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| Peavy goes six innings | Monday 8/25, 11:57 PM CT |
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Jake Peavy went six innings and surrendered two earned runs while striking out seven in the Padres 4-2 win over Arizona.
Our View: Even with his 9-9 record, Peavy has been a good addition to fantasy staffs, with an ERA under 3.00 and a solid WHIP under 1.20. |
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| Haren throws well | Monday 8/25, 11:55 PM CT |
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Dan Haren did not figure in the decision in the Diamondbacks 4-2 loss to San Diego, but he threw well, going seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out 11.
Our View: Haren has had a difficult August, but a few more performances like this and his ERA will be back below 3.00 soon. |
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| Alvarez not returning Pirates calls | Monday 8/25, 11:53 PM CT |
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The second overall pick in the draft by the Pirates, infielder Pedro Alvarez, has been unreachable since the team agreed to pay him a $6 million signing bonus 11 days ago, as he has not returned the team's calls, according to the TimesOnline.com. The team wants to give Alvarez a physical and hold a news conference but have been unable to locate him.
Our View: If someone wanted to give us $6 million, we aren't waiting 11 hours, much less 11 days, to get there. Seems odd that Alvarez is ignoring the Pirates, unless there is an issue nobody is privy to. |
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| Helton to take B.P. | Monday 8/25, 10:54 PM CT |
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Todd Helton ran in the Colorado outfield, and he will begin to take batting practice soon, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Helton has a problematic lower back, and has had trouble with flare ups for some time, so there is nothing to get too excited about here. Helton has tried to take B.P. before and couldn't proceed because his back acted up. |
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| Tulowitzki still not 100 percent | Monday 8/25, 10:51 PM CT |
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Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is not yet 100 percent healed from his torn quad muscle, and admits he will not be fully healthy until next season rolls around, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Though Tulo said it does not affect him at the plate, that is hard to believe, considering the season he has had. Dumping him and picking up someone else without still-torn quad may not be a bad idea. |
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| Rollins rebounds | Monday 8/25, 9:28 PM CT |
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Jimmy Rollins may have broken out of his month-long slump by going 3-for-3 with one walk, a run scored and two RBI in Philly's 5-0 win over the Dodgers.
Our View: Rollins came in batting under .200 for the month, and he doubled his RBI total for August with his two on Monday. The former MVP still needs to pick up the pace a bit. |
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| Billingsley takes loss | Monday 8/25, 9:25 PM CT |
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Dodgers hurler Chad Billingsley was too wild, walking five Philadelphia Phillies and picking up his 10th loss of the year by going six innings and allowing three earned runs in his team's 5-0 loss.
Our View: Billingsley has been one of the more underrated pitchers in fantasy baseball this season. He doesn't get enough attention, partly because his win total doesn't reflect how well he has thrown. |
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| Myers continues dominance | Monday 8/25, 9:22 PM CT |
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Brett Myers disappeared for the first half of the season, but he has finally reappeared, throwing seven shutout innings and striking out eight to earn his seventh win in Philadelphia's 5-0 win over the Dodgers.
Our View: In his seven starts after coming back from Triple-A, Meyers is 4-1 with a 1.68 ERA. It's possible he's still available in fantasy leagues, but after Monday's performance, he won't be for long. |
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| Soriano has big game | Monday 8/25, 9:18 PM CT |
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Alfonso Soriano and the Cubs beat the Pirates 12-3, and the Chicago outfielder had a hand in it by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Our View: The stolen bases are starting to come around, as Soriano now has four in his last four games, which is what fantasy owners have been wanting to see. |
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| Fukudome knocks in four | Monday 8/25, 9:16 PM CT |
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Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs to help the Cubs blow the Pirates out of the water, 12-3.
Our View: Fukudome was hitting just .159 in August before Monday's game, and he only raised that to .194 with this performance. He is struggling and fantasy players should use him with a certain amount of caution. |
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| Karstens doesn't last | Monday 8/25, 9:11 PM CT |
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Jeff Karstens managed to go just three innings in the Pirates 12-3 loss to Chicago. He gave up five earned runs on six hits and was generally ineffective.
Our View: Karstens was a hot pick-up in fantasy leagues since coming over from the Yankees, but this may temper expectations a bit, as his ERA rose from 2.25 to 3.48. |
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| Lilly wins 13th game | Monday 8/25, 9:09 PM CT |
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Cubs lefty Ted Lilly led the Cubs to a 12-3 win over Pittsburgh by going seven innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits and striking out seven. The win was his 13th of the year.
Our View: Lilly is 3-1 in August and has struck out 22 batters in his last 20 innings pitched. |
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| Bonds wants charges dropped | Monday 8/25, 9:01 PM CT |
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Barry Bonds, or actually, his lawyers, have asked a judge to drop 10 of the 14 charges against him in his perjury case, according to the AP. The lawyers are arguing that the questions asked of Bonds were far too ambiguous.
Our View: Bonds is scheduled to go on trial on March 2 to answer to the charges. No word on if that would change should some charges be dropped. |
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| Reyes has dominant night | Monday 8/25, 8:55 PM CT |
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Jose Reyes was a beast for the Mets on Monday in their 9-1 win over Houston. The young shortstop went 3-for-4 with a single, double, triple, two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base - his 41st of the year.
Our View: Reyes continues to do it all, showing why he was a top pick in fantasy drafts across the country. If he could just raise that OBP a smidgen, he would be nearly perfect. |
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| Delgado drives in six | Monday 8/25, 8:51 PM CT |
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Carlos Delgado hit a pair of three-run home runs on Monday, giving the Mets all the offense they needed behind Mike Pelfrey's complete game in New York's 9-1 win over Houston.
Our View: Delgado has had another solid year for fantasy owners, who had to be worried after his slow start and the talk that he had lost his power. |
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| Tejada's hitting streak ends | Monday 8/25, 8:48 PM CT |
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Miguel Tejada saw his modest six-game hitting streak come to an end as he went 0-for-4 in the Astros 9-1 beating at the hands of the Mets.
Our View: Tejada has put up decent numbers this season, but he has only hit 12 home runs on the season, and just two since June 20, which is a disappointment for fantasy owners hoping his power would increase playing in Houston. |
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| Pelfrey throws complete game | Monday 8/25, 8:45 PM CT |
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Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey threw a great game, going the full nine innings, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out six in the Mets 9-1 win over Houston.
Our View: Solid performance by Pelfrey, who threw his second complete game in a row. He is definitely someone fantasy owners need to keep starting, as he now has 13 wins and and ERA of 3.70. |
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| Lamb designated for assignment | Monday 8/25, 6:14 PM CT |
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The Twins essentially admitted they made a mistake by signing Mike Lamb to a two-year, $6.6 million contract before the season, as they designated the third baseman for assignment, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. They will still have to pay the remainder of Lamb's contract next year, which is $3.8 million.
Our View: Small market clubs like the Twins can't really afford to make many mistakes like this, but they had no choice but to DFA Lamb. He was hideous this year, hitting .233 with one home run and 32 RBI in 236 at-bats. He had no fantasy value. |
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| Would Philly deal Howard? | Monday 8/25, 4:44 PM CT |
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The Philadelphia Phillies are less than enamored with first baseman Ryan Howard's egregious strikeout total and poor defense, so the team will probably not offer him a long-term deal, and in fact may think about trading him, according to Ken Mandel of Phillies.com.
Our View: With 170 strikeouts in 493 at-bats, Howard has bent sent down on strikes 35 percent of the time. His batting average is also at .227, and his OBP is a mere .316, hardly good enough for a guy who will warrant a huge money deal. |
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| Castillo activated | Monday 8/25, 4:29 PM CT |
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Luis Castillo was activated from the disabled list on Monday, taking the roster spot of the newly disabled John Maine, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Castillo regains his marginal fantasy status, which comes mostly because of his 13 stolen bases. |
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| Maine put on DL | Monday 8/25, 4:25 PM CT |
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Mets hurler John Maine was put on the 15-day disabled list with a bone spur in his right shoulder, according to MLB.com. He will not throw at all for two weeks before attempting to get back at it, so his return to the rotation wouldn't come until the middle of September at the earliest.
Our View: The Mets still do not know who is going to take Maine's spot in the rotation, but whoever it is won't help fantasy owners quite as much as Maine did. He was certainly solid, and though a bit too wild at times, his 7.84 K/9 helped even things out. |
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| Bailey has sprained knee | Monday 8/25, 3:19 PM CT |
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Homer Bailey will miss his next start at Triple-A Louisville due to a a mild sprain of the MCL of his right knee, according to Reds.com.
Our View: He will be reevaluated by team physician Dr. Timothy Kremchek before the end of the week. Bailey holds no fantasy value as he went 0-6 over eight starts with the Reds this season, with a dismal 7.93 ERA and 2.09 WHIP. |
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| Pirates acquirer Diaz | Monday 8/25, 3:14 PM CT |
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The Pirates have acquired Robinzon Diaz from the Blue Jays to finish the deal involving Jose Bautista, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Our View: Diaz has been assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. He will not hold any fantasy value as a backup catcher if recalled before the end of the season. |
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| Cueto has strained elbow | Monday 8/25, 2:11 PM CT |
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It has been determined that Johnny Cueto suffered a strained right elbow when he was forced to exit his start against Colorado Sunday, according to the AP.
Our View: He is expected to miss at least one start due to the ailment. He will be examined again on Friday and the injury was believed to be caused by a hyperextension. |
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| Pujols named NL Player of Week | Monday 8/25, 2:08 PM CT |
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Albert Pujols has been named the NL Player of the Week, according to the AP. Pujols hit .579 (11-for-19) last week, while crushing two home runs with 10 RBI.
Our View: The award-winning week moved him into a tie with Chipper Jones for the league lead with a .359 batting average. It marks the seventh weekly award of his career. |
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| Martin may be tiring? | Monday 8/25, 2:00 PM CT |
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Russell Martin may be tiring, according to the LA Daily News. He batted eighth in the lineup for the third time this month Sunday, and entered the day with one hit in his last 12 at-bats. Manager Joe Torre said, "It's not hurting him to bat eighth, let's put it that way. I don't think it's any magic formula right now. We need to win ballgames, and he seems to be all right hitting eighth." Martin had thrown out only 15.5 percent of the runners who had tried to steal on him, putting him last in the majors among everyday catchers, and the 77 steals against him were the fourth-most among all major league catchers. Last year, when he won the National League's Gold Glove as the best defensive player at catcher, Martin threw out 30 percent of the runners who tried to steal on him.
Our View: His decline is believed to be due to fatigue. He should still remain active in all lineups at a thin position, and hopefully he can finish the year strong in September. |
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| Uggla confident regarding swing | Monday 8/25, 1:19 PM CT |
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Dan Uggla was benched Sunday after going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts Saturday, but he is confident he will get back on track, according to the Miami Herald. He said, "It's just a matter of time before I get hot again."
Our View: He is only hitting .189 since the All-Star break. He feels he will get hot again, and hopefully it will happen down the stretch in September, when fantasy owners need him the most. |
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| Young back in two weeks? | Monday 8/25, 12:04 PM CT |
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The Nationals are hopeful to get Dmitri Young back in around two weeks, according to the Washington Post. Young has been fighting to get his diabetes under control.
Our View: The team is continuing to get him fit to play. He is worth stashing for the deepest of NL-only leagues. |
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| Myers returns to form | Monday 8/25, 11:59 AM CT |
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Brett Myers is finally pitching like the ace he was -- and is presumed to be. He has a 1.49 ERA in his past five starts with 23 strikeouts in his last three starts (23.2 innings). The right-hander 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA in six starts since returning from a stint in Triple-A. His only losing effort came against the LA Dodgers, a game he could easily have won. Myers faces the Dodgers again tonight, and his 2.86 ERA in 11 career appearances against the Big Blue gives him a chance to continue his winning ways.
Our View: Myers has posted a fantastic 26:4 K:BB Ratio in his last 30 innings and his home runs and walks allowed have decreased significantly. |
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| Votto is hot | Monday 8/25, 10:04 AM CT |
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Joey Votto is hot as he racked up three hits in three of his last four games, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Our View: He has registered three hits in a game 16 times this season, giving him the lead among rookies. Geovany Soto of the Cubs ranks second in three-hit outings with eight. Votto should remain solid down the stretch as a fantasy first baseman. |
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| Cordero left team Sunday | Monday 8/25, 9:57 AM CT |
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Francisco Cordero left the team before Sunday's game to attend to an undisclosed personal matter, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Our View: Manager Dusty Baker did not indicate whether he thinks he will be back for Tuesday's game at Houston. The Reds are off today. We will keep you posted on his status. |
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| Doumit returns to lineup | Monday 8/25, 8:32 AM CT |
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Ryan Doumit returned to the Pirates' lineup Sunday after leaving Friday's game with flu-like symptoms and dehydration, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Manager John Russell said, "He's not 100 percent, but he's a gamer. He's posted up a lot this year when he's not been 100 percent."
Our View: Doumit should be safe to return to fantasy lineups for this week. |
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| LaRoche gravely struggling | Monday 8/25, 8:29 AM CT |
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Andy LaRoche is only hitting .169 for the season, and has made six errors in his 17 games with the Pirates, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is struggling, but Manager John Russell still has faith in him as he said, "He's got a good glove. We need to continue to work his footwork so he's in a better position to throw. It's going to take some work. He still has a lot of development to go through, but the mistakes are correctable. You see the pluses, and the projections are all good."
Our View: The Pirates' third baseman should not be considered for fantasy lineups. |
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| Buckner recalled | Monday 8/25, 8:15 AM CT |
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Billy Buckner has been recalled from Triple-A Tucson, according to the Arizona Republic.
Our View: The team brought in Buckner in case Doug Davis was unable to pitch deep into Sunday's game. Davis was dealing with a back/ribcage injury. Buckner will hold no fantasy value as a long reliever during his stint with the team. |
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| Slaten optioned | Monday 8/25, 8:12 AM CT |
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Doug Slaten has been optioned to Triple-A Tucson, according to the Arizona Republic. He was demoted to make room for righty Billy Buckner on the roster.
Our View: Slaten is expected to be back when rosters expand in September, if not sooner. |
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| Hammock to be recalled? | Monday 8/25, 8:08 AM CT |
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Robby Hammock could be recalled from Triple-A Tucson when rosters expand in September, according to the Arizona Republic. When Bob Melvin was asked about who may be coming in September he said, "Obviously, a third catcher is important."
Our View: Hammock only hit .171 over 41 at-bats this season during his previous stint with the team, and will hold no fantasy value as a No. 3 catcher. |
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| Carpenter scheduled for session Wed. | Monday 8/25, 7:43 AM CT |
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The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Chris Carpenter went through another bullpen session and said, "I felt stronger than I did Friday." He is recovering from a shoulder strain. His next session is slated for Wednesday, and will be more intense, and Carpenter added, "We want to make sure it's right before I do anything else."
Our View: Barring a setback, he could return to the mound in early September, meaning fantasy owners should keep him stashed on rosters. |
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| Sanchez ready to come off DL | Monday 8/25, 7:14 AM CT |
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Jonathan Sanchez threw off a mound Sunday and is ready to come off the DL, but it will not happen before the Giants go on the road this weekend, according to the SF Chronicle.
Our View: Manager Bruce Bochy also does not plan to go with a six-man rotation to ease Sanchez's workload. |
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