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| Pedro Martinez looks to lead the Mets to their third straight victory for the first time in more than a month Monday when they close a four-game series with the Phillies.
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Our View: Martinez has a 3.27 ERA in 118.1 innings against the Phillies in his career. However, this season he has an 8.37 ERA on the road and the Phillies lineup is looking for revenge after a 12-inning loss on Sunday.
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| Matt Capps flew to Florida on Sunday to start his rehab on his sore shoulder according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. |
Our View: Capps remains hopeful that he will pitch again this season but that won't happen before September.
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| Ricky Nolasco will get the start on Friday at pitcher friendly PetCo Field. He is 7-1 with a 3.10 ERA in his last nine outings, including 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last five.
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Our View: Look for Nolasco to keep up his dominant stretch against a struggling Padres offense.
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| Ryan Ludwick hit his 17th home run of the season on Sunday against the Cubs. |
Our View: It was Ludwick's first home run since June 11th. During the drought, his average fell 30 points.
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| Carlos Gonzalez missed his second straight game with a tight hamstring on Sunday. |
Our View: He is day-to-day at this point but we have seen a lot of players hit the disabled lists with strained hamstrings lately.
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| Jayson Werth played all three outfield positions on Sunday but his biggest contribution was a bottom of the ninth two-run home run off Mets closer Billy Wagner to send the game into extra innings. |
Our View: It was Werth's 12th home run of the year. He doesn't play every day but he contributes enough to warrant consideration. If a Philadelphia outfielder goes down, Werth's value increases considerably.
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| Chad Paronto had his contract purchased from Triple-A Round Rock and will likely pitch middle relief for the Astros. |
Our View: In 42.2 innings he has recorded 45 strikeouts and just nine walks.
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| Manny Ramirez got scratched from the start on Sunday, but merely for rest purposes. He made a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth but looked at three Mariano Rivera strikes before returning to the dugout. |
Our View: Terry Francona was hoping the scratch would give Manny the time he needed to get his swing back. He has just one home run and five RBI since June 10 and he has not looked as aggressive in his at-bats over the past month.
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| Reggie Abercrombie has been designated for assignment. |
Our View: There's a chance that Abercrombie could be pick up off waivers, but it does not seem likely. He was just 3-for-15 in 13 games with the Astros.
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| Ryan Braun earned a starting spot on the All-Star team on Sunday. To celebrate, he hit a solo shot in the first inning. He finished the day 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored. |
Our View: Just when it seems that he might be cooling off, Braun goes yard again. Congratulations on the nomination.
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| Adam LaRoche hit his ninth homer of the season on Sunday. He recorded two RBI and scored two runs. |
Our View: LaRoche is notorious for being a second half player. Expect this season to be no different.
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| Jeff Bennett, Omar Infante and Manny Acosta were all placed on the 15-day disabled list after Sunday's 17 inning game with the Mets. |
Our View: Bennett injured his shoulder on a throw to first. Afterwards he had it popped in and out of place.
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| Manny Acosta has been placed on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. |
Our View: Acosta had been one of few relievers pitching well for the Braves lately. Hopefully he can recover quickly.
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| Nate McLouth recorded three RBI on Sunday. He was 2-for-5 in the 11-6 loss to the Pirates. |
Our View: It was his first multi-RBI game since June 19. His batting average had dropped nearly 20 points in that stretch.
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| On Sunday, Jimmy Rollins stole his 35th straight base, going back to last August. He was 2-for-5 with a walk. |
Our View: Rollins is 21-for-21 this season and owners no doubt he will become even more aggressive on the base paths.
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| Tom Gordon was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation. |
Our View: LHP R.J. Swindle was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his spot.
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| Brian Horwitz has been optioned to Triple-A Fresno. |
Our View: Horwitz was serviceable in his time with the Giants (8-for-36), but his only opportunity for everyday at-bats is in the minors.
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| Peter Gammons reports that the Red Sox have had discussions about bringing Barry Bonds to Boston. |
Our View: The Sox maintain that a workout would be unlikely. They are still uncertain of David Ortiz' wrist injury and would want another bat in case he cannot get back to 100% this season.
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| Kyle Kendrick allowed just one run through six innings against the Mets on Sunday. However, he did give up eight hits and walked three. |
Our View: Kendrick has given up just four runs over his last 20 innings of work. He has been inconsistent most of this season but has managed eight wins.
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| Joe Smith picked up his second win of the year on Sunday by throwing 2.1 innings starting in the 10th. He gave up just one hit. |
Our View: The Mets have been looking for consistent relif pitching all season and Joe Smith may get the nod more often after this pressure packed performance on the road against a division rival. His ERA is now 3.22.
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| Billy Wagner blew his sixth save of the season on Sunday. He gave up a two-run shot to Jayson Werth in the bottom of the ninth. The Mets won the game in the 12th. |
Our View: This was his first blown save since June 12. He gave up three hits and recorded one strikeout in the game.
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| Manny Acosta was effective from the 14th thru the 16th innings on Sunday. He allowed no runs, two hits and no walks. However, he left the game with a strained hamstring. |
Our View: A bad way to end a good night. No word on how long Acosta expects to be out.
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| Jose Reyes went 3-for-6 with a run and two stolen bases on Sunday. |
Our View: It was his first multi-steal game since June 8 and his fifth of the season. He had 13 such games last season. Let's hope he increases his stolen base frequency going forward.
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| Fernando Tatis wins another game for the Mets, this time with a two-run shot in the top of the 12th. |
Our View: Tatis entered the game as a pinch-hitter but didn't get a hit until his third at-bat. He does not figure to get enough at-bats to be a factor in fantasy leagues.
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| Charlie Morton made his fifth start of the season on Sunday and did not do well. He surrendered six runs in six innings on eight hits and two walks. Six Braves pitchers combined to shut out the Astros over the next 11 innings. |
Our View: Morton may be on thin ice. His ERA has ballooned to 6.84, mostly due to the 11 earned runs in his last eight innings.
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| Ty Wigginton hit a grand slam in the top of the third on Sunday. He finished the night 3-for-8. |
Our View: A good night for Wigginton but his at-bats come too sporadically to rely on him as an everyday contributor to your fantasy squad. Still, the Astros could try a lot of things throughout the remainder of the year, given their standing behind the Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers. One of those experiments might be a regular starting job for Ty. If that's the case, he has shown the ability to produce in the past.
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| Yunel Escobar went 4-for-9 in a 17 inning marathon against the Astros on Sunday. He added two RBI in the test of endurance. |
Our View: Prior to the game, Escobar's average was at its lowest point of the season. After Sunday, it is up to .294. Expect his number to climb above .300 and finish the season there.
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| Chipper Jones sharp batting eye was on display on Sunday. He walked four times and hit 3-for-5 over 17 innings. He did not strike out, scored three runs, and drove in three more, one on a first inning solo blast. |
Our View: Oh yeah, he also added his first triple of the season. This was Chipper's best game since his return from the disabled list. Let's hope he can maintain his grove and flirt with .400 for the remainder of the season.
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| Ryan Howard picked up four more whiffs on Sunday to bring his sickening total to 123 on the season. The Phillies lost 4-2 in 12 innings. |
Our View: It continues to be all or nothing with the former MVP who is on a record-setting pace for strikeouts. One would speculate that, barring injury, he will soon be the new strikeout king, almost destroying his fantasy value in leagues where strikeouts count against you.
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| Carlos Beltran went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI on Sunday. The center fielder added two stolen bases in the winning effort. |
Our View: Beltran was just two for his last 27. Fantasy owners beg for more performances like this in the second half.
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| Oliver Perez threw seven shut-out innings against the Phillies on Sunday. He struck out six and allowed just six hits against the opposition's vaunted lineup. He did not figure in the decision. |
Our View: It appears Perez's new motion is doing wonders for him. In his last two appearances, against the Yankees and the Phillies, he has given just one run, seven hits, two walks and 14 strikeouts in 13 innings.
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| Rich Aurilia collected the 1,500th hit of his career on Sunday. It came on his eighth home run of the season. He was 2-for-4 in the game. |
Our View: Congrats to Rich. He still holds some fantasy value because he is eligible at nearly every infield position. He hit .359 in June.
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| Scott Hairston hit a lead off home run in the first off of Randy Johnson on Sunday. It was his third home run in two games. |
Our View: Hairston is making his case to become a regular in San Diego's outfield, but at this point there is little reason to add him to your roster.
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| Brandon Lyon gave up two hits and one run while earning his 18th save of the season. |
Our View: Lyon had picked up two losses in his previous three appearances. For the Diamondbacks to win the division, they will need more consistency from Lyon.
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| Randy Johnson earned the win on Sunday after striking out 10 Padres in 6.1 innings. |
Our View: The Big Unit had lost his previous six starts but rebounded in a big way against San Diego. He is 4-7 with a 5.18 ERA. Fantasy owners may be more concerned with his 92 Ks in 92 innings this season.
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| James Loney went 2-for-4 with three RBI on Sunday. |
Our View: Loney has remained a consistent force in fantasy and should continue throughout the second half. His seven home runs are disappointing, but his .302 average and 47 RBI provide plenty of value.
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| The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the Indians and Milwaukee have agreed on a deal involving C.C. Sabathia |
Our View: Brewers top prospect Matt LaPorta is reported to be on his way to Cleveland. Sabathia could make his Brew Crew debut Tuesday night at home against Colorado. Sabathia's fantasy value will increase thanks to his new offense and NL opponents.
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| Justin Upton hit a 484-foot solo shot off of Josh Banks on Sunday. He was 2-for-3 on the day. |
Our View: This might explain the 93 strikeouts and the .242 averae. Upton has a somewhat wiry frame and plus speed, but insists on hitting the long ball. However, it was just his 11th of the season.
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| After going 0-for-9 in his return from the DL, Andruw Jones finally got a hit on Sunday. |
Our View: He got a single in the eigth and even managed to get to second on a wild pitch. Jones continues to disappoint and you should not expect a turnaround any time soon.
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| Andre Ethier's three-game home run streak came to an end, but he managed to hit 3-for-four with an RBI and two runs scored. |
Our View: Ethier raised his average to .444 in July. He has three home runs, eight RBI, and nine runs in that stretch. The young outfielder had a terrible June, but seems on the verge of turning it around.
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| Cody Ross has an incredible four straight 3-for-5 games. On Sunday against the Colorado Rockies, he collected five RBI and his 15th home run of the season. |
Our View: Unbelievable. Ross has 15 RBI in his last four games. He has raised his average from .232 to .266 in a matter of days. It's hard to believe he can keep this up. If you started him over this stretch, you, my friend, deserve a solid gold trophy.
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| Sunday saw Brad Hawpe hit his tenth home run since coming off of the DL a month ago. The shot came off Marlins' starter Mark Hendrickson. |
Our View: He was 2-for-4 with both hits coming off lefties. Hawpe was hitting .212 off south paws coming into the game.
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| In his major league debut, Chris Volstad picked up the win by throwing two scoreless innings at Coors Field on Sunday. |
Our View: Volstad walked two and gave up two hits. The Marlins have ran an extraordinary amount of relievers back-and-forth from the minors this season and one has to wonder how long Volstad will stick around.
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| Aaron Cook was roughed up the same day he was announced as an NL All-Star. In 7.1 innings against the Marlins he gave up seven earned runs, 11 hits and two walks. |
Our View: Cook was certianly not an All-Star on Sunday. He had been 6-0 in day games up to this point. No one expected this type of season from Cook and its not out of the question to doubt his second half success.
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| Reed Johnson had his best game since returning from the DL last Friday. He started in center field and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. |
Our View: Johnson has started three of the four games in the outfield since his return. Still he will likely come off the bench once Alfonso Soriano returns from a broken hand.
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| Sean Marshall turned in an impressive six innings of work at Busch Stadium on Sunday. He gave up just one run on six hits, one walk and also recrded four strikeouts on the day. |
Our View: This was a good bounce back game for Marshall who had lost his only other two starts this season. The Cubs will need similar performances in the second half to hold off the red-hot Brewers and Cardinals in the Central.
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| Geovany Soto hit a solo shot in the eighth inning on Sunday, the same day the rookie catcher was announced as the starter in the All-Star game. It was his 15th home run of the year. |
Our View: An incredible year continues for Soto who is joined by Russell Martin and Brian McCann on the All-Star roster. He is a superior match-up against lefties.
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| Aramis Ramirez has found his stroke since returning from the Dominican Republic earlier in the week. On Sunday, he went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored. |
Our View: Ramirez is an All-Star for a reason. Hitting cleanup in Chicago affords him a ton of RBI opportunities. His three on Sunday give him a total of 60 on the year.
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| Corey Hart was one of several Brewers to have a big game on Sunday. He went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base. |
Our View: Hart remains a consistent play in all formats and it appears his speed is coming back. His stolen base came on an aggressive swipe of third.
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| Despite ending his 16-game hit streak on Saturday (he did lay a sac bunt down in his last ast-bat to help the Brewers win the game), J.J. Hardy's bat exploded back to life again on Sunday. He went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a double. He also added four RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. |
Our View: Hardy is as hot as anyone in baseball. He has raised his average nearly 50 points since June 18 and has already hit six home runs this month.
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| Rich Harden suffered his first loss of the season on Sunday against the White Sox. He lasted just five innings, walked four, struck out four and gave up five hits. |
Our View: Harden continues to be handled with care by the A's coaching staff. His last two appearances have lasted only five innings. Harden holds a 2.34 ERA and, given his injury history, may be a good sell-high candidate for fantasy owners.
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| According to the New York Daily News, Orlando Hernandez threw four innings of four-hit ball. He gave up one earned run while striking out six. |
Our View: This is very good news for the Mets and Hernandez who should return shortly after the All-Star break. He has yet to pitch this season, but could be a valuable second half addition in fantasy leagues. He went 9-5 with a 3.72 ERA over 147.2 innings in 2007. He also contributed 128 strikeouts.
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| Francisco Cordero nearly blew his second save in as many days thanks in part to a Joey Votto error. After retring the first two batters in the ninth, the next four batters reached base, scoring two runs in the process. Cordero sturck out Wilson Nieves to record his 18th save. |
Our View: Cordero's seen a lot of work lately. This was his fourth appearance in four games and his sixth over the last seven days. It's likely the hiccups are a result of over use. Owners need not panic. Just be happy the Reds are staying in so many games at this point in the season.
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| Todd Wellemeyer was in trouble all day against the Cubs. He scattered nine hits over five innings. However, the Cubs left several men on base and the starter gave up just three runs. |
Our View: Wellemeyer has not had a win in over a month after starting the year very strong. The 29 year old has thrown nearly 100 innings thus far in 2008. His previous high in a season came last year at just 79.1 innings.
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| Cristian Guzman went 1-for-5 and contributed two RBI in Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Reds. His hit was good for a single. |
Our View: Guzman has extended his hitting streak to 14 games, with five multi-hit efforts over the span.
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| Adam Dunn carried the Reds in Sunday's tight 6-5 win over the Nationals, as he went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer. |
Our View: That was his 22nd homer of the season, and his third over his last seven games. He also extended his hitting streak to five games.
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| Collin Balester was rocked for five earned runs on four hits over 5.2 innings in Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Reds at the Great American Ballpark, with three walks and three strikeouts. |
Our View: Balester had a tough outing, but is regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the Nationals' organization, and was solid in his previous start (his first of the season) as he only allowed one earned run on one hit over five innings against Florida. He is worth hanging onto in NL-only leagues.
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| Connor Robertson has been recalled from Triple-A Tucson, according to the AP. Reliever Juan Cruz has been placed on the 15-day DL as an adjoining move. |
Our View: Robertson fared well in his previous stint with Arizona, as he only allowed one earned run and two hits over four innings, but his fantasy value will remain limited as a middle reliever.
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| As expected, Juan Cruz has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a strained left oblique muscle, according to the AP. The team recalled righty Connor Robertson from Triple-A Tucson to fill his spot on the roster. |
Our View: Cruz was a solid source for strikeouts as a reliever, as he fired 46 over 30.2 innings this season.
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| Edinson Volquez allowed three earned runs on five hits over six innings in Sunday's close 6-5 win over the Nationals, with three walks and three strikeouts. |
Our View: Volquez improves to 11-3 with a 2.36 ERA. He was winless over his previous two starts.
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| The NL pitching staff for the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium has been announced, according to the Boston Globe. The hurlers representing the NL will be Tim Lincecum (Giants), Aaron Cook (Colorado), Dan Haren (Diamondbacks), Ben Sheets (Brewers), Carlos Zambrano (Cubs), Brandon Webb (Diamondbacks), Ryan Dempster (Cubs), Brian Wilson (Giants), Edinson Volquez (Reds), Kerry Wood (Cubs),
Brad Lidge (Phillies), and Billy Wagner (Mets).
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Our View: The team will be managed by Clint Hurdle of the Rockies.
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| The NL reserves for the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium have been announced, according to MLB.com. They are catcher Russell Martin (Dodgers), first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (Padres), second baseman Dan Uggla (Marlins), third baseman Aramis Ramirez (Cubs), shortstop Miguel Tejada (Astros), and outfielders Matt Holliday (Rockies), Nate McLouth (Pirates) and Ryan Ludwick (Cardinals). Manager Clint Hurdle also selected shortstop Cristian Guzman (Nationals), catcher Brian McCann (Braves), and first baseman Albert Pujols (Cardinals).
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Our View: The final vote candidates are third baseman David Wright (Mets), and outfielders Pat Burrell (Phillies), Corey Hart (Brewers), Carlos Lee (Astros) and Aaron Rowand (Giants).
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| The NL starters for the All-Star game have been announced, according to ESPN. The starters for the NL squad will be Geovany Soto (catcher), Lance Berkman (first base), Chase Utley (second base), Chipper Jones (third base), Hanley Ramirez (shortstop), and outfielders Ryan Braun, Alfonso Soriano, and Kosuke Fukudome. |
Our View: The Cubs lead with three starters, and it remains to be seen if Alfonso Soriano will participate in the game. The Phillies' Chase Utley led the squad with 3,889,602 votes.
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| Rafael Soriano completed his bullpen session on Sunday, which skipper Bobby Cox deemed "real good," according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Soriano noted that he feels about "80% healthy," and pitching coach Roger McDowell stated, "hopefully we can get the other 20% back to help us." |
Our View: This is encouraging news, and should help move the Braves closer to setting a timetable for his return.
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| Brian Barton has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a hand injury, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The move allowed the team to activate Cesar Izturis from the DL, who returned to today's lineup against the Cubs. |
Our View: Barton held little to no fantasy value as he was hitting .246 with two homers and 11 RBI over 122 at-bats prior to being shelved.
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| Cesar Izturis has been activated from the DL following his bout with a strained right hamstring, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. |
Our View: He is penciled into today's lineup at shortstop against the Cubs, and will bat seventh in the order. He is only worth consideration in larger NL-only league as he was hitting a mere .241 prior to landing on the DL, to go along with seven fielding errors.
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| Outfielder Joe Mather has been called up from Triple-A Memphis, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Rookie pitcher Mitchell Boggs was sent down to Memphis as an adjoining move. |
Our View: Mather has some pop, but only hit .229 over 35 at-bats in his previous stint with the club, and his fantasy value will remain low while fighting for playing time out of a deep and talented Cardinals' outfield.
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| Rookie Mitchell Boggs has been optioned to Triple-A Memphis, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Joe Mather was called up to fill his spot on the roster. |
Our View: Boggs had some success as a starter this season, but was rocked for 11 runs in his last outing, and the team decided to send him back to the minors to place Mark Mulder back in the rotation.
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| Mark Mulder is set to leave the bullpen and join the Cardinals' rotation, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He will make his first start on Wednesday, which will be his first since last September. Manager Tony LaRussa said, "He’s starter material and we have a spot in the rotation. He’s the guy who fits it best."
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Our View: He will replace Mitchell Boggs in the rotation, who was optioned to Triple-A. Mulder is worth taking a shot on in NL-only leagues, namely if you are looking for depth.
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| The Cubs are believed to be well-represented at this year's All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, according to the Chicago Tribune. The official selections will be announced soon today, and Carlos Zambrano, Geovany Soto, Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Kerry Wood, and Ryan Dempster are all believed to have made the NL squad. |
Our View: The Cubs currently lead the National League with a 52-36 record, and it would not be surprising to see the team have six reps in the All-Star Game.
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| Elijah Dukes will be out of action for four to six weeks because of a knee injury he suffered during battle with the Reds on Saturday, according to the AP. Dukes tore cartilage and partially tore a tendon in his right knee when he crashed into the left-field wall after catching a flyball in the seventh inning. |
Our View: He will have surgery on Monday, and will be the 15th member of the Nationals to land on the DL this season. The team is yet to announce a replacement for him on the roster.
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| Lance Berkman has been scratched from the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Braves, according to the AP. |
Our View: Berkman is suffering from left eye irritation, and is having trouble seeing clearly. Darin Erstad is covering first base, and Berkman will be re-evaluated on Monday.
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