The Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every week, we provide you with news and notes for each team, tracking hot and cold players, injuries and lineup changes.
All statistics are up to date as of Friday, June 11.
Interleague play continues this week, so any AL team that travels to the NL will lose a hitter, and any NL team that travels to the AL will gain one. The section labeled "Interleague Effect" offers a best guess as to which players will lose or gain at-bats as a result of playing in the opposite league.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: @BOS3, @DET3
Heating
Up: Kelly Johnson, who was cold for
much of May, seems to be heating up again in June, batting .407 (11 for
27) with four doubles and one homer over his last seven games. If you
benched him for any reason, get him active again.
Cooling Off: Stephen Drew is hard to bench because he plays such a weak position,
but he's batting just .149 (7 for 47) over his last 13 games. Mark Reynolds has been even worse, batting .091 (3 for 33) over his
last 11. Adam LaRoche has been just as
bad, batting .114 (5 for 44) over his last 13, but unlike Drew and
Reynolds, he's just a fringe starter even when at his best.
Injury
Concerns: Miguel Montero, who is
working his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery, has already begun a
rehab assignment and can return to the big leagues as soon as he proves
capable of catching a full nine innings. The Diamondbacks embark on a
road trip Tuesday, which would seemingly be the ideal time to activate
him. He'll be a risky start this week, but if all the latest updates
point to a Tuesday return, he'll be worth it because of his potential at
the weak catcher position.
Platoon Possibilities: The
Diamondbacks face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any
lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague
Effect: The Diamondbacks will have the DH spot available for all six
of their games this week, which makes the timing to activate Montero
even more perfect. On the days Montero isn't DHing, Gerardo Parra is the most likely candidate to enter the starting lineup.
Atlanta Braves
Schedule: TB3, KC3
Heating Up: Brian McCann, who has struggled to keep his batting average over
.250, seems to be coming around, batting .400 (8 for 20) with a home run
over his last six games. Considering he's normally a .290-.300 hitter,
he only figures to get better from here. Start him in all leagues.
Cooling
Off: Chipper Jones is looking more and
more likely to retire at the end of the season. He's batting .105 (2 for
19) over his last five games and is hardly worth using in Fantasy.
Injury
Concerns: Nate McLouth hurt his head
in a collision with Jason Heyward on
Wednesday, and though the team still hasn't determined whether or not he
suffered a concussion, he has a good chance of winding up on the DL.
Considering his struggles this season, you shouldn't be starting him
anyway.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face one left-handed
pitcher this week. If McLouth goes on the DL, Melky Cabrera would become the everyday center fielder, making Omar Infante the most likely platoon partner for Eric Hinske.
Lineup Changes: Other than the changes to the
outfield, none.
Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: @SF3, @SD3
Heating Up:
Nobody is exceeding expectations right now.
Cooling Off: Ty Wigginton is batting .214 (15 for 70) over his last 20 games
and is a recommended sit in mixed leagues. Matt Wieters is batting .147 (5 for 34) over his last nine games,
lowering his season batting average to .241, but he's most likely the
best catcher on your roster still. Corey Patterson
is batting .143 (5 for 35) over his last nine games, but that's not far
off the standard for him over the course of his career.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face
three lefties this week, but their lineup changes so often that they
don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes:
Nothing permanent. Scott Moore has begun
to get more playing time at second base, but he isn't getting enough
at-bats even for AL-only use.
Interleague Effect: The Orioles
play all six of their games in NL parks, which means somebody has to go
to the bench. If they want to keep their best hitters in the lineup,
they'll move Wigginton to second base and stick Luke Scott at first.
Boston Red Sox
Schedule: ARI3, LAD3
Heating Up: Victor Martinez is just as hot to begin June as he was to end May,
batting .486 (17 for 35) with a homer over his last nine games. He's an
obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: David Ortiz has gone ice cold after his torrid May, batting .037 (1
for 27) over his last eight games, and is looking like one of those
players who'll be in and out of your lineup all year. You pretty much
have to keep Dustin Pedroia in your
lineup even though he's batting .182 (10 for 55) over his last 13 games
and .181 (15 for 83) over his last 20. Manager Terry Francona has
suggested a sore knee has everything to do with the slump, so you'll
want to keep an eye on that situation.
Injury Concerns: Kevin Youkilis left Thursday's game with back spasms, which is an
unspecific symptom that sometimes comes with an actual injury. Sources
say the symptoms are minor, though, so he'll probably be fine. As long
as he returns over the weekend, you obviously want him active. Jeremy Hermida, who has been getting some starts in left field with Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) on the DL, has missed some time recently with a
rib injury of his own. He isn't hitting well enough to matter in
Fantasy, though.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face two
left-handers this week, which means Bill Hall
will play at least twice, with either Hermida or Darnell McDonald starting the other games. Ortiz has been starting
against both righties and lefties recently.
Lineup Changes:
None.
| ||
Player | Start % | |
1. | Aubrey Huff, OF, Giants | 46 |
2. | Geovany Soto, C, Cubs | 55 |
3. | Justin Smoak, 1B, Rangers | 22 |
4. | Juan Pierre, OF, White Sox | 41 |
5. | Brennan Boesch, OF, Tigers | 43 |
6. | Carlos Quentin, OF, White Sox | 66 |
7. | Corey C. Hart, OF, Brewers | 67 |
8. | Rafael Furcal, SS, Dodgers | 57 |
9. | Andres Torres, OF, Giants | 20 |
10. | Freddy Sanchez, 2B, Giants | 21 |
|
Chicago Cubs
Schedule: OAK3, LAA3
Heating Up:
As soon as Marlon Byrd's batting average
dipped below .300, he took off again, batting .533 (16 for 30) with two
homers over his last seven games. Clearly, he's streaky, so if you plan
to use him at all this year, now's the time. Ryan Theriot seems to have gotten the message. After sitting on the
bench for nearly a week, he has returned to go 8 for 20 (.400) with four
steals over his last five games. If you need a stopgap shortstop, give
him a look. Geovany Soto has three
homers in his last six games, reminding everyone why he's a must-start
catcher.
Cooling Off: Starlin Castro
has fallen into his first rookie slump, batting .179 (5 for 28) over his
last eight games. He plays a weak position, but he hasn't established
himself enough for you to keep starting him when he's struggling.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face four
lefties this week, which means Kosuke Fukudome
figures to sit four times for Xavier Nady.
Now isn't the time to use him in mixed leagues.
Lineup Changes: Aramis Ramirez recently went on the DL with a sore left thumb. Mike Fontenot will likely get most of the playing time at third base
in his absence, with Jeff Baker stepping
in from time to time. Fontenot has bounced back fairly well from a
disappointing 2009 and deserves a look in NL-only leagues.
Chicago White Sox
Schedule: @PIT3, @WAS3
Heating
Up: For the first time all year, Alexei Ramirez is doing something at the plate. The shortstop has hit
safely in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .333 with three home runs
during that stretch. You shouldn't mistake him for a must-start Fantasy
option, but he's well worth using right now. So is Juan Pierre, who has gotten back on track over his last eight games,
batting .333 (10 for 30) with four stolen bases. Paul Konerko is doing his best to reclaim the league lead in homers,
batting .455 (15 for 33) with three long balls over his last 10 games.
Hopefully you didn't make the mistake of benching him during his brief
cold spell.
Cooling Off: Carlos Quentin
has had some big moments lately, but he's still lacking consistency,
batting .130 (7 for 54) over his last 15 games. Then again, how can you
sit him with the good matchups he has this week?
Injury Concerns:
None.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox face three
left-handed pitchers this week. Andruw Jones,
who has been sitting for Mark Kotsay
against right-handers recently, would normally start those games, but
with the team losing the DH during interleague play this week, he might
not.
Lineup Changes: Omar Vizquel
has taken over for the injured Mark Teahen
(finger) at third base and has hit surprisingly well, but he has no
power or speed at age 43 and is just a last resort in AL-only leagues.
Interleague
Effect: The White Sox will spend the entire week in NL parks,
forcing them to lose a batter for each of their six games. The
Kotsay-Jones platoon is likely the odd man out, with Juan Pierre, Alex Rios and Quentin
playing every day in the outfield.
Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: LAD3, @SEA3
Heating Up: Brandon Phillips is batting .441 (26 for 59) over his last 13 games,
raising his batting average from .257 to .301. His combination of power
and speed makes him a must-start regardless. Scott Rolen apparently thinks he hasn't made his point yet. He's
batting .392 (20 for 51) with four homers over his last 14 games. If
he's still unowned in your league, wake up already.
Cooling Off: Ramon Hernandez, who had gotten his batting average up over .300 with
some hot hitting at the end of May, has come back down to earth
recently, batting .200 (6 for 30) over his last 10 games. He doesn't hit
for much power these days, making him more of an NL-only option.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Reds face two
left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any strict
lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague
Effect: The Reds will likely use their three games with the DH spot
to give some of their aging infielders -- Rolen and Phillips -- time off
from the field. Miguel Cairo could see an
increase in at-bats, but not enough to make a huge impact in Fantasy.
Cleveland Indians
Schedule: NYM3, @PIT3
Heating
Up: Shin-Soo Choo has had a season
of ups and downs, but he's doing fine now, batting .406 (13 for 32) over
his last eight games. His five-category potential makes him a
must-start. Austin Kearns went quiet
after taking over the starting job in late April, but he seems to be
coming around again, batting .423 (11 for 26) with two homers over his
last seven games.
Cooling Off: Travis Hafner is batting .071 (4 for 42) over his last 13 games and is
only going to suffer more from interleague play. You don't want him.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Indians face
two left-handers this week, but with Mark Grudzielanek off the roster and Matt LaPorta back in the minors, they don't have any clear
lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague
Effect: Hafner is pretty much useless in the field, so he's all but
certain to go to the bench for the team's three-game series at
Pittsburgh.
Colorado Rockies
Schedule: @MIN3, MIL3
Heating
Up: Brad Hawpe had four straight
multi-hit games before going hitless Thursday. He's batting .474 (9 for
19) over his last five.
Cooling Off: Ian Stewart continues to do more harm than good since homering the
first two games of the season, batting .158 (3 for 19) over his last
eight games. Todd Helton is getting worse
before he gets better, batting .119 (5 for 42) over his last 13 games.
At this point, you should know better than to start him.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rockies face
three left-handed pitchers this week, which is reason enough for you to
sit Seth Smith. He often sits for Ryan Spilborghs against lefties.
Lineup Changes: The
Rockies have been bouncing Helton around the lineup, trying to figure
out where he'll do the least damage, but they haven't settled on
anything yet. The bench might be the best spot for him.
Interleague
Effect: Jason Giambi is the most
likely candidate to start for the Rockies during their three-game series
at Minnesota, though the team could instead use it as an opportunity to
get both Miguel Olivo and Chris Iannetta in the lineup. Iannetta might be worth a gamble in
NL-only leagues this week.
Detroit Tigers
Schedule: WAS3, ARI3
Heating Up: Brennan Boesch learned to stop swinging at first-pitch balls and has
caught fire again as a result, batting .414 (12 for 29) with three home
runs over his last eight games. He continues to disprove the skeptics
and remains an excellent sleeper in mixed leagues. Carlos Guillen is getting more comfortable at the plate as he gets
more comfortable at second base, batting .375 (9 for 24) with a homer
over his last six games. If injuries weren't such a concern with him,
he'd matter in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Austin Jackson is batting .077 (2 for 26) over his last six games. He
made his first slump in mid-May a relatively short one, but you should
probably bench him now. Gerald Laird is
batting .125 (6 for 48) over his last 15 games, but what else is new?
Injury
Concerns: Magglio Ordonez has a sore
oblique and has sat out the last three games hoping to avoid a strain.
The injury doesn't sound serious, so as long as he returns to the lineup
over the weekend, you should keep him active.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Tigers face just one left-hander this week. Ryan Raburn might start that game, but he won't get enough at-bats
to make an impact in Fantasy.
Lineup Changes: None.
Florida Marlins
Schedule: TEX3, TB3
Heating Up: Chris Coghlan has a 10-game hitting streak during which he's batting
.465 (20 for 43) with a homer and two steals. He has raised his season
batting average from .216 to .265 during that stretch and is worth using
again in mixed leagues. When he got hot like this last year, it lasted
for the entire second half.
Cooling Off: Hanley Ramirez is batting .178 (8 for 45) over his last 12 games and
under .300 for the season, but he's a must-start in Fantasy.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Marlins face
two lefties this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: The Marlins promoted top prospect Michael Stanton on Tuesday and will play him every day in right field.
His power potential makes him worth a flier in all leagues right away. Cameron Maybin is the player most hurt by his arrival, sitting out the
first two games, but the versatility of Chris Coghlan could allow Cody Ross
and Gaby Sanchez to get some occasional
time off as well.
Houston Astros
Schedule: @KC3, TEX3
Heating Up: Carlos N. Lee, who has been hitting under .200 just about all season,
finally seems to be coming around. He has hit safely in 13 of his last
15 games, batting .311 (19 for 61) with four homers during that stretch.
His overall numbers still look terrible, but considering his elite
potential, you want to get him active.
Cooling Off: Hunter Pence, who recently had an 11-game stretch during which he hit
.395 (17 for 43), is batting .136 (3 for 22) in seven games since. These
cold streaks are exactly why he isn't a must-start.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face two
left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Astros have enough
trouble filling out an eight-man lineup. Geoff Blum
could get extra at-bats during the team's three-game series at Kansas
City, but you wouldn't want him.
| ||
Player | % Change | |
1. | Michael Stanton, OF, Marlins | 18 |
2. | Jose Tabata, OF, Pirates | 16 |
3. | Troy Glaus, 1B, Braves | 13 |
4. | Juan Uribe, SS, Giants | 12 |
5. | Jeff Keppinger, 2B, Astros | 12 |
6. | Marco Scutaro, SS, Red Sox | 11 |
7. | Scott Rolen, 3B, Reds | 8 |
8. | Brennan Boesch, OF, Tigers | 8 |
9. | Chris Coghlan, OF, Marlins | 8 |
10. | John Jaso, C, Rays | 8 |
Kansas City Royals
Schedule: HOU3, @ATL3
Heating
Up: David DeJesus' hot streak has
ventured into the ridiculous. He has hit safely in 21 of his last 22
games, batting .391 (34 for 87) during that stretch. He lacks power and
speed, making him normally not worth your time in mixed leagues, but
he's a worthy stopgap now. The ever-streaky Jose Guillen has begun to find his form again, batting .421 (8 for
19) with a double, a triple and a homer over his last five games. He
might be worth a flier as well.
Cooling Off: Alberto Callaspo, who was so hot when he first took over for Alex Gordon at third base, has been equally cold recently, batting
.175 (11 for 63) over his last 16 games. He doesn't deserve to start in
mixed leagues right now. Billy Butler
hasn't played up to his usual standard, batting .176 (6 for 34) over his
last nine games, but he's still batting well over .300 on the year. Keep
him active.
Injury Concerns: Rick Ankiel
is on a Triple-A rehab assignment as he works his way back from a
quadriceps injury. The Royals have yet to give a timetable for his
return, but his inconsistency makes him at best an AL-only option anyway.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Royals don't face a single left-handed pitcher
this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Royals won't shy
away from using Guillen, their usual designated hitter, in the outfield
during their three-game series at Atlanta, with light-hitting Mitch Maier likely moving to the bench.
L.A. Angels
Schedule: MIL3, @CHC3
Heating Up: Erick Aybar seems to be growing into the leadoff role, batting .432
(19 for 44) with four stolen bases over his last 11 games. As long as he
continues to steal bases, he has some low-end appeal in mixed leagues. Juan L. Rivera is batting a relatively tame .286 (10 for 35) over
his last 10 games, but he has three home runs during that stretch. If he
gets hot enough, he could make an impact in mixed leagues.
Cooling
Off: Bobby Abreu is batting .087 (2
for 23) over his last seven games and .232 (33 for 142) since the
beginning of May. This is unlike him, which makes you wonder if he might
finally be on the decline at age 36. Still, you wouldn't want to bench
the five-category stud just yet.
Injury Concerns: Jeff Mathis, who hasn't played since April 19 because of a fractured
wrist, could come off the DL as soon as Saturday. His return mostly just
means Mike Napoli would play more first
base than catcher. Mathis doesn't have much Fantasy value on his own.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Angels face three left-handed pitchers this week,
which means Kevin Frandsen could get
three starts at third base. Maicer Izturis
could move elsewhere on the diamond for those games, though.
Lineup
Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: Hideki Matsui might get a start or two in the outfield during the
team's three-game series at the Cubs, so don't let the interleague
factor be the reason you bench him.
L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: @CIN3, @BOS3
Heating Up: Rafael Furcal, who wasn't doing much when he first came off the DL in
late May, seems to be back in form, batting .360 (9 for 25) with a
homer, a triple, a double and a stolen base over his last six games. If
you need help at shortstop, why isn't he starting for you yet? Blake DeWitt is quietly having a productive first season as an
everyday second baseman, batting .429 (9 for 21) with eight RBI over his
last six games. His lack of pop makes him more of an NL-only option,
though.
Cooling Off: Russell Martin
is proving to be the same hitter who disappointed Fantasy owners last
year, batting .208 (11 for 53) with just two extra-base hits over his
last 16 games. Still, who else are you going to start at catcher?
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers don't
face a single left-handed pitcher this week, not that they have any
lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague
Effect: The Dodgers will likely use their three games with a DH to
give three different starters a day off from the field. No one player
stands to see a significant increase in at-bats.
Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: @LAA3, @COL3
Heating
Up: Corey C. Hart looked like he was
finally beginning to cool off after hitting 11 homers during a 17-game
stretch at the end of May, but apparently, he's not done yet. He homered
for the second time in three games Thursday and is batting .300 (6 for
20) over his last six.
Cooling Off: Ryan J. Braun is just 3 for 24 (.125) over his last six games and
has only three homers over his last 177 at-bats. Still, he's a potential
five-category player and a must-start in Fantasy. George Kottaras is just 1 for 17 (.059) over his last five games,
potentially opening the door for rookie Jonathan LuCroy to get more at-bats.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Brewers face two left-handed pitchers this week. Jim Edmonds and Carlos Gomez have
gone back to platooning, so you have to figure Edmonds will sit twice
for Gomez.
Lineup Changes: Other than the adjustment in center
field, none.
Interleague Effect: Edmonds and Gomez might both
get to start during the team's three-game series at the Angels,
especially if Prince Fielder moves over
to DH, allowing Edmonds to step in at first base.
Minnesota Twins
Schedule: COL3, @PHI3
Heating Up:
Long-time disappointment Delmon Young is
actually having a halfway respectable season. He's batting .333 (14 for
42) with three homers over his last 11 games. He'll have to do more than
that to matter in mixed leagues, though. Jason Kubel has homered twice in his last three games, but he's also
pretty far down in the rankings still.
Cooling Off: Nobody is
significantly underachieving right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Twins face just one left-hander this week, but
they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy both had
to go on the DL with wrist injuries, forcing Matt Tolbert and Nick Punto to start
up the middle. The Twins did call up Danny Valencia to step in and play third base, though, and he has
enough upside to deserve a look in AL-only leagues.
Interleague
Effect: The Twins will have to divide at-bats between Kubel and
Young during their three-game series at Philadelphia. Unfortunately,
they're the team's two hottest hitters, but you probably wouldn't be
using them in mixed leagues anyway.
N.Y. Mets
Schedule: @CLE3, @NYY3
Heating Up: Jeff Francoeur is back swinging the bat the way he did at the
beginning of the season, batting .474 (18 for 38) with a homer over his
last 11 games. You should know better than to think it'll last, but he's
a decent sleeper right now. David Wright
is batting .429 (15 for 35) with two homers and three steals over his
last 10 games, but he's a must-start regardless.
Cooling Off: Jason Bay, who was finally playing up to an All-Star level, is back
trending in the wrong direction, batting .212 (7 for 33) over his last
eight games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Mets face one left-hander this week, but they
don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Luis Castillo went on the DL with a bruised left foot, opening the
door for Ruben Tejada and Alex Cora to split starts at second base. Neither has any
mixed-league appeal. Angel Pagan has
moved up to second in the lineup because of the injury, meaning he'll
get more at-bats and score more runs.
Interleague Effect: The
Mets have to find a way to fill the DH slot for all six of their games
this week. Chris C. Carter and Fernando Tatis will probably split time there, not that either has the
upside to make a significant impact in Fantasy.
N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: PHI3, NYM3
Heating Up: Robinson Cano isn't ready to slow down yet. He has three hits in three
of his last four games, batting .667 (10 for 15) during that stretch and
.492 (30 for 61) over his last 15 games. Start him.
Cooling Off: Curtis Granderson has still been nothing more than a marginal
offensive player for the Yankees, batting .167 (3 for 18) with a homer
and a steal over his last six games, but because of his power and speed
potential, you wouldn't want to sit him. You certainly wouldn't want to
sit Jorge Posada even though he's batting
.050 over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Alex Rodriguez left Thursday's game with a groin injury that has
been bothered him for a few games. His visit to the doctor Friday will
determine his status for the upcoming week. Keep a close eye on this
story. Obviously, if he's starting, you want him active. Brett Gardner hasn't played since leaving Tuesday's game with a sore
right thumb. He's unavailable to hit and could wind up on the DL
depending on the result of Friday's MRI. Unless he returns to the
starting lineup over the weekend, you should avoid using him.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Yankees face three left-handed pitchers this
week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: Kevin Russo and Marcus Thames would likely split time in left field if Gardner has to
go on the DL. If Thames gets the majority of the at-bats, his power
potential would make him useful in AL-only leagues. Both of them might
end up playing every day if Rodriguez misses time since Russo is also
able to play third base.
Oakland Athletics
Schedule: @CHC3, @STL3
Heating
Up: Kevin Kouzmanoff's poor plate
discipline makes him streaky, but that streakiness is paying off now.
He's batting .405 (17 for 42) with three homers over his last 11 games,
making him a worthwhile stopgap in mixed leagues. Jack Cust is batting .360 (9 for 25) with two home runs over his
last six games, but he's too streaky for mixed-league play. Kurt Suzuki is batting .364 (16 for 44) with four home runs so far
in June, reaffirming his must-start status. He'll be on bereavement
leave this weekend, but he'll return in time for the upcoming scoring
period.
Cooling Off: Cliff Pennington
went 2 for 3 Thursday, but he's still batting .102 (5 for 49) without a
single extra-base hit over his last 15 games. Don't use him.
Injury
Concerns: Eric Chavez, whose career
looked like it might be over when he went on the DL with neck spasms, is
set to begin a rehab assignment and could return sometime this week. He
hasn't made a Fantasy impact in years, but his power potential still
gives him some low-end appeal in AL-only leagues. Rajai Davis missed his third straight game Thursday with a hamstring
injury, but he should return over the weekend. His base-stealing ability
makes him worth using in all Rotisserie leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Athletics face one left-handed pitcher this week,
so Cust should lose only one start to Jake Fox.
Lineup
Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Athletics will
spend all week in NL parks, but Eric Patterson
is more likely to lose at-bats than the Cust-Fox platoon.
| ||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Giants | BAL3, @TOR3 |
2. | White Sox | @PIT3, @WAS3 |
3. | Indians | NYM3, @PIT3 |
4. | Brewers | @LAA3, @COL3 |
5. | Astros | @KC3, TEX3 |
Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: @NYY3, MIN3
Heating
Up: Shane Victorino, who was awesome
in May, has been just as productive in June, batting .375 (9 for 24)
with two homers and two steals over his last six games. He doesn't excel
in any one category, but he's a must-start because of his
across-the-board performance. Placido Polanco
is back swinging the bat the way he did at the beginning of the season,
batting .405 (15 for 37) over his last nine games. Get him active if he
isn't already.
Cooling Off: Jayson Werth's crippling slump just won't end. He's batting .073 (3
for 41) over his last 12 games, but you can't afford to sit someone with
his potential. Same goes for Chase Utley,
whose batting .143 (8 for 56) over his last 15 games.
Injury
Concerns: Jimmy Rollins, on the DL
for the second time with a calf injury, will begin a rehab assignment
Monday and could return before the end of the week. Since he'll play
half a week at best, though, you should keep him reserved in mixed
leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Phillies face two
left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco are the
most likely candidates to man DH during the team's three-game series at
the Yankees to begin the week. Neither will see enough extra at-bats to
matter in Fantasy.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: CHW3, CLE3
Heating
Up: Neil Walker is settling in as
the team's starting second baseman, batting .322 (19 for 59) with five
doubles, a triple, a homer and two stolen bases through his first 15
games. He has the potential to make an impact in mixed leagues, though
you might want to see just a little bit more from him before you add him.
Cooling
Off: Andrew McCutchen has been
relatively quiet over his last five games, batting just .105 (2 for 19),
but the five-category threat remains a must-start in Fantasy. Andy LaRoche is anything but a must-start, batting just .152 (5 for
33) over his last 11 games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Pirates face two left-handers this week, but they
don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The
Pirates recently called up speedy prospect Jose Tabata to play left field every day. To accommodate him, Lastings Milledge will move from left to right, and Garrett Jones will move from right to first base. The Pirates also
optioned Jeff Clement, who was
previously starting at first base, to the minors. Tabata obviously sees
the biggest increase in value from these moves. His base-stealing
ability makes him worth a flier in all Rotisserie leagues, especially if
he continues to bat leadoff.
San Diego Padres
Schedule: TOR3, BAL3
Heating Up: Chase Headley is performing more like he was at the beginning of the
season, batting .357 (15 for 42) over his last 10 games. He still isn't
hitting for enough power to matter in mixed leagues. Nick Hundley lacks upside, but he is reinstating his usefulness in
NL-only leagues, batting .419 (13 for 31) with two homers over his last
10 games.
Cooling Off: Will Venable
isn't giving the Padres much reason to get his bat in the lineup,
batting just .125 (3 for 24) over his last nine games. Another NL-only
option, Jerry Hairston, is batting .139
(5 for 36) over his last nine games, likely causing the Padres to count
down the days until Everth Cabrera's
return.
Injury Concerns: Cabrera, who is recovering from a
strained hamstring, has been running, hitting and fielding, but he has
yet to begin a rehab assignment. He won't get a full week of at-bats, so
you should keep him reserved even in NL-only leagues. Kyle Blanks (elbow) is on a rehab assignment, but he's struggling at
Class A Elsinore and won't return to the big leagues until his bat comes
around.
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face three
left-handers this week, which means Scott Hairston
will make at least three starts. His power potential gives him some
low-end appeal in NL-only leagues. Oscar Salazar
will likely also get three starts, with Venable and Tony K. Gwynn moving to the bench.
Lineup Changes: None.
| ||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Athletics | @CHC3, @STL3 |
2. | Reds | LAD3, @SEA3 |
3. | Twins | COL3, @PHI3 |
4. | Yankees | PHI3, NYM3 |
5. | Blue Jays | @SD3, SF3 |
San Francisco Giants
Schedule: BAL3, @TOR3
Heating
Up: Aubrey Huff has suddenly become
a hot commodity in mixed leagues, batting .404 (19 for 47) with four
homers over his last 14 games. He's only a year removed from that
32-homer performance with the Orioles. Buster Posey has lived up to his top-prospect billing right away and
has emerged as a must-start at the weak catcher position, batting .444
(20 for 45). Andres Torres, who looked
like he had finally begun to regress to the mean, has come back around
this week, batting .400 (10 for 25) with six walks over his last six
games. He's an excellent sleeper this week.
Cooling Off: Bengie Molina has begun to get a few more hits lately, but he's still
batting just .121 (7 for 58) over his last 17 games. Still, he's more of
a sleeper than a bust candidate given the team's good matchups this week.
Injury
Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Giants don't
face a single left-handed pitcher this week, not that they have any
lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Giants signed Pat Burrell to a minor-league deal at the end of May and called him
up last weekend. They've been working him into the lineup whenever
possible, usually in place of Aaron Rowand.
Though he has hit well, his uncertain role -- not to mention his
struggles with the Rays earlier this year -- limit his appeal to NL-only
leagues.
Interleague Effect: The three-game series at Toronto
to end the week gives the Giants a perfect opportunity to play all four
of their outfielders at once, making Burrell, Huff and Torres even more
intriguing as sleepers this week.
Seattle Mariners
Schedule: @STL3, CIN3
Heating
Up: Josh Wilson continues to swing a
hot bat since taking over as the starting shortstop, batting .319 (15
for 47) over his last 12 games. He doesn't have the upside to make an
impact in mixed leagues, though.
Cooling Off: Milton Bradley has been a disappointment at the plate all season and
hasn't gotten any better lately, batting .140 (6 for 43) over his last
11 games. Avoid him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Mariners don't face a single left-handed pitcher
this week, not that they have any strict lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: The Mariners promoted Mike Carp
from the minors on Monday and have been starting him at first base in
place of Casey Kotchman. Carp has
demonstrated both power and patience in the minors and deserves a flier
in AL-only leagues. Also, prospect Michael Saunders has been getting regular time in left field with Mike Sweeney (back) going on the DL and Bradley moving over to DH.
He could become a viable mixed-league option someday, but he has yet to
find consistency at the major-league level.
Interleague Effect:
Saunders would be the most likely candidate to go to the bench for the
team's three-game series at St. Louis, making him not worth using even
in AL-only leagues right now.
St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: SEA3, OAK3
Heating
Up: Ryan Ludwick has been hitting
fifth instead of second, meaning he loses the protection of Albert Pujols, but it hasn't fazed him in the slightest. He's batting
.339 (19 for 56) with four home runs over his last 14 games and is on
one of those hot streaks that make him practically impossible to sit in
Fantasy. If you can't find reason to use him now, you probably never
will.
Cooling Off: Yadier Molina's
numbers took a tumble in May and have only continued to plummet in June.
He's batting .180 (16 for 89) over his last 26 games. He won't stay this
bad forever, but surely you can do better than him right now in
one-catcher leagues.
Injury Concerns: Colby Rasmus (calf) and David Freese
(ankle) have each missed a handful of games this week, but both figure
to return to the starting lineup Friday. The Cardinals are a little more
sure about Rasmus than Freese, so be sure to check back over the
weekend. Neither is a must-start in Fantasy, but both have some
mixed-league appeal when hot.
Platoon Possibilities: The
Cardinals face three left-handed pitchers this week, which hurts Rasmus'
chances of contributing. His OPS is more than 100 points lower against
lefties, which might not be so bad if he was assured of playing against
them. Unfortunately, he often doesn't.
Lineup Changes: The
Cardinals signed Randy Winn, who was
recently designated for assignment by the Yankees. Though he could fare
better in the NL, he won't get enough at-bats to matter outside of
deeper NL-only Rotisserie leagues.
Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: @ATL3, @FLA3
Heating
Up: B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena, who have been the team's two coldest players all season,
have woken up at the same time. Upton has multiple hits in three of his
last four games, batting .571 (8 for 14) during that stretch, and Pena,
in typical Pena fashion, has five homers in his last four games. Time to
get both active again. Sean Rodriguez's
uncertain role makes him less than a mixed-league option, but he has
also woken up, batting .395 (15 for 38) with two homers during an
11-game hitting streak.
Cooling Off: Carl Crawford is batting just .152 (5 for 33) over his last eight
games, dropping his season batting average below .300. He remains a
must-start, though.
Injury Concerns: Jason Bartlett, who is on the DL with a strained right hamstring, is
set to return when eligible Tuesday, meaning he should play a full week.
He's still at risk of a setback, though, and was batting only .231
before the injury. You might want to give him a week to prove his health.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Rays don't face a single left-hander this week,
but since they won't have the DH spot available to them, they don't have
any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague
Effect: The Rays play all six of their games in NL parks this week,
meaning someone has to sit for each. Hank Blalock
and Willy Aybar are the two players who
most often start at DH. Neither figures to see much playing time this
week.
Texas Rangers
Schedule: @FLA3, @HOU3
Heating Up: Justin Smoak is finally living up to his top-prospect billing, batting
.389 (14 for 36) with two homers over his last 12 games. His plate
discipline gives him a good chance of sustaining this streak. Julio Borbon, who was a decent prospect in his own right, has also
righted the ship, batting .542 (13 for 24) over his last seven games. Josh Hamilton has only verified his must-start status, batting .436
(17 for 39) with four homers over his last 10 games.
Cooling Off:
Nobody is significantly underachieving right now.
Injury Concerns: Nelson R. Cruz suffered a setback while working his way back from a
hamstring injury, needing a cortisone shot to reduce swelling Thursday,
and now might not return at all this week. Clearly, he's too risky to
start.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face two
left-handers this week, but Borbon got to start against the last one.
Perhaps he doesn't have to worry about sitting for Craig Gentry anymore.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague
Effect: As the usual DH, Vladimir Guerrero
might have trouble getting into the lineup during the Rangers' six games
in NL parks this week. The team has said he won't play more than every
other day in the outfield. He's normally a must-start, but he might not
be worth the trouble in mixed leagues this week.
Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: @SD3, SF3
Heating Up:
Nobody is exceeding expectations right now.
Cooling Off: Jose A. Bautista has gone hitless in his last five games, spanning
16 at-bats. Still, he leads all of baseball with 18 homers, so how can
you sit him? Edwin Encarnacion had that
three-homer game soon after coming off the DL in late May, but he's
batting just .116 (5 for 43) over his last 14 games. No way you'd use
him in mixed leagues right now. Fred Lewis
has cooled off after a strong finish in May, batting .074 (2 for 27)
over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Blue Jays face two left-handers this week, but
they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes:
None.
Interleague Effect: Lewis is the most obvious candidate
to sit for the three-game series at San Diego to begin the week. Adam Lind will likely play no matter what, so continue to use him as
you normally would.
Washington Nationals
Schedule: @DET3, CHW3
Heating
Up: Adam Dunn has homered in three
straight games and is batting .364 (12 for 33) over his last eight
games. Safe to say he's on the right side of streaky, not that you'd sit
him either way. Josh Willingham has yet
to endure a lengthy cold streak this season and is still worth starting
in mixed leagues, batting .360 (9 for 25) with two homers over his last
seven games.
Cooling Off: Nyjer Morgan
showed some promise when the Nationals first moved him out of the
leadoff spot, but he has gone back to struggling, batting .200 (5 for
25) over his last seven games. Don't start him unless you desperately
need steals in a Rotisserie league.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Nationals face one lefty this week, which means Roger Bernadina will sit once in favor of Mike Morse.
Lineup Changes: Ivan Rodriguez has returned from his lower back strain, forcing Wil Nieves back to the bench. Rodriguez has some appeal in mixed
leagues, but you can't expect him to maintain a batting average over
.300 all year.
Interleague Effect: The Nationals will probably
use their three games at Detroit to spell Adam Dunn or Josh Willingham in the
field, replacing them with Adam Kennedy
or Willie Harris. Nobody will see a big
enough increase in at-bats to gain any Fantasy appeal.
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