The Buzz Around the Bullpen: Liriano Is Ready to Anchor Your Staff in the Second Half

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. Because we are heading into an abbreviated fantasy week, the Buzz like the rest of baseball will be taking it a little easy. However, I’d like to give you a couple of players that I like not just for this week, but for the start of the second half of the season.

Before we talk about a couple of these players, I’d like to take a minute to vent about the MLB All-Star Game. It continues to amaze me that Major League Baseball puts such weight on the mid-summer classic. As I’m sure you all are aware of, the league that wins the All-Star Game is awarded with home-field advantage for the World Series. Just for a second think of this scenario.

The Cubbies stay hot through the second half and find themselves in contention for their first World Series title in 100 years. In the American League, the Rays rebound from their recent struggles and continue their improbable run all the way into the World Series. The Cubbies were the top seed from the NL and the Rays were the bottom seed from the AL.

Now fast forward even a little further. It is now Game 7 of the World Series and Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs are on the road at Tropicana Field despite having a better regular season record than the Rays. The reason why…because the AL pulled out yet another victory in the All-Star game.

If that isn’t illogical enough, the players that are starting in this game are chosen by the fans. While I’d love to believe that everyone that voted was well-informed, at times it seems like it is nothing more than a popularity contest. Although the fans did get some of the starters right, there are several players that should not even be on the team let alone starting. I believe MLB needs to make some changes to their current system. The fan vote should count for something but it should not be the deciding factor. I’d argue that we could even call it the Kosuke Fukudome rule. There just doesn’t seem to be anything special about hitting .280, with 7 HRs, 36 RBIs and 8 SBs.

Now that I’ve expressed my distain with the All-Star game, let’s talk about some players that could help you to start the second-half.

Second-Half Studs

Francisco Liriano (SP, Minnesota Twins): I can’t say it enough. I love this guy in the second half. If you can get him, do it immediately because once he makes a couple starts in the bigs, his price tag will go up in a hurry.

Jonathan Broxton (RP, Los Angeles Dodgers): It doesn’t sound too good for Saito. You have to love the opportunity he might have to put up some save numbers.

Adam LaRoche (1B, Pittsburgh Pirates): It’s starting to look like LaRoche is slowly remembering how to hit a baseball. Look for a repeat of last year’s strong second-half. Maybe next year LaRoche should just skip March-June.

Adam Jones (OF, Baltimore Orioles): He’s starting to get a hang of this whole Major League Baseball thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he finishes with around 15-20 HRs

Evan Longoria (3B, Tampa Bay Rays): He’s only going to get better. That’s scary.

Gio Gonzalez (SP, Oakland A’s): Another young Oakland pitching stud. The recent trade with the Cubs paved the way for a second-half call-up.

J.J. Hardy (SS, Milwaukee Brewers): His latest hot streak has everyone believing this is the player he truly is. His early season struggles look to be over. He is going to be an integral player in the second-half as the Brew Crew make a second-half push for the Central Division.

A.J. Burnett (SP, Toronto Blue Jays): He plays for the Jays now but don’t expect to see him in that uniform come early August. Although the Jays are hovering around .500, I believe they are going to get an offer they can’t refuse. He will be the guy that teams will be vying to trade for in the last days before the deadline. I look for a contender to overpay but this is good news for his fantasy owners. If he can stay healthy, look for Burnett to benefit from a trade to a better team.

As with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

Miranda Warnings: Give Me a "Break"!

Welcome to Week #15 of "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Wednesday, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

"Miranda Warnings" is getting an early (and much-needed) start to the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star break. I will use the next two weeks to "recharge" my batteries for the second-half of the season.

Thanks for your continued support and loyalty.

"Miranda Warnings" returns Wednesday, July 23! See you July 23!

The Buzz Around the Bullpen: C.C. Says Farewell to Cleveland

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. As I write this latest edition, the word around baseball is that the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cleveland Indians have agreed in principle to a trade involving C.C. Sabathia. The trade would also include the Brewers sending outfield prospect Matt LaPorta to the Indians. In terms of fantasy impact, I believe C.C. Sabathia’s value has increased significantly. As much as I was down on C.C. earlier in the year, I believe this move to the National League can only benefit him.

Sabathia will be going to a team that has the ability to provide him with decent run support. Sabathia’s record has been tarnished of late by the lackluster Cleveland offense. The Indians’ offense has left C.C. out to dry scoring only 3 runs or more in 7 of his last 18 starts.

It will also be interesting to watch how Cleveland deals with LaPorta. He has been an offensive machine at Double-A Huntsville hitting around .300 with 20 HRs. He may be worth a flier in deeper leagues and a he’s a must add for keeper leagues where he is still available.

The trade deadline is still over three weeks away but this trade will definitely cause teams to alter their strategy leading up to the July 31st deadline. My guess is that the Toronto Blue Jays have to be thrilled that this trade has happened so early before the deadline. This gives them almost a month to shop A.J. Burnett around while teams fight to be the highest bidder. It should be an interesting deadline with some new “buyers” such as the Tampa Bay Rays. For right now, let’s focus on some guys you might want to make a move for to better your squad.

Big Hits

Aubrey Huff (1B/3B, Baltimore Orioles): It is no wonder why Aubrey Huff is still available in a percentage of leagues. I tried to include Huff in a trade early this year and the owner responded by saying, “I’d rather not start a 1B”. Now about 14 HRs later and still hitting just below .300, Huff has continued to build on his stellar offensive year. Huff has stroked 17 HRs this season and is on pace to match his 2003 season where he hit a career-high 34 HRs. Huff’s power numbers had dropped off significantly in the past three years and it was looking as though Huff was on the down-swing of his career. However, Huff has found a home in the O’s lineup and has been a pleasant surprise for his owners as well. Although I like Huff’s numbers, his trade value will never be higher. If you’re looking to fill a need, now’s the time to pull the trigger on Huff.

Alexei Ramirez (2B, Chicago White Sox): Since taking over full-time duties at second base, Ramirez has shown the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. With 7 HRs in 200 ABs, Ramirez projects to be a 20-23 HRs a year type hitter. Even with well over 100 less ABs than the rest of the starting second basemen, Ramirez is already 11th in HRs. More impressive than his power numbers, Ramirez continues to hover around .300 in his rookie campaign. He is available in over 50% of leagues and he would be a nice replacement if you are still hanging on to a struggling Freddy Sanchez.

Big Miss

Darrell Rasner (SP, New York Yankees): Rasner has been roughed up of late and his record is a reflection of that. He has lost seven of his last eight starts and at times he has looked to be throwing batting practice to his opposition. He has been touched up for eight or more hits in six of his last seven starts. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a demotion in the near future for Rasner. While Rasner isn’t much of a fantasy stud even when he is on, some owners still believe in the strategy to start a pitcher in hopes of his offense earning him a cheap win. In the past couple of weeks, Rasner has made that next that to impossible for the Yanks offense. Drop Rasner immediately and pick up someone that doesn’t need an “L Screen” when they pitch.

As with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

Miranda Warnings: "Manny, Just Being Manny." Enough Already!

Welcome to Week #14 of "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Wednesday, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

American League East: I am sick and tired of certain players receiving preferential treatment! Case and point: Boston OF Manny Ramirez (pictured, above). For years, it has been well-documented that Ramirez could do no wrong. No matter what Ramirez did (lackadaisical play, temper-tantrums, etc.), it was always swept under the rug and/or ignored. In every instance, no matter what Ramirez did, management summed up his actions by saying it's "Manny, Just Being Manny." After the latest Manny incident, I say: "enough already!". Somebody, anybody, please discipline this prima donna! During Boston's visit to Houston this past weekend, Ramirez pushed 64 year-old Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the ground, following a dispute over tickets. Manny, just being Manny, wanted sixteen tickets on very short notice. When McCormick expressed concern that he could not meet the request, Manny, just being Manny, shoved him to the ground! Ramirez apologized. However, the apology doesn't excuse him for pushing McCormick. The Red Sox have said that they handled the matter internally. Read between the lines and this means one thing, and only one thing: Ramirez received a slap on the wrist! Two recent incidents involving player conduct reveal just how poorly Boston has dealt with Ramirez' latest antics. In May, Texas released SP Sidney Ponson for "behavior that was detrimental to the team". In June, Houston released SP Shawn Chacon after a physical altercation with GM Ed Wade. I give Texas and Houston lots of credit for not tolerating unacceptable behavior. However, Boston should be ashamed of itself for allowing the latest Ramirez incident to go unpunished. Boston allows Manny to get away with "murder" because he's, well, Manny, a sure-fire Hall of Famer, who is one of Boston's offensive focal-points and a fan favorite. Sure, Ramirez will someday land in baseball's Hall of Fame. However, Ramirez' latest embarrassment lands him and Boston management in "Miranda Warnings" Hall of Shame!... Toronto youngster, OF Adam Lind, is getting more playing time under new manager Cito Gaston, and he's taking advantage of it. Lind hit a two-run homer in Wednesday's loss to Seattle. Lind has gotten off to a great start in July with two HR's and seven RBIs. If your fantasy team needs outfield help, grab Lind... Ridiculously inconsistent Orioles SP Daniel Cabrera was it again Wednesday night, this time on the positive side. Cabrera threw a complete-game victory (9 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) versus Kansas City to improve to 6-9 in 2008... After sweeping Boston Wednesday night, Tampa is in first-place by 3 1/2 games and I'm not the least bit surprised (see 5/14 edition of "Miranda Warnings"). Standing-out for Tampa is 3B Evan Longoria. Longoria went 3-for-4, with three RBIs and one run scored on Wednesday. Longoria has hit safely in nine of his last ten games, raising his BA from .248 to .275... Why in the world is Yankees SP Sidney Ponson on a major league pitching staff? Ponson was lit-up by his former employer, Texas, Wednesday (5 IP, 9 hits, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K).

American League Central: Who leads the AL in HR's? Cleveland OF Grady Sizemore, of course! Sizemore hit two bombs against the White Sox Wednesday, going 3-for-4, with two RBI's and four runs scored. Sizemore is doing his best to keep the Indians afloat in the AL Central (21 HR, 47 RBIs, 20 SB). Sizemore is at 20-20 and we're not even at the All-Star Break! Wow!... In Kansas City, the Butler did it! 1B/DH Billy Butler has returned from his Triple-A demotion earlier this season and is taking full advantage. Butler went 3-for-5 versus Baltimore Monday. Butler was promoted after tearing it up in the minors, hitting .337, with five HR's and 13 RBI's... Speaking of returns, Detroit P Joel Zumaya (shoulder) has returned. Zumaya (1 2/3 IP innings, 3 hits) recorded his first save of the season versus Minnesota Monday. It's only a matter of time before Zumaya replaces current inconsistent closer Todd Jones... Minnesota C Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 in Wednesday's win over the Tigers. Mauer is having a bounce-back season (.326 BA, 36 RBI's)... Chicago 1B Nick Swisher continues to rake, going 2-for-4 with an RBI against Cleveland Wednesday. Swisher has hit safely in four of his last six games, with three HR's, four runs scored and 10 RBI's. Hopefully, you didn't give up on him when he was struggling in April and May.

American League West: LA Angels SP Joe Saunders continues to astound! After defeating Oakland Wednesday, Saunders (6 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K versus Oakland) has an AL-leading 12 wins. He was/is considered, at best, a middle of the rotation starting pitcher, but is pitching like an ace in 2008 and exceeding all expectations... Another AL West pitcher that continues to astound is Oakland SP Justin Duchscherer. Duchscherer was nearly unhittable Saturday (8 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). Unfortunately, he was outpitched by Tim Lincecum and took the loss to fall to 8-5. Listen to this unbelievable stat: Duchscherer has allowed more than two earned runs in one (yes, 1) outing this season! Damn impressive! Duchscherer's record is 8-5 and his ERA stands at a ridiculous 1.91!... Seattle OF Ichiro Suzuki was a perfect 3-for-3, with two runs scored in Wednesday's win over Toronto. Don't be surprised if Seattle, in its efforts to rebuild, unloads the stud, if it can receive 2-3 top-notch prospects in return. Ichiro is currently in pursuit of 200 hits for an unreal eighth straight year!... Texas 2B Ian Kinsler continues to narrow the distance between himself and Chase Utley for best 2B in baseball. Kinsler extended his hitting streak to 15 games Wednesday against the Yankees. Kinsler is putting up huge 2008 numbers (.323 BA, 13 HR's, 23 SB's).

National League East: Atlanta 1B Mark Teixeira continues to smash the baseball. On Saturday, Teixeira blasted his 16th homer, with two RBIs and two runs scored. It'll be interesting to see what Atlanta does with its free-agent-to-be. Does Atlanta trade Teixeira for prospects or let him walk away as a free agent during the off-season. Stay tuned!... Florida 2B Dan Uggla (ankle) was out of the lineup for a fourth straight game Wednesday. If Uggla doesn't return by the weekend, a DL-stint might be possible... NY Mets SP Pedro Martinez continues to disappoint. He was roughed-up by St.Louis (5 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) on Wednesday. Pedro has surrendered at least 5 ER in three straight outings. Could Pedro be nearing "the end"?... Washington OF Elijah Dukes continues to show flashes of his immense talent. Dukes went 3-for-5, with a solo home run, three runs scored and a SB versus Florida on Tuesday. He's fantasy-worthy in deep mixed leagues... Surprisingly, Philadelphia SP Brett Myers accepted a demotion to Triple-A, in an attempt to iron-out his problems (3-9, 5.84 ERA, a major league-leading 24 HR's allowed). If being sent to the minors wasn't bad enough, now comes word that Myers will be checked out by a team doctor in the next few days to see if his problems are physical. Stay tuned!.

National League Central: If you're looking for a 2B option, check out Houston's Ty Wigginton. Wiggy launched his sixth homer of the season, with three RBI's, versus the Dodgers Tuesday. Wiggy will never be confused with studs Chase Utley or Ian Kinsler, but he has some pop (15-20 HR's is possible) and he's also 3B-eligible. He's an above-average, backup fantasy 2B... Milwaukee SP Manny Parra (6 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) had another strong performance in a tough-luck no-decision versus Arizona Thursday. Parra, and fellow SP Seth McClung, have allowed Milwaukee to compensate for the loss of SP Yovanni Gallardo (knee), while remaining competitive in the NL Central... If you believe in miracles, then you probably believe in St.Louis SP Kyle Lohse. After pitching seven strong innings (7 IP, 5 hits, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) versus the Mets Monday, Lohse is now 10-2 in 2008. Yes, Kyle Lohse is 10-2! Absolutely stunning!... Cubs SP Carlos Zambrano (strained right shoulder) returns Friday against division rival St.Louis. Big Z threw a bullpen session this past weekend and says he's ready to go... Shocking news from Pittsburgh, as the Pirates announced they'll be without closer Matt Capps (shoulder) for at least eight weeks. Relievers Damaso Marte or Tyler Yates will help fill the ninth-inning void... Cincinnati phenom OF Jay Bruce snapped out of his recent slump in a big way versus Pittsburgh Wednesday. Bruce went 2-for-3, with two HR's and four RBI's. Bruce is a mega-talented rookie who, in the not-to-distant future, will put up Larry Walker-type numbers!

National League West: The saga surrounding the return of LA Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal (back) has been chronicled in several "Miranda Warnings" (as recently as 6/18). Wednesday, the Dodgers announced that Furcal will undergo surgery to repair a bulging disc in his lower back. Dodgers manager Joe Torre said that Furcal will "probably miss a minimum of eight weeks"... San Francisco closer Brian Wilson notched his 23rd save against the Cubs Tuesday. Wilson is not dominant, but 23 saves speaks to his potential... San Diego SP Randy Wolf (4 IP, 6 hits, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K) was lit-up, again. This time, by the Rockies. Wolf has failed to pitch more than four innings in three of his last four starts and is a very risky proposition right now... Colorado OF Willy Taveras (left quadriceps) missed his second straight game versus Florida Thursday. This is the same quad that landed Taveras on the disabled list twice in 2007... It pains me to write this, but here goes. Arizona placed C Chris Snyder on the DL with a left testicular fracture. Ouch, to the highest power! Snyder was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Milwaukee OF Corey Hart on Monday and the rest, as "they" say, is history. Snyder is out indefinitely.

See you next week!

The Buzz Around the Bullpen: Is Brett Myers Headed for the Pen?

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. With the completion of today’s games, most teams throughout MLB have surpassed the “half-way” point in games played. While there have been some surprising performances thus far, the Tampa Bay Rays have stolen the show. The Rays are in the midst of battle for first place in a division that has four teams with winning records. Even more impressive, they have looked unfazed by any pressure from the Sox and the Yanks. In an era dominated by huge payrolls, the Rays have been a breath of fresh air. This could be a great story down the stretch and I look for the Rays to continue to ride their pitching into the playoffs.

Big Hits

Ricky Nolasco (SP, Florida Marlins): Ricky Nolasco has quietly won eight games this year in Florida. Even more intriguing is the fact that Nolasco has gone 7-1 over his last ten starts. In his past seven starts, Nolasco has only given up more than three earned runs only once. The young Marlins staff has been extremely inconsistent this season and they are in desperate need of one of their young arms to step up and anchor the staff. Nolasco’s last ten starts has proven that he can be the consistent pitcher that the Marlins need him to be. Nolasco is still available in over 40% of leagues and could be a great start this week against the Washington Nationals.

Eric Stults (SP, Los Angeles Dodgers): Stults has been a beneficiary of the injuries suffered by the Dodgers starting rotation this season. After Brad Penny and Hiroki Kuroda both went down to shoulder injuries, Stults got the call from Triple-A Las Vegas and has pitched well in his first two starts. Manager Joe Torre has been impressed enough to decide he will have a six-man rotation through the All-Star break. Often times when pitchers get promoted to the big leagues, their adrenaline starts pumping and they struggle with their command. However, Stults has kept his cool and has only walked two in 15 IP. Stults could be a good pick-up this week as he is slated for two starts.

Ryan Church (OF, New York Mets): Church has been one of the most underrated fantasy hitters this year. Before suffering two concussions, Church was putting up consistent fantasy numbers each week. While Church’s numbers have been somewhat of a surprise, I believe his numbers this year are more of a reflection of what kind of player Church can be. For the past three years, Church was bothered by injuries and even when he was healthy, his numbers were staggered because he played in RFK stadium. Church has found a home in New York and if he can stay healthy don’t be surprised if he puts up close to 25-30 HRs this season. Because of his recent injuries, owners have neglected to stick with Church over the past several weeks. I would definitely make a move to pick up Church if he is still available. Somehow he is still available in over 40% of leagues. Once his bat starts to heat up again, you’ll be happy you gave him a chance.

Big Miss

Brett Myers (SP, Philadelphia Phillies): Myers has been awful the past two months. There are rumors in Philadelphia that Myers may even be moved out of the rotation and back into the bullpen. From a fantasy standpoint, he could retain some value if he works his way back into the closer role. However, if you were looking for Myers to anchor the front-end of your starting rotation, you better look long and hard for a replacement. In his last 13 starts, Myers carries an alarming 1-8 record. Over his past 7 games, he has only let up 3 or less earned runs once. If you are an owner, now is the time to think about whether you can handle a move to the bullpen for Myers. If you have decent save and hold numbers, make a move with someone that needs bullpen help. Myers will most likely move to the bullpen and you need to fill the gap in your starting rotation. Pitchers often fall into slumps just as hitters do but Myers’ stuff is too good for such a prolonged struggle. The rumor is that his struggles are a result of a combination of mental and mechanical problems. However, I believe Myers’ fell in love with his closer role last year and his heart just isn’t set on starting. As a pitcher, you have to believe in your stuff and I believe that Myers may think his stuff is better suited in the bullpen.

As with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

"Miranda Warnings": Sightings!

Welcome to Week #13 of "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Wednesday, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

A few players who have performed well below expectations in 2008 have recently been "sighted" (i.e. shown signs of life). These players are featured in this weeks "Miranda Warnings".

American League East: There have been Alex Rios (pictured, above) sightings recently! The Blue Jays outfielder is, finally, showing signs of life. Rios went 4-for-6, including his fourth home run, Tuesday versus Cincinnati. Unbelievably, the home run was his first in almost two months! His previous homer came on May 1! Rios has multiple hits in four of his last five games... Scorching-hot Yankees OF Johnny Damon might land on the disabled list for the first time in his career. The troublesome left arch that plagued Damon throughout 2007 has returned. He was unable to start Tuesday's game versus Pittsburgh and he looks doubtful for the remainder of the week. This situation bears monitoring because when Damon was asked about his status for Wednesday versus Pittsburgh, he replied: "it would take a miracle to play on Wednesday". Stay tuned!... Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts went 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Cubs, extending his hitting streak to 11 games... As predicted in last week's "Miranda Warnings", Tampa Bay OF Carl Crawford seemed poised to snap out of his Junk funk. Crawford blasted two homers, scored two runs, and had five RBI's in Wednesday's win over Florida! Crawford has a .438 average, 3 HR's and 11 RBIs during his current eight-game hitting streak... Boston DH David Ortiz (wrist) took some swings off a tee Tuesday. There were no setbacks. Big Papi is still about three weeks away from swinging against live pitching.

American League Central: C.C. Sabathia (7 IP, 5 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K) was lights-out against the Dodgers Saturday. Unfortunately, the Indian bats were silent and Sabathia ended up with a no-decision. Sabathia lowered his ERA to a season-low 4.06 mark. If Cleveland (as expected) falls out of the AL Central race, Sabathia (a free agent after 2008) could be a major target for pitching-starved teams as baseball approaches its trading deadline (Thursday, July 31 @ 4 p.m. EST)... Kansas City closer Joakim Soria collected his 21st save Wednesday versus Colorado. Soria is 8-for-8 in his last eight save opportunities. His ERA is 1.29!... In Detroit, there's been a Gary Sheffield sighting! Sheffield (oblique), on the DL since late May, went 4-for-5, with a run scored and a walk-off RBI single on Wednesday versus St.Louis. Sheffield is 5-for-9 since returning from the disabled list. I'm not big on Sheffield, as he's an injury waiting to happen... Immensely talented Minnesota OF Carlos Gomez snapped an 0-for-11 drought, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a run and two stolen bases Wednesday versus San Diego. Remember Gomez, because in the not-so-distant future he will be a better version of Tampa Bay OF Carl Crawford. Think Crawford, but with lots more speed. Take this to the bank: in his prime, Gomez will regularly post a .280-.290 BA, 15-20 HR's, 80-90 RBI's, 100+ runs scored and 80+ SB's! Wow!... Chicago OF Jermaine Dye has been on a tear lately, cracking his 17th homer of the season against the Dodgers Tuesday. Dye has seven HR's and 17 RBIs over his last eight games! Wow!

American League West: LA Angels OF Vladimir Guerrero was not in the starting lineup Wednesday after leaving Tuesday's game versus Washington with "flu-like symptoms." Vlad should be back by this weekend... There was a Joe Blanton sighting in Oakland! Blanton (7 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K) was sharp Tuesday against Philadelphia, "improving" his record to 4-10. Blanton is a decent #4 or #5 fantasy starting pitcher... Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (ankle) will miss his next start, Sunday versus San Diego. Hernandez suffered a badly sprained ankle Monday versus the Mets. Don't dismiss a DL stint. Stay tuned... Milton Bradley (quad) was out of the Rangers starting lineup for the seventh straight game Wednesday. Bradley is injured, again, which is why I have no faith in him. Bradley is solid when he plays. Unfortunately, he's injured more often, than not.

National League East: Atlanta OF Jeff Francoeur was sighted recently! Francoeur might be snapping out of his year-long slump. Francoeur went 2-for-4 Tuesday against Milwaukee, snapping an 0-for-12 slump. Francoeur is hitting .248! Ouch!... I wasn't kidding in last week's "Miranda Warnings" when I called the New York Mets, the New York Mess! Tuesday, playing at home versus the Mariners, the worst team in baseball, "the Mess" got torched 11-0! P Oliver Perez (5 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) had yet another rocky outing. When the Mets finally realize they need to change player personnel (not just Manager Willie Randolph), you can expect Perez to be one of the first, if not the first, to go. How bad is Perez? In 83.1 IP, he has 52 (yes, 52) walks! His ERA stands at 5.29 and his WHIP stands at 1.56! Ugh!... Florida 1B Mike Jacobs cranked his 18th homer Wednesday versus Tampa. Yes, Jacobs' homers are nice, but don't kid yourself into thinking he's a quality 1B. His .239 BA and extremely long slumps drag down a fantasy roster and indicate that he's a below-average 1B... Washington 1B Nick Johnson (wrist surgery) will miss the rest of the season. Shocker! This guy is just as bad (never, ever healthy) as Texas OF Milton Bradley (see AL West report above)... Even the best hitters have slumps. Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley was 1-for-29 entering Wednesday's game versus Oakland! Utley went 4-for-5 versus the Athletics and you can be sure that another hot-streak is not too far away.

National League Central: Houston 1B Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 (two doubles) Wednesday against Texas. Berkman is hitting .360 with a .443 OBP! Can you say MVP?... Milwaukee P Ben Sheets is making a Cy Young push. Sheets had his seventh consecutive quality start (6 IP minimum, 3 ER or less) to lower his ERA to 2.59. He's now 9-1. If he can remain healthy ( a big "if"), he might win the NL Cy Young... St. Louis OF Ryan Ludwick has come back down to earth. Ludwick is 7-for-44 since June 12. Ludwick was out of the lineup Wednesday versus Detroit... Chicago closer Kerry Wood continues to dominate. Wood struck out the side versus Baltimore Wednesday for his 20th save... In Pittsburgh, there was an Adam LaRoche sighting! LaRoche went 3-for-5, with two RBIs and one run scored Tuesday versus the Yankees. Despite the big game, the three hits "lifted" LaRoche's average to .224 in 2008... Cincinnati OF Jay Bruce has been slumping lately, while seeing his BA dip below .300 (.296) for the first time since he began his Major League career. However, Bruce has hit safely in six of his last seven games. In the not-so-distant future, Bruce will be a superstar.

National League West: I'm calling it: Arizona OF Justin Upton's demotion to Triple-A is imminent. After going 2-for-2 May 3rd versus the Mets, Upton's BA was at a scalding .346! Fast-forward to Wednesday versus Boston. After going 0-for-2 versus the Red Sox, Upton is at a season-low .240, while being overmatched by major league pitching. Upton is a special talent, sure to be a stud one day, but he's not ready yet... According to mlb.com, Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw will remain in the Dodgers' starting rotation for the foreseeable future. "As long as we feel he's making progress, I'm comfortable with the fact he's throwing the ball every five days," said Dodgers Manager Joe Torre. Kershaw is winless, with a 4.34 ERA in 2008... There was a Barry Zito sighting Wednesday! The San Francisco Giants pitcher was brilliant versus Cleveland (6 2/3 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 4 K), "raising" his record to 3-11... San Diego P Chris Young (face) is on the road back. Young was injured on May 21, when a line drive off the bat of Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols hit him in the face and broke his nose. Young has been throwing bullpen sessions, but there is no timetable for his return... Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki's struggles continue and, as a result, he was out of the Rockies lineup Wednesday. Tulowitzki (quad) is just 3-for-20 since returning from the DL. Tulo's BA is at .152!

See you next week!

Weekly Windup's SportsJudge Fantasy League Analysis

Welcome back to another edition of the Weekly Windup. This biweekly wrap up is a report on the happenings of the SportsJudge Expert League. There has been a battle amongst the top three in the standings these past few weeks, but once again Brian Doyle has emerged on top just in time for the Windup. Let’s take a look at the standings thus far.

Brian Doyle 82 pts

Kevin Fenstermacher 81.5 pts

Parker Gold 79 pts

John O’Malley 75 pts

Joe Romano 72 pts

Larry Bodin 70 pts

Liz Rathbun 65 pts

Brett Smiley 64.5 pts

Jeremy Mittler 57.5 pts

Marc Edelman 55 pts

Matt Cohen 48.5 pts

Steve Shoup 30 pts

The top three have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack with strong performances over the past two weeks. Brian has had consistency across to board by scoring 8 or more points in 7 of the 10 scoring categories. I have been led by my incredible pitching staff which has posted a 2.77 ERA this season. Parker has 7 or more points in 8 categories and the addition of a base stealer could put on top of the standings.

This is the part of the article where I’ll show you the recent moves in our league and give you my APPROVE / DISAPPROVE verdict. The first move is…

Owner: Joe Romano

Add: Ryan Franklin

Drop: Freddy Sanchez

Verdict: Disapprove

It is hard to argue against dropping a guy hitting around .230, but the reason I don’t like this move is because Franklin won’t last as the Cardinals closer. He doesn’t have the makeup of a traditional closer and if the Cardinals are going to compete for a playoff birth than you will see someone brought in to shut down games for the Red Birds. Franklin’s ERA has been surprisingly low this year but has a high WHIP and sub par K/9 and BB/9 ratios for a 9^th inning man. As for Sanchez, even though he has been an All-Star the past few years he is finally not producing in the only stat he ever really gave a fantasy team with his AVG down .100 from two years ago. I don’t think he will continue to hit so poorly because he is a good contact hitter, but don’t expect him to be able to pull this season into another .300 year.

Owner: Matt Cohen

Add: Chase Headly

Drop: Gil Meche

Verdict: Approve

Headley has been tearing up minor league pitching ever since he stepped into the Padres farm system. The former second round pick is a definite pickup in keeper and dynasty league formats. I think he will be able to step right in and help out your power numbers (even though he is playing his home games in the pitcher friendly confines of Petco Park). Even though he has yet to walk this year and has K’d 11 times already, Headley does have decent plate discipline. I don’t know if he will be the next Ryan Braun, but certainly keep an eye on Headley. Meche surprised most last season with his All-Star season, but looks like he is back to his typical numbers that he has in Seattle. I don’t think he is worth holding onto; there should be pitchers in the free agent market that will be capable of outperforming him.

Chase Headley has another thing going for him. The name Chase breeds success. Look at Chase Utley of the Phillies and Chase the bat dog of the Trenton Thunder. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb_n6loHVGk&feature=related

Owner: Marc Edelman

Add: Brandon Morrow

Drop: Bill Hall

Verdict: Approve

The closer of the future for the Mariners gets his chance with Putz back on the shelf. Morrow took the fast track to the majors and should be handling the closer duties full time in the near future. Keep an eye on Putz’s health, but Morrow has your prototypical closer stuff. He has 30 strikeouts in 20 IP this season and has more Ks than IP last year as well. I don’t think we will ever see Bill Hall hit 30+ Homers again, but he is still serviceable for some power if you are in desperate need of it from your 3B position. Hall is falling into your everyday mediocre 20 Homer .250 AVG player. That doesn’t warrant much desire for fantasy owners.

Owner: Brian Doyle

Add: Alexei Ramirez

Drop: Ryan Church

Verdict: Approve

The injury to Church and the fact that he is a Met and has hurt the Phillies in the past on his prior team (Expos/Nats) makes me like this move that much more. Church is a solid hitter in the middle of what should be one of the better lineups in the NL. The debacle known as the Mets needs to get a player like Church back that can produce on a consistent level. Church is close to returning and could rejoin his team next weekend barring any setbacks. The reason I like this move is the dual position eligibility of Alexei Ramirez. He is also hitting in one of the hottest lineups in baseball right now. This move is in no way a blockbuster move that would make or break the season, but I think that being able to slide Ramirez in as a second baseman is important. He might not produce to the level of Church, but I don’t think he will be far off. Church also has an injury riddled history and I wouldn’t be surprised with another DL stint this season.

Owner: Matt Cohen

Add: Jim Johnson

Drop: Eric Gagne

Verdict: Disapprove

I am all for dropping Eric Gagne. If you have him still stashed on your DL, just skip throwing him back into free agency and find the nearest garbage bin. We are well past the days of Gagne as an effective closer. The reason this move is bad is because of who was picked up. Who is Jim Johnson? If you don’t know he is a setup man for the Baltimore Orioles. I know! I know! How could someone get their hands on a middle reliever for the Baltimore Orioles at this point in the season? Sherrill has been effective as Baltimore’s closer so I don’t see Johnson pulling saves away from him at this point. Johnson isn’t a high strikeout setup man like Marmol either. I am honestly baffled by this move. I can only think that there was some sort of bet to who could pick up the player with the most common name possible in the Yahoo! database. There were closers available to replace the injured Gagne (like his replacement as the Brewers closer, Torres).

As with all SportsJudge articles, please feel free to leave some comments. Keep an eye out for future installments of the SportsJudge Fantasy League Reports.