Fantasy FanHouse

Cheap Yard Work: We Have a NOMAAAAHHH Sighting

Matt Snyder — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:13:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy Baseball

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: We Have a NOMAAAAHHH Sighting originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Yard Work: Need Some Outfielding Help? Here ...

Matt Snyder — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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.

Cheap Yard Work: Need Some Outfielding Help? Here ... originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs: Josh Johnson in Position for Quality Return Start

Matt Snyder — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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.

Five Down

Erik Bedard, M's, @ A's -- There are grumblings he's not healthy. If you have a studly staff you can afford to sit him while it gets sorted out. This is only in shallow leagues with other very solid options, though. I wouldn't sit him in favor of Sean Marshall, for example.

Kevin Slowey, Twins, @ DET -- Four straight wins will garner anyone's attention, but he got knocked around a bit by the Indians last time out and this time it's the hot-hitting Tigers.

Armando Galarraga, Tigers, vs. Minny -- By the same token, the Twins can hit, too ...

Braden Looper, Cards, @ Philly -- He's not good enough to keep winning games like this, and heading to the City of Brotherly Love and facing the prodigious Philly batting order isn't fun for anyone.

Randy Johnson, DBacks, @ Philly -- Seriously, the Padres offense sucks. Shutting them down doesn't mean he's still good. He's done, stop starting him.

Specific lineup questions? Hit us up via email.

Spot Jobs: Josh Johnson in Position for Quality Return Start originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Yard Work: Get Lind While You Can

Matt Snyder — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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.

Ross Gload, Royals, 1B
7 day stats: .500/.565/.800, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R, 1/3 K/BB, 3 2B
He'd been pathetic all season (.234/.271/.266, 0 HR, 9 RBI) until this past week. Might as well use him while you can in deep AL-Only leagues where you have injury issues (if you own Paul Konerko, for example). Four games in Baltimore shouldn't create terribly tough pitching matchups.

Joe Inglett, Jays, 2B/3B
7 day stats: .417/.482/.583, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R
New manager, clean slate. Cito Gaston is wanting to be impressed, and Inglett is doing so. He has the chance to stick as the everyday 2B until Aaron Hill returns from the DL ... and as we've seen with Ryan Church, it's tough to predict when you can return from a head injury.

Jason Kubel, Twins, OF
7 day stats: .300/.400/.650, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R, 2/4 K/BB
Michael Cuddyer is on the DL, so Kubel's gonna play everyday for at least the next two weeks no matter what. He played most days anyway and quietly is on pace for a 24 HR season. Definitely worth a look if you have OF issues.

Cheap Yard Work: Get Lind While You Can originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs: Big Z Is Back, Sit Johan?

Matt Snyder — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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.

Five Down

Matt Garza, Rays, vs. Red Sox -- He's coming off an absolutely stellar outing and currently sits with a 3.76 ERA. He's also been a tad bit fickle and faces a Red Sox team that could go off at any moment.

Cliff Lee, Indians, @ChiSox -- He hasn't slowed down yet, as we thought he was starting to do with the two less than quality outings about a month ago. Still, if you really think he's going 22-2 with a 2.33 ERA (his current pace) you're crazy. Plus, the White Sox love to hit the longball at home.

Manny Parra, Brewers, @DBacks -- He's in the middle of a great stretch, and the DBacks aren't. Still, the opposing hurler is Brandon Webb, so the margin for error will be quite small.

Johan Santana, Mets, @ Philly -- WHAAAAAAT??? I know, I know ... you can't sit him. I'm simply saying that I have a feeling the Phils knock him around a bit more than he's accustomed to.

Justin Duchscherer, A's, @ChiSox -- In the same vein of my comments on Lee, Duch is just too fuego right now. He can't keep up the 1.91 ERA or 0.92 WHIP ... and the Sox rake at home.

Spot Jobs: Big Z Is Back, Sit Johan? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Start Pitchers: Leave Gorz Alone

Matt Snyder — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:44:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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

Ben Sheets	MIL	at ATL	at MIN
Dan Haren	ARI	at BOS	at FLA
Felix Hernandez	SEA	at NYM	at SD
Derek Lowe	LAD	CHW	LAA
Jonathan Sanchez	SF	at CLE	at OAK
Mark Buehrle	CHW	at LAD	CHC
A.J. Burnett	TOR	CIN	ATL
Aaron Laffey	CLE	SF	CIN
Jeremy Guthrie	BAL	at CHC	at WAS
Sean Marshall	CHC	BAL	at CHW
Andy Sonnanstine	TB	at FLA	at PIT
Scott Olsen	FLA	TB	ARI
Jeff Francis	COL	at KC	at DET
Oliver Perez	NYM	SEA	NYY
Braden Looper	STL	at DET	at KC
Joe Blanton	OAK	PHI	SF
Darrell Rasner	NYY	at PIT	at NYM
Bronson Arroyo	CIN	at TOR	at CLE
Kenny Rogers	DET	STL	COL
Brian Bannister	KC	COL	STL
Jo-Jo Reyes	ATL	MIL	at TOR
Kevin Slowey	MIN	at SD	MIL
Jamie Moyer	PHI	at OAK	at TEX
Brian Moehler	HOU	TEX	BOS
Jason Bergmann	WAS	LAA	BAL
Eric Hurley	TEX	at HOU	PHI
Tom Gorzelanny	PIT	NYY	TB

Two Start Pitchers: Leave Gorz Alone originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs: Big Unit Done, Mad Dog Not

Matt Snyder — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:54:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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.

Scott Kazmir, Rays, @ Pitt -- Gut feeling here. The Pirates are a pretty underrated offensive team (4th in NL in runs).

Livan Hernandez, Twins, vs. Brewers -- You shouldn't really rely on him anyway, but the Brewers are scorching hot right now -- just overshadowed by the Cubs in their own division.

Five Up

Sean Gallagher, Cubs, vs. O's -- He hasn't given up more than three earned runs in a start since May 21st, but he hasn't been receiving much run support. Well, his last three starts were on the road, and this one is at home. The Cubs rake at home. The kid's gonna get a win, give up less than three runs, and punch out around five.

Jeremy Sowers, Tribe, vs. Giants -- Dude, the Giants just used up a week's ration of scoring on Sunday in the first five innings ... and they still lost. Sowers has always dealt in the minors and had problems -- for the most part -- in the bigs. You might call him a "quadruple-A" player. Well, the Giants' offense most certainly fits that bill on their own. This game should be in Sowers' wheelhouse!

Greg Maddux, Pads, vs. Twins -- Did you know Maddux sports a 3.17 ERA? He's quietly been quite studly despite the criminally low run support he receives en route to his 3-5 record. The Twins are not familiar with him at all, but you can bet he's seen enough video on them to get the job done. Plus, it's tough to hit in Petco, and Twins have never been there.

Gil Meche, Royals, vs. Cards -- He's got three straight quality starts, and he doesn't have to deal with Phat Albert . That's good enough for me.

Wandy Rodriguez, Astros, vs. Red Sox -- Yeah, the Sawks have a stellar offense, but Wandy's been Cy Young for the past two seasons at home for some reason. Also, I picked Dice-K to "wet the bed" (right Kobe?), so this pick is the perfect balance.

Spot Jobs: Big Unit Done, Mad Dog Not originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Yard Work: Russell Branyan Really Wants You to Notice Him

Matt Snyder — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:47:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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: Russell Branyan Really Wants You to Notice Him originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Yard Work: Power of the Dawg, Dawg

Will Brinson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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.

Cheap Yard Work: Power of the Dawg, Dawg originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Start Pitchers: Week 12

Will Brinson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:45:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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

Dustin McGowan	TOR	at MIL	at PIT
Javier Vazquez	CHW	v. PIT	at CHC
Chad Billingsley	LAD	at CIN	v. CLE
Tim Hudson	ATL	at TEX	v. SEA
Justin Duchscherer	OAK	at ARI	v. FLA
Jered Weaver	LAA	v. NYM	at PHI
Ryan Dempster	CHC	at TB	v. CHW
Andy Pettitte	NYY	v. SD	v. CIN
Manny Parra	MIL	v. TOR	v. BAL
Randy Wolf	SD	at NYY	v. DET
Jair Jurrjens	ATL	at COL	v. SEA
Johnny Cueto	CIN	v. LAD	at NYY
Vicente Padilla	TEX	v. ATL	at WAS
Andrew Miller	FLA	at SEA	at OAK
Paul Byrd	CLE	at COL	at LAD
Mike Pelfrey	NYM	at LAA	at COL
Ian Snell	PIT	at CHW	v. TOR
Kenny Rogers	DET	at SF	at SD
John Lannan	WAS	at MIN	v. TEX
Garrett Olson	BAL	v. HOU	at MIL
Ubaldo Jiminez	COL	v. ATL	v. NYM
Livian Hernandez	MIN	v. WAS	v. ARI
Carlos Silva	SEA	v. FLA	at ATL
Brandon Backe	HOU	at BAL	at TB
Joel Piniero	STL	v. KC	at BOS

Two Start Pitchers: Week 12 originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs: It's Joba Time, Baby!

Matt Snyder — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:20:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

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

Joba Chamberlain, Yanks -- He's ready now. Plus, the Padres -- despite a recent upswing -- don't exactly have an inspiring offensive attack.

Kevin Slowey, Twins -- He's coming off an eight inning gem against the Brew Crew, but he's been very inconsistent and the previous outing was a three inning-10 earned run clunker. I do, however, like him to string out a second consecutive quality start and victory this week against the light-hitting Nats.

Bronson Arroyo, Reds -- His opponent (Dodgers) has been an incredibly inconsistent offensive team, especially on the road. Sure, people like to call Arroyo's home the Great American Smallpark (it's clever, I know), but he handcuffed the Cards in it last outing.

Jorge Campillo, Braves -- The Bravos love playing at home. The Mariners have scored 20 runs in their last eight games (2.5 per game, mathematically challenged). I'm only a tad bit fazed by Erik Bedard being opposite Campillo, but the Braves should still be able to manage 2 runs. That should be enough.

Scott Baker, Twins -- Facing the Big Unit (see "Five Down"), and the DBacks loooooove to strike out.

Five Down

Justin Masterson, Red Sox -- He's sitting pretty with a 3-1 record, 2.90 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 27 K in 31 innings ... along with a stellar offense to support him. He's facing the Phillies in Citizen's Bank Park this week, though, and he hasn't seen an offense that can mash the way they can. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Andy Sonnanstine, Rays -- He's pretty solid across the board after a 7-3 record, despite having his ERA ruined to 4.89 with just a few bad outings. This week should be another one, as the Cubs come to town. Plus, Carlos Zambrano is opposite, so you wouldn't figure much run support.

Aaron Laffey, Tribe -- That 2.83 ERA can't survive a trip to Denver against a now-nearly-fully-functional Rockies offense.

Edinson Volquez, Reds -- I'm guessing if you have him you pretty much have to start him anyway. I'm taking a shot in the dark here. The Yanks offense is full strength and starting to hit its stride. Plus, Volquez's ERA is 1.64. It has to start going up eventually. Why not now?

Randy Johnson, DBacks -- He's begun his descent and is cleared for landing (retirement). The Royals (29th in runs) just destroyed him, so why wouldn't the Twins (9th)?

As always, specific lineup questions can be emailed to us. We'll answer, pronto!

Spot Jobs: It's Joba Time, Baby! originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs: Lovin' Billingsley, Avoiding Ollie, and Waiting on Joba

Matt Snyder — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:26:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Our version of "fantasy start'em/sit'em" for one-start pitchers of the week. We hope you assume the Brandon Webbs are auto-starts and the Dave Bushes are auto-sits. Specific lineup questions? Email us!

Five Up

Chad Billingsley -- Only the Nationals have scored less runs in the NL than the Padres, and that ballpark is absolute rape on fly balls. That should help Billingsley, who is somewhat susceptible to the longball. He's been plagued by a lack of run support this season -- and that may continue with Randy Wolf on the opposite bump in that park -- but has been dealing of late. In his past five starts he's compiled a 1.97 ERA in 32 innings while striking out 31. Of course, he's only 2-1 in that stretch. Hopefully the Dodgers can push two across for him Wednesday night, because that should be enough.

Sean Gallagher -- The Braves offense is already much worse on the road, but now it appears Chipper -- the only Brave hitting better than .271 on the road thus far at .371 -- will likely miss the entire series at Wrigley. The young Gallagher has settled decently into the Cubs rotation, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA and 17/5 K/BB in 17+ innings during his last three starts.

Manny Parra -- First of all, I'm on board with Brinson's post. Second of all, the Astros are really struggling right now while the Brewers are playing good baseball (ever since Yost decided to quit batting the damn pitcher eighth).

Phil Dumatrait -- He's handled the Cubs, Reds, and Astros in his last three outings quite well (1.45 ERA, 15 K in 18.7 innings) and they have far superior offenses to the O's. Wow, I never thought I'd be telling people to start Phil freaking Dumatrait in fantasy. This is why I love baseball. So many surprises at every turn.

Jon Garland -- Braves on the road = bad. Already told you that. What if Chipper's not healthy yet? They are worse. Garland in his last seven starts? 3-0, 2.28 ERA in 47 1/3 innings. Angels? Best team in the AL. Tasty start here.

Five Down

Johnny Cueto -- The Reds' youngster has been erratic, and the Cardinals are the type of team that makes a pitcher work to beat them. They are patient, and Great American Ball Park doesn't hold many fly balls. I have a feeling he's in for a rough one. Oh, and there's this: the only time Cueto has faced the Redbirds he was torched for 6 runs on 8 hits in only 1 2/3 innings.

Adam Wainwright -- If he's even healthy enough to take the hill, you have to worry about a guy having finger problems on his pitching hand throwing in that small park against a team with the Reds' power. Bombs away if he goes, and that's not good if you own the hurler.

Joba Chamberlain -- One more start until he's functioning on an actual starter's level. He may get through five or even six, but things don't look good for a deep outing with quality control just yet. I'm quite certain, though, this is the last time you'll see him listed here.

Oliver Perez -- I like gambling, but this is like the slots. You can't sit there and keep pumping quarters into it all night on the off-chance that you win back ten freaking bucks. If you want to know about the matchup, he's facing the Rangers, who lead the majors in runs scored. Game, set, and match.

Jair Jurrjens -- I hate to beat a dead horse here, but the Braves are awful on the road (7-21). The Cubs dominate at home (26-8). The Cubs lead the NL in runs scored. Jurrjens himself is about two whole runs worse on the road (2.85 home ERA to 4.84 road ERA). His road allowed BABIP is .257 ... so he's been getting lucky to only get this pummeled. Finally, he's been pretty terrible in his last three games regardless of the venue (9.58 ERA and 2.71 WHIP in 10 1/3 innings with eight BB to only six K). Actually, two of those were home games. Avoid at all costs.

Spot Jobs: Lovin' Billingsley, Avoiding Ollie, and Waiting on Joba originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Yard Work: Angel in the Infield

Will Brinson — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:09:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Regardless of how many leagues you play in, you're probably staring at some injuries, or at the very least, some bad matchups. Cheap Yard Work is here to provide some guys that are raking recently but probably are not owned in most leagues.

Maicer Izturis, 2B/SS/3B, LAA
7 day stats -- .423/.463/.692, 2HR, 8RBI, 2BB, 5R

Izturis is the definition of a utility guy, both in real baseball and for fantasy purposes. To that extent, he's a superb play this week, because if you have anyone injured in your infield, he can more than likely fill a roster space for you. There's no guarantee that he'll be worthwhile for that long, because of Erick Aybar's return, but I can't see the Halos keeping him off the field if he's hot.

Jorge Cantu, 1B/3B, FLA
7 day stats -- .408/.379/.889, 3HR, 7RBI, 0BB, 0SB

It's pretty unlikely that Cantu is eligible at second in your league since he has played zero games this year and only two last year, but if he is, he's an excellent option this week. If he is only eligible at first or third, he still makes for a decent low end play in a lot of leagues though, simply because he's hot and unowned. Not a long term choice though.

Jeff Kent, 2B, LAD
7 day stats -- .318/.348/.773, 3HR, 4RBI, 0BB, 0SB

No guarantee the old man keeps up the power surge but he's been dropped in a ton of leagues and represents a nice second base option while he's hot.

Adam Jones, OF, BAL
7 day stats -- .296/.286/.556, 2HR, 9RBI, 0BB, 1SB

The periph stats don't speak highly (low OBP, no walks) but "Don't Call Me Pacman" is still talented and as long as it's not a keeper league, probably available for many owners.

Cheap Yard Work: Angel in the Infield originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Start Pitchers: Week 11

Will Brinson — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Lacking some studs here this week for two start pitchers, but there are certainly always some options that you can use. Some might say that Edinson Volquez deserves to be the number one option on this list, but my feelings on him -- huge stud but this run is not sustainable -- differ, so I'm giving the nod to C.C. Sabathia.

Roy Oswalt is a must start but he's struggled a ton this season. He is still a buy low, of course, because he is still due for some HR/FB regression. Start him.

Brett Myers is a victim of HR/FB as well, but he's already started to turn it around and has two pretty nice matchups this week for the white hot Phillies.

Clayton Kershaw is probably the sexiest name on the two start list (sorry Homer) just because of all the upside he represents. He's struggled early, but I'd be starting him just for the K potential that he has. Remember, Cole Hamels pitched pretty similarly in his first two starts too.

Pitcher	Team	First Start	Second Start
C.C. Sabathia	CLE	v. MIN	v. SD
Josh Beckett	BOS	v. BAL	at CIN
Edison Volquez	CIN	at FLA	v. BOS
Randy Johnson	ARI	at PIT	v. KC
Brett Myers	PHI	at FLA	at STL

Cliff Lee	CLE	at DET	v. SD
Roy Oswalt	HOU	v. MIL	v. NYY
John Maine	NYM	v. ARI	v. TEX
Jose Contreras	CHW	at DET	v. COL
John Danks	CHW	v. MIN	v. COL
Joe Saunders	LAA	v. TB	v. ATL
Chien-Ming Wang	NYY	at OAK	at HOU
Matt Cain	SF	at WAS	v. OAK
Micah Owings	ARI	at NYM	v. KC
Ted Lilly	CHC	v. ATL	at TOR
Aaron Cook	COL	v. SF	at CHW
Mike Mussina	NYY	v. KC	at HOU
Clayton Kershaw	LAD	at SD	at DET
Daniel Cabrera	BAL	at BOS	v. PIT
Jesse Litsch	TOR	v. SEA	v. CHC
Dontrelle Willis	DET	v. CLE	v. LAD
Edwin Jackson	TB	at ANA	v. FLA
Dana Eveland	OAK	v. NYY	at SF
Kevin Millwood	TEX	at KC	at NYM
Homer Bailey	CIN	v. STL	v. BOS
Gil Meche	KC	v. TEX	at ARI
Tom Glavine	ATL	at CHC	at ANA
Tim Redding	WAS	at PIT	at SEA
Greg Maddux	SD	v. LA	at CLE
Mark Hendrickson	FLA	v. CIN	at TB

Two Start Pitchers: Week 11 originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs ... Get Lilly Active

Matt Snyder — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Spot Jobs takes a look at fantasy baseball gambling via sitting a usual starting pitcher for the week and/or starting a usually unused starting pitcher.

Five Up

Ted Lilly -- He's struggled on several different occasions this season, including his last start against what was left of the Rockies' lineup. Still, the wind was screaming out and only one HR appeared it would have left without said wind. Now he gets the Padres in San Diego. Last time he faced them he picked up a win while striking out 11. Now they are in spacious Petco. He's an absolute must-start.

Glen Perkins and Boof Bonser -- No AL squad has scored less runs than the O's. Perkins was dealing until the hiccup at Yankee Stadium last Friday, so you can expect a bounce-back this Wednesday. For Boof, it's a huge gamble because he's been awful. I've just got a hunch he'll make good on his chance this week.

Jered Weaver -- He's struggled to fulfill his promise since a stellar rookie campaign. He's also only 4-6 for the first place Halos. This week, though, he visits the anemic Mariners offense in Safeco. I like him to deal and pick up a win.

Johnny Cueto -- Coming off a good outing, he figures to have success in punching out some Marlins Friday.

Five Down

Cliff Lee -- Yeah, we're gonna have to have some balls for this sit. Still, the Rangers lead the AL in runs scored and especially love raking at home. Lee's given up 27 hits and 11 earned runs in his last three outings (18.3 innings). I expect the tumble back to Earth to continue.

Felix Hernandez -- His team can't score runs and he gets to face the Red Sox in Fenway, where they are 21-5.

Scott Kazmir -- Nearly the same commentary as Lee, because he's hurling in Texas this Friday and while he's good, he's not good enough to sport a 1.22 ERA all season.

Aaron Laffey -- Notice a theme? 1.59 ERA for Aaron Laffey. The Indians are providing horrible run support and the Tigers have offensive firepower -- even if that potential hasn't shown through consistently all season.

Jesse Litsch -- He's becoming a stud right before our eyes, but he has a terrible track record against the Bronx Bombers, who are still capable of putting a hurt on the opposing pitcher.

Lineup questions? Email Fantasy FanHouse.

Spot Jobs ... Get Lilly Active originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Yardwork: Heeeeere's Jhhhhhhhohnnny

Will Brinson — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Baseball, MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

No one inspires more absolutely horrible, extemporaneous-letter, fantasy writing jokes than Jhonny Peralta. This makes zero sense, because the "H" is the only bizarre letter in his name, and there are only one of them. Yet, somehow I am able to fight through that fact and persevere with my putrid humor. Point being that Peralta tops the list of players you should consider adding this week.

Jhonny Peralta
7 day stats -- .333/.385/.708, 2HR, 3RBI, 2BB, 0SB
Peralta is the eternal fantasy tease after his monster season a few years back. He is streak, just like most free agent options, but he's white hot now and the Indians get four games at Texas followed by three games at Detroit, so you should expect to see him continue raking.

Mark Reynolds
7 day stats -- .359/.450/.941, 3HR, 3RBI, 3BB, 0SB
You may remember Reynolds from such hits as "Early April Fraud" and "Chris Shelton, Part Deux". Reynolds appears to have gotten sloppy with all the attention he got and fell off the radar. Then Chad Tracy came back and the dood started raking again. Snatch him up this week and start him while he's hot.

Jerry Hairston
7 day stats -- .458/.464/.652, 0HR, 4RBI, 4BB, 3SB
Guy just won't go away will he? Hairston continues to start, steal bases and have MI eligibility. That makes him start worthy in a large number of fantasy leagues. He's not a great player but you can't kill speed.

Cliff Floyd
7 day starts -- .357/.500/1.00, 3HR, 5RBI, 4BB, 0SB
You know what you're getting with ole' Cliff -- some taterjacks, some strikeouts and possibly limited AB's, in this case. Still, he's certainly a nice deeper end pickup and he's streaking now so that makes him a pretty nice option.

Cheap Yardwork: Heeeeere's Jhhhhhhhohnnny originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Start Pitchers: Week 10

Will Brinson — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Not a particularly strong two start pitcher group this week. However, there are some rather odd names. Rich Harden is odd, only because he is rarely healthy. When he is -- that being now -- he is a must start. Another interesting name is Joba Chamberlain, who is now a starter with the Yankees and gets two runs this week. Start him, but keep your expectations low; he is going to be limited per the Joba Rules.

In terms of nice sleeper options, Kevin Slowey has been pretty outstanding over his last 15 innings, winning both starts and going the distance against the Royals while only allowing one run and three walks with eight strikeouts in that span.

Justin Masterson is a long shot to get two starts but it's not inconceivable that the Sawx are careful with Dice-K, meaning he could be a nice option.

Jo-Jo Reyes and Jorge Campillo for the Braves both have good starts and are certainly usable in deeper leagues. Jonathan Sanchez is a high risk starter but personally, I like rolling the dice because of his K potential. Phil Dumatrait is a reasonable gamble if you feel like playing behind courtesy of the Pirates.

Got questions about your lineup? Hit up Fantasy FanHouse via email.

Pitcher	Team	First Start	Second Start
Carlos Zambrano	CHC	at SD	at LAD
Roy Halladay	TOR	at NYY	v. BAL
Rich Harden	OAK	v. DET	v. LAA
Aaron Harang	CIN	at PHI	at FLA
Adam Wainwright	STL	v. PIT	at HOU

Brad Penny	LAD	v. COL	v. CHC
Ervin Santana	LAA	at SEA	at OAK
Joba Chamberlain	NYY	v. TOR	v. KC
Zach Greinke	KC	at CHW	at NYY
Matt Garza	TB	at BOS	at TEX
Aaron Laffey	CLE	at TEX	at DET
Andy Pettitte	NYY	at MIN	v. KC
Oliver Perez	NYM	at SF	at SD
Gavin Floyd	CHW	v. KC	v. MIN
Bronson Arroyo	CIN	at PHI	at FLA
Pedro Martinez	NYM	at SF	at SD
Jonathan Sanchez	SF	v. NYM	at WAS
Jake Westbrook	CLE	at TEX	at DET
Jeremy Guthrie	BAL	v. BOS	at BAL
Kevin Slowey	MIN	v. BAL	at CHW
Jorge Campillo	ATL	v. FLA	v. PHI
Scott Olsen	FLA	at ATL	v. CIN
Livian Hernandez	MIN	v. NYY	at CHW
Justin Masterson	BOS	v. TB	v. SEA
Tim Wakefield	BOS	at BAL	v. SEA
Doug Davis	ARI	at MIL	at PIT
Jeff Francis	COL	at LAD	v. MIL
Jo-Jo Reyes	ATL	v. FLA	v. PHI
Kyle Lohse	STL	at WAS	at HOU
Phil Dumatrait	PIT	v. HOU	v. ARI

Two Start Pitchers: Week 10 originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Return of Pedro Scheduled

Matt Snyder — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, MLB Damage Control, Fantasy MLB

According to a report on the Mets MLB.com site, Pedro Martinez should be returning to the hill for his Mets June 3rd. This is good news for the Mets and Pedro's fantasy owners alike. The Mets have been underachieving, but most of that could be chalked up to major injury woes. Assuming Pedro's completely healthy, this adds a quality starter to the mix.

Fantasy-spin-wise, you'll need to realize he's never going to be the Pedro of old again before even considering what your proper expectations should be. After that, though, things are positive. He plays for a team that will start getting back offensive pieces and is capable of winning 85-90 games. He's only 36, which is not overly old by pitching standards. He compiled a 32/7 K/BB last season in only 28 innings along with a 3-1 record.

On the flip-side, he only averaged 5 2/3 innings per start and allowed 33 hits in those 28 innings. That set him up with a poor 1.43 WHIP to counteract his stellar 2.57 ERA. This shows that he still knows how to work his way out of jams most of the time, but he's wearing down in his "old" age.

His recent penchant for being easily injured only makes him more of a gamble.

Verdict: He's gotta be considered a top 50 starting pitcher, but nothing more. In weekly leagues, you can consider him a very good spot starter based upon favorable matchups. If things stay as they currently stand, he'll be facing the light-hitting Giants in pitcher-friendly San Fran with sucky Barry Zito on the hill opposite him. Seems like a damn fine spot to me.

As always, if you have specific lineup questions, email us.

The Return of Pedro Scheduled originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spot Jobs: The Fat Man Eateth Again

Will Brinson — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Spot starts are always risky propositions. Well, not always, unless they're guaranteed starters, like your Brandon Webbs and what have you. Anyway, if you're going to gamble, gamble large. And almost no one is larger than Bartolo Colon. He got the call-up and he'll be starting this week (with a bonus two starts next week!), so why not take the dive into the buffet bar and see what the fat man can bring you?

Five Up
Bartolo Colon, BOS -- He once won a Cy Young. Boston scores a lot. There's something fun about cheering for Bartolo. Maybe. He also recently dealt in his minor league rehab start.

Andy Sonnanstine, TB -- Sonny (does that even work) gets little to no love ... yet. But he's pitched well this year, he doesn't allow a ton of home runs and doesn't issue a ton of walks. Which means Oakland will have to swing. Like the odds.

Jered Weaver, LAA -- He's been dealing lately, since I privately called him a "loser", for nothing other than familial reasons. Which kind of makes me the loser. Play the hot hand.

Aaron Laffey, CLE -- How can you not keep starting this guy? He's white hot. And everyone's focusing on CC and Cliff these days, letting Laffey fly under the radar.

Brett Myers, PHI -- Wow. How far have you come, friend? He's got two starts and two good matchups and he has to come around at some point. Right? Right????

Five Down
Cliff Lee, CLE -- No freaking way. He finally realized who he was today, and he gets Texas this week. The downward trend is going to continue, folks. It just stinks that you can't actually sell high on him anymore. Actually you couldn't do that in the first place.

Derek Lowe, LAD -- I dislike him greatly right now, and he's pitching horribly. There's no reason to continue starting him at this point, especially in a matchup against the Cardinals, who appear to be pretty warm.

Ryan Dempster, CHC -- Show's column or not, I'm dogging a Cubbie. Especially when he's backdooring a beasty BABIP and has to go against semi-mortal Lance Berkman this week.

Jeremy Bonderman, DET -- I'm almost willing to chalk this up as a loss if he'll actually start pitching well. But I don't think that you can start him. He picked up a win but still walk four batters and continues to scream "hidden injury".

Oliver Perez, NYM -- He pitched great on Sunday night, but I'm not trusting Mr. Erratic in Colorado. Sorry. Just won't. There's no reason to let your ratios get pummeled at the expense of picking up, what, 5 strikeouts?

Spot Jobs: The Fat Man Eateth Again originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roy Halladay Picks Up a Hold ... Wait, What?

Will Brinson — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, Toronto, MLB Transactions, MLB Locking Your Lineup, Fantasy MLB

Roy Halladay had a streak of four complete games earlier this season, and he tacked onto the weirdness of his season when he picked up a hold tonight. Yes, you read that correctly. Roy Halladay picked up a hold.

The Blue Jays and Phillies game experienced multiple rain delays tonight, and as a result, Doc apparently volunteered to pitch relief and then somehow ended up batting as well.

'I ain't pinch-running you, I'll tell you that right now,' [John] Gibbons said. 'He said, 'No,' and he pointed out to the bullpen.'

Gibbons was laughing as he told the story, but his tone was almost reverential. Halladay, his ace starter, had volunteered for relief work after the first of two rain delays halted the game with only one inning in the books. After the second downpour, Halladay came in to turn back a Phillies threat, ultimately working 2 1/3 shutout innings in Toronto's 6-5 victory.

Funny story indeed, and kind of cool. B.J. Ryan picked up the save, Halladay picks up the hold and the Jays pick up the win. The only problem is ... now Halladay can't make his Tuesday start. Which might mean a lot more to fantasy baseball players, but it's still kind of a big deal, considering that his value as a starter >>>>>>>>>> his value as a middle reliever.

Fantasy Spin: If you own Halladay in a fantasy league, you may now begin punching things. Especially if that league is H2H, because you just lost a start next week, meaning two of the top five fantasy two start guys have been taken off the list. Still, you have to start Halladay. And probably put some ice on that swollen hand.

Roy Halladay Picks Up a Hold ... Wait, What? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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