Bang the Gavel: SportsJudge.com's Sample Decision of the Week

Last week was a rough one in New York City, with continued decline of both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the New York Mets relief staff. Therefore, our featured case of the week was one that SportsJudge.com handled for a group of lawyers and bankers in New York City, most of whom long for the days of bull markets and good bullpens.

Team A (the unlucky owner of the injured Tom Brady in a 12-team league that requires two starting quarterbacks) approached the week with just one healthy quarterback on his roster. Making matters worse, the other teams in the league gobbled up all the other starting quarterbacks from waivers and placed them on their reserve rosters. This meant there was not a single starting quarterback available for Team A to claim.

As Sunday's games approached, and Team A was still short a starting quarterback. So, Team A reluctantly agreed to trade his star tight end Jason Witten (TE-Cowboys) to Team B in exchange for JaMarcus Russell (QB-Raiders) and Dante Rosario (TE-Panthers). Immediately after this trade was announced, several owners objected, complaining that Witten is far more valuable than what Team A got in return.

Nevertheless, SportsJudge.com Court of Fantasy Football ultimately approved the deal. Writing for the court in the case Commissioner v. Team A & Team B (Case No. 2101-T), the court explained that "a trade shall be approved as long as it reasonably may improve both teams." Applying that standard, the court then found Team B was feasibly better off because this trade allowed Team A to start a full roster." The court then went on to explain that "while this trade is not one that would have likely been approved under a traditional league format (with just one starting QB per team), the fact this league requires two starting QB changes the nature of competition."

Indeed, one cannot ever really evaluate a fantasy trade absent knowing a particular league's rules.

"Miranda Warnings": Fantasy Farewell!

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

The 2008 fantasy baseball regular season comes to an end this weekend. Mets fans say "good-bye" to Shea Stadium (pictured, above) and I say "good-bye" to you (until 2009).

There's plenty to discuss, so let's get right to it.

National League East: As I mentioned in last weeks "Miranda Warnings", "with John Maine (shoulder) out of the rotation, Mets P Oliver Perez needs to take his game to another level for the Mets to make it to/advance in the playoffs". On Wednesday, versus Chicago, Perez (4 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 5 ER, 5 BB, 6 K) did anything but "take his game to another level" and reverted to the same 'ol, inconsistent Perez. Perez can dominate, at times, but is just too inconsistent to recommend heading into 2009. As a side-note, several New York media outlets reported earlier this week that the Mets are on the verge of giving GM Omar Minaya a four-extension. The Mets are coming off a September 2007 collapse, they are in the midst of another September swoon and they reward their GM with a contract extension? If that's not bizarre, then what is?... Atlanta OF Josh Anderson continues to make a case for the 2009 Braves center field job. Anderson went 2-for-4, with two runs scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's win over Philadelphia and is now hitting .270, with nine stolen bases in only 37 games! Unfortunately, Anderson is hitting below .200 versus lefties, which must improve if he wants to see regular playing time in '09... Keep an eye on Florida P Josh Johnson on D-Day 2009. Johnson has been brilliant since returning from Tommy John surgery earlier this season. Johnson (6 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) turned in another strong start Wednesday against Washington, improving to 7-1. To go with the impressive won/loss record, Johnson finishes 2008 with a solid 3.61 ERA... Every Met fan cringes when they hear the name, Scott Kazmir. The Mets gave up on Kaz (for Victor Zambrano!) in 2005 and, as you know, he's now a stud in Tampa. Another name that will soon make Mets fans cringe is Washington OF Lastings Milledge. The Mets gave up on Kaz too soon and did the same with Milledge. In his first full Major League season, Milledge is hitting .299, with seven home runs, 25 RBI's and 10 stolen bases, since the All-Star break! Milledge has 24 stolen bases overall! Be patient with Milledge, give him another year or so, and he will be a fantasy monster!... Philadelphia OF Pat Burrell picked an inopportune time to struggle, during his contract-year and with the Phillies battling for a playoff spot. Although he has 33 homers and 85 RBI's, Burrell is hitting only .179 in September and only .250 overall!

National League Central: Houston 1B Lance Berkman went 1-for-3, with a two-run homer and two runs scored Wednesday versus Cincinnati. Berkman got off to a blazing start in 2008, but has cooled off significantly since the All-Star Break. Prior to Wednesday's game, Berkman was hitting .150 in September!... Milwaukee P Yovani Gallardo (4 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) completed a miraculous comeback from rehab (knee) Thursday versus Pittsburgh. Gallardo tore the ACL in his right knee May 1 versus Chicago and was believed to be done for 2008. Rehab from a torn ACL usually takes six months, minimum! However, Gallardo was determined and focused in his rehab and healed quicker than most thought he would. It's important to note that this rehab was Gallardo's second knee rehab this year. In spring training, Gallardo tore his meniscus and returned to the club for two impressive late April starts. Why is it important to note Gallardo's second knee rehab? Overcoming two significant injuries, both in the same year, proves that Gallardo is resilient. Gallardo's resilience, his tremendous skill-set, and his five (yes, five!) major league caliber pitches all point toward a very, very undervalued ace-in-waiting on D-Day 2009. Although Gallardo threw only 24 innings in 2008, astute fantasy GM's will not forget about Gallardo in 2009. Gallardo has immense potential (i.e. think Tim Lincecum). I'm calling it: Gallardo will win a Cy Young in the not-to-distant future... Speaking of awards, I think Albert Pujols will be adding to his hardware collection. Pujols went 3-for-3, with a homer and four RBI's on Thursday versus Arizona. Pujols' 2008 numbers say "NL MVP" -- .353 BA, 35 HR's and 112 RBI's!... Chicago P Carlos Zambrano (4 2/3 IP, 3 hits, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) struggled again Wednesday versus the Mets. Although he tossed a no-hitter earlier this month, you need to stay away from Big Z now and in 2009. Zambrano's staggering innings pitched total the last several years, a declining strikeout rate, increasing walk totals and a 2008 DL-stint (shoulder) should be major warning signs to all fantasy GM's. Despite the no-hitter, Zambrano's September ERA is 7.00-plus!... What an impressive season for Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit. Doumit went 3-for-4, with three RBI's Saturday versus Houston. Doumit is hitting .322, with 14 homer's and 66 RBI's in 2008. Doumit will have lots of value heading into 2009... Many fantasy GM's rid themselves of Cincinnati P Aaron Harang in July/August, and they blew it! Harang was horrific for the first four months of 2008, but has been one of the best pitchers since. Harang, 6-16, has back-to-back victories and a 2.39 ERA over his last seven starts, dating back to late August!

National League West: Arizona 3B Mark Reynolds set the major league record for most strikeouts in a season, fanning for the 200th time in 2008 against St. Louis on Thursday. Guys who strikeout as much as Reynolds are, usually, not recommended. However, if you can tolerate Reynolds low BA (.240), his other numbers are impressive -- 28 HR's, 96 RBI's and 11 SB's!... LA Dodgers OF Matt Kemp went 3-for-6, with two RBI's versus San Diego on Wednesday. Kemp's numbers say fantasy-stud-in-the-making -- 17 HR's, 75 RBI's, 35 SB's and 91 runs!... San Francisco P Noah Lowry (remember him?) recently experienced discomfort behind his throwing elbow and has been shut down indefinitely... San Diego P Chris Young is healthy once again and proving that he's one of baseball's best starters. Young (7 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K) was nearly unhittable Saturday versus Washington, to improve to 6-6. In his last three starts, Young is 2-1 and has given up only eleven hits and four earned runs in 23 innings, with 19 strikeouts!... Colorado 1B Todd Helton will undergo surgery, later this month, to alleviate disc irritation in his back. Helton should be ready for Spring Training 2009, but his playing time will decrease significantly as his back will prevent him from being available everyday.

American League East: Toronto P Roy Halladay (CG, 6 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) put an exclamation mark on his 2008 season by tossing a gem versus the Yankees on Thursday. Halladay finishes 2008 with a 20-11 record, a 2.78 ERA and a 206/39 K/BB ratio! AL Cy Young?... I haven't written much about Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts this season and now it's time to show him some love. Although he plays for the lowly Orioles, Roberts has put together yet another standout season. With only a handful of games remaining, Roberts is batting .297, with 9 HR's, 57 RBI's, 40 SB's and 107 runs scored. Outstanding production from a fantasy 2B!... Boston P Jon Lester, who has had quite an impressive 2008, defeated Cleveland on Thursday (6 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) to improve to 16-6! Lesters overall numbers (3.21 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP and a 152/66 K/BB ratio) are rock-solid and he'll be highly sought-after in 2009 fantasy auctions and drafts. His numbers are even more impressive when you consider that he's a cancer survivor!... Despite missing a month with a broken wrist, Tampa 3B Evan Longoria still remains the AL Rookie of the Year favorite. Longoria is hitting .275, with 27 HR's, 85 RBI's and 7 SB's and would have David Wright-like numbers, if not for the broken wrist!... You'd run out of adjectives describing the season that NY Yankees P Mike Mussina has put together. Moose heads into his final 2008 start this weekend (versus Boston) looking for his first 20-win season. Mussina went undrafted in most 2008 fantasy leagues and here he is chasing 20 wins! Unbelievable! Look for New York to retain the free agent righty.

American League Central: Cleveland OF Shin-Soo Choo went 2-for-5, with an RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's loss to Boston. Choo has been ablaze lately, with two HR's, eleven RBI's and eight runs scored in his last seven games! Choo has been a prospect for years, but was slowed recovering from Tommy John surgery. Choo enters 2009 as a nice sleeper pick... I've always been a huge fan of Kansas City 3B Alex Gordon. And lately, Gordon is really turning it on. Gordon went 2-for-4, with an RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over Detroit. Gordon has hit safely in nine straight games since returning from the disabled list earlier this month. In September, Gordon is batting .343, with two homers, seven RBI's and eight runs scored!... You don't have to worry about walking the tight-rope with Todd Jones as your fantasy closer anymore. The Detroit closer announced his retirement Wednesday... Every baseball season has its surprises. One of the many 2008 surprises has been Minnesota OF Denard Span. In only 334 AB's, Span is hitting .299, with 6 HR's, 46 RBI's and 17 SB's. Keep your eye on Span, heading into 2009... Chicago OF Carlos Quentin (wrist) resumed baseball activities this week, in hopes of helping the White Sox during the playoffs, assuming they make the playoffs. Let's hope that Chicago and/or Quentin don't rush the rehab process, potentially re-injuring the wrist.

American League West: LA Angels 1B Mark Teixeira went 4-for-5, with a home run on Wednesday versus Seattle. Teixeira, a free agent at seasons'-end, is having a monster September -- .338 BA, 5 HR's and 18 RBI's. Regardless of where "Tex" signs, he'll be one of the first fantasy first basemen taken in 2009... GM's in fantasy keeper leagues looking for future pitching, will want to remember these names: Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. The future is bright again in Oakland as the A's have Anderson and Cahill, both elite pitching prospects, and both among the Top 10 prospects in all of baseball... I have to give props, where props are due. Texas SS Michael Young has been dealing with a fracture in the ring finger on his right hand since late July. On Wednesday, Young went 4-for-4, with two RBI's versus Oakland, raising his average to .284. Texas has nothing to play for and Young is out there playing with a fractured finger, giving it his all. Impressive!... I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Innings-eaters" have a place in real-life baseball starting rotations, but they have NO place in fantasy baseball starting rotations, regardless of how deep the league is. Case and point: Seattle P Carlos Silva (4-15, 6.46 ERA, 1.60 WHIP!). One quick look at Silva's ghastly 2008 numbers and you see my point!

This is the final "Miranda Warnings" for 2008. I want to thank my loyal readers. Without a fan-base, "Miranda Warnings" would not exist. Again, thanks!

"Miranda Warnings" returns on Thursday's in 2009. See you Thursday, March 26.

I wish everyone a joyous, safe holiday season and a Happy New Year!

The Puck Stops Here: Welcome Back

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. Summer has ended, days are getting shorter and the Detroit Lions are eliminated from playoff contention. That can only mean one thing; hockey season is around the corner. That’s right, in just over a week the first pucks of the NHL season will be dropped. The season kicks off with the Penguins battling the rival Senators in Sweden and the Rangers meeting the Lightning in the Czech Republic.

At this point fantasy hockey players fall into two groups. One group has drafted and should be keeping an eye on players who weren’t drafted but could do big things. The other group is preparing for their draft and should be getting a list of players they want to get, want to avoid and what sleepers to take and when. Nobody needs my help figuring out when to take Ovechkin or the Sedin twins, so this article will focus on more of the later-round players.

Most leagues are not won in the first rounds, rather the later ones where the next set of superstars are waiting. I won my league last year even though I drafted Ryan Smyth in the 6th round, Kari Lehtonen in the 7th round and Patrice Bergeron in the 9th round. I won by drafting Bryan Rafalski in the 10th round, Ales Hemsky in the 17th round and scouring the waiver wire for players like Pascal Leclaire, Andrei Kostitsyn and Johan Franzen. Finding those value picks and waiver wire sleepers is what wins leagues.

If you take 4 or 5 risky, high upside guys late in your draft, chances are that 1 or 2 of them will work out and help carry your team. With that said, these are some players I am targeting later in drafts.

Kris Letang (D, Pittsburgh Penguins): I have seen Letang drafted as high as the 14th round and as low as the 18th round, both in 12-team leagues. People should take more notice of Letang, especially with Sergei Gonchar’s injured shoulder. If Gonchar is out long term, Letang will man the left side of the Penguins umbrella power play to take advantage of his right-handed shot. Malkin is reportedly the umbrella quarterback giving him freedom to fire at will. Because Malkin is left-handed his one timers will be coming from the left wing. That’s right, Letang will be feeding Malkin all day. Expect big numbers. Letang will be the next big time offensive defenseman in the NHL.

Claude Giroux (RW, Philadelphia Flyers): Most people don’t know who Giroux is, those who have heard the name mistake him for the Claude Giroux who was Dink the Clown from the WWE. He is a riskier pick but his ceiling is as high as it gets. To say Giroux dominated the Q (Quebec Major Junior Hockey league) is an understatement. He had 106 points in 55 regular season games and 51 points in 19 playoff games. Not quite Lemieux but much better than Francois Leroux. He is small, but lightning quick with great vision and soft hands. He should be given every opportunity to get quality ice-time in Philly. Pass on dinosaurs like Brendan Shanahan and Keith Tkachuk late and pick up Giroux, he won’t disappoint.

Jason Williams (RW/C, Atlanta Thrashers): If you followed my articles last season, you know I am a fan of Williams. He’ll give you solid production in all categories. If he could ever stay healthy he could turn out to be a top 100 player. He broke out with Detroit in 2005-06, but has struggled to match those numbers due to injuries and lack of talent around him. However, don’t mistake his injuries for those of the tweaked groin variety, he has had bad luck with broken bone type injuries. He will find himself playing alongside Ilya Kovalchuk on both the first line and top power play unit. Williams has been productive and has never played with a player of Kovalchuk’s caliber. William’s will give you 10th round production at 17th round price.

Joni Pitkanen (D, Carolina Hurricanes): Pitkanen has been on the fantasy landscape for a while but has yet to fulfill the promise he showed in his early years. This has led to him being drafted in the 15th to 18th round. I know we’ve been down this road before with Pitkanen, but the situation is different. Two years ago, he played for one of the worst Flyers teams in recent history and, this past season, he was battling injuries and playing for the underwhelming Oilers. Pitkanen will get a clean slate in Carolina, who should be better than the teams he played for the past two years, and he should get significant power play minutes. Remember, he is only 25 and three short years ago he had 46 points and 78 PIM in only 58 games. Pitkanen could end up being your #2 defenseman, well above his current draft value.

Jack Johnson (D, Los Angeles Kings): Johnson brings hefty risk, but the reward could be immense. Johnson hasn’t shown that he is ready to be an elite defenseman but he has the pedigree, will get every opportunity to showcase his talents and has a pretty good supporting cast. The Kings got rid of both Rob Blake and Lubomir Visnovsky, as a result Jack Johnson is now their go to defenseman. He will work with the top power play unit, which has the talent to be very good. Just remember, his +/- will most likely be in the negatives. However, Johnson is going to be the face of the King’s organization for years to come and will get every opportunity to produce. I expect about 25 minutes of ice-time per game and won’t be surprised to see him get about 45 points and 120 PIM. Again, this is high risk high reward.

Erik Cole (LW, Edmonton Oilers): Let me preface this by saying I am very high on the Oilers this year. Cole will join Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky on Edmonton’s top line and power play unit. Both Hemsky and Horcoff were just under point-per-game players last year and I predict both will be point-per-game players this year. Cole’s production will be a byproduct of playing with these two talented forwards. Cole is being drafted higher than the players previously mentioned in this post, but he should provide very good production across the board. I expect about 80 PIM along with 70 points and very good power play statistics. You could do a lot worse than Cole in the 10th or 11th round.

Check back here over the weekend for draft strategy and post-draft advice. Until then, The Puck Stops Here.

"Miranda Warnings": Milwaukee in Chaos!

Welcome to "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.

This weeks "Miranda Warnings" was posted on Friday (instead of Wednesday) because my PC's NIC (network interface card) died earlier this week, preventing me from establishing an internet connection. A new NIC has been installed and I'm ready to bring you the latest installment of "Miranda Warnings".

Let's get right to it.

Milwaukee's September nose-dive cost Manager Ned Yost his job earlier this week. Milwaukee has lost 14 of their last 18 games. With only eight games remaining, Milwaukee has no chance of catching Chicago in the NL Central and trails Philadelphia by two games in the NL Wild Card race. It's almost desperation time in Milwaukee. What else can go wrong for the Brew Crew? Glad you asked. To make matters worse, Milwaukee's co-ace could be done for 2008 (perhaps longer?). See the NL Central report below.

National League East: Atlanta 1B Casey Kotchman hit his 13th home run on Thursday versus Philadelphia. It was Kotchman's first homer since July 28! Kotchman is a James Loney-type first basemen in that he has minimal power and, basically, only helps in batting average. Kotchman has potential at the plate, but it appears that "power-hitter" will never be on his resume... Noone is hotter than Florida (9 wins in a row). And, not coincidentally, 1B/3B Jorge Cantu is the hottest hitter on the planet! Cantu went 3-for-5, with a homer, two RBI's and three runs scored versus Philadelphia on Friday! During Florida's winning streak, Cantu has put together softball-like numbers: 6 homers, 14 runs scored and 18 RBIs! Cantu (.279 BA, 29 HR's, 93 RBI's), who went undrafted in most fantasy baseball leagues, has been a fantasy-gem in 2008!... Mets P Oliver Perez (6 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) was solid versus Atlanta on Friday. With John Maine (shoulder) out of the rotation, Perez needs to take his game to another level for the Mets to make it to/advance in the playoffs... If you're looking for a 2009 sleeper, look no further than Washington OF Elijah Dukes. Dukes has well-documented off-field "issues" from his days in the Tampa organization. However, he's managed to stay "clean" in 2008, while producing nice numbers. In less than 300 AB's, Dukes has 13 HR's and 13 SB's! If he can stay focused and keep his head on straight, he's a 25-25 candidate in 2009... Another sleeper plays in Philadelphia. Will the Philadelphia organization ever realize that OF Jayson Werth is an everyday player? For the last two seasons, Werth has been stuck in a platoon and only Philadelphia knows why. Werth (.282 BA, 23 HR's, 65 RBI's, 18 SB's) went 3-for-4, with a homer and three runs scored Tuesday against Atlanta. Werth has hit safely in 13 straight games!

National League Central: Fighting for a playoff spot, Milwaukee's starting rotation is falling apart at the worst possible time. P Manny Parra was dropped from the rotation due to ineffectiveness and now P Ben Sheets (pictured, above), who is all too familiar with injuries, will miss his next scheduled start with elbow pain. Despite an MRI that revealed no structural damage, my sources tell me that Sheets' elbow is in really bad shape (Tommy John surgery?). Sheets, and Milwaukee, could be done in 2008!... Houston P Roy Oswalt (6 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 1 BB, 10 K) wasn't at his best on Tuesday versus Florida. He saw his streak of 26 1/3 consecutive shutout innings end, as his record dropped to 15-10. Despite the loss, Oswalt has been unreal in his last ten starts: 7-2, 2.03 ERA!... St.Louis OF Ryan Ludwick continues to prove that 2008 is no fluke. Ludwick went 2-for-2, with a homer and three runs scored in Friday's win over Chicago. Like Florida's Jorge Cantu (see NL East report above), Ludwick has been a fantasy-gem in 2008!... After tossing a no-hitter versus Houston on Sunday, Chicago P Carlos Zambrano (1 2/3 IP, 6 hits, 8 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) was blasted by St. Louis on Friday! It was Big Z's shortest outing since he lasted 1 1/3 innings against Pittsburgh in 2006. As I've mentioned in previous "Miranda Warnings", be weary of Zambrano. His strikeout rate has decreased significantly in 2008 and he's spent time on the DL with shoulder problems... Pittsburgh 1B Adam LaRoche continues to swing a hot stick. LaRoche went 2-for-4, with a homer in Friday's loss to Houston. LaRoche has four homers and 14 RBI's in his last seven games. If you can't get your hands on a big-time first basemen on D-Day 2009, LaRoche is the type of guy you want. He won't cost you much as he can be drafted in the middle-to-late rounds... Cincinnati OF Jay Bruce has cooled off significantly since his blazing start. However, do not forget about him on D-Day 2009! Bruce, only 21 years old, has 21 homers, a ridiculous amount of power for someone so young.

National League West: Arizona ubber-prospect, P Max Scherzer has returned from shoulder woes. Scherzer (6 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) was strong in Friday's loss to Colorado, but dropped to 0-3 in 2008. Despite going 0-1 in his last three starts, Scherzer hasn't surrendered more than three earned runs and has a ridiculous 28 strikeouts in only 17 innings!... The LA Dodgers would be nuts to not resign OF Manny Ramirez. He's had a huge impact on their lineup, giving the Dodgers a "presence" they haven't had in quite a while. Ramirez went 3-for-5, with an RBI in Tuesday's win over Pittsburgh. Manny hit .415 in August, is hitting .390 in his last ten games, and is at .373 in September!... Fantasy GM's who gave up on Padres closer Trevor Hoffman blew it. Pitching for a non-contender, Hoffman has 28 saves, a 3.95 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP! Hoffman, a free agent at the end of the 2008 season, has indicated that he wants to return to San Diego in 2009 and 2010. Hoffman has been an awesome #3 closer for fantasy teams who didn't lose faith in the veteran... Colorado P Jeff Francis (shoulder) has been shut down for the rest of the season. Francis, a 17-game winner in 2007, was 4-10, with a 5.01 ERA in '08! Ouch!... Does San Francisco P Tim Linceum deserve Cy Young consideration, while playing for the lowly Giants? Here's all I have to say about Linceum. He's 17-4, with a 2.46 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and a staggering 243 K's, while pitching for a losing team! Enough said!

American League East: Toronto P Shaun Marcum left Tuesday's game versus Baltimore after two innings, due to numbness in his right forearm. This is a very bad sign, as Marcum missed 27 games in June and July due to soreness in his right elbow. Marcum (9-7, 3.39 ERA) has impressed in 2008. With only two weeks remaining in the 2008 season, look for Marcum to be shut down until 2009. If surgery is required, Marcum will be out much longer... Baltimore P Daniel Cabrera showed signs of progress early in 2008, but has been absolutely dreadful since the All-Star Break. In his last ten games, Cabrera is 2-5, with a 7.59 ERA! In his defense, Cabrera has been pitching injured (sprained right elbow) and will miss the remainder of the season. Cabrera finishes the year with an 8-10 record, a 5.25 ERA, and a staggering 1.61 WHIP! When the 2008 season ends, Cabrera is a free agent. I'm 110% certain that he has pitched his final game for the O's. Over the last several years, Baltimore has given him numerous chances to prove himself. He's shown signs of brilliance, but no consistency whatsoever. Cabrera's injured elbow, coupled with his horrific 2008 numbers, could see him out of baseball in 2009... Continuing with pitchers who are having a rough go of it, Tampa P Edwin Jackson (2 IP, 6 hits, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) got rocked by the Yankees on Sunday and dropped to 11-11 in 2008. Jackson would love for September to end right now, as he is 0-3 this month with a 10.95 ERA!... Boston P Tim Wakefield (2.1 IP, 6 hits, 6 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) was lit-up by Tampa on Wednesday and dropped to 9-11 in 2008. A brutal outing from Wakefield, who has been very inconsistent in 2008 (9-11, 4.18 ERA)... Yankees 2B Robinson Cano was benched twice in the last week, for his lack of hustle. Somebody, anybody, please explain to me why a millionaire athlete fails to hustle, because I just don't get it! I think that 2008 was a minor "bump" in the road for the immensely talented Cano. I'm calling it: Cano will forget about his disappointing 2008 (.264 BA, 13 HR's, 61 RBI's), build up some confidence and put up a big 2009.

American League Central: Do yourself a favor on D-Day 2009 and don't forget about Cleveland C Victor Martinez! Martinez (.275 BA, 2 HR's, 32 RBI's) has had a frustrating, injury-filled (elbow, hamstring) 2008. However, he's showing that he's recovered from his injuries. Tuesday, versus Minnesota, Martinez went 3-for-5, with three runs scored and a walk-off three-run homer off Twins closer Joe Nathan. Prior to 2008, Martinez was the #1 fantasy baseball catcher in 2006 and 2007... Kansas City P Gil Meche (7 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K) was impressive versus Seattle on Wednesday. Meche (12-11, 4.08), along with Zack Greinke, has solidified the KC rotation. Meche is a very solid #3, or #4, fantasy starting pitcher heading into 2009... Nobody can blame Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera for the Tiger's 2008 woes. Cabrera went 4-for-5, with a homer, three RBI's and three runs scored Wednesday versus Texas. Cabrera's 2008 numbers (.296 BA, 34 HR's, 121 RBI's) are MVP-like!... Speaking of potential MVP's, Minnesota 1B Justin Morneau could win his second MVP in the last three years. Morneau went 3-for-5, with two RBI's on Wednesday versus Cleveland. If Minnesota can win the AL Central, Morneau (.311 BA, 23 HR's, 128 RBI's) is your 2008 AL MVP... Chicago 2B Alexei Ramirez (.296 BA, 18 HR's, 66 RBI's, 12 SB's) has been quite a find for the White Sox and fantasy owners in 2008. Not to take anything away from him, but there are warning signs about his future progress (or lackthereof). Keep this in mind on D-Day 2009: Ramirez strikes out four times more than he walks (59 K's-13 BB's)! A 4-to-1 K/BB ratio makes it awfully difficult for anyone to keep a BA anywhere near .300 (Ramirez is currently at .296). Ramirez is a talent, for sure. Simply, keep your expectations for 2009 modest.

American League West: LA Angels OF's Vladimir Guerrero (knee) and Juan Rivera (hip) are hopeful they can return this weekend versus Texas. However, with the playoffs on the horizon, don't expect the Angels to rush either one... Speaking of injuries, don't expect to see Oakland All-Star SP Justin Duchscherer until 2009. Duchscherer threw several pitches Thursday before walking off the mound in frustration after feeling pain in his strained right hip... How awesome is Seattle OF Ichiro Suzuki? It's difficult enough to put together one 200-hit season. Earlier this week, Ichiro went 3-for-3, with a run scored and a stolen base against Kansas City, tying the Major League record by notching 200 hits for the eighth (yes, eighth!) straight season! Eight straight 200-hit seasons! Unbelievable! If Ichiro retired right now, he'd be a lock for the Hall of Fame... Power-hitting Texas catching prospect Taylor Teagarden is making a case for himself. Teagarden went 2-for-4, with a grand slam and five RBI's versus Detroit on Monday. Look for Teagarden to be a big part of Texas' 2009 plans.

See you next week!

SportsJudge.com Announces Weekly Docket (Sept. 9-16)

This week brought a heavy docket of new cases to SportsJudge.com, thanks to the end of fantasy baseball's trading season and the start of fantasy football season. Here are three of our many recent highlights from around the country:

(1) In the case Commissioner v. Irish Car Bombs & Lock It Up, Docket No. 1476(T) (New Jersey) (Sept. 15, 2008), the Court of Fantasy Football, Trade Division upheld the trade of Kurt Warner from Irish Car Bombs to Lock It Up for Santonio Holmes. Applying the general rule that "this court shall uphold a trade as long as it adequately benefits both teams," the court found it irrelevant that Holmes was a third round draft pick and Warner was a tenth round pick. Instead, the court focused on that Lock It Up had lost its starting quarterback for the season, and Warner was a substantial upgrade over any quarterback available on waivers. In addition, Lock It Up already had extra depth at wide receiver, making the trade of Holmes less harmful.

(2) In the case Commissioner v. Teams A, B. C & D, Docket No. 1443 (C) (New York, baseball) (Sept. 9, 2008), the Court of Fantasy Baseball, Unfair Practices Division ordered the roster of Team A frozen for the remainder of the season after Team A, which is out of contention in its head-to-head league, decided to selectively bench his players during some, but not all, recent weeks. According to the court opinion, such a drastic remedy is needed because "it is the overarching principle of fantasy sports that each contestant's objective is to maximize his performance." If this implicit rule did not exist, fantasy sports "would deteriorate into nothing more than a collection of near-Ponzi schemes of side dealing, trickery, and deceit." At all costs, that must be prevented.

(3) In the case Commissioner v. Phisherman & Rice-a-Roni, Docket No. 1438(C) (California, football) (Sept. 9, 2008), the Court of Fantasy Football, Trade Division approved the trade of running back Ryan Grant for running back Larry Johnson. Although Johnson was selected in the first round of that league's draft and Grant in the third, the team that had selected Johnson was frozen out of his Yahoo! draft room and became stuck with an auto-draft team. That owner indicated to SportsJudge that he had preferred for Grant from the very beginning. According to the court, "when two players are of roughly comparable age, statistics and ability, there is no reason why owners cannot make trades based on personal preference. This trade falls well within the reasonableness standard."

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: Is Potentially One Start Worth Paying the Price?

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. If you weren’t paying attention, Francisco Rodriguez made history Saturday night by recording his 58th save this season. With 14 games still remaining, K-Rod broke Bobby Thigpen’s record of 57 saves in a season which he set 18 years ago. If you consider that there is only 162 games in a season, it’s amazing that K-Rod was able to break the record with over ten games remaining. Although it is most impressive that he has been able to convert on 58 opportunities, there is something to be said about the amount of opportunities K-Rod has had this season. For a team that ran away with the division so early, its amazing the Angels had so many games that came down to a save situation.

Big Hits

Chad Qualls (RP, Arizona Diamondbacks): The D-Backs are trying to hold on any way they can. That’s why it was not much of a surprise when Bob Melvin named Chad Qualls his new closer with only two weeks left in the season. Now 4.5 games back from the divisional leading Los Angeles Dodgers, Bob Melvin is hoping that Qualls will add some consistency and stability to a bullpen that has been a mess of late. Qualls has been close to perfect since All-Star break. Since the break he has a 1.02 ERA and has held the opposition to zero runs in 17 or his last 18 appearances. I look for the D-Backs to be involved in some close games over the next two weeks and Qualls will definitely have an opportunity to convert on some save opportunities. Because Melvin just recently made the move, Qualls is still available in almost all leagues. There’s only two weeks left in the season so there is no use in waiting around to pick up a closer on a contending team.

Max Scherzer (SP, Arizona Diamondbacks): One of the guys that will hopefully be giving Chad Qualls some save opportunities is Max Scherzer. We talked about Scherzer early in the season and he responded by producing mediocre fantasy numbers. It seemed as though Scherzer struggled getting into a rhythm because he bounced between the bullpen and the starting rotation. However, Scherzer has now been moved permanently to the starting rotation. In Scherzer’s last start, he dominated the Dodgers for 5 innings by striking out 11 batters. Scherzer has a power arm and is a future superstar in this league. If you are in a keeper league and Scherzer is available, you should definitely grab him immediately. Even if you’re just looking for a pitcher down the stretch, Scherzer could potentially get three more starts before the end of the regular season.

David Price (RP/SP, Tampa Bay Rays): Price’s tour of the minor leagues was nothing short of dominating. Although the Rays were hesitant to move Price so quickly through their system, his performance has left them without any other option. The Rays will definitely monitor how many innings Price pitches and they are insisting that he will remain in the bullpen. However, with a double-header coming up this week, Price might sneak right in as a spot starter. My prediction is that Price will only get one start. If you’re not in a keeper league, it might not be worth picking him up unless you are in desperate need of a starter. However, if you are in a keeper league and Price is still somehow available, make a move right now.

Big Miss

Armando Galarraga (SP, Detroit Tigers): Galarraga was a nice fantasy surprise for his owners this season. However, it seems as though Galarraga has finished his season a couple weeks too early. Over the course of his last four starts, Gallaraga has been getting hit around much more and it is reflecting in the win-loss column. Gallaraga is winless in his last four starts and it might be that Gallaraga has a case of “dead arm”. Anytime a pitcher surpasses his career high in innings pitched, there is no telling how a pitcher’s performance will suffer. It is my guess that Gallaraga will continue to struggle over the next two weeks. Although he was a consistent performer for your squad this summer, it’s time to shut Gallaraga down as a viable option in your starting rotation.

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": Chicago Carnage!

Welcome to "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.

Within the span of a week, both Chicago teams suffered significant injuries (OF Carlos Quentin and P Carlos Zambrano), which could prevent them from having a date with destiny in late October. Complete coverage below.

American League East: Toronto P Roy Halladay (6 IP, 9 hits, 5 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) battled through a rare bad outing Wednesday against Chicago. The loss dropped the workhorse to 18-10. Halladay had been sharp prior to Wednesday's game, delivering quality starts (minimum 6 IP, less than 3 ER) in each of his previous nine tries... Baltimore OF Adam Jones went 3-for-5, with a homer, five RBI's and two runs scored versus Cleveland. Jones is an immense talent and someone you should keep on your radar on D-Day 2009... Tampa 1B Carlos Pena hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the 14th inning in Wednesday's win over Boston. Despite spending almost a month on the DL (finger) earlier this season, Pena still has 28 homers and 88 RBI's. Pena will be very undervalued heading into D-Day 2009... Boston DH David Ortiz was not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus Tampa. Boston says the off-day was not related to Ortiz' previous wrist injury and that he was out of the lineup because the Red Sox were facing a tough lefty (Scott Kazmir). However, Ortiz has a very violent swing which puts lots of pressure on his hand/wrist. This is a situation worth monitoring... A tell-tale sign that the Yankees have thrown in the towel for 2008 and are prepping for 2009 came on Tuesday, when they started rookie P Alfredo Aceves versus the LA Angels. In his first Major League start, Aceves (7 IP, 5 hits, 0 BB, 2 K) was awesome. I've never heard of this guys, but you have to tip your hat to Aceves and to the Yankees, as they look toward the future.

American League Central: Chicago suffered a devastating loss, when OF Carlos Quentin (pictured above) was diagnosed with a broken wrist. Quentin underwent surgery to repair his fractured right wrist Monday. At the time of the injury, Quentin was destroying major-league pitching to the tune of a .288 BA, 36 HR's, 100 RBI's! There's talk that Quentin could return by the final week of the regular-season, but that's incredibly optimistic. Don't count on Quentin until 2009... Remember Cleveland DH Travis Hafner? Hafner (shoulder) was activated from the 60-day disabled list Tuesday versus Baltimore. Hafner, who has been on the DL since late May, went 2-for4, with a walk. If "Pronk" (Hafner's nickname) can remain healthy, he could make a fantasy impact down the stretch... One of the best stories (and closers) of 2008 can be found in Kansas City. Yes, KC! Closer Joakim Soria's overall 2008 numbers are staggering (35 saves, 1.77 ERA, 0.87 WHIP)! Don't forget about Soria on D-Day 2009... Detroit announced that both P's Dontrelle Willis and Freddy Garcia will start during next week's series versus Texas. I wouldn't touch either of these guys, too risky!... Minnesota OF Carlos Gomez stole his 30th base Wednesday versus Kansas City, going 2-for-4, with an RBI. Gomez was the main component of the Johan Santana deal during the off-season. Gomez has a very high ceiling and is very comparable with Tampa OF Carl Crawford. However, Gomez has lots more speed than Crawford.

American League West: The juggernaut known as the LA Angels keeps on rolling. With a win against the Yankees Wednesday (and a Rangers loss), the Angels clinched their fourth division title in five years. One of the players leading the Angels charge is closer Francisco Rodriguez. In the division-clinching win, K-Rod shut the door on the Yankees for save #56! One more save ties K-Rod with former Chicago closer Bobby Thigpen (57 saves, 1990 White Sox) for the single-season saves record. Ironically, K-Rod's Angels jersey number is, 57! Rodriguez becomes a free agent at seasons-end and can expect a monster payday during the off-season... Oakland P Gio Gonzalez (1 2/3 IP, 5 hits, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) got rocked by Detroit on Monday. Gonzalez is a prized prospect who continues to struggle in his adjustment to Major League competition. Gonzalez's long-term status remains encouraging, but he's clearly going through some growing-pains right now... In recent years, Seattle OF Raul Ibanez has been (and continues to be) very underrated. Ibanez went 4-for-5, with three RBI's and a run scored on Wednesday versus Texas. Ibanez is hitting .310, with 23 HR's and 105 RBI's in 2008... Texas OF Nelson Cruz proved again on Saturday that he has the potential to stay in the Majors. Cruz went 3-for-4, with two homers, three runs scored and five RBI's versus Boston! A monster night for Cruz, who is proving that his ridiculous 2008 minor league numbers (.342 BA, 37 HR's, 99 RBI's, 24 SB's) are no fluke.

National League East: Atlanta OF Josh Anderson went 2-for-5, with two RBI's and a run scored on Wednesday versus Colorado. Anderson is starting to make some noise with an impressive September (.308 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI's, 6 runs). Expect Anderson to be the front-runner for Atlanta's wide-open center field job in 2009... Mets P Mike Pelfrey (5 IP, 8 hits, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K) was roughed up by Washington on Wednesday. Pelfrey has good long-term potential, if he develops a strikeout pitch. Notice the zero strikouts versus Washington? If Pelfrey doesn't strikeout hitters at a better rate, he will have trouble taking his game to the next level... If he could only control his temper and off-field "issues", Washington OF Elijah Dukes can develop into quite a stud. Testament to his talent came on Sunday versus Atlanta. Dukes went 4-for-5, with two homers, two runs scored and three RBI's... Philadelphia P Brett Myers will be very, very undervalued on D-Day 2009. Myers (8 IP, 3 hits, 2 BB, 10 K) was dealing versus the Mets on Friday to raise his record to 9-10... Florida 1B Mike Jacobs went 2-for-5, with a two-run homer and two runs scored on Tuesday versus Philadelphia. Jacobs has gone deep in five of his last seven games and scored eight runs! Jacobs owns impressive power numbers (32 HR, 84 RBIs) and should be on your radar on D-Day 2009, if you could tolerate his low BA (.248).

National League Central: The White Sox weren't the only Chicago team to suffer a significant injury that could derail their season (see AL Central report above). Chicago Cubs P Carlos Zambrano was diagnosed with right rotator cuff tendinitis, and will be sidelined until at least September 14, but likely much longer. Zambrano was on the DL with shoulder problems in June, so this latest injury may be an ominous sign... In the wake of off-season steroid allegations, Houston SS Miguel Tejada has had a down 2008. Although Tejada has an 11-game hitting streak, his overall numbers (.287 BA, 13 HR's, 63 RBI's) are way down compared to previous seasons... Despite taking the loss on Sunday versus San Diego, Milwaukee P Manny Parra (5 IP, 6 hits, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) pitched well. Parra is very underrated. Both Ben Sheets and C.C. Sabathia are free agents after the 2008 season. If Milwaukee doesn't re-sign one, or both of them, Parra will have a very significant role in the Milwaukee rotation in 2009... St.Louis OF Rick Ankiel continues to be plagued by a lower abdominal injury. This is the same injury that derailed him in late July/early August. Ankiel will be sidelined for at least the next couple of games, but don't be surprised if St. Louis shuts him down for the season... Pittsburgh 1B Adam LaRoche continued his hot stretch Wednesday against Houston, going 2-for-4, with a homer. LaRoche is hitting .474, with a homer and eight RBI's in his last five games... Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips will miss the rest of the season with a broken right index finger. He'll be fine for 2009.

National League West: Arizona SS Stephen Drew launched his 17th homer Wednesday versus San Francisco. Drew is an up and comer, primed for a breakout 2009... LA Dodgers 1B James Loney hit his 12th homer in Wednesday's victory over San Diego. Loney isn't your typical power-hitting first basemen, by any stretch of the imagination. However, Loney is still developing. Be patient. Loney should start producing .310+ BA, 20+ HR's and 95+ RBI's as soon as 2009... What an impressive season for San Francisco closer Brian Wilson. Wilson recorded his 37th save against Pittsburgh on Saturday. 37 saves for a closer on a bad team! Impressive indeed. Wilson is a solid #2, or #3 closer... San Diego 1B Adrian Gonzalez went 1-for-3, with a homer and two RBI's on Monday versus the LA Dodgers. Gonzalez has 29 homers and appears ready to post his second straight 30-homer season... Colorado OF Brad Hawpe went 1-for-3, with a homer, in Tuesday's loss to Atlanta. Hawpe has hit safely in six straight games and nine of his last 10, blasting two homers, with seven RBI's and 10 runs scored during the streak.

See you next week!

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: Can Anyone Fill the Shoes of Carlos Quentin?

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. Before we discuss some moves to help you in the last weeks of your season, let’s first talk about the start of the NFL season yesterday. As it always does, opening day surpassed any of my expectations. There were some surprises with Tennessee knocking off Jacksonville and Chicago beating Indianapolis. However, the biggest story of the day was the Patriots potentially losing Tom Brady for the remainder of the season. It didn’t look good the way he went down and early reports are that it might be the dreaded ACL tear.

Only adding insult to injury for Pats’ fans, Brett Favre and the Jets looked solid. If Tom Brady played for any other team, I’d say it was time to pack it in and plan for next year. But as we’ve learned over the past couple of years, give Bill Belichick 22 guys with a pulse and he’ll find a way to win. It will be interesting to see how Matt Cassel performs but if you need some convincing to make a move for him on the waiver wire, just remember what happened when Drew Bledsoe went down to injury. His replacement ended up doing alright for himself.

Now it’s time to sure up your fantasy roster for your playoff run. Let’s take a look at a couple of guys that might be able to help you out.

Big Hits

Pablo Sandoval (C, San Francisco Giants): It’s that time of the year where young prospects get the call to the big leagues to make their case for a spot on next year’s roster. Pablo Sandoval is doing just that. Sandoval is now getting consistent at-bats and he has shown the Giants that he deserves a spot on their opening day roster next year. In 77 ABs, Sandoval is hitting .364 with 2 HRs and 13 RBIs. Sandoval has never shown a huge power stroke in the minor leagues but at the age of 22, he still has a ways to go in the developmental process. He might be worth a look if you are currently starting a 2nd or 3rd tier catcher. You can guarantee that Sandoval will keep getting everyday at-bats and I look for him to stay hot as he tries to impress the front office.

Frank Francisco (RP, Texas Rangers): While the Eddie Guardado trade hurt his fantasy value, one guy that benefited was Frank Francisco. With Guardado’s move to Minnesota, Francisco has taken over the closer role. He took full advantage of that opportunity this week by recording four saves in just seven days. In those relieve appearances, Francisco accumulated 8 Ks in only 4 1/3 innings. It isn’t realistic for you to expect Francisco to put up these numbers each week, but he could be a nice save option for you down the stretch. He’s still available in well over 60% of leagues so you probably still have a chance to make a move for Francisco.

Nate Schierholtz (OF, San Francisco Giants): It’s hard to believe I’m focusing on two San Francisco Giants’ in one week. However, Nate Schierholtz’s bat has been too hot to ignore. Like Sandoval, Schierholtz is making a case to be a starter on next year’s opening day roster. Since his call-up to the Giants, Schierholtz is hitting .500 in 22 ABs. While no one can expect Schierholtz to hang around .500, he did hit over .300 during a brief stint with the Giants last year. Also, before being promoted in early September, he was hitting .320 with 18 HRs and 73 RBIs at AAA Fresno. He has proven at each level of the minor leagues that he can be a consistent hitter with some potential to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Another encouraging factor is that Schierholtz’s homerun totals have gone up each year over the course of his career. As we talked about with Sandoval, Schierholtz is still young and he will eventually develop a consistent power stroke to go along with his ability to hit for average. You’re not going to find a hotter hitter in baseball right now so make your move on Schierholtz immediately.

Big Miss

Carlos Quentin (OF, Chicago White Sox): It seems as though Carlos Quentin’s storybook season has come to an abrupt end with the breaking of his right wrist. Unfortunately, you can’t replace .288, 36 HRs and 100 RBIs. The only people feeling worse than his fantasy owners are the Chicago White Sox fans. The Sox are in the midst of a divisional race and are in danger of missing the playoffs. Even if the Sox make the playoffs, I think we have still seen the last of Carlos Quentin this year. From a fantasy standpoint, even if Quentin does return in the playoffs, your fantasy season will be over and you will have wasted a roster spot. I know it’s tough to part ways with your team’s MVP but now is the time to drop Quentin and fill his spot with someone that could actually produce some fantasy numbers for the remainder of the year. My suggestion would be to shop the waiver wire and look for the hottest bat available. Remember your not looking for consistency long term. You are just looking for the hottest bat available. It’s important not to hesitate in taking a shot at a fantasy unknown like Nate Schierholtz. You need instant production and his hot bat can provide it for you.

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": Home Stretch!

Welcome to "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.

As we approach the finish line of the 2008 baseball season, it's more important than ever to stay on top of what's happening in fantasy baseball. Let's get right to it.

American League East: Toronto OF Alex Rios has had a subpar 2008, but he's coming on strong. Rios went 4-for-5, with a home run and an RBI on Tuesday versus Minnesota. The power was supposed to come for Rios in 2008, but he only has 11 homers on the year. However (and this is key for Rios' fantasy status in 2009 and beyond), he is tied for fifth in the AL with 41 doubles. Those doubles should eventually (sooner, rather than later) translate into homers. I predict Rios is going to have an MVP-type 2009 season... Tampa OF Rocco Baldelli continues his solid play following an extended injury rehab. Baldelli went 2-for-3, with a run scored and two RBI's on Saturday versus Baltimore. Baldelli's comeback is really impressive when you consider that he missed the final 124 games of 2007 (hamstring) and the first 116 games of 2008 (mitochondrial disorder). If Baldelli can stay healthy, he can live up to his immense potential... Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia is developing into one of the better second basemen in baseball. Pedroia went 3-for-4, with a home run and two runs scored on Wednesday versus Baltimore. Pedroia is hitting .333, with 17 HR's, 76 RBI's, 17 steals and 108 runs! If he keeps this up, he'll be mentioned in the same breath as Philadelphia stud 2B Chase Utley and Texas stud 2B Ian Kinsler. And, in the process, he'll make a run at AL MVP!... Continuing to prove that he has no business, whatsoever, being on a Major League Baseball roster (and your fantasy roster), Yankees P Sidney Ponson was lit up (3 IP, 9 hits, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) versus Detroit on Monday. Ponson has an 8.92 ERA in his past five outings and is one of the major reasons that New York faded from contention in August... Baltimore 1B Aubrey Huff continues to rake in 2008. Huff went 2-for-5, with a homer and three RBI's Saturday versus Tampa. Huff, in the midst of a 7-game hitting streak, is batting .313, with 30 HR's and 98 RBI's! Huff, drafted in the middle to late rounds of most fantasy baseball drafts on D-Day 2008, is truly one of the great value-picks this season.

American League Central: Speaking of value-picks, Cleveland P Cliff Lee became a 20-game winner on Monday! Lee is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young. How much of a value pick is Lee in 2008? Lee went undrafted (yes, Lee didn't get drafted!) in one of my fantasy leagues! He was picked up as a free agent in mid-April! Wow!... When 3B Alex Gordon and 1B/DH Billy Butler were rising through the Kansas City system, Gordon got most, if not all, of the hype. However, there were some scouts who believed Butler was as good, if not better than Gordon. With Gordon disappointing for a second straight season, Butler is proving that he is the better of the two. Butler went 3-for-4, with a homer and four RBI's on Tuesday versus Oakland. During his current eight-game hitting streak, Butler has three homers, eight RBI's and eight runs scored! In August, Butler batted .330!... Detroit P Justin Verlander's (1 2/3 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) disappointing 2008 continued Monday versus the Yankees. Verlander's horrible performance dropped him to 10-15 in 2008, with an ERA hovering around 5! There has to be something physically wrong with Verlander, who has allowed at least five earned runs in six of his past eight appearances!... Minnesota C Joe Mauer is chasing his second AL batting crown in three years. Mauer went 2-for-6, with three RBI's, on Wednesday versus Toronto and is now hitting .323 in 2008, third in the AL. Mauer is very under-rated... Philadelphia has to be kicking themselves for giving up on P Gavin Floyd. Floyd (6 2/3 IP, 7 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) raised his record to 15-6 in 2008, defeating Boston on Sunday. Floyd is a former Phillies prospect, who is now fulfilling his promise.

American League West: Further proof that LA Angels OF Vladimir Guerrero is in decline: he's gone six straight games without a homer or RBI, for the first time in his career. His 2008 numbers (.294, 23 HR's, 78 RBI's) are very unVladdy-like. He's still productive, but no longer a stud. He should come real cheap on D-Day 2009... Another "cheap" D-Day 2009 pick-up is Oakland 1B Daric Barton. Barton has been miserbale in 2008 (.223 BA, 8 HR's, 40 RBI's), but don't give up on him just yet. Barton is just 23 and has a great eye at the plate (50 BB in 120 games). I'm not saying he's going to be a great player, but he's got the potential to put together a few 20+ HR and 90+ RBI seasons. He'll be available in the late rounds on D-Day 2009... Mariners 3B Adrian Beltre has always had immense potential. He proved it during his monster 2004 season (.334 BA, 48 HR's, 121 RBI's) with the LA Dodgers and he proved it again Monday by hitting for the cycle, hitting his 24th homer, scoring five times and driving in three runs! Beltre isn't an elite third baseman, although he has the potential to be elite. However, he is a very solid "plan b", if you can't get your hands on an elite 3B on D-Day 2009... MLB.com reports that Texas 2B Ian Kinsler (hernia) participated in a pregame workout Tuesday, but remains unsure if he'll play again this season. Kinsler took batting practice and fielded ground balls. Kinsler was having a monster season before he got injured.

National League East: The devastated Atlanta starting rotation (Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz) has given others the opportunity to pickup the slack. Unfortunately, P Charlie Morton hasn't taken advantage of his chance to contribute. Morton (3 1/3 IP, 5 hits, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) got roughed up by Florida on Tuesday and has a 6.42 ERA in 2008! Ouch! Morton put up nice numbers in the minor leagues, which indicate that he can succeed at the major league level. It's possible that he needs more time to adjust to major league competition. Morton should compete for a rotation spot in 2009... Met 3B David Wright went 3-for-5, with a homer on Sunday versus Florida. Wright is an absolute stud (.291 BA, 27 HR's, 104 RBI's, 14 SB's). If the Mets turn it on in September, Wright could win his first NL MVP... Florida OF Jeremy Hermida went 2-for-4, with an RBI and a run scored versus Atlanta on Wednesday. Keep an eye on Hermida (.251, 16 HR's, 58 RBI's, 6 SB's) for the remainder of 2008 and D-Day 2009. He's only 24 and has immense potential. Sometimes it takes a player(s) time to adjust to Major League Baseball. If/when Hermida adjusts, watch out!... Every once in a while a baseball player puts up softball-like numbers. Right now, that player is Washington SS Cristian Guzman. Guzman went 3-for-5, with a three RBI's and two runs scored on Wednesday versus Philadelphia. Guzman has collected multiple hits in each of his last eight games! In those eight games, Guzman is batting .538 (21-for-39), with 10 RBI's. Wow!... Despite a very low batting average (.236), Philadelphia slugger 1B Ryan Howard remains extremely productive (39 HR's, 119 RBI's). Howard went 2-for-4, with a pair of two-run homers versus Washington on Wednesday. In his last ten games, Howard is mashing, hitting .341, with five homers, eleven RBI's and nine runs scored!

National League Central: Houston OF Hunter Pence was on fire Tuesday versus Chicago, going 4-for-6, with a run scored. Pence is having a bit of a down sophomore year, but has made up for it lately. Pence is hitting .611, with two homers and seven RBI's over his last five games... Milwaukee 2B Rickie Weeks is an immensely talented player, but he has yet to show it. However, Tuesday's performance versus the Mets, is a step in the right direction. Weeks went 4-for-6, with a homer and two runs scored... The Cubs are in deep, deep trouble. P Carlos Zambrano left Tuesday's game against the Astros with right arm soreness and P Rich Harden is being given twelve days between starts to rest his arm. Without these guys, the Cubbies (and your fantasy team) are going nowhere fast... St.Louis P Adam Wainwright (5 1/3 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) was strong Tuesday against Arizona to improve to 8-3. Wainwright has been very solid since returning from the disabled list. He's gone 2-0, with a 2.08 ERA and a 13/2 K/BB ratio over 17 1/3 innings... Pittsburgh OF Nate McLouth needed a big game and got one! McLouth went 2-for-4, with two runs scored and two SB's on Wednesday versus Cincinnati. McLouth was in a 3-for-23 slump prior to Wednesday, which dropped his season BA to .270... Cincinnati P Johnny Cueto (elbow) plans to return to the rotation this Saturday versus Chicago. Why is Cincinnati taking a chance with one of the most dynamite young arms in baseball?

National League West: Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw (7 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) threw a gem against San Diego on Tuesday for his third win of the year. Remember Kershaw (especially in keeper leagues) because in the next few years he should develop into a top-notch hurler. Kershaw and P Chad Billingsley will form an impressive 1-2 punch in the Dodgers rotation for years to come... San Francisco C Pablo Sandoval continues to show signs of progress. He went went 2-for-5, with a homer and two runs scored Wednesday. Sandoval has done an excellent job filling in at catcher, first base and third base. Sandoval was tearing it up in the minors, so his bat is no surprise. He's the future at catcher for the Giants... San Diego SS Khalil Greene (fractured hand) had his cast removed and replaced with a splint. However, it's unlikely Greene will return this season... Arizona SS Stephen Drew hit for the cycle on Monday, including a home run, and scored three times. Drew is a breakout candidate as early as 2009... Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki has turned his season around. Tulo's numbers (.245, 6 HR's, 35 RBI's) are way off his 2007 pace, thanks mostly to two DL-stints (quadriceps/hand). However, he's hitting .333 in the second half and is making up for his disappointing and injury-plagued first half. I expect Tulo to bounce back big-time in 2009.

See you next week!