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| Felix Hernandez allowed two earned runs on eight hits over five innings in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Orioles at home, with two walks and six strikeouts. |
Our View: He has not lasted past the sixth inning in any of his last five starts, but has 34 strikeouts over the span. He is having control issues with too many walks, but isn't allowing a high number of runs, and should remain active in all leagues.
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| Adam Jones went 3-for-5 and scored two runs in Saturday's 3-1 win over Seattle at Safeco Field. All three of his hits were singles. |
Our View: Jones has been solid as he scored nine runs over his last seven games, and should remain active in AL-only leagues.
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| Jeremy Guthrie was dominant on the hill in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Mariners, as he only allowed one earned run on four hits over nine innings, with one walk and two strikeouts. |
Our View: He evened his record to 8-8 and notched his first complete game of the season. He has only allowed one earned run in back-to-back starts, and should remain active in fantasy lineups for the upcoming week.
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| Ryan Ludwick went 1-for-4 with a home run in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Phillies. |
Our View: He hit his 26 homer of the season, with three coming over his last two games against the Phillies. He should remain a solid source of power down the stretch for fantasy owners.
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| Ryan Howard went 1-for-1 and crushed a solo home run in Saturday's close 2-1 victory over the Cardinals. He drew three walks in the game. |
Our View: Howard's homer was his 31st of the season, but only his second over his last 13 games.
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| Joe Blanton shut down the Cardinals in Saturday's 2-1 win, as he only issued one earned run on four hits over seven innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. The only score came on a Ryan Ludwick home run. |
Our View: He earned his first win as a member of the Phillies, and could be headed for a solid stretch run of the season as he tries to do his part to claim the NL East division title.
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| Michael Young had a tough night at the plate in Saturday's 6-4 loss to Toronto, as he went 0-for-4, while leaving three men on base. |
Our View: He went hitless in four of his last five games, and is clearly having problems playing through his fractured right ring finger.
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| Alex Rios went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Saturday's 6-4 victory over Texas. Both of his hits were singles. |
Our View: Rios is hot as he recorded two hits in three straight games. Keep him active in fantasy lineups.
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| A.J. Burnett allowed four earned runs on six hits over 5.2 innings in Saturday's 6-4 win over Texas, with two walks and four strikeouts. |
Our View: Burnett has extended his winning streak to three games, and has 13 for the season.
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| Matt Holliday went 3-for-4 with two solo homers in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Marlins. |
Our View: He has 20 homers for the season, and registered multiple hits in three of his last four games. He is off to a strong start in August.
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| Josh Willingham went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Rockies at home. He hit a double and a triple, and scored two runs. |
Our View: Willingham is hitting .473 (9-for-19) over his last six games. He has also registered an RBI in three straight contests, and should remain active in fantasy lineups while he is hot.
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| Ricky Nolasco allowed three earned runs on four hits over eight innings in Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Rockies, with no walks and 13 strikeouts. |
Our View: He improves to 11-6 for the season, and reached double digits in strikeouts for the second time (registered 12 against the Rays on June 15). He also snapped a four-game skid without a win.
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| Kevin Slowey surrendered five earned runs on six hits over six innings in Saturday's 5-1 loss to Cleveland, with no walks and seven strikeouts. |
Our View: Slowey has three complete games and two shutouts to his credit this season, but has been erratic, and remains an unstable fantasy hurler. He falls to 7-8 over 17 starts.
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| Justin Morneau went 0-for-3 and registered the Twins' lone RBI on a sacrifice fly in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Indians. |
Our View: Morneau notched his 87th RBI of the season, with 12 coming over his last seven games.
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| David Dellucci went 3-for-4 with two RBI in Saturday's 5-1 win over Minnesota. He hit a single, double, and a two-run homer. |
Our View: He enjoyed a big night, but was only hitting .226 over 248 at-bats heading into the game, and shouldn't be active in anything but deeper AL-only leagues.
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| Paul Byrd shut down the Twins in Saturday's 5-1 win, as he only allowed one earned run on six hits over seven innings, with two walks and one strikeout. |
Our View: Byrd remains hot as he won his third straight start, with only two earned runs allowed over 20 innings. He should remain active in AL-only league lineups.
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| Kazuo Matsui went 2-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Mets. He hit a triple and a solo home run. |
Our View: Matsui is hot as he homered in back-to-back games, and extended his hitting streak to nine games. He is worth starting in NL-only leagues for the upcoming fantasy week.
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| Roy Oswalt issued four earned runs on six hits over six innings in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Mets, with three walks and seven strikeouts. The Astros were down 4-1 when he exited the game, but rallied to score four runs and pulled out a win in the 10th inning. |
Our View: Oswalt remains at 8-8 and has allowed four runs in each of his last two starts. Hopefully he can get on track and pitch up to his billing as the Astros' "ace" down the stretch.
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| Damion Easley went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in Saturday's tough 5-4 loss to Houston. His other hit was a single. |
Our View: Easley has homered in two of his last three games, and has six RBI over the span. Keep him active in your lineups while he is hot.
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| Johan Santana only surrendered one earned run on three hits over 6.1 innings in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Astros, with two walks and three strikeouts. He pitched great but was dealt a no decision as he left the game with a 4-1 lead, before Houston rallied back to win it in the 10th inning. |
Our View: Santana allowed two or less earned runs in three straight starts, yet he only has one win over the span. His record remains at 9-7, and he trimmed his ERA to 2.86.
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| Joey Votto went 1-for-4 and collected three RBI in Saturday's 10-6 loss to Washington. |
Our View: That was his highest RBI output since July 19, when he also registered three against the Mets. He should remain a decent corner infielder in mixed-leagues.
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| Jay Bruce went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 10-6 loss to the Nationals. His other hit went for a single. |
Our View: Bruce has registered a hit in six straight games, and has homered in each of his last two. The rookie should return to starting lineups in NL-only leagues for the new fantasy week.
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| Lastings Milledge went 1-for-3 with a solo homer in Saturday's 10-6 win over the Reds. |
Our View: Milledge is starting to post better numbers, but still isn't worthy of starting lineups in anything but deeper NL-only leagues.
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| Austin Kearns went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 10-6 win over the Reds. All three of his knocks were singles. |
Our View: He has a hit in four straight games, and snapped a 10-game skid without an RBI.
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| Emil Brown went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer, and was the Athletics' only source of scoring in Saturday's 12-2 loss to Boston. |
Our View: Brown has three homers and five RBI over his last seven games and remains a serviceable option in AL-only leagues.
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| Dana Eveland was yanked after two innings in Saturday's disheartening 12-2 loss to Boston, as he was lit up for nine earned runs on eight hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. |
Our View: He falls to 7-8 and his ERA climbs to 4.46. He is winless in his last four starts, and has only pitched 17 innings over the span.
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| Kevin Youkilis led the Red Sox to a convincing 12-2 victory over Oakland at Fenway Park on Saturday, as he went 2-for-5 with four RBI. Both of his hits went for home runs. |
Our View: Youkilis has 20 homers, and extended his hitting streak to nine games, with four multi-hit efforts over the span.
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| Jon Lester only issued two earned runs on seven hits over seven innings in Saturday's 12-2 blowout win over Oakland at Fenway Park, with one walk and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Lester has won three straight decisions, and has 10 wins for the season. He hasn't been dealt a loss since May 25th, and should remain a strong fantasy starter down the stretch.
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| Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-3 with an RBI in Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Rays. He hit one double with two singles. |
Our View: Cabrera has 11 hits and nine RBI over his last seven games, and should be solid down the stretch.
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| Kenny Rogers was torched for seven earned runs on six hits over a mere 3.1 innings in Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Rays, with four walks and eight strikeouts. |
Our View: He falls to 8-8 for the season, and has allowed 12 earned runs over his last two starts. He should only be active in larger AL-only leagues.
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| Evan Longoria went 3-for-5 with three RBI in Saturday's 9-3 win over the Tigers at home. He hit a single, double, and a solo homer. |
Our View: He has homered in back-to-back games, and has 21 for the season. The rookie phenom should remain active in all leagues.
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| Andy Sonnanstine only allowed two earned runs on seven hits over six innings in Saturday's 9-3 win over the Tigers at Tropicana Field, with one walk and six strikeouts. |
Our View: Sonnanstine locked up his 11th win of the season, and snapped a three-game losing streak.
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| Rick Ankiel, who is recovering from a sore abdomen, could return to the Cardinals' lineup as early as Tuesday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. |
Our View: Ankiel has been a solid source of power with 22 homers over 93 games, and fantasy owners should be able to pencil him back into lineups next week.
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| Shawn Hill is expected to begin a throwing program as part of his rehab from a right forearm strain, according to MLB.com.
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Our View: He has a full throwing program laid out, and his goal is to return to the Nationals in early September. This is good news for him, but Hill is not worth stashing as a fantasy hurler, as he holds a 1-5 record with a 5.83 ERA and 1.75 WHIP over 12 starts this season.
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| Carlos Carrasco has been promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Carrasco is a top pitching prospect, and the Phillies want him to be challenged by more advanced hitters on the Triple-A level. If he fares well, he could push for a spot in the Phillies' rotation in 2009.
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| Jerry Hairston Jr. was unable to run at full speed Friday and won't play over the next few days, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. |
Our View: It appears that the team may have activated him from the DL (hamstring) too soon. We will keep you posted when more details are released regarding his status.
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| Adam Wainwright threw a bullpen session on Saturday, and the AP reports he is close to returning from a sprained middle finger that has kept him on the DL for nearly two months. He said, "I’m very shocked right now. I can’t believe how good I threw. I told the training staff before I threw today, I said the last two days I’ve felt a 200 percent difference in my hand, just holding stuff, grabbing things, even grabbing a remote or something. It just felt good all of a sudden. Today I went at it 100 percent and tested it completely."
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Our View: The next step for Wainwright is a simulated game on Tuesday. If all goes favorably without a setback, Wainwright will likely make one or two rehab starts before rejoining the team.
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| Tim Hudson will undergo ligament-transplant elbow surgery to repair his torn ulnar collateral ligament late next week, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Dr. James Andrews will perform the surgery.
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Our View: Hudson has already spoken with Braves' hurlers John Smoltz, Mike Gonzalez and Peter Moylan about what to expect after "Tommy John" surgery. All three have had the procedure.
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| Joe Borowski has reportedly been offered a minor league deal by the Red Sox, according to the Boston Herald. If the Sox sign Borowski, he would be eligible to pitch in the postseason even if he does not appear in the major leagues until after September 1. MLB rules require only that a player be part of an organization before September 1 in order to maintain postseason eligibility.
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Our View: Borowski would not see any save chances in Boston if Jon Papelbon remains intact, and his innings would be very limited in a strong bullpen.
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| Esteban German went 3-for-5 with three RBI in Saturday's exciting 9-7 win over the White Sox. He almost hit for the cycle, as he registered a single, double, and a triple. |
Our View: This was another strong outing in his bid to earn more playing time with the Royals.
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| Billy Butler led the Royals to a 9-7 win against the White Sox on Saturday, as he went 3-for-5 with two RBI. He hit two singles and a two-run homer. |
Our View: He has racked up multiple hits in four of his last six outings, with seven RBI over the span. Butler could be headed for a solid second half, and is worth targeting if you can get him for a low price.
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| Jermaine Dye went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 9-7 loss to the Royals. |
Our View: Dye has 26 homers, with three coming over his last seven games. He should remain active in all leagues.
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| Mark Buehrle issued eight earned runs on 14 hits over a mere 4.1 innings in Saturday's disappointing 9-7 loss to the Royals, with no walks and one strikeout. |
Our View: He has lost back-to-back starts and falls to 8-10 for the season, with a 4.07 ERA.
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| Matt Clement has been released by the Cardinals, according to the AP. He has not pitched in the major leagues since 2006, when he underwent right shoulder surgery.
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Our View: He will now have to continue his comeback bid with another team.
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| Joel Zumaya will not be available to pitch for the next few days due to tenderness in his upper right arm-shoulder area, according to the AP. Manager Jim Leyland said, "We’re hoping Tuesday he’s able to pitch." |
Our View: Fantasy owners should keep him stashed, as he could be line for some save opportunities with Todd Jones on the DL.
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| Howie Kendrick went 2-for-4 in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Yankees. He hit a single and a double, accounting for two of the Angels' three hits in the game. |
Our View: Kendrick is hitting .333 and should remain active in fantasy lineups.
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| Jered Weaver was rocked for six earned runs on eight hits over five innings in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Yankees in the Bronx, with one walk and five strikeouts. He gave up four home runs in his nightmarish outing. |
Our View: He drops to 9-9 and his ERA climbs to 4.37. He has looked great at times this season, but has struggled with consistency and remains an unstable fantasy starter.
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| Elijah Dukes was scratched for Saturday's game after reporting late to the ballpark, according to the Washington Post. |
Our View: He was replaced in left field by Ryan Langerhans.
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| Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 8-2 win over the Angels in the Bronx. |
Our View: He has registered multiple hits in four of his last seven contests, with three homers over the span.
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| Mike Mussina enjoyed another strong outing in Saturday's 8-2 win over the Angels at Yankee Stadium, as he only allowed one earned run on two hits over seven innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Mussina improves to 14-7, and trimmed his ERA to 3.44. He bounced back nicely, as he was lit up for six earned runs over five innings in his last start against Baltimore on July 28.
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| The Denver Post states that Todd Helton has suffered another setback in his recovery from a back ailment. Helton hit off a tee and did soft-toss in the batting cage on consecutive days this week, after which his back problems flared up. The team is classifying his ailment as back spasms, though they believe it is related to his lower disk injury.
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Our View: There is now more uncertainty as to when he may return to the Rockies. He will rest for the remainder of this weekend and be re-evaluated Monday when the Rockies return to Coors Field.
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| Ryan Spilborghs, who is recovering from a left oblique strain, played catch this week, according to the Denver Post. |
Our View: He is making steady progress, and is just feeling normal soreness. He could return to Colorado in mid-August.
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| Kelly Johnson went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Brewers. |
Our View: He registered two hits in three of his last four games, and is worth starting while he is hot.
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| Charlie Morton only allowed two earned runs on four hits over seven innings in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Milwaukee, with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: He pitched well, but was dealt a loss due to poor run support from his Braves' team-mates. His record drops to 2-5, and should only be on rosters in deeper NL-only leagues.
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| Prince Fielder went 2-for-3 with three RBI as he led the Brewers to a 4-2 win over the Braves on Saturday. Both of his hits were home runs. |
Our View: Fielder has impressively homered in four straight games, and has 25 for the season.
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| CC Sabathia was in control in Saturday's 4-2 win over Atlanta, as he only issued two earned runs on six hits over 8.1 innings of work, with one walk and nine strikeouts. |
Our View: He claimed his 11th win of the season, and is yet to lose a start with the Brewers.
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| The Providence Journal indicates that Julio Lugo is running again for the first time since straining his left quad. He said, "It feels good. It's coming along." |
Our View: If he continues to progress, he will begin a minor-league rehab soon. He could return to Boston at some point in mid-August.
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| Jake Woods has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, according to the AP. |
Our View: The 26-year-old hurler went 6-1 with a 4.08 ERA in 32 appearances with Tacoma. He will likely serve as a long reliever during his stint with the Mariners, and does not merit fantasy attention in standard leagues.
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| Ken Griffey Jr. left Saturday's game against the Royals due to leg cramps, according to the AP. |
Our View: He is listed as day-to-day. He should be fine, as he was in good spirits in the dugout while talking with his new team-mates after leaving the game.
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| Royce Ring has been designated for assignment by the Braves, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: The left-handed specialist maintained a 8.46 ERA and 1.88 WHIP over 22.1 innings of relief, and his designation holds no fantasy significance.
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| Vladimir Nunez has been recalled from Triple-A Richmond, according to MLB.com. He will fill the roster spot for Royce Ring, who has been designated for assignment. |
Our View: The 33-year-old reliever does not merit fantasy attention.
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| Bartolo Colon, who is recovering from back stiffness, is set to make a rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket Tuesday, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: It will mark his first game appearance since June 16, when he strained his back at Philadelphia. Barring a setback, he could return to the Sox at some point in mid-August, and is worth keeping stashed away in AL-only leagues.
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| David Aardsma, who is recovering from a strained right groin, is scheduled to throw an inning at Triple-A Pawtucket Sunday, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: Barring setbacks, the middle reliever could return to Boston in mid-August. He hasn't pitched since July 18 due to his groin ailment.
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| Marlon Anderson has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a strained left hamstring, according to the AP. Daniel Murphy has been recalled from Triple-A New Orleans as the corresponding move. |
Our View: Anderson held little fantasy value prior to landing on the DL, as he maintained a .222 average over 126 at-bats.
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| Dave Bush has been named the Brewers' fifth starter in the rotation, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Seth McClung will be moved to the bullpen. Bush surrendered six earned runs in his last start, and 10 runs over his last two. He only holds fantasy value in deeper NL-only leagues.
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| Mike Lowell is in Boston's lineup Saturday after being forced out of Friday's game with a strained hip, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Lowell hasn't been hitting well since the All-Star break, but fantasy owners should be pleased his hip ailment appears to be minor.
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| Robinson Cano was not in today's lineup against the Angels due to an unspecified hand injury, according to The Sports Network. |
Our View: Wilson Betemit started at second in place of Cano. No word on what the injury is yet, but we'll keep you updated.
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| Chipper Jones will make his return from the disabled list on Friday, according to MLB.com. He fielded ground balls and took some batting practice on Saturday and says he is ready to go. "I feel great. Everything feels good. I'll be ready by Friday," he said. |
Our View: Good news for fantasy owners, who have gotten a lot out of Chipper this season. His batting average will likely dip from the .369 it is at right now, but he should still be a valuable asset.
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| Carlos Beltran is hitting second in the Mets lineup tonight against Houston and pitcher Roy Oswalt, according to the New York Daily News. Beltran has a career .471 on-base percentage against his former teammate. |
Our View: As noted by his on-base percentage, Beltran has had success against Oswalt, albeit in just 16 plate appearances. He also has one home run and six RBI off of the righthander.
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| Maicer Izturis will not play in tonight's game against the Yankees due to a jammed thumb he suffered last night, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Izturis should only be used in AL-only leagues, as his .263 average and lack of power limit him. He does have 10 stolen bases though, which is one of the things that fantasy owners no doubt like about him.
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| Reed Johnson went 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base while scoring two runs in the Cubs 5-1 win over Pittsburgh. |
Our View: Johnson does not get enough regular playing time to have much fantasy value, but his versatility is certainly something that can help major league teams win.
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| Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit just keeps on hitting. He went 3-for-4 against the Cubs, with two doubles and a run scored. |
Our View: Doumit hit .317 in July and just keeps on chugging. Fantasy players looking for him to come back to earth haven't seen it yet, and he is now hitting in the number four spot in the order with Jason Bay and Xavier Nady gone.
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| Paul Maholm saw his record go to 7-7 as he took the loss in the Pirates 5-1 loss to Chicago. Maholm threw six innings and surrendered five runs on eight hits. |
Our View: Maholm really has had only one bad month, and that was May. Otherwise, his numbers were solid. Howev | |
