Week 14 Fantasy Hitting Planner

The Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every weekend, we provide you with favorable and unfavorable matchups as well as lineup changes for each team.

Weather planner: Taking into account all games with at least a 50 percent chance of precipitation according to Weather.com, no games are in danger of being rained out.

This week's news and notes for each team:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: SD3, FLA4
Heating Up: Felipe Lopez is batting .326 (14 for 43) over his last 11 games, so he's clearly heating up. Add the fact he plays seven games at home, where he's batting .336 compared to .262 on the road, and you have yourself a pretty nice sleeper for this week.
Cooling Off: Justin Upton is hitless in his last four games -- a span of 17 at-bats. You have to expect some rough patches here and there for the 21-year-old, but he's still a Fantasy stud.
Injury Concerns: Chris Snyder, on the DL with a sore back, hasn't begun a rehab assignment yet and likely won't return until after the All-Star break. Miguel Montero continues to start in his absence.
Platoon Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face two left-handed pitchers this week, and first baseman Chad A. Tracy, recently back from the DL, will likely sit those two games. The Diamondbacks could opt for Tony Clark at first base or Ryan Roberts at third, moving Mark Reynolds to first.
Lineup Changes: Tracy's return shakes up the bottom half of the order, with Gerardo Parra batting fifth, Montero sixth, Tracy seventh and Chris B. Young eighth. No player's value changes significantly as a result of the shakeup, though keep in mind Parra doesn't have the same value he did when he hit at the top of the lineup.

Atlanta Braves
Schedule: @CHC3, @COL4
Heating Up: Martin Prado, who has taken over as the Braves starting second baseman, has hit safely in five straight games, batting .500 (11 for 22) during that stretch. He's a decent contact hitter who could suffice as a low-end starting middle infielder even in mixed leagues. Garret Anderson continues to heat up with the weather, batting .370 (10 for 27) with two home runs over his last eight games. Matt Diaz has heated up with the Braves facing four straight left-handers, batting .667 (10 for 15) during that stretch, but you can't expect him to start against righties.
Cooling Off: Brian McCann is batting .185 (5 for 27) over his last seven games, but he's already starting to snap out of it and should remain active in all leagues.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face all right-handed pitchers this week, so Anderson shouldn't lose many at-bats to Diaz. Casey Kotchman, who sat against a left-hander Friday to get Brooks Conrad into the lineup, should get a full week of at-bats as well.
Lineup Changes: Prado replaced Kelly Johnson as the Braves everyday second baseman even before Johnson went on the DL with a wrist injury, so you should expect him to get consistent at-bats now. He's batting second, bumping Yunel Escobar down to fifth. Escobar's value doesn't change much from the move. He'll probably lose some runs and gain some RBI.

Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: @SEA3, TOR3
Heating Up: Luke Scott seems to be heating up again, hitting safely in six straight games with a .318 (7 for 22) batting average and two home runs during that stretch. You might want to think about activating him if you have him on your bench.
Cooling Off: Melvin Mora hasn't really done anything all year, but he's batting .111 (2 for 18) over his last five games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face three left-handers this week. Ty Wigginton might steal a start or two from Luke Scott, Aubrey Huff or Nolan Reimold in those games.
Lineup Changes: None.

Boston Red Sox
Schedule: OAK3, KC4
Heating Up: J.D. Drew has caught fire since moving to the leadoff spot, batting .368 (7 for 19) with two home runs over his last four games. He could have appeal in all leagues if he goes on a month-long tear like he did last June.
Cooling Off: You'd never sit Jason Bay given his big-time production numbers, but he's in a slump right now, batting .079 (3 for 38) over his last nine games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face two left-handed pitchers this week. Rocco Baldelli will probably start those games, but he might force David Ortiz to the bench instead of Drew with Drew rolling as the team's leadoff man. Mark Kotsay, filling in at first base with Mike Lowell (hip) on the DL, will sit in favor of Jeff Bailey against the lefties.
Lineup Changes: By moving Drew to the leadoff spot, the Red Sox bumped Dustin Pedroia to the No. 2 hole, where he did most of his damage last year. No harm done in Fantasy.

Chicago Cubs
Schedule: ATL3, STL4
Heating Up: Derrek Lee is still relatively hot, hitting three home runs in the span of two games earlier this week, but he's batting only .208 (5 for 24) over his last six. Ryan Theriot has hit safely in five of his last six games, batting .333 (8 for 24) during that stretch.
Cooling Off: Alfonso Soriano looked like he was coming back around at the end of June, getting multiple hits in four games during a span of five, but he's now hitless in his last 16 at-bats. You knew he'd have some cold streaks when you drafted him, so you have no choice but to stick with him.
Injury Concerns: Aramis Ramirez, out since late April because of a dislocated shoulder, began a Class A rehab assignment Friday and hopes to return for the beginning of a three-game series against the Braves on Monday. You'll obviously want to bank on him returning in NL-only leagues, and he's probably worth the risk even in mixed leagues unless you have an exceptionally good backup. Reed Johnson, on the DL with back spasms, also hopes to return Monday, but he's just a platoon player who doesn't matter outside of NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs don't face any left-handed pitchers this week, so Johnson likely wouldn't get to start even if he does return. Kosuke Fukudome should get a full week of at-bats in center field. Mike Fontenot should also get a full week of at-bats, keeping Andres Blanco on the bench.
Lineup Changes: Jake Fox, a young power hitter who has recently emerged as the team's starting third baseman, will have to go back to the bench once Ramirez returns. He, like Micah Hoffpauir, can't hope for much more than occasional starts in place of Milton Bradley and Derrek Lee.

Chicago White Sox
Schedule: CLE3, @MIN3
Heating Up: Scott Podsednik continues to play like he did six years ago, batting .350 (14 for 40) with two stolen bases over his last nine games. He deserves a look in mixed leagues as long as he keeps it going. Alexei Ramirez has missed some time with injuries lately, but he has multiple hits in four of his last six games and is batting .478 (11 for 23) during that stretch. A.J. Pierzynski has an even longer streak going. He has multiple hits in six of his last 10 games, batting .378 (14 for 37).
Cooling Off: Brian N. Anderson is still getting most of the starts in center field, but he has only two hits in his last 16 at-bats and barely deserves a roster spot in AL-only leagues.
Injury Concerns: Ramirez returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games with a bruised finger. He might have some trouble playing the field, but he looked fine at the plate and should remain active in Fantasy. Carlos Quentin, who looked for a while like he might miss the rest of the season because of a foot injury, has begun a rehab assignment and will likely return soon after the All-Star break. Keep him stashed.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox face three left-handers this week, meaning Jayson Nix will likely start three times for Chris Getz. Leave both players for AL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: Gordon Beckham is pretty much the everyday third baseman now, displacing Josh D. Fields. He's worth a look in mixed leagues since he qualifies at shortstop.

Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: @PHI4, @NYM3
Heating Up: Willy Taveras has returned to the starting lineup after battling injuries and inconsistency and is batting .419 (13 for 31) with two stolen bases over his last seven games. Give him a look in mixed leagues again. Chris Dickerson has also benefited from regular playing time, hitting safely in eight of his last nine games with a .333 (11 for 33) batting average during that stretch. He hasn't contributed much power or speed, though, limiting his appeal to NL-only leagues. Joey Votto is back in form after missing time with a personal issue, batting .436 (17 for 39) with two home runs over his last nine games.
Cooling Off: No regular player is significantly underperforming right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Reds face four left-handed pitchers this week, which could mean big things for Jonny Gomes, who platoons with Dickerson or Laynce Nix -- whichever left fielder the Reds prefer at the time.
Lineup Changes: Edwin Encarnacion, out since late April with a fractured wrist, returned to the lineup Saturday, bumping Jerry Hairston over to shortstop and Paul Janish to the bench. Janish wasn't a good enough hitter to matter even in NL-only leagues. The Reds have also reverted back to Taveras as their everyday center fielder, content with using Dickerson in left field over Nix.

Cleveland Indians
Schedule: @CHW3, @DET3
Heating Up: Shin-Soo Choo continues to have an all-around great season, batting .444 (8 for 18) with three home runs and one stolen base over his last five games. He's like this year's Nate McLouth, only with a .300 batting average. Grady Sizemore (elbow) struggled a bit when he first returned from the DL, but he's 4 for 6 with a home run over his last two games and remains a must-start. Ben Francisco has three hits in his last two games and is batting .667 (8 for 12) with a home run and a stolen base over his last four.
Cooling Off: Victor Martinez, who was batting .400 as recently as May 21, is now on the verge of dropping below .300. He has only four hits since June 19, batting.087 (4 for 46) during that stretch. Of course, you wouldn't sit him. You might consider sitting Jhonny Peralta, though, who's batting .067 (1 for 15) over his last four games. His power still hasn't come around.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Indians face two left-handers this week, but their lineup appears pretty much set in stone with Mark DeRosa now out of the picture. Kelly Shoppach might spell Travis Hafner against the lefties, allowing Martinez to move to DH.
Lineup Changes: None.

Colorado Rockies
Schedule: WAS3, ATL4
Heating Up: Nobody is performing exceptionally well right now.
Cooling Off: Clint Barmes (.130 over his last five games) and Troy Tulowitzki (.139 over his last nine games) have both slowed down after hot stretches put them back on the map in Fantasy. Dexter Fowler is just as bad, batting .133 (4 for 30) over his last nine games. Tulowitzki remains a must-start, but you can sit the other two if you have viable alternatives.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rockies face one left-hander this week, so Ryan Spilborghs will probably start that game. Carlos Gonzalez and Seth Smith will probably split at-bats during the other six.
Lineup Changes: Ian Stewart appears to have a hold on the starting job at third base even though Garrett Atkins gave him a run for his money at the end of June. Stewart has the more upside of the two, but he's still too streaky to be a must-start in Fantasy.

Detroit Tigers
Schedule: KC3, CLE3
Heating Up: Placido Polanco's batting average is still lagging behind its usual pace, but he certainly has his power stroke working. He has four home runs in his last 13 games, but he's batting only .236 during that stretch (13 for 55).
Cooling Off: Marcus Thames does have three hits in his last two games. Unfortunately, he has only four hits in his last six for a .182 (4 for 22) batting average. He's not worth using in mixed leagues. Brandon Inge still has significant Fantasy value because he qualifies at catcher, and you really shouldn't consider benching him no matter how much he's struggling, but he's batting only .206 (7 for 34) over his last nine games.
Injury Concerns: Carlos Guillen, out since early May with Achilles' and shoulder injuries, has been hitting and throwing lately. He won't return until after the All-Star break, though, and isn't worth stashing outside of AL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers face three left-handers this week, which means three starts for Ryan Raburn. Don Kelly seems like his platoon partner right now, not Josh Anderson, but none of the three matters outside of AL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: Other than Kelly replacing Anderson against right-handed pitchers, none.

Florida Marlins
Schedule: @SF3, @ARI4
Heating Up: Emilio Bonifacio is showing he saved some of his contributions for after the first week of the season, batting .357 (15 for 42) with six stolen bases of his last 11 games. He's worth a look again in Rotisserie leagues, especially since he qualifies at so many positions. Hanley Ramirez keeps stringing together multi-hit games, batting .451 (23 for 51) with six home runs and three stolen bases over his last 13.
Cooling Off: Jeremy Hermida has four hits since June 13, batting .095 (4 for 42) during that stretch. Yeah, you don't want to start him right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Marlins face two left-handers this week, so you can expect John Baker to sit twice for Ronny Paulino.
Lineup Changes: None.

Houston Astros
Schedule: PIT3, WAS4
Heating Up: Lance Berkman was on fire for a second straight week and is now batting .517 (15 for 29) with three home runs over his last 10 games.
Cooling Off: Michael Bourn isn't so cold that you should avoid him at all costs, but he has slowed down a bit lately, batting .148 (4 for 27) over his last six games. When deciding whether or not to start him this week, keep in mind the Astros have favorable matchups.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face three left-handers this week, but the only player who stands to lose at-bats against them is Geoff Blum, who platoons with Jeff Keppinger.
Lineup Changes: None.

Kansas City Royals
Schedule: @DET3, @BOS4
Heating Up: David DeJesus has hit safely in seven straight games, batting .333 (10 for 30) during that stretch. He'll have to get much hotter for much longer to bounce back from his slow start, though.
Cooling Off: Mike Jacobs has been nothing short of dreadful since May 25, batting .173 (17 for 98). He has power, but you shouldn't bother with him in mixed leagues right now.
Injury Concerns: John Buck, out with a herniated disk, has gotten plenty of work at Triple-A Omaha and could return this week. He's the lesser half of a platoon with Miguel Olivo, though, so don't bother with him outside of AL-only leagues. Alex Gordon, who had hip surgery in April, has also begun a rehab assignment, but he reportedly isn't running well and won't return until sometime after the break.
Platoon Possibilities: The Royals face two left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

L.A. Angels
Schedule: TEX3, NYY3
Heating Up: Kendry Morales has hit safely in nine straight games, batting .382 (13 for 34) with two home runs during that stretch. He and Juan L. Rivera, who's batting .325 (13 for 40) with three home runs over his last nine games, look like every-week starters in Fantasy. Maicer Izturis, on the other hand, doesn't, but he is helping in AL-only leagues, batting .455 (15 for 33) over his last eight games.
Cooling Off: Erick Aybar is 2 for 14 (.143) over his last four games, but his lack of pop makes him just an AL-only option anyway.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face two left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Howie Kendrick has returned from the minor leagues and will likely split time at second base with Aybar. Aybar can also play shortstop, so Kendrick's return might also cut into Izturis' at-bats. Kendrick has the most upside of the bunch, but all three look like AL-only options right now.

L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: @NYM3, @MIL3
Heating Up: Russell Martin deserves a mention here just because he's 4 for 8 over his last two games. Hey, that's significant progress for him this year.
Cooling Off: Several Dodgers have cooled off over the last few days, including Casey Blake (.136 over his last seven games) and Andre Ethier (.154 despite four home runs over his last 11 games). But the one in the biggest tailspin is undoubtedly Orlando Hudson, who has only one hit in his last 27 at-bats. All of these guys deserve to start more often than not in mixed leagues, but you might consider benching them now if you have viable alternatives.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers don't face any left-handed pitchers this week, not that they have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Manny Ramirez completed his 50-game suspension and returned to the lineup Friday, forcing Juan Pierre to the bench. The Dodgers will now use Rafael Furcal as their leadoff hitter, with Hudson the leading candidate to bat second. Hudson might heat up again with the protection of Ramirez. Really, the whole Dodgers lineup stands to improve with Ramirez back, including Ethier.

Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: STL3, LAD3
Heating Up: Prince Fielder continues to have a monstrous summer, going 12 for 29 (.414) with three home runs during an eight-game hitting streak. He's batting .338 (71 for 210) with 18 home runs since the beginning of May and is clearly a must-start. Ryan J. Braun has an 11-game hitting streak during which he's batting .383 (18 for 47). He's also a must-start.
Cooling Off: Corey C. Hart's inconsistencies continue. He's batting only .167 (7 for 42) over his last 12 starts, making him less than a must-start in mixed leagues. You'll still start him more often than not, though.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Brewers face only two left-handers this week, meaning Bill Hall will likely start those games in place of Craig Counsell, bumping Casey McGehee over to second base.
Lineup Changes: None.

Minnesota Twins
Schedule: NYY3, CHW3
Heating Up: After homering just twice over the first 24 games of June, Justin Morneau came around at the end, homering in each of the last three. He now has four home runs over his last six games and is batting .440 (11 for 25) during that stretch. He's an obvious must-start. Michael Cuddyer also has his power stroke working again, batting .353 (6 for 17) with two home runs over his last four games.
Cooling Off: Jason Kubel is hitless in his last 14 at-bats, causing his batting average to dip below .300 for the first time since early May. He's at worst a No. 4 or 5 outfielder in Fantasy.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Twins face three left-handers this week, but their lineup doesn't really change against left-handers.
Lineup Changes: None.

N.Y. Mets
Schedule: LAD3, CIN3
Heating Up: Ryan Church still isn't hitting for much power, but at least he's making consistent contact again, getting multiple hits in four of his last six games. He's batting .500 (13 for 26) during that stretch, but you still shouldn't bother with him in mixed leagues. Nick Evans might have some appeal now that he's getting regular playing time. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games and is batting .323 (10 for 31) during that stretch.
Cooling Off: David Wright is the most notable Met to go cold over the last week. He's batting .135 (5 for 37) over his last nine games, making his lack of power stand out even more than it did already. Luis Castillo and Omir Santos don't matter so much in Fantasy, but they've also gone cold, going 3 for 18 (.167) and 2 for 21 (.095) respectively.
Injury Concerns: Jose B. Reyes (hamstring) worked on his running at Port St. Lucie over the last week, but at this rate, you shouldn't expect him to return before the All-Star break. Keep him stashed. Carlos Beltran (knee) also won't return until after the break, but he did learn this week he won't need surgery.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mets face two lefties this week, so you have to figure Daniel Murphy will sit those two games, most likely in favor of Fernando Tatis.
Lineup Changes: Evans and Gary Sheffield have pretty much assumed the starting spots at the outfield corners, though Sheffield will need occasional days off because of his bum knee.

N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: TOR1, @MIN3, @LAA3
Heating Up: Alex Rodriguez has gotten back on track, batting .406 (13 for 32) with five home runs over his last 10 games. Hideki Matsui looks like he wants to make up for the time he lost during interleague play, batting .462 (6 for 13) with two home runs in four games since returning to AL parks.
Cooling Off: Jorge Posada, struggling with a sore left thumb, was in a deep slump before homering Saturday. He's still batting just .197 (14 for 71) since June 2. Melky Cabrera is batting only .222 (10 for 45) since June 16 and might start losing more and more at-bats to Brett Gardner if he doesn't heat up soon.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Yankees face three left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Oakland Athletics
Schedule: @BOS3, @TB3
Heating Up: Orlando Cabrera has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, batting .338 (22 for 65) during that stretch. He's certainly no high-end option, but he deserves a look in mixed leagues if you need help at shortstop. Ryan Sweeney is strictly an AL-only option, but he's batting .395 (17 for 43) during that stretch. Kurt Suzuki is batting .333 (12 for 36) over his last nine games, but at a weak position, you'd probably have him active anyway.
Cooling Off: Jason Giambi is batting only .103 (3 for 29) over his last nine games, but that's really not so far off from his season mark.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Athletics face one left-handed pitcher this week, so if nothing else, you can count on Travis Buck to sit out that game. Most likely, either Nomar Garciaparra or Bobby Crosby will start in his place, with the Athletics shuffling their defense as necessary.
Lineup Changes: Mark Ellis reclaimed the starting job at second base upon his return from the DL, moving Adam Kennedy to third base. Both have the potential to matter in mixed leagues, but you're better off thinking of them as AL-only options.

Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: CIN4, PIT3
Heating Up: Shane Victorino has three hits in back-to-back games and has hit safely in seven straight, batting .367 (11 for 30) during that stretch. Keep him active as always.
Cooling Off: Jayson Werth was one of the best players in baseball over the last half of June, but he has only one hit in his last five games, batting .077 (1 for 13). He's streaky, but he's too valuable when hot for you to sit him when not.
Injury Concerns: Raul Ibanez (groin) might begin a rehab assignment Sunday, but you have to figure the Phillies will hold him out until after the All-Star break now, especially since he had to postpone two earlier rehab assignments. The Phillies were starting John Mayberry for him early on, but Greg Dobbs has since become the go-to guy in left field.
Platoon Possibilities: The Phillies face only one left-handed pitcher this week. Mayberry might start for Dobbs that game, but the Phillies don't normally employ any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Paul Bako has started three of the last four games at catcher instead of Carlos Ruiz, but he's a light-hitting journeyman who wouldn't keep a starting job for long even if the Phillies gave him one. Avoid Ruiz if you can.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: @HOU3, @PHI3
Heating Up: Andy LaRoche seems to be coming back around after a cold June, batting .375 (9 for 24) over his last seven games. He's still just a low-end option due to his lack of power.
Cooling Off: Jack Wilson isn't much of a Fantasy option anyway, but especially not now. He's batting .095 (2 for 21) over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Freddy Sanchez has tightness in his back and has missed the last two games as a result. He's not a must-start in Fantasy, but his high batting average and extra-base pop certainly make him a worthwhile option. If he doesn't return Sunday, you could probably still start him confidently enough, but if you have viable alternatives, give one of them a look. Ryan Doumit, out since late April with a broken wrist, has begun a rehab assignment and could potentially return before the end of the week. Then again, with the All-Star break just around the corner, the Pirates might wait to bring him back afterward. Don't bother starting him except in NL-only leagues that require two catchers.
Platoon Possibilities: The Pirates face four left-handed pitchers this week, so Delwyn Young, who's batting .322 on the year, seems like a worthwhile stopgap in NL-only leagues. He platoons with Brandon Moss.
Lineup Changes: Following the trade of Nyjer Morgan to the Nationals, the Pirates called up Garrett Jones to play left field, presumably on an everyday basis. He has some pop, but a limited ceiling, so don't bother with him in mixed leagues.

San Diego Padres
Schedule: @ARI3, @SF4
Heating Up: Scott Hairston picked up right where he left off before going on the DL, batting .360 (9 for 25) with two home runs and two stolen bases over his last seven games. He deserves more attention in Fantasy leagues than he's getting right now.
Cooling Off: Adrian Gonzalez is regressing to the mean a bit after his unsustainable pace earlier in the year, batting .184 (9 for 49) with one home run over his last 14 games. You wouldn't sit him, obviously. Tony Gwynn Jr. has also slowed his unsustainable pace, batting .200 (9 for 45) over his last 12 games. He still has some appeal in NL-only leagues, but not mixed. Kevin Kouzmanoff is hitless in his last 18 at-bats, which is pretty much par for the course for him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face three left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Young slugger Kyle Blanks hasn't gotten regular at-bats in the outfield as expected, with Chase Headley, Gwynn and Hairston pretty much holding down the fort. Obviously, you shouldn't bother with him in mixed leagues, and the Padres might have to send him back to the minors if they can't figure out a way to use him. The Padres tried Everth Cabrera in the leadoff spot Saturday, dropping Gwynn to eighth, and they might stick with that approach against left-handed pitchers.

San Francisco Giants
Schedule: FLA3, SD4
Heating Up: Believe it or not, the whole Giants lineup has caught fire, including Travis Ishikawa (.273 with two home runs over his last eight games), Randy Winn (.424 over his last eight games), Edgar Renteria (.429 over his last nine games) and Nate Schierholtz (.452 with two home runs over his last 11 games). Even Bengie Molina (.429 over his last five games) has come around. And oh yeah, Pablo Sandoval's batting .387 (41 for 106) with nine home runs since June 4.
Cooling Off: Juan Uribe is batting only .143 (3 for 21) over his last five games. Of course, that's still an improvement over the guys the Giants were starting at second base.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Giants face only one lefty this week, which means Schierholtz and Ishikawa should continue to enjoy good numbers. They usually sit against lefties in favor of Andres Torres and Rich Aurilia.
Lineup Changes: None.

Seattle Mariners
Schedule: BAL3, TEX4
Heating Up: Jose Lopez has come around over the last few weeks after a dreadful start to the season and is actually on a better pace power-wise than he was last season. He's batting .394 (13 for 33) over his last eight games and .323 (30 for 93) with six home runs since May, so get him active in mixed leagues. Franklin Gutierrez also deserves a flier right now, batting .368 (25 for 68) with five home runs since June 16.
Cooling Off: Ken Griffey is homering at a decent rate, but his batting average remains in the tank. He's batting .077 (3 for 39) over his last seven games and .211 overall.
Injury Concerns: Yuniesky Betancourt (hamstring) will likely come off the DL for the second half of the week, but he's barely serviceable in AL-only leagues even when he plays a full week. Ronny Cedeno will likely move over to third base when Betancourt returns, so he remains a worthwhile stopgap in deeper AL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mariners face only one left-handed pitcher this week, meaning Ken Griffey will likely sit once for Mike Sweeney. Ryan Langerhans has begun starting in left field against righties, but he'll likely sit for Wladimir Balentien against the lefty.
Lineup Changes: The Mariners have used Chris Woodward at third base with Adrian Beltre (shoulder) on the DL, sending Mike Carp back to the minors. Cedeno might ultimately replace Woodward, though. Langerhans is batting .400 (4 for 10) through his first three games as a starter.

St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: @MIL3, @CHC4
Heating Up: Albert Pujols -- surprise, surprise -- is the hottest player in baseball, batting .478 (11 for 23) with five home runs over his last eight games. Colby Rasmus again looks like a decent low-end option in mixed leagues, batting .500 (8 for 16) with two home runs over his last five games.
Cooling Off: Rick Ankiel finds himself losing ground in the four-man competition for three outfield spots. He's batting .095 (2 for 21) over his last seven games. Bench him if possible.
Injury Concerns: Mark DeRosa injured his wrist in only his third game with the Cardinals after they acquired him from the Indians. He expects to return to the lineup Sunday, and as long he does, you can feel confident starting him in Fantasy. Meanwhile, shortstop Brendan Ryan came down with a stomach bug and missed Saturday's game. It might sideline him Sunday, but he shouldn't miss much more time than that. He chips in enough steals to have some appeal in NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cardinals face only one left-hander this week, but they don't have nearly as much uncertainty on their infield now that they have DeRosa. Tyler Greene might replace Skip Schumaker against the lefty, but that's it.
Lineup Changes: The acquisition of DeRosa pretty much ends Joe Thurston's stint as a semi-regular player. Same with Khalil Greene, who ended up going back on the DL with a social anxiety disorder.

Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: TOR3, OAK3
Heating Up: Carl Crawford has a 12-game hitting streak during which he's batting .408 (20 for 49) with two home runs and three stolen bases. He's an obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: Ben Zobrist isn't exactly killing you if you own him in Fantasy right now, but he's certainly not contributing at the rate he was earlier. Since June 16, he's batting .180 (9 for 50), but he's still doing enough to remain active. Evan Longoria has only one hit in his last 15 at-bats and is batting .214 (18 for 84) since the beginning of June. He's also a must-start.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays face three left-handed pitchers this week, meaning Gabe Kapler will likely get three starts in place of Gabe Gross. Then again, the Rays have wanted to find more at-bats for Willy Aybar, so he could end up stealing time from both, playing second base while Ben Zobrist moves to right field.
Lineup Changes: Other than the increased use of Aybar, none.

Texas Rangers
Schedule: @LAA3, @SEA4
Heating Up: After struggling most of June, Nelson R. Cruz appears back on track now, batting .444 (8 for 18) with two home runs and two stolen bases over his last five games. Get him active again. Two lower-end options also deserve a look this week. Marlon Byrd is batting .444 (8 for 18) with three home runs over his last five games, and Hank Blalock is batting .385 (5 for 13) with three home runs over his last three.
Cooling Off: You obviously wouldn't sit Ian Kinsler, but he's batting only .077 (2 for 26) over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Josh Hamilton, on the DL with an abdominal injury, will have to wait until at least Monday to return after a rainout in the minor leagues Saturday. That means you won't have an opportunity to see him before you have to make up your mind whether or not to start him. He should be fine by now, though, so unless you just have a bench loaded with stud outfielders, roll the dice on him. David Murphy will likely go back to the bench to make room for Hamilton.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face three left-handed pitchers this week, which means at least three starts for Andruw Jones. Jones still primarily platoons with Hank Blalock, but he fills in for Chris Davis at times too.
Lineup Changes: Other than the expected removal of Murphy, none.

Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: @NYY1, @TB3, @BAL3
Heating Up: Scott Rolen has a 21-game hitting streak during which he's batting .407 (35 for 86) with three home runs. He's a viable option in mixed leagues again even though he doesn't have the power he once did.
Cooling Off: Lyle Overbay had a golden opportunity to blow up with a righty-heavy schedule last week, and he couldn't capitalize, going 2 for 23 (.087) over his last eight games. He's also 9 for 58 (.155) over his last 21 games and is just too streaky to use in mixed leagues. Alex Rios is batting .152 (5 for 33) over his last nine games, but you have to continue to ride him despite his streakiness.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Blue Jays face three left-handed pitchers this week, meaning Overbay will likely sit three times for Kevin Millar. The Blue Jays also recently called up left-handed hitter Dave Dellucci to start in left field, making him the new platoon partner for Jose A. Bautista.
Lineup Changes: Dellucci takes the place of Russ Adams, who simply didn't hit well enough to stick around. Dellucci still has some pop to go along with a decent eye, making him worth a flier in AL-only leagues. The Blue Jays have experimented some with reversing their third and fifth hitters, Vernon Wells and Adam Lind, but the change wouldn't have a significant effect on either.

Washington Nationals
Schedule: @COL3, @HOU4
Heating Up: Josh Willingham has staked his claim in right field with his performance of late. He's batting .429 (15 for 35) over his last 10 games and has a high enough walk rate that he deserves some attention even in mixed leagues. Adam Dunn appears to have gotten hot again, batting .381 (8 for 21) with four home runs over his last six games.
Cooling Off: Nick Johnson's batting average has dipped below .300 with his recent performance. He's batting .114 (4 for 35) over his last 10 games. He's usually worth starting despite his lack of power, but you might want to sit him now. The streaky Cristian Guzman has gone cold, batting .115 (3 for 26) over his last six games. He remains a low-end option.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Nationals face two left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Nationals acquired Nyjer Morgan from the Pirates and immediately made him their everyday center fielder and leadoff man. He's 0 for 7 so far with Washington, but his speed makes him a valuable option in Rotisserie leagues. To make room for him in the lineup, the Nationals sent Elijah Dukes to the minors. They now have a clear starting outfield of Dunn in left, Morgan in center and Willingham in right, with Austin Kearns and Willie Harris the odd men out. Harris could get occasional starts at second base, though.

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