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| Upton will play on Sunday | Saturday 8/16, 11:49 PM CT |
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B.J. Upton will return to the lineup on Sunday, the Tampa Tribune reports.
Our View: The youngster was reprimanded with a bench spot on Saturday after he failed to hustle on Friday. Hopefully B.J. learned the lesson. |
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| Guillen back in the lineup | Saturday 8/16, 10:57 PM CT |
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Carlos Guillen went 1-for-4 with a solo homer on Saturday night. The bigger news was that he was in the lineup after missing three games due to a sore lower back.
Our View: Fantasy owners can feel free to use Guillen in their lineups moving forward. |
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| Harrison throws a birthday party | Saturday 8/16, 10:11 PM CT |
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Matt Harrison posted easily the best performance of his young career on Saturday night. The southpaw celebrated his 23rd birthday by tossing eight shutout innings against the Rays. He allowed three hits, walked none, and struck out eight. Harrison improved to 5-2.
Our View: Fantasy owners will buy Harrison a bunch of cakes if he treats every outing like it's his birthday. He hadn't been impressive in seven starts leading up to this gem, and fantasy owners should wait at least one more start before thinking about him. |
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| Matsui goes 1-for-3 | Saturday 8/16, 10:03 PM CT |
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Hideki Matsui went 1-for-3 with a single in his second rehab game on Saturday. He has been out since June 22 due to a sore left knee.
Our View: It sounds like the Yankees will push Matsui quickly if his knee responds well. He could be back next week and potentially help fantasy teams over the final five weeks or so. |
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| Cabrera hits 25th homer | Saturday 8/16, 9:35 PM CT |
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Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs, and one RBI in Saturday's win over the Orioles. He is up to 25 home runs on the season, including nine since the All-Star break.
Our View: Cabrera has been a fantasy stud over the past six weeks or so with 14 homers and 45 RBI over 38 games. What took you so long, Miggy? |
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| Verlander back in the win column | Saturday 8/16, 9:25 PM CT |
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Justin Verlander bounced back from four straight rough outings and improved to 9-13 with a win over the Orioles on Saturday night. He held the O's to four hits and two unearned runs over six innings. Verlander walked three and struck out six.
Our View: It's too late for Verlander to salvage his very disappointing season, but it's nice to see him have an outing like this. It will be even nicer if he can string together a handful of effective showings. |
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| Byrd shows the same feathers | Saturday 8/16, 8:37 PM CT |
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Paul Byrd made his Red Sox debut on Saturday and took the loss against the Blue Jays. The right-hander allowed 10 hits and four runs over 7.1 innings. He also walked none and struck out none.
Our View: Byrd pitched like, well, Paul Byrd. The veteran had been hot before moving to Boston, but we didn't expect that to last. Fantasy owners can feel free to use him for his win potential, but you shouldn't expect a great ERA. |
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| Rios goes deep | Saturday 8/16, 8:35 PM CT |
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Alex Rios went 2-for-4 with a triple and a two-run homer in Saturday's win over the Red Sox.
Our View: Rios has knocked five homers since the All-Star break, which bests his total (four) from prior to the mid-July festivities. He is still way below the total we expected. |
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| Ellsbury back in the lineup | Saturday 8/16, 8:33 PM CT |
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Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the starting lineup on Saturday, but he went 0-for-4 against Roy Halladay. The outfielder has missed four starts due to a bruise near his tailbone.
Our View: Fantasy owners can plan on using Ellsbury moving forward, and they shouldn't treat him too harshly for failing against one of the best hurlers in the majors. |
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| Halladay tosses complete game | Saturday 8/16, 8:31 PM CT |
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Roy Halladay tossed a complete game against the Red Sox on Saturday and improved to 14-9. The ace carried a shutout into the ninth inning, when he allowed a solo homer. Halladay finished with seven hits and one run against.
Our View: Doc isn't the frontrunner, but his name should be mentioned in Cy Young talk. He has now tossed eight complete games and ranks among the leaders in wins, ERA, WHIP, and BAA. Oh, and he's been excellent for fantasy teams. |
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| Montanez sits with injured hand | Saturday 8/16, 8:16 PM CT |
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Lou Montanez was not available on Saturday due to an injured left hand and wrist. He was hit by a throw on Friday. "Montanez is not able to swing a bat," manager Dave Trembley informs MLB.com. "When he slid into second [Friday] night, he got hit. So he's sore and he's not in the lineup." The outfielder may be able to play on Sunday.
Our View: The ailment doesn't sound serious, and it hopefully won't cool off Montanez's hot bat. |
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| Feierabend to start on Sunday | Saturday 8/16, 7:37 PM CT |
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The Mariners will officially call up Ryan Feierabend on Sunday and have him start against the Twins, the AP confirms. The 22-year-old southpaw is 7-2 with a 2.49 ERA over 17 minor league starts this year.
Our View: The Mariners have no reason not to let Feierabend come up and make a handful of starts. He did not fare well over his 49.1 innings in 2007, but the youngster may be better prepared this time around. Fantasy owners shouldn't trust him, yet. |
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| Silva placed on DL | Saturday 8/16, 7:34 PM CT |
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The Mariners have placed Carlos Silva on the 15-day disabled list due to tendinitis in his right elbow, the AP reports. Ryan Feierabend has been called up and will start on Sunday.
Our View: We have a feeling that the Mariners won't rush Silva back. He has had a nightmare season, and the club might as well get a decent look at a youngster like Feierabend. |
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| Team not counting on Burnett in 2009 | Saturday 8/16, 7:18 PM CT |
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The Blue Jays aren't counting on A.J. Burnett being part of their team in 2009. "It certainly looks like A.J. won’t be here," manager Cito Gaston tells the Toronto Star. "I don’t know, but we might have a few guys who can pick that slack up." Burnett says he hasn't made up his mind about opting out of the final two years of his contract. He can earn $24 million over 2009 and 2010.
Our View: Given the funny money we've seen thrown at free agent pitchers in recent years, it makes financial sense for Burnett to hit the open market. He'd really need to love Toronto to stick around. |
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| Bradley scratched | Saturday 8/16, 6:55 PM CT |
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Milton Bradley has been scratched from Saturday's lineup due to an illness, the Dallas Morning News reports. Dr. Keith Meister will examine the DH/outfielder. Frank Catalonotto will start in his place.
Our View: We'll assume that Bradley is day-to-day until we know more. He previously missed time this month due to a strained quad. |
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| K-Rod picks up 47th save | Saturday 8/16, 6:47 PM CT |
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Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 47th save of the season when he worked a scoreless ninth against the Indians on Saturday. He allowed one hit and struck out two. Rodriguez has tied his single-season career-high in saves, set in 2006.
Our View: There have only been 14 seasons of more than 47 saves in major league history, and K-Rod is only 10 short of tying Bobby Thigpen's record. He has dominated that fantasy category this year. |
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| Padilla pushed to Tuesday | Saturday 8/16, 6:43 PM CT |
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Vicente Padilla will miss his scheduled start on Sunda due to an inflamed muscle joint in his neck, the AP reports. Dustin Nippert will take his place against the Rays. Padilla is tentatively rescheduled to work on Tuesday against the Tigers.
Our View: Padilla has been a pain in the neck for fantasy teams since his solid work in April and May. We wouldn't count on him next week. |
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| Anderson owns 20-game hitting streak | Saturday 8/16, 6:40 PM CT |
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Garret Anderson went 2-for-4 on Saturday and extended his hitting streak to 20 games. He is batting .386 (32-for-83) over that time.
Our View: The veteran outfielder/DH is making up for his awful, awful June. Anderson remains a boring but mildly useful player in mixed fantasy leagues. |
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| Loe recalled | Saturday 8/16, 6:37 PM CT |
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The Rangers have recalled pitcher Kameron Loe, the Ticker reports.
Our View: Once a promising arm, the 26-year-old Loe simply hasn't developed as the organization had hoped. He has no fantasy value. |
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| Lackey notches 10th win | Saturday 8/16, 6:34 PM CT |
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John Lackey improved to 10-2 with a so-so performance against the Indians on Saturday. The ace allowed six hits and three runs over six innings. He walked three (two intentional), struck out three, and allowed two homers.
Our View: Lacker hasn't always had his best stuff recently, but he keeps on winning. He remains a very solid starter in fantasy leagues. |
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| Danks effective against A's | Saturday 8/16, 6:29 PM CT |
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John Danks continues to do fine work for the Pale Hose. The southpaw improved to 10-5 by holding the A's to six hits and one run over six innings. Danks walked five and struck out five. He is 3-0 against the A's this year.
Our View: The A's helped out by hitting into three double plays over the first five innings. Danks continues to be one of the best surprise stories of the fantasy season. |
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| DeJesus returns | Saturday 8/16, 6:25 PM CT |
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David DeJesus returned to the lineup on Saturday and went 2-for-6 with a double. He had missed the previous two games due to a sore lower back.
Our View: DeJesus is having a fine season with the stick, but nagging injuries have punched holes in his playing time and ultimately kept his numbers down. If he can have a strong finish, his 2009 value could go way up. |
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| Ichiro collects two hits, two RBI | Saturday 8/16, 6:22 PM CT |
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Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base in Saturday's loss to the Twins. He is hitting .331 since July 1.
Our View: Ichiro hasn't performed up to his lofty standards this season, but he has been peppering the ball a little better over the last six weeks. |
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| Mauer stars in win over Mariners | Saturday 8/16, 6:18 PM CT |
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Joe Mauer scored the winning run in the thrilling 6-5 win over the Mariners on Saturday afternoon. The catcher went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs, and two RBI, and he pushed his average to .321.
Our View: The 2006 AL batting champ is in the thick of the race again. He also happens to be one of the game's best fantasy catchers despite his lack of homers. |
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| Casilla takes batting practice | Saturday 8/16, 5:50 PM CT |
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Alexi Casilla took batting practice on Saturday and could begin a minor league rehab assignment early next week, MLB.com reports. He is trying to come back from a torn ligament in his right thumb. Casilla only hit from the right side on Saturday, as the thumb bothers him more when he hits left-handed. The Twins are cautiously hoping that Casilla could rejoin the club as early as August 21.
Our View: We're skeptical that Casilla will be ready by August 21, but we also didn't think he'd be this far along by now. We'll continue to update his status. |
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| Cano scores two | Saturday 8/16, 5:34 PM CT |
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Robinson Cano wetn 2-for-6 with a triple, two runs, and an RBI in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Royals. He is hitting .327 since the All-Star break.
Our View: Cano's numbers remain well below what fantasy owners expected heading into the season, but a very strong finish could help ease some of the anger. |
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| Grienke solid against Yankees | Saturday 8/16, 5:31 PM CT |
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Zack Greinke held the Yankees to two unearned runs over 6.2 innings on Saturday afternoon. He served up six hits, walked two, and struck out five in the no-decision.
Our View: Grienke's ERA is 5.50 since the All-Star break and nearly that high since the end of May. He earned a lot of fantasy respect early in the year, but Zach needs a strong final six weeks to push up his 2009 value. |
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| Gardner delivers | Saturday 8/16, 5:16 PM CT |
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Brett Gardner came through with a game-winning RBI single on Saturday afternoon. He went 3-for-5 in the game, and his biggest hit came in the 13th inning. The Yankees defeated the Royals 3-2.
Our View: Gardner should play fairly regularly following the demotion of Melky Cabrera. He has pretty good speed and a decent bat. Gardner isn't a great fantasy addition, but he could help AL-only clubs. |
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| Hafner to start assignment on Tuesday | Saturday 8/16, 4:52 PM CT |
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Travis Hafner will head to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment, MLB.com reports. He will serve as the DH. Hafner has been out since May 25 due to a strained right shoulder.
Our View: If Hafner can hit roughly .500-30-80 in September, fantasy owners will be able to forgive him for his awful season thus far. The Indians haven't posted a timetable for his minor league rehab, but we'd be surprised if it was any shorter than one week. |
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| Martinez to move up, catch on Tuesday | Saturday 8/16, 4:50 PM CT |
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Victor Martinez will move up his rehab assignment to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, and he will switch from DH to catcher, MLB.com reports. He is coming back from right elbow surgery. Martinez has also dealt with a lingering left hamstring issue this season.
Our View: We haven't seen an exact return date for Martinez, but we imagine the Indians will want to test his elbow for at least 3-5 days at Triple-A. We'll continue to update his progress as he attempts to come back and help fantasy teams in late August and September. |
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| Poreda could get the call? | Saturday 8/16, 4:29 PM CT |
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The White Sox are thinking about calling up pitcher Aaron Poreda for Tuesday's open start against the Mariners, MLB.com reports. "The bottom line is we have a lot of possibilities, but to tell you the truth, nothing has been discussed in depth yet," pitching coach Don Cooper says. Poreda, 21, is 7-8 with a 3.38 ERA over 24 starts split between High-A and Double-A.
Our View: It sounds like the White Sox aren't quite ready to promote the prized prospect, but it's interesting to know that they are even discussing it. Poreda is a nice keeper league hurler. |
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| Quiroz to start on Saturday | Saturday 8/16, 4:18 PM CT |
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Guillermo Quiroz will start at catcher on Saturday in place of Ramon Hernandez, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Our View: It looks like Saturday is simply a day off for Hernandez, who has been swinging a strong bat since the All-Star break. |
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| Papelbon to work through migraines | Saturday 8/16, 4:14 PM CT |
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Jonathan Papelbon will be available on Saturday night despite suffering from migraines over the past two days, the Boston Globe reports. "I've had them pretty bad the last couple of days. When I get them it affects my whole body. But I should be OK. I take the medication. I should be OK," he explains.
Our View: Fantasy owners can safely use the dominant closer. |
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| Duensing leads Team USA to win | Saturday 8/16, 4:07 PM CT |
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Brian Duensing held Team Canada to one single over 3.1 innings and picked up a crucial win in the Olympics Preliminary Round. The southpaw walked none and struck out three in the 5-4 victory.
Our View: Duensing, 25, is 5-11 with a 4.32 ERA at Triple-A Rochester this season. He might be a No. 4 or 5 starter down the road, but he could also easily end up in long relief. The Twins are loaded with young pitching. A strong showing in the Olympics can only boost his confidence. |
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| Feierabend likely to get start | Saturday 8/16, 3:49 PM CT |
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The Seattle Mariners will likely call up pitcher Ryan Feierabend to make the start tomorrow should they put Carlos Silva on the DL as expected, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Our View: Feierabend did not perform well last season with Seattle, but he has been outstanding for Triple-A Tacoma with a 7-1 record and 2.04 ERA. Don't rush to put him on any fantasy teams yet, however. Wait and see how he does in his first start before adding him. |
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| Wakefield gets work in | Saturday 8/16, 3:40 PM CT |
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Tim Wakefield played catch for the first time in about a week as he begins to recover from shoulder tightness, according to the Providence Journal.
Our View: Wakefield made around 30 tosses and he will start to stretch that out before presumably going on a rehab assignment. Despite having just seven wins, fantasy owners were pleased with Wakefield's good WHIP (1.18) and and ERA (3.67). |
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| Martinez sees action | Saturday 8/16, 3:33 PM CT |
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Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez went 0-for-2 with a walk in his first rehab start since injuring his elbow, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Martinez played as the DH, but he will be the catcher early next week. He is on track, but no specific return date is known at this point. |
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| Silva to go on DL | Saturday 8/16, 3:29 PM CT |
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Mariners pitcher Carlos Silva will likely be put on the disabled list due to "arm fatigue," according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Our View: Silva's malady has likely been deemed "arm fatigue" because they don't have a medical term for horribleness. For $48 million, the Mariners have gotten one win from Silva since April. |
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| Hill's season is over | Saturday 8/16, 2:35 PM CT |
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Second baseman Aaron Hill will not play again this season due to continued problems with a concussion he suffered in May, according to NationalPost.com.
Our View: Hill does not have a timetable for his return, and he is currently seeing specialists about the issue. |
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| Yankees fire scouts | Saturday 8/16, 2:29 PM CT |
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The New York Yankees have fired two scouts who are being investigated for paying players small amounts of their signing bonuses while keeping the rest, according to the New York Times.
Our View: The scouts are Carlos Ríos, who directed Latin American scouting, and Ramón Valdivia, who was the director of Dominican Republic scouting. The FBI is looking into the matter. |
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| Dickey goes back to bullpen | Saturday 8/16, 1:28 PM CT |
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Mariners hurler R.A. Dickey has been put back in the bullpen after his struggles as a starter, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Our View: As a reliever, the knuckleball specialist has held opponents to a .200 batting average, while as a starter, he was hit for a .313 average. Dickey has little fantasy value in his current role. |
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| Upton benched | Saturday 8/16, 1:03 PM CT |
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B.J. Upton was removed from the game for a second time in a week for failing to hustle on Friday, and he will be benched again on Saturday, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Rays manager Joe Maddon explained it, saying, "I can’t make it any more plain, simple, obvious, black and white. There are no gray areas. I can’t have Aki (Iwamura) run like he is and (Carlos) Pena and Cliff (Floyd), who has two bad knees, etc., and permit that. I can’t permit it.”
Our View: Upton will learn one way or another that Maddon wants his squad to play a certain way, and he will sit if he does not. Fantasy owners who enjoy his numbers can only hope that he retains the information this time. |
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| Byrd has good match-up | Saturday 8/16, 12:33 PM CT |
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Paul Byrd could not have asked for a better team to make his Red Sox debut against than Toronto. Players on the Blue Jays current roster are hitting a combined .226 off Byrd with a .262 average and just one home run.
Our View: Byrd has dominated the current players on Toronto's squad for whatever reason. Not a single Blue Jay with at least 10 career at-bats against Byrd is hitting better than .267 off of him. If you have him on your fantasy roster, be sure he's active. |
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| Ibanez looking good | Saturday 8/16, 12:26 PM CT |
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Raul Ibanez has a great match-up Saturday when he squares off against Minnesota hurler Scott Baker. Ibanez has six hits, including two home runs, in 13 lifetime at-bats against Baker.
Our View: Ibaniez is having another very solid season, providing fantasy owners with 82 RBI and 19 home runs. |
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| Youkilis successful against Halladay | Saturday 8/16, 10:00 AM CT |
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When the Boston Red Sox take on the Toronto Blue Jays and starter Roy Halladay, there will be at least one player with good success against him - Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis has a career .361 average against the Cy Young candidate.
Our View: In his career, Youkilis has gone 13-for-36 with an OBP of .452 and slugging percentage of .556. The first baseman (and third baseman while Mike Lowell is on the DL) has been hot lately and looks to continue that success tonight for fantasy owners. |
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| DeJesus improving | Saturday 8/16, 9:53 AM CT |
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Royals outfielder David DeJesus said his lower back strain is improving, but there is no timetable for him to return to action, according to the Kansas City Star. “At night, I was waking up every two hours. It’s better. That’s not happening anymore," he said.
Our View: DeJesus hasn't been of much use to fantasy owners as of late, but that could change if he reverts to full health. |
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| Galarraga will be in rotation next year | Saturday 8/16, 9:34 AM CT |
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It would have been surprising if it had not happened, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland confirmed that hurler Armando Galarraga has secured a spot in the starting rotation next season, according to the Detroit Free-Press. "As we speak, he's earned a spot in the rotation," Leyland said.
Our View: We should hope so. Galarraga has posted very good totals, with a 3.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 11 wins. He has been one of the great pickups this season for fantasy owners on the waiver wire. |
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| Willis goes six innings | Saturday 8/16, 9:29 AM CT |
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Tigers pitcher Dontrelle Willis went six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking two in his start in Triple-A Toledo, according to the Detroit Free-Press.
Our View: Willis' fastball was between 88-90 MPH, which is acceptable, and his control seems improved, as two walks is much better than what he had been dishing out. There is still no timetable for his return. |
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| Phillies not interested in Sexson | Saturday 8/16, 9:08 AM CT |
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The Philadelphia Phillies are not interested in acquiring first baseman Richie Sexson despite their need for another power bat off the bench, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
Our View: Why would they be? Why would anyone? Sexson has struck out 31% of his at-bats this season, and has gotten on base just 32% of the time. |
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| Chamberlain to remain starter | Saturday 8/16, 8:34 AM CT |
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Yankees manager Joe Girardi said New York hurler Joba Chamberlain will likely remain a starting pitcher when he comes off the disabled list, according to the New York Daily News. "We envision him as a big league starter," Girardi said.
Our View: There had been speculation that Chamberlain would move to the bullpen, but that probably will not be the case. |
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| Smoak signs with Rangers | Saturday 8/16, 7:35 AM CT |
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First baseman Justin Smoak signed a deal with the Texas Rangers for a signing bonus of $3.5 million, according to the Dallas Morning News. The University of South Carolina product was the team's first-round selection.
Our View: Smoak and the team got the deal done with around 15 minutes left before the deadline for teams to sign their draft picks passed. |
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| Cust goes 3-for-3 with a pair of homers | Saturday 8/16, 12:14 AM CT |
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Jack Cust went 3-for-3 with a pair of homers in Oakland's 6-4 win Friday.
Our View: Cust is batting only .231 on the year, but the A's don't really mind the low average since it's come along with 22 homers and a .377 OBP. |
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| Colon leaves start due to illness | Saturday 8/16, 12:03 AM CT |
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Bartolo Colon left his rehab outing after one inning Friday due to illness, according to MLB.com. "He pitched one full inning, and he got sick," manager Terry Francona said. "That's all I have right now. We'll get more."
Our View: Give that Colon's daily caloric intake is probably in the vicinity of 20,000, we're not surprised his tummy got a little upset. We'll let you know when he plans to get back on the mound. |
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