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| Billy Butler had two hits on Thursday night which led to two runs scored and an RBI for the Royals first baseman on this night. |
Our View: Butler has really turned up the offense of late with a hit in nine straight games with at least two hits in seven of those games to raise his average from .261 to .282. He appears primed for a breakout in '09, so don't forget his name on draft day next season.
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| Jose Guillen had two hits which led to three RBI leaving him with 84 runs batted in for the year. |
Our View: This guy had been a series of peaks and valleys this season. In May and June he batted .327 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI in 54 games, but in the 49 games since he is hitting an anemic .189 with just four home runs and 13 RBI. The overall numbers are decent (.250-18-84), but you have paid the price if you are in a head to head league.
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| Kyle Davies permitted the Athletics just a single run in his five innings of work despite needed 101 pitches on the night. |
Our View: Davies evened his record at 6-6 with this outing though he is nothing more than that - an average hurler. Davies has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last 10 starts, but he has gone just 3-5 in that time with only one game of more than four strikeouts. Average indeed.
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| Rajai Davis had a hit, scored two runs, and stole a base on Thursday night from the leadoff spot for the Athletics. |
Our View: Davis has been a godsend in AL-only leagues with those 21 steals even though he is batting just .265 for the Athletics. However, he has done that damage in only 155 AB telling you he could be a big time steals guy, just like Wily Taveras, if he could ever rack up 500 AB.
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| Ryan Sweeney had three hits and three RBI for the Athletics on Thursday night as he also scored two runs. |
Our View: If not for multiple injuries this year, many would likely be talking about this guy. Sweeney has yet to develop the 20-HR power people have long predicted, but he is hitting .287 with seven stolen bases in just 312 AB. A big finish would likely solidify a starting role for him next year.
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| On the day that it was announced that Evan Longoria's comeback had slowed a bit, Willy Aybar had two hits, including his ninth home run, and three RBI for the Rays. |
Our View: Aybar has gone deep five times in his last 22 games as he continues to offer a fair approximation of what team's expect, offensively, from a major league third baseman.
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| Alex Rodriguez continued his recent tear at the plate by hitting his 32nd home run and on the bases he stole his 17th base in the Yankees 7-5 loss to the Rays. |
Our View: Arod has gone deep four times with 11 RBI in his last five games and stands on the brink of a .300-30-100-100-20 season yet again (.315-32-91-96-17). No matter what the media says, this guy is a machine at the plate.
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| Dioner Navarro had four hits on Thursday night to boost his average to .297 for the Rays. |
Our View: Navarro had an awful August hitting just .194 while dealing with some nagging injuries so it's great to see him bust out like this tonight. It's always hard to predict how a catcher will hold up over the course of a long season so we'll have to see how Navarro proceeds down the stretch.
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| Dan Wheeler picked up just a single out, but the effort games him his 11th save of the season. |
Our View: Troy Percival pitched a poor inning on Wednesday night, and since the team is being careful with him, they chose to bring in Wheeler to stop a furious 9th inning comeback that saw the Yankees score five times in the 7-5 loss.
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| Darrell Rasner was bombed on Thursday night as he lasted just 1.2 innings permitting six hits, two walks and five runs. |
Our View: At the end of this outing Rasner's ERA is 5.43 and his WHIP is an awful 1.55, so the question really becomes why are the Yankees still running him out there? The answer is they don't have any other options. Hopefully you do.
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| Scott Kazmir improved to 11-6 by defeating the Yankees on Thursday night with six shutout innings in which he allowed but a single hit. |
Our View: Kazmir has filthy stuff as ss seen by the measly hit total tonight, but he also showed his dark side by walking five batters. Luckily he struck out seven to help limit the damage. Through 23 starts, this lefty star has a 2.99 ERA and a 10.00 K/9 mark.
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| Nick Punto went 1-for-3 on Thursday night to boost his average to .288 for the Twins. |
Our View: Punto has a hit in nine of the last 11 games though he has knocked in a measly single run in that time. He is a valuable player to have a on a major league roster, but unless he is swiping bags, he has virtually no value in the fantasy game.
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| Alexi Casilla went 0-for-4 on Thursday night to drop his average to .290 for the Twins. |
Our View: Casilla is 0-for-9 the past two games and is hitting just .200 over 60 AB since returning from the DL as his hand injuries is seemingly still effective his ability to produce at the plate.
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| Vernon Wells had another two hits on Thursday night including his 16th home run of the year for the Jays. |
Our View: Don't look now, but Wells is hitting .300 thanks to a stretch of 29 games hitting .330. His overall numbers will once again be disappointing because of his various injuries, but with a .300-16-66 line in just 340 AB, Wells has been one hell of a hitter when healthy.
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| Kevin Slowey only allowed three runs on Thursday night to the Jays, but he lost the effort thanks to a shutout by the Jays Jesse Litsch. On the evening Slowey 10 hits, but didn't walk a batter over 5.2 innings. |
Our View: Slowey had gone 5-straight outings allowing one or two earned runs and he continues his befuddling strikeout work of late with games of one, 12, five, 10 and three K in his last five outings. Through 23 starts this season, Kevin owns a 3.75 ERA, a nice mark for sure when you call the AL home.
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| Travis Snider hit his first career home run on Thursday night as he had three hits, two runs and two RBI for the Jays. |
Our View: Snider is hitting .467 this season, though of course we are only talking about 15 AB here so don't go crazy with grandiose dreams of the second coming of Josh Hamilton here, but the kid can rake.
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| Jesse Litsch hurled his best game of the season on Thursday night against the Twins as he threw a 4-hit, complete game shutout for his 10th win of the year. |
Our View: In four starts since being recalled to the majors, Litsch is 2-1 with a 0.94 ERA. Think someone wants to prove to someone else that he shouldn't ever see the minor leagues again? Despite the great stretch, Litsch is a pitcher who succeeds on movement and location, and when he is off, he can be hit hard on occasion.
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| Justin Duchscherer's injured hip flared up on him yet again on Thursday, and as a result he has been scratched from his next potential start on Saturday, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Duchscherer hasn't pitched since August 18th, and given that he has already thrown 141.2 innings this season, just slightly less than the 157.2 innings he threw the previous three seasons, you would have to think that the A's probably won't push Justin back onto the hill until he is close to 100%.
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| Brian Bannister allowed four runs on Thursday, though only one run was earned in his seven inning no-decision against the Athletics. |
Our View: This was Bannister's second straight "quality start" after allowing 18 runs over 16 innings in his previous three outings, but he is still not someone you want in your lineup if you are looking to make a late season push given his 14 loses and 5.56 ERA.
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| Dana Eveland allowed four runs and 10 hits in six innings of work against the Royals on Thursday. He stuck out five and didn't walk a batter. |
Our View: Eveland entered this outing having allowed two runs in 14 innings over his last two starts and looked great again tonight except for the fifth inning when he gave up three runs. He remains a solid but underwhelming option for the month of September.
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| Joakim Soria pitched two strong innings Thursday night and collected his second victory of the season as the Royals scored in the bottom of the 11th, beating the visiting Athletics 5-4. |
Our View: Soria continues to be one of the only bright spots for the Royals. He is now sporting a 1.80 ERA on the season.
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| Daric Barton was 2-for-4 with a home run in Oakland's loss against the Royals Thursday night. |
Our View: Let's hope Barton plays up to his potential next season cause this year has been a waste.
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| B.J. Upton's left shoulder continues to bother him, and in fact he has a torn labrum that will require off-season surgery, according to MLB.com. "At this point, there's nothing I can do about it, especially with Carl [Crawford] and Evan [Longoria] already out," Upton told the Times. "It's a little too late in the year, especially with the position we're in, for me to pull up lame. I just have to suck it up and keep grinding." |
Our View: This injury could partly explain why his slugging percentage has fallen from .508 last year to .397 this season. Still, he has fallen from 24 home runs to just eight this year, and no matter what the reason, it has been a rather disappointing season at the plate for Upton. Luckily, he has stolen 41 bases to help offset the loss of production with the bat in his hands.
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| Philip Humber is being counted on to provide depth in the Twins bullpen down the stretch, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Over his past eight starts in the minors Humber, who came over in the Johan Santana deal, is 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA. He has little fantasy value because of his middle relief role, but he could still play a large role in determining whether or not the Twins make the playoffs.
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| John McDonald was on the bench for the fourth time in six games on Thursday night, according to MLB.com. With the return of Scott Rolen and the solid play of Marco Scutaro and Joe Inglett, there just hasn't been any room in the lineup for McDonald. |
Our View: Face it. McDonald might be the best defensive shortstop in the American league, but the guy is hitting .217 with one home run in 157 AB. If you're upset by this news, your AL-only squad is likely in big trouble.
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| Kenny Rogers may be in the final month of his big league career if he can't pull out of his recent slump, according to MLive. "I don't want to just hang on to wear the uniform. I'm being realistic in where I am in my age and career." |
Our View: Since July 28th, Rogers is 1-7 with a 8.50 ERA as he has served as a batting practice machine in most outings. At 43 years of age, Rogers and his 219 career wins are likely at the end of the line.
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| Bobby Abreu wasn't in the Yankees starting lineup on Thursday due to a sore left wrist, according to Newsday. In his place the club started Brett Gardner. |
Our View: The length of time Abreu will be sidelined is unknown as he apparently injured the wrist last night on a slide in the ninth inning. Could this "injury" be the result of the fact that the Yanks are facing Scott Kazmir?
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| Dustin Pedroia has been so hot of late that he is now being considered as a candidate for the AL MVP honor, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Pedroia is hitting .480 over the past two weeks with five home runs, but his hot streak goes back much further. Over the past 69 games, a span that covers 283 AB, Pedroia is hitting .396 with 12 home runs. With the injury to Ian Kinsler, Pedroia is the top fantasy second baseman in the American League, if not all of baseball.
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| Kila Kaaihue and recently recalled Ryan Shealy will split time at first base for the month of September, this according to the Kansas City Star. “I’m going to try to keep Shealy and KK both going there,” manager Trey Hillman said. “Basically, it will be a platoon unless there is something unforeseen with an injury.” |
Our View: Ross Gload is the big loser here as he will be shifted to a backup role in the outfield. Since he is hitting .272-3-35 this season in in 371 AB, he has no one to blame but himself for the demotion, and beyond that it's the right move as the Royals need to see what they have in Kaaihue and Shealy.
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| Ian Kinsler had hoped to return next week to the playing field, but instead he will undergo surgery for his sports hernia thereby ending his 2008 season, according to the Dallas Morning News. "The doctor said the progress I was making just wasn't significant enough and if you don't have surgery for this, it's something you are always going to be dealing with," Kinsler said. "It's the only option." |
Our View: Kinsler will have the surgery on September 11th, a rather unsatisfactory ending to what was shaping up to be a truly historic season. Kinsler finishes the year hitting .319-18-71-102-26, a truly spectacular performance. However, this is the third straight year in which the second baseman has missed at least a month of action. He should be fine by the start of next year as the typical recovery time for this procedure is two months. Joaquin Arias figures to fill in at second base.
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| Scott Downs could be moved from his setup role back into the starting rotation next season, according to MLB.com. "We could put Downs in the rotation," Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said. "We have that option. We're talking about it, but, obviously, we have to sit down with him and see what he's comfortable with." |
Our View: The Jays could have some holes in their rotation next year, especially if A.J. Burnett opts out of his contract as appears likely, but would it really make sense to take Downs out of the bullpen where he has dominated this season (1.23 ERA, 1.06 WHIP), this after a dominating 2007 campaign (2.17 ERA)? Sometimes it's just best to leave things how they are.
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| Despite being named the AL Player of the Month of August Melvin Mora likely won't be in the lineup until next week, according to the Baltimore Sun. Mora, dealing with hamstring soreness said there was "no way" he would be able to play this weekend as hoped. |
Our View: Mora has missed the last five games with the injury and had originally hoped to return this weekend. He is hopeful of a return next week when he will resume his quest to record 100-RBI (he currently has 97).
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| Even though Ryan Shealy is battling for at-bats with fellow rookie Kila Ka'aihue he is grateful the Royals are giving him a shot. Shealy homered on Tuesday night against the A's. according to Royals.com. |
Our View: Shealy homered against the A's but he has not fantasy value for any type of fantasy league.
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| Mariners rookie Brandon Morrow will showcase his six pitch repertoire in his first major league start Friday night against the Yankees, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Morrow has been impressive in 40 games this year out of the pen but was sent down to Triple-A to prepare for being a starter and Friday he will showcase his stuff.
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| Recent reports said that Rays rookie Evan Longoria could be ready soon but today the Rays say there is no definite time table for Longoria's return. Manager Joe Maddon said he isn't sure when he will. Maddon said Longoria would need at least two to three days after a batting practice session (without discomfort) before getting back in the lineup, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: The Rays were hoping to get Longoria back this next week when they take on the second-place Red Sox but that is looking like it won't happen. We will keep you up to date on Longoria's status as we get news.
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| It might not have been the return Troy Percival was looking for Wednesday night, but after his first appearance since being activated from the DL, Percival says he could pitch again tonight, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: Percival gave up a ninth inning two-out homer to Alex Rodriguez last night, but his return means he is back in the Rays closer role.
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| Gary Matthews Jr. went 4-for-5 with two doubles while scoring two runs in the Angels 7-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. |
Our View: This was a good game for Matthews, considering he had just seven hits in the entire month of August. His fantasy value is zero, because he simply does not play enough games. Not to mention his .236 average.
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| Even if the Tigers don't score much, second baseman Placido Polanco usually finds a way to deliver some hits, which is what happened in the Detroit's 7-1 loss to the Angels. Polanco went 2-for-4 on the day. |
Our View: Polanco has at least one hit in 13 of his team's last 16 games. After a slow start, his average has not been below .300 since early June.
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| Ervin Santana held the Tigers to one run over 7.1 innings while striking out eight to help lead the Angels to a 7-1 victory. He picked up his 15th win in the process. |
Our View: Santana continued his great season with this performance, and he has not lost a game since July 27. At 3.23, his ERA is the lowest it's been since June 20.
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| Kenny Rogers picked up his 13th loss of the season, as he was pounded all over the field by the Angels. In just two innings of work, Rogers gave up six runs on eight hits in the Tigers 7-1 loss. |
Our View: Rogers has lost a remarkable seven of his last eight games, and has seen his ERA jump more than a run in that time, from 4.48 to 5.49. Don't use him on fantasy teams for any reason.
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| If the Angels cannot re-sign Mark Teixeira in the offseason, the team would likely turn to Kendry Morales to be it's full-time first baseman, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Morales hit .352 with 16 home runs in the minors this season, so he can clearly hit. He does have some things to work on, because in 338 at-bats, he walked just 20 times. Of course, he only struck out 44 times, but with improved plate discipline comes improved numbers.
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| The Cleveland Indians are reaping the rewards of the St. Louis Cardinals basically handing them pitcher Anthony Reyes, as he sported an ERA of 2.01 in August, the eighth best in all of baseball for the month, according to ESPN.com. |
Our View: The Cardinals have a certainly philosophy that includes pitchers needing to throw a two-seam fastball and get ground balls. Reyes does not do that well, and he never clicked in the organization, as they failed to adapt to what they had. They received a minor league reliever for Reyes, who certainly has fantasy value the way he is throwing.
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| The San Francisco Giants are interested in acquiring the services of Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre, according to ESPN.com. |
Our View: This rumored move would not affect Beltre's fantasy value much, as he would simply go from one pitchers' park to another. That said, he is a productive player who is capable of hitting 30 home runs while driving in 90 or so.
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| Scott Rolen believes he can still be a productive major league player now that he has made some adjustments to his batting stance, according to the Toronto Star. Rolen lowered his hands to account for range of motion issues that have occurred due to his shoulder woes. |
Our View: It's clear that Rolen will probably never be the same player he had been. His days of being a productive offensive player for fantasy owners are likely over.
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| Jason Giambi showed up to the stadium with a right eye that had a cut and some swelling on it on Wednesday. When asked what happened, Giambi admitted he lost a battle with the bathroom door, according to the New York Post. "I walked into the bathroom door at the hotel and split it open. There was so much blood the maid probably was wondering where the body was hid," Giambi told the paper. |
Our View: Giambi has had a nice season for fantasy owners, despite his .250 batting average. His OBP is still .377, and he has 28 home runs and 87 RBI on the year as well. But those bathroom doors can be tricky, so hopefully he pays a little more attention in the future.
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| Though it is doubtful he wins the award, Kansas City's Mike Aviles should be in consideration with Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria for AL Rookie of the Year, according to the Kansas City Star. "If I’m even mentioned in that discussion, it’s a good thing," Aviles said. |
Our View: Aviles won't win the award over Longoria or Chicago's Alexi Ramirez, but he has had a terrific season, hitting .333 in 76 games. At 27, he is old for a rookie, and there is a reason he took so long to arrive in the big leagues. Fantasy owners should keep that in mind during drafts next season when thinking about taking him.
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| Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina could be pitching every fifth day, instead of every fifth game, meaning he would get one more turn in the rotation this season, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. |
Our View: Mussina would have an extra shot at accumulating 20 wins, and with the Yankees pitching woes, it won't hurt to have him on the mound as much as possible.
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| Curtis Granderson hits with enough authority that he may be moved down in the order - but not this sesaon, according to the Detroit Free-Press. "We don't have that guy (to hit leadoff), and it's exciting when he leads off with doubles and triples. It's still good for us when he leads off. But he's matured enough to where he can knock in runs," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. |
Our View: Granderson has 22 doubles, 13 triples, 16 home runs and 10 stolen bases this season, all while hitting .306 and driving in 53 runs. His RBI total would increase dramatically hitting behind a guy like Miguel Cabrera, so fantasy owners will have no qualms should the Tigers decide to make this move at some point down the road.
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| Alex Rodriguez passed Mike Schmidt by hitting his 549th home run on Wednesday, good for 12th all-time, according to New York Newsday. He is now chasing former Yankee Reggie Jackson on the all-time list, though he won't get there this year, as Jackson hit 563 career home runs. |
Our View: Rodriguez is already a Hall of Fame player, and it would please a great number of people if he could pass Barry Bonds someday and become the all-time home run king.
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| Gary Sheffield's right shoulder has been sore, and he may not be able to play Thursday, according to the Detroit Free-Press. |
Our View: Sheffield is hitting a disappointing .228 on the year, and his home run and RBI totals, 14 and 45 respectively, are not good enough to make fantasy owners put him in their lineups.
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| Frank Thomas will not return this season, as he was placed on the 60-day disabled list, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. |
Our View: The likely future Hall of Famer did not have one of his most productive seasons, and it is clear that the end of his career is coming soon.
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| Matt Tuiasosopo will make the start at third base for the Mariners on Friday, moving Adrian Beltre to DH, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. |
Our View: Tuiasosopo will make his major league debut in the contest. He hit .281 with 13 home runs and 73 RBI in Triple-A this season, but has minimal fantasy value.
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| As if a 100 mph fastball wasn't enough, Mariners hurler Brandon Morrow also developed a curveball in his time in the minor leagues, and he is ready to use it in a major league game, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. |
Our View: Morrow will be a starter from here on out in the big leagues, and if he is anything like he was as a reliever, fantasy owners will be thrilled with the results.
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| Coco Crisp has been on fire recently, and with his two hits on Wednesday, is now 11-for-24 in his last six games, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Crisp is a nice option in AL-only leagues, as his batting average was keeping him out of consideration for use. He can provide speed, and has 18 stolen bases on the year, and also a little pop from time to time, as he has seven home runs.
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| Sean Casey's neck ailment is improving, and he may be able to return to the Red Sox on Friday, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Casey has been taking fielding and batting practice, and if there are no setbacks, he'll be ready soon. Fantasy owners will not get a whole lot out of him, however, as in 165 at-bats, he has no home runs and just 12 RBI, despite his .345 average.
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| The Angels took x-rays on the right hand of first baseman Mark Teixeira after it got hit by a bad hop on a ground ball, according to the L.A. Times. Turns out the injury was just a bruise. |
Our View: Teixeira was the designated hitter for the Angels on Wednesday, but he should be back on the field at first base in no time.
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| Angels hurler Jered Weaver will see his next start pushed back from Friday to Monday after cutting two fingers on his right hand while pushing himself up and off the bench in Detroit, according to the L.A. Times. "I went to push to get up and gripped where the staples in the upholstery come together, and it just got me," said Weaver. |
Our View: Yet another odd injury suffered by a baseball player. In part because of the long season, these things tend to happen, but this is the first upholstery-related injury we can remember. Weaver has been good enough to get a look in fantasy, but likely in AL-only leagues, as his record is 10-10 and ERA is 4.42.
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| Delmon Young was out of the Twins lineup on Wednesday because of a sore left ankle, though the injury is not considered serious, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Young could have probably played, and should be ready to go soon. He continues to put up solid but unspectacular numbers for fantasy owners, who would like to see his power develop a little more next year.
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| White Sox MVP candidate Carlos Quentin should be ready to play on Friday, as should Ken Griffey Jr., according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Quentin had been dealing with a sore left forearm, and Griffey with back issues. |
Our View: The sooner Quentin can return to the lineup for fantasy owners, the better. He has been fabulous this season, and could win the AL MVP, as he is closing in on 40 home runs while already accumulating 100 RBI.
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| White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen thinks young third baseman Josh Fields plays lousy defense, and he let it be known, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "[Fields has] got to be better. He has to. Unfortunately for him, his manager believes in defense," Guillen remarked. |
Our View: Ouch. Not exactly a sign of confidence from Guillen, who said Fields needs to work diligently in the offseason to improve at the hot corner.
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| Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora was named the American League's Player of the Month for August, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: Mora bullied the baseball to the tune of eight home runs, 32 RBI and a .418 average. After a bit of a slow start, his overall numbers have come around and fantasy owners should be happy with his season.
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