The Day in Review

Well, the Cubs lost a game in the Central, so I get to lament them by posting briefly.

Injury News:

• Kevin Gregg will sit out at least a week, possibly to clear his head, but definitely due to a knee injury that is slow to heal.

Notable Performances:

• Brett Myers pitched well out of jams (but not well otherwise, giving up eleven hits) to continue his hot second half. I've been looking reasons to drop him but he's been too good to ignore.
• Randy Winn had two homers in what is turning out to be a surprisingly good season.
• Billy Butler had two homers, though I wonder at what point all that potential is going to help in normal-sized fantasy leagues.
• Chipper Jones went 2-5, raising his average to .259. Pujols, not to be beaten, went 4-4, and is up to .362.
• Matt Kemp stole a base and hit a homer, but it was Manny Ramirez who stole the show, blasting two as the Dodgers made up a game in the West.

That's what you need to know about the day.

The Day in Review

A lot of info in yesterday's post, hopefully a few of you guys are taking something out of it.

Injury News

• Josh Beckett Watch: The Boston ace's tests all came back clean, but he's still been placed on the DL. However, it's been 12 days since he appeared in a game, so the DL stint could simply be 3 days for a little roster flexibility.
• Returns: Justin Upton is back for Arizona, Victor Martinez has finally returned for Cleveland, and it's rumored that Chris Carpenter will finish this year as a reliever for St. Louis.

Notable Performances

• Dice-K gave up only 2 hits and struck out 7 in 8 innings against Chicago. J-Bay and Youkilis added 3 RBI apiece.
• Tom Gorzelanny re-appeared in Pittsburgh, but a Ryan Braun 3-run HR in the first made him the loser. I will be watching him to see if he'll be own-able next season.
• AJ Burnett threw an 8-inning complete game against New York. I just read some interesting stuff on his season over at FJM. 
• Carlos Beltran hit a late grand slam for the Mets, part of a 5-RBI night. With one more stolen base, he'll be 20/20 this year.
• Edwin Encarnacion continued the 5-RBI nights, driving in 5 runs of Barry Zito and the SF Giants.
• Garrett Atkins threw in another 5-RBI night, helping Aaron Cook win his 16th game this season.

Finally, K-Rod is at 52 saves on the year. Bobby Thigpen... here we come? That's what you need to know about the day.

The Overrated

So, I know this is a little later than I had anticipated, but here are my top "overrated" players from this season.

SP: I'm going to start where everyone started this off-season when discussing pitchers: Johan Santana of the New York Mets. Santana has been a very good pitcher this year, with an ERA of 2.64 and 153 strikeouts. But he hasn't been the fantasy force most expected, and he only has 12 wins (the Mets offense hasn't exactly done him any favors). Pitchers simply don't belong in the middle of the first round, no matter how good. Santana owners have learned that lesson the hard way this year.

SP: I wanted to call out Brett Myers, who I don't think should be owned in 90% of ESPN standard leagues, but he's been good lately and I understand people stocking up for the playoffs. Pedro Martinez gets the honor in his stead. His ERA this year is over 5.00 and his WHIP is approaching 1.50. His best days are clearly behind him and he is somehow still owned in over half of ESPN standard leagues.

SP: What's in a name? A lot, if you're Cleveland's Fausto Carmona. I assume that his name is the biggest reason he's still owned in 90% of ESPN standard leagues. WHIP of 1.60? Come on. It's not like Cleveland is winning a bunch of games and so you're trading peripherals for wins and strikeouts. He has fallen with his team and I'm sure the injury hurt a lot, but he definitely belongs in a list of the overrated.

RP: I'm not big on drafting any closers early, but I had to laugh when I saw Jose Valverde heading into this season as the 8th overall closer taken. I understand that not every closer can be lights out, but his numbers two years ago were absolutely atrocious. The biggest reason he was valuable last year was the quantity of saves he accumulated, but his move to Houston didn't put him in a position to improve upon those numbers. I definitely want no part of Jose Valverde on any of my fantasy teams.

RP: How Todd Jones was drafted ahead of Brad Lidge & Joakim Soria is a complete mystery to me. Detroit has been doing its best to replace Jones for years, and with Rodney and Zumaya it seems to have the suitors lined up. Jones offers saves only; while most closers help with strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, he really can't be counted on in any category. I know he's been injured, but I look at Jones as a very overrated fantasy closer.

C: I have a tie here, between Victor Martinez and Jorge Posada. I don't know how much of Martinez's homerless season can be explained away by his injury, but the guy was going too high regardless of how he performed this season. He is at best a 4-cat player (who will never steal a base) and isn't dominant enough in any one category to merit picks in the third round. I know he plays at a tough position, but I'm never an advocate of drafting catchers early because it means you'll have a weak player at another position. I tried to call out Posada heading into this year. Age is simply a fact of life most catchers cannot overcome, and Posada was no exception to the rule. Injuries took their toll on a guy whose ADP in ESPN leagues was 93.7. Honorable mention here goes to Kenji Johjima, who has also been awful this season.

1B: Gotta be Tampa's Carlos Pena. I picked up the guy off of waivers recently and he's been hot, but his ADP was six points ahead of Derrek Lee in ESPN. That's unbelievable to me. When you look at Pena's track record, the only thing he has done consistently is bounce around. It's reasonable to expect him to provide power, but putting him ahead of D-Lee was nonsense. It involved too much risk and left him no ceiling; i.e., the best he could do was live up to that draft position.

2B: Zach will definitely laugh at me for this, but I think the most overrated second baseman in fantasy has to be LA's Howie Kendrick. I love his potential and I think his high average is so valuable - it allows you to play someone like Ryan Howard at first or Adam Dunn in your outfield without worrying about having a team batting average of .225. Nonetheless, in 84 games this season, he has only 35 R, 39 RBI, and 11 SB. If you double those numbers and call that full season production, he offers you only 70 runs and 80 RBI. An average above .300 and 20 steals sounds great from your second baseman, but with those numbers he needs to be a 100-run player. Until he reaches that threshold, he is overrated.

3B: I don't think Zach and I have given enough publicity to our disdain for Miguel Cabrera this season, but he definitely tops my list of overrated third basemen. He does have 100 RBI, but he's scored only 65 runs. His .291 average and 28 home runs are middle-of-the-road numbers. Basically, that means he's been a three-category producer this year. Not everyone can be a 5-cat stud, but if you're consistenly taken in the middle of the first round, you should produce consistently in four categories and be dominant in one. A-Rod, H-Ram, Sizemore and Soriano are 5-cat studs; Fielder, Howard, and others ensure that you'll have plenty of HRs. Cabrera doesn't belong in either category and doesn't belong in the first round of fantasy drafts.

SS: I can't pick on the injured Troy Tulowitzki, and I think I'm going to have to call out Jimmy Rollins here. The Phillie shortstop was placed in a category with Reyes and H-Ram when he really didn't quite belong, and that's shown this year. He missed time for injury, which might account for his unexciting HR/RBI/R totals, but his .260 average can't be explained away by time off. His numbers had been rising since 2003, but he has had a decline across the board this year. It could be an aberration or he could be getting old, but I think consistent 30/30 production is more than we can expect from J-Rol, and he's going to be overrated heading into next year.

OF: I've been saying for a long time that Carl Crawford is not a first-round fantasy talent, and I think after this season people will finally believe it. He has been taken in the first round largely on the potential that his power will develop, and he will tack 20-25 HR onto a .300+ average and 40 or more steals. It would be great if it happened, but drafting first round picks based on potential is never a sound strategy.

OF: Bobby Abreu was a little overrated going into this season, in my opinion. He was going ahead of Corey Hart and Matt Kemp consistently; I look to both of them as five-category producers with more potential for a big season than Abreu. He was also going ahead of Adam Dunn - whatever negatives you want to say about Dunn, he provides a big boost in HR, RBI, and R. The days of big power are in Abreu's past, and while he's still a safe bet for production from a second OF, Kemp and Hart have proven they were worth the risk and belonged ahead of him.

OF: Time for the annual stat-geek rant about LA's Juan Pierre, one of the most overrated players in the history of all of baseball. I used to defend him as a consistent source of steals, but his total of 25 RBI is simply pathetic. The fact that he's scored only 40 runs is also a joke. It doesn't matter how many bases you steal; if you can't contribute in any other category, you are too one-dimensional to be a fantasy outfielder. LA shouldn't even be playing him with the other guys they have.

Please cut me some slack on Rollins, I know he's been hot lately. Still, I think he was drafted expecting another season with 30 HR, and that was never a realistic possibility. Who are your most overrated, and where am I wrong today?

The Day in Review

Exhausted after my first day of classes, so I'm going to skip right to it.

Injury News:

• Howie Kendrick is back on the DL with a strained left hamstring, and really deserves that "oft-injured" tag.
• Josh Beckett will miss a start, and visit the famous Dr. James Andrews. News will surface on his playoff value hopefully.

Notable Performances:

• Ty Wigginton had two homers, helping the Astros beat the Reds. Both were off of Harang, who otherwise pitched decently.

That's all you need to know about the day.

Strategic Spot Starters: Weekend Edition

Hey all, I figured I'd take a break from playing fantasy baseball and write about it for awhile. Apparently that's a sin of mine, but I digress. I wanted to say I appreciate all the feedback we got when we asked for everyone's opinions, and repeat that because this blog is more rewarding than some activities, I continue it. I would rather avoid the politics of whether or not calling out professional writers, especially those writers who have promoted your site, is an appropriate action. Instead I will provide you with an article, then yell at Pete because he owes you guys an article or two.

Friday: Kevin Slowey at Oakland should provide a nice bounce. Dave Bush at Pittsburgh should go well, since the Pirates are fielding a minor league team right now (and it's the right thing to do, so they need to keep this in mind when they decide to bench Steven Pearce and Andy LaRoche in favor of Jason Michaels and Doug Mientkiewicz. Kyle Lohse has a sub 3.50 ERA against Houston, and while the team can put up powerful numbers, he's playing for the better team.

Saturday: Ubaldo Jimenez at San Diego is probably the start of the weekend. He's absolutely dominated them when the teams have faced, sporting 34 K's in 30 innings. Andy Sonnanstine against Baltimore is an option in deeper leagues, as he held them to one run over eight in their last meeting. Jeff Suppan and Darrell Rasner are both likely to earn a win, though the peripherals will only be average and the strikeouts leave something to be desired.

Sunday: For those teams not making the playoffs, this might be your last opportunity to throw a relevant pitcher in. Tim Wakefield against the Sox (you figure out which) and Greg Smith against Minnesota are okay options. Derek Lowe at Arizona and Scott Olsen against the Mets aren't great options, but why not?

The Day in Review

The Pirates and Pedro Alvarez are off to a great start!

Injury News

• Zach warned me the biggest problem with Josh Hamilton heading into this season was his health. Now the Ranger stud is out with an abcessed tooth and needs a root canal.

Notable Performances

• I'll start the way Rotoworld does - nice four-hit complete game, Josh Johnson.
  
• Jason Bay and Dustin Pedroia had 4 RBI apiece in a Boston rout of the Yankees.
• Jimmy "I'm making up for lost time" Rollins stole two more bases tonight for Philadelphia.
• We'll finish off our brief review of the night with Tim Lincecum hitting double-digit strikeouts. Again.

That's what you need to know about the day.

The Day in Review

Hell of a Cubs game tonight, and I'm sure glad I left after four hours of intense baseball as a happy man. But elsewhere in the league?

Injury News:

• J.D. Drew will hit the DL, so the Red Sox went out and acquired Mark Kotsay. Not sure if Kotsay or Coco Crisp will benefit over the stint.
• Jeremy Accardo is out for the season, but has been awful thus far for fantasy purposes.

Notable Performances:

• Ben Francisco had two of the Indians four homers as Cliff Lee went on to win his nineteenth game of the season.
• John Lackey, Derek Lowe, and Bronson Arroyo each had complete games, though Lowe couldn't get the run support he needed to earn the victory. Arroyo fought past a ten strikeout performance by Wandy Rodriguez.
• Johnny Damon had two homeruns, but it wasn't enough to power past the defending World Champs.
• Jimmy Rollins had three steals and is up to thirty-one on the season. He also homered, but it was only his nineth.

That's what you need to know about the day.

Vote For Greco

A good friend of MLBFOs, Paul Greco, has been selected as a finalist in MLB's Rookie Reporter Showdown 2008, sponsored by Gillette! We'd like to offer our congratulations to Paul and urge you to go vote for him.

Greco, a resident of San Antonio, will be featured in ads during MLB games aired in the Houston area, but you can see his video online by visiting HERE.

And while you're visiting http://www.mlb.com/GilletteReporter, be sure to lend your support to Paul by voting for him - and you might win a great prize - a trip to the World Series!

Voting is already open, and closes September 14. Congratulations, Paul!

The Day in Review

Okay, readers, campus internet and I are finally agreeing and therefore I will be back to regular posts. I know you've missed me.

Injury News

• John Maine has hit the DL for the NY Mets. It sounds like he will need surgery at some point but the team is trying to put it off and possibly use him to shore up their bullpen for the remainder of the season. As far as major fantasy contributions, though, he's done.
• Alex Gordon has a torn quad and there's no reason to expect him back this year.
  

Notable Performances

• The ChiSox were making up a game from April and Ken Griffey Jr had the chance to pinch-hit; unfortunately, he did not hit a HR and render his 600th HR meaningless.
• Kosuke Fukudome drove in 4 for the Cubs - Zach, who attended the game, had to be thrilled.
• Mike Pelfrey threw his 2nd straight complete game and Carlos Delgado hit a pair of three-run homers to support him.
• Brett Myers: 7 scoreless, 8 strikeouts. Where was he all season?
• Milton Bradley had 3 RBI and Josh Hamilton upped his total to 116 as Texas defeated KC.

That's what you need to know about the day.

Strategic Spot Starters: Week Edition

At least in my ESPN league, this is the last week of regular seeding. The top three make the playoffs, and if memory serves me, I've clinched the top spot and a first round bye. For those of you less fortunate, this may be the most important week of your season, so consider these options carefully and opt for a no-holds-barred approach with regard to pickups.

Monday: My only "^" is Gil Meche, and he faces the Rangers which is a no go. However, after perusing the days probable's, Jeff Francis is a good bet provided he is unowned against San Fran. That's about it though.

Tuesday: Derek Lowe at Washington and Scott Olsen at Atlanta are a pair of those guys I consider among my "extended roster". Lowe is one of the best spot starts of the week, posting a gem the last time he faced the Nats (8 IP, 0 ER, 8 K). Most of the other pitchers getting the nod are up against tough offenses, though Greg Smith has a career 2.70 ERA against the Angels and last time they faced the young lefty went the distance, surrendering only one run. 

Wednesday: Greg Maddux has a career 2.44 ERA against Washington, which is absolutely meaningly considering the last time they faced was 2005, and I doubt more than two players on the roster are the same. Still, they represent a marginal pitcher vs. anemic offense that is always worth considering. Considering it is the only worthwhile start of the day, I like the pick.

Thursday: Clayton Kershaw is the final Dodgers' starter I'd spot, as he shut them down over six innings a few outings ago. Nick Blackburn went eight innings the last time he faced Oakland, giving up three runs. Not the worst line, but its likely to improve when he faces them at home where his ERA has been more than a point and a half better. Dana Eveland is on the other end of that match, and looked sharp in his first return post-demotion if you want to hedge your bets.

The Day in Review

Good news today - No injuries. So since this is already going to be a short one, lets get right to the grit.

Notable Performances:

• DeRosa homered for the fourth straight game while Rich Harden struck out eleven, seeing his ERA as a Cub drop to 1.41. With Gallagher on the DL, that deal is looking good for the Cubs.
• After an 0-12 skid over his past four games, Carlos Beltran launched two homeruns. 
• Robinson Cano went 4-5 with his twelfth homerun, adding to a trend of second half performances that make overrated each season come draft dates.

That's what you need to know about the day.

Fantasy Roundtable Discussion

I liked this Roundtable, and it requires a lot of thought. This thought is only necessary in keeper formats, but its a good exercise either way. The question?

Who will your top ten pitchers be in the year 2010?

How far has Santana fallen? How many people picked Lincecum as number one? Check it out, and be sure to comment as much as humanely possible.

The Day(s) in Review

Again, sorry. I won't say his name (let's just say it ends in "-ete") but one of the other writers on here forgot to post Friday, and I thought he'd cover both days last night as he did on Thursday. That said, I'll look over the past couple days and see what's been going on. It's been hectic with moving in and all...

Injury News:

• Josh Beckett is missing his weekend start due to inflammation in his elbow. Wakefield will get the nod, though the Red Sox ace isn't expected to miss more than one start and will make his next scheduled nod on Friday. I'm skeptical, but we at least know the Red Sox can't afford to give him precautionary time off.
• Alex Gordon, who I will always like more than I should, tore his quadriceps and will miss the rest of the season.
• El Duque has opted for toe surgery (remove a bunion) and will miss all of next season, probably ending his career. I don't mean to underplay what is an apparently serious injury, but how exactly does toe surgery mean a missed season?
• Going back a day, J.D. Drew has a herniated disk in his back, and will probably see a DL stint. The Red Sox need an outfielder, so they are going to go out and get Barry Bonds. Just kidding.

Notable Performances:

• Aramis Ramirez tallied six RBIs with the assistance of two 3-run bombs in Chicago to give the Cubs a chance to win the series against D.C. in the third game. Dempster continued his dominance, giving up only one run over 7.1 innings en route to his fifteen W.
• The White Sox had four hits against Scott Kazmir, but two of the were solo shots by Jermaine Dye. The "ancient" outfielder now has 31 HRs on the season.
• Vernon Wells had two homers and despite the very shortened season has been tolerable. Will he get the nod next year in drafts?
• Pat Burrell had five RBI as he went 3-5 with his 30th homerun. Think of him as Torii Hunter 2008--"third outfielder playing above his head in a contract season". Then, when you draft next season, think the same thing.

Notable Performances (Friday):

• Willie Harris had six RBI, four coming on a grandslam that the Cubs would never recover from. DeRosa would homer in this game and the following, and has been very good this season.
• Those thinking Maddux would pitch well after moving to LA saw that it doesn't matter after he gave up 7 runs in less than six innings. In fairness, it was in Philadelphia.
• Shaun Marcum was hit hard, surrendering five runs in 3.2 innings, leading the Jays to send him back to the minors.
• Although conceding eight hits, Justin Verlander got past the Royals without being tagged for a run, striking out six over his six innings. His upcoming schedule is beautiful, so if an owner has given up on him, he's a great add.
• Rocco Baldelli hit his first homer of the season, and I must admit I doubted he'd play a single game after being diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder before the season started. Good luck to him, but in the fantasy world, you should probably wait awhile before recognizing the name.
• Aaron Harang threw six scoreless at Coor's to earn only his fourth win of the season. Hopefully he can finish the season strong.
• Randy Johnson struck out thirteen, but won't win his 300th game this season as he again failed to get a decision.
• Tim Lincecum-eight scoreless, eight strikeouts. He's going to be the best very soon.

That's what you need to know for the day.

Strategic Spot Starters: Weekend Edition

Again, we have another delay. The following week looks to be hectic as both Pete and I are in the "moving in" process. Also, I will warn that I don't expect a "day-in-review" tomorrow night since we will be busy playing a gig. Yes, blogging and pretending you rockstars isn't mutually exclusive (yet).

Friday: Dave Bush gets Pittsburgh at home, and I bet he'll get the win. He has a nice 3.15 home ERA compared to an ERA on the wrong side of five when he's away from Milwaukee. Gio Gonzalez is just a cool name to me right now, and I don't trust him unless you are desperate going against Seattle. 

Saturday: Jon Garland faces Minnesota at home and is a great option. Jeff Suppan faces Pittsburgh, which as you might have figured out, is always a good thing. Kyle Lohse heads to Atlanta, though he has pretty ugly numbers against the team.

Sunday: Joe Blanton and Ubaldo Jimenez are really the only decent options, though they are both playing at launching pads.

The Day in Review

Hey guys. Sorry for the non-post yesterday, I am getting settled at college and the internet wasn't up and running. Let's see what I can do for a big summary.

Injury News

• Justin Duchscherer is heading for the Oakland DL. My opinion from Monday still holds - this isn't a killer for any team after his second-half drop-off. The only question is how he will hold up next season.
• No improvements for Billy Wagner, who is looking at probably another three weeks on the DL. For most teams, you'll have to finish your entire season without him.
• Hanley Ramirez left Wednesday's game with a thumb contusion. He missed Thursday's game and is day-to-day.

Notable Performances

• I can't not mention Grady Sizemore's 4-for-5 night with 7 RBI on Thursday. Wow. 
• Joey Votto and Jay Bruce each had solo HRs on Thursday, but it wasn't enough to best Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs.
• Francisco Liriano on Wednesday: 5 innings, 5 strikeouts, no earned. Not dominant, but progress nonetheless.
• Melvin Mora hit his 21st and drove in 4 against Boston on Wednesday, leading the Orioles to an 11-6 win.
• The ChiSox bested Baltimore, scoring 15 on homers from Ramirez, Griffey, Pierzynski, and Swisher. Griffey's homer tied him with Sammy Sosa at 609 career.
• Brett Myers had a nine strikeout CG shutout for Philadelphia on Wednesday.
• Mike Pelfrey only struck out three and gave up three, but nonetheless threw a complete game for the Mets on Wednesday.
• Kevin Millwood continued the complete games Wednesday, giving up one and striking out four for Texas.

And that's what you need to know about the day(s).

The Day in Review

Cubs won, Brewers lost, I'm happy. I've also ostracized an entire team's fans with my blatant dislike for a franchise.

Injury News:

• George Sherrill hit the DL, and the O's have to be regretting not dealing him at the deadline when his value was at a peak.
• Kinsler is opting to avoid surgery, but this probably only nets him a week or so of play before the season's rapidly approaching finale.

Notable Performances:

• Rich Harden struck out ten, walking none in seven innings of scoreless ball.
• AJ Burnett struck out thirteen in eight innings of one-run ball, netting him his sixteenth win of the season. Does that total surprise anyone else?
• Matt Joyce had two homers as the Tigers rolled over the Rangers.
• Sean Gallagher gave up ten runs in five innings, and I'm done recommending him until next year. He was on my roster too, if you were hurt by the spot start.
• Kevin Slowey, on the other side of the matchup, struck out twelve over seven innings of one-run ball.
• Ian Snell struck out eight in seven scoreless, and those kind of performances are what the Buccos need if their young offense is going to be relevant. Gorzo would need a turn around also.

That's what you need to know about the day.

The Underrated, Part II

Well, I have some free time and wanted to offer a few more names into the discussion, mostly do I could point out that, thus far, there has been no discussion. You guys need to step it up and add a comment or two, it's good practice for next season and coming up with your own hypotheses is the only way to get ahead of the rest of your league. Think about it like this--if everyone has access to the same information, and you fail to expand upon that information, you have no chance at a competitive edge. Granted, posting your original thoughts nullifies the innovation... but, we don't have enough readers (yet) to make that a major concern.

• Cliff Lee: 12 (unlisted)
  
• Justin Duchscherer: 38 (unlisted)
  
• Ryan Dempster: 39 (209)
  
• Rich Harden: 50 (187)
  
• Ervin Santana: 55 (unlisted)
  
• Edinson Volquez: 59 (unlisted)
  
• Mike Mussina: 78 (unlisted)
  
• John Danks: 91 (unlisted)
  
• Armando Galarraga: 94 (unlisted)
  
• Joe Saunders: 99 (unlisted)
  

Yes, this means that you could field a seven man rotation of Cliff Lee, Justin Duchscherer, Ervin Santana, Edinson Volquez, Mike Mussina, John Danks, and Joe Saunders without investing a single draft pick. Anyone notice anything in common among these guys. I'll start the conversation with the idea of "post-hype sleepers" but it doesn't describe everyone.

The Day in Review

Boy am I glad I didn't draft Derek Anderson in my most recent fantasy football draft...

Injury News

• Ryan Braun hurt himself swinging in the sixth inning for Milwaukee. I don't know what else to say, really.
• Justin Duchscherer left Monday's game with hip pain - after his great first half, though, he's fallen off lately.
• Ian Kinsler has a sports hernia, which will likely end his outstanding season. Rotoworld said that he could "face surgery" and at first I thought this meant he needed surgery on his face, so I'm still trying to recover from that grammatical misunderstanding.

Notable Performances

• I am so tired of reporting on CC Sabathia. Consider this me not reporting that he had another complete game with 9 K's, and went 2-for-3 at the plate.
• Nick Swisher hit his 18th homer tonight - was I the only one who expected more from him? Carlos Quentin, by contrast, hit his 35th. Wow.
• Curtis Granderson drove in 4 for Detroit and Gary Sheffield added a HR.
• Aubrey Huff has 27 home runs - there's one I really didn't know. Jason Bay bested him with 2 HR tonight, though. Did you know Bay has hit .348 since going to Boston? I honestly thought he'd be the opposite.
• Adam LaRoche hit a 2-run HR for Pittsburgh as he continues to be good enough in the second half to keep through his awful first halves.

That's what you need to know about the day.

The Underrated

Here goes... Every year someone comes out of nowhere to lead fantasy baseball squads to the top of their league. Those of us in competitive leagues know that the Josh Hamilton's of the world are probably hyped names come draft day, representing the Funstonian "sleeper" of the year. If you drafted Hamilton (or counterdrafted him, as Pete did in both leagues we share, only to realize how much he should listen to me), you are probably having a fine season. But there are other names that somehow slip in the draft boards only to provide a ton of value off the waiver wire. I would like to list all the guys I think are underrated, and later in the week we will try to explain why each of us has given such players the cold shoulder at some point. Some of these guys continue to be underappreciated, while a few have been touted, though few to the real talent that they've displayed thus far.

• Carlos Quentin: 6 (unlisted)
• Ryan Ludwick: 8 (unlisted)
• Kevin Youkilis: 20 (177)
• Aubrey Huff: 22 (unlisted)
• Dustin Pedroia: 29 (168)
• Nate McClouth: 30 (192)
• Xavier Nady: 51 (185)
• Melvin Mora: 57 (unlisted)
• Mark Reynolds: 61 (unlisted)
• Milton Bradley: 69 (227)
• Jorge Cantu: 71 (unlisted)
• Randy Winn: 87 (220)

The first number represents the players current rank, while the second is their average draft position ("unlisted" implies they weren't drafted in enough leagues to make the cut as far as ESPN was concerned). I think I notice some obvious similarities between a number of the players, but I'd like to see you're thoughts first. Comment away, and I'll join the discussion once I feel I can bias the direction.

The Day in Review

Well, Santana is still dominant. His complete game shutout of the Pirates doesn't qualify as a surprising performance from a marginal player, though I think it does go to show how much he'd like to have the Twins bullpen back.

Injury News:

• Rickie Weeks sprained his thumb and Rotoworld believes the injury will send him to the DL. Ray Durham picks up some value over those fifteen days.

Notable Performances:

• Reed Johnson went 4-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI. He played in place of Edmonds, but will likely see increased playing time in place of Kosuke Fukudome given his extended slump. If so, he will be a solid add in deeper formats. Dempster struck out ten in the game.
• Brian Bannister gave up ten runs in the first inning. After a great start to the season, he's really collapsed.
• Melvin Mora had two homers in a 5-6, 6 RBI night. He's really having a great season and is of the "underrated" type that we will discuss this week.
• Tim Lincecum struck out ten, and I'm convinced he will be the next "Johan Santana" for the following five years. Of course, the Giants need to add some offense.
• Josh Beckett got tagged for eight runs in barely more than two innings in a game that saw Alex Rios hit four doubles.
• Raul Ibanez went 5-5, and his average sits just shy of .300.

That's what you need to know about the day.

Strategic Spot Starters: Week Edition

I've changed my plans in order to attend the Mets-Pirates game today, and I have a question for you guys. Has Santana lost his dominance? I'm going to the game simply to see who I've considered the best pitcher of my fantasy baseball (and Major League baseball) interest, though it occurred to me that his title could change as soon as next year. Which pitcher should go off the board first next season? Here's a list of which pitchers should come off the free agency list first this week.

Sunday: Mike Mussina at Kansas City is your standard spot start, so hopefully those who missed out on the last segment recognized him early (Is he owned in all leagues, by the way?). Gio Gonzalez faces the team from which he was nurtured, and since it's in Oakland he has a chance to make them regret the move. Clayton Kershaw, the other fantasy phenom, goes up againstthe  Milwaukee free swingers, and he'll face non-ace Jeff Suppan, the lesser option in the matchup.

Monday: Nick Blackburn, one of my favorite, goes up against Oakland in a good start to the week. Jon Garland faces the races, who are twentieth in team offense when facing a righty. Mark Buehrle against Seattle in a conventional plug.

Tuesday: Joe Blanton against Washington - conventional plug. So is Ricky Nolasco against the Giants and Kevin Slowey against the A's. Slowey will get Sean Gallagher, and so I'm not sure who to expect the win from. I'm hesitant to recommend starting both because I've seen game between young talents to keep pace with eachother, so you'll either get 14 innings of 3 run ball of 14 innings of 10 run ball. Darrell Rasner against the Blue Jays is an option in deeper leagues, though his career numbers against the team aren't lights out.

Wednesday: Scott Olsen gets San Francisco, and is a guy who could help down the stretch who might be available. Manny Parra at home against Houston is a good bet, though they were the first team he had lost to at Wrigley North (take that, Brewer fans). He's been shaky lately and the 1.49 WHIP is a lot uglier than you'd want, so I still consider him a spot starter.

Thursday: There is not one option. This hasn't happened before, but not one of my "spot starter" watch list is the probable to pitch. Any suggestions?

The Day in Review

Hey all, this is actually Zach (I'm on Pete's username because he happens to be logged on the computer I'm using, and I'm too lazy to logout). I just got back from vacation, and had expected to have internet access. Since that didn't turnout, you guys got no posts, so I feel pretty bad. But I'll acclimate by doing a day in review.

Injury News:

• Jonathon Sanchez's strained shoulder has sent him to the DL. We argued where he fit into our rankings, and we were right... unfortunately.
• Tom Glavine will have surgery, possibly ending his career but definitely ending the season.

Notable Performances:

• Justin Verlander didn't give up an earned run. He gave up two unearned runs, but, it's a start.
• Matt Holliday stole two bases, and will exceed at least twenty (he's already at 19). Will he be overrated or underrated next season?
• Pedro Martinez had a second great outing. He is playing on the team I'm facing this week, and I made a great trade moving him to that team a long time ago in a deal for Markakis. I guess it should come back to hurt me.
• Albert Pujols had two homers, bringing his total to 26.

That's what you need to know about the day.

The Day in Review

I think I need to change the days in review to Zach does every day the Cubs win, and Zach does every day the Cubs lose. 

Injury News

• Chris Carpenter is back on the shelf with shoulder trouble only 3 starts after returning from Tommy John surgery. 

Notable Performances

• Melvin Mora paced Baltimore, going 3-for-4 with 4 RBI and 2 R.
• Cliff Lee, mentioned as a Cy Young candidate on ESPN, won his 17th game this year with a complete game, striking out six.
• Randy Winn made me look good with a homer as part of a 4-for-4 night.
• Brandon Webb one-upped Cliff Lee by grabbing his 18th victory. He only threw eight innings, though.
• Me: "Zambrano has 12 RBI this year." Zach: "I know, he has more than Henry Blanco."

I think that's what you need to know about the day.

The Day in Review

I got nothing.

Injury News

• Brad Penny has returned to the LA DL (does that look funny to anyone else?) with right shoulder inflammation. It's the same reason he was on the DL earlier in the year and there's no reports yet on his MRI. 
• Troy Percival is definitely oft-injured this year - he's day-to-day for the battered Tampa Bay Rays after spraining his right knee. Another DL stint is possible.
• Chris Young, the San Diego pitcher, hit the DL with a strained right forearm, and he sounds like he wants to call it a lost season and start on next year. I can't blame him, especially because the Padres have been abysmal for much of this season (only Washington and Seattle have fewer wins). 

Notable Performances

• Mark Kotsay had a 5-for-5 cycle tonight, the first for Atlanta in 21 years. This doesn't make him fantasy-relevant, of course, but it's neat for baseball lovers.
• Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez, and Juan Uribe hit 4 straight homers for the White Sox. This may be the first time all year we've heard from any of these players.
• Randy Winn, who has nice career second-half numbers if you're looking to replace Carlos Lee, went 2-for-4 and drove in 2 runs as the Giants lost to the Astros.
• Carlos Pena hit another home run tonight. I don't know that we've ever mentioned this, but his post-Break OPS is 100 points higher than his pre-Break numbers. It's probably too late to get him, but he's had a very nice August after his terrible start this year. 30 homers is very possible; it would be a disappointment to those who drafted him early but I think it's about what should have been expected from him at the outset.
• Ryan Ludwick (OPS-ing 1.178 in August) drove in all three runs for St. Louis tonight. After what looked like a fall-off in June, he continues to hit the cover off the ball for the Cardinals.

This is so much information, I think it makes up for the lack of a post today. Look for spot starters to show up tomorrow. That's what you need to know about the day.

The Day in Review

Micheal Phelps, Russia and Georgia - there's so much to distract me from baseball right now. Still, I'll do my best to focus tonight.

Injury News

• Joel Zumaya is on the DL, and if you listen to Jim Leyland talk about the injury, he probably is done for the year. Maybe next year he can finally wrench the closer's job from Todd Jones.
• I almost wrote Kevin Jones instead of Todd Jones. Too much fantasy football draft prep. 
• We reported Mike Lowell's injury yesterday - today's developments have him on the DL for Boston. Sean Casey picks up playing time with Kevin Youkilis shifting across the diamond in Lowell's absence.

Notable Performances

• Kevin Slowey continues to pitch well - tonight he gave up 3 hits and 1 ER in six innings. He's had a very up-and-down year (check out his game log on Yahoo!, it includes two CG shutouts), so he's still kind of risky for spot starts.
• Spot starter Mark Buehrle rewarded owners with 7 shutout innings and five strikeouts in a ChiSox win. Andy Sonnanstine had six K's in six innings; the game was tied as I wrote this. Joe Blanton had the lead but had given up 4 earned already.
• Aubrey Huff hit his 25th homer and drove in 2 runs for Baltimore.
• Paul Maholm's ridiculous pitching continues with another 8-inning victory against the depleted Reds tonight.
• Vernon Wells hit a grand slam - he has 7 RBI in 4 games since returning from the DL four days ago.
• The Mets beat up on the Nats, 12-0, in what could be a preview of some September games that will win fantasy championships.
• Since I'm posting on games in progress, CC Sabathia still could get the CG as I write this, though he's up to 77 pitches after 5 innings so it seems unlikely. 

Fun fact from ESPN today: The only team other than the Cubs today to win both games of a doubleheader by 8 runs is... the Cubs, in 1908, the last year they won the World Series. Karma? That's what you need to know about the day.

Schedules: Rounding out 2008

In a head-to-head league, the last two weeks can make or break an outstanding season. A bad match-up here, a poor game there, and the work of an entire summer can go wasted. How can you ensure that this won't happen to you? Be proactive in examing match-ups. Move hitters that are stuck facing good pitching in the second and third week of September. Trade for pitchers facing the likes of Washington and San Francisco during those last weeks. Here are a few players I'd seek out if I had the opportunity to make a trade.

Mets pitchers: If you can get Johan Santana, more power to you. But even if you can't, someone like John Maine (about to come off the DL) might be available for a modest sum. The Mets have six games with the Nats in mid-September, and a couple of starts against Washington (lowest OPS in MLB this year) would be mighty helpful during championship week.

Astros hitters: Houston plays 7 games in Pittsburgh (second-highest WHIP in MLB this year) during the second and third week of September. They do have to face the Cubs (fourth-lowest WHIP) and Marlins (eighth-highest WHIP) in between, but the match-ups with Pittsburgh should yield plenty of good stats. The Dodgers hitters also benefit from four games against the hapless Pirates.

Diamondbacks pitchers: Okay, I know it's probably impossible to get Webb and Haren. But Brandon Lyon should be available; Jon Rauch could pad your stats as a middle reliever, and Randy Johnson or Doug Davis may be free agents. With seven games in two weeks against the Giants offense, this group is in great shape to win a fantasy championship.

Finally, I recommend that you DUMP Boston hitters. David Ortiz has been abysmal since he returned from his injury. Players such as Youkilis, Bay, Lowell, Drew and Pedroia should all command some trade value. In the second and third week of September, Boston plays six with Tampa (second-lowest WHIP in MLB) and six more with Toronto (third-lowest WHIP in MLB). It's hard to imagine anyone from that lineup closing out the season with big stats while facing the likes of Kazmir and Halladay this September.

These groups have the match-ups that seemed most obviously good (or bad) to me, but there may be some individual players worth examing, as well. Ortiz, for example, has good career numbers against Tampa. Check your team now and try to swing one last deal - don't let a bad match-up ruin the work of an entire year.

Addendum: I wrote this post Tuesday before the Boston game. Their 17-run outburst nonwithstanding, I still believe the Sox will struggle during championship week. If you think you can win it all without a big week from the likes of Big Papi, though, hold on to your Boston hitters by all means.

The Day in Review

Hey all, I've had a long day, so I'm going to make this a short day in review. Ironic, I know...

Injury News:

• Carl Crawford will miss the rest of the season to undergo surgery on his right hand. There's a small chance he returns, and I'm just rooting that the Rays can play through these injuries into the postseason.
• Mike Lowell left his game with a tweaked oblique, and is currently day-to-day.

Notable Performances:

• David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis each had two bombs against the Rangers, but Youkilis could only accumulate five RBIs to Big Papi's six. Final score? 17 to 15.
• Gary Sheffield had two homers himself, though that .223 average is so ugly. Joel Zumaya blew the save, so it might be worth checking in on the depth chart.
• All the spot starters tonight? 47 IP, 36 K, 25 ER. I guess close to a 4.50 ERA isn't too dismal... Gio Gonzalez was pretty solid though (5 K's in 5 innings of one-run ball)

That's what you need to know about the day.

Adam Dunn's New Home

So I was looking over some fallout from the Adam Dunn trade to see how it would affect me the rest of the season, and I decided I'd throw up the info for everyone to enjoy. Let me know if you think I'm crazy.

His schedule for the rest of the season plays out with exactly 22 games remaining at home (which is now Chase Field) and 22 games on the road (including 3 at his former home, Great American Ballpark). Dunn's splits favor Great American; his OPS is 60 points higher and he has more HR and RBI at home than on the road.

The Cincy slugger, however, will probably suffer from the move to Chase Field, if his past numbers there are any indication. It's a small sample size, for sure, but in 16 games there he has an OPS under .600 and only 3 home runs. Is some of that a function of having to face the Arizona pitching staff, which has been consistently good? His owners certainly hope so.

His road match-ups look better. He has six games in Colorado, four in St. Louis and three in San Diego, in addition to his three game homecoming in Cincy; his OPS is near or above 1.000 in all four stadiums. Unfortunately, during the fantasy playoffs in September, he has an ugly 7 of 10 games against San Francisco, and his numbers in AT&T Park are about as bad as his numbers at Chase Field. Dunn may provide some help getting you to your fantasy championship, but in H2H leagues I wouldn't count on him to put you over the top. Hopefully, not facing the D-Backs pitching staff will help him beef up those career numbers at Chase Field for this season, and we'll keep our eyes on where the free agent-to-be may be heading at season's end.

Trendspotting: Nick Markakis, Shane Victorino

So, yeah, I might own both of these guys in one of my leagues. Still, I think it's worth looking at the both of them, as both have five-category skill but aren't considered among the elite outfielders.

Nick Markakis: The Baltimore right fielder is a talented player and it would be great to see him in a better lineup. Still, even though the sample size has been small, he has a definite trend developing: Markakis is definitely a second-half player. His career OPS jumps 111 points after the All-Star Break, and he has six more home runs in nearly 100 fewer games. He and Brian Roberts have been getting hot at the same time, which has given him a few more RBI opportunities as well. Markakis is fast developing into one of those guys you don't really want to draft, but you definitely want to pick up during fantasy's June swoon.

Shane Victorino: For the Phillies outfielder, this has been a tale of two seasons. April OPS: 583; May OPS: 855; June OPS: 630; July OPS: 1000. He hit no homers in April and June but still has 11 on the season. His career numbers outline a similar pattern - April and June are bad months, with a good May squeezed in between. If his career patterns continue, you can expect a better August, followed by a mediocre September. He's shown a little more power than last year, and had he not missed some time to injury he would be a lock for 20/30. Victorino is only 28 and he should continue to develop - he may never go in the first rounds but he is quickly becoming a guy who is productive across the board. 

The Day in Review

Tonight, Zach and I began our transition to fantasy football - I'm happy to report that my team will be dominating his this fall (something I could never achieve this summer).

Injury News

• That jerk JJ Putz put Evan Longoria on the DL for 15 days (possibly more) with a fractured wrist. Zach's take: "That really hurts the Rays."
• I think I missed reporting Carl Crawford yesterday - he "felt his right hand pop," meaning the injury is mysterious. 

Notable Performances

• John Danks struck out nine in seven innings, throwing a no-hitter until Kevin Youkilis's single in the seventh. Still, he took the loss.
• Zach just recited Corey Hart's night to me: 2-for-4 with a homer, a steal, and 2 RBI... or something like that.
• Nick Markakis was a homer shy of the cycle. Realizing it's the second half, he's begun performing incredibly well.
• Derek Lowe - 6 1/3, 3 earned, 3 strikeouts. My take: pretty mediocre night, pretty much what Zach predicted.

Oh, and Adam Dunn is a Diamonback. He has 8 home runs left this season, and oh by the way his average is up to .233. That's what you need to know about the day.

Strategic Spot Starters: Week Edition

I've been trying to compose a list of "go to" guys when it comes to spot starting, though I feel it is so different depending on the league you are in. I'm not even referring to league size; I have two leagues with an equal number of players owned in each where the free agent starting pitchers are completely different. That said, certain players (Tim Wakefield being the only one that comes to mind) does come up frequently in these discussions, and I will try to note any others who I consider an extension of my roster with an asterick.

Monday: Dave Bush against Washington should be good though I'm optimistic that the Brewers won't win their sixth straight (entirely based on superstition and wishful thinking). Derek Lowe* against Philly is, at the very least, not in Philly. 

Tuesday: Mike Mussina is a guy I should consider more often, I mean his stats this year are ridiculous. A start at Minnesota should be good for his sixteenth win (last start against the Twins: 8 IP, 0 ER, 7 K). Jon Garland* faces Seattle at home, and should get the win. Clayton Kershaw has an ERA beneath two since being recalled, going 6 or more innings in his last three starts. He will need at least three runs of support, but I could see him earning that third win against Philly (Editor's Note: Commenter Wesley Warren pointed out Kershaw's risk, which led to the discovery he shouldn't be started as a lefty vs. Philadelphia). Garrett Olsen faces an Indians team that struggles (third worst) against southpaws, though the Orioles don't score too many runs away from home to back him up. Ubaldo Jimenez* faces Arizona at home, and while some of my peers never start a pitcher at Coors, Jimenez has a 3.10 ERA at his home park and a 2.77 career ERA against the Diamondbacks. Jeff Suppan pitches with Petco at his back, although the Friars have been putting up unbelievable offensive numbers over t