Fantasy Sports

BY ADAM RONIS

Alfonso Soriano went 2-for-4 with his 12th homer and had three RBIs giving him 34 for the season. He is batting .289 after .192 average in April. He's an example of why you don't panic early in the season. He also stole his fourth base and he should run more now that his calf seems better.

Ryan Dempster wasn't as efficient as he has been this season, but still got the win since everyone beats the Rockies these days. He went five innings, allowing three hits, three runs, four walks and struck out seven. He allowed two homers and is 7-2 with a 2.75 ERA. Sell high before its too late.

Carlos Marmol picked up the save, his third, with Kerry Wood having pitched the last two days and Marmol allowed one run. Marmol seems to pitch every day and has already thrown 36 innings.

Justin Verlander struggled again. He went seven innings and allowed eight hits, four runs, two walks and struck out one. He is 2-8 with a 5.16 ERA.

Felix Hernandez realized if you pitch for the Mariners, you can't allow a run in order to get a win. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed two hits, no walks and struck out seven. He is 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA.

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer to tie the score at 2 for the Mets in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was just his fifth homer of the season and he has 32 RBIs. Buy low before he heats up.

Chad Billingsley had another strong performance for the Dodgers, but the bullpen blew the lead. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed four hits, three walks and struck out four to lower his ERA to 3.29.

Mike Pelfrey allowed several baserunners and was able to pitch out of trouble with his rotation spot possibly on the line with the return of Pedro Martinez on Thursday. Pelfrey went seven innings and allowed seven hits, two runs, one walk and struck out six in a no-decision. Billy Wagner struck out the side for his 11th save.

Mark Teixeira is beginning to heat up. He homered for the second straight day and has seven homers and 39 RBIs.

Put Jay Bruce in the Hall of Fame now. Bruce hit a walkoff homer for his first major league homer and went 3-for-5 with three runs and a walk. He is batting .579.

Rafael Soriano blew a save by allowing a run in the ninth. The job belongs to John Smoltz when he returns. I'd still own Soriano in case Smoltz can't stay healthy.

Josh Banks pitched very good for the second straight start for the Padres. He threw a six-hit shutout, walked none and struck out five.

BY ADAM RONIS

The wind was blowing out heavily today at Wrigley Field, which is why seven homers were hit and the Cubs erased a 9-1 deficit to win 10-9. Aaron Cook is usually a groundball pitcher, but he allowed three homers and seven runs in 6 1.3 innings. Manny Corpas allowed three runs without recording an out to take the loss. Ted Lilly had pitched very well lately, but allowed seven runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in three innings. Kerry Wood picked up save No. 13.

Jacob Ellsbury stole three more bases giving him 23 for the season.

Josh Beckett needed 118 pitches to get throught six innings. He allowed four hits, three walks and struck out 10 in a no-decision. Jonathan Papelbon got save No. 15.

"The Tease" Daniel Cabrera had a good outing. He went seven innings, allowing six hits, two runs, two walks and struck out two in a no-decision. He has a 3.60 ERA.

Chase Utley hit his 18th homer and Ryan Howard No. 15.

My Sunday column is on players to buy low, especially owners near the bottom of the standings that need to take chances on players off to horrible starts. It was writter before today's games (it's due on Friday afternoons) and one of the guy's featured is Brett Myers. He allowed three first-inning runs, but bounced back to go eight innings, allowing six hits, three runs, three walks and struck out 11. He allowed no homers for the third straight start.

Another guy I mentioned is Adrian Beltre. I guess I should have played the Lotto tonight. Beltre hit two homers and has 12 for the season despite a .245 average.

Cliff Floyd hit a walkoff homer and he should be owned in AL-only leagues.

Russell Martin is hot after a slow start. He went 4-for-4 with three runs, his fourth homer and three RBIs.

Clayton Kershaw has displayed control issues in the minor leagues, but was sharp this season and in his major league debut. He walked four, allowed four runs and five hits with two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. He has excellent stuff, but hasn't pitched above Double-A. He will struggle and be dominant at other times. He could be headed back to the minors in a few weeks, so don't have high expectations for this season.

Carlos Gonzalez went 2-for-3 in his major league debut for the A's. He could have AL-only value.

Jay Bruce went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.

Edinson Volquez has great stuff. The problem he walks too many which prevents him from going deep in games. He has lasted just six innings in five of his last six starts. He went six innings against the Braves and allowed five hits, three walks, two runs and struck out seven in a no-decision. He has a 1.46 ERA and now is the best time to get the most for him.

How the hell is Mike Mussina 8-4? Another example of why you can't project wins. Mariano Rivera picked up save No. 14.

Prince Fielder hit his seventh homer. Hurry up and buy low before it's too late. There is a rumor he was seen eating a triple Whopper today.

Grady Sizemore hit two home runs and has 10 for the season. Cliff Lee improved to 8-1. He went six innings, allowing 10 hits, four runs, one walk and struck out three. At least we know he is human. His ERA is 1.88. Joe Borowski picked up save No. 4.

Albert Pujols hit HR No. 14. How many people regret passing on him now?

Todd Wellemeyer is 6-1 and Aaron Harang is 2-7? What the hell is going on? Wellemeyer went seven innings and allowed six hits, one run, two walks and struck out four. He has a 3.16 ERA. Ryan Franklin allowed a run, but picked up save No. 5.

Chad Tracy started at third base and hit a home run. He should be owned in NL-only leagues, but he might not play every day. Mark Reynolds has shown power, but he strikes out way too much and that could lead to a lot of playing time for Tracy.

BY ADAM RONIS

Another Luis Castillo injury as his power stroke arrives. He left tonight's game with a left hip flexor. Tell me why the Mets signed him for four years??

Hanley Ramirez left tonight's game with a left thumb contusion.

The Red Sox placed Dice-K on the 15-day DL with a right rotator cuff strain. Justin Masterson or Clay Buchholz could be called up to take his place.

The Angels placed Chone Figgins on the 15-day DL with a right hamstring injury retroactive to May 22. Rob Quinlan and Brandon Wood will play third in his absence. Howie Kendrick was activated from the DL.

The Indians placed DH Travis Hafner on the 15-day DL with a right shoulder strain retroactive to May 26.

Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock underwent surgery on his right wrist as a result of carpal tunnel syndrome. What's next, an anal fissure? He will miss another month.

Ryan Zimmerman was out for the fourth consecutive game with a shoulder injury. He could take batting practice tomorrow.

Aaron Hill didn't play after suffering a mild concussion in yesterday's game. He is day-to-day, and Ryan Church has too and he hasn't played for several games. Church jogged and shagged fly balls today. He hasn't started since May 20.

The A's placed DH MIke Sweeney, outfielder Ryan Sweeney and reliever Joey Devine on the 15-day DL. Carlos Gonzalez, Travis Buck and Kiko Calero will replace them.

The Braves placed outfielder Mark Kotsay on the 15-day DL with back soreness. Outfielder Josh Anderson was called up from Triple-A.

Eric Byrnes had an MRI that revealed tears in both hamstrings. Speed is a big part of his game, so don't expect much this season.

J.D. Drew was out of tonight's lineup with vertigo.

BY ADAM RONIS

The A's placed designated hitter Frank Thomas on the 15-day DL with a strained quad. Third baseman Eric Chavez was activated from the DL. Chavez hit .367 with two homers in 30-bats in the minor leagues.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Rays placed closer Troy Percival on the 15-day DL with a left hamstring strain. Dan Wheeler will take over as closer. Al Reyes could also be in line for some saves.

BY ADAM RONIS

With the Rockies decimated by injuries right now, third baseman Ian Stewart was moved to second base today. He is a short-term option in NL-only leagues while playing.

There was speculation that Shane Victorino might see less playing time after coming off the DL due to the emergence of Jayson Werth. I never believed it and with Werth on the DL, Victorino is securing his job. He has an 11-game hitting streak and went 3-for-4 with two runs and a walk to go along with two steals. He has 12 stolen bases for the season.

Believe it or not, Chase Utley was in a slump for a good portion of May. It's over. He hit his 17th homer and has 46 RBIs with a .310 average. If Utley was in a slump, what do we call Carlos Delgado's season?

How bad are things going for the Rockies? They gave Adam Eaton his first win of the season.

Johnny Peralta hit his 11th homer, but has just 19 RBIs and a .225 average.

Gavin Floyd improved to 5-3 with a 3.22 ERA. He allowed eight hits, four earned runs, no walks and struck out seven in six innings. I'd sell high. Bobby Jenks picked up save No. 14 and has a 1.61 ERA.

Jake Westbrook returned from the DL and went five innings in a no-decision. He allowed five hits, three runs, two walks and struck out three. He is a solid backend starter.

Cody Ross is someone who thinks average is overrated. He is batting .202, but after hitting two home runs today -- nine of his 19 hits this season are homer.

Jose Reyes is starting to flash some power. He hit his seventh homer. He also stole his 16th base.

Fernando Tatis hit a game-winning two-run double and has hit well for the Mets so far. He could be a short-term option in NL-only leagues, especially if Ryan Chruch lands on the DL.

Scott Olsen is starting to show signs of regression after a great start. He allowed six hits, four runs, two walks and struck out three in a no-decision.

Kevin Gregg blew his second save of the season. He has a 2.39 ERA.

Oliver Perez has been extremely inconsistent this season, especially from inning to inning. He allowed four hits, five runs, walked four and struck out seven in six innings. He has a 4.83 ERA. And he will still get a huge contract.

Matt Garza has pitched very well minus one start since coming off the DL. He went eight innings and allowed four hits, two runs, two walks and struck out 10 against the Rangers. He is 4-1 with a 3.78 ERA. The strikeouts were surprising, but he is a solid fantasy player. He doesn't allow many homers, which makes up for his low strikeout rate, but his WHIP is high.

After reaching base in all five plate appearances in his major league debut, Jay Bruce went 1-for-3 with a run, two walks and a stolen base.

Mariano Rivera picked up save No. 13 and has a 0.39 ERA.

Jeff Suppan has been either very good or horrible. He threw eight scoreless innings against the Braves, walking five and striking out seven. He is 3-4 with a 3.93 ERA.

Salomon Torres picked up save No. 4 with a scoreless ninth and has a 2.73 ERA. He could keep the job for some time if he's consistent.

Joe Nathan picked up save No. 14 and has a 1.66 ERA.

The Royals blew a win for Zach Greinke by allowing five runs in the ninth inning. He went eight innings and allowed five hits, three runs, two walks and struck out eight. He has a 2.88 ERA and is a very good option for the rest of the season.

There was some concern that Derek Lowe might have an elbow problem, but he was excellent against the Cubs. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed four hits, two walks and struck out five. He has a 4.52 ERA.

Takashi Saito blew his third save. He has a 1.99 ERA.

Carlos Zambrano has been more efficient with his pitch counts this season, but threw 130 tonight. He went eight innings, allowing six hits, one run, four walks and struck out three in a no-decision. He has a 2.33 ERA.

Adam Wainwright, a guy I had on my get list before drafts, beat the Astros to improve to 5-2 with a 2.86 ERA. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out eight.

Erik Bedard went seven scoreless innings against the Red Sox and allowed two hits, three walks and struck out eight. He is 4-3 with a 4.08 ERA. He is an excellent buy low guy. He started bad last season, sporting an ERA over 6 after April.

J.J. Putz picked up save No. 6, despite walking two in a 1-0 game.

Marcus Thames hit two home runs and had four RBIs. He could be an option with Gary Sheffield on the DL.

It wasn't a complete game, but Roy Halladay stayed in long enough to get the win. He is 6-5 with a 2.93 ERA. He went eight innings, allowed eight hits, one run, one walk and struck out nine. B.J. Ryan picked up save No. 12 despite walking two in a scoreless ninth. He has a 0.53 ERA.

Rich Harden has been good since his return. He went seven innings and allowed five hits, one run, walked none and struck out five. He took a no-decision and has a 2.60 ERA. Sell while healthy.

Jesus Flores hit a grand slam and is batting .344. He should be owned in NL-only leagues and considered in deep mixed leagues because he could see the bulk of the time at catcher.

Jon Rauch picked up save No. 11. He has a 2.36 ERA.

Aaron Rowand left the game in the sixth inning with a right foot injury.

Pedro Martinez went six innings and allowed two runs, four hits, no walks and struck out six in a rehab start for Single-A St. Lucie. He is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Giants.

BY ADAM RONIS

Rays closer Troy Percival pulled himself from the field in the ninth inning today after injuring his hamstring. He felt pain in his left hamstring and fell while throwing a warmup pitch. He will have an MRI and a DL-stint looks like a strong possibility. Percival, 38, felt tightness in his hamstring on May 20 and rested for a few days. He pitched Sunday and had no issues. Dan Wheeler picked up the save today and is the favorite to get the job should Percival be out. Al Reyes might get a look, too.

Dice-K will return to Boston to have an MRI on his right shoulder. He left Tuesday's game with a fatigued shoulder.

The Yankees placed Ian Kennedy on the 15-day DL with a strained right lat. That could push Joba Chamberlain to the starting rotation quicker than anticipated.

The Blue Jays placed catcher Gregg Zaun on the 15-day DL with an elbow strain. Rob Barajas will take his place.

The Braves activated Rafael Soriano from the 15-day DL. He should be the closer until John Smoltz returns and he's no lock to stay healthy or pitch consecutve days, so he should be owned. Smoltz is scheduled to make a minor league rehab start tomorrow at Single-A. If all goes well, he could be activated this weekend.

Jake Peavy, out with an elbow injury, threw 40 pitches from flat ground yesterday. He could return next week.

Travis Hafner received a cortisone shot in his shoulder yesterday. Hafner has been dealing with a sore shoulder all season. It's the second cortisone he received this season. He's a poor bet going forward.

The Cardinals placed starter Joel Pineiro on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 21 with a right groin strain.

The Braves placed outfielder Matt Diaz on the 15-day DL with a strained PCL in his left knee.

BY ADAM RONIS

I'll be one of three guests on Paul Greco's radio show tonight at 8:05 p.m. Here's the link to listen.

http://blogtalkradio.com/fantasybaseballguy

BY ADAM RONIS

The Tigers placed designated hitter Gary Sheffield on the 15-day DL with a strained left oblique. Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn should see more at-bats.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Diamondbacks placed outfielder Eric Byrnes on the 15-day DL with a sore hamstring. He is hitting .219 with six homers and 23 RBIs. Byrnes had a career year in a contract season last year and stole 50 bases inflating his value in drafts. He was a guy I advised to stay away from. He has four stolen bases. Outfielder Alex Romero was called up from Triple-A.

BY ADAM RONIS

Chad Tracy returned from the DL today and started at first base for the Diamondbacks. He went 1-for-4. He should see more of his time at third base since Mark Reynolds is hitting .225 and strikes out frequently. NL-only leaguers should consider Tracy. It might take him some time to get going.

Brian McCann is bouncing back in a big way so far. He hit his ninth homer and has 32 RBIs with a .333 average to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He should have a lot of opportunities in that potent lineup.

Brandon Webb dropped his second straight game today in a loss against the Braves. In the last game, he pitched very well despite the loss. This time, he didn't as he allowed 10 hits, seven runs -- four earned -- three walks and struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings. He is 9-2 with a 3.01 ERA.

Shaun Marcum has been one of the most consistent pitchers this season. He continued his great start by beating the Royals. He is 5-3 with a 2.64 ERA. He went 7 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, two runs -- one earned -- walked one and struck out six. He also hit three batters, but it didn't hurt him.

Corey Hart has hit for average, but not much power yet. He homered twice the past week and stole his ninth base today. He went 2-for-4 with a run.

Keep an eye on Russell Branyan in NL-only leagues. He started at third base today and could see more time there with Bill Hall struggling and the Brewers being a heavily stacked lineup from the right side. Of course, you know Branyan strikes out a lot. He went 0-for-5 with four Ks.

Ben Sheets threw just 86 pitches over six innings and allowed seven hits, two runs, no walks and struck out six. He took a no-decision and has a 2.93 ERA. Explore a trade while he is healthy.

Carlos Villanueva was removed from the starting rotation, but that doesn't mean he has no fantasy value. He pitched very well in long relief last season and with a struggling Brewers bullpen he could pick up some wins like today. He threw two scoreless innings and allowed no hits with five strikeouts.

Salomon Torres threw a scoreless inning for his third save.

Jason Bergmann pitched well again, but lasted just 5 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits, no runs, one walk and struck out eight.

Max Scherzer threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed two hits, walked one and struck out four. He still has fantasy value depending on the format.

Jair Jurrjens could not last five innings and took a no-decision. He went 4 2/3 innings and allowed eight hits, three runs, walked two and struck out four. He has been consistent so far and has a 2.86 ERA. He was pitching with two blisters.

Manny Acosta picked up the win by throwing a scoreless sixth and seventh inning.

Nick Markakis is usually a slow starter, but he has put up solid power numbers so far. He hit his ninth homer and has 24 RBIs. He is only batting .258, so highlight that as you try and buy low.

Darrell Rasner has been excellent so far, but keep in mind he has faced the Orioles twice, the Mariners and the Tigers when they were struggling. He pitched well in a loss today allowing five hits, one run, one walk and struck out three in six innings. He is 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA.

Garrett Olson had one of his better outings of the season. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed three hits, four walks and struck out seven. He is 4-1 with a 4.09 ERA.

Juan Pierre stole his 19th base and his job security is safe with Andruw Jones out because of knee surgery.

Chad Billingsley was threw another good game, but fell to 4-6. In six innings he allowed four hits, two runs, two walks and struck out seven. He has a 3.68 ERA and is a good player going forward.

Ryan Dempster won to improve to 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA. He went seven innings and allowed seven hits, one run, three walks and struck out three. I still think you should sell high. He should slow down as the innings pile up because he has been a reliever the past few years.

Kerry Wood picked up save No. 11 and has adjusted well to the closer role.

Jim Thome is hitting .207, but he hit his 10th homer and has 27 RBIs.

Victor Martinez is hitting .305, but has no homers and 17 RBIs. Buy low. Johnny Peralta is the opposite. He is hitting .218 and hit his 10th homer, but he has just 17 RBIs. Don't recall seeing someone with 10 homers and an RBIs total that low. That's how bad the Indians offense has been.

Bobby Jenks picked up save No. 13 and has a 1.69 ERA.

Ryan Spliborghs has hit in part-time play this season and will start everyday with Brad Hawpe and Matt Holliday on the DL. He is a good option in all leagues while playing consistently. He went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs against the Phillies.

I'd list all of the Phillies who did damage tonight, but I need at least one hour sleep. The Phillies scored 20 runs highlighted by Chase Utley's 16th homer and six RBIs.

Ian Kinsler hit his seventh homer and has 31 RBIs. He's been stealing a lot and is batting .292 from the leadoff spot in a very productive top of the lineup. He has an 11-game hitting streak.

I hope you didn't get suckered into the good start of Sidney Ponson. He allowed 12 hits and five runs with three walks in five innings against the Rays. He is 3-1 with a 3.63 ERA. Stay away!!

Ok, time for the depressing news for Mets fans, which is all they have these days. We'll start with Scott Kazmir. He went seven innings, allowed three hits, one run, walked none and struck out 10. He is 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA.

The bright spot for the Mets was Jose Reyes who hit two homers, but as usual, the Mets offense shut down after the first two innings. He has an 11-game hitting streak.

Gary Sheffield left tonight's game in the sixth inning with oblique spasms.

Jorge Posada caught five innings and went 0-for-5 with a walk in an extended spring training game.

David Ortiz hit his 12th homer and drove in his 40th run.

Bartolo Colon pitched well in his second start of the season, however, he was facing a bad Mariners team. He went seven innings, allowed five hits, one run, one walk and struck out four. He is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Consider him in deep mixed leagues.

Felix Hernandez was pitching well until he allowed four runs in the eighth inning against the Red Sox. He went 7 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, five walks and struck out five. He is 2-5 with a 3.60 ERA.

Jon Garland threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed four hits, three walks and struck out five in a no-decision. He has a 3.89 ERA, but will have games where he gets bombed.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Reds are expected to call up outfielder Jay Bruce, Baseball America's 2007 Minor League Player of the Year, before tomorrow's game. Bruce, 21, is considered the top prospect in the minors. In 49 games at Triple-A Louisville, he hit .364 with nine doubles, five triples, 10 homers, 37 RBIs, and eight stolen bases. Pick him up in all formats.

BY ADAM RONIS

National League Player of the Week -- Jason Bay (Pirates): Bay had two game-winning hits and hit .480 (12-for-25) with three home runs, eight RBIs, five runs and one stolen base.

American League Player of the Week -- Magglio Ordonez (Tigers): Ordonez hit .478 (11-for-23) with seven runs, three home runs and nine RBIs.

American League Pitcher of the Week -- Jose Contreras (White Sox): Contreras threw two excellent games this past week. He took a no-decision on Sunday against the Angels, going eight innings, allowing three hits two runs, no walks and struck out 10. He beat the Indians on May 20 going six innings, allowing four hits, one run, no walks and struck out four. He threw 14 innings, struck out 14 and had a 1.93 ERA and 0.50 WHIP.

National League Pitcher of the Week -- Takashi Saito (Dodgers): Saito threw 4 1/3 innings and struck out eight. He had two wins and two saves and didn't allow a run with a 0.46 WHIP.

BY ADAM RONIS

Glen Perkins has been quietly having a very good start for the Twins. The lefthander went 7 2/3 innings and allowed seven hits, one run, two walks and struck out four against a Tigers team that scored 19 runs yesterday. His success has been helped by just four walks in 26 innings. He is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA and should be owned in AL-only leagues.

Justin Verlander is issuing too many walks, but he pitched well for the third straight start. He went seven innings, allowing five hits, one run, four walks and struck out three in a no-decision.

Dan Uggla hasn't slowed down yet. He hit his 16th homer and has 36 RBIs with a .320 average. Uggla will cool off, but he likely will set a career high in homers. He has struck out 50 times in 175 at-bats, though. I'd still sell high because his average will decline and it's difficult to envision him having higher value than he does right now.

C.J. Wilson was on the precipice of losing his job as the closer, but he has pitched well in his last two appearances. He pitched a scoreless 10th innings for his 10th save. He walked one and struck out two.

The chance to buy low on C.C. Sabathia is long gone. He is back to his Cy Young form. He allowed five hits, one run, two walks and struck out five in seven innings against a hot Rangers team. He took a no-decision and his ERA is down to 4.74.

The perfect remedy to get things going in the right direction? Play the Mariners, who are playing awful baseball. J.J. Putz blew his third save of the season. The Mariners brought him in for a six-out save and he allowed two hits, one walk and two runs.

Hold off on annointing Chien-Mien Wang with the Cy Young award. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, four walks and struck out two and was bailed out from taking the loss by a Yankees comeback in the eighth. His ERA is 3.82. As usual, Mariano Rivera had an easy ninth for his 12th save.

The low average hurts, but Chris Young is a very productive fantasy player. He is hitting .249, but hit his 11th homer and has 29 RBIs. He stole his fourth base and that number will rise.

Micah Owings got off to a rough start, but bounced back to go six innings and improve to 6-2. He has a 3.73 ERA. He allowed six hits, three runs -- two earned -- two walks and struck out three.

Tom Glavine had a flashback and thought he was pitching for the Mets in September. He went 4 2/3 innings and allowed five hits, six runs, six walks and struck out two. He is 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA.

Dustin McGowan has been hurt by walks this season. He didn't issue any against the Royals, but allowed nine hits. He still picked up the win and is 3-4 with a 3.90 ERA.
He allowed one run and struck out seven.

B.J. Ryan picked up save No. 11 by striking out two in a scoreless inning. He has a 0.56 ERA.

Alfonso Soriano hit his 11th homer.

"The Tease" Daniel Cabrera probably sucked a lot of you in after a good stretch. He went back to his ways of walking everyone. He walked six, allowed nine hits, four runs and struck out one in 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision. Play him at your own risk.

Chase Utley has been quiet lately. He hit a three-run homer against the Astros, his 15th of the season. Pat Burrell hit his 13th.

Carlos Lee hasn't been getting much fantasy attention. He has 11 homers and 43 RBIs.

Cole Hamels had a rare bad start by allowing seven hits, six runs, one walk and struck out none in four innings. The Phillies bullpen threw five scoreless innings.

John Maine has been able to overcome walks this season, but didn't today behind an inept offense. A potential double-play ball that would have ended the inning turned into a Jose Reyes error and resulted in a three-run homer for Seth Smith. Maine allowed just three hits, three earned runs, walked four and struck out eight. He is 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA.

Aaron Cook used his sinker very well against the Mets and threw a four-hitter. He allowed one run, one walk and struck out three. He is 7-3 with a 2.82 ERA. He is an underrated fantasy option. He doesn't strike out many, but he induces a lot of groundballs which is a good thing in a spacious outfield. He'll have games where he allows a lot of hits, but is a good option in deep mixed leagues.

John Smoltz had tightness in his shoulder after a rehab appearance on Saturday. He doesn't consider it a setback, just the normal soreness. He will throw on the side tomorrow.

BY ADAM RONIS

If you think you can play the outfield, give the Rockies a call. Matt Holliday is the latest Rockies outfielder to go on the DL with a strained hamstring. Brad Hawpe is on the DL and Willy Taveras has a bruised right knee. Corey Sullivan was recalled from Triple-A. Ryan Spilborghs should see the bulk of the time in rightfield and is a good short-term option. Scott Podsednik and Seth Smith should play in place of Holliday.

BY ADAM RONIS

Here's the link to Sunday's newspaper column.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-spfantasy0525,0,5483026.column

http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-spfantasyrail0525,0,2412234.column

BY ADAM RONIS

Usually when a player you own goes on the DL, nasty language follows. If you own Andruw Jones, it's actually a good thing. At least he can't destroy your average for a few weeks. Jones will have surgery on his sore right knee and could miss 4 to 6 weeks. That means Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Juan Pierre don't have to worry about partial playing time and they all deserve starts over Jones. If you own Jones, you can only hope his knee was the reason why he was so awful.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Indians placed Fausto Carmona on the 15-day DL with a strained left hip. Jake Westbrook is currently rehabbing in the minors in his return from an injury and will take Carmona's spot in the rotation.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Dodgers have recalled 20-year-old lefthander Clayton Kershaw from Double-A Jacksonville. In 43 1/3 innings, he allowed 32 hits, 15 walks and struck out 47. He had a 2.28 ERA. Pick him up in deep mixed leagues and NL-only leagues.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Rockies placed outfielder Brad Hawpe and infielder Clint Barmes on the 15-day DL. Hawpe is out with a strained right hamstring and the move was made retroactive to May 21. Ryan Spilborghs should get most of the time and he's a good option while Hawpe is out.

Barmes is out with a sprained right knee. Omar Quintanilla will fill in at shortstop. Outfielder Seth Smith and third baseman Ian Stewart were also recalled.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Brewers made the right moved and placed Eric Gagne on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 21 with rotator cuff tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. Salomon Torres is first in line for saves.

BY ADAM RONIS

Dodgers 20-year-old phenom Clayton Kershaw, a lefthanded pitcher, was removed from his Double-A start yesterday after one inning fueling speculation that he could be on his way to the major leagues. The Dodgers will need a fifth starter on Tuesday or the Dodgers could pitch him on Saturday to give Brad Penny an extra day of rest.

Kershaw has received very little run support at Double-A Jacksonville which is why he is 0-3. In 43 1/3 innings, he has a 2.28 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 15 walks and a .202 batting average against.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Diamondbacks have activated Doug Davis from the DL and he will start against the Braves tonight. He had surgery for a cancerous thyroid in early April. Brandon Medders was designated for assignment and Max Scherzer was moved to the bullpen and could be shifted into a setup role.

BY ADAM RONIS

Hank Blalock, who has been on the DL with a hamstring injury, is expected to return from the DL tonight. He will move from third base to first base. Blalock hit .299 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 87 at-bats before the injury.

BY ADAM RONIS

Nate McLouth just won't go away. He went 4-for-4 with three runs and is hitting .314. He stole his fifth base. Expect his stolen bases to increase and his power to taper off.

Xavier Nady continued his hot start with a 2-for-3 game. He hit homer number seven and has 38 RBIs with a .324 average. I'd still sell high.

Jason Bay hit his 11th home run, but he has just 22 RBIs.

Matt Joyce has been productive when he plays for the Tigers. He went 2-for-3 with his fifth homer in just 36 at-bats. He should be owned in AL-only leagues and considered in deep mixed leagues.

Jeremy Bonderman had a solid start, but don't get excited. First, it came against the struggling Mariners. He still gave up eight hits and two walks and struck out just two in six innings to get the win. He is 3-4 with a 4.58 ERA. His K/BB ratio is 32/35. Don't expect much from him.

Andrew Miller has been good the last three starts after an awful start. He was excellent against the Diamondbacks throwing seven scoreless innings and he allowed five hits, one walk and struck out nine. He is 4-3 with a 5.33 ERA. He will be inconsistent, but he has potential.

Josh Hamilton homered in the top of the 10th inning to give the Rangers a win. He has 12 homers and 53 RBIs and stole his second base.

After a few rough outing, C.J. Wilson threw a scoreless inning for his ninth save.

Tim Hudson went eight innings, allowing seven hits, two runs, walked none and struck out four to get the win. He is 7-3 with a 2.97 ERA.

Jose Guillen started slow, but he's starting to come on. He went 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBIs and his sixth homer. He also has 34 RBIs.

Mike Lowell has been scorching this month. He went 3-for-4 with three runs and a grand slam. He is hitting .283 with six homers and 19 RBIs.

Dice-K is walking way too many batters, but it hasn't hurt him yet. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed six hits, three runs, walked six and he struck out seven. He is 8-0 with a 2.40 ERA despite a 53/38 K/BB ratio.

Jonathan Papelbon picked up save No. 14.

Ryan Howard maye be hitting .207, but he hit his 13th homer and has 31 RBIs.

Brad Lidge picked up save No. 12 and has a 0.43 ERA.

Khalil Greene hit two homers and now has five. Buy low.

Victor Martinez left the game with a finger injury, but the Indians are optimistic he will play Friday.

BY ADAM RONIS

Joe Borowski will return from the disabled list tomorrow.

Eric Gagne is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with tendinitis in his rotator cuff. He received a cortisone injection and will not throw for three days. The Brewers should just place him on the DL, but they haven't yet.

John Smoltz is throwing from a lower arm angle to overcome the pain he is experiencing in his throwing shoulder. No timetable has been established for his return.

BY ADAM RONIS

It's no surprise if you saw the video. The Padres placed pitcher Chris Young on the 15-day DL with a nasal fracture and a lacerated nose. And to make matters worse, Josh Bard was placed on the 15-day DL as well with a sprained left ankle. Michael Barrett is expected to return next week.

BY ADAM RONIS

This week's roundtable is hosted by Jason Collette of RotoJunkie. The topic this week is buyer's remorse. We were asked to list three players we regretted drafting and why. Here it is.

http://rotojunkie.com/cms/content/view/203/1/

What about you guys? Who do you regret drafting?

BY ADAM RONIS

On Wednesday night, I was a guest on a fantasy sports show hosted by Lenny Melnick and Paul Greco of melnickandgrecofantasysports.com. Check it out below.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasybaseballguy

BY ADAM RONIS

It speaks volumes as to what dire straits the Brewers bullpen is in right now when Ben Sheets is allowed to throw 123 pitches. He went the distance allowing 11 hits, one run, no walks and struck out six. He is 5-1 with a 2.92 ERA. I love Sheets, however, we've seen this before, so sell high while he's healthy.

Rickie Weeks hasn't helped in average, but he has been productive in other categories. He has scored 37 runs, and hit his sixth homer today and stole his eighth base. It helps digest the .206 average a little better. He's someone to think about buying low.

One day after struggling in picking up a save, Brian Wilson walked one and struck out two in a scoreless inning to pick up save No. 14 despite a 5.49 ERA. Setup man Tyler Walker pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win. He is 2-2 with a 6.30 ERA.

Ubaldo Jimenez has been inconsistent, but pitched well for the third straight start and has no wins to show for it. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed three hits, two walks and struck out one. Brian Fuentes blew the save by allowing three hits and two runs in the ninth for his third blown save of the season.

Jack Cust hit two home runs and has seven homers and 17 RBIs with a .254 average. It's usually a strikeout, walk or homer for Cust.

Andy Sonnanstine has six wins, yet he can be very hittable as he showed against the A's. He went six innings and allowed nine hits and seven runs. He is 6-2 with a 5.09 ERA.

Dana Eveland pitched his best game of the season throwing a three-hitter, allowing one run, one walk and struck out five for the win. He is 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA.

Derek Jeter was in the starting lineup after getting hit by a pitch on Tuesday and he went 0-for-3 with a run, RBI, stolen base and walk.

Alex Rodriguez homered for the second straight game after returning from the DL. He went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.

Darrell Rasner is now 3-0 after throwing seven scoreless innings. He allowed five hits, one walk and struck out six. He has a 1.89 ERA with an 11/2 K/BB ratio, but he hasn't faced anyone great yet.

Brandon Webb had a good start and still suffered his first loss of the season against the Marlins. He went seven innings, allowing six hits, three runs, no walks and struck out seven. He is 9-1 with a 2.69 ERA.

Ricky Nolasco went seven innings for the Marlins and allowed three hits, one run, two walks and struck out seven. Everyone has a good start once in a while.

Kevin Gregg threw a scoreless ninth and picked up save No. 9. He has a 2.31 ERA.

Jacob Ellsbury is having a very good start to the season. He went 3-for-4 with three runs and a homer, his fourth, and stole his 19th base. He has scored 38 runs, hit four homer and has 17 RBIs.

Bartolo Colon made his Red Sox debut and picked up the win. He allowed six hits, two runs, two walks and struck out four in five innings. He threw hard, getting over 90 m.p.h. He could have AL-only value, but keep in mind the start came against the Royals.

Ryan Howard hit two home runs and has 12 homers and 29 RBIs despite a .195 average. He will be fine.

Jair Jurrjens has been a great acquisition for the Braves. He went seven innings against the Mets and allowed five hits, one earned run, two walks and struck out one. He is 5-3 with a 2.64 ERA.

Chipper Jones left the game after getting hit in the shin. He said he hopes to play Thursday.

Moises Alou left the game with a strained left calf and will fly back to New York for an MRI. Angel Pagan isn't close to returning as things continue to spiral downwards for the Mets.

Chone Figgins went 1-for-3 with a run and walk in his return from the DL.

Vladimir Guerrero could be heating up after a slow start. He hit two homers and had four RBIs.

K-Rod picked up save No. 19.

Ian Kinsler hasn't got a lot of recognition, but he's off to a good start. He hit a three-run homer against the Twins and is batting .298 with five home runs, 25 RBIs, 38 runs and 13 stolen bases.

Joe Saunders has been scratched from his Thursday start with flu-like symptoms. Ervin Santana will take his place on normal rest.

Chris Young was diagnosed with a fractured nose and was taken to the hospital.

Josh Bard left the game against the Cardinals with an ankle injury.

BY ADAM RONIS

The Angels activated infielder Chone Figgins from the DL. He was sidelined with a hamstring injury. To make room for him, Erick Aybar was placed on the 15-day DL after dislocating his right pinkie diving for a ball last night. Macier Izturis will move to shortstop and Sean Rodriguez will play second base.