Alfonso Soriano is going to be out indefinitely with his chronically sore knee. The Cubs said that they will keep Soriano out of the lineup going forward with no timetable for his return. He has been a colossal disappointment this season, and this is just another dagger in the hearts of his owners. Lou Pinella would not say that he will miss the rest of the season, so I suppose that if you have him you should put him on the bench and not let him go, but I can't blame you if you have finally lost your patience.

Speaking of colossal disappointments, Josh Hamilton is still out of the lineup with his sore back on Saturday, and it doesn't appear he will be playing on Sunday either. Apparently he had a bad reaction to the shot he took to ease his pain, so this absence might go on longer than expected. He was a first round pick in most drafts, but has played like a guy you might have picked in the last round.

Carlos Beltran hasn't played since June 21st, but he is expected back for the Mets on Tuesday. I wouldn't expect him to play everyday for the first week or so, and he might not be a good play next week if you have to set your lineups. If he was dropped he might be able to help you down the stretch, and if you have stashed him in daily lineups, I would anticipate him playing on Tuesday.

Eric Byrnes was activated from the DL on Saturday, but I don't see him getting enough playing time to warrant picking him up on your fantasy team. Unless you see him get very, very hot, I would leave him in free agency.

Gordon Beckham left the game on Saturday with a sore back, but it came out later he hurt his right side in batting practice. He didn't think it would be more than a day or two, but if it is oblique injury that could keep him out much longer. Keep it here for the official word when the news arrives.

Edwin Encarnacion was activated from the Disabled List on Saturday and returned to the Blue Jays lineup. He is another guy who has not lived up to his expectations this season, and I am not expecting much from him in the last month of the year. He should play most every day for the Jays though, so there is at least a chance that he could have a small impact at least in the power department. He is hitting under .200 for the year, so don't expect much from him there.

Mariano Rivera threw 20 pitches on Saturday and there is a chance that he could be back closing games for the Yankees on Sunday. Phil Hughes has filled in admirably, so if there is any chance you would think the Yankees would give him another day or two, but it seems that if it isn't tomorrow, Rivera will be back at the beginning of the week at some point.

After a short comeback, Jose Guillen's season is over. He had a ligament tear in his knee, and after trying to come back for a couple of days, the Royals have decided to shut him down. This shouldn't really kill anyone's team as Guillen hasn't brought much of anything to the table this year. He will be back next year, and could bring in 20 homers and might be a decent flier at the end of the drafts.

Roy Oswalt left his start with some lower back tightness even though he was pitching a great game. As long as he is able to make his next start you have to keep throwing him out there, but I am starting to getting concerned. This is not the first time that Oswalt left a start recently.

I am still taking fantasy baseball questions at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. Keepers, playoff rosters, etc. I still guarantee a response in 18 hours.

Pedro Martinez outdueled Tim Lincecum. No, you didn't read that wrong, Pedro Martinez outdueled Tim Lincecum. Martinez went seven innings and struck out nine while allowing just one run. He has been wildly inconsistent. Three of his starts Martinez has lasted five or more innings, and two of them he pitched only two or three innings. I still wouldn't trust him unless you are completely desperate for pitching or just trying to pick up a win or two. He is now 3-0 in five starts.

John Smoltz took his first loss as a Cardinal, but it wasn't that bad. He allowed four runs over six innings, walked none and struck out six. I would continue to start Smoltz if you have him, and wouldn't be too worried about this semi-poor outing.

Manny Parra continues to be the most unpredictable pitcher. After allowing five or more runs in three of his last four starts, Parra allowed just two runs over 6.2 innings and struck out five. Unless you are in a 16 team league, I don't think that you should be starting Parra.

Pat Misch made another quality start for the Mets, is it possible he could finish the season strong? He's 28 and had a career 0-8 record before his first career win today. The Mets have gotten David Wright back, and Carlos Beltran might not be far behind. Even with that, I wouldn't touch Pat Misch.

Clay Buchholz won his third straight decision on Thursday, and is now looking more comfortable in the major leagues. This is now five of his last six starts that he has allowed three runs or less. Of course, the other one in there he allowed seven runs. His strikeouts are lower than I expected them to be, but I believe they will come over time.

Michael Brantley was called up by the Indians and could be a guy who might help you down the stretch in steals. He had 28 steals at AA in 2008, but had racked up 46 steals this season before the callup. He stole his first major league base on Thursday, and there could be more where that comes from. I worry about his ability to get on base in the majors, but if he is able to get to first, he's probably not staying there.

B.J. Upton left the game today after a collision with Carl Crawford. He was on the ground for a few minutes, but was able to get up and walk off on his own power. X-rays were negative on his injured ankle, and he will likely miss a day or two. He has been a huge disappointment again with the batting average and power in 2009, but at least he has been stealing some bases.

Mariano Rivera doesn't have a return date from his sore groin, but given the Yankees solid hold on a playoff spot, don't be surprised if they take their sweet time bringing him back. He said he was fine after a workout on Thursday, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was out for the weekend. Phil Hughes would get the save chances while Rivera is out. This is probably not a big deal, but with a 6 game lead the Yankees would be crazy to bring him back before he is completely 100%.

Josh Hamilton has a pinched nerve in his back, the latest in his long list of injuries this season. He was given an injection to try to help with the inflammation. He is considered day to day, but will be joining the team on their road trip this weekend to see if he's able to play.

Brett Myers made his final rehab appearance on Wednesday, and could be back with the Phillies over the weekend. He will be used out of the bullpen, not as a starter. However, given the struggles of Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson trying to close games, can Myers get a chance down the stretch? He did save 21 games in 2007, so he has the experience. It might not happen, but it is a possibility.

Huston Street has been shut down with biceps tendonitis, a possible crushing blow to both the Rockies and fantasy owners. He has been shut down indefinitely. Street says he expects to be out for a few days, but no longer than a week. He apparently is going to try to play catch over the weekend. Franklin Morales saved the game for the Rockies and he could get some more over the next couple days. It doesn't seem like this will last long enough for it to be worth your while to make the move unless you are absolutely desperate for saves.

I am still taking fantasy baseball questions at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. Keepers, playoff rosters, etc. I still guarantee a response in 18 hours.

David Price had a pretty good month of August. With his win on Saturday, he was 4-2 since July 31st and only allowed more than three earned runs once in those six starts. So after it looked like he was going to be a total waste for the entire year, Price is at least showing some signs for next year. Price would still be a great keeper depending on your situation (how many keepers, etc.). The kid has a ton of talent and has shown enough in 2009 that I have high hopes for him again next year.

Andrew McCutchen only had one hit on Saturday, but his rookie season has been very impressive. He hit his 20th double of the year to go with his 10 home runs and 15 SBs. He is still hitting in the .290s and has driven in over 40 runs. Not bad considering he came to the majors on June 4th. McCutchen is one of the best keepers of the season, and looks like he is going to be a productive major league player for years to come.

Jake Fox also came to the majors at the beginning of June for the first time, but in half of the at bats that McCutchen has had, he has impressive numbers as well. Fox connected on his 10th homer of the season, unfortunately he doesn't have a set place in the field that the Cubs can play him. However, the way their season is going they might as well start playing him as their playoff hopes are fading. Given the uncertainty of Fox's position, I'm not sure he makes a great keeper, but if he has a regular place to play he could easily hit 30 home runs in a season.

Julio Borbon has only been with the team for about 20 days, but he has already stolen 10 bases for the Rangers. Unfortunately he hasn't been playing every day, but if you are some one in desperate need for some steals, Borbon looks like the kind of guy that can help you even if he plays four days a week.

Clay Buchholz has been better of late, and pitched his best game of the season on Saturday. He pitched into the ninth inning allowed one run and struck out nine. That is now four of the last five starts he has allowed two runs or less, but this is the first time that he has shown this strikeout potential in the major leagues. It is the deepest he has pitched since his no hitter, and the two walks were also very good. Buchholz will definitely be in the rotation for the rest of the season, and I'm 99% sure he will be there next year. The kid is the goods and should be even better next year.

Colby Rasmus has lost playing time since the Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday, but he is still having a great rookie year, and is making the most of the time he is getting. Rasmus has hit his third homer in the last ten games that he played, and had a chance at being rookie of the year before the trade. He likely won't be much help for the rest of this year, but his true coming out party should come in 2010.

Justin Upton hasn't been off the DL for long, but he has picked up right where he left off. He had his third multi-hit game since coming back, and hit his first homer in the four games he has been back for. That is now 21 dingers in his 107 games, and should be counted on for 30+ next season. Justin Upton is another one of the best keepers in the major leagues, regardless of the situation.

Cincinnati's rookie Drew Stubbs has stolen a base in two straight games, which is good considering that is pretty much the only reason that he has any value in fantasy. He has seven hits in the last five games, but he is striking out too much, which signals that perhaps he isn't ready to hit major league pitching. Next year could be a different story, but he isn't the kind of guy you should keep.

David Wright is ready to come off the DL and should be activated Tuesday, September 1st when he is eligible. He says he wants to play as much as possible, but the Mets will monitor him plenty over the first couple of weeks. He is likely to get some days off at first, but I would be surprised if Wright was rested too much.

The MRI on Alfonso Soriano's knee came back negative, but Soriano said that the pain in his knee had worsened. The test did show tenonitis in the knee, and at the least he is going to miss the next three games. Soriano will be evaluated on Sunday to see what the next course of action will be. Sit Soriano until at least Wednesday, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was longer.

You can email me any questions or comments at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com, especially questions on lineups or keepers. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

Billy Butler continues to hit, and I can tell you now that I will be pushing him big time in next year's rankings. Butler's average is still around .300, but he has driven in eight more runs in the past ten games, and now has 65 on the season. He has a serious shot at 80 this year, and should be over 90 in 2010.
"The King of the Solo HR" Garrett Jones struck again, but this time it was of the three run variety and he now 14 homers in 43 games, and now APPEARS to be someone that you will be able to count on for fairly consistent production for the rest of the season. However, as a prospect who is 28 years old and just getting his first real taste of the majors, Jones won't be someone that I will be counting on for repeating his performance from 2009.
Matt LaPorta has been back with the Tribe for a few days now, and so far it has been a little better than his first stint with the big club. He only has two hits in the two days, but he has also driven in three runs, and is hitting seventh in the lineup. I wouldn't expect to get consistent performance from him for the rest of this season, but if he can find a comfort zone, perhaps he will be able to have a strong 2010.
Mike Pelfrey is just impossible to figure out. Raise your hand if you thought he had a chance of being effective against the Phillies tonight. No one? Me either. Well, he allowed just two runs over six innnings and struck out five against the division winner, while he just got tattooed against the lowly Diamondbacks just a two starts earlier.
Adam LaRoche is kind of known as a second half player, but he is absolutely scorching since his return to the Braves. LaRoche homered for the fourth time in five games and now has a nice even 20 on the year. For his career he actually has three more home runs after the All-Star Break in 130 less games, and he actually hits 50 points higher. If you need a guy to give you a little power boost down the stretch, maybe LaRoche is your guy. Just be sure you pick up Adam and not Andy.
Anibal Sanchez returned from his latest major arm/shoulder/elbow injury and pitched quite well again for the Marlins. In his first start since the beginning of June, Sanchez lasted six innings, allowed just one run and struck out seven. Sanchez has a ton of talent, and could be the kind of pitcher that could make an impact down the stretch if he is able to stay healthy. Unfortunately, the kid has been unable to do that yet in his short career. If he is available and you are in any need of pitching, I would give Sanchez a try, but don't be surprised if he is back on the DL before too long.
Johnathan Sanchez threw five shutout innings of two hit ball, and struck out eight. He loses some points for walking four guys over that stretch, but that is still a WHIP of just 1.20, so it is another quality outing for Sanchez. Since his no hitter, he has allowed three runs or less in five of his seven starts, and has struck out at least five in every outing. If he is out there in your league, make sure he isn't after you read this article, and I would choose him over Anibel if you are considering both.
Clayton Richard is now 3-0 in his short stint with the Padres. In his five starts since coming over from the White Sox in the Jake Peavy trade, Richard has only allowed more than three runs once, but hasn't been getting many strikeouts. He shutout the Cardinals over six innings and struck out six on Friday, but it was the first time he struck out more than five. I would also consider him for late in the season pitching, but he would be farther down the line.
As always, your comments and questions are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

Tommy Hanson continues to be everything that we hoped many young pitchers would be, but so few actually turn out to be. Hanson ran his record to 8-2 with a win over the Diamonbacks, and he allowed just two runs over six innings and struck out seven. Even more impressive is he didn't walk a batter. Through 13 starts his ERA now sits at 3.05 and his WHIP at a respectable 1.28. I don't think I need to tell you that he is one of the better young pitchers in baseball, and has to have become one of the more sought after keepers for those of you who are in that kind of league. He's beaten the Yankees and the Red Sox in his first season so feel good starting him against anyone. Since his first rocky start, Hanson has only allowed more than three runs twice since he was called up to the majors.

Max Scherzer, on the other hand, has been everything that most young pitchers turn out to be. He doesn't go deep into games, he walks too many guys, yet he strikes a bunch of hitters out. His defense abandoned him more tonight, as only three of the nine runs he allowed were earned. Scherzer pulled his usual outing, five runs with seven strikeouts. The good news was he only walked one, but the Braves were too much for him. Scherzer has been a tough guy to own this season, he has been very hit or miss. The good ones are very good, but the bad ones have been close to scary sometimes. Scherzer is still a guy that I have a great deal of confidence in for 2010 and going forward.

Nate McLouth and his injured hamstring have landed on the 15 day DL. McLouth came out of the game on Saturday after reaggravating the injury and will be out for two weeks. I don't foresee this lasting longer than the 15 days, so just stash him until he is able to return.

Nelson Cruz is to begin a rehab assignment today and is on track to return to the Rangers on Wednesday. There should be further news confirming this before putting him back in your lineup, I will try to pass that along if I can.

What in the world has gotten into Vladimir Guerrero lately? After having just four home runs all season long, Vlad has tacked on SIX through the first 17 days of August, 13 really if you count he didn't play the first few days. He was always one of the best outfielders in all of fantasy, so is this a Vlad resurgence? Well, I wouldn't count on it. If he was dropped in your league during his injury/inconsistency/can't hit a lick phase, I would scoop him up and play the hot hand, but the days of Vlad the Impaler are over. I think he is a 15-17 homer guy at best, and that is 2009, and going forward.

Garrett Jones, or as I like to call him, The Master of the Solo Home Run, hit his 13th roundtripper of the year on Monday in just his 40th major league game. Even more suprising is this one was a two run shot. I gave Jones this nickname because the guy has 13 home runs and just 22 RBI. This is an incredible pace, and I don't think I mean that in a good way. Thirteen jacks in 40 games is great, but I would like to see more ribbies. The career minor leaguer still has his batting average near .300, and the power while not unexpected, is a nice addition which I thought would have tailed off a while ago.

Aubrey Huff was traded from Baltimore to Detroit for a minor leaguer. I don't see this as having a major effect on his fantasy value. Whether it is some games at first, some at third, a few in the outfield, and probably some DH, I think Huff should play if not everyday, most everyday. His value might take a slight bump because of the better lineup that he will now be in.

Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals have agreed to a record $15 million deal over four years. Now it is the waiting game to see if the contract includes the fact that he MUST be brought into the majors this season. We will see exactly what this kid is made of and if he is the NEXT BIG THING or not. This would have been a PR nightmare for the Nats so it was good to see them get this done.

David Wright spoke to the media (why I'm not sure, do we need post-concussion press conferences?) and said that he was basically not feeling any real after effects from the concussion he suffered when he was hit in the head by a pitch by Matt Cain and he wants to play again this season. I don't see any point in the Mets throwing their franchise player back in there, but Wright is a competitor and it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see him back sooner rather than later. As long as he is cleared by doctors, expect Wright to play again this year so if you own him in seasonal leagues I would most certainly not drop him.

Ervin Santana won his second consecutive start and he is now looking like he should be worth picking up if he is available in your league. He has been awful for most of the year, but he has won three straight decisions, and COULD be on track to being close to what he was last year. He allowed three earned runs over six innings and struck out five. There is no doubt that Santana has been a bitter disappointment all season long, but when a guy was 16-7 with over 200 strikeouts the year before, you pounce on him when he hits a hot streak.

I suggested to more than one person to give Francisco Liriano one more start before cutting him loose since he was so good the last time he took the mound. Well, that was the one more start, feel free to give him the boot. Hey Francisco! Don't let the door hit you where the Lord split you! He was monumentally awful on Monday allowing seven runs over just two innings, walking two and striking out just one. You can hold him if you want, but I think it is finally time to show him the door.

Don’t forget to send me an email about the football email list. Much like in baseball if I find breaking news I will shoot out a quick email to you so you can hopefully make a move before your competition. Put football mailing list in the subject line to fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com.

Also for those of you getting ready for your football draft don’t miss the best deal on the internet. The Fantasy Football Search War Room and Draft Kit. This will not only have all the information that you need to make all the best choices during your draft, but will also help you all year long with maintaining your team to win the championship. For just $10 you get all the best info from myself, Jeff Mans, Todd Farino, RC Rizza and others. Go to www.fantasyfootballsearch.com to get your draft kit today!

As always, your comments and questions are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Also, don’t miss the “Fantasy Baseball Tonight” podcast four nights a week from Monday-Thursday. The Big Show on Wednesday is co-hosted by Todd Farino of fantasybaseballsearch.com, RC Rizza of junkyardjake.com and myself, Ryan Hallam at fightingchancefantasy.com. To hear the show go to www.blogtalkradio.com/the_true_guru. You can also hear me weekly on the Tuesday Night show. Join me with Jeff Mans every Tuesday night at 10pm EST for all the the info and craziness we can pack into one hour. A can’t miss if you plan on winning your league.

Scott Kazmir can't figure out if he wants to be good, or if he is just going to drag your team down. It was back to pretty good again on Saturday as he allowed three runs over 6.1 innings and struck out seven. OK, it isn't great, but considering he gave up seven runs over just 4.1 innings against the Mariners his last time out, that was a Cy Young performance. He has become nearly impossible to predict, and all you can do is put him in your lineup every time out. You are going to get burned every second or third start, but you don't want to miss one of his good ones. If he is one of your keepers, chances are your league keeps too many guys.

Johnny Cueto has officially entered the "suck zone". After leaving his previous start after two innings with a hip flexor, Cueto gutted it out to make his next start. Well, he probably should have gone on the DL. Cueto got absolutely rocked. Cueto didn't get out of the third inning, but he gave up seven runs and lost his tenth game of the year. It has gotten to the point where you really can't start him anymore. Hell you can barely even keep him on your team. In seasonal leagues I think it is time to let him go. Keeper leagues, it is still probably time to let him go. What in the world happened to this guy?

Brian Matusz had his second consecutive rough start after a solid debut start, but he did show some signs of life. Matusz allowed four runs over 5.2 innings, but he did strikeout seven. The kid still has a world of talent, so if you are in a keeper league, you likely just have to live with the rough patches. In seasonal leagues you might want to give him one more start because of the strikeouts, but he's giving up too many hits, runs, and walking too many guys. See what happens next time out.

Some question marks arose again after Gavin Floyd got roughed up his last time out. But he silenced any murmurs of an upcoming slump with another solid outing. Floyd allowed just one run over seven innings and struck out eight. I'm not saying that he is going to be unstoppable for the rest of the year, but I believe that he is worth a start any time he takes the mound.

Brad Lidge blew his eighth save of the year, and his second in the last five days. To add to the disgrace, Lidge also committed two errors during his stint. Not much more to say on this one. He has been a complete trainwreck and there's no reason to think that every second or third save chance he is going to implode.

Joey Votto looks like he may have broken out of his slump with a three RBI game on Saturday. He had just one RBI in the last ten games, so hopefully this is the start of a strong finish for Votto. He has been striking out more than usual, and he hasn't been getting as many hits. His average is still over .310 so it isn't like he's having a bad season. Everyone knows how much I like Votto, so he better finish strong so I don't look like a moron.

Johnathan Broxton blew another save on Saturday, and that was his third since July 29th. I'm not sure if it is his toe injury that is lingering or he is just out of gas. I would guess that it is his toe is still not right and he is just trying to tough through it. Broxton is still getting a ton of strikeouts, and is among the best closers out there. Just keep him in your lineups and hope that he gets it right.

There were a rash of people getting hit in the head on Saturday, but the least of it was Ian Kinsler. He was beaned in the fourth inning, but was able to finish the game. Don't be surprised if he doesn't play tomorrow, but it appears he avoided serious injury.

As if the Mets' season couldn't get any worse, David Wright was hit in the head by a Matt Cain fastball and had to be takent to the hospital. He does have a concussion but the tests came back clean. He is expected to stay in the hospital over night, meaning it is almost a certainty that he won't be playing tomorrow. In fact if you are in a weekly league, there is a very good chance that you should sit him for the upcoming week. I have him in one league that scores from Sunday to Saturday and I have decided to sit him for next week.

Hideki Kuroda was hit in the head with a line drive for the second time in his career. He crumpled to the ground and had to be carted off the field. He did give a sign that he could move his extremities, but I think there is a very strong chance that he is going to miss at least one start. I will report on more news as I find it out, but I wouldn't start him next week if you have weekly transactions.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia was placed on the 15 day DL due to recurring numbness in his hand. There is no timetable for his return yet, but talented youngster Taylor Teagarden will be the everyday catcher now for the Rangers. He has struggled so far, but is supposed to have an incredibly high ceiling. If you need to take a chance on a catcher, perhaps Teagarden is worth a shot.

Don’t forget to send me an email about the football email list. Much like in baseball if I find breaking news I will shoot out a quick email to you so you can hopefully make a move before your competition. Put football mailing list in the subject line to fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com.

Also for those of you getting ready for your football draft don’t miss the best deal on the internet. The Fantasy Football Search War Room and Draft Kit. This will not only have all the information that you need to make all the best choices during your draft, but will also help you all year long with maintaining your team to win the championship. For just $10 you get all the best info from myself, Jeff Mans, Todd Farino, RC Rizza and others. Go to www.fantasyfootballsearch.com to get your draft kit today!

As always, your comments and questions are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Also, don’t miss the “Fantasy Baseball Tonight” podcast four nights a week from Monday-Thursday. The Big Show on Wednesday is co-hosted by Todd Farino of fantasybaseballsearch.com, RC Rizza of junkyardjake.com and myself, Ryan Hallam at fightingchancefantasy.com. To hear the show go to www.blogtalkradio.com/the_true_guru. You can also hear me weekly on the Tuesday Night show. Join me with Jeff Mans every Tuesday night at 10pm EST for all the the info and craziness we can pack into one hour. A can’t miss if you plan on winning your league.

Billy Butler continues to rake and has certainly become a guy that you can feel comfortable starting on a daily basis. He would be more valuable as a corner infielder or utility guy instead of a starting 1B, but if he is out there, you should try to pick him up. Butler had two hits including his 37th double of the year. In the last ten games, Butler has 17 hits, two home runs and 11 RBI. I think next year will be Butler's breakout party, but he is certainly fantasy relevant for the rest of 2009. He has 13 homers so far, and next year many of these doubles will start going over the fence.

Scott Feldman ran his record to 12-4 today with another impressive win over the Cleveland Indians. He had not been as consistent since the All-Star break as he was in the first half, but good none the less. He allowed just one run over six innings and struck out six. This is more strikeouts than he generally gets, as he has gotten about one per every two innings so far this year. Feldman is a guy that I would pitch and ditch with, and not someone that I would keep on my roster full time, even with the impressive win-loss record.

Clay Buchholz had a better start for Boston after struggling since being called up from the minors. Buchholz only allowed one earned run over seven innings and struck out three. This is his second straight start where he was pretty good, but the walks have really done him in. He was more effective today as he only walked three. He is still a little raw to count on every time he takes the mound, but Buchholz has a ton of talent and should be a major fantasy contributor some time in the future. When that is going to be I'm not sure, but it could be literally any time.

Kevin Kouzmanoff is on a ridiculous hot streak lately. Kouz had five hits on Thursday, and now has 11 hits over the last three games. He also has five RBI over that span. For the season he is batting just .264, but that is up 15 points since the beginning of August. It would be a stretch to think that he can get up to the 23 home runs he hit last season, but he should make a good run at 20. If you are in need of a hitter to try to spark some life into your lineup, Kouzmanoff might be your guy, but just know that he is an inconsistent player and could go cold again soon enough.

Mike Rivera had two home runs tonight as a catcher for Milwaukee, but don't get fooled into thinking that this might be the start of something. He's 32 years old, he's never been given any kind of real chance to play and has never shown any reason to think he will ever start hitting. It was just a good night for a below average player.

Ryan Dempster is not a guy that I trust for the rest of the season. He took his sixth loss of the season as he gave up six runs over seven innings. He is still getting good strike outs, as he had eight more tonight. I would trust him over some of the usual suspects on the waiver wire (Zito, Oliver Perez, Doug Davis) but I would rather take my chances with a young player than throw Dempster out there.

Johnny Gomes is another guy that had a great game that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. He is not an everyday player, and is one of the more streaky players around. He had a two homer game near the end of July, but hasn't done anything much in between these two games. Even if you are desperate, I still wouldn't pick up Gomes.

When you figure out when to start and when to sit Bronson Arroyo, please let me know. Somehow Arroyo threw his second shutout of the season against the Nationals, but his ERA is still near 5.00. Arroyo is not someone that I would keep on my roster, but for those of you streaming pitchers, he is a pretty decent option against bad teams. He does have 11 wins, but he is just so hard to predict. If he got more strikeouts, he would be someone that I would use more often.

Adrian Beltre is back on the DL after being hit by a ground ball. Where you ask? Let's just say that he wasn't wearing a cup. There are three things to say about this. One: OOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Two: He is so tough he finished the game. Three: He likely will need surgery. How much must that have hurt? I've been hit/kicked in the junk plenty of times in my life, and many times I felt like I might pass out. But never has it ever needed surgery. Man, that must have been painful. It is all but certain that he is done for the season with the bleeding testicle. I am also fairly sure that this is the first time that I have written testicle in any of these articles.

Don’t forget to send me an email about the football email list. Much like in baseball if I find breaking news I will shoot out a quick email to you so you can hopefully make a move before your competition. Put football mailing list in the subject line to fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com.

Also for those of you getting ready for your football draft don’t miss the best deal on the internet. The Fantasy Football Search War Room and Draft Kit. This will not only have all the information that you need to make all the best choices during your draft, but will also help you all year long with maintaining your team to win the championship. For just $10 you get all the best info from myself, Jeff Mans, Todd Farino, RC Rizza and others. Go to www.fantasyfootballsearch.com to get your draft kit today!

As always, your comments and questions are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Also, don’t miss the “Fantasy Baseball Tonight” podcast four nights a week from Monday-Thursday. The Big Show on Wednesday is co-hosted by Todd Farino of fantasybaseballsearch.com, RC Rizza of junkyardjake.com and myself, Ryan Hallam at fightingchancefantasy.com. To hear the show go to www.blogtalkradio.com/the_true_guru. You can also hear me weekly on the Tuesday Night show. Join me with Jeff Mans every Tuesday night at 10pm EST for all the the info and craziness we can pack into one hour. A can’t miss if you plan on winning your league.