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| We are receiving reports that indicate Mariners' LHP Jarrod Washburn and outfielder Raul Ibanez were both claimed off waivers today, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. |
Our View: The claiming teams are not yet known, but the Mariners have until 1:30 p.m. Thursday to work out a deal with those respective clubs. Rosenthal suggests the Rays may be seeking Ibanez but he fails to mention thoughts on Washburn. Once we get more news, we'll pass it along.
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| In order to clear room on the roster for first baseman Adam LaRoche, the Pirates sent Jose Bautista to Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: Bautista was fairly productive, with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. However, Adam's brother, Andy LaRoche, will likely see the bulk of playing time at third base.
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| The Blue Jays found all the work they needed from starter David Purcey this evening, getting the 4-3 win despite a lack of offensive support. Purcey pitched six innings, allowing no runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. |
Our View: Purcey moves to 2-3 on the season with a 5.93 ERA. He halts a string of two losses in which he surrendered eight combined earned runs. Needless to say, there is room for improvement.
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| The Blue Jays and Tigers fought through mundane performances on offense tonight, but give Toronto credit for getting the win on the one swing of worth they found this evening. Designated hitter Vernon Wells pounded a grand-slam homer in the top of the third, proving to be the winning runs scored in the 4-3 victory. It was the only hit Wells got on the night, going 1-for-3 with a walk. |
Our View: Wells is struggling to find his power stroke (and health) this season, but tonight shows he is still a force to fear. He is 5-for-15 thus far this month.
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| The White Sox put the shutout win on the Royals tonight, giving LHP Mark Buehrle a stage to shine. Buehrle pitched seven innings of shutout baseball, giving up five hits with no walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Buehrle evens out at 10-10 on the season, touting an ERA of 3.77. He has an eerie pattern of two wins followed by two losses working, but for just the second time over his last eight starts, he failed to surrender a single home run.
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| The Royals found no semblence of offense tonight, falling 4-0 to the Chicago White Sox and leaving RHP Luke Hochevar with no support despite his strong effort. Hochevar pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: The lack of offense is not surprising but still ranks as frustrating. Hochevar falls to 6-11 on the season with a 5.44 ERA, going 1-6 since July 1.
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| Boston's Jon Lester is quickly becoming the gem of the franchise, tonight earning his 11th win in a dominating performance against the Texas Rangers. Lester pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts. |
Our View: Lester moves to 11-4 on the season with a 3.25 ERA. The loss in his last outing is the only blemish on his '08 resume since May 25th, boasting a record of 8-1 since.
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| Jason Bay was on his game tonight, going 2-for-3 at the dish with one walk and his 26th double of the season, posting two RBIs and one run scored. |
Our View: Bay is hitting .319 on the month with hits in 14 of his last 15 games.
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| The Red Sox picked up where they left off last night... hitting. They threw the 8-4 win against Texas on the board with help from corner infielder Kevin Youkilis, going 3-for-4 at the dish with three doubles, totaling two RBIs and three runs scored. |
Our View: Youk already has four homers on the month and was hitting a whopping .375 coming into tonight. He's on fire and keeps getting better. Maybe moving Manny was just what he needed.
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| Mike Jacobs went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two strikeouts in Florida's 6-4 loss to St. Louis. |
Our View: Jacobs will give you power and RBI, but his batting average and especially on-base percentage is problematic for fantasy owners. Still, he will likely help more than he hurts with the amount of home runs he is capable of hitting.
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| It wasn't as exciting as last night, but the Rangers and Red Sox still brought the offense to the park and put on a show. In the end, it was Boston emerging the victor once again, this time by a score of 8-4, though Texas designated hitter Milton Bradley tried to change the outcome. Bradley went 1-for-3 at the dish with one walk and his 20th home run of the season, totaling three RBIs and one runs scored. |
Our View: Bradley had not homered since July 13th, though he hit .328 last month and is hitting .333 thus far in August. He's been a bit limited by health issues, but the hitting is there when he's on the field.
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| Baltimore RHP Jeremy Guthrie was strong off the hill in support of the O's 6-1 win over the Cleveland Indians tonight, pitching seven innings to allow one run on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: That's four consecutive wins for Guthrie, going at least six innings in all with just one earned run allowed in each.
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| The Orioles enjoyed a bevy of offense to get the 6-1 over Cleveland this evening, an effort led by outfielder Nick Markakis. Markakis went 3-for-4 at the plate, including his 36th double of the season to total two RBIs and one run scored. |
Our View: Markakis has been lighting it up with the stick, hitting .386 on the month coming into this evening with 17 RBIs and nine runs scored. He adds to all of those numbers with another strong outing.
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| Cleveland couldn't get the offense going this evening, falling 6-1 to the Orioles to waste a strong outing from RHP Anthony Reyes. Reyes pitched six innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits with two walks and no strikeouts. |
Our View: Reyes falls to 3-2 with the loss, touting an ERA of 3.67. In his two starts since returning to the Indians, Reyes has gone six innings and allowed just three combined earned runs. He appears to be on track to contribute, but the Indians need to find offense to support his cause.
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| Tampa Bay shortstop Jason Bartlett has been hitting for a couple of days and serving the team as a designated hitter, but tonight the Rays report he is close to return to full field duties, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Barlett played catch with infield coach Tom Foley this evening and reports indicate he looked just fine. Rays manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday he expected Bartlett to return to shortstop by the start of the Texas series Friday, but Wednesday Maddon did not rule out using him as a late-inning replacement against the A's on Wednesday night, nor did he rule out the possibility of starting Bartlett at shortstop Thursday afternoon.
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| White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has tabbed the recently-promoted Lance Broadway to start Thursday's finale against Kansas City, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: It will be his first start at the Major League level this season, and second start of his career. He faced the Royals back on Sept. 27, 2007, pitching six shutout innings and picking up the win.
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| We reported the Rangers had pulled Josh Hamilton in the 6th inning of their battle with Boston this evening, and we have now learned why, according to Boston Globe. |
Our View: Hamilton's wife has gone into labor, and Josh is on his way to be with her for the birth of their child.
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| The Rangers are two days away from finding out whether or not they'll sign Justin Smoak, the switch-hitting first baseman from the University of South Carolina who was their first pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: As Friday's deadline to get these incoming players sign looms, little is known about the true status of this negotiation. Both sides have agreed not to negotiate in the media, and Smoak's advisor, Dustin Bledsoe, has yet to comment at all. Smoak has not informed the club of any desire to return to South Carolina for his senior season. That's his only option.
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| Oakland trainer Steve Sayles reports third baseman Eric Chavez has emerged from a 2 1/2 hour surgery today and all indications suggest the procedure was a success, according to the San Francisco Gate. |
Our View: Chavez had three items repaired while under the knife, including the repair of an anterior labral, a SLAP lesion repair, and having his biceps tendon transposed. This is great news for a player we feared might see a premature end to his career. Sayles said that recovery will take six months and Chavez should be ready to go at that point.
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| Josh Hamilton has been replaced by Jason Ellison with the Red Sox leading 8-0 in the 6th inning, according to the Star Telegram. |
Our View: Hamilton was removed from a game at Baltimore over the weekend with the Orioles whipping up on the Rangers, so the initial thought is that Ron Washington is resting his center fielder and MVP candidate. No report of injury has come forth, but if it does, we will bring it to you.
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| Tigers third baseman Carlos Guillen said an MRI exam he underwent on Tuesday night revealed a pinched nerve in his lower back and he will rest for the next two or three days before considering a return to the lineup, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Guillen, who has experienced back trouble twice in the last six days, reported numbing pain in his right lower back, right leg and right foot. He said he has trouble lifting his right leg, which hinders his ability to run and hit. A three-time All-Star, Guillen said he has felt the pain for about one week, but the pain just recently became unbearable. Ramon Santiago started at third in place of Guillen in Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays. Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn represent other options Leyland could use while one of his team leaders recovers.
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| Updating a report from earlier today, the Oakland A's have officially placed Ryan Sweeney on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right thumb, according to the San Francisco Gate. |
Our View: Sweeney hurt the thumb making a sliding catch on his stomach on Tuesday night; he's also been playing with a bruised right hand and a torn left pinkie tendon to go along with an ankle sprain. The rookie has been one of the A's few consistent offensive performances this year, and considering how little the team has produced in the second half, his loss certainly won't help.
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| The Indians have announced three of their key contributors will begin rehab assignments in the minors in the coming days, a list that includes Josh Barfield, Victor Martinez, and Travis Hafner , according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Barfield (sprained left middle finger) and Martinez (right elbow inflammation and sore left hamstring) both took batting practice with the team before Wednesday's game against the Orioles. Martinez also worked on his throwing earlier in the day, making throws to first base on practice bunts in full catcher's gear. Barfield, who has been sidelined since June 12th -- just three days after he was called up from Triple-A Buffalo -- will begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Double-A Akron, where he will play at second base for three innings. Martinez, out since June 11th, will head to Akron on Friday and bat as a designated hitter. He will return to Cleveland on Saturday for more throwing work and will return to Akron for a game Sunday. Hafner literally took some big steps forward Wednesday when he ran the bases before the game. Pronk, who has been on the disabled list since May 30th with a sore right shoulder, will take batting practice Thursday.
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| The Rangers have announced their plans for the pitching rotation, a group under stress due to injury, for the coming days, according to the Dallas Morning News. The Rangers will send Tommy Hunter to the mound tomorrow, followed by Kevin Millwood on Friday, Matt Harrison on Saturday, and with a bit of surprise, Vicente Padilla on Sunday. |
Our View: Padilla underwent an MRI exam on Monday and received a cortisone injection in attempt to ease discomfort in his neck. This schedule gives him a bit of rest, but we will see if he is truly ready for action on Sunday. We'll continue to track the situation moving forward.
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| The Seattle Mariners have officially released Jose Vidro , one week after designated the embattled designated hitter for assignment, according to the Sports Network. |
Our View: Through 85 games this season, Vidro was hitting .234 with 11 doubles, seven home runs, and 45 RBIs, one of several disappointing performances of this season for the M's.
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| Gary Sheffield reports he has no concerns about the Tigers decision to place him on waivers, according to the Associated Press. "I don't pay attention to it -- I've been on waivers plenty of times," he said Wednesday. "I don't know why it is a big deal that I've been put on waivers. That's nothing new. Lots of great players are put on waivers but it is only a story when it is someone like Manny [Ramirez] or me -- someone that people have an opinion about." |
Our View: Sheffield claims to have no hopes or expectations of being traded, though the decision indicates it is a possibility. His lawyer, Rufus Williams, confirmed Sheffield hasn't asked to be dealt. Sheffield homered twice on Tuesday but is hitting just .223 with 12 homers in an injury-plagued season.
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| Second baseman Jose Lopez returned to the team's lineup yesterday after being pulled during the middle of the game on Sunday after making an error, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Mangaer Jim Riggleman wanted to make sure Lopez understood that you have to focus at all times. |
Our View: Lopez is one of the few viable fantasy players on Seattle's team, so owners are happy to see there will be no long-term consequences.
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| Raul Ibanez was put on waivers and was claimed, according to FoxSports.com. Though the team that claimed him is unknown at this point, if Seattle wishes to deal Ibanez, they will be able to accomplish that. |
Our View: Without Ibanez, the M's, who are already a bad offensive team, would get that much worse. Ibanez being moved would have a ripple effect on fantasy teams, as it would likely mean Ichiro would score fewer runs.
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| Wilson Betemit went 2-for-3 in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Minnesota. Both of his hits were singles, and accounted for two of the Yankees' five hits in the contest. Alex Rodriguez registered the only extra base hit with a double. |
Our View: Betemit started the game at shortstop in place of the injured Derek Jeter. Betemit serves solid depth for the Yankees, like today, but isn't likely going to see enough at-bats the rest of the way to make him a favorable fantasy option.
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| Darrell Rasner allowed two earned runs on four hits over five innings in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Twins, with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: He pitched well, but was dealt his ninth loss of the season due to poor run support. Rasner only has one win in his last seven outings, and has allowed four or more earned runs three times over the span. Rasner is only worth keeping in larger AL-only leagues for depth.
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| Delmon Young went 2-for-4 and crushed a three-run homer in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Yankees at home. His other hit was a single. |
Our View: Young is enjoying a power surge, as he homered in two straight games, and in three of his last five outings. Young could serve as a solid sleeper down the stretch in the power department.
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| Kevin Slowey was in control in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Yankees, as he only surrendered one earned run on three hits over six innings, with one walk and one strikeout. |
Our View: He improves to 9-8 and lowered his ERA to 3.94. He is 3-2 over his last five starts, and has allowed one earned run in each of his last two outings. Keep him active in fantasy lineups while he is pitching well.
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| Zach Jackson has been recalled from Triple-A Buffalo, according to the AP. He will take the roster spot left open by Paul Byrd's departure to Boston. |
Our View: The 25-year-old lefty went 3-1 with a 4.05 ERA in four starts and four relief appearances at Buffalo. He allowed two earned runs and five hits over 3.2 innings with the Indians, with one strikeout. He is slated to start Thursday in the rotation in place of Byrd. Jackson only merits fantasy consideration in deeper AL-only leagues.
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| David Pauley has been recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, according to the Boston Globe. Mike Lowell has been placed on the 15-day DL as the corresponding move. |
Our View: Pauley will initially work out of the bullpen, but could be a candidate for a spot start if needed.
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| Mike Lowell has landed on the 15-day DL due to his strained right oblique, according to the Boston Globe. David Pauley has been recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to fill his spot on the roster. |
Our View: Kevin Youkilis should see time at third base with Sean Casey covering first. Oblique injuries can linger and are known to be slow to heal, meaning Lowell may be out of action for more than 15 days.
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| Dan Giese left Wednesday's game against the Twins in the sixth inning due to a stiff right shoulder, according to the AP. |
Our View: We will keep you posted when more details are released regarding the injury.
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| Francis Beltran has been recalled from Triple-A Toledo, according to the AP. Joel Zumaya has been placed on the 15-day DL as the corresponding move. |
Our View: Beltran will work out of the bullpen, and does not merit fantasy consideration in standard leagues, as he issued three earuned runs and four walks over 4.2 innings of work in his previous stint this season.
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| Joel Zumaya has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a sore right shoulder, according to the Miami Herald. The team recalled pitcher Francis Beltran from Triple-A Toledo to take Zumaya's place on the roster. |
Our View: Manager Jim Leyland is not counting on Zumaya contributing again this season, so he may be done for 2008 with Todd Jones expected to return from the DL this week. As of now, Fernando Rodney is the top candidate for saves.
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| Joe Crede, whose minor-league rehab assignment has been stalled by continuing back problems, might resume playing this week for Triple-A Charlotte, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Manager Ozzie Guillen said, "They said he was better Monday. He's taken medicine, and he feels better. I think he'll start to play this week."
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Our View: Crede will be a risk to remain healthy when he returns to the Sox, and is only worth holding onto in AL-only leagues.
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| Ozzie Guillen is yet to name D.J. Carrasco Chicago's starting pitcher for Thursday (in place of the injured Jose Contreras), as the manager is reluctant to pull Carrasco from the bullpen, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Guillen said, "If I use Carrasco for one day, I'll lose him for three or four days in the bullpen."
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Our View: If the Sox had Scott Linebrink, the bullpen would be fine, meaning Carrasco would likely start. Lance Broadway is among the candidates in the mix for Thursday's start.
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| Executive VP Andrew Friedman stated that it is reasonable to believe Evan Longoria would return to the lineup by September 1, but the Rays would have a much better idea in two weeks when his fractured right wrist is X-rayed again, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: Fantasy owners should keep the rookie phenom stashed away for the final month of the regular season in September.
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| Derek Jeter was not in Wednesday's lineup after leaving Tuesday's game with a bruised left foot, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Wilson Betemit took Jeter's spot in the lineup at shortstop. The team did not indicate how much time Jeter may miss.
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| Joe Mauer is in the Twins' lineup today, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: He was listed as questionable due to his sore neck, which kept him out of Tuesday's game. He should be fine if he makes it through today's game without any issues.
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| Russell Branyan has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a right oblique strain, according to the AP. Layne Nix was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to replace Branyan on the roster. |
Our View: Branyan, who served as a utility man this season, batted .252 with 12 homers over 20 RBI over 48 games.
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| The Tigers may consider trading Magglio Ordonez this offseason in order to trim their payroll, the Detroit News reports. If Ordonez stays healthy in 2009, he is likely to kick in two $15 million options for 2010 and 2011. |
Our View: Ordonez is one of the AL's better hitters, and we'd think the big-market clubs would be interested. There would undoubtedly be some worries about him slowing down by 2011 (when he'll be 37), but do you really think that will concern the Mets or Yankees?
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| Phil Hughes fared well in Tuesday's rehab start as he allowed two earned runs over 5.2 innings at Triple-A Scranton, and the NY Daily News suggests that he may re-join the Yankees' rotation as soon as next Tuesday in place of Dan Giese. |
Our View: Hughes threw 84 pitches, meaning he'd be able to approach 100 in his next start. Hughes was ineffective over six starts with the Yankees this season, and would be a risky fantasy hurler for AL-only leagues if he gets another chance in the rotation.
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| Updating an earlier note, Mike Lowell is likely headed for the DL due to his strained right oblique, according to the Boston Herald. Oblique injuries could be slow to heal, and he was already dealing with a sore right hip. He said, "It’s frustrating because I’ve never had this happen before. I’d like to avoid the DL, but the doc said it’s a possibility. I think right now it’s probably too early. Today after the MRI, they’ll have a lot more information." |
Our View: If Lowell lands on the DL, Kevin Youkilis could move over to third base, with Sean Casey covering first.
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| Julio Lugo is making progress in his recovery from a strained left quad, but the Boston Herald states that he is unlikely to return before September. |
Our View: Lugo will need a lengthy rehab assignment in the minors prior to being activated from the DL. Jed Lowrie will continue to fill in at shortstop.
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| Matt Tolbert will test his surgically repaired left thumb with live batting practice within the next couple of days, according to the Star Tribune.
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Our View: He could return by the end of the month, but will not likely get enough at-bats as a utility infielder to make him fantasy worthy.
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| Adam Everett started his sixth straight game at shortstop Tuesday with Brendan Harris out of the lineup for the third straight, according to the Star Tribune. Manager Ron Gardenhire said, "We signed Everett to play shortstop. I think we're starting to see the guy we signed, finally healthy or almost healthy. The arm strength's not totally there, but we're getting a little bit of what we hoped from the beginning until all the shoulder injuries came."
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Our View: Everett has registered a hit in all six games, with two RBI coming in each of his last three. He is worth starting in AL-only leagues while he is hot.
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| Paul Byrd will make his first start with the Red Sox on Friday, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Byrd is 4-0 over his last four starts with the Indians, with only four earned runs allowed over the span. He is worthy of starting in mixed leagues in his first start with Boston. He allowed 23 homers with Cleveland, but could be helped in that department by playing his home games at Fenway Park.
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| Charlie Zink has been optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket, according to the Boston Globe. He was sent down to make room for Paul Byrd, who will pitch Friday. |
Our View: Zink suffered through a nightmarish debut against the Rangers, as he was rocked for eight earned runs on 11 hits over a mere 4.1 innings of work.
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| Mike Lowell strained his right oblique during an at-bat on Tuesday, according to the Boston Globe. He said, "I took those two swings my last at-bat, the first one I felt like a little grab on my side, the second one I felt something a lot more significant. The last pitch I kind of panicked, I didn't know what to do. I didn't think I could swing. I was kind of hoping he'd just flop a curveball or something. I've never had this happen to me before. It's just frustrating." |
Our View: He is hoping the injury is not too severe, and will have an MRI Wednesday. Lowell could barely stand after Tuesday's game.
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| Andrew Brown has not resumed throwing since going on the DL at the start of August due to right shoulder soreness, according to the SF Chronicle.
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Our View: He still has hope of returning before the end of the month. Brown served as a solid reliever for Oakland this season.
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| Eric Chavez will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder today, according to the SF Chronicle. |
Our View: Team doctors plan to stabilize the severely frayed labrum in Chavez's right shoulder.
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| Lenny DiNardo has been optioned to Triple-A Sacramento, according to the SF Chronicle. Rookie Dan Meyer was recalled as the adjoining move. |
Our View: DiNardo held no fantasy value prior to his demotion, with a 7.43 ERA and 1.91 WHIP, and only 12 strikeouts over 23 innings.
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| Sean Gallagher is slated to return to the A's rotation Thursday after having his last turn skipped due to a sore shoulder, according to the SF Chronicle. He threw a bullpen session Tuesday, and reported no issues. |
Our View: Oakland will be pleased to get him back, but Gallagher has not won in his last four starts, and ranks as a risky option for AL-only leagues.
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| Mike Sweeney, who is recovering from left knee surgery, expected that he'd head toward Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday night, but Oakland put at least a daylong hold on his rehab assignment, according to the SF Chronicle. he felt as if Tuesday's workout (unning the bases, fielding grounders at first, taking batting practice) was "decent." But, he said, "The brain trust didn't agree, so I'll do it again tomorrow."
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Our View: Sweeney noted that doctors had told him his legs probably would not be at full strength until eight weeks after the surgery. He has just hit that mark.
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| Ryan Sweeney injured his right thumb while making a backhanded catch as he skidded on his stomach in the seventh inning Tuesday, according to the SF Chronicle. He is already playing with a torn left pinkie tendon and a bruised right hand. Manager Bob Geren said, "I'm a little concerned about that. He hurt the thumb on his glove hand, but to what extent I don't know."
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Our View: He will be examined by hand specialist Dr. Kendrick Lee in San Francisco this morning. Sweeney has been Oakland's best hitter for most of the season, and currently holds a .287 batting average.
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| Joe Mauer is questionable for Wednesday's game due to a sore neck, according to the Star Tribune. Manager Ron Gardenhire said, "Our catcher, Redmond, might have to catch again Wednesday. Mauer’s neck wasn’t good all night. He couldn’t really get anything going."
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Our View: The ailment isn't believed to be serious, and should be fine within a few days. Mauer has collected hits in six straight games, with four RBI over the span.
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| Tampa ace Scott Kazmir found few struggles on the mound, but the offensive support failed to formulate and push him through. Kazmir pitched five innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts. |
Our View: Kazmir falls to 8-6 with an ERA of 3.22. Clearly the loss of Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria are having an immediate impact for the worse, and the Tampa fans have to wonder if this is a sign of struggles to come.
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| Oakland LHP Gio Gonzalez enjoyed his first home start with the A's, going five innings to allow just one run on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Gonzo moves to 1-1 on the season with an ERA of 4.09. He's just cutting his teeth in the majors, but his early work suggests better results on the horizon.
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| The Angels put the offense on the field to support RHP Jon Garland . Garland pitched seven innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: Garland went 3-1 last month and now has his first win for August. He's giving up runs, but the offense keeps pulling him through.
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| Seattle couldn't get the offense going to support a strong pitching effort from LHP Jarrod Washburn, pitching seven innings to allow four runs (only one earned) on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts. |
Our View: Washburn moves to 5-12 on the season, including a 4.58 ERA. He's suffered five losses over his last seven starts, though he's allowed four or more runs just twice during that span.
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