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.

Alex Rios has been claimed by the Chicago White Sox, and the Blue Jays basically said, "hey, he's yours!" So, how does Rios' value change? I would say it definitely takes a hit unless there is an injury on the Sox. Carlos Quentin, Scott Podsednik and Jermaine Dye man the White Sox outfield, and Jim Thome is entrenched as the DH. So, who is the odd man out? Rios? Podsednik? I think right now the Sox are kind of surprised they got him for absolutely nothing and now must find a way to get playing time for all those guys. I'm not sure I would drop him, but I would certainly sit him on the bench until you find out how the playing time shakes out.

Pedro Martinez will be back in the majors on Wednesday against the Cubs. Jaime Moyer has been moved to the bullpen, which should have been done a while ago. Pedro's last two solid starts were against the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic and the minor league rehab starts. Not exactly anything that instills confidence in me. I wouldn't touch Pedro with a ten foot pole. The last time he was in the majors he got tattooed like a bunch of rebellious teenagers. Chicago is slumping right now, but I still wouldn't touch Martinez.

Chad Billingsley is going to be skipped from his Wednesday start and will hope to avoid the DL with his hamstring injury. Not too much else to say on this one, watch for further updates to see if he will be back next Monday.

Leo Nunez picked up another save tonight for the Marlins, but it was Matt Lindstrom who started the ninth inning. Manager Fredi Gonzalez has said that Lindstrom would get the job back "eventually, but he didn't know when". Well, Lindstrom crapped the bed in his first attempt back in the 9th, although it wasn't a save situation. He made it one for Nunez, and he had to clean up after him. Is this going to make it a longer time for Lindstrom to get his job back? WILL he get his job back? Nunez has been great in the closers role, so he deserves to keep getting the chances. I wish they would just tell us who is the closer, I have both Marlins relievers in FOUR leagues and they are taking up roster spots that I could use on others! C'mon Fish, make up your mind!!!

Johnny Cueto injured his hip running the bases tonight, and will be re-evaluated on Tuesday. If he is going to miss any significant time, I would let him go, but if he is going to make his next start, I would continue to hold him on your roster. He was once 8-4, but is now 8-9. Cueto has talent, he has just been in an incredible slump.

Geovany Soto had his first hit since returning from his latest stint on the Disabled List and he made the most of it with his ninth home run of the year. Soto has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy this year, and his owners are praying that he will be back on track now and will finish the season strong. I'll believe it when I see it.

Outside of that one start where he allowed eleven runs (tough to forget, I know), Gio Gonzalez has pitched pretty well. He ran his record to 4-2 as he shut down the Orioles over six innings with just one walk and striking out five. That is now two straight starts that he hasn't allowed a run, and he has struck out 26 batters in his last four outings. I still don't quite trust him yet, but Gonzalez was a high ranking prospect, so this could be for real.

Troy Tulowitzki had his best career game today as he hit for the cycle and drove in seven runs. Tulowitzki is putting those couple years of disappointment behind him, and is now ranking among the top few shortstops in baseball. I know this isn't breaking news, but just wanted to give credit where credit is due.

Jorge De La Rosa bounced back nicely from his last outing in which he gave up seven runs. De La Rosa pitched into the eighth inning, allowed just one run and struck out eleven. That is now six of his last seven starts in which he has allowed two runs or less, and he now has more strikeouts than innings pitched. If he is available in your league, please make sure he isn't much longer.

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.

Labels: alex rios, chad billingsley, geovany soto, gio gonzalez, jaime moyer, johnny cueto, jorge de la rosa, leo nunez, matt lindstrom, pedro martinez, troy tulowitzki

T-Minus 3 days until my birthday!

As a change of pace, let's start with some injury news

Jake Peavy will make his first rehab start for the White Sox on Thursday, and will likely need three such starts before taking the mound for his new team. If he suffers no setbacks, that would put Peavy in the Windy City before the calendar changes to September. There is still many days between now and then, but for those of you who have been stashing him, this is incredible news.

Carlos Zambrano has had a rough last 24 hours. He was all set to make his start on Friday night, but was scratched late with what was called some muscle spasms. Well, today Big Z lands on the 15 day DL with a lower back "problem". Not sure exactly what that means, but it does mean he will miss another two starts. Even though I don't like this guy as a player, he is a bulldog and I would be absolutely shocked if he missed anymore than the mandatory time.

Bad news for those of you stashing Jordan Zimmerman.....the worst kind of news. The Nationals used the "A-word" when talking about his MRI, but it likely isn't the "a" word you are thinking of. The team is sending his MRI to be looked at by Dr. James Andrews. That's right, Dr. Kevorkian of fantasy pitchers. For those of you who are unfamiliar, he is the Tommy John doctor. Pitchers go in.....but they don't come out usually for 12-18 months. The team says that there were "concerning facts" on the MRI. If you are stashing him on your DL slot I would continue to do so for now. But don't be surprised if you receive some pretty bad news in the upcoming days.

Erik "DL" Bedard is going back to Dr. Yocum who performed his shoulder surgery last year to look at the latest fraying found in that shoulder. He is supposed to see this doctor on Wednesday, but I am here to tell you now that he is done for the season. I wouldn't drop him on my speculation, but I would be willing to put a nice (imaginary) wager on this one. I made a prediction last season around the All-Star Break that he wouldn't pitch five more times......He never came back. He is a free agent at the end of the year so he may want to return to earn another contract, but I wouldn't count on it.

Brian Roberts (who I just traded for) fouled a ball off his shin and left the game early on Saturday. He stayed in the game for two innings, but then left to take some precautionary x-rays which (thankfully) came back negative. I wouldn't be shocked to see him out of the lineup tomorrow, but if he stayed in for two innings and there were no breaks, I wouldn't expect him to miss much time. If I see an update I will pass it along.

Brett Cecil left the game early with a sore left knee that he suffered trying to field a bunt single. From what I have read, it didn't seem like it was it was a bad injury, but apparently the knee has been bothering him for a while. It doesn't seem like a DL scenario, but the next couple of days should clear up the extent of the injury.

Jed Lowrie landed on the 15 day-DL with an irritated forearm, and while Terry Francona didn't think it was anything serious, Lowrie will get it checked out further while he is not in the lineup. It sounds like this will be a two week thing, and he should be back.

The Rest of the Action

Chris Tillman made his best start since being called to the majors on Saturday. One of the Orioles top prospects lasted 6.2 innings, gave up two runs, walked three and struck out four. He has gone deeper into the game with each passing start, and hopefully he will continue to improve for the rest of the season. He is supposed to have an incredibly bright future and should be someone that you are targeting in keeper leagues.

Outside of the walks, Clay Buchholz had a fairly effective start against the Yankees. He lasted two runs over six innings, unfortunately he walked five and struck out only three. Buchholz is an incredibly talented pitching prospect on one of the better teams in baseball. However, so far he has struggled since being inserted into the rotation.

Frank Francisco has been declared the closer again for the Texas Rangers, as he will take his job back from C.J. Wilson. It has been a tough season of injuries and sickness for Francisco, but hopefully this will be the last time that I need to write about him for any reason except for closing games.

In more closer news, even though Matt Lindstrom has been activated from the DL, Leo Nunez continues to get the saves. On Saturday, Lindstrom pitched the eighth, while Nunez collected the save. Is Lindstrom going to get his job back? I still feel like he will eventually, but I am having some doubts.

Billy Butler is really starting to make some noise for the Royals. He had three more hits on Saturday, giving him five straight multi-hit games and he has driven in ten runs in the last five games. He still isn't quite hitting for the power that he was projected to, but he has been making strides each season. He hit 11 bombs last year, but is already at 13 this season. Butler will likely get to 80 RBIs or more, as he drove in his 57th run of the year today. He should be very good for the rest of the year, and I think next season will be Butler's coming out party.

Justin Masterson made his first start for the Indians, and while it didn't last long it was very productive. I warned you that it likely wouldn't be a deep outing because he had been used out of the bullpen for the Red Sox for the past couple months. He allowed just one run over four innings and struck out four. As he makes more starts, he should be able to go longer into games. He is a guy worth keeping an eye on for the rest of the season.

Brian Fuentes actually had a fairly boring save today. He came in with one out in the ninth and finished the game allowing just one hit. Fuentes had allowed one or more runs in three straight appearances, so it was good for his owners to see him get through one without giving up any scores.

Carl Pavano made his first start for the Minnesota Twins, and boy was it a gem. Pavano threw seven shutout innings, didn't walk anyone and struck out five. Now, while I think his performances might improve with the move, I urge you not to get sucked in by this latest start. Pavano has fooled us before with some great outings, only to be punched in the gut his next time out. This gives you another sense of hope. Is it the real deal, or another one that is soon to be followed by a kick in the pants......which side is up to you.

Wladimir Balentien is making the most of his second chance in the majors when he was traded to the Reds at the deadline. He has six hits in the last four days, and he has driven in four runs. Balentien was once supposed to be one of the better outfield prospects for the Mariners, but just never got it going in Seattle. He didn't show much power and struck out constantly. He showed great power in all levels of the minors, so there is some chance that he could turn into a pretty productive hitter in the National League, especially in the Reds park. I need to see more than a few good days before I am ready to make a move on him though.

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.

OK, I'm back. I'm sure you were all going through withdrawal as the posts are starting to slow down for the 2009 season. Plenty went on in the last few days, so let's get right to it!

Elijah Dukes is back in the majors, and his manager has said that he is going to see plenty of playing time in the outfield. You all know that I am not the biggest Dukes fan, but if you have an injury or a player who is really disappointing he might be able to help you in the short term. Dukes had three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs. He could give you a little speed and a little pop in a Washington lineup that could badly use a shot in the arm.

Rick Porcello threw his second straight good start and won his tenth game of the year. Even though he picked up the win, his numbers weren't incredibly impressive. Porcello allowed two runs over 5.2 innings, but he walked three and only struck out one. I know a lot of you have considered letting him go, but I just don't think you should do that. In keeper leagues you should have your head checked for letting him go, but seasonal leagues I still think he has plenty of value. Just don't expect a thousand strikeouts.

Fausto Carmona had his second consecutive positive start, but I am not buying into him being a reasonable starting pitcher in the majors again. Three reasons. First he walks way too many and doesn't strike nearly enough out. Second, the Indians got rid of a lot of their talent at the deadline. Third, their closer, Kerry Wood is terrible, meaning sometimes even if he pitches well the lead might be blown for him. I would stay away from Carmona.

Cliff Lee was awesome again for the Phillies and is further proving how much the American League and the Cleveland Indians were holding him back. Lee allowed only one run for the second consecutive start and struck out nine over seven innings. If any of you had any concerns over Lee's transition (and I'm not sure who would) they have been answered resoundingly in his first two outings.

Brad Lidge had a fairly uneventful save for once tonight against Colorado as he allowed only one hit and struck out two in his appearance on Thursday. Perhaps this is the start of a solid finish to the season for Lidge. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!

Tommy Hunter bounced back from his worst start since coming to the majors by beating the A's and improved his record to 4-2. His ERA is well under 3.00, but Hunter isn't a big strikeout guy at all. He only allowed more than three earned runs in one of his eight starts, and his WHIP is just 1.19. Hunter had been impressive in previous years in the minors, but had struggled this season at both AA and AAA. The Rangers know how to hit though, so he should always get run support. I wouldn't put a ton of stock in Hunter, but picking him up while he is hot isn't the worst idea.

Justin Upton landed on the DL with a strained oblique and is likely out for around a month. Oblique injuries take time to heal, so you are probably looking at early September before he is eligible to return. Hopefully you have some sort of reasonable option on your bench to plug in his place. If you need to pick up a free agent and need some advice, don't hesitate to email me.

Trent Oeltjen was called up to the majors when Justin Upton went on the Disabled List. He is not one of the Diamondbacks best prospects, but he could bring you some speed if you are in need, and perhaps even a little bit of power. This year was his best in the minors as he was hitting .300 in 106 games at AAA with 10 homers, 61 RBI with 19 steals. With Upton out he could earn good playing time in the outfield for the D'Backs. They have nothing going for them this year, so it makes sense for them to give a young guy a shot. Oeltjen got off to a good start with two hits (including a homer) and two steals. If he keeps this up you can bet he will see plenty of at-bats.

Geovany Soto is due to return from the Disabled List from his own oblique injury. He hasn't played since July 7th, so that gives you some indication on how long to expect Upton to be out. Soto was doing horrible even when he was healthy, so it is hard to know what to expect. However, if you have been stashing him, chances are you haven't found a better option while he ws hurt.

Jason Bay could miss the entire Yankee series this weekend according to his manager Terry Francona. He almost definitely will miss Friday's game and they will re-evaluate him from there. Bay reaggravated a hamstring injury on Wednesday against the Rays. Francona also said that Bay would avoid the DL, so hopefully he will be back before the weekend is over. Kevin Youkilis takes over in left field, so if you are in a league that only requires a game or two to gain eligibility Youk could gain even more value.

Chad Gaudin was traded from the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later. This is the equivalent of one of those third world children you see on the commercials that can be helped for just 25 cents a day being adopted by Angelina Jolie. He hadn't been pitching well, but he is pretty good at getting strikeouts. He will get a ton more run support in New York, but the change in ballparks won't be good for him though. His value obviously goes up in New York, but don't all of a sudden think that he is going to be some incredible pitcher.

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.

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.

Labels: brad lidge, chad gaudin, cliff lee, elijah dukes, fausto carmona, geovany soto, jason bay, justin upton, kevin youkilis, rick porcello, tommy hunter, trent oeltjen

Scott Kazmir pitched well for the second consecutive start, and his owners are hoping like crazy that this is the start of him getting back on track. He still didn't go really deep into the game, but Kazmir allowed just three runs over six innings and struck out five. Even better is that he only walked one guy, which has always been his problem. This was the first time that he's been able to put two good starts together in a row, so this is a good sign. He will likely have some relapses, but I am getting some confidence that Kazmir will be able to continue to pitch well.

Super Rangers prospect Neftali Feliz was called up when Ian Kinsler was placed on the 15-day DL. For right now, Feliz will be pitching out of the bullpen, but if an opening comes up, you can bet that the Rangers will give him a shot in the rotation. In his first shot out of the 'pen tonight, Feliz was as good as advertised. He threw two shutout, hitless innings, with four strikeouts. If he is out there, I would give him a try, even if he is out of the bullpen. Keeper leagues, stop reading and pick him up now and come back to me.

Chris Tillman pitched for the second time in the big leagues, and it didn't go much better than the first. Tonight he allowed five runs over six innings, walked three, and struck out five. It was promising to see him last longer in a game, and also to see him keep his strikeouts up. He likely won't be a very consistent pitcher at all here in 2009. He will have his share of good starts, but most of the time he will pitch like he did tonight. If you are competing for a title, Tillman might end up doing you more harm than good outside of strikeouts. It is a tough call, especially if you are in a keeper league, but that is what makes this game fun. The tough decisions.His 8-4 record is good, and his ERA is under 3.00.

After a few rocky starts, Randy Wells has put two good starts together. However, if you have followed me, you know that I am not a Wells fan. He allowed just one run over 7.1 and he struck out five. He has been pitching well and he's on a good team, but I am still not on the Wells bandwagon. He didn't have a minor league career that shouted future star, and I just can't believe that he is a better major league pitcher than minor league pitcher. If your trading deadline has passed, I would be trying like crazy to sell high on Wells. If you can't deal him, I would continue to pitch him until he cools down.

Brandon Webb had season ending shoulder surgery and is finally done for the year. For those of you who are in keeper leagues, Webb should be fine at the start of next year, so he is certainly someone that I would keep for 2010.

Roy Oswalt will miss his next start on Tuesday but hopefully will be able to make his next start on the weekend. Oswalt is still dealing with some lower back issues, so keep an eye on him for the weekend to see if he will be able to go.

Corey Hart will miss most, if not all of the month of August after undergoing an appendectomy. Hopefully he will be ready to start the month of September when you are ready to start the playoffs.

Plenty of injury news on the New York Mets front. Billy Wagner threw another shutout inning in a rehab assignment, and likely isn't far from returning. Unfortunately, he won't be in any kind of role that will help you in fantasy, so stay away from Wagner. Carlos Beltran shagged some fly balls, but still felt some pain. Beltran said it was much less than before though, and he is somewhat encouraged. There is still no timetable for a rehab assignment, much less a return to baseball. Carlos Delgado took some batting practice and is scheduled to run over the next couple of days, but there is still no timetable for his return either. All in all not much news on the Mets front, but perhaps by September there might be some stars back in Flushing.

For those of you who were with me last baseball season, you know that this is around the time when fantasy baseball starts to fade out some. Many of your trading deadlines are passing by the day, and some of you who were holding out hope that you were still in the race are starting to come to the realization that it might not be in the cards for you in 2009. Now, while I still welcome emailed questions about baseball right up to the last day of the season and beyond, it is time that there won't be a Fantasy Baseball Tonight article on a nightly basis. For starters there will not be an article tomorrow. I will not be doing articles on nights that I have podcasts (Tuesday and Wednesday). I can't tell you exactly what night there will be articles, because some nights I will do a shorter article. You will be able to pretty much guarantee an article from me on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, with others likely sprinkled in. If news breaks, I will also continue the email mailing group. In fact, I am starting one for football as well, if you would like to be a part of that too, please send me an email and put football mailing list in the subject line. It is time for my focus to begin to start switching over to football as that season is starting to amp up. However, don't think I will leave you hanging in baseball, I am here for you until the end.

It is all but certain that Orioles prospect Brian Matusz will be called up to start for Baltimore on Tuesday. With Brad Bergesen heading to the DL, the Orioles need a pitcher. Matusz was scheduled to pitch tonight in the minors and he did. However, he was pulled after one shutout inning. All of these factors mean that we are just waiting for the official word. Matusz is only in AA (which you know concerns me) and he is ripping it up. This is his first year in the minors, but between the two levels he has been at he has dominated. In 18 starts, Matusz is 11-4 with a 1.93 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 112 innings. Bergesen's x-rays were negative after he took the ball off his leg which means he likely won't be out too long. Matusz is likely a short term replacement, but has HUGE value in keeper leagues.

Carlos Zambrano left his start with a stiff back. Zambrano has had his fair share of nagging injuries this season, but he has pitched better than I expected. I don't foresee this being a long term injury, but he is likely a question mark for his next start. When I find more information on the situation, I will be sure to pass it along.

Hanley Ramirez suffered a bruised knee after being hit by a pitch by Carlos Zambrano. He was able to stay in the game and actually scored from second, but he was replaced in the next inning. I would be very surprised if Hanley plays tomorrow, but the fact that he did stay in the game for a little while and scored from second on a single leaves me optimistic that this injury won't cost him a long time on the bench. This is speculation on my part I want to remind you, I have seen no confirmation of any time frame that Ramirez might be out.

Although it is not yet confirmed, it looks as though Edinson Volquez is going to have Tommy John Surgery on Monday. Volquez IS going to have elbow surgery, it just has not been reported whether it was Tommy John or another form of procedure. Either wya, if you have been holding him in a seasonal league, definitely let him go now. Even in keeper leagues, he is not worth holding anymore, especially if it is Tommy John.

Wandy Rodriguez left his start against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning with a hamstring injury. He was pitching great again, and this will be a decent sized blow to fantasy teams that own Wandy. It is too soon right now to get solid information about how long he might be out. It is probably a bit optimistic to expect him to not miss any starts, but maybe it will just be one or two.

Alexei Ramirez missed another game on Saturday, and it appears that he will be out until Wednesday at the earliest. The White Sox have Monday off, so if you play in leagues with weekly roster changes it appears that Alexei will only miss one game. He is a risky play for people in that situation, but he has been good enough lately that I will likely play him in the two leagues that I have him in with weekly changes.

Joba Chamberlain was supposed to pitch on Monday, but now will be pushed back to Thursday. This could be the Yankees answer to Joba getting closer and closer to his team imposed innings limit. For those of you with Chamberlain on your team, you have to either expect more of this kind of thing or Joba back to the bullpen. Either way, his value takes somewhat of a hit for the rest of 2009.

Jeff Niemann won again after a subpar outing, cementing his status as one of the best pitching pickups of the second half. The Rays continue to win and crawl back into the race, and Niemann is a big reason why. He pitched eight innings, allowed just one run and struck out seven. He has now struck out at least six in four straight starts. If Niemann is available and you have any need for pitching, do yourself a favor and pick him up.

I have gotten more questions over the past two weeks of people wanting to drop Rick Porcello and I have just been unable in most cases to tell people to let the kid go. Even after last time out when he gave up five runs, he gave them all up early and then settled in and pitched four more shutout innings. That is not what most young pitchers do. Well, Porcello bounced back with eight innings against the Indians, allowing just one earned run and struck out three. That is the one thing that makes people worry about Porcello is that he isn't an elite strikeout pitcher. I will tell you that fact is not going to change, but the guy is only 20 and is already a meaningful part of a contending team's rotation. That is hard to give up on.

Andrew McCutchen homered three times tonight, and while he remains a great guy to have on your team, and a fantastic guy to have as a keeper, don't think that this is the start of some sort of trend. McCutchen is a guy who shows great speed, and does have a little power, but nothing that you can count on. He had three home runs on Saturday, which is also the same number he had after his first 50 games in the big leagues. McCutchen is a good young player, but he is not a big home run hitter.

Sean Rodriguez is back in the majors with the Angels, and he played in the outfield tonight, but I would not be targeting him this time around unless you are planning on using him as a keeper. He is still hitting for a great average in the minors, but not nearly the power he was contributing before his call up to the big leagues. Just like last time, I don't know where regular at bats would come from, so it seems that Rodriguez will spend most of his time on the bench.

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.

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.

Labels: alexei ramirez, andrew mccutchen, brad bergesen, brian matusz, carlos zambrano, edinson volquez, hanley ramirez, jeff niemann, joba chamberlain, rick porcello, sean rodriguez, wandy rodriguez