Fantasy Mlb Locking Your Lineup

Cheap Yard Work helps you pick out likely free agents in your league that have been raking over the past week.

Keep in mind we have a really small sample with which to work this week ... because of that I made sure to pick out some names that we should all know in fantasyland.

Nomar Garciaparra, SS, Dodgers
Post-ASG stats: .462/.462/1.000, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI
Betcha never thought this first guy would be fantasy relevant again. I sure as hell didn't. Yet there he was dropping two bombs on Saturday. Don't expect that power to continue, but he will be playing pretty much everyday. You could do much worse, especially now while he's hot.

Billy Butler, DH, Royals
Post-ASG stats: .385/.429/.846, 2 HR, 7 RBI
We've been waiting on him to break through as a middle-of-the-order power bat and even endured a stint in the minors. He should be back for good, considering the Royals aren't gonna factor into the AL playoff picture.

Melvin Mora, 3B, O's
Post-ASG stats: .400/.471/1.067, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R
If you are one of the few owners looking for help at the loaded 3B position, Mora should suffice for the rest of the year. He's ancient, yeah, but he's still more than serviceable in the power categories.

Garrett Anderson, OF, Halos
Post-ASG stats: .455/.455/.727, HR, 5 RBI
He's actually probably not worth it in leagues where he's available due to oldness. He just fit with the theme so I figured I'd throw him in.

Cheap Yard Work helps you pick out likely free agents in your league that have been raking over the past week.

Andre Ethier, Dodgers, OF
7 day stats: .357/.400/.821, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R, 4 2B
Wow, he's never hit for much power, but he's upped his season total to ten. Strike while the iron is hot, as he will stay in the middle of the Dodgers lineup and continue to get the RBI opportunities.

Ryan Spillborghs, Rocks, OF
7 day stats: .421/.500/.895, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R, SB, 3 2B
The 2-HR game was a mirage, but he did hit 11 last year in only 264 at-bats. In fact, all he's ever done with regular ABs is produce. His career OBP is .371, so the odds are good that the Rockies leave him atop the lineup for an extended stay. He'll steal bases and score runs without hurting your average and drop in occasional power stats. A very solid pickup right now in most leagues.

Cody Ross, Marlins, OF
7 day stats: .482/.517/.704, HR, 10 RBI, 7 R, 3 2B
Okay, so Coors Field inflated the stat line a bit ... he's still got 14 total bombs this season, and that bears watching in nearly every fantasy league at the midway point.

Elijah Dukes, Nats, OF
He's on fire ... NOOOOOOO!!!! He's out for four to six weeks. Right in the middle of a hot streak. That sucks.

Specific lineup questions? Hit us up via email.

Spot Jobs gambles by picking five spot starters for the week and five usual starters to avoid. The success rate is usually around 50%, but the risk level is always through the roof. Obviously, though, you always start Brandon Webb (when healthy) and sit Dave Bush.

Five Up

Josh Johnson, Marlins, @SD -- It's been a long time since Johnson pitched in the majors. He will again this week, though. Back in 2006 Johnson compiled a 3.10 ERA and 1.30 WHIP to go with his 12-7 record. He also punched out 133 hitters in 157 innings. This week he gets to re-join his Marlins teammates in the pitcher's paradise that is Dodger Stadium.

Justin Verlander, Tigers, vs. Tribe -- He's been a colossal disappointment this year, but he's starting to turn the corner just as the offense has awakened ... and the Indians can't hit.

Jeremy Guthrie, O's, @ Toronto -- He's maddeningly inconsistent, but is dazzling when he's on, which means you have to play matchups. The Jays are towards the bottom in most AL offensive categories, so this one fits the bill.

Jo-Jo Reyes, Braves, @ SD -- Talented, young pitcher looking for his way? Enter spacious Petco Park and the Padres putrid offense (Adrian Gozalez excepted, obviously).

Sean Marshall, Cubs, vs. Giants -- Cubs like to play at home. Giants hit .265 on the road. Marshall just dealt against the Cards on the road. All signs point to "yes" here.

Cheap Yard Work helps you pick out likely free agents in your league that have been raking over the past week.

Adam Lind, Jays, OF
7 day stats: .250/.304/.550, 2 HR, 5 RBI
I've been high on Lind for a while. As a 22 year-old in 2006 he hit .330 with 24 bombs and 89 RBI in 125 minor league games. So that's why. He only hit .238 in 290 at-bats with the big club last year during his first extended big league stay, and he was atrocious earlier this season for a short stint before being promptly returned to the farm. Still, he's only 24 and has done nothing but mash in the minors. One of these times he's going to stick and be a productive major leaguer. For right now ... he didn't even have a huge week, but he still would have been helpful in most leagues with those stats. Plus, the Jays are going through a transition period with the new manager and all. They currently sit in last and I can't reasonably think they'll finish higher than fourth. Why not let him play into big league form at this age?

If you have the room to add him, you might as well try.

Spot Jobs gambles by picking five spot starters for the week and five usual starters to avoid. The success rate is usually around 50%, but the risk level is always through the roof. Obviously, though, you always start Brandon Webb (when healthy) and sit Dave Bush.

Five Up
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs, @STL -- Yeah, so he's an obvious name. I just wanted to take the opportunity to make sure you get him active for this upcoming scoring period, because he's going to be off the DL in time to make a Friday start against the rival Cardinals. He'll be fired up and raring to go.

Eddie Bonine, Tigers, @Minny -- The Tigers aren't losing the way many thought they wouldn't lose. Ride the unknowns in deeper AL-Only leagues while they're hot!

Ricky Nolasco, Marlins, vs. Nats -- Last ten starts? 7-1, 3.06, and 52/18 K/BB ... and that includes one stinker (12 hits and seven earned runs against the Braves on June 5th). Plus, he's facing the Nats offense. Big-time must-start here.

Garrett Olson, O's, vs. Royals -- Getting the Royals at home is never a bad thing, unless you play in the NL. Olson doesn't.

Johnny Cueto, Reds, vs. Nats -- I hate to pick on the Nats, but when someone has the stuff Cueto does and gets to face a futile offense, you gotta get him in there.

Remember when Tom Gorzelanny was a burgeoning fantasy stud last year? He worked over 200 innings, garnering 14 wins for a sorry Pirates squad and compiling an ERA of 3.88. He only walked 68 batters. This year he's already walked 50, in only 71 innings. The ERA is particularly gross at 6.59. His three starts of less than three innings probably didn't help matters, but he's been consistently bad. Well, this week he gets to screw you over twice in fantasyland ... against the Yankees and Rays no less. Don't let that happen. He's last in my two-start rankings, behind Eric Hurley. Who? Exactly ...

Other notes:

- Gotta love Sean Marshall's chance for a great outing against the O's at home, but he will likely have trouble on the South Side of town for his second start.

- Aaron Laffey gets two lackluster teams at home this week, so he's a quality option.
- Good sleeper for the week: Joe Blanton. He's been struggling all season, but he gets the Phillies (2-7 against the AL) and Giants at home. It's now or never for salvaging a quality campaign.

Pitcher	Team	First Start	Second Start
Jake Peavy	SD	MIN	SEA
Johan Santana	NYM	SEA	NYY
Josh Beckett	BOS	ARI	at HOU
John Lackey	LAA	at WAS	at LAD

Spot Jobs gambles by picking five spot starters for the week and five usual starters to avoid. The success rate is usually around 50%, but the risk level is always through the roof. Obviously, though, you always start Brandon Webb (when healthy) and sit Dave Bush.

Five Down

Randy Johnson, DBacks, @ Boston -- As I assumed would happen when he was going well, he's in the middle of a free-fall. He's done. I wouldn't start him again the rest of the season anyway, but getting the Red Sox in Fenway is a rough task for anyone. Do not let him destroy your ERA and WHIP just for a few Ks.

Roy Oswalt, Astros, vs. Rangers -- I don't trust him anymore, and the Rangers lead the majors in runs scored. He's already disappeared from "must-start" territory, so why would you let him go against a team that mashes like Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Milton Bradley, and company?

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox, @ Houston -- That last debacle of a start was enough to scare me temporarily, and the Astros definitely have the potential to take advantage of mistakes in that park. I like him for one sit and then he's back to a must-start.

Cheap Yard Work helps you pick out likely free agents in your league that have been raking over the past week.

Russell Branyan, 3B, Brewers
7 day stats: .315/.381/.842, 3 HR, 7 RBI
Seriously, how many times have we done this dance? Russell Branyan hits home runs. He always has, and, as long as he remains employed, he always will. He's also downright terrible at everything else and strikes out at a higher frequency than Ryan Howard. Right now, though, he's on another level. Ten bombs in only 70 at-bats this year is insane. You might as well take a flier with the chance he doesn't wake up and remember he's an extremely poor-man's Rob Deer by the end of this week.

Willy Taveras, OF, Rocks
7 day stats: .345/.387/.414, 6 SB, 9 R
Another "you know what you're gonna get" guy that's hot right now. Taveras is arguably the best base stealer in the league. The problem is that you can't steal first base and he's OBP challenged (.334 career). As long as he's getting on base like he is now, ride the wave -- soaking in the steals and runs.

Ramon Vazquez, 3B, Rangers
7 day stats: .333/.417/.524, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R
He's never gotten consistent playing time because he's never earned it. A journeyman with more minor league than major league service time. He's taking full advantage of the Hank Blalock injury (who could return this week, so monitor the situation before picking up Vazquez) and is giving the Rangers the chance to make Blalock take his sweet ol' time. The Rangers are a scoring machine, and as long as Vazquez gets the playing time this week he'll be a part of it.

Cheap Yard Work helps you pick out likely free agents in your league that have been raking over the past week.

Elijah Dukes, OF, WAS
7 day stats: .345/.441/.483, 0HR, 4RBI, 4BB, 5R, 3SB
The crazy thing (pun intended) is that Dukes is raking without hitting a tater. He's doing it by tearing up the basepaths though, as noted by the SB totals. Now, Dukes isn't "reliable" and he certainly isn't "sane", but right now, he's pretty warm. And he obviously has all the talent in the world; with Vicente Padilla and Kevin Slowey in a dogfight for "toughest pitcher the Nats face this week", I'd be starting him.

Marcus Thames, OF, DET
7 day stats: .222/.300/.890, 4HR, 7RBI, 2BB, 5R, 0SB
Need power? Because Thames, if he does what he did last week, ain't gonna boost your average. He did hit four taters though, and if anyone recalls his previous power surges, you know this is a pretty nice time to have him active. He can go on tears quickly. Trips to San Fran and San Diego aren't exactly hitter friendly though, so only use him in deeper leagues.

Mike Jacobs, 1B, FLA
7 day stats: .208/.192/.583, 3HR, 8RBI, 0BB, 3R, 0SB
Again, power ... because that OBP is not what you could call "great". Or even "remotely good". Still, Jacobs was straight butter (because he was on a roll) in April before getting hurt; you have to think with the power starting to pick up, he will get back around to form at some point. Or at least be useful in a deeper league. Oakland and Seattle aren't easy but it could be worse -- a nice play for a daily league.

FYI. When Ian Snell and Ubaldo Jiminez (who have both successfully wasted to very good draft picks of mine this year) are sniffing the top 20 of this week's two start pitchers, well, there are slim pickings all around.

The list this week (30 of them) is top heavy, with studs like Brandon Webb, Cole Hamels and Tim Lincecum at the top. Beware Webb and also Jair Jurrjens this week because of injury, although the former is obviously a must start unless he's ruled out.

Manny Parra, Randy Wolf and Justin Duchscherer are some nicer options that could potentially still be available. Parra I have already told you about -- pick him up if he's hanging around.

Pitcher	Team	First Start	Second Start
Brandon Webb	ARI	v. OAK	at MIN
Cole Hamels	PHI	v. BOS	v. ANA
Scott Kazmir	TB	v. CHC	v. HOU
Tim Lincecum	SF	v. DET	at KC
Justin Verlander	DET	at SF	at SD