until after the MRI."
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Our View: If the MRI checks out fine, Nady will fly to Chicago to join his team-mates, who have today off before beginning a three-game set against the White Sox Tuesday night. When he plays again won't be immediately known, however. The team will need to determine what he can handle when the pain subsides.
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| Mark Kotsay sprinted in the outfield on Sunday and was pleased with the progress in his ailing lower back, according to MLB.com. He will test the back again on Tuesday and could begin swinging a bat on Wednesday or Thursday. |
Our View: This is favorable news and he is seemingly not too far from returning to the Braves.
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| The Indians were hopeful that Travis Hafner would be able to begin a rehab assignment, as soon as Tuesday, but the team has scratched that plan, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Manager Eric Wedge said, "It's still going to take some time. We're not there yet. He's a little bit better, but he's not at a point where we can send him out on a rehab assignment."
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Our View: Hafner went on the disabled list May 30 and has been strengthening his ailing shoulder ever since. He took some practice swings Sunday, but has not faced any type of pitching. The previously targeted date for his return to the Indians was during the home series against the Giants, that begins June 24.
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| B.J. Upton has already tied a career-high with 22 stolen bases, and Manager Joe Maddon commented that he is more aggressive this season, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Maddon said, "As he gains more experience, he becomes better at it. I think he's choosing better spots to go and has a better idea of what he wants to do. He's been thrown out a couple times on calls that were wrong, quite frankly, so it could even be a better percentage than it is."
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Our View: Along with the 22 steals, Upton has racked up 18 doubles, one triple, five homers, and 38 RBI, with 42 runs scored over 67 games. He also maintains a .293 average, and is one of the brightest young stars in the league.
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| There is speculation that Ken Griffey Jr. is willing to waive his no-trade clause to get traded to the Rays, according to the St. Petersburg Times. No deal has been brought to him by Tampa Bay, however. |
Our View: Griffey could crush homers just as easily at Tropicana Field as he could at the Great American Ballpark, and spent the best year's of his career in the AL, so his fantasy stock would not decrease if shipped out of Cincinnati to Tampa Bay.
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| A.J. Burnett has honestly commented that he would be open to a trade to the Chicago Cubs, according to the Globe and Mail. Burnett said, "As of right now, I'm a Blue Jay and I'm going to pitch to the best of my ability as long as I'm part of this club. But if something were to happen and I'd have the opportunity to go to a place where baseball is breakfast, lunch and dinner, that would be awesome. Right now my focus is with this club, but if something like that were to happen, I'd accept it with open arms." He then went on to list all of his friends on the Cubs, and said, "Who wouldn't want to play for the Cubs?"
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Our View: The Blue Jays are prepared to let Burnett go if he wants to leave on the table the total of $24 million he would be owed for 2009 and 2010. They will not let a potential trade partner have a window to negotiate the clause out of existence. Burnett is only 6-6 with a 4.90 ERA and 1.51 WHIP with Toronto this season, and could benefit from a fresh start with another club.
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