Diamond Docs

MOONS OVER MY HAMMY!

2011-08-23T08:47:00.002-05:00

Adrian Beltre – Given the O.K. to start running the bases Monday. Beltre is now on a pace to return by September.

Jose Constanza – Has a slight ankle sprain that he suffered during his game with the Cubs Monday night. Its uncertain if he will need a DL stint or not, but its sounding more like he will not.

B.J. Upton – Has a right shoulder strain after crashing into the outfield wall. Upton is listed as day to day and shouldn’t miss too much time.

Victor Martinez – Scratched from Mondays lineup with back spasms. Vmart should be back in the lineup Tuesday, if not Wednesday.

Starlin Castro – Got a mental day off according to Mike Quade. Another reason why Mike Quade should not be managing a big league club. Just because some racist announcer says he’s lollygagging it doesn’t mean you need to listen to him. Consider Mike Quade a joke. Castro will be back in the lineup Tuesday.

Jose Reyes – Expected to being a minor league rehab stint on Thursday for Double A Binghamton. Reyes could be back by early next week.

Michael Cuddyer – After sitting out 10 games due to a neck issue, Cuddyer goes 2 for 3 with 2 doubles and a walk. Thank you Cuddyer for coming back and helping my squad.

Mike Napoli – 1 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBIs. I don’t look now but Napoli is now on an 11 game hitting streak and hitting .293 on the year with 21 home runs on the year. Mauer? Mauer who?

Mike Carp – Saw his hitting streak of 20 games end with an 0 for 4 night. During the streak Carp went 29 for 84 with 4 home runs and 19 RBIs.

Aramis Ramirez – 3 for 4 with a walk as he continues to kill the ball the last 2 months. Can anyone say best 3B in the league? Don’t let anyone tell you any differently, he certainly is.

YOUK TO THE DL!

2011-08-19T08:42:00.000-05:00

Kevin Youkilis – on the 15 day DL with back pain. As many of us knew already, he was playing through the discomfort for a while. The Red Sox are just preparing for the playoffs and getting all their guys healthy.

Mike Minor – 6 IP, 0 ER, 9 K’s. If Minor is on waivers I’d go ahead and pick him up and hope you strike gold like last year with him.

Tommy Hanson – Could be activated from the DL on Tuesday but wont be. Surprised? Why? It’s a shoulder injury.

Colby Rasmus – has now homered in back to back games. Lets hope this is a start of a hot streak for Rasmus.

Ricky Romero – Complete game shut out while picking up his 5th straight win, while having an ERA of 2.27. Guess who won’t be drafting Romero next year? You guessed it! This guy!

Joe Mauer – Start his first career game in the outfield. Can anyone else see Mauers value plummeting?

Mark Trumbo – Hit a walk off home run in a must win game for the Angels. Is it just me or does it always seem like the Angels always have a solid first baseman?

MORROW ME SOME MORE!

2011-08-18T08:50:00.001-05:00

Brandon Morrow – 6 IP, 1 ER, 12 K’s in one of his best starts of the year. The 12 K’s were a season high for Morrow and he will get the Royals in another must start matchup.

Mike Stanton – Has now homered in 4 straight games. Oh how I love me some Mike Stanton!

Alex Rodriguez – Will rejoin the Yankees on Thursday but won’t be activated. Expect him back this weekend.

Brian Wilson – Was not available on Wednesday due to an inflamed elbow. He has no structural damage and will just need some time off.

Stephen Strasburg – Could rejoin the Nationals on September 2nd. Due note that this is only a goal and seems silly and unrealistic. Don’t expect to see the Nationals rush their prized pitcher.

Michael Cuddyer – Could be placed on the 15 day DL as early as Thursday. Cuddyers neck is not responding to treatment and might require more time than originally hoped.

Jose Reyes – Will test his hamstring on Friday and should have a better timetable on his return after that.

David Ortiz – Was fitted for a walking boot for the heel issues he is having. Ortiz isn’t suppose to miss more than a week.

Adrian Gonzalez – Has a sore neck that his manager thinks is causing his recent power outage. Why cant his manager just admit the pace he was on was not sustainable?

Jhonny Peralta – 2 for 3 with his 17th homer on the year. What a beautiful, unexpected surprise from the shortstop position!

SHOULDER WOES!

2011-08-17T08:55:00.000-05:00

Cole Hamels – Diagnosed with shoulder inflammation but will not be placed on the DL. Apparently the inflammation isn’t causing as much discomfort as one would expect. Phillies are confident hell remain off the DL.

Hanley Ramirez – Wont return when eligible, are you surprised? I hope not, this should have been expected.

Ubaldo Jimenez – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 K’s. Ubaldo is atrocious right now and cannot be started in leagues until he figures out how to pitch again.

Pedro Alvarez – Sent back to Triple-A to make room for Jose Tabata. Well at least Alvarez’s draft position next year will be way below where it should!

Jonathan Sanchez – To the DL with an ankle injury. After Tuesdays game Sanchez was seen on crutches and manager Bruce Bochey said he will be out a while. Sanchez was borderline ownable when he was healthy, cut him loose.

Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 for 8 in a double header while hitting his 21st and 22nd homer. Next year Ellsbury will be severely overhyped. If you think Ellsbury hits 20+ homer next year, you’re nuts.

Desmond Jennings – 3 for 9 with a homer and a steal in Tuesdays double header. Jennings is putting together an absolutely fantastic season. I know I said expect a drop off, but I don’t see one coming anytime soon.

Ryan Dempster – 7 IP, 2 ER, 7 K’s but didn’t get the win due to Marmol crapping the bed. Dempster has now strung together 5 straight quality starts.

Neil Walker – 3 for 5 with his 10th homer on the year. Did you know that Walker is top 10 for second basemen and also top 10 for third basemen?

DELMON NO LONGER WANTED!

2011-08-16T08:53:00.000-05:00

Delmon Young – Traded from the Twins to the Tigers and promptly hits a home run against his old team. I love the Delmon trade for the Tigers and I love it even more for fantasy. Delmon should now be seeing regular at bats and could thrive with a change of scenery. I’d buy if anyone is selling.

Pablo Sandoval – Fouled a ball off his foot and had to leave the game. He is supposedly only going to miss one game, consider him day to day.

Francisco Liriano – 6 IP, 5 ER and continues to pitch horribly. Liriano is becoming borderline droppable and is certainly unstartable right now. If he pitches poorly in his next 2 starts, I’d release him.

Ben Revere – 2 for 5 with a steal. The steal was Reveres 21st on the season and should continue to see regular at bats with Young traded. If you need speed, Revere is your man!

Brett Lawrie – Has now hit 3 home runs in 10 games played. If you missed out on Lawrie this year, there’s always next year…. I love him for next year!

Mike Carp – 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and 2 RBIs and should be owned in all leagues if hes not already. Carp is on a tear right now and should be started until he cools off.

Jesus Montero – Won’t be called up until September unless there is an injury. When Montero is promoted, I wouldn’t expect many at bats out of him. I know I previously said he was worth a stash but I am retracting that statement and saying he’s only worth a stash in keeper leagues.

Brandon Allen – 3 for 4 and 6 for his last 10. Allen is getting regular playing time, and as long as hes getting regular playing time, he should be owned.

Nelson Cruz – Hit a home run and then left with quad cramps. Cruz is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday night, but I expect him to sit!

2011-08-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

Alex Rodriguez – Heads to Triple-A on Tuesday and aiming to return to the Yankees lineup on Thursday. Put him back in starting lineups as soon as the Yankees active him.

Dan Uggla – 0 for 3 and sees his hit streak ending at 33 games. During the streak Uggla hit .377 with 15 home runs and 32 RBI.

Edwin Jackson – Left his start Sunday night with a right hamstring injury. As of right now Jackson is considered day to day but don’t be shocked if he ends up going on the DL.

Logan Morrison – Was sent back to Triple-A and is now thinking about filing a grievance against the Marlins. While Morrison has been anything but great, he surely didn’t deserve a demotion. He was second on the team in homers, and third in RBIs. Something seems fishy here.

Jay Bruce – Hit another homer Sunday and now has 5 in his last 7 games. We consider this, Jay Bruce being Jay Bruce.

Jose Reyes – Not expected to be activated from the DL when eligible this week. Not ground breaking news, I think everyone was expecting that. The groundbreaking news would have been if he had returned when eligible.

Brian Wilson – Was unable to pitch Sunday due to back issues. If this starts to linger, one would have to think that Sergio Romo will benefit and get the save opportunities.

Carlos Guillen – Back to the DL with a wrist injury. What else is new….Right?

Carlos Zambrano – Emptied his locker after giving up 5 home runs in a game against the Braves. I think Zambrano has struck the last nerve of the Cubs organization. He has been placed on the disqualified list and was instructed to have no contact with the Cubs organization.

Ryan Vogelsong – 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 8 K’s and how has an ERA at 2.47. Would anyone else be upset if Vogelsong won the Cy Young? I know I would!

HANRAM HAS AN OUCHIE!

2011-08-11T08:49:00.000-05:00

Hanley Ramirez – Placed on DL with a sprained right shoulder. The move is retroactive to August 3rd, meaning he is eligible to come off the 18th of August. There are rumors that he could be ready to come off that day.

Brett Lawrie – 2 for 4 with a grand slam and 2 runs scored. Im sure everyone is jumping on the Lawroe bandwagon, if you can sell him for anything valuable do it.

Jason Kipnis – 5 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI. After a slow start Kipnis is finally strating to take off and is up to 6 home runs and a .295 average.

Curtis Granderson – 2 more home runs last night and is on an easy pace to 40 HRs this year. I know I said earlier in the year that I thought this guy would slow down, but clearly I was wrong!

Dee Gordon – To the DL with a hurt shoulder. Is it just me or are all the speedy shortstops getting hurt this year?

Justin Morneau – Expected to return from the DL this Friday. If hes available in your league, hes worth a shot as long as you are not giving up anything of value.

Zack Cozart – To undergo season ending elbow surgery. Cozart had a very nice 2011 campaign in the short time he was up in the bigs and will certainly be a fantasy sleeper next year.

Gio Gonzalez – Spanked around yet again, giving up 4 earned runs while walking 5. Gonzalez right now is an absolute joke and cannot be started until he figures it out.

Jonathan Sanchez – Speaking of pitchers who are jokes, this clown was also smoked. Sanchez is borderline droppable at this point. He is another pitcher who absolutely cannot be trusted.

Dan Uggla – 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and now has a hitting streak of 31 games. I told all you guys that Uggla was going to come around at some point!

Vance Worley – 4 innings and 6 ER for the guy pitching above his head. Could the honeymoon now be over for Worley? Monitor closely sports fans!

2011-08-09T08:49:00.000-05:00

Casey Kotchman – 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and now had 5 multi hit games in august and is hitting .341 on the year. Would anyone else be mad if Kotchman wins the AL batting title?

Justin Morneau – 2 for 4 in his rehad game and is now hitting .353 on the year. If you have room to stash Morneau it might not be a bad idea, but I wouldn’t drop anyone worthwhile for him.

Scott Baker – Continuing to have elbow problems and will likely be placed back on the DL. Don’t forget that Baker had elbow surgery in the offseason and its just not feeling 100%. He is expected to meet with doctors on Tuesday.

Shin-Soo Choo – Had to at bats in his first rehab start and went hitless. Funny, he did a lot of that in the majors as well. Shoo is about a week away from returning.

Alex Rios – 2 for 4 with a steal as he continues to show life these last few games. I wouldn’t pick him up, because I do believe is garbage but if he continues this hot streak, we will have no choice.

Heath Bell – .1 IP 3 ER as he blew the save for the Pads. No ones perfect right?

Tommy Hanson – May have his next start pushed back due to ineffectiveness. I don’t believe there is any injury here, but more of a tired arm. Skipping Hanson in the rotation for a start should help fantasy owners long term.

Chase Headley – Out 6 weeks with a broken pinky. Go ahead and drop Headley in all leagues.

THE SURGING UGGLA!

2011-08-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

Dan Uggla – Extended his hitting streak to 28 games with a single late in the game Sunday. Uggla is absolutely surging right now, I mean come on, we all knew he wasn’t going to continue to play as bad as his first half…Right?

Brett Lawrie – 3 for 7 over the weekend with a home run and a run scored. Lawrie has been impressive thus far, but don’t expect this to continue. This is Lawries first taste of the big leagues, he will struggle at times. He should be owned in all leagues.

Jose Reyes – After stealing 2 bases on Saturday, Reyes goes down with another hamstring injury. The Mets said the injury isn’t too serious, but who can believe those guys.

Alex Rodriguez – Could rejoin the Yankees on a road trip that begins August 15th. Arod has begun hitting and taking groundballs and could start a rehabnd

Jesus Montero – Will most likely be promoted on September 1st when the rosters expand. If you have the room to stash Montero on your bench, I’d go ahead and do it now.

Jorge Posada – Will starting losing some at bats due to struggles. Its been said he will no longer face right handers, expect to soon hear, “Posada regulated to spot starts and pinch hits.” If for some reason you own Posada, drop him.

Carlos Beltran – Suffered a sprained right wrist Sunday. Consider him day to day, the Giants don’t view this as a DL type of situation and could be back in the lineup as of Monday.

Stephen Strasburg – Threw an inning and a third Sunday allowing 1 ER and 3 hits and consistently threw in the upper 90’s. I don’t think we see Strasburg this year, and even if we do how effective will he be? No reason to hold on to him.

Victor Martinez – Skipper Jim Leyland believes Vmart could be back on Tuesday. I think Leyland has been hitting the bottle a little too hard, Vmart returning from an injury this quick? HA!

TEMPTATIONS! TEMPTATIONS!

2011-08-04T09:24:00.000-05:00

Alex Rodriguez – Was caught playing in an illegal poker game. So just as we were about to get him back, were going to lose him again!

Casey McGhee – 2 for 4 with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs. I still wouldn’t pick him up, hes just not good.
Edwin Jackson – 7 IP, 8 ER, 6 K’s as he was left out there to take a beating. Someone needs to have a little talk witih Dave Duncan and ask him why he didn’t sprinkle some of his magic fairy dust on Jackson.

Delmon Young – 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. The patented Delmon 2nd half surge is under way! If by any chance he is available on your free agent wire, he should be picked up immediately.

Gavin Floyd – 2.1 IP 10 ER as he throws up a massive stinker. Can you smell it? That’s the White Sox calling it a season!

Chien Ming Wang – 5 IP, 6 R, 2 ER. Wang was a victim of his own error and that cost him dearly. I would not pick up Wang under any circumstances until he figures his stuff out.

Jason Kipnis – Has now homered in 4 straight games, if that’s not enough for you to pick him up if you need 2B help, I don’t know what is.

Gio Gonzalez – 6.1 IP, 6 ER, 9 K’s as he continues to get smacked around the diamond. Gio is struggling mightily right now and should probably be benched until he figures this out.

DAMN, ANOTHER HAND INJURY!

2011-08-03T08:49:00.000-05:00

Albert Pujols – Was hit in the hand by a pitch on Tuesday and is unsure if hell be able to play Wednesday. X-Rays came back negative and he should be considered day to day.

Troy Tulowitzki – Left Tuesday game with an injury to his pinky finger. No one is quite sure how bad the injury is so stay tuned sports fans.

Ricky Romero – 8 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 7 K while picking up his 9th win of the year. Can you hear it? This is Romero telling you he was underrated in a all drafts being drafted around the 14th round. Expect Romero to move up a couple rounds next year.

Hanley Ramirez – Has a sprained shoulder and is listed as day to day. There were some rumors that Ramirez had a separated shoulder but those rumors are false. Expect Hanley to miss a few days and then return to the lineup.

Clay Buchholz – Hopes to return for the postseason. Thanks Clay, but that doesn’t help us out at all. Drop Buchholz in all leagues.

Carlos Gonzalez – Should be activated before Saturdays game. Cargo will play 7 innings in his first rehab game and then return to the Rockies as long as there are no setbacks.

Jesus Montero – Yankees plan on promoting Montero in a “couple of weeks”. Montero should be picked up in all keeper leagues immediately and all AL only leagues. If youre weak at catcher in mixed leagues, feel free to give him a shot.

Jose Bautista – 1 for 3 with his first home run since the all star break. Thanks Jose, youre making me look real good ranking you #1 overall!

Alfonso Soriano – 2 for 5 with 2 home runs. Soriano should have been dropped in all leagues, and should now be picked up in all leagues. Soriano is a crazy streaky hitter and he could be going on one of those now.

Jason Kipnis – Has now homered in 3 straight games and should be owned in all leagues where youre weak at 2b.

CHOO TAKING BP!!

2011-08-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

Shin-Soo Choo – Will take BP this week. From all reports Choo is ahead of schedule and is hoping to return in about 2 weeks.

Cliff Pennington – In a non fantasy baseball related incident, Pennington has been diagnosed with Bells Palsy. Keep Pennington in your prayers.

Mike Stanton – 2 for 5 with a walk off grand slam. Stanton is putting up elite power numbers and will be a force to reckon with for years to come.

Jonathan Sanchez – Activated from the 15 day DL and will start on Friday against the Phillies. I would not start him.

Asdrubal Cabrera – 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, 4 RBI, 3 runs scored. Someone needs to tell me where all this power is coming from. Asdrubal will be overrated next year.

Derrek Lee – 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI in his first game as a Pirate. Lee is still not a mix league add quite yet, but a few more games like this and he will be.

Starlin Castro – 3 for 5 Monday and now has 9 hits in his last 7 games. Castro continues to improve, and will at some point be an elite fantasy shortstop, maybe even next year.

Aramis Ramirez – Was held out of the lineup Monday with a sore quad. He is listed as day to day and will be re-evaluated Tuesday.

Ryan Madson – Pitched the 10th inning Monday and got the save. Bastardo pitched the 9th, which leads me to believe that Bastardo is still the leading candidate for saves.

IS THE ARM HANGING BY A THREAD?

2011-08-01T08:44:00.002-05:00

Rich Harden – Was traded to the Red Sox then not traded to the Red Sox. The hold up was over a shot he took after his first start. Once that happened the Sox asked for a games started clause that the A’s turned down. We need to monitor this situation closely, but for the time being, keep rolling Harden out there!

Yovani Gallardo – 7 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K while picking up his 12^th win. Gallardo has now put together 3 straight excellent starts and continues his 2^nd half dominance. Its about time we get some return on our mid round draft pick!

Rafael Furcal – Acquired by the Cardinals in a trade for a minor league prospect. Is it just me or does every washed up player that go to the Cardinals suddenly become awesome? Keep an eye on Furcal.

Michael Bourne – Acquired by the Braves and fantasy owners rejoice. Bourne should now see an increase in runs, considering the team he is on is exceptionally better.

Jordan Zimmerman – Has been told he has 4 more starts this year before he is shut down. 4 more starts will put him around 160 innings for the year. I don’t know if anyone will bite on Zimmerman, but if they will do it.

Erik Bedard – Traded to the Red Sox and sees his value instantly go up. Bedard should be significant run support, which he didn’t get in Seattle. If you own Bedard you can help but be happy about this trade.

Alex Rodriguez – Scheduled to see a doctor on Monday as a check up on his knee. We could get official word on Monday on a time frame for A-Rod.

Mike Adams – Went to Texas in a trade as many fantasy owners becomes very unhappy. It was Bell that was supposed to be traded and then Adams moving into the closers role. Stupid Padres!

Clay Buchholz – Has a stress fracture in his lower back and is done for the season. If you own Buchholz, feel free to drop him.

Dee Gordon – With the trade of Furcal, it now opens up a spot for Dee Gordon. If youre weak at the SS position I would pick up Gordon and hope for lightning in a bottle.

Brandon Allen – Traded to the A’s and promptly optioned to Triple – A. Allen needed a change of scenery and hopefully will be managed properly in Oakland.

MY TOP 1B!

2011-07-29T12:01:00.002-05:00

Adrian Gonzalez
Prince Fielder
Miguel Cabrera
Albert Pujols
Joey Votto
Ryan Howard
Mark Teixeira
Paul Konerko
Lance Berkman
Kevin Youkilis
Adam Lind
Michael Young
Michael Morse
Gaby Sanchez

A BAD FIRST IMPRESSION!

2011-07-29T08:37:00.001-05:00

Carlos Beltran – 0 for 4 in his debut with the Giants. I guess Beltran didn’t get the memo of making a good first impression for the new team you play for.

Desmond Jennings – 3 for 4 with a home run stolen base and 4 RBI. The home run was his first in his MLB career. In 6 games played, Jennings is making a hell of an impact hitting .500 with a homer and 4 stolen bases.

Rich Harden – 6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H while striking out 7. Harden departed after 6 and saw his bullpen blow a 3 run lead. The Yankees and Red Sox have been scouting Harden, and for those who own him, let’s hope this happens.

Mark Trumbo – 3 for 5 with a home run and 5 RBI as he missed the cycle by a single. Trumbo is quietly putting up a solid season, as he hits .256 with 19 HR and 53 RBI.

Tyler Colvin – Recalled from AAA when Fukudome was traded and then struck out in his pinch hit appearance. Colvin, while struggling for most of the season is still someone we need to keep an eye on. He could become a cheap source of power.

Ryan Zimmerman – 4 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Such a blah stat line!

JJ Hardy – 3 for 5 with 2 HR and is now 2^nd in the league in home runs for a short stop. Tulowitzki is the current leader but Hardy is breathing down his neck. You hear that Tulo? A free agent pickup is breathing down your neck! In case you were wondering, Hardy now has 18 Homers.

HIS FIRST BIG FLY!

2011-07-28T08:37:00.001-05:00

Joe Mauer – 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. The home run was Mauers first of the year. Mauer is slowly rounding into “Mauer” form.

Justin Upton – 2 for 4 with 2 home runs, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Upton now has 5 home runs in the last three days. Upton is smoking hot right now.

Carlos Beltran – Traded to the Giants and have been getting some questions on his value. If I had to tell if his value would change, I would say its no more or less than it was Monday.

Rickie Weeks – Hits the DL after rolling his ankle on 1^st base. He was sent for X-rays and found no breaks for fractures. The Brewers do believe he suffered ligament damage and was sent for an MRI.

Ricky Romero – 8.1 IP, 4 H, 9 K while picking up his 8^th win of the season. Romero has been a tough luck loser this whole season but still has fantastic stats. Romero is now sporting a 3.08 ERA.

Roy Oswalt – Had a rehab start on Wednesday and allowed one run. Oswalt said he will need one more rehab start before rejoining the Phils.

Colby Rasmus – Traded to the Blue Jays for a pile of crap. Rasmus has struggled most of the season, but a change of scenery should be good for him. Rasmus value rises due to the hitters park and better lineup he is in.

Jose Bautista – returned to the lineup Wednesday and went 1 for 4 with an RBI. Bautista now has 19 RBI this month.

Edwin Jackson – traded from the White Sox to the Jays then shipped off to the Cards. Jackson going to the Cards could mean great news for Jackson owners. The Cardinals seem to always take mediocre pitchers and make them great. If hes on the FA wire, I’d take a shot on him.

Jon Jay – The biggest beneficiary of the Rasmus trade is Jay, do I trust Jay? No, but you probably have worse guys currently on your squad. If you need a 5^th OF, Jay is your man.

Alex Rios – Sent to the bench in favor of De Aza, I think its safe to say you can now drop Rios. Also, De Aza and his career .242 batting average are not own able either.

PUMA DOWN!!!

2011-07-27T08:48:00.001-05:00

Lance Berkman – Played yesterday when he shouldn’t have and hurt his shoulder even more. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI Wednesday.

Dustin Pedroia – 4 for 5 with with a double, triple and 3 runs scored. That’s Dustin being Dustin, right?

Brian McCann – Suffered a strained oblique in the 10^th inning of Tuesdays 19 inning marathon game. God damn you extra innings!

David Ortiz – 4 for 5 with 3 RBI and a walk. Ortiz is now hitting .306 on the year with 19 HR and 64 RBI, a very nice surprise for fantasy owners.

Jose Bautista – Hit in the head by a pitch on Tuesday and is showing no signs of having a concussion. He is listed as day to day, as he continues to make me look like a fool for ranking him #1 overall.

Josh Johnson – According to Jon Heyman, Josh Johnson will not pitch again this year. Does this surprise anyone? I believe I told you to not expect him back this year, weeks ago.

CC Sabathia – 7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 14 K while picking up his 15^th win. The 14 K’s were a career high for CC and he continues to be on cruise control. CC lost his perfect game after return from a rain delay… Of course he did, he was on my fantasy team!

Vance Worley – Threw his first complete game while allowed 2 ER, 3 hits and 5 K’s while picking up his 5^th win. I don’t think Worley can sustain the stats he currently sporting, but ride him while hes hot!

Mike Cuddyer – 2 for 5 with a RBI and stolen base. Cuddyer’s 8 stolen bases on the year are a big of a surprise as they are now a career high.

Alex Gordon – 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI. Its nice to see Gordon start living up to some of the potential he has. Fall off? Not this year! Gordon is one of the top options at 3B this year.

Starlin Castro – 3 for 4 and now has 6 hits in his last 3 games. Its time for one of those wonderful Starlin hot streaks!

AROD USING HIS WHEELS ONCE AGAIN!

2011-07-26T08:43:00.001-05:00

Alex Rodriguez – Jogging on an elliptical and in a pool and appears to be on pace to return around mid August.

Chipper Jones – Was pulled from Mondays game with a strained right quad. He stayed in the game after he initially hurt it and then later homered. It was said he was pulled for precautionary reasons. Should we expect anything other than another DL stint?

Kevin Youkilis – Felt tightness in his hamstring Monday and will likely be out of the lineup on Tuesday. A DL stint is still a possibility.

James McDonald – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 9 K while picking up his 7^th win of the season. McDonalds ERA by month, April: 7.66, May: 2.86, June 3.76, July: 1.90. You know what this means right? Yup, you should own him!

Erik Bedard – Expected to come off the DL Friday against Tampa Bay. I still don’t think a knee injury is what has kept him out this long.

Michael Brantley – 2 for 3 with a steal and a walk. Brantley appears to be on one of those hot streaks again, if hes out there on the FA wire go get him.

Texas Offense – 20 runs on 27 hits, on nights like this you just hope that you own someone on this team. Hopefully the lone person no one owned was Chris Davis who only went 1 for 6.

Desmond Jennings – 6 for 11 since being called up with 3 SBs. I hope you all picked him up when you had the chance! Don’t expect much power out of him but the steals are for real.

WRIST PAINS!!!!

2011-07-22T08:54:00.001-05:00

Carlos Gonzalez – Felt pain in his wrist, in the middle of an at bat. Cargo was went for an MRI and it showed only inflammation. Expect to see Cago placed on the DL.

Jason Kipnis – Promoted to the bigs and should immediately start at second base. If you need help at the second base position, go pick Kipnis up now!

Grady Sizemore – Had surgery to repair a sports hernia and will be out 4 to 6 weeks. At this point if you have Sizemore on anything more than an AL only team, may God help you!

Orlando Hudson – Slammed into a wall and was taken off on a stretcher but was alert and moving after the game. Poor O-Dog!

Kyle Blanks – Recalled from Triple-A Tucson and should see plenty of at bats. Blanks is not worth an add in anything but NL only and extremely deep mixed leagues.

Cameron Maybin – 4 for 5 with 2 stolen bases and 2 runs scored. Maybin is now hitting .324 with 8 stolen bases and 12 runs scored in the month of July. Maybin is a must add in all leagues until he cools down.

Emilio Bonifacio – Extended his hitting streak to 20 games. I know im late on posting about this guy, but hes just not exciting, even with a 20 game hit streak!

TOP 15 CATCHERS MIDSEASON 2011

2011-07-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

Top 15 Catchers

Brian McCann
Victor Martinez
Joe Mauer
Carlos Santana
Mike Napoli
Matt Wieters
Alex Avila
Miguel Montero
Jonathan Lucroy
Chris Iannetta
Yadier Molina
Russell Martin
JP Arencibia
Miguel Olivo
Geo Soto

SWEET SWINGING TRAVIS!

2011-07-21T08:47:00.002-05:00

Travis Snider – 2 for 4 with a home run and 5 RBIs as he continues to torch since he was recalled. Snider is now hitting .357 in July with 2 home runs and 17 RBI.

Hunter Pence – The Astros are now showing a willingness to trade Hunter. Everyone that owns Pence says yes, please!

Jason Bay – Removed from Wednesday game with a tight right hamstring. Does anyone even own this guy anymore? I sure hope not!

Clayton Kershaw – 8 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 12 K’s while picking up his 11^th win of the year. Kershaw was just masterful on the day, and my favorite for CY Young appears to be back on track!

JJ Putz – Expected to be activated from the DL next Tuesday. I wouldn’t be so sure that he will reclaim his closers role, David Hernandez has done it better than he has thus far.

Wilson Betemit – Traded to the Tigers and will be the everyday starting 3^rd basemen with Brandon Inge being designated for assignment. If you are really weak at 3B, Betemit would be a decent add.

Scott Baker – Will come off the DL on Saturday after having a successful bullpen session. Yup, you guessed it, start him immediately!

John Danks – 7 IP, 5 H, 6 K, while picking up yet another no decision. You didn’t actually think Danks was this bad did you? He’s not, his team is just not very good.

Stephen Drew – Fractured his right ankle and is out for the season. He’s probably hurt because I put him in my top 100. I’m sorry Stephen!

Adam Dunn – Now has knee issues and is receiving treatments. Here’s my honest recommendation…. DROP HIM IN ALL LEAGUES.

Antonio Bastardo – Charlie Manual said that Bastardo could keep his closers role indefinitely. Well Charlie that makes sense since he is your best reliever!

THE RETURN OF REYES!

2011-07-20T09:07:00.001-05:00

Jose Reyes – Activated from the DL and picked up right where he left off. Reyes went 2 for 5 with a run scored in his return. Fantasy owners rejoice!

Chien-Ming Wang – Should be on the Nationals roster July 29^th. Wang has not been in the majors since 2009, so don’t expect too much from him.

Jose Bautista – 1 for 6 in his return to the lineup. Come on Bautista, youre making my #1 ranking look stupid now!

Roy Oswalt – Threw a bullpen session without any pain on Tuesday. Oswalt is expected to make a minor league rehab start next week.

Brandon Belt – Called up Tuesday and responded by going 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI. Belt is only worth an add in NL only league, keeper leagues and extremely deep mixed leagues.

Ryan Braun – returned to the lineup and went 1 for 3 with a home run. One doesn’t realize how valuable Braun is to your team until he’s gone!

Jason Isringhausen – Got his first save since 2008 by tossing a scoreless 9^th inning Tuesday. Isringhausen appears to be the favorite for closing duties. If youre lacking saves, go ahead and pick up Izzy!

Jason Heyward – The new glass chipper is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday. When he returns, he better hit 3 home runs for all the time he has missed.

Dan Uggla – 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and now has 17 home runs on the year. Uggla is still batting under .200 and only has 37 RBIs, so hopefully this is the start of a scorching hot streak.

Matt Garza – 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 K and had his bullpen blow him a lead. Garza has been hot and cold all year, and even with his inconsistency his ERA sits at 3.80. I would continue to roll Garza out there every start.

MAUER GOES APE!

2011-07-19T08:51:00.001-05:00

Joe Mauer – 6 for 8 with an RBI in the double header upping his average from 260 to 290. That’s Mauer being Mauer, right?

Stephen Strasburg – Threw 95 MPH in a simulated game Monday. There is a small chance that Strasburg will pitch in September, but I would not count on it unless the Nats are in contention.

Roy Hallday – Left Mondays start with heat exhaustion. When asked if he was going to make his next start he said absolutely. No need to worry here, move on.

David Wright – 3 for 6 with 3 singles and 3 runs scored in High – A ball. It shouldn’t be too much longer before Wright returns.

Jason Heyward – Has a foot contusion after being hit on the foot Sunday. Heyward is list as day to day, what else is new, hes the new glass Chipper.

Michael Brantley – 5 for 8 with an RBI and a run scored in Mondays double header. Brantley now has 8 multi hit efforts in his last 13 starts.

Sergio Santos – Split the 9^th inning with Matt Thornton. Guillen could be re-thinking his 9^th inning man now that Thornton has been pitching better. This situation needs to be monitored closely.

Ryan Vogelsong – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 K’s and now has a season ERA of 2.02. Can someone tell me when this guy is going to crash and burn? We have no choice but to continue to roll him out there while hes hot, but be aware that he could crash and burn soon.

Clay Buchholz – Threw from 120 feet on Monday, there is still no timetable for his return!

Aramis Ramirez – 1 for 3 with a home run. The home run was his 17^th and yup, you guessed it, he currently has the best stats of any NL 3b out there!

WELCOME TO THE SHOW, KID!

2011-07-18T09:15:00.002-05:00

Zach Cozart – 2 for 4 with his first major league home run. If youre in need for a short stop currently (looking at you Reyes owners) Cozart should be the guy to pick up!

Ryan Braun – Re-injured his calf and then to make matters worse injures his hamstring. There are some rumors flying around that he could return today but don’t count it. I think a DL stint is a real possibility here, even though he did pinch hit last night.

Grady Sizemore – Heading back to Cleveland to have his right knee looked at. He is currently listed as day to day, but this appears to be a lot like this last knee injury. Expect a DL stint.

Jose Reyes – Set to return on Tuesday as long as there are no setbacks. Reyes is scheduled to start a one game rehab assignment with single – A Brooklyn Monday.

Joe Nathan – Replaced Matt Capps as the closer and promptly earns a save. As with anyone being appointed a closer, he is worth a pick up. Do note that there will be ups and downs with Nathan as well, but he should settle in nicely.

Carl Crawford – After completing a 2 game rehab stint for Triple-A, Crawford has now been cleared to rejoin the Red Sox. Feel confident inserting Crawford into your lineups immediately.

Adam Dunn – 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored. The start of a power streak? Doubtful!

Scott Baker – Placed on the DL, retroactive to July 7^th. Baker apparently had a setback in his rehab, which will cause him to miss a start. Baker is only expected to miss 1 start.

John Axford – Picked up back to back saves on Saturday while K-rod was used in relief. I don’t expect K-Rod to get many save opportunities. Continue to roll Axford out there with confidence.

Jon Lester – Scheduled to return July 26^th against the Royals. You know my moto, if you own him, you start him!

Shaun Marcum – Pitched 5 innings and then hurt his neck. These are the type of nagging injuries that drive fantasy owners crazy. At this time he is not expected to miss any starts, but don’t be surprised if something else pops up.

JOSE THE MYSTERY MAN GOES DOWN!

2011-07-15T08:40:00.001-05:00

Jose Bautista – Twisted his ankle in Thursdays game and was forced to leave. Bautista is expected to undergo and MRI sometime on Friday and currently listed as day to day.

Carl Crawford – Set to being a rehab assignment on Friday. Crawford will play in two rehab games and then be activated before Mondays game in Baltimore.

Ike Davis – Was given a cortisone shot in his ankle and will have to wait three weeks to see if it takes. If the cortisone shot does not take, Davis will undergo ankle surgery.

Brett Lawrie – Return to action for Torontos single A team; Lawrie went 1 for 3 with an RBI. Lawrie is expected to spend a week in Single A before jumping back into Triple-A. Expect to see Lawrie in the majors somewhere around the beginning of August.

Jon Rauch – appointed the new closer in Toronto. I don’t have much faith in Rauch, but if you need a closer go ahead and pick him up.

Bartolo Colon – 0.2 IP, 8R, 3 ER, while walking two. Colon after the game blamed his awful outing on thinking too much about his injured hamstring.

Ryan Braun – 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored in his return to the lineup. I think this goes without saying, insert Braun back into all lineups.

Carlos Marmol – Blew a save last night and didn’t record an out. Marmol has been relied on heavily this year and appears to be tiring. Quade gave Marmol his support Thursday night saying that Marmols job is safe.