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| Nick Swisher was the lone White Sox batter to produce two hits on Monday night as he went 2-for-3 at the plate to raise his average to .234. |
Our View: Swisher is just 12 for his last 57 (.211) and was in the eighth hole on this night. He has been a pretty big disappointment in Chicago after many assumed he would have a big year moving to a home park that so clearly favors the hitter. It just hasn't happened.
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| J.D. Drew had two hits and two RBI for the Red Sox on Monday night in their 5-1 victory over the White Sox. |
Our View: Drew was the league's best hitter in June (.337-12-27-27 in 26 games), but over his last 21 games he hasn't even remotely resembled that hitter with a .217 average, two home runs and seven RBI at the plate.
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| Josh Beckett simply dominated the White Sox on this night needing just 104 pitches to make it through eight innings in his 11th victory of the year. Beckett allowed a single run, didn't walk a batter, and struck out eight. |
Our View: When on as he was on this night, it really matters little who is hitting as the batters have basically no chance of doing anything substantial. After being bombed for seven runs on July 30th, Beckett has allowed just three runs over his last two starts (1.84 ERA).
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| John Danks had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning but he ended up being saddled with his fifth loss of the year, and first since May 24th, after allowing two runs over seven innings against the Red Sox. |
Our View: Danks was simply out-pitched by Josh Beckett on this night but he still pitched a masterful game with nine K, two BB and just two hits allowed. After a run of four sub par outings, Danks has allowed just three runs over his last two starts and has still won six of his last seven decisions.
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| Bobby Abreu had two of the Yankees four hits on Monday night as they were shut out by Glen Perkins and Joe Nathan. |
Our View: Abreu is up to .289 thanks to a .344 run over his last 23 games that has also seen him produce 23 runs, 18 RBI and five home runs. Abreu continues to be one of the better five category performers in the fantasy game despite a declining skill set.
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| Denard Span continued to provide offense from the top of the Twins batting order with a hit, two runs scored and his eighth stolen base of the year. |
Our View: There was a chance that Span could lose some playing time to a healthy Michael Cuddyer, but since he suffered a broken foot during his rehab assignment, it now appears that Span will continue to play on a regular basis for the Twins.
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| Sidney Ponson fell to 7-3 on the season as the Twins scored four runs off the portly hurler in his 7.2 innings of work. |
Our View: Since becoming a Yankee Ponson is 3-2 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Just goes to show you how desperate the Yankees are that they continue to run out there a hurler who is producing at a level that is worse than average for a major league pitcher. Don't make the same mistake.
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| Glen Perkins, making his first start since having a child, held the Yankees scoreless for eight innings in his ninth victory of the season. |
Our View: Perkins completely baffled the Yankees on this night with a series of offspeed pitches that limited the Bronx Bombers to only four hits and three walks. Perkins has won seven of his last eight decisions and continues to give his mates a shot at victory in most outings with a decent 4.07 ERA.
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| Rod Barajas hit his 10th home run of the year on Monday night in a 2-for-3 performance that lead to three RBI. |
Our View: In his last eight games Barajas has two home runs, nine runs and nine RBI as he continues to reward the faith of those that have stuck with him in this campaign.
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| Miguel Cabrera hit his 24th home run of the year on Monday night, his only hit in four trips to the plate. |
Our View: Over his last 24 games Cabrera is hitting .347-8-33 to boost his RBI total to 90. And you thought he wasn't going to to hit 30 home runs with 100 RBI.
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| Shaun Marcum improved to 7-5 with his second straight win thanks to holding the Tigers to just two runs over six innings on Monday night. |
Our View: Marcum has won his last two starts allowing just three runs in 13 innings (2.08 ERA). Both runs scored on solo home runs, and Marcum has allowed 19 home runs in 20 starts.
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| Justin Verlander lasted only 4.1 innings on Monday night as he gave up six runs on seven hits in the Tigers 7-2 loss to the Blue Jays. |
Our View: Verlander has allowed 24 earned runs over his last four starts, the worst four game stretch in his career, as his ERA has climbed from 3.95 to 4.77, quite a fall for a pitcher who won 35 games in his firs two full seasons, the most since Dwight Gooden won 41 in 1984-85.
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| Ben Francisco was the Indians best hitter on Monday night with two hits, three runs and three RBI. Other Indians with two RBI included Ryan Grako, Andy Gonzalez, Sal Fasano and Asdrubal Cabrera. |
Our View: When a team scores 13 runs you expect some good numbers. Entering this night, Francisco had only three home runs and seven RBI in his last 21 games, so he could certainly use a big outing like this to boost his fantasy prospects.
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| Nick Markakis had three hits which led to four RBI on Monday night for the Orioles. |
Our View: This outing pushed Markakis up to .301 on the year, and he became the Oriole to surpass 70 RBI on the year with 71 (Aubrey Huff has 76 and Melvin Mora 79), though he will fall well short of his 112 RBI mark of last season.
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| Dennis Sarfate pitched even worse than his counterpart (Fausto Carmona) on Monday night. Sarfate allowed seven runs, six earned, in just four innings as he allowed five hits and five walks. |
Our View: Sarfate has only started three games in 48 appearances this season, so we'd like to cut him some slack. The guys has great stuff with 62 K in 61 innings, but he has also walked 50 batters, an obviously unhealthy number.
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| Fausto Carmona was torched, yet again, for seven runs in 6.1 innings on Monday night. Carmona allowed six hits and four walks on the night though he emerged with a no decision. |
Our View: Face it, Carmona just isn't right and simply cannot be counted on with an amazing 51 BB and just 35 K. With a ratio like that, it's pretty amazing that his ERA is only 4.91, though it's only due to an impossible to sustain HR/F ratio of 4.8%.
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| Carl Crawford is seeking another medical opinion on his injured finger before deciding what course of action to follow, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Well that doesn't sound very promising. If the first doctor said thinks were good, would Crawford go for a second opinion? The bottom line is that he has a tendon in his right middle finger that has come out of the groove it should be in resulting in impaired movement (he can't straighten the finger after bending it). At best this doesn't seem like a 15 day type injury - we're just hoping it's not a season ending one at this point.
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| Clay Buchholz will remain in the Red Sox starting rotation even after being hammered in his last start to fall to 2-8 with a 6.32 ERA, according to MLB.com. "We've been so committed to this guy," manager Terry Francona said. "We're spending our energy, [pitching coach] John Farrell and I spent a bunch of time with him today, trying to help" |
Our View: That's confidence for you. Buchholz posses some top flight stuff but he has struggled with both control and how to best utilize his physical talents. As good as the Red Sox are they simply can't continue to run a guy out there if he continues to stink up the joint, so Friday's start against the Blue Jays might be a make or break outing for the youngster.
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| Melvin Mora continues to remain white hot at the plate hitting .384 with six home runs and 30 RBI over his last 21 games, according to the Baltimore Sun. You can check my numbers with all the third baseman in baseball right now and you can see for yourself," Mora said. "I don't care what people say. People talking about that can kiss my butt." |
Our View: You tell them Melvin. You want the truth (can you handle it)? Mora has more home runs (17) than Garrett Atkins (16) and more RBI than Alex Rodriguez (78 to 70). For a player that was drafted extremely late in most leagues, Mora has been quite a find.
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| Scott Linebrink continues a slow progression with his injured shoulder and the team is hopeful that he will be ready to go by September 1st, according to MLB.com. "It's not 100 percent by any means. We're battling through some stuff and there's some discomfort, but that's part of it. I just have to accept that and work through it." |
Our View: Linebrink's problems are all muscular, which at this point is good news. This injury has put a halt to a great first season in Chicago as Linebrink has posted a 2.31 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.
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| Gary Sheffield wants to be used in the outfield and not just at DH, according to MLB.com. "I don't want to DH. I don't feel like a baseball player when I DH. I don't know how to be the leader that I am from the bench." |
Our View: Well Sheff, how about you do better than hitting .222 with only 10 home runs in 275 AB? With numbers like that, he should just be happy that he is in the lineup no matter what spot he occupies.
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| Updating an earlier report, it now seems that Joba Chamberlain will indeed begin his throwing program on Friday and not Wednesday, according to MLB.com. "I made the suggestion that he just wait until Friday when we get home, so he's in front of us," manager Joe Girardi said. |
Our View: This decision only pushes things back two days and seems to make the most sense as the club doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize their golden armed hurler.
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| Updating an earlier story, David Ortiz was not in the lineup on Monday night due to "slight soreness" in his wrist, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: We are still trying to get our hands on a more definitive report, but for how it appears that he has suffered some type of setback though it may be somewhat minor.
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| Juan Castro, originally scheduled to be in the lineup, was scratched on Monday because of a strained left groin, according to MLB.com. "Castro said he was ready to play," manager Dave Trembley said. "He feels a whole lot better than he did yesterday...Our training staff thought it would be best to give him another day, so that's what we'll do." |
Our View: Castro appears really close to returning to the lineup, possibly as early as Tuesday, and though he has had trouble hitting (.177), his defense has been solid.
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| Todd Jones (inflammation in his shoulder) believes he will be able to return to the Tigers on Friday, according to MLB.com. "I'm coming off [the DL] Friday, no matter what -- if I feel good, or I'm not going to get any better, depending on how you look at it," Jones said. |
Our View: What role Jones will be given remains unclear. Fernando Rodney, Joel Zumaya and Kyle Farnsworth have been taking turns in the closers role since Jones went down to injury. Whether or not any of them has done enough to keep Jones from returning to the 9th inning remains to be seen.
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| Carl Crawford may have a subluxation of the tendon in his right middle finger, according to the Tampa Tribune. If this report is accurate, Crawford's season would likely be over. |
Our View: The team is scheduled to address the situation later today after they hear the results of an examination that was conducted on Monday, and we will obviously keep you posted as soon as we hear anything.
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| Justin Ruggiano has been recalled to take the roster spot that became available when Even Longoria was placed on the DL with a fractured wrist, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Ruggiano could see regular playing time in the outfield with the injury to Carl Crawford. Ruggiano was hitting .315-11-51 in 66 games at Triple-A Durham while also stealing 20 bases, so he could certainly be worth starting in AL-only leagues.
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| Rookie of the Year candidate Evan Longoria was placed on the DL on Monday when further testing revealed that he did indeed have a fractured wrist, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Longoria had hoped to avoid a DL stint, and the team agreed after initial testing showed there was no break. However, further testing showed the fracture in what is a crushing blow to the Rays and to his owners. Willy Aybar will likely fill in at the hot corner.
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| Charlie Zink will start for the Red Sox on Tuesday in place of the injured Tim Wakefield, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Zink is, strangely enough, also a knuckleballer. Zink is 13-4 with a 2.89 ERA and a strong .228 BAA in the international league who will look to stymie the Rangers.
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| David Ortiz will not be in the Red Sox lineup on Monday night, though we do not yet know the reason, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: It is possible that he is just getting a rest, but there is also the possibility that there could be something going on with his wrist. Stay tuned for an update.
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| Bobby Kielty's winding major league career will take him back to Minnesota as he signed a minor league contract with the club and was assigned to Triple-A Rochester, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Kielty, who played for the Twins in 2001-03, was hitting .228/.348/.391 at Triple-A Pawtucket before his release from the Red Sox organization. At this point he could end up with some at-bats given the injury to Michael Cuddyer, but he isn't anything more than a potential pickup in deep AL-only leagues.
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| Chris Davis was named the AL Rookie of the Month after hitting .303-8-16 in July, according to the Miami Herald. The eighth home runs lead all rookies on the month and helped to lead to a .983 OPS. |
Our View: Davis has clearly brushed aside all thoughts of a demotion if/when Hank Blalock ever returns from the disabled list. Look for Davis to continue to hit for power though it would be a surprise to see his average remain near .300.
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| Milton Bradley returned to the starting lineup Sunday after his bout with a strained left quad, but he was unable to finish the game due to a stomach virus, according to the Star-Telegram. |
Our View: Manager Ron Washington indicated that Bradley will return at some some point during a three-game series at Boston, which starts Tuesday.
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| Hideki Matsui, who is recovering from a swollen left knee, ran the bases for the first time Monday since being sidelined in late June by the injury, according to the Journal News.
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Our View: He could start playing in minor league rehab games soon, and feels he is making favorable progress every day. Matsui should remain stashed on fantasy rosters, and could provide a boost for the stretch run, as he was hitting .323 with 34 RBI over 69 games this season.
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| Josh Newman has been recalled from Triple-A Omaha, according to the KC Star. He replaces Horacio Ramirez on the roster, who was traded to the White Sox Saturday. |
Our View: Newman allowed nine earned runs, 15 hits, and six walks over 8.2 innings in the majors this season, and does not merit fantasy consideration as a middle reliever.
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| Joba Chamberlain, who is recovering from rotator cuff tendinitis, will begin a throwing program Wednesday (moved up from Friday), according to the AP. He said, "Play catch and just go from there." |
Our View: Barring a setback, he could re-join the Yankees by the end of August, but the Yankees will remain cautious with his recovery.
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| Marlon Byrd has been named the AL Player of the Week, according to the AP. He batted .571 (16-for-28) with two home runs and eight RBI, and had multiple hits in six of seven games. |
Our View: It is the first career weekly honor for the 30-year-old Byrd. He should remain active in the Rangers' lineup with David Murphy on the DL.
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| Shannon Stewart has been released by the Jays, according to the AP. The 34-year-old Stewart sprained his right ankle when he stumbled over first base while running out a grounder June 7 against Baltimore. He was placed on the 15-day DL the following day and has not played since.
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Our View: Stewart was a disappointment over 52 games this season, as he held a .240 batting average with only ome homer and 14 RBI.
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| Glen Perkins will make tonight’s scheduled start against the Yankees after tending to the birth of his second child, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Perkins left the Twins on Sunday in Kansas City to be with his wife, Alisha, who had gone into labor in the Twin Cities. Nick Blackburn was prepared to start in Perkins’ place tonight, but indication from the Metrodome today is that all went well with the birth.
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| Top pitching prospect David Price has been promoted to Triple-A Durham but there is no timetable as to when he may make his debut with the Rays, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Manager Joe Maddon said, "We just wanted to see him get involved there a little bit. We have several different scenarios that we've kind of created mentally and see how it all plays out."
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Our View: Maddon noted that he could be called up before September 1, but added that it is possible he would work out of the bullpen.
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| The Rays are cautiously optimistic that Evan Longoria, who is nursing a sore right wrist, will return to the lineup Tuesday, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: Longoria said he felt much better but will test the wrist before the game Tuesday and might need one more day.
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| Edwin Jackson has won four straight starts and commented on his successful 2008 campaign, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Jackson said, "I can look back on last year and this year and it's a complete difference. But at the same time last year helped me get to where I am now. Once you feel like you've been as low as you can get, there's nothing else to lose, so shoot for the moon."
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Our View: Jackson has also allowed two or less earned runs in four of his last six starts, and should remain active in fantasy lineups while he is in command.
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| Manager Eric Wedge noted that Aaron Laffey has a spot in the Indians' rotation waiting for him, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Wedge said, "We're going to give him time to make sure he gets where he needs to be." |
Our View: He helped in his bid to return, as he fired eight scoreless innings for Triple-A Buffalo Saturday.
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| C.J. Wilson is going to have season-ending surgery on his ailing left elbow this week, according to MLB.com. Wilson made the decision after further tests revealed he was dealing with both bone spurs and bone chips in the elbow. There are no muscular issues that would keep Wilson out for an extended period of time, meaning he should be ready for Spring Training. Wilson said, "I'm really looking forward to next year, that's the biggest thing. This year I have been handicapped the whole time. I probably should have had this done at the end of last year. I drove the wheels off that car and now it's time to get a new one."
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Our View: Wilson racked up 24 saves this season, but held a 13.00 ERA over his last 11 outings before landing on the DL. Eddie Guardado is currently working as the closer in Texas.
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| Bartolo Colon has left Pawtucket to attend to his ailing father in the Dominican Republic, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: Colon is expected to re-join Pawtucket on Friday in Syracuse.
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| Nick Punto was stifled on Sunday tying a career high with four strikeouts. He’s batting .169 since he came off the disabled list. |
Our View: Who thought Alexi Casilla would be missed so much?
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| According to the Star Tribune, the Twins left-hander Glen Perkins has left the team because his wife has gone into labor. Nick Blackburn is expected to be moved up and start tonight versus the Yankees and Perkins moved back for a Tuesday start. |
Our View: This vaults Blackburn into a two-start role this week rather than Perkins.
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| Joba Chamberlain, who is recovering from rotator cuff tendinitis, will begin a throwing program Friday at Yankee Stadium, according to the NY Post. He hasn't thrown since last Monday night in Texas. |
Our View: Barring a setback, he could be back by the end of August, but the Yankees will remain cautious with his recovery.
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| Chris Ray, who is slowly recovering from right elbow surgery, threw an inning in the Gulf Coast League on Friday, according to the Baltimore Sun. He threw 17 strikes in 22 pitches in his first live action since surgery last August. |
Our View: He should remain in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, as the team does not see the advantage of having him pitch in Baltimore for a week or two in September.
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| Jarrod Washburn is on the White Sox radar following the loss of starter Jose Contreras, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Washburn was placed on waivers, and though he remains with Seattle, any team that wishes to trade for him must put in a claim and wait until Tuesday when the waivers expire. |
Our View: DJ Carrasco is expected to take Contreras' next turn in the rotation if the Sox don't acquire a replacement, like Washburn, who was 5-11 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with Seattle this season.
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| Torii Hunter started at DH on Sunday after rolling his right ankle on Saturday, according to the LA Times. He said, "I rolled it a bit, but I woke up Sunday and it was fine. There's no pain, nothing to worry about."
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Our View: He went 0-for-4 Sunday against the Yankees, but Hunter should be a safe fantasy option for this week.
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| Kevin Youkilis was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to an impingement in his left shoulder, according to the Boston Globe. Youkilis said he sustained the injury when he was lifting, then exacerbated on a swing and diving for a ball.
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Our View: He is hopeful to be ready to play Monday. Manager Terry Francona noted that the injury is minor and Youkilis just needs to let it settle down.
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| Tim Wakefield is headed to the DL, so the Red Sox will need a starting pitcher for Tuesday, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Charlie Zink and David Pauley are enjoying strong seasons with Pawtucket, but neither is likely to be available for Tuesday, having started on Friday and Saturday. Michael Bowden is scheduled to pitch today for Pawtucket, with Devern Hansack set for tomorrow, making either one a viable candidate to start Tuesday for Boston.
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| Franklyn German has been traded from the Pirates to the White Sox for a player to be named, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: The reliever shouldn't hold any fantasy value with Chicago this season.
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| There has been talk that the Diamondbacks will pursue Mark Ellis when he becomes a free agent this winter, according to the SF Chronicle. Arizona lost Orlando Hudson for the rest of this season due to a wrist injury. |
Our View: They could also claim him sooner if Oakland passes him through waivers, in which case the Athletics would get a compensation-round draft pick for him. Oakland already scooped up several top prospects ih the Dan Haren trade.
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