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, the following games could potentially get rained out: Detroit at Kansas City (50 percent chance) on Monday.
This week's news and notes for each team:
Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: SD3, ATL4
Heating
Up: We all knew Mark Reynolds had
power, but who would have guessed he'd steal so many bases? He swiped
six bags over the last week, including four in one game, and is batting
.393 (11-for-28) with four home runs over his last seven games. His
strikeouts are still a pain, but he looks like a must-start right now,
especially in Rotisserie leagues.
Cooling Off: Gerardo Parra made a big splash as soon as he came up from the minors,
but he's now batting .167 (3-for-18) over his last four games. Still,
he's a worthwhile sleeper in NL-only leagues.
Injury Concerns:
Turns out Conor Jackson had valley fever
that turned into pneumonia -- a condition that made him feel weak every
waking moment since the middle of April. Maybe that explains his awful
numbers. He's still not feeling 100 percent and will likely need a rehab
assignment before he returns to the field, so keep him reserved.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face all right-handed pitchers this
week, not that they have any clear lefty-righty platoons right now.
Lineup
Changes: Parra is clearly the everyday left fielder now, and the
22-year-old has the upside of a Shane Victorino.
You can't expect him to perform at Victorino's level right away, but he
deserves a look in NL-only and deeper Rotisserie leagues. Also, Chad A. Tracy has reclaimed his job as the starting first baseman.
So much for all that Josh Whitesell
business.
Atlanta Braves
Schedule: @SF3, @ARI4
Heating Up:
It's only four games, but Jeff Francoeur
seems to be snapping out of his slump, batting .538 (7-for-13). He's
still not worth starting in mixed leagues until he begins hitting for
power. Garret Anderson has found his
stroke after injuries held him back early. He's batting .350 (14-for-40)
over his last 10 games.
Cooling Off: Casey Kotchman, who had his batting average up to .319 as recently as
May 11, is batting only .179 (5-for-28) over his last nine games. Don't
bother with him in mixed leagues right now.
Injury Concerns: Chipper Jones missed his second straight game Saturday with a sore
right big toe. Same old, same old for him. He has an iffy injury
situation every other week, so simply by owning him, you've already
decided what to do with him. If you can't talk yourself into starting
him now, you'll never end up starting him. You have no choice but to
hope for the best. Yunel Escobar missed
Saturday's game with a strained right hip flexor. The Braves officially
list him as day to day, but this kind of injury has the potential to
sideline him into next week and beyond. Assuming he's not miraculously
back in the lineup Sunday, sit him.
Platoon Possibilities: The
Braves face three lefties this week, but with Omar Infante (hand) on the DL, Kelly Johnson
figures to play every day. Anderson might lose a couple starts to Matt Diaz, but he's just an NL-only option.
Lineup Changes: Martin Prado has filled in for Jones, and Diory Hernandez will likely fill in for Escobar. Neither player has
enough power potential for mixed leagues. Kotchman has moved up to
second in the lineup, which might give him an extra at-bat per game. He
had originally switched places with Johnson, but Escobar's injury moved
Johnson to the leadoff spot Saturday.
Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: TOR3, DET4
Heating
Up: Outfield prospect Nolan Reimold,
who made his major-league debut May 14, is batting .333 (9-for-27) with
two home runs over his last seven games. He'll need to keep playing this
way for another week or so before he deserves a look in standard mixed
leagues, but he has the upside to contribute in those formats eventually.
Cooling
Off: You obviously wouldn't sit Nick Markakis,
but he's in his first little funk of the season, batting .160 (4-for-25)
over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Luke Scott (shoulder) is eligible to come off the DL on Tuesday, and
the Orioles expect to activate him right away. He should play designate
hitter on a near-everyday basis, sitting only against tough
left-handers. He's not necessarily a must-add in mixed leagues, but
don't let him go unowned in AL-only leagues. Meanwhile, Lou Montanez, who directly benefited from Scott's absence, will
have surgery to reattach ligaments in his right thumb. He won't miss the
whole season, but he'll miss enough time that you can cut him even in
AL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face three
left-handed pitchers this week, so Scott might lose at-bats to Ty Wigginton in his first week back.
Lineup Changes:
With his hot streak, Reimold has solidified his place as the Orioles'
everyday left fielder even with Scott returning from the DL.
Boston Red Sox
Schedule: @MIN4, @TOR3
Heating
Up: Jason Varitek is showing he can
still pop a few homers at age 37 even if he doesn't hit for a high
average anymore. He's batting .368 (7-for-19) with four home runs over
his last six games, making him a decent stopgap in AL-only leagues. Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 18 games Saturday. He's
batting .329 (27-for-82) during that stretch.
Cooling Off: Jason Bay is batting .179 (5-for-28) over his last eight games. He's
playing like an AL MVP candidate this season, though, so keep him active
in all Fantasy formats.
Injury Concerns: Mark Kotsay, who has yet to play this season because of a variety of
injuries, most recently to his hamstring, began a rehab assignment
Saturday and could rejoin the Red Sox sometime this week. He would play
strictly a reserve role, though, making him virtually worthless in
Fantasy.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face two
left-handed pitchers this week, not that they have any clear
lefty-righty platoons. J.D. Drew might
sit for Rocco Baldelli, particularly
against Francisco Liriano on Monday.
Lineup
Changes: David Ortiz returned from his
benching this week and finally hit his first home run of the season
Wednesday. He's 1-for-11 in three games since, though, so continue to
reserve him in mixed leagues.
Chicago Cubs
Schedule: PIT3, LAD4
Heating Up: Derrek Lee isn't tearing the cover off the ball, but he's certainly
hitting much better than he was. He has hit safely in seven straight
games, batting .444 (12-for-27) with two home runs. He's still a low-end
option in mixed leagues, but he has some sleeper appeal this week.
Cooling
Off: Most of this team can't hit anything right now, but Alfonso Soriano and Ryan Theriot stand
out as two players who have regressed in recent days. Soriano is batting
.118 (2-for-17) over his last four games. Streakiness is usual for him,
so you kind of have to ride out this cold spell with him. Theriot is
batting .100 (2-for-20) over his last five games and isn't necessarily a
must-start now that his power surge has ended.
Injury Concerns:
None
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face five left-handed
pitchers this week, so you shouldn't expect Mike Fontenot's bat to suddenly wake up. He might also lose starts
to Aaron Miles. Kosuke Fukudome should sit at least two or three times as well, making
him an inadvisable start in mixed leagues.
Lineup Changes: Micah Hoffpauir continues to steal at-bats wherever the Cubs can find
them, forcing Milton Bradley and Lee to
the bench at times. Hoffpauir likely won't play much against the five
left-handers this week, though.
| ||
Player | % Change | |
1. | Michael Cuddyer, OF, MIN | 26 |
2. | Nick Johnson, 1B, WAS | 19 |
3. | Ben Zobrist, OF, TB | 17 |
4. | Juan Pierre, OF, LAD | 12 |
5. | Russell Branyan, 1B, SEA | 10 |
6. | Scott Hairston, OF, SD | 9 |
7. | Kendry Morales, 1B, LAA | 8 |
8. | Alcides Escobar, SS, MIL | 8 |
9. | Casey Blake, 3B, LAD | 7 |
10. | Alberto Callaspo, 2B, KC | 7 |
Chicago White Sox
Schedule: @LAA3, @KC3
Heating
Up: Paul Konerko has gotten back on
track after a brief cold spell at the beginning of May. He's batting
.366 (15-for-41) with three home runs over his last 12 games.
Cooing
Off: Josh D. Fields, who was hitting
.355 on April 16, has been on a steady decline ever since. He's batting
.167 in May and .091 (2-for-22) over his last seven games. The
26-year-old power hitter clearly isn't consistent enough to trust in
mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Carlos Quentin returned to the lineup Friday after missing five
straight games with a sore heel. He missed two games with the same
injury last week, so you have to consider the possibility of him
suffering another setback. Considering he's hitting only .176 (9-for-51)
without a single home run in May, he's not necessarily the kind of guy
you need to rush back into your lineup in mixed leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The White Sox face only one left-handed pitcher this
week, so you should get a full five games from Jim Thome and Chris Getz if you
want to a take a flier on either as a low-end mixed-league option. Wilson Betemit and Jayson Nix tend to
start for them against lefties.
Lineup Changes: Brian N. Anderson has returned from a strained oblique, but the White
Sox apparently prefer to stick with Scott Podsednik as their everyday center fielder. Hey, it's their
team. Anderson no longer looks like much of a sleeper. Quentin has hit
sixth since returning to the lineup, which is only another reason to
consider benching him.
Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: HOU3, @MIL3
Heating
Up: Joey Votto, back from his latest
bout with dizziness -- the results of an ear infection -- homered twice
Saturday. He looks ready to rake again, so get him active.
Cooling
Off: Willy Taveras has done little
since his 14-game hitting streak ended, batting .121 (4-for-33) in eight
games. You shouldn't have any reason to start him right now unless you
play in a Rotisserie or NL-only league.
Injury Concerns: Brandon Phillips left Saturday's game after taking a ground ball off
his right hand. He had X-rays taken, but the Reds didn't have the
results immediately after the game. Obviously, you'll want to check back
for updates Sunday. If he's in the lineup, start him. If he has a
fracture, sit him. If he's not in the lineup but doesn't have a
fracture, you have a tough decision on your hands. Generally speaking,
if you have a feeling someone will miss more than two games in the
upcoming week, you should probably sit him in mixed leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Reds face one left-hander this week. Newly
promoted Jonny Gomes could start that
game for Laynce Nix, but otherwise, the
Reds lineup will remain more or less the same.
Lineup Changes:
So much of this lineup's future hinges on the status of Phillips. If
necessary, Jerry Hairston could move to
second base, which would allow Adam Rosales
to play third base every day unless Edwin Encarnacion returns from the DL (which seems unlikely). It's
all speculation at this point, but even if those three got consistent
at-bats, you shouldn't have any reason to use them outside of NL-only
leagues right now.
Cleveland Indians
Schedule: TB4, NYY3
Heating
Up: Mark DeRosa has hit safely in
five straight games, batting .400 (8-for-20). He's due for a hot streak,
so you could probably find somewhere to start him considering he
qualifies at so many positions. Shin-Soo Choo
is batting .467 (7-for-15) over his last four games and .429 (15-for-35)
over his last nine.
Cooling Off: Victor Martinez is 0-for-9 over his last two games. Yeah, it's
insignificant, but it dropped his batting average from .400 to .379.
Injury
Concerns: Travis Hafner (shoulder)
homered for the first time in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo
on Friday. The Indians will reevaluate him after the weekend and could
possibly activate him this week, but with all of his struggles over the
last two years, you'll definitely want to see some results from him
before you activate him in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities:
The Indians face three left-handed pitchers this week, including CC Sabathia, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: The Indians have dropped leadoff hitter Grady Sizemore to second in the lineup, hoping to break him out of
his slump. The move shouldn't drastically alter his Fantasy appeal. Asdrubal Cabrera now bats leadoff.
Colorado Rockies
Schedule: LAD3, SD3
Heating Up: Clint Barmes has given the Rockies little reason to play Ian Stewart at second base with his performance of late. He's
batting .320 (8-for-25) with one home run and one stolen base over his
last eight games and isn't a terrible one-week stopgap since the Rockies
play six games at home and face three left-handers.
Cooling Off: Brad Hawpe is still hitting well over .300 on the season and has
emerged as a must-start Fantasy option, but he's batting .150 (3-for-20)
over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Chris Iannetta left Saturday's game with a strained right hamstring
and will likely miss at least part of this week. Catcher is such a weak
position that you might just prefer to stick with Iannetta rather than
free a roster spot for a feeble backup. But if you already have a backup
or a free roster spot, Iannetta is clearly a candidate to sit.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Rockies face three left-handed pitchers this
week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons. More lefties
probably means less playing time for Stewart and Seth Smith, but both of them get sporadic at-bats anyway.
Lineup
Changes: None
Detroit Tigers
Schedule: @KC3, @BAL4
Heating Up: Placido Polanco, whose numbers are behind pace pretty much across the
board, showed small signs of life by batting .333 (8-for-24) over his
last six games. He hasn't done enough for you to activate him in
shallower mixed leagues, though.
Cooling Off: Curtis Granderson has gone 1-for-15 over his last four games, dropping
his batting average to .246.
Injury Concerns: Don't look for Carlos Guillen (Achilles') or Marcus Thames
(rib cage) to return this week. Both have yet to begin rehab
assignments. Neither likely matters outside of AL-only leagues anyway,
especially Thames.
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers currently
project to face right-handed pitchers in all seven of their games this
week, which should mean a big week for Jeff Larish, assuming Josh Anderson
doesn't steal too many at-bats from him. He's worth a flier in AL-only
leagues.
Lineup Changes: The Tigers have resorted to rotating Ramon Santiago and Adam Everett at
shortstop, but the move has seemingly paid off for both. Even though
they're hitting a combined .325, they remain low-end AL-only options
because of their part-time at-bats.
| ||
Player | Start % | |
1. | Michael Cuddyer, OF, MIN | 46 |
2. | Billy Butler, 1B, KC | 27 |
3. | Scott Hairston, OF, SD | 15 |
4. | Gerardo Parra, OF, ARI | 9 |
5. | Jose Guillen, OF, KC | 30 |
6. | Clint Barmes, SS, COL | 12 |
7. | Orlando Cabrera, SS, OAK | 32 |
8. | Ryan Spilborghs, OF, COL | 22 |
9. | Ben Zobrist, OF, TB | 30 |
10. | Jeff Larish, 1B, DET | 1 |
|
Florida Marlins
Schedule: @PHI3, @NYM3
Heating
Up: Dan Uggla homered for his fourth
time in five games Saturday and is batting .321 (9-for-28) during an
eight-game hitting streak. If you think back, you might remember he hit
.347 with 12 home runs last May, so he's the kind of player who does
half his damage in one short burst. Make sure you have him active now.
Cooling
Off: John Baker is batting only .200
(5-for-25) over his last seven games, but he didn't get to play as much
over the last week because of matchups.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Marlins face only one left-handed pitcher this
week, so Baker should get enough playing time to matter in mixed leagues.
Lineup
Changes: The Marlins have dropped slumping rookie Chris Coghlan to eighth in the lineup, moving Jeremy Hermida up to second. Hermida will likely benefit from Hanley Ramirez batting behind him, but he hasn't shown much
improvement yet.
Houston Astros
Schedule: @CIN3, @PIT3
Heating
Up: Lance Berkman has finally gotten
back on track, batting .387 (12-for-31) with two home runs over his last
nine games. When he gets hot, nobody can top him, so you obviously want
him active now. Miguel Tejada has a
seven-game hitting streak during which he's batting .407 (11-for-27)
with two home runs. Hunter Pence is
batting .556 (10-for-18) over his last five games and is clearly a
must-start now.
Cooling Off: Kazuo Matsui is batting only .148 (4-for-27) over his last seven
games and isn't worth using in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns:
None
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face one left-handed
pitcher this week, so Geoff Blum should
get five starts. He wouldn't be the worst stopgap ever in an NL-only
league. He platoons with Jeff Keppinger.
Lineup
Changes: The Astros have reverted back to Michael Bourn as their leadoff hitter, dropping Matsui down to second
originally and then down to eighth Saturday. Tejada got a turn batting
second Saturday because of his hot streak, and the protection of Lance Berkman will only help his cause.
Kansas City Royals
Schedule: DET3, CHW3
Heating
Up: David DeJesus has an eight-game
hitting streak during which he's batting .323 (10-for-31). Jose Guillen has a reputation for streakiness and is starting to
heat up, batting .367 (11-for-30) over his last nine games.
Cooling
Off: Coco Crisp is batting .111
(2-for-18) over his last five games, but he contributes enough with
walks and steals to stay in your Fantasy lineup. Mark Teahen, however, does not. He's batting .063 (1-for-16) over
his last four games.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Royals face three left-handed pitchers this week,
which could boost Billy Butler's stats.
They don't really have any platoon players, though.
Lineup
Changes: Mike Aviles is back in the
lineup after missing time with a stiff forearm, but Willie Bloomquist might continue to spell him if he doesn't improve
his .188 batting average.
L.A. Angels
Schedule: CHW3, SEA3
Heating Up: Chone Figgins has an 11-game hitting streak during which he's batting
.388 (19-for-49) with seven steals. His hot streaks usually last a
while, so get him active.
Cooling Off: After hitting two home
runs Monday, Kendry Morales is batting
.214 (3-for-14) over his last four games.
Injury Concerns: Vladimir Guerrero, out since the beginning of April with a torn pectoral
muscle, is on a rehab assignment and is almost a sure thing to return
Monday, if only at DH. He's not quite an elite slugger anymore, so if
you play in a shallower league and have a stacked outfield, you might
want to give him time to prove himself first. In most cases, though, you
need him to play right away. The Angels have used Bobby Abreu as a pinch hitter over the weekend as he battles a sore
toe, but he should return to the lineup at the start of the week. Keep
him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face two
left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any true platoon
players.
Lineup Changes: The biggest changes will come after
Guerrero returns, most likely with Gary Matthews
moving to the bench.
L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: @COL3, @CHC4
Heating Up: Juan Pierre has done his best to help the Dodgers forget about Manny Ramirez, batting .382 (13-for-34) over his last eight games. Casey Blake hasn't cooled off from a week ago, batting .462
(6-for-13) with a home run over his last four games.
Cooling Off: Andre Ethier clearly misses Ramirez. He's batting just .138
(8-for-58) over his last 15 games and is no longer a must-start in mixed
leagues.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities:
The Dodgers face three left-handers this week, but none of their players
routinely sits against lefties.
Lineup Changes: None
| ||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Rays | @CLE4, MIN3 |
2. | Rockies | LAD3, SD3 |
3. | Tigers | @KC3, @BAL4 |
4. | Rangers | NYY3, OAK3 |
5. | Padres | @ARI3, @COL3 |
Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: STL3, CIN3
Heating
Up: Ryan J. Braun hasn't homered
since May 9, but he's batting .393 (11-for-28) over his last eight
games. The home runs will come soon enough if he keeps swinging that way.
Cooling
Off: Bill Hall isn't much of a
Fantasy option in the first place, and he's showing why with his
1-for-25 (.040) performance over his last eight games.
Injury
Concerns: Corey C. Hart missed
Saturday's game with a bruised right hand. It doesn't sound particularly
serious, but since he's batting only .154 (4-for-26) over his last six
games, maybe you should just go ahead and sit him. J.J. Hardy missed Saturday's game and will miss Sunday's as well
with back spasms -- a tricky injury that sometimes develops into
something worse. You probably can't find a viable replacement on short
notice at such a weak position, but if you can, Hardy probably isn't
worth the risk this week.
Platoon Possibilities: The Brewers
face all right-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any
lefty-righty platoons anyway.
Lineup Changes: Rickie Weeks will miss the rest of the season with a wrist injury, so Craig Counsell and Casey McGehee will
split at-bats at second base for the time being. Counsell is a slap
hitter who isn't even a safe bet to hit for a high batting average, so
he's clearly not worth owning outside of NL-only leagues. McGehee has
some pop, but his inconsistent at-bats will make him just an NL-only
option as well.
Minnesota Twins
Schedule: BOS4, @TB3
Heating Up: Michael Cuddyer hit for the cycle Friday, but he was plenty hot before
then. He's batting .500 (13-for-26) with four home runs over his last
six games, emerging not only as a viable mixed-league option but someone
you wouldn't dare sit for this upcoming week. Joe Mauer's power surge doesn't look like it'll end anytime soon.
He homered again Saturday, giving him nine on the season. His career
high is 13. Oh, he's also batting .429, in case you needed another
reason to start him. Denard Span is
batting .417 (10-for-24) with two home runs during a six-game hitting
streak. Get him active.
Cooling Off: Joe Crede hasn't really gotten hot all season, but he's batting
only .192 (5-for-26) over his last seven games.
Injury Concerns: Jason Kubel, hitting .336 on the season, missed his second straight
game Saturday with swelling in his left knee. He has a bone bruise and
could return Monday or Tuesday, so continue to use him as a low-end
mixed-league option. Delmon Young
continues to miss time because of a death in the family. His return is
completely up in the air, but Monday is a possibility. He'll have to
split time with Carlos Gomez when he
returns, making him just an AL-only option.
Platoon Possibilities:
The Twins face two left-handers this week -- Jon Lester and David Price -- but
they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes:
None
N.Y. Mets
Schedule: WAS3, FLA3
Heating Up: David Wright had a 13-game hitting streak snapped Saturday. He hit
.469 (23-for-49) with six stolen bases during that stretch, but he
didn't hit any home runs. Still, he's clearly in top form after a bit of
a slow start this year.
Cooling Off: David Murphy might be starting at first base, but he's not swinging
like a starting first baseman, batting .065 (2-for-31) over his last 14
games. Leave him for NL-only leagues.
Injury Concerns: Jose B. Reyes tried to return from a strained calf Tuesday but ended
up leaving Wednesday feeling worse than he did originally. The Mets hold
out hope he can avoid a DL stint, but a trip to the DL -- or at least a
prolonged absence from the lineup -- seems inevitable at this point.
Bench Reyes in mixed leagues. Ramon Martinez will start in his place. Ryan Church, who left Friday's game with an injured hamstring,
missed Saturday's game but hopes to return Sunday. He hasn't hit for
enough power this year to matter in mixed leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Mets face two left-handed pitchers this week, but
their outfield is a jumbled mess right now. If nothing else, Church will
probably sit against the lefties, replaced by either Gary Sheffield, Fernando Tatis or Angel Pagan.
Lineup Changes: The Mets keep shifting their
lineup to accommodate hot hands, favoring Murphy and Sheffield to Tatis
and Pagan right now. Murphy has taken over as the team's first baseman
with Carlos Delgado (hip) on the DL, but
Tatis could end up getting starts there against left-handers.
N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: @TEX3, @CLE3
Heating Up: Mark Teixeira has benefited from the presence of Alex Rodriguez (or just heated up as usual in the summer months),
batting .467 (14-for-30) with five home runs over his last eight games. Robinson Cano looks like he's rediscovered the form that allowed him to
hit .366 in April, batting .500 (8-for-16) with two home runs over his
last four games. He's the kind of player who can carry your Fantasy team
when he gets hot. A-Rod has six home runs in his last eight games.
Cooling
Off: The notoriously streaky Nick Swisher
is hitting .117 (7-for-60) in May and couldn't take advantage of the
Yankees' good matchups this week. His splits are ridiculously skewed
toward road games, which might just be a coincidence this early in the
season, but the Yankees do play six games on the road this week,
including three at Texas. He's not necessarily a must-sit. Hideki Matsui, on the other hand, probably is in mixed leagues. He's
batting .162 (6-for-37) over his last 12 games.
Injury Concerns: Jorge Posada (hamstring) had some pain in his leg earlier in the
week, but he'll begin a rehab assignment Sunday and could return
sometime later in the week. The Yankees haven't given an exact return
date, making him too much a toss-up for mixed leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Yankees face three left-handed pitchers this
week, but Melky Cabrera has settled in
as the Yankees center fielder, meaning Brett Gardner should remain on the bench regardless.
Lineup
Changes: None
Oakland Athletics
Schedule: SEA3, @TEX3
Heating
Up: Has the real Matt Holliday
finally arrived? The slugging outfielder, acquired from Colorado in the
offseason, is showing his first real signs of life with the A's, batting
.385 (10-for-26) with two home runs over his last seven games. The A's
infield has also heated up, with second baseman Adam Kennedy batting .500 (14-for-28) over his last five games and Orlando Cabrera batting .323 (10-for-31) over his last seven.
Cooling
Off: After bringing his batting average up to .262 in the middle of
May, Bobby Crosby is back down to .205.
He's batting .074 (2-for-27) over his last 10 games and will continue to
lose at-bats to Jack Hannahan and Nomar Garciaparra.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Athletics face three left-handed pitchers this
week, which only means you can count on Hannahan and Travis Buck not to start those games.
Lineup Changes: The
Athletics now have a three-headed monster -- or maybe mouse is the
better word -- at third base with Garciaparra, Crosby and Hannahan.
Garciaparra might also steal at-bats from Jason Giambi, making him the most valuable of the three in AL-only
leagues.
Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: FLA3, WAS3
Heating
Up: Raul Ibanez can almost go without
saying here. He has homered in four straight games and has seven home
runs in his last eight games, batting .366 (15-for-41) over his last 10
games. Jimmy Rollins went 0-for-4
Saturday but is clearly back playing like himself again, batting .350
(14-for-40) with four stolen bases over his last nine games.
Cooling
Off: Jayson Werth has cooled off
after a torrid two-week stretch, batting .111 (2-for-18) over his last
five games. He's too valuable to sit.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Phillies face three left-handed pitchers this
week, none of them elite. They don't have any platoon players.
Lineup
Changes: The Phillies have moved Ibanez's blistering bat up to third
in the lineup, at least against right-handers, bumping Chase Utley up to second, Jayson Werth
down to fifth and Shane Victorino down
to sixth. Against left-handers, Ibanez and Werth switch places. All this
maneuvering should help keep Ibanez hot with Ryan Howard protecting him, but it'll decrease Victorino's at-bats
and run-scoring opportunities. Then again, Victorino might start running
more without all the big bats behind him, which would improve his
Fantasy appeal.
| ||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Brewers | STL3, CIN3 |
2. | Reds | HOU3, @MIL3 |
3. | White Sox | @LAA3, @KC3 |
4. | Pirates | @CHC3, HOU3 |
5. | Angels | CHW3, SEA3 |
Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: @CHC3, HOU3
Heating
Up: Believe it or not, Andy LaRoche
has his batting average up over .280. He's batting .423 (11-for-26) with
one home run and nine RBI during a seven-game hitting streak. He's still
not a viable option in mixed leagues, but if he starts hitting home
runs, he could quickly become one.
Cooling Off: Nyjer Morgan, who maintained a .300 batting average during the first
six weeks of the season, dropped to .280 with an 0-for-3 performance
Saturday. He's batting .091 (2-for-22) over his last six games and isn't
worth starting right now unless you need stolen bases.
Injury
Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Pirates face
three left-handed pitchers this week, so Craig Monroe will likely spell Brandon Moss
in those games. Neither player matters outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Lineup
Changes: The Pirates have gone back to playing Jason Jaramillo over Robinzon Diaz
behind the plate, not that Jaramillo has exactly seized the day with
only three hits in his last seven games. Leave both of these guys for
NL-only leagues.
San Diego Padres
Schedule: @ARI3, @COL3
Heating
Up: The Padres have great matchups this week, so Kevin Kouzmanoff and Nick Hundley,
who each hit two homers this week, have some sleeper appeal. They're not
so hot that you should rush out and grab them in mixed leagues, though.
Cooling
Off: Chase Headley hasn't come
close to living up to his potential yet. He's batting only .056
(1-for-18) over his last eight games and isn't even getting regular
playing time anymore.
Injury Concerns: David Eckstein left Friday's game after getting hit by a pitch and
remained out of the lineup Saturday. He's doing nothing at the plate
right now, though, making him practically irrelevant even in NL-only
leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face two
left-handed pitchers this week, which will help Scott Hairston's cause.
Lineup Changes: The Padres
exchanged Jody Gerut for Tony K. Gwynn earlier this week and immediately made him their
leadoff hitter. He hasn't hit well yet, though, and doesn't have enough
potential for mixed leagues.
San Francisco Giants
Schedule: ATL3, STL3
Heating
Up: Aaron Rowand started hitting
leadoff and immediately found his form, batting .462 (12-for-26) with
three home runs over his last seven games. He's probably a long shot for
20 homers this year, but you could do worse if you need a stopgap in
mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: After a hot stretch at the
beginning of May, Emmanuel Burriss has
cooled off dramatically over the last couple weeks, batting .154
(6-for-39) over his last 12 games. Don't bother with him in mixed
leagues.
Injury Concerns: Pablo Sandoval
had to leave Saturday's game with a sore elbow and likely won't play
Sunday. The Giants seem more worried about him in the field than at the
plate, which might mean a week of nothing but pinch-hit appearances.
Better play it safe and bench him in mixed leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Giants face all right-handers, which should mean
a full week of at-bats for Travis Ishikawa.
Let's throw a ticker-tape parade.
Lineup Changes: Rowand
moving to the leadoff spot was the biggest change. Randy Winn now hits fifth, which should help his RBI opportunities. Jesus Guzman is up from the minors and could replace Rich Aurilia as Ishikawa's platoon partner, assuming he doesn't
overtake Ishikawa outright. Give him a look in deeper NL-only leagues.
Seattle Mariners
Schedule: @OAK3, @LAA3
Heating
Up: Russell Branyan just won't quit.
He's batting .464 (13-for-28) with two homers over his last nine games
and remains viable in mixed leagues for now.
Cooling Off: Kenji Johjima's back to hitting like his 2008 self, batting .179
(5-for-28) over his last eight games.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Mariners face two left-handers this week, though Franklin Gutierrez has pretty much overtaken Endy Chavez as the starter in center field regardless of the
opponent. Leave both for AL-only leagues. Mike Sweeney will start against the left-handers in place of Ken Griffey.
Lineup Changes: None
St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: @MIL3, @SF3
Heating
Up: Only Albert Pujols is swinging
well right now, but he's doing nothing exceptional by his standards.
Cooling
Off: Chris Duncan hasn't homered
since May 1. He's hitting only .136 (3-for-22) over his last eight games
and isn't worth using in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Rick Ankiel, who bruised his right shoulder in a collision with the
outfield wall May 4, has a chance of returning this week, possibly as
soon as Monday at Milwaukee. The Cardinals could always hold him back,
though, and he wasn't exactly a must-start in mixed leagues before
getting hurt. Keep him benched. Ryan Ludwick,
on the DL with a hamstring injury, is almost certain to come back
Friday, but since he'll play only half a week, you should keep him
reserved in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The
Cardinals face three left-handed pitchers this week, which means Skip Schumaker will probably sit three times in favor of Brendan Ryan, especially with Ankiel and Ludwick returning.
Lineup
Changes: Brian Barden has apparently
replaced Joe Thurston as the Cardinals
everyday third baseman. He used to play strictly against left-handers. Nick Stavinoha has started recently with the injuries to the
Cardinals outfield, but he'll return to the bench at some point this
week. He barely matters in NL-only leagues.
Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: @CLE4, MIN3
Heating Up:
The surprising Jason Bartlett continues
to move forward, not backward. He has a nine-game hitting streak during
which he's batting .424 (14-for-33) with one home run and four stolen
bases. No sense in benching him now.
Cooling Off: Carlos Pena has two home runs in the last week, but he's batting only
.174 (4-for-23) over his last eight games. His power potential makes him
too valuable to sit in most formats.
Injury Concerns: Pat Burrell's stiff neck has made enough progress that the Rays
think he might return as soon as Wednesday at Cleveland. Since he'll
play half a week at best, keep him reserved in mixed leagues. Evan Longoria took a pitch off the arm Saturday and left the game
early to ice it, but he has just a bruise. He won't miss enough time for
you to justify benching him.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays
face two lefties this week, so Gabe Gross
will theoretically get more playing time than Gabe Kapler. Ben Zobrist will get
more playing time than both, though, and he's the only one you should
care about in mixed leagues.
Lineup Changes: None
Texas Rangers
Schedule: NYY3, OAK3
Heating Up: Nelson R. Cruz has recovered from a recent cold spell, batting .467
(7-for-15) with four home runs and two stolen bases over his last four
games. The quick turnaround is probably reason enough to consider him a
must-start going forward.
Cooling Off: Chris Davis is back to his high-strikeout, low-contact ways, going
0-for-22 with 11 strikeouts over his last seven games. The strikeout
rate actually isn't abnormal for him.
Injury Concerns: Michael Young injured his foot on a pickoff attempt Friday and showed
up to the ballpark on crutches Saturday. Unless he returns to the lineup
Sunday -- which seems like a long shot right now -- you probably
shouldn't risk starting him in mixed leagues. Josh Hamilton returned from a strained left groin Friday and is a
must-start.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face two
left-handed pitchers this week, which means two starts for Andruw Jones, if nothing else. Hank Blalock
will likely sit those two games.
Lineup Changes: David Murphy got to start a few times with Hamilton hurting, but
he'll likely return to the bench this week, making him not worth
starting even in AL-only leagues.
Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: @BAL3, BOS3
Heating
Up: Aaron Hill isn't about to slow
down yet. He's batting .370 (10-for-27) during his seven-game hitting
streak. Of course, he has only -- yeah, "only" -- one home run during
that stretch.
Cooling Off: Adam Lind's
batting average dipped below .300 for the first time this season because
of a 1-for-19 stretch this week. He did, however, go 2-for-4 Saturday
and is a risky sit in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Blue Jays will face at least two left-handed
pitchers this week, but with Travis Snider
now in the minor leagues, their only platoon situation is at first base,
where Lyle Overbay will likely start
four games while Kevin Millar starts two.
Lineup
Changes: Since the Blue Jays had to drop a batter from their lineup
when they went to Atlanta at the end of last week, we haven't had a
chance yet to see who will start for Snider in left field. Jose A. Bautista has already been starting there against left-handed
pitchers, and he has enough power potential to make an impact in AL-only
leagues if he becomes a full-time player.
Washington Nationals
Schedule: @NYM3, @PHI3
Heating
Up: Nick Johnson, who hit .338 in
April, isn't slowing down the least bit in May. He's batting .400
(10-for-25) during an eight-game hitting streak, emerging as an
every-week option in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Nobody of
significance.
Injury Concerns: Anderson Hernandez missed his second straight game Saturday with a
strained pinkie finger that affects his ability to grip the bat. Quite
frankly, either of his potential replacements -- be it Willie Harris or Ronnie Belliard --
would do more for your Fantasy team than Hernandez would, but since the
injury is day to day, you can't afford to start any of this trio. Jesus Flores (back) will begin a rehab assignment Monday, but he
likely won't return this week. Keep him reserved.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Nationals face four left-handed pitchers this
week, not that it matters with their lack of lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: Josh Willingham has gotten
the vast majority of at-bats in left field over Austin Kearns, but both players are hitting under .220. Leave them for
the deepest of NL-only leagues. Josh Bard
has become the favorite to start behind the plate over Wil Nieves with Flores sidelined. Justin Maxwell has gotten most of the starts in center field with Elijah Dukes (hamstring) on the DL, but Harris sneaks in occasional
starts there too. Neither player matters outside of deeper NL-only
leagues.
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