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| Kotchman struggling | Thursday 8/7, 11:55 PM CT |
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Casey Kotchman went 0-for-3 with an RBI as the Braves took down the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4. He is hitting just .152 since he was traded to the Braves.
Our View: Kotchman has really had a tough time so far in Atlanta, with just five hits in nine games. He's too talented to stay down for long, and maybe having catcher Brian McCann hit behind him will help. |
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| Young takes 0-for-4 | Thursday 8/7, 11:50 PM CT |
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Chris Young went 0-for-4 in the Diamondbacks 6-4 loss to Atlanta on Thursday. He ran his August batting average to .185.
Our View: Young has been a disappointment to fantasy owners this season, and has not improved like many thought he would. There is still time, but it's tough to put a guy with a sub-.300 on-base percentage on fantasy rosters. |
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| Morton gets the victory | Thursday 8/7, 11:43 PM CT |
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In the best start of his young career, Braves pitcher Charlie Morton earned his third victory by throwing seven innings and allowing just five hits and no earned runs against Arizona.
Our View: This is Morton's second consecutive solid performance, but he still hasn't shown enough to be considered for fantasy squads. |
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| Petit takes loss | Thursday 8/7, 11:41 PM CT |
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Yusmeiro Petit saw his record fall to 1-3 with the Diamondbacks loss to Atlanta. Petit threw well once again, hurling five innings and giving up just two earned runs, but it wasn't quite good enough as the Braves won 6-4.
Our View: Petit has been a starter and reliever this season, and he has fared well in both roles. He could be a solid fantasy performer in NL-only leagues. |
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| Saito throwing again | Thursday 8/7, 10:57 PM CT |
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Dodgers closer Takashi Saito had a day of throwing scheduled for Thursday in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times. He will begin pitching off a mound in the last week of August.
Our View: Saito could be back early in September, but it is unknown if he would immediately go back to closing. |
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| Patterson struggling | Thursday 8/7, 9:37 PM CT |
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Corey Patterson went 1-for-5 in the Reds loss to Houston, and in his last four games he is 2-for-14.
Our View: Patterson has been playing as of late, but he has struggled lately, as his numbers would indicate. Fantasy owners looking for stolen bases should look elsewhere. He has just one since June 26. |
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| Lee continues RBI streak | Thursday 8/7, 9:34 PM CT |
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Carlos Lee has knocked in at least one run in each of his last four games, and he has accumulated eight RBI in those games. Lee went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two walks in Houston's win over the Reds.
Our View: Lee continues to mash for fantasy owners, even as he does it relative anonymity. He doesn't get nearly the attention he deserves for the numbers he puts up. |
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| Fogg hit hard | Thursday 8/7, 9:31 PM CT |
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Josh Fogg was hit hard, getting the loss in Cincinnati's 7-4 loss to Houston. Fogg gave up six earned runs in four innings, and his ERA rose to a hideous 7.98.
Our View: His ERA is 7.98. So no, he should not be used on anybody's fantasy roster. |
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| Oswalt gets victory | Thursday 8/7, 9:29 PM CT |
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Roy Oswalt was solid, throwing seven innings, allowing nine hits but just one run while striking out six to pick up his ninth win of the year.
Our View: This is more like the Oswalt that fantasy owners are used to seeing. Maybe this will trigger a turnaround for him. |
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| Upton to start rehab assignment soon | Thursday 8/7, 8:52 PM CT |
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Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton will begin his minor league rehab assignment as soon as Monday, and has been taking live batting practice on the field, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin has said that Upton will need more than a few at-bats in the minors, so don't expect him up until mid to late August. |
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| Bonifacio shines | Thursday 8/7, 8:13 PM CT |
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Emilio Bonifacio went 2-for-5, stole a base, drove in a run and scored in the Nationals victory over the Rockies.
Our View: Bonifacio now has four multiple-hit games in his last six contests. His batting average is now over .300, and though he needs to work on his plate discipline (he has yet to take a walk), Bonifacio is someone to consider picking up in fantasy leagues. |
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| Jimenez hammered | Thursday 8/7, 8:08 PM CT |
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Ubaldo Jimenez walked six batters and gave up six earned runs on eight hits and took his tenth loss as the Rockies lost to the Nationals 6-3.
Our View: Before tonight's start, Jimenez had not allowed an earned run in two starts covering 13 innings. He remains too wild, but his sub-4.00 ERA and decent WHIP make him a solid NL-only hurler. |
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| Perez picks up win | Thursday 8/7, 8:04 PM CT |
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Odalis Perez picked up his fifth victory of the season in the second game of the Washington-Colorado doubleheader. Washington won 6-3 behind Perez, who went six innings, allowing just two earned runs on six hits.
Our View: Perez has been dynamite for two straight starts, giving up a combined three earned runs in 13.1 innings. He remains an iffy fantasy performer. He definitely should not be used in mixed leagues, but owners in NL-only leagues may take a gander at him if they are desperate. |
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| Feliz is improved | Thursday 8/7, 5:56 PM CT |
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The condition of Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz's back has improved, and he could begin a rehab assignment next week, according to Phillies.com.
Our View: Feliz has a measly .304 on-base percentage, though he does have 12 home runs and 46 RBI, making him a depth player in NL-only leagues. |
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| Samardzija may wind up as closer | Thursday 8/7, 5:46 PM CT |
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The Chicago Cubs used former Notre Dame football player Jeff Samardzija as a starter in the minor leagues, but now they are re-thinking that strategy, and he may wind up being the team's closer of the future, according to MLB.com.
Our View: You would think that title belongs to Carlos Marmol, but Samardzija may just get that opportunity whenever Kerry Wood departs. Just another potential closer for fantasy owners to keep in the back of their minds. |
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| Indians may look at Izzy | Thursday 8/7, 5:43 PM CT |
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In all likelihood, the St. Louis Cardinals are not going to re-sign Jason Isringhausen for next season, and MLB.com is reporting that no one should be surprised if the Cleveland Indians take a long, hard look at him.
Our View: Haven't the Indians had enough of washed-up closers after Joe Borowski? Despite his decent performance today, it is abundantly clear to anyone who has watched him pitch that Isringhausen simply cannot get it done in the ninth inning any longer. |
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| Sheets has heavy workload | Thursday 8/7, 5:31 PM CT |
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Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets has struggled recently, and some scouts believe he will continue to do so because of how many innings he has accumulated this year, according to MLB.com.
Our View: This is certainly something for fantasy owners to consider down the stretch. He has yet to win a game since starting the All-Star Game, and his ERA is 4.63 during that period. |
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| Milledge has big day | Thursday 8/7, 5:02 PM CT |
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Nationals outfielder Lastings Milledge continued his torrid August with a 3-for-4, two home run day in the team's 6-3 win over Colorado. Milledge collected four RBI on the afternoon.
Our View: Milledge is hitting .409 in August with four home runs in six games. It's doubtful he will keep this pace up much longer, but fantasy owners in search of lightning in a bottle may want to take a chance on him and see how far he can ride this thing out. |
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| Tulowitzki continues getting on base | Thursday 8/7, 4:58 PM CT |
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Troy Tulowitzki got on base twice, with a walk and a single in a 1-for-3 day in the Rockies loss to Washington.
Our View: Tulowitzki now has an on-base percentage of .478 in August, as he has walked five times in the last three games. His overall numbers aren't grand, but they continue rising to the benefit of fantasy owners. |
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| Bergmann goes seven | Thursday 8/7, 4:54 PM CT |
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Jason Bergmann was not as bad as his 1-8 record had made him look, and he proved that tonight with a solid seven inning performance. He surrendered just one run on seven hits while striking out seven against the Rockies.
Our View: Bergmann has been a victim of the Nats horrendous offense, as he now sports a 4.13 ERA on the year. He doesn't belong in fantasy leagues because Washington won't score for him, but it's yet another reminder of how overrated wins and losses are as a statistic for pitchers. |
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| Francis loses eighth | Thursday 8/7, 4:50 PM CT |
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Jeff Francis lost his eighth game of the season, throwing just 5.1 innings and allowing five earned runs on eight hits, including two home runs.
Our View: This was his first performance since coming off the DL, and the results were not favorable. Continue to ignore him in fantasy leagues. |
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| Ramirez homers again | Thursday 8/7, 4:16 PM CT |
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Manny Ramirez keeps making the Dodgers faithful happy, as he hit another home run for L.A., his fourth, and collected two RBI to help the Dodgers take down St. Louis.
Our View: Despite his personal quirks, Manny keeps being Manny with the bat, and is off to a terrific start in Los Angeles while fantasy owners reap the rewards. |
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| Glaus is hitless | Thursday 8/7, 4:13 PM CT |
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Like many of his Cardinals brethren, Troy Glaus failed to get a hit in St. Louis' 4-1 loss to the Dodgers.
Our View: After a scorching July, Glaus now has just two RBI so far in August, along with a .217 batting average. Glaus can be streaky though, so fantasy owners should bear with him unless it gets worse. |
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| Kershaw throws a gem | Thursday 8/7, 4:07 PM CT |
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Clayton Kershaw went seven innings, giving up just one run on three hits and striking out seven in the Dodgers 4-1 win over St. Louis.
Our View: Kershaw is rolling. In his last three starts, he's gone 19 innings, giving up just one run on 11 hits while striking out 15. Fantasy owners likely dropped him when he got sent to the minors, so it's possible he's available on the waiver wire. If so, pick him up. |
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| Lohse takes loss | Thursday 8/7, 4:04 PM CT |
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Kyle Lohse threw seven innings, but allowed four earned runs on seven hits while striking out five to earn the loss in the Dodgers 4-1 victory over St. Louis.
Our View: Lohse wasn't bad, but he allowed a home run to Manny Ramirez and the Cards were stymied by Clayton Kershaw, so Lohse suffered defeat. |
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| Howard goes 0-for-4 | Thursday 8/7, 3:28 PM CT |
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Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Marlins at home. He left three men on base.
Our View: He snapped a hot streak, as he racked up six hits and two homers over his previous four outings. |
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| Hamels dealt eight loss | Thursday 8/7, 3:25 PM CT |
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Cole Hamels allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 6.1 innings in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Marlins, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Our View: Hamels pitched well enough to win, but his team-mates failed to offer any run support. He falls to 9-8, and is now winless in six straight starts, despite only allowing two earned runs four times over the span. |
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| Ramirez leads Marlins to win | Thursday 8/7, 3:21 PM CT |
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Hanley Ramirez went 1-for-3 with an RBI double in Thursday's 3-0 win at Philadelphia. He also registered two walks, and a stolen base, his 27th of the season.
Our View: Ramirez should remain productive down the stretch for Florida, even if his batting average remains below .300. |
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| Volstad hurls six scoreless | Thursday 8/7, 3:16 PM CT |
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Chris Volstad hurled six scoreless innings, with only three hits allowed, in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Phillies. He also registered three strikeouts and four walks.
Our View: Volstad claimed his third win of the season, and trimmed his ERA to 2.67. He should remain active in NL-only leagues. |
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| Phillies claim Eyre | Thursday 8/7, 2:51 PM CT |
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The Phillies have claimed reliever Scott Eyre, who has been designated for assignment earlier in the week by the Cubs, according to the AP. The Phillies sent right-hander Brian Schlitter to Chicago in the trade between NL division leaders.
Our View: Eyre nailed down two wins with the Cubs, but allowed nine earned runs, four walks, and 15 hits over 11.1 innings. Eyre should only be considered in deeper NL-only leagues that use middle men. |
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| Redding injured | Thursday 8/7, 2:34 PM CT |
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Tim Redding was struck in the right leg by a fly ball while standing in the outfield during batting practice Thursday, according to the Washington Post.
Our View: Redding fell to the ground, and remained down for about a minute. Trainer Lee Kuntz trotted to the outfield, and Redding walked gingerly off the diamond. The team says he has a right quad contusion and should be able to make his next start.
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| Gonzalez goes 1-for-3 with RBI | Thursday 8/7, 2:29 PM CT |
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Adrian Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with an RBI in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Mets. The Padres only registered six hits today.
Our View: He ended the three-game set against the Mets with only two hits, but at least he registered two RBI and one of his knocks was a homer. |
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| Kouzmanoff goes 0-for-4 | Thursday 8/7, 2:23 PM CT |
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Kevin Kouzmanoff went 0-for-4 in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Mets. He left a team-high five men on base.
Our View: Kouzmanoff has gone hitless in two straight games against the Mets, but should bounce back, as the Padres head to Coors Field for a three-game set against the Rockies. |
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| Wright hits game-winning homer | Thursday 8/7, 2:18 PM CT |
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David Wright went 3-for-5 and hit a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Padres Thursday at Shea Stadium.
Our View: That was Wright's 21st homer of the season, snapping an eight game drought. |
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| Santana dealt no decision | Thursday 8/7, 2:14 PM CT |
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Johan Santana allowed two earned runs on four hits over seven innings in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Padres at Shea Stadium, with three walks and seven strikeouts. He exited the game with a 3-1 lead, but the Padres scored a run in the eighth and ninth innings to tie the game, leaving Santana with a no decision instead of his 10th win with the Mets. David Wright hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for New York.
Our View: Santana is stuck on nine wins with the Mets, and has been handed a no decision in five of his last seven starts. He has now allowed two or less earned runs in four straight outings, but only has one win over the span. |
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| Schmidt not likely to return? | Thursday 8/7, 1:55 PM CT |
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Joe Torre stated before Thursday's game against the Cardinals that Jason Schmidt likely won't return this season, according to the LA Daily News. Torre said, "Yes, for this year. At this juncture, a lot would have to happen in a hurry for him to be able to pitch for us at this level. He would have to start throwing bullpens (now), and then his rehab probably would take him through the second week of September at this point. I think it would be a long shot."
Our View: The team has a lot invested financially in Schmidt, but only received one win out of him in 2008. |
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| Castro leaves with ankle pain | Thursday 8/7, 1:50 PM CT |
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Ramon Castro exited Thursday's game against the Padres after the fourth inning due to recurring pain in his right ankle, according to Mets.com.
Our View: He was playing for the first time since initially injuring the ankle Saturday. He was replaced behind the plate by Robinson Cancel. |
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| Penny set to be activated | Thursday 8/7, 12:41 PM CT |
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Brad Penny is set to be activated from the DL to start Friday against the Giants, according to the AP. He has recovered from mild tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Our View: Penny will be a welcome addition back to the Dodgers' rotation, but fantasy owners should wait until he proves to be effective again before returning him to lineups. He held a 5-9 record with a 5.88 ERA and 1.60 WHIP over 15 starts prior to landing on the DL. |
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| Mock recalled | Thursday 8/7, 11:50 AM CT |
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Garrett Mock has been recalled from Triple-A Columbus, according to the AP. He fills the roster spot for outfielder Elijah Dukes, who landed on the DL due to a strained right calf.
Our View: The 25-year-old righty is 6-3 with a 3.01 ERA over 19 games with Columbus, but went 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA in five games during three previous stints with the Nationals. He will be used as a reliever out of the bullpen, and does not merit fantasy consideration.
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| Dukes placed on DL | Thursday 8/7, 11:46 AM CT |
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Elijah Dukes has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a strained right calf, according to the AP. The Nationals recalled pitcher Garrett Mock from Triple-A Columbus as the adjoining move.
Our View: Dukes, who returned from a knee injury last Friday, has been sidelined since hitting himself in the leg with his bat while appearing as a pinch hitter Saturday. Dukes could return by the end of August, and is worth holding onto in NL-only leagues, based on his speed and power potential. |
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| Red Sox put a claim on Giles | Thursday 8/7, 11:28 AM CT |
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The Red Sox are one of the teams that has put a claim on Brian Giles, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. They have a 48-hour period in which to try to work out a trade with San Diego.
Our View: It seems highly unlikely that the Sox actually want Giles given their glut of outfielders. They're most likely just blocking either the Angels or Rays (the only two teams with better records) from getting him. |
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| Mets not counting on Church return | Thursday 8/7, 11:25 AM CT |
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The Mets aren't counting on Ryan Church returning from post-concussion syndrome this season, according to the NY Daily News. "I'm not optimistic about that," manager Jerry Manuel said. "It's very foreign to all of us and we just aren't sure as to where it could go. And historically, it hasn't gone in our direction. We've been going through this, I don't know how long. Two months? Whatever. But, if it does turn out to be something favorable for us, it would be very, very welcome." Church took batting practice with the team yesterday and fielded balls in the outfield and is expected to go through an examination either today or tomorrow.
Our View: The surprising production of Fernando Tatis is looking more and more welcome each day. However, the Mets are trotting out a host of unknowns in left field these days. |
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| Byrnes still hopes to return | Thursday 8/7, 9:16 AM CT |
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If Eric Byrnes' rehab work continues to make favorable strides and the results of an MRI exam this month look positive, Byrnes said Wednesday that he expects to be activated from the 60-day DL and be available for Arizona's stretch run, according to the Arizona Republic. He sustained a torn left hamstring, but said, "My ego is not big enough to say I'm going to come in and try to be the hero in September. That's not the idea. It's to get healthy enough to play and help this team in whatever capacity I can."
Our View: Byrnes still looks to be unlikely to return this season, and fantasy owners should not be waiting for him. |
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| Burton still struggling with injury | Thursday 8/7, 8:31 AM CT |
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The Reds were hoping that shutting down Jared Burton for the three-game series right before All-Star break along with the All-Star break would be enough for him to recover from his strained right latissimus muscle, but at three weeks later, he is still suffering from the injury, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Burton said, "It's frustrating. I was going to try to test it Monday in a game situation but it wouldn't cooperate. It feels good when I long toss, but when I get on the mound and go at game speed, I feel it."
Our View: Burton did not throw Tuesday or Wednesday, but will resume throwing today. He has been the Reds' most consistent reliever, with a 2.23 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 48.1 innings. |
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| Sanchez hitting well | Thursday 8/7, 7:56 AM CT |
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Freddy Sanchez has been hot since the All-Star break, as he is hitting .400 (22-for-55) with three doubles, three homers, and nine RBI over 15 games, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Our View: Keep him active in fantasy lineups while he is hot (and healthy). |
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| Bourn may be ready for Reds? | Thursday 8/7, 7:30 AM CT |
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Michael Bourn missed his 10th straight start Wednesday due to his sprained right ankle, but may be ready to return to the lineup for the series opener against the Reds Thursday, according to the Houston Chronicle. He said, "I feel pretty good. I took fly balls two days ago, and I didn’t feel pretty bad. I move better to the left, going to the left, than going to the right. Maybe I’ll be ready."
Our View: This is good news he may return Thursday, but hopefully his speed won't be compromised, as he holds most of his fantasy value as a base stealer (has 33 steals over 97 games). |
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| Geary almost ready | Thursday 8/7, 7:24 AM CT |
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Geoff Geary, who is nursing a right groin injury, was unavailable for a second straight game Wednesday, but is almost ready to return to the hill, according to the Houston Chronicle. Manager Cecil Cooper said, "I’m going to say one more day for Geary. He felt awful good Tuesday. He threw off the mound a little bit and felt not as bad as we thought."
Our View: Geary has fared well as a middle reliever this season, as he only allowed 13 earned runs over 50.1 innings, with a 1.13 WHIP and 40 strikeouts. He should be safe to return to lineups for the next fantasy week. |
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