Week 21 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.

This week's news and notes for each team:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: @SF3, HOU3
Heating Up: Miguel Montero has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, batting .378 (14 for 37). Since taking over as the No. 1 catcher for the Diamondbacks, he has emerged as a top-10 option in Fantasy and a must-start in all leagues.
Cooling Off: Gerardo Parra is only 1 for 16 over his last four games and not worth using in Fantasy when struggling. Mark Reynolds is batting .184 (7 for 38) over his last 11 games, but he had nowhere to go but down after his recent streak of 11 homers in 13 games. You wouldn't ever bench him.
Injury Concerns: Justin Upton (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment Monday and might return for this weekend's series against the Astros. With him projected to play no more than half a week, you shouldn't activate him except in NL-only leagues. Stephen Drew left the team Saturday for the birth of his child, but he shouldn't miss any time in the upcoming scoring period.
Platoon Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face two left-handed pitchers this week. Montero will likely sit one of those games for Chris Snyder, if not both, but he has emerged as a must-start Fantasy catcher regardless. Alex Romero might also sit for Rusty Ryal, bumping Ryan Roberts to the outfield.
Lineup Changes: The Diamondbacks called up 23-year-old Brandon Allen and immediately put him in their starting lineup at first base Saturday. He had great numbers at Triple-A Reno but isn't an elite prospect and will likely lose at-bats to Chad A. Tracy. Leave him for NL-only leagues.

Atlanta Braves
Schedule: SD3, @PHI3
Heating Up: Adam LaRoche has four home runs over his last six games, batting .500 (11 for 22) during that stretch. Since rejoining the Braves, he's batting .415 with seven home runs. He looks like he'll live up to his reputation as a second-half player, so get him active in all leagues. Brian McCann has three home runs in his last six games.
Cooling Off: Chipper Jones has only one hit in his last seven games, batting .045 (1 for 22) during that stretch. At a position as weak as third base, you really can't afford to sit him during one of his rare healthy periods, but he hasn't performed up to his usual elite level this season.
Injury Concerns: Martin Prado, out all week because of exertional headaches, is cleared to play as soon as he feels able. He's likely to return Tuesday and remains a viable low-end option. Garret Anderson and Ryan Church are both dealing with back injuries that will likely keep them out until at least Tuesday. You wouldn't start them except in NL-only leagues, and in those deeper formats, you probably don't have an adequate replacement for them anyway.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face two left-handers this week. Normally, Ryan Church sits in favor of Matt Diaz against lefties, but with all the injuries to the Braves outfield, Diaz might get to play close to a full week.
Lineup Changes: To compensate for the team's injuries, Reid Gorecki, Kelly Johnson and Omar Infante have gotten to play more lately, but those players will likely go back to the bench this week, with the possible exception of the versatile Infante.

Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: @MIN3, CLE4
Heating Up: Brian Roberts went hitless Saturday, ending an 11-game hitting streak during which he hit .385 (20 for 52) with five home runs. He's now on pace to break his career high of 18 home runs set in 2005, and he's of course contributing as many doubles and steals as always. Start him.
Cooling Off: Adam Jones continues to deal with all the streakiness you'd expect for a 24-year-old. He's batting .083 (2 for 24) over his last seven games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face two left-handed pitchers, but they don't have any strict lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Orioles traded Aubrey Huff to the Tigers this week, freeing up first base. Ty Wigginton and Felix Pie stand to get the most at-bats in his absence, and both deserve fliers in AL-only leagues.

Boston Red Sox
Schedule: CHW4, TOR3
Heating Up: David Ortiz ended up having one of his best weeks of the year, batting .393 (11 for 28) with five home runs. He's still batting only .229 overall. After a horrendous July in which he hit only .175, Victor Martinez is back on track now. He's batting .424 (14 for 33) with three home runs during that stretch.
Cooling Off: Jason Varitek is dealing with a neck injury, losing playing time to Martinez and batting .128 (5 for 39) in August. Yeah, sit him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face two left-handers this week. Rocco Baldelli just came off the DL and could sneak in a start or two against the lefties, but the Red Sox don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons with J.D. Drew playing well.
Lineup Changes: None.

Chicago Cubs
Schedule: WAS3, NYM3
Heating Up: More of the same for Derrek Lee. He's batting .433 (13 for 30) over his last seven games and remains a must-start.
Cooling Off: Alfonso Soriano's cold streaks are becoming more frequent than his hot streaks. After a brief respite when he hit .345 in July, he's looking unusable again in August, batting .157 (11 for 70). If you have Soriano and are looking for help in the outfield, don't stop at Milton Bradley. He's batting .107 (3 for 28) over his last seven games.
Injury Concerns: Reed Johnson (foot) should return from the DL at the beginning of the week, but he's just a right-handed platoon partner for Kosuke Fukudome.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face three left-handers this week, which is bad news for Fukudome with Johnson expected back.
Lineup Changes: Jeff Baker looks like the clear starter at second base now, making him the choice to own over Mike Fontenot. He has pop, but he's not worth using in mixed leagues. Koyie Hill is splitting at-bats nearly 50-50 with Geovany Soto right now, which further destroys Soto's appeal.

Chicago White Sox
Schedule: @BOS4, @NYY3
Heating Up: Carlos Quentin homered in his third straight game Saturday. He has exactly one hit in each of his last five games, batting .313 (5 for 16). He has gradually improved since coming off the DL and might be ready for a big week.
Cooling Off: Jermaine Dye is batting only .203 (13 for 64) in August and, with tough matchups ahead at Boston and New York, looks like a candidate to bench. He'll get hot again, but you can't rely on him now. Rookie Gordon Beckham's batting average has dipped below .300 with a 1-for-18 (.056) stretch over his last five games. You probably wouldn't have much luck finding a replacement shortstop this time of year, so keep him active.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any strict lefty-righty platoons. Scott Podsednik and Jim Thome are more likely to be the ones to sit for Alex Rios against the left-handers.
Lineup Changes: None.

Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: @MIL3, LAD3
Heating Up: With the Reds running out a makeshift lineup every day, nobody is exceptionally hot.
Cooling Off: About the only two hitters the Reds have left, Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, are struggling in August. Votto is batting .205 (15 for 73), and Phillips is batting .200 (13 for 65). You might consider sitting Votto if you have an exceptionally good backup at first base, but good luck finding a replacement for Phillips at second.
Injury Concerns: Scott Rolen, on the DL with a concussion after getting hit by a pitch in the head in early August, will come off the DL on Sunday. In deeper leagues where you rely on him as an every-week starter, you'll want to go ahead and activate him, but in most leagues, he's the kind of player you start only when hot.
Platoon Possibilities: The Reds face just one left-hander this week. Jonny Gomes and Wladimir Balentien will likely start that game in place of Chris Dickerson and Laynce Nix.
Lineup Changes: Drew Stubbs has arrived in the majors and has gotten everyday at-bats in center field. He's batting only .118 so far, but he deserves a look in NL-only leagues and could become a viable option in mixed leagues if he gets hot.

Cleveland Indians
Schedule: @KC3, @BAL4
Heating Up: Sore elbow and all, Grady Sizemore looks like he's finally righted the ship this month, batting .308 (24 for 78) with three home runs and two stolen bases. He's still at risk of shutting down early, but he looks like a must-start now. Asdrubal Cabrera is batting .380 (30 for 79) in August and should remain hot with the good matchups at Kansas City and Baltimore.
Cooling Off: Travis Hafner is surviving with his balky shoulder, but he isn't playing well right now, batting .238 (15 for 63) in August. Sit him in mixed leagues, if you even bother to own him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Indians face just one left-hander this week. Jamey Carroll will likely start that game in place of Luis Valbuena.
Lineup Changes: The Indians promoted prospect Matt LaPorta from Triple-A and have proceeded to play him every day in left field. He hasn't made the immediate splash of a Ryan J. Braun, but he has that kind of potential.

Colorado Rockies
Schedule: SF1, LAD3, @SF3
Heating Up: Carlos Gonzalez is batting .375 (9 for 24) over his last seven games, with homers in four consecutive games during that stretch. The 23-year-old has seemingly turned the corner and is now a worthy option in mixed leagues. Dexter Fowler has reached base 13 times over his last four games -- seven times on walks and six times on hits. He's batting .500 (6 for 12).
Cooling Off: Ian Stewart homered Saturday, but he's still batting only .105 (2 for 19) over his last six games and will likely struggle against four left-handers this week.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rockies face four left-handed pitchers this week, which means Seth Smith stands little chance of getting at-bats. Fowler should play almost a full week, and Ryan Spilborghs will likely spell Gonzalez against at least a few of those left-handers.
Lineup Changes: None.

Detroit Tigers
Schedule: @LAA3, TB3
Heating Up: Miguel Cabrera actually found a way to raise his batting average over the last week, hitting .500 (14 for 28) in seven games. He's an obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: Brandon Inge is paying the price now for his hot streak earlier in the season. He's batting under .200 for the second straight month and .091 (4 for 44) over his last 13 games. You'll want to replace Inge if you use him at third base. At catcher, you might not have enough alternatives.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers face one left-handed pitcher this week, so Magglio Ordonez likely won't steal many at-bats from Clete Thomas. With the acquisition of Aubrey Huff from the Orioles, Marcus Thames has seemingly lost his starting job, but he'll likely replace Huff against the lefty.
Lineup Changes: Other than the acquisition of Huff, none.

Florida Marlins
Schedule: NYM3, SD3
Heating Up: Hanley Ramirez continues to perform at an other-worldly pace. His 0-for-3 day Saturday interrupted a 16-game hitting streak during which he hit .461 (35 for 76) with three home runs and seven stolen bases.
Cooling Off: Cody Ross is 1 for 10 over his last three games. After batting over .300 for most of August, he's probably due for a cold streak. Now seems like a good time to bench him.
Injury Concerns: Nick Johnson hasn't played all week because of a strained hamstring, and his chances of going on the DL increase with every game he misses. Jorge Cantu was out of the lineup for a third straight game with a sore neck Saturday, but he's at least available to pinch hit. Since he has only six home runs since April, you don't really have much motivation to start him.
Platoon Possibilities: The Marlins face one left-handed pitcher this week, which means Emilio Bonifacio, who usually replaces Jeremy Hermida against lefties, won't do enough to matter in Fantasy. John Baker, on the other hand, should get plenty of at-bats over Ronny Paulino.
Lineup Changes: Ross Gload has gotten most of the at-bats at first base in Johnson's absence, though the Marlins also have prospect Gaby Sanchez and righty Wes Helms. Leave all three for NL-only leagues.

Houston Astros
Schedule: @STL3, @ARI3
Heating Up: Lance Berkman has looked just fine since returning from the DL, batting .324 (11 for 34) over his last 10 games. He still doesn't have a home run, but you clearly have no reason to bench him.
Cooling Off: Miguel Tejada's pathetic walk rate is finally beginning to catch up to him. He's batting .129 (4 for 31) over his last 10 games and is at risk of dropping below .300 for the first time since early May. His platoon partner, Kazuo Matsui, isn't playing any better, batting .069 (2 for 29) over his last eight games. But unlike Tejada, you probably wouldn't own Matsui in the first place.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face only right-handers in their six games this week, which means Geoff Blum should get a full week of at-bats over Jeff Keppinger.
Lineup Changes: The Astros traded Ivan Rodriguez to the Rangers, making Humberto Quintero their starter with Chris Coste the clear No. 2 option.

Kansas City Royals
Schedule: CLE3, @SEA4
Heating Up: Mark Teahen is batting .421 (8 for 19) over his last five games, which is enough to at least keep him on the radar in mixed leagues. He entered that stretch batting .182 (8 for 44) in August.
Cooling Off: Miguel Olivo is batting .167 (4 for 24) over his last six games. His power potential makes him worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy catcher, but he's not the most consistent hitter in the world.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Royals face three left-handers this week, which means Mike Jacobs will sit three times, likely in favor of Brayan Pena. The more left-handers the Royals face, the better Billy Butler and Alberto Callaspo fare, so this week seems like a good week to start them.
Lineup Changes: None.

L.A. Angels
Schedule: DET3, OAK4
Heating Up: Vladimir Guerrero homered again Saturday, showing he's not ready to quit streaking yet. He's been on a tear since returning from the DL, batting .343 (23 for 67) with seven home runs in 17 games.
Cooling Off: Chone Figgins, who had 11 hits in a span of four games last week, is batting only .105 (2 for 19) since. You still shouldn't sit him, especially in Rotisserie leagues.
Injury Concerns: Torii Hunter sat out Saturday to rest his sore adductor muscle after just returning from the DL on Sunday. He also sat out Monday and Thursday. These planned days off seem more like a case of the Angels easing him back into the lineup than him having any sort of recurrence of the injury. He should get back to playing every day eventually, but if you have decent backup outfielders, you might want to hold off on Hunter until the Angels exhibit more confidence in his ability to stay healthy.
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face just one left-handed pitcher this week, so Kendry Morales should continue to play well. At second base, the Angels have used Maicer Izturis mostly against righties and Howie Kendrick mostly against lefties, so don't expect Kendrick to play much this week.
Lineup Changes: None.

L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: @COL3, @CIN3
Heating Up: Andre Ethier is loving life batting ahead of Manny Ramirez, hitting .425 (17 for 40) over his last 10 games and .354 in August. He's back to being a must-start. Casey Blake has homered twice in his last four games, batting .357 (5 for 14). He's a streaky player and might be heating up just in time for Coors Field.
Cooling Off: Ramirez himself hasn't hit so well lately, batting .200 (5 for 25) over his last seven games, but you'd never sit him. James Loney is in even worse shape, batting .154 (8 for 52) over his last 16 games, but he should benefit from going on the road this week.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers face one left-handed pitcher this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Dodgers have gone with Matt Kemp in the second spot lately, having already tried Orlando Hudson and Russell Martin there. Kemp can only benefit from the increased at-bats, though he might lose some RBI in favor of runs scored.

Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: @WAS1, CIN3, PIT3
Heating Up: Felipe Lopez had four hits Saturday and is batting .472 (17 for 36) over his last eight games. With good matchups this week, he's worth a flier if you need a middle infielder. Mike Cameron, a streaky player, is starting to get back on track, batting .327 (18 for 55) with three home runs over his last 13 games. He's definitively not hot yet, but you could do worse off the waiver wire if you need an outfielder. Prince Fielder has six home runs over his last eight games and is a must-start, as always.
Cooling Off: No Brewers are significantly underperforming right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Brewers face just one left-handed pitcher this week, so Casey McGehee likely won't make many starts in place of Craig Counsell. Neither player matters in mixed leagues. Frank Catalanotto doesn't have any mixed-league appeal either, but he should get almost a full week of at-bats in his platoon with Jason Bourgeois.
Lineup Changes: Catalanotto and Bourgeois should continue to start with Corey C. Hart on the DL, but they have virtually no Fantasy appeal.

Minnesota Twins
Schedule: BAL3, TEX3
Heating Up: Denard Span is batting .476 (10 for 21) over his last five games, bringing his season batting average back up over .300. With an on-base percentage of .390, he's one of the more valuable base stealers in Head-to-Head leagues.
Cooling Off: Jason Kubel has hit only .188 (3 for 16) over his last four games, but he's too valuable to sit as long as he faces right-handed pitchers.
Injury Concerns: Justin Morneau, who has missed five straight games with an inner ear infection and will miss another one Sunday, went to an ear, nose and throat specialist Friday and received medication that could potentially clear up the problem by Monday. If, however, Monday comes and he's still experiencing dizziness, the Twins will most likely put him on the DL. Whether or not you chance starting him depends largely on your alternatives. If you have a satisfactory option like Todd Helton or Derrek Lee on your bench, you'll probably want to go with one of them instead at this critical point in the season. If not, then you have no choice but to start Morneau and cross your fingers.
Platoon Possibilities: The Twins face one left-hander this week, which means Kubel should fare well. He might have to sit that game in favor of Carlos Gomez, though, depending whether or not Morneau returns.
Lineup Changes: None.

N.Y. Mets
Schedule: PHI1, @FLA3, @CHC3
Heating Up: Jeff Francoeur continues to hit well in a Mets uniform, batting .393 (11 for 28) over his last seven games. Luis Castillo has multiple hits in five straight games, batting .579 (11 for 19) during that stretch, but his complete lack of power makes him just a last resort in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Gary Sheffield is batting .214 (6 for 28) over his last nine games and hasn't homered since June 29. Considering his propensity for injury, those numbers aren't worth it.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mets face three left-handers this week, but they can't afford to platoon anyone with their lineup so depleted by injury.
Lineup Changes: Fernando Tatis has replaced David Wright (concussion) as the Mets' everyday third baseman. He has some pop but hasn't been nearly as consistent this season as he was last season. Leave him for NL-only leagues.

N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: TEX3, CHW3
Heating Up: Nick Swisher is batting .400 (8 for 20) over his last four games, but you wouldn't want to start him with the team heading back home, where he has only three home runs. Derek Jeter went hitless Saturday, which ended an eight-game hitting streak during which he hit .543 (19 for 35). Hideki Matsui has five home runs in his last eight games.
Cooling Off: Robinson Cano is only 4 for 22 (.182) over his last five games, but he might be snapping out of it since three of those hits came Saturday. Keep him active.
Injury Concerns: Johnny Damon fouled a ball off his right knee Friday and had so much pain and swelling Saturday he didn't even attempt running. The injury isn't the kind that should put him on the DL, but it makes him a risky start for the upcoming scoring period.
Platoon Possibilities: The Yankees face two left-handers this week. Jerry Hairston might get a spot start in one of those games, but the Yankees don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Oakland Athletics
Schedule: @SEA3, @LAA4
Heating Up: Kurt Suzuki is batting .263 (5 for 19) with a home run over his last five games, which isn't all that special until you consider he did it at home, where he's batting .223. The A's go on the road this week, where he's batting .326.
Cooling Off: Adam Kennedy is 4 for 25 (.160) over his last six games, and three of those hits came in one game. He still offers enough power (really?) and speed to serve as a low-end option in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Athletics face two left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Daric Barton has replaced Tommy Everidge since coming off the DL. Both players are hitting under .225, though, and have virtually no Fantasy appeal.

Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: @NYM1, @PIT3, ATL3
Heating Up: Jayson Werth, a streaky player by his own admission, is back on the right side of streaky now, batting .435 (10 for 23) with five home runs in his last six games. Make sure he's active. Ryan Howard has also turned up his power stroke lately, batting .343 (12 for 35) with six home runs over his last nine games. He looks poised for another strong finish and is an obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: Raul Ibanez continues to struggle and has reached a point where you might consider sitting him if you have a strong bench. He's batting .222 (14 for 63) with one home run in August. You shouldn't have any trouble sitting a low-end option like Pedro Feliz. He's batting only .167 (5 for 30) over his last eight games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Phillies face just one left-hander this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: PHI3, @MIL3
Heating Up: Garrett Jones is heating back up again, batting .407 (11 for 27) with two home runs over his last seven games. Unfortunately, the Pirates face three left-handed pitchers this week, and he's batting only .232 against lefties.
Cooling Off: Andy LaRoche is batting .190 (8 for 42) over his last 11 games and hasn't hit for enough power this season to matter in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Ronny Cedeno missed Saturday's game and will sit out until at least Tuesday with a slight fracture in his right pinkie finger. He wouldn't be the first player to play through a broken finger, so if you're in a position where you're desperate enough to start him, start him as usual.
Platoon Possibilities: The Pirates face three left-handers this week. They rotate three players -- Brandon Moss, Lastings Milledge and Steve Pearce -- between two positions, moving Jones from the outfield to first base as necessary, but Moss is more likely to sit against the lefties.
Lineup Changes: None.

San Diego Padres
Schedule: @ATL3, @FLA3
Heating Up: Kyle Blanks has homered three times in his last five games, which would make him a sleeper this week if not for his injury Saturday.
Cooling Off: Tony K. Gwynn continues to flounder in August, batting .091 (2 for 22) over his last nine games. He's not worth your trouble anymore, especially now that he isn't playing consistently. Several Padres regulars struggled this past week, which is understandable since they were playing at home. They go on the road this week, which should help most of their hitters, including Will Venable and Chase Headley.
Injury Concerns: Blanks injured the plantar fascia ligament near his heel Saturday, which sounds scary knowing the way plantar fasciitis has affected certain players. It's no reason to rush to conclusions on an injury that doesn't appear as severe, but it's reason enough to bench Blanks this week unless he's back in the lineup Sunday.
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face just one left-hander this week, but they don't have any strict lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

San Francisco Giants
Schedule: @COL1, ARI3, COL3
Heating Up: As if flipping a switch, Aaron Rowand has gone from ice cold to blazing hot, batting .542 (13 for 24) with three home runs over his last five games. Based on what he did in his last hot streak way back in May, he looks like a good sleeper this week.
Cooling Off: Eugenio Velez, who earned regular playing time with a 14-game hitting streak at the end of July and beginning of August, has fallen on hard times lately. He's 0 for 15 over his last four games and batting .156 (7 for 45) over his last 11.
Injury Concerns: Freddy Sanchez missed a fifth straight game Saturday with a sore left shoulder. He was originally supposed to return Friday, so he can't have too much longer. Then again, he hasn't provided much offensively since joining the Giants. Better play it safe and sit him unless you just have nowhere else to turn.
Platoon Possibilities: The Giants face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Giants finally sat Velez on Saturday, realizing his hot streak had long passed. He'll still get semi-regular starts around the diamond, replacing Nate Schierholtz, Randy Winn and Juan Uribe, but he's just an NL-only option, as are those other three.

Seattle Mariners
Schedule: OAK3, KC4
Heating Up: Russell Branyan has homered in three straight games after beginning that stretch hitting .203 (14 for 69) in August and .178 since June. He probably has another hot streak in him before the end of the year, perhaps one beginning now, but he's not the same player he was the first three months of the season.
Cooling Off: Franklin Gutierrez has quickly fallen out of favor in Fantasy, batting .140 (7 for 50) over his last 10 games. He's certainly not a must-start, but he has a chance to rebound against some weak pitching this week.
Injury Concerns: Jack Wilson has missed over a week with a strained left hamstring, and why he hasn't gone on the DL yet is anyone's guess. He doesn't hit well enough to matter outside of deeper AL-only leagues anyway.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mariners face two left-handed pitchers this week. Ken Griffey and Jack Hannahan will almost certainly sit out those games, and Michael Saunders might as well.
Lineup Changes: The Mariners acquired Bill Hall from the Brewers and will play him at third base at least against left-handers. With Hannahan struggling as much as he has, the Mariners might opt to use Hall on a full-time basis. He's a free swinger without much upside, though, so leave him for deeper AL-only leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: HOU3, WAS3
Heating Up: Since regaining the job of everyday shortstop, Brendan Ryan is batting .400 (10 for 25) over his last seven games.
Cooling Off: Matt Holliday is back to playing at a reasonable level, batting .188 (3 for 16) over his last five games. That's obviously no reason to bench him, though.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cardinals face one left-hander this week. Julio Lugo will likely start that game in place of Skip Schumaker.
Lineup Changes: The Cardinals have opted to use Ryan as their everyday shortstop, making Lugo just a platoon player. Ryan doesn't have enough upside to matter in mixed leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: @TOR3, @DET3
Heating Up: Ben Zobrist seems to be back on track after a rough start to August, batting .417 (10 for 24) with three home runs over his last seven games. Start him in all leagues. Carlos Pena has two home runs in his last three games and is still worth starting in mixed leagues even if he's barely batting above the Mendoza line.
Cooling Off: Evan Longoria is batting .200 (4 for 20) over his last five games and has only three home runs in August. He's still a must-start because of his upside at a weak position, but he has been rather ordinary over the past three months, batting .232 (55 for 237) with 11 home runs.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays face two left-handers this week, which means Gabe Kapler will likely get two starts to Gabe Gross' four.
Lineup Changes: None.

Texas Rangers
Schedule: @NYY3, @MIN3
Heating Up: Michael Young has nine hits in his last three games and is batting .463 (19 for 41) with two home runs during a 10-game hitting streak. Marlon Byrd hit his 15th home run Saturday, topping his career high by five, and is batting .321 (26 for 81) with four home runs in August. He's having a breakout season and deserves a roster spot in all leagues. Julio Borbon, a rookie speedster who had a three-steal and a four-steal game in the past week, would deserve a roster spot in all leagues as well if he wasn't in a platoon situation.
Cooling Off: Hank Blalock has hit safely in only three of his last nine games, batting .143 (5 for 35) during that stretch. He has a chance of breaking out with the team heading out on the road, where he's batting .271 compared to .214 at home, but it's a big risk to take in a standard-sized league.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face two left-handers this week, so you can expect Andruw Jones to replace Borbon for those games.
Lineup Changes: Nelson R. Cruz returned from the DL on Thursday, but unless you're desperate for his services, you might want to keep him reserved since he's hitting only .230 on the road. To make room in the lineup for him, David Murphy has gone back to the bench. The Rangers acquired Ivan Rodriguez from the Astros earlier in the week, but Taylor Teagarden still seems to be getting most of the playing time behind the plate.

Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: TB3, @BOS3
Heating Up: Aaron Hill has hit safely in seven straight games, batting .357 (10 for 28) with two home runs during that stretch. Newcomer Randy Ruiz doesn't have nearly the same Fantasy value, but he's batting .316 (12 for 38) with three home runs since his promotion to the majors.
Cooling Off: Rod Barajas is batting only .157 in August and .170 since June. After a hot start, he hardly matters in Fantasy anymore.
Injury Concerns: Edwin Encarnacion continues to deal with soreness in his left knee, sitting out the last two games. Since he's hitting only .186 with the Blue Jays anyway, sit him.
Platoon Possibilities: The Blue Jays face two left-handed pitchers this week, so Lyle Overbay will likely sit twice for Kevin Millar. Travis Snider is back up from the minors and could potentially sit for Jose A. Bautista against lefties, but the Blue Jays need Bautista at third base with Encarnacion hurting.
Lineup Changes: In addition to Snider, the Blue Jays also promoted the 31-year-old Ruiz and have been playing him every day at DH. His minor-league numbers are off the charts, with his career path similar to that of Jack Cust. He deserves a roster spot in all AL-only leagues.

Washington Nationals
Schedule: MIL1, @CHC3, @STL3
Heating Up: Adam Dunn is batting .381 (8 for 21) with two home runs over his last seven games and .350 (21 for 60) in August. You probably wouldn't bench him anyway, but you never want to miss out on a hot streak from a player like him since his cold streaks tend to be especially brutal.
Cooling Off: Cristian Guzman is batting .133 (4 for 30) over his last eight games and doesn't figure to break out with the tough pitching matchups this week. Same goes for Elijah Dukes, who's batting .108 (4 for 37) over his last 10 games. Both are just low-end options in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Nationals face just one left-hander, which should mean another successful week for Nyjer Morgan, who's batting .350 against righties.
Lineup Changes: None.

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