Author: Scott Pianowski

There are 1,000 stories from any night in this crazy numbers racket. I’m here to tell you a few of them.

• The Mets have to feel great about themselves this morning, completing a three-game shutout sweep of the Phillies and doing so without Johan Santana(notes) ever taking the mound. Mike Pelfrey(notes) did the honors Thursday (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 5 K) and I’m not sure what to make of the start; while his fastball looked as live as I’ve seen all year, he was also bailed out by three timely double plays.

The New York offense didn’t light up the scoreboard against Cole Hamels(notes) (6.1 IP, 3 R), but there are reasons for the Mets to be optimistic about their lineup. Jose Reyes is on a 14-for-32 binge, lifting his average to .249, Jason Bay(notes) has a zesty 1.026 OPS at home, and Angel Pagan(notes) has been a handy find in center field, hitting .296 with eight steals in 11 attempts.

Pagan’s been especially effective in May (.330, 15 runs, nine walks against 10 strikeouts) and his emergence is essential for the Mets right now as the Carlos Beltran(notes) timetable seems to be pushed back weekly. GM Omar Minaya admitted on Thursday that it’s unlikely we’ll see Beltran back with the club before the All-Star break. Pagan’s current ownership level in Yahoo! leagues is a modest 10 percent; that number needs to be doubled, if not tripled, in short order. Show an open mind for the Angel of Queens.

• The Twins looked like a bad matchup for Javier Vazquez(notes) on paper (all those good left-handed bats) and that’s how it played out on the field; Minnesota knocked Vazquez around for eight hits and five runs over 5.2 innings. Vazquez gets a break next week with Baltimore on the schedule, albeit he’ll have to toil in Yankee Stadium.

Target Field hasn’t been homer-friendly for the Twins through two months, but Jason Kubel(notes) got things working Thursday, clocking two homers and adding an RBI double. "It hasn’t been flying here," Kubel said. "But if you pull the ball, it can get out. So maybe that’s the key."

• The Brewers bullpen had it going in Thursday’s 10-inning victory over Houston;t the final four Milwaukee pitchers worked scoreless innings. Okay, you don’t throw a parade for stopping the hapless Astros offense, but it was a step forward. Zach Braddock(notes), Todd Coffey(notes) and Carlos Villanueva(notes) each worked their inning while the Brewers were trailing by a run; Villanueva struck out the side in the ninth, working around a couple of hits.

Milwaukee tied the game in the bottom of the ninth (capitalizing on a rare 2010 misstep from Matt Lindstrom(notes)), then handed the ball to John Axford(notes) for the tenth (perfect inning, two strikeouts). Lindstrom, inexplicably asked to work a second inning, walked in the winning run in the bottom of the tenth.

The Brewers never had a save situation in the game, so don’t read too much into Trevor Hoffman(notes) not pitching; he’ll probably see the ninth inning on the weekend if there’s a lead to protect. That said, if Hoffman were pitching well this year, he probably would have come into this game in the top of the tenth; that’s routine work for a home-team closer – pitching in a tie game once the save is no longer possible.

• Johnny Cueto(notes) continues to roll over the weak NL Central; Thursday he threw six dominant innings at the Pirates (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K). At times you’ll see Cueto nibble too much when a game is close, but when the Reds are able to score for him early, he seems to relax and trust his stuff more. He’s on a 5-0 binge over his last six starts, posting a 1.85 ERA and 40 strikeouts (against eight walks) over 39 innings. He’ll work at St. Louis next week, and possibly Washington on the weekend if the Reds want to keep him on normal rest.

Kings of Pain: Curtis Granderson(notes) (hamstring) will probably come off the disabled list and play Friday against the Indians. … Brian Anderson(notes) (elbow) is still tentatively scheduled to pitch Saturday at Detroit. He did some throwing Thursday with no setbacks reported. I’m not a fan of starting pitchers right off the DL; unless you’re desperate for weekend innings, put Anderson in the scouting queue for at least one turn. … Andre Ethier(notes) (thumb) is ready for a rehab assignment and might be with the Dodgers next week. … Brad Lidge(notes) (elbow) had a clean bullpen session Thursday, which sets him up to start a rehab assignment on the weekend. The Phillies don’t have to rush anything with Lidge, given how well Jose Contreras(notes) has pitched this season. … Nick Punto(notes) (finger) should be able to play Friday after missing the previous four games. If that doesn’t make your weekend, nothing will. … Carlos Zambrano(notes) made a surprise visit to the hospital Thursday, dealing with abdominal pain; thankfully, it wasn’t an appendix problem. Zambrano’s setback is good news for Tom Gorzelanny(notes) – he’ll get more chances to fight for his rotation spot while Zambrano transitions back to starting. … Strikeout tease Bud Norris(notes) (biceps) won’t be able to start Saturday at Cincinnati. Brian Moehler(notes) gets the call instead; be ready with your Cincinnati hitters . . . Luke Scott(notes) (shoulder) hopes to make it back Friday. … Brian McCann(notes) (quad) didn’t get the start in rainy Florida. … J.A. Happ(notes) (forearm) threw 50 pitches Thursday and didn’t have a setback.

Very quietly the NL East has turned into an intriguing division. All five teams have winning records, every team has obvious strengths and weaknesses, and every fan base has something to look forward to as the summer approaches. The Phillies looked like a shoo-in winner two months ago, but perhaps it’s time to reopen the argument.

Philadelphia’s offense shouldn’t be a problem as the season goes along, but right now this lineup can’t get out of its own way. The Phils have been shut out three times in four games and the other result in that mix was no treat – eight bagels, followed by three meaningless runs in the ninth. And it’s been an interesting mix of pitchers doing it to the defending NL Champs; Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) and Tim Wakefield(notes) held the Phils down on the weekend, and R.A. Dickey(notes) and Hisanori Takahashi(notes) have posted zeroes the last two days. Good luck finding a Cy Young contender in that mix.

Takahashi’s Wednesday turn (6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K) had the Citi Field faithful buzzing; it’s time to put him under the microscope. He had a good-not-great resume as a longtime starter in Japan, which enabled the Mets to get him dirt cheap this winter. He’s already 35 and the team had modest expectations for him into the season; some felt he’d settle in as a left specialist, and many figured he wouldn’t make the team out of spring training.

His fastball tops out in the high 80s but he’s got excellent feel for his off-speed pitches; he drove the Phillies crazy with his changeup. And he’s shown he can consistently miss bats, both in the bullpen (where he was for six weeks) and in the rotation (12 scoreless innings against the Yankees and Phillies over the last week). No matter how you’re doing it, 44 strikeouts over 38 innings puts you on the mixed-league radar. 

"He’s a great pitcher with great instincts," Jerry Manuel said of Takahashi Wednesday. "He had great command of his pitches tonight."

It all sounds nice, but there’s a logical con argument to Takahashi as well. He’s got an unusual motion with a hitch in the middle; you have to assume batters will get more comfortable with him as the season goes along. His Japanese career had its share of ups and downs; in four of the last six seasons his ERA was 4.13 or higher. It might be unrealistic to expect him to be anything past a back-of-rotation, six-inning pitcher.

I’ll sign off on Takahashi at San Diego next week; the Padres have yet to face him and they’ve struggled against left-handed pitching (.675 OPS). Takahashi long-term, that’s anyone’s guess. If I were doing a fresh Shuffle Up and Deal for starting pitchers tonight, I’d probably slot him in the $7-8 range.

Are you down with Takahashi, or is this fool’s gold? Feel free to discuss in the comments; I’ll be back in a little bit with 700-900 additional words, exploring the Wednesday baseball slate.

There’s no dominant story on a stupid bloody Tuesday but we’ve got a lot of little ones. Bulleted content will follow.

• Are you in or are you out on Anibal Sanchez(notes)? He’s quietly won three games in a row, with the latest coming Tuesday against the Braves (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 6 K), and he’s still out there in about 85 percent of Yahoo leagues. Let’s take a look under the hood.

A 3.23 ERA over nine starts sounds decent, but the underlying stats don’t jump out at you: he’s only striking out 6.79 batters per nine innings; his strikeout/walk rate is barely over two; he’s getting by with a ridiculous 1.6 HR/FB rate, an obvious fluke. Sanchez’s fastball hasn’t been a plus pitch for him so far, but he’s getting a lot of mileage out of an improved slider. You can start Sanchez on the weekend against Philadelphia if you like; I’m not going to recommend it.

• Don’t look now but the Cardinals aren’t doing much on offense; they’ve only scored 196 runs for the year (tied for ninth in the National League) and they were shut out in San Diego Tuesday by Jon Garland(notes) and Company. Adam Wainwright(notes) was the hard-luck loser in Southern California, despite a one-run effort and 12 strikeouts.

• Jon Lester(notes) threw six bagels at the Rays, allowing just one hit and striking out nine. He was helped by Bob Davidson’s cushy strike zone, much to the dismay of Carl Crawford(notes) (ejected) and Joe Maddon (ejected). Crawford made mild (and accidental) contact with Davidson and might be looking at a suspension.

• Chris Iannetta(notes) is back in Colorado, hopefully with his confidence restored – he posted a .349/.447/.698 line in 17 minor-league games, along with five homers. Meanwhile, Miguel Olivo(notes) has kept things afloat, with a .281 average and eight homers.

• The Padres have made a lot of things happen on the bases this year and they’re adding another speedster to the mix: outfielder Luis Durango(notes) was recalled Tuesday and is expected to start Wednesday. Durango posted a .305/.384/.318 line at Triple-A Portland, and he was eager on the bases, with mixed results (stealing 18 bases on 28 attempts).

• Maybe the Phillies simply can’t do it against knuckleballers. On Sunday they were baffled by Boston veteran Tim Wakefield(notes), and Tuesday night it was R.A. Dickey(notes) doing the trick, skating around 10 baserunners (6 IP, 0 R, 7 K). "You are used to guys who have everyday stuff, but it’s rare that you see a knuckleballer," Ryan Howard(notes) said. "Two in a row is even rarer – like Halley’s Comet." Eventually someone is going to pay for this mini-slump the Phillies offense is in, but they get a tricky assignment Wednesday against unorthodox left-hander Hisanori Takahashi(notes).

Kings of Pain: Fred Lewis(notes) (foot) was a late scratch at Anaheim . . . Grady Sizemore(notes) was in Colorado Tuesday, getting his knee looked at . . . Brett Anderson(notes) (forearm) will throw in the bullpen Wednesday and might be ready to pitch as soon as this weekend . . . Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) was held out of Tuesday’s game due to a sore left side . . . Dallas Braden’s(notes) sore ankle abbreviated his turn at Baltimore . . . Coco Crisp(notes) has a sore chest muscle and might need to go back on the disabled list . . . Luke Scott(notes) has a strained shoulder and couldn’t go Tuesday . . . Aramis Ramirez(notes) is still dealing with a sore thumb.

Handshakes: Heath Bell(notes) allowed a seeing-eye single and a walk and needed 28 pitches against St. Louis, but ultimately he got the job done . . . David Aardsma(notes) went 1-2-3 against the Tigers . . . Carlos Marmol(notes) shut down the Dodgers and keeps piling up the strikeouts (46 whiffs in 23.2 innings) . . . Raul Valdes(notes) got a rogue save in back of Dickey, working three scoreless innings and striking out four . . . Neftali Feliz(notes) worked a perfect inning at Kansas City and is now 13-for-15 on saves . . . Brian Wilson’s(notes) facial hair scares me, and it apparently does the same to the Nationals (three strikeouts in the ninth) . . . Jonathan Papelbon(notes) needed just 13 pitches in Tampa, and amen to that – he’s one of the slowest workers in the majors. Daniel Bard(notes) (2.16 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) set up with a perfect eighth and looks like a stud closer-in-waiting if the Red Sox don’t re-sign Papelbon . . . Octavio Dotel(notes) has rallied nicely in May (10 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 14 K) . . . Manny Corpas retired three of four Diamondbacks and hasn’t allowed a run over eight appearances.

Speed Round: So much for Cleveland being a safe haven for Jake Peavy(notes) – the Indians knocked him around pretty good (6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 HR). He struck out five, but the Indians laced plenty of frozen ropes as well. He gets the Rays on the weekend . . . Clayton Kershaw(notes) allowed just one unearned run over six innings in Chicago, but Ryan Dempster(notes) was even better (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K). He’s got a 3.31 ERA and a nifty 1.03 WHIP, but only a 3-4 record to show for it . . . Mike Leake(notes) still hasn’t had a bad turn – he got a no-decision after allowing one run over seven innings against the Pirates. Leake worked around 10 hits and one walk, and struck out just three, but there’s plenty of moxie in this kid . . . The Astros can’t hit and Randy Wolf(notes) was happy to take advantage (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K). You can’t blame Roy Oswalt(notes) for wanting out of this mess . . . The Blue Jays did their usual bit (three homers), but otherwise it was a winning night for underrated Ervin Santana(notes) (CG, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 10 K). Ricky Romero(notes) got touched up for 11 hits and seven runs on the other side, though he also struck out eight . . . It’s a shame this squirrel can’t hit, because he’s got great wheels.

I expected a lot from Gordon Beckham(notes) in 2010. I projected him optimistically in Yahoo’s Fantasy Baseball Annual, I ranked him favorably in our position rundowns in March, and I traded what I thought was a fair amount (Chone Figgins(notes)) to get Beckham from Andy Behrens a month ago in our Friends and Family League.

But expectations and leashes don’t extend forever. Starting this weekend, Beckham is someone else’s problem. I’ve cut ties with the disappointing sophomore and I’m not looking back.

The White Sox had a rare offensive outburst Friday night, springing for eight runs and 12 hits in a laugher over the Marlins. Beckham wasn’t in on the fun; he went 0-for-3 from the ninth spot in the order, the only Chicago batter with an empty line.

Beckham’s .182 average only tells part of the horror story. Even with a handful of walks he’s got a mediocre .285 OBP, and that embarrassing .234 slugging percentage doesn’t feed the cat. He got just one extra base hit over the last month. He’s been benched twice, moved down in the lineup – nothing seems to help. Sure, he’s been unlucky on balls in play (.233), but with a puny 13.3 line-drive rate, it’s not like he’s getting robbed left and right. He’s also striking out 23 percent of the time.

I didn’t hastily make the decision to cut Beckham, of course – I spent a few days trying to trade him. Some owners had reasons why they couldn’t make a trade now. Others flat-out admitted they wanted no part of Beckham. One good friend of mine made what seemed like an offer, but it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously (that, or I said "yes" too quickly). Maybe my opponents realized that if they waited me out, they could get Beckham for the low, low price of "waiver priority" by the end of the week.

You have to be aggressive to win any kind of a competitive mixed league, and when you’re dealing with short benches (we only have three reserve spots) you have to be willing to make tough decisions on name players. I’m not going to be paralyzed by worry or concern when I think it’s time to cut the cord on a player. I’m not playing for the "friendliest loss" here. The waiver wire always has interesting options in the F&F pool, and the timing felt right to liberate myself from a struggling player.

I realize not everyone shares the same mindset when it comes to slumping brand names. Some owners are petrified of the idea that today’s cut could go on to be someone else’s star tomorrow. Some experts don’t want to do anything controversial; you don’t see a lot of trading in most industry leagues.

But as I see it, if you want a good omelette, you need to break some eggs. And there comes a time where you have to admit you were probably wrong with your preseason projection; I’m not going to stay married to my early expectations when new information or data presents itself. And it’s not like Beckham is a 10-year veteran off to a poor start; for all of his press clippings and with all due respect to his pedigree, he’s only had 515 at-bats in the show. And he’s certainly not the first second-year player to lose his way after a snappy first season.

Gordon Beckham, it’s time to make outs for someone else. Don’t come calling for a playoff share in October.

There’s our lede (or lead) item for Friday; please give your Beckham thoughts in the comments. I’ll be back in an hour or so with another 700-900 words, discussing the weekend baseball landscape.

You’ve got to feel for the Cleveland sports fan these days. The Cavaliers punched the city in the gut, LeBron James Paranoia is going to last into the summer, and now it’s the Indians putting bad news on the doorstep: the franchise player is hurt, the shortstop is injured as well, and there’s the ninth inning to worry about. If you’re from Northeast Ohio and want to skip this entire blog post, feel free.

Indians reliever Kerry Wood(notes) entered 2010 as a closer on the brink and that theme has stayed with him every step of the way. A back injury from spring training cost him six weeks; his hefty contract makes him a constant trade candidate; and his performance on the field hasn’t been a treat either.

Wednesday night Wood blew a save in bombastic fashion, allowing four hits and five runs to the Royals of all teams. There was nothing cheap about the rally – Kansas City collected two doubles and a triple, and most of the balls were hit sharply. Wood was still getting decent velocity on his fastball – routinely in the 95-to-97 range – but the pitches were straight and the Royals were connecting.

Wood saved his best throw for last – as he was removed from the game, he chucked his glove into the stands, where it was caught by an Indians fan. Perfect mechanics, perfect location – it was just seven batters too late.

Maybe this rocky outing was just a blip on the Wood radar, but given his history of physical problems we have to at least put him under the microscope. If you’re hedging the Indians bullpen behind Wood, consider that lefty Tony Sipp(notes) hasn’t allowed a run over his last 13 appearances and Chris Perez(notes) hasn’t given up an earned run over his last 12 games. They did their jobs Wednesday – Perez worked a scoreless seventh, while Sipp posted a bagel in the eighth – and they’re both widely available in mixed leagues. Your speculation needs will vary; the save chase is different for all of us.

The Cleveland faithful will get over this Wood collapse, but the Grady Sizemore(notes) injury is enough to send the entire city into a depression. Sizemore has a left knee bone bruise and hit the disabled list Wednesday; it’s possible he might need surgery to fix the knee. It’s going to be a while before we know what the timetable is here. Post-hype outfielder Trevor Crowe(notes) is getting time in Sizemore’s absence and deserves consideration from the AL-only and deep mixed-league players; he’s off to a 7-for-20 start with a couple of steals, and he’s getting a look in the leadoff spot.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera(notes) had surgery on his broken left arm Wednesday and will be out 8-10 weeks. Jason Donald(notes) joined the team Tuesday and is 2-for-7 through two games, batting in the bottom third of the order. Donald was hitting .277 with two homers and 10 steals when he was promoted from Triple-A.

There’s your lead (or lede) item from Wednesday, amigos. Check back in a little bit and I’ll add 800-900 words to the fray.

It’s been a strange year so far for American League power. Go back to your March projections, see what you expected from Paul Konerko, Ty Wigginton, Jose Bautista, Alex Gonzalez and Andruw Jones. Auction bucks have been trumped, at least temporarily, by waiver luck.

With that theme in mind, let’s talk about Luke Scott(notes). I’m not going to promise you anything long-term on this stock, but we’ve seen him go on power runs before and he’s smoking hot right now.

Scott knocked a pair of homers at Camden Yards Tuesday, giving him seven in 45 May at-bats. He wasn’t picking on a scrub pitcher here; the taters came against Kansas City ace Zack Greinke(notes). And both of the home runs were absolute rockets; the first one was more the towering type, while the second one left the park almost instantly.

Scott is never going to get into the All-Star Game without a ticket, but he’s not a bad power source in certain circumstances. He’s got 36 career homers over 521 career at-bats at Camden Yards. He’s a career .504 slugger against right-handed pitching. And he’s one of those notorious streak hitters; perhaps you remember the late May tear he went on last season (eight homers in 10 days). He’s not a perfect player, but if you need a power boost, there’s a case to be made for Scott.

The Orioles don’t have any home games left this week, but Scott still offers some short-term cachet. He’s a decent play at Texas the next two days (up against a pair of right-handed starters), and Scott should get some good hacks in against Washington’s Craig Stammen(notes) Saturday (the Nats throw lefties Friday and Sunday). Scott has been successful in both of these stadiums, albeit in small samples: he’s got two homers in 30 career at-bats at Arlington, and he’s gone deep twice in three games at Nationals Park.

If you’re looking for a National League version of Scott, how about Cincinnati’s Jonny Gomes(notes)? The hack-tastistic Red is on a 20-for-49 binge this month with three homers and 13 RBIs, and he’s got some nice matchups coming up (Kenshin Kawakami(notes) on Wednesday, and three games at Cleveland this weekend). Gomes is available in 93 percent of Yahoo! leagues as we go to press, while Scott is 88-percent available. Give these guys a tryout over the rest of the week.

There’s your lead (or lede) item, amigos. I’ll be back in a little bit with 850 more words, give or take a few.  

We’ve had a few Trevor Hoffman(notes) fire drills in 2010, so a lot of this is going to be a review. Ninth-inning leads have been a nightmare for the Brewers through six weeks, but there isn’t an obvious solution to the problem.

Hoffman’s latest blown save came Tuesday at Cincinnati and it was a horror show. He faced five men and didn’t retire any of them: Paul Janish(notes) singled; Scott Rolen(notes) lost a ball in the left field seats; Chris Heisey(notes) doubled; Brandon Phillips(notes) walked; and Joey Votto(notes) ended the game with a single. Hoffman’s now got a 13.15 ERA, five blown saves and three losses – and the Brewers have a major dilemma on their hands.

Hoffman’s at 596 saves and there’s a countdown area in play at Miller Park – everyone’s pulling for The Hoff to get to 600. But how long can you stick with a 42-year-old reliever on fumes? Hoffman hasn’t been getting beaten on flukes – he’s already allowed seven homers over 13 innings – and he’s been scored on in 8-of-14 appearances. Bernie Brewer doesn’t have the stomach for this.

Okay, so what other options are available for manager Ken Macha? Round up the usual suspects.

• LaTroy Hawkins(notes) is on the disabled list with a sore shoulder and his rehab is progressing at a deliberate pace. Nothing happening here.

• Todd Coffey(notes) has been the eighth-inning man with Hawkins out, and for the most part Coffey’s been solid – he had 10 straight scoreless appearances into the middle of May. Alas, the Phillies got him for a run Sunday and the Reds threw a five-spot at him Monday.

• Carlos Villanueva(notes) jumps off the page from a skills perspective – he’s rolled up 27 strikeouts against eight walks over 20.2 innings, and the league is hitting just .182 against him. He’s been used in the sixth and seventh inning for most of the year, so if you’re following the usage-pattern theory (he who pitches the eighth gets promoted to the ninth), you wouldn’t pick him over Coffey. Villanueva is 5-for-12 in his career on save chances, but most of those opportunities have come before the ninth, so let’s not overreact to that misleading stat.

• Left-hander Manny Parra(notes) might be an option down the road, though he was pressed into a start Tuesday with Doug Davis(notes) hitting the disabled list. Parra is striking out three men for every walk and he’s keeping the ball on the ground (59 percent). His 3.70 ERA is something of a fluke, driven by a .381 BABIP. Keep him in mind for later in the year.

• Rollie Fingers still has the mustache, but he’s 63. Not an option.

• Last but not least, let’s look down to the farm. Closer Chris Smith is a 29-year-old journeyman of sorts, but he’s been getting the job done (1.84 ERA, 13 saves, 20 strikeouts against four walks over 14.2 innings). Lefty Zach Braddock has been electric for most of the spring (27 whiffs in 15 innings), but he lost his way during a crazy eight-run appearance on May 9. There’s no evidence that the Brewers are going to grab either of these guys and immediately thrust them into the closer’s chair, but for deeper formats, they are names to be aware of.

Throw your dart, pick out your name. Who’s your Tuesday pickup? What should Ken Macha do? Let’s get through this together.

According to the Bible, the meek are supposed to inherit the earth. But it doesn’t say anything in there about the ninth inning of a close ballgame.

Embattled Pirates closer Octavio Dotel(notes) got a vote of confidence Thursday from manager John Russell, and Dotel also got the night off at Los Angeles. Dotel could use the rest: he’s allowed 14 hits and 13 runs over his last six appearances, pushing his ERA up to 10.61. Some of the damage occurred in non-critical spots and Dotel only has two blown saves on the year, but that’s no just excuse – despite a zesty 12 strikeouts on his resume, he’s been a mess over the last two weeks.

Of course if you ask Dotel, those non-save appearances shouldn’t be held against him.

"I understand that I have to get my work done, but I’ll be honest, I hate that," Dotel said. "I don’t have the same intensity. I don’t have the same adrenaline. I don’t have the same feeling for the game. I shouldn’t be that way because it is my job. I’ve got to come and do my job."

If and when Russell decides he wants to do something about the struggling Dotel, Evan Meek(notes) is ready in waiting. The unheralded Meek has been superb in 11 appearances this year (one run allowed over 15 innings), and Meek retired the Dodgers in order Thursday for his first save of the year. Casey Blake(notes) popped up, James Loney(notes) grounded out, Ronnie Belliard(notes) struck out, and no one made solid contact. Nice closing debut from someone who had six career saves entering the night – all in the minors.

At 6-0 and 225 pounds Meek doesn’t look imposing on the mound, but he’s got the other things you look for in a closer. He’s striking out a batter per inning – 15 whiffs in 15 frames. His average fastball this year checks in at 94.5 miles per hour. Meek’s control was an issue earlier in his career but he’s only walked four men this season. Home runs, no worries – he’s given up just five in 75 career innings (Dotel has already yielded three this year).

If you’re hedging against Dotel or just looking for another quality reliever and possible saver down the line, Meek is someone you want to audit Thursday night and Friday morning. While we’ll take Russell at his word and assume that Dotel will get the next Pirates save chance, closers don’t come with infinite leashes, especially closers on one-year contracts. Losing leads in the ninth inning has an emotional effect on a team. And it’s been three weeks since Dotel had a scoreless inning. Be proactive, gamers.

There’s your appetizer from the Thursday baseball schedule. I’ll be back a little later to finish this story, filling in another 1,000 words or so.

Trevor Hoffman(notes) has a sterling reputation, a winning smile and 594 career saves. But these days he’s just another scuffling closer looking for answers.

The 42-year-old Hoffman has been a mess to open the year, collecting three blown saves in his last six appearances. The latest collapse came Tuesday against the Pirates and there was nothing cheap about it – Ronny Cedeno(notes) tied the game with this frozen rope out of the park, and Ryan Doumit(notes) sealed the deal with this moonshot to right field. Hoffman has already allowed five homers in just eight innings; he’s not getting beaten on bloops and bleeders, it’s been no-doubters. He’s been getting behind in the count regularly, which presents two problems: he has to throw his 80s fastball more than he wants to, and it prevents him from going to his money pitch, an out-of-the-zone change-up while ahead in the count.

But when you’ve got the resume of Hoffman, ninth-inning changes don’t happen overnight. "He’s the all-time saves leader," Milwaukee manager Ken Macha said after Tuesday’s loss, essentially offering Hoffman a vote of confidence. "I mean, I think he’s got a pretty good feel for what he’s doing out there."

Sounds like Hoffman will get a chance to right the ship, but it’s important for us to look around the Milwaukee bullpen to find a possible successor, just in case. Get out the notebook and let’s see what’s what.

LaTroy Hawkins(notes) has been the bridge to Hoffman most of the year but he’s been struggling as well, getting hit hard in three of his last five outings (eight hits, eight runs). Todd Coffey(notes) has been passable as a set-up man (3.72 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) and was a mediocre closer for the Reds in 2006, if that matters to you. And then there’s Carlos Villanueva(notes), who’s been far and away the most dominant man in this bullpen (11 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 14 K). If you have to own a non-Hoffman reliever on this team, I’d suggest betting on the skills and going with Villanueva.

If the Brewers eventually look towards Triple-A for some relief help, there are some options. Closer Chris Smith has already collected eight saves with Nashville (8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 9 K), though he’s also 29 and can’t really be called a prospect. The real tantalizing arm belongs to left-handed set-up man Zach Braddock; he’s been out of this world (9.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 17 K). But those are just names to tuck away for now; when Milwaukee has a lead to protect later this week, Hoffman figures to have the ball.

(Feel free to discuss Milwaukee’s bullpen in the comments. I’ll be back shortly with another 1,000 words of baseball talk in this space.)

There’s always a fantasy story in Colorado, so let’s start in the thin air with our Monday recap, then slowly work our way back towards sea level.

• Miguel Olivo(notes) only had one hit in Monday’s loss to Arizona but on a slow roto day, I’m going to use this space to promote the underrated backstop. Olivo’s ownership level is still under 50 percent and that’s not right; he’s off to a .311 start with five homers in his new city and he’s basically thrown Chris Iannetta(notes) (.133 average) out of the way. The 2010 catcher pool looked spotty in March and it’s been even worse in actuality (losing Miguel Montero(notes) really hurts); when production shows up with someone like Olivo, you need to take advantage.

Olivo’s career batting average (.244) gets some fantasy owners off the scent, but this isn’t the time to get sensitive to that number. He hit .251 as a semi-regular in Kansas City the last two years, and the Colorado backdrop could help Olivo push the average into the .260 range. And keep in mind the position we’re talking about; for every Joe Mauer(notes) that hits .300-plus behind the plate, you can find 3-4 backstops who can’t hit their way out of a paper bag. Even if we take a mild average hit here, it’s probably worth it for the power exchange; Olivo’s quietly collected 67 homers the last four years and he should be good for 20-plus in the Rocky Mountains.

Olivo’s not a great defender but that hasn’t been a big issue with Colorado to this point; he’s started 60 percent of the games through three weeks and the ratio has been even more slanted to Olivo lately. Forget what you thought about Olivo in years past, he will be a fantasy asset in all formats in 2010.

• Clint Barmes(notes) went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, pushing his average down to .192. Not the best time for a slump with Eric Young in town; Young had a double off the bench and later scored a run. Knowing how Jim Tracy likes his lineup bingo, you get the idea Young might see a start at some point in this series.

• Justin Upton’s(notes) sore shin turned out to be no big deal, as he took his usual spot in the lineup Monday and gave us a 4-1-1-1 line with a stolen base. Upton’s .208 batting average has some fantasy owners a little jumpy, but see the big picture here: he’s on pace to hit 25 homers, steal 34 bases and score 119 runs. He’s fine.

• Dan Haren’s(notes) got a history of pitching well in Coors Field and Monday was no exception (8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 10 K). Worry not if you’re tied to the Colorado offense; Kris Benson(notes) comes calling Tuesday.

• Sometimes you lose with your best stuff and sometimes you get by with your mediocre stuff; that’s been the case with Jonathan Sanchez(notes) lately. He was utterly untouchable against San Diego last week (one hitter over seven innings, 10 K) but had to settle for a loss when his mates couldn’t solve Mat Latos(notes). Contrast that to Monday’s ballgame: Sanchez only went five innings against Philly and was in constant trouble (three hits, five walks), but he limited the damage to just one run while his teammates were able to consistently score against Roy Halladay(notes) (7 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 5 K).

Sanchez remains the same conundrum we saw last year – the stuff is jaw-dropping (33 K in 24.1 IP) but he’s not throwing enough strikes (13 BB). He’s gotten a break so far with three home starts out of four; last year he had 19 road assignments compared to 13 at home. He’ll get another Bay Area assignment Sunday when Colorado comes to town.

• Maybe it’s just time to accept that Josh Beckett(notes) isn’t the ace he’s cracked up to be. The Blue Jays kicked him around for eight runs Monday, pushing his ERA up to 7.22, but crooked numbers are nothing new with Beckett. He’s made 127 starts since joining the Red Sox, and on 30 occasions he’s allowed five or more runs (h/t, Boston Herald). It might seem a little cruel to criticize Beckett given that Monday’s game featured 25 runs and 34 hits, but it comes with the ADP territory. You didn’t spend a sixth-round pick on Dana Eveland(notes).

You name it, it wasn’t working for Beckett at Toronto. He couldn’t locate his fastball, a pitch that’s been surprisingly mediocre for him since the beginning of 2009 (the Pitch Type Values on Fangraphs illustrate this nicely). Beckett hung a couple of curves and the Jays didn’t miss them. His change didn’t fool anyone, either.

Working in the AL East is a nasty place for a pitcher to do his business. Beckett has a 7.34 ERA for his career against Toronto, he’s at 5.51 for his career against the Yanks, and he’s got a 4.53 ERA whenever he pitches at Fenway. His career numbers are sharp against Tampa Bay but you can make a case that the Rays have the AL’s best offense in 2010. Beckett isn’t going to be this bad all year, we all know that, but is he going to be All-Star good again? If you’ve got cause for optimism, pitch for Beckett in the comments.

• The Indians have the worst offense in the American League through three weeks and they didn’t put up much of a fight against the underrated Jeff Weaver(notes) Monday, but we should at least mention Austin Kearns(notes), who’s been active of late. Kearns went 3-for-4 with a homer, steal and walk at Anaheim, and he also had a three-hit game (with a steal) on the weekend. The average mixed-league owner doesn’t need to react to this news, but if you play in a jumbo-sized group, maybe you’ll want to kick the tires on Kearns for a few days. Then you can come back on Friday or so and kick me for mentioning Kearns in the first place.

• Josh Johnson(notes) hasn’t had the most consistent year to this point – he’s racked up 29 strikeouts over his three best starts but just five whiffs (against seven walks) in his other two turns – but when you add it all together he’s one of the most bankable arms in the majors. The Padres couldn’t figure him out Monday, as Johnson allowed just three hits in a complete game masterpiece (1 R, 1 BB, 12 K). If you’re one of the Friar faithful, don’t click through to the highlights. Mat Latos turned in his worst start of the year (seven runs) and didn’t make it out of the third inning.

• For some reason the Brewers have absolutely taken the Pirates out behind the woodshed in their four meetings this year, taking each game and outscoring the Bucs 53-4. It’s a good thing Milwaukee hit just two homers in Monday’s 17-3 victory, we wouldn’t want to see Bernie Brewer suffer a herniated disc in his back. The frustrated Pirates held a 30-minute, closed-door meeting after the game, but it’s hard to like their chances Tuesday with unheralded Brian Burres(notes) taking the hill. If you’re invested in the Milwaukee offense, here’s the box score and bon appetit.

Pittsburgh’s struggles to the side, there’s an interesting buying opportunity on reliever Evan Meek(notes). He worked two scoreless innings in the middle of Monday’s mess, and his seasonal stats are calling for your attention (13 IP, 11 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 13 K). He’s got a fastball in the 94 mph range and so far he’s been successful with his entire arsenal in 2010 (slider, cutter, change). Joel Hanrahan(notes) hasn’t thrown the ball well out of the gate so far and he’s still a work in progress anyway; if you’re looking to hedge against Octavio Dotel(notes), Meek would be my pick.

Handshakes: Feel free to ignore the rogue save from Bruce Chen(notes) in Kansas City (yes, he’s still in the league). Chen retired Ichiro Suzuki(notes) for the last out; Joakim Soria(notes) received the night off after throwing 47 pitches the two previous days. … Jonathan Papelbon(notes) picked a good time for his second 1-2-3 inning of the year, setting down the Jays quickly and putting an end to Monday’s keg tapper. … Brian Fuentes(notes) struck out the side against Cleveland and Chad Qualls(notes) did the same at Colorado, albeit Qualls also allowed two hits and a run. … Ryan Franklin(notes) keeps skating by; he allowed two ninth-inning hits to the Braves but a double play helped him finish the job. … Jose Valverde(notes) had no problems with the Rangers, hitting the strike zone on 7-of-10 pitches. He’s only got four strikeouts over nine innings, but his other numbers look fine.

Speed Round: Carlos Zambrano(notes) retired five of the six men he faced Monday, coming through in a clutch situation, a tie ballgame in the eighth and ninth. The Cubs eventually put away the Nats in the tenth on a bases-loaded walk, picking up a victory for Carlos Marmol(notes) (scoreless inning, one hit allowed). … Maybe the Tigers have figured something out on Neftali Feliz(notes) that no one else has. Miguel Cabrera(notes) and Brandon Inge(notes) hit back-to-back homers off Feliz in the ninth Monday, brewing up a 6-6 tie, and the Tigers also roughed up Feliz Friday night (1 IP, 3 H, 2 R). … Justin Smoak(notes) is just 1-for-11 through four games, though he has walked five times. … Jason Heyward(notes) is in a 1-for-17 slump since his homer against the Phillies last week (pushing his average down to .234), and he’s also whiffed 24 times over 64 at-bats. Of course, plenty of good things are happening when he makes contact (four homers, 16 RBIs).

I understand why there’s so much roto-hate out there for Barry Zito(notes). He crushed you in 2007, he let you down in 2008, and that picture to the right should make all of us a little bit angry. But his comeback story has been out there for nine months now, and it’s time to accept the reality of the situation, the lefty is mixed-league worthy in any format.

Zito’s first three starts this year were excellent if not dominant; he had a tidy 1.86 ERA working but just nine whiffs over 19.1 innings. But the eccentric lefty brought out his best stuff in his fourth turn, an eight-inning gem against the Cardinals Saturday (3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 10 K). When you shut down Albert Pujols(notes) & Company, you’ve done something impressive. Here’s your video scouting report.

When you add up all of Zito’s 2010 work, we’re looking at a 1.32 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, numbers that are clearly unsustainable for any pitcher (this isn’t 1968, after all). It’s easy for the lazy internet scribe to play the "regression coming!" card with Zito – everyone knows he won’t maintain a .205 BABIP and an 82.6 percent strand rate all season. But can Zito keep his ERA below 4 and maintain mixed-league worthiness all season? Parked in that roomy San Francisco park, I’m betting that he can.

The comeback story hasn’t come completely out of nowhere – Zito was very useful in his final 15 starts of 2009 (2.83 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 74 K in 86 IP). He got the feel of his curveball back last summer and so far this year he’s been outstanding with the curve and change, while putting his fastball where he wants. Mix that together and you’ve got a trustable arm for the middle of your make-believe staff.

There’s one other thing we need to mention in a Zito piece: his contract. Yes, Brian Sabean made a gigantic mistake when he handed a seven-year, $126 million deal to Zito after the 2006 season. But why should we sweat the package? We don’t have to pay him every two weeks, the Giants do. (And while we’re on the subject, cut Vernon Wells(notes) and Alex Rios(notes) a break, too.)

The whopping contract probably had a role in Zito’s 2007 and 2008 collapse. It’s a massive burden to walk to the mound every fifth day trying to justify that you’re worth an $126 million paycheck. But Zito’s finally gotten over that mental hurdle, and it’s time for fantasy owners to get on board, too.

I’m calling Zito a $13 arm from here on out – ranking him over guys like Rick Porcello(notes), Rich Harden(notes), Edwin Jackson(notes) and anyone on the Reds. Coming along for the ride, or is Zito still fool’s gold in your estimation? Let’s discuss in the comments.

Words can only say so much. Sometimes you need the numbers.

Below you’ll find my corner rankings from today-on, the cheat sheet I’d use if I were walking into a new draft tonight. Every player currently corner eligible in Yahoo’s game is listed, with two exceptions; Victor Martinez(notes) and Jeff Clement(notes) are held off the list since no one would bother slotting them away from catcher.

What’s happened to this point counts as an audition, but this isn’t a ranking of what’s happened – it’s meant to be a ranking of what will happen. Don’t get hung up too much on the individual prices in a vacuum; what matters is how the players relate to each other. Game on.

$40 Albert Pujols(notes)
$38 Alex Rodriguez(notes)
$38 Miguel Cabrera(notes)
$37 Ryan Howard(notes)
$37 Prince Fielder(notes)
$37 Mark Teixeira(notes)
$35 Evan Longoria(notes)
$32 David Wright(notes)

Comments: Cabrera is sitting on a career-high walk rate and I can only see that number going up as teams accept that no one after Cabrera in the Detroit lineup is going to hurt them. … You’re allowed some early-season panic on unproven hitters, but don’t waste any time worrying about Teixeira and Fielder. Ninety percent of your worry should be about pitchers, anyway.

$30 Mark Reynolds(notes)
$29 Ryan Zimmerman(notes)
$28 Justin Morneau(notes)
$27 Pablo Sandoval(notes)
$26 Kendry Morales(notes)
$26 Kevin Youkilis(notes)
$25 Carlos Pena(notes)
$25 Adrian Gonzalez(notes)
$25 Joey Votto(notes)
$25 Billy Butler(notes)
$22 Derrek Lee(notes)
$22 Aramis Ramirez(notes)

Comments: Ramirez is someone I annually give a high ranking too, but I can’t remember the last time I actually purchased him. Maybe I’m starting to believe in goat curses. … The new park in Minnesota certainly isn’t going to hurt left-handed hitters and it might actually give them a push. Good news when you’re sitting on Morneau, Mauer and Kubel for the middle of your order. … It’s hard to believe multiple organizations gave up on Pena and Gonzalez before they merged into stars. I realize San Diego is playing well right now, but I still think there’s a 40-to-50 percent chance that Gonzalez is traded at some point during the year.

$20 Chone Figgins(notes)
$20 Lance Berkman(notes)
$20 Adam Dunn(notes)
$19 Ian Stewart(notes)
$18 Jorge Cantu(notes)
$18 Michael Cuddyer(notes)
$18 Gordon Beckham(notes)
$17 Chase Headley(notes)
$16 Martin Prado(notes)
$15 James Loney(notes)
$15 Chipper Jones(notes)
$15 Adam LaRoche(notes)

Comments: I’m not a Headley owner anywhere but he looks like one of the breakthrough players of the season (don’t overlook the sneaky speed). … Cantu takes an aggressive approach to the plate, but when he makes contact, you almost feel sorry for the baseball. This guy is a rope machine. … Prado picks up some extra value for the multiple positions he covers. And this is another guy squaring the baseball regularly – he’s currently got a ridiculous (and unsustainable) line-drive rate of 31.5 percent.

$14 Michael Young(notes)
$14 Adrian Beltre(notes)
$13 Garrett Jones(notes)
$13 Placido Polanco(notes)
$12 Casey McGehee(notes)
$12 Paul Konerko(notes)
$12 Jose Lopez(notes)
$11 Scott Rolen(notes)
$11 Nick Swisher(notes)
$11 Alex Gordon(notes)
$11 Nick Johnson(notes)
$11 Justin Smoak(notes)
$10 Juan Uribe(notes)
$10 Casey Kotchman(notes)
$10 Daric Barton(notes)
$10 Mark DeRosa(notes)
$10 Ike Davis(notes)

Comments: Barton has that Nick Johnson look to him, rolling up 19 free passes over 18 games. … The rookies are always the hardest to gage; Smoak and Davis could earn double their price, or be back in the minors in a month. If you’ve got a more optimistic projection for them, let’s hear it in the comments. … Kotchman will never get into the Hall of Fame without a ticket, but how can Seattle be batting him seventh regularly? Your lineup isn’t that good, Don Wakamatsu. … I’d go a few bucks higher on Uribe if I knew for sure the Giants would keep him in the lineup all year. The same goes for Wigginton in the next group.

$9 Miguel Tejada(notes)
$8 Ty Wigginton(notes)
$8 Aubrey Huff(notes)
$8 Conor Jackson(notes)
$7 Alberto Callaspo(notes)
$7 Casey Blake(notes)
$7 Kevin Kouzmanoff(notes)
$6 Gaby Sanchez(notes)
$6 Troy Glaus(notes)
$6 David Ortiz(notes)
$5 Blake DeWitt(notes)
$5 David Freese(notes)
$5 Russell Branyan(notes)
$5 Pedro Alvarez(notes)
$5 Brandon Inge(notes)
$5 Eric Chavez(notes)
$5 Jhonny Peralta(notes)

Comments: Ortiz might do a little damage now and then against righties at Fenway, but he’s overmatched against lefties and the production will fall significantly on the road. This won’t be a pretty endgame. … Huff’s value is buoyed by the fact that the Giants let him bat cleanup daily. So long as that sticks, you get a modest floor from the opportunity alone. … Peralta’s fly ball rate has hit a spike early in 2010, but I still don’t see this guy ever becoming a major power factor again.

$4 Jose Bautista(notes)
$4 Mark Teahen(notes)
$4 Todd Helton(notes)
$4 Matt LaPorta(notes)
$3 Edwin Encarnacion(notes)
$2 Ryan Raburn(notes)
$2 Maicer Izturis(notes)
$1 Adam Rosales(notes)
$0 Brandon Wood(notes)

Comments: Wood is out of options, so the Angels will have to suffer through this nightmare a little longer. But he looks completely overmatched right now

. … 

Does the Coors Field effect keep Helton out of the Hall of Fame? I respect him as a very good player for many years, but there are scores of very good players who don’t deserve a plaque (Dwight Evans and Graig Nettles are two of my favorites).

I’ve said my piece. Your witness.

If you’re looking for the Justin Smoak(notes) party, please click here and have your photo ID ready.

We’ve been waiting for Clay Buchholz(notes) to become a reliable fantasy starter, if not an ace, for a couple of years now. Based on what he showed us Thursday against the Rangers, he’s pretty close to putting it all together.

Buchholz didn’t get a victory against Texas – the Rangers scratched three runs across in the top of the seventh while Boston was never able to solve C.J. Wilson(notes) and friends – but let’s not get hung up on the decision right now. The exciting thing is that Buchholz had his full arsenal working in this turn and it led to a dazzling 10-strikeout performance. Here, have a look. When Elvis Andrus(notes) heads to the bench shaking his head, he’s speaking for most of the Texas batters. Buchholz has some nasty stuff. "You can’t do too much better than that," said impressed catcher Victor Martinez. "He threw the ball great."

Buchholz now has 17 whiffs in his last two turns and he picked a nice time to find his best form – the Red Sox have a logjam in the rotation now that Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) is ready to pitch again. Buchholz probably had a spot secured before his Thursday start but this effort solidifies things (Tim Wakefield(notes) is headed to the bullpen). And who knows, maybe a strong push to the 2010 season will make Buchholz a hot trade chip again if the Red Sox decide to make another run at Adrian Gonzalez(notes).

The AL East is a hellish place for a pitcher to make his living, but if Buchholz can keep his head on straight, he’s got enough stuff to keep the ERA under 4 and make a run at 170 or more strikeouts. And if he were to get traded out of the division (or out of the league), we’re looking at a must-start pitcher in any format, even in shallow mixed groups. He’s a recommended play at Toronto next week, a team that he beat three times in four starts last season.

• Carlos Guillen(notes) ran into some bad luck Thursday night – he injured his hamstring while on the way home with what should have been an easy run – and he’s headed for the disabled list. It’s not a gigantic loss for mixed leaguers, but Miguel Cabrera(notes) might feel the sting a little bit, losing some protection in the lineup. Brennan Boesch is coming up from Triple-A and will likely fall into a left-field platoon with Ryan Rayburn (Boesch gets the heavy side, Rayburn the lighter side).

Justin Verlander(notes) didn’t break out of his April slump but at least he got a victory for his mediocre effort in Orange County (5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 4 K). Verlander struggled with command for the entire night, which lead to a ton of foul balls (about a quarter of his pitches were fouled off) and a whopping 128 pitches for his short stint. The velocity is still in play and Verlander showed the same problems last April, so we’ll give him a pass for the moment. A home date with Minnesota comes next week.

• Anyone got a theory on Jake Peavy(notes)? We knew the move to the American League was going to be an added challenge for him, but he’s been anything but dominant through four starts (7.66 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 15 K, 15 BB). Peavy blames his early struggles on mechanical issues (doesn’t everybody?) and he thought he made some mild improvements in his Thursday turn, but they don’t show up in the summary. I’ll watch every one of his pitches in Texas next week and try to come up with a diagnosis for you.

• There’s not a lot to say about Milwaukee’s 20-0 tap dance at Pittsburgh; have fun with the box score if you’re tied to some Brewer bats. Pirates starting pitcher Daniel McCutchen(notes) shouldn’t be in the majors right now, obviously, though the Brewers laid the wood to four of the six guys they faced. Octavio Dotel(notes) was pressed into the dreaded "non-leverage inning of work" and made a mess (5 H, 4 R, 30 pitches).

• Mitch Talbot(notes) keeps doing his thing, shutting down the Twins over six innings Thursday (6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K). He keeps the ball on the ground and had respectable strikeout numbers back when he was in the Tampa Bay system, but it’s been a little bit of a Houdini act so far in 2010 (eight walks against six strikeouts over 20 innings). I’m not making a mixed-league pickup here, and I’m not recommending him for Tuesday’s turn at Anaheim, either. If you’re on board with Talbot, please make your best case in the comments.

• We’ve seen four starts from Scott Baker(notes) thus far; two steps forward, two steps back. The Indians kicked him around for 10 hits and six runs Thursday afternoon, pushing his ERA up to 4.81. The strikeout-to-walk rate is in place, as it always is with Baker (15 whiffs, 5 walks), but opponents are squaring up too many of his hittable pitches (line drive rate of 24.1 percent). Unfortunately he misses the Royals this weekend; he’ll work at Detroit next week.

• Dallas Braden(notes) isn’t the easiest pitcher to peg right now; he won his third game Thursday with a strong effort against the Yanks and his ERA and WHIP get your attention (2.77, 0.85), but he hasn’t struck many batters out since that 10-spot in his first turn and he’s allowed four homers in his last three outings. At his best this is probably a poor man’s Mark Buehrle(notes), not a bad place to be but not an automatic addition in every mixed league.

• Another homer and two hits for Miguel Olivo(notes), who’s off to a peppy .303 start. From an offensive standpoint, there’s not much for a reason for the Rockies to waste at-bats on Chris Iannetta(notes) (4-for-27, eight strikeouts) right now.

Not an Injury Blog: Ryan Zimmerman(notes) (calf) didn’t play Thursday and has already been ruled out for Friday. … Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) had a CT scan Thursday and it was discovered that he has hairline fractures in four of his ribs. It’s not clear what this does to his return timetable. … Brad Hawpe(notes) has a sore quad and didn’t play Thursday. Jim Tracy never seems to mind injuries in the outfield, he likes shaping things up anyway. … Manny Ramirez(notes) still has plenty of oomph in his bat but his body looks all of 38 years old. He tweaked his calf injury Thursday and had to leave early; consider him day-to-day through the weekend. Reed Johnson(notes) might be needed for 250-300 at-bats this year as the Dodgers deal with the constant need for a Manny Caddy.

Speed Round: Ubaldo Jimenez(notes) mowed down the Nationals, as you’d expect (7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K), running his record to 4-0. … Does anyone believe that Livan Hernandez(notes) is only 35? Does anyone believe how well he’s pitched through three starts (0.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP)? It’s been mostly a pitch-to-contact miracle, the type of thing you don’t bet on long term, but for the moment, it’s a cute story. … Another hitless day for Clint Barmes(notes), pushing his average down to .205. He should be thankful that Eric Young is off to an even worse start in Triple-A (.163/.255/.245). … Ike Davis(notes) led the way for the Mets (3-for-4, two runs) helping Johan Santana(notes) secure his second win. Tom Gorzelanny(notes) picked up seven strikeouts on the other side, but he also ran up the pitches quickly and couldn’t get out of the sixth (two unearned runs didn’t help. … Anibal Sanchez(notes) got through 6.2 innings at Houston with just one run, but with only one strikeout for the night, I’m not overly impressed. The free-swinging Astros did their best to help (another zero-walk game for those hackers). … Two more steals for Nelson Cruz(notes), who’s starting to have that 30-30 glow about him. … Neftali Feliz(notes) needed the night off for the Rangers so Darren Oliver(notes) got a working man’s save. No need to react to it, gamers . . . If triple plays are your thing, the Yankees defense made your day Thursday. They’re no big deal to me, just an example of what happens when some bad timing hits for the offense.

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Patience is a word that’s thrown around plenty during the opening month of the baseball season. Don’t overreact to a small sample, don’t read too much into two or three weeks of results.

Sounds nice in theory, but the Texas Rangers aren’t buying it.

The Rangers gave us a major personnel change earlier in the month (Neftali Feliz(notes) to the ninth, Frank Francisco(notes) to set-up) and they were at it again Thursday night, sending Chris Davis(notes) down and promoting touted 1B Justin Smoak(notes). Davis’s performance on the field prompted the move: he’s at .188 following an 0-for-3 Thursday, with 17 strikeouts over 48 at-bats. A .311 slugging percentage and one RBI through 15 games doesn’t feed the cat.

Smoak was the 11th overall pick in the 2008 draft and he’s been compared to Mark Teixeira(notes) for a while, though his power hasn’t developed as quickly as most expected. He was off to a strong start in Triple-A (.326/.500/.587, 16 walks against six strikeouts) and you can’t blame the Rangers for wanting to give him a shot now. Even in shallow leagues, this is the type of player you should grab immediately if he’s available. Arlington is a fun place to spent your summer, especially if you’re an offensive player.

We could write more, but right now, the news is the thing. Go do what you need to do.

We head to New Orleans this week, which means good eats and plenty of birdies to go around (your winning score should be in the -13 to -15 range). Let’s check out this week’s form:

A-List: It’s a bit of a ghost town in this slot, with only ten players to choose from (Steve Stricker was a late WD). … I’ve been chasing the Steve Marino first win for a while, and he was in the hunt here last season (T5, two shots back). He’s got a full and consistent stat profile; I fully expect that his second win will come a year or less after the maiden victory. … We haven’t seen Bubba Watson since the Houston event earlier in April, so sharpness cold be a factor. He made a run in New Orleans three years ago (tying for fifth), but nothing happened for him the last two visits (T70, cut). … Stephen Ames is one of the bigger names in this field but he’s had trouble getting adjusted to TPC of Louisiana layout (two trunk slams, after a history of New Orleans success on other courses). … Scott Verplank was rolling along merrily until last week’s surprising missed cut at the Verizon Heritage. He’s cashed in two stops at this particular course, but no deep runs yet. I’m still going to use him off of back class, but I’m hoping my starter can go all four rounds. … Picks: Marino, Verplank.

B-List: Charles Howell III was just one shot off the lead here last year and Louisiana homeboy David Toms was two shots back, good reason to dial both of them up here (even with Toms battling some injury issues). … K.J. Choi faded after a hot start last week and he’s playing for the fifth time in six weeks. He saw this course for the first time last year, finishing T24. … Brian Davis‘s classy move last week buys some cred in this space, and his play before the controversial ending gets him on my sheet. He’s got some experience over the layout (T19, T33) and I like that his scoring average is better than what the component stats would suggest.

Sergio Garcia remains on Pianow suspension until further notice. It’s also his debut at this event, and that’s never a good thing to speculate on. … Could this be the spot for a Briny Baird surprise win? He ran T12 back in 2008 and he’s quietly been in the Top 20 in two of his last three starts this year. … Daniel Chopra has good history at this event (34, 33, 15, MC, 9, 34) but his 2010 resume takes him off my list pretty quickly (nine starts, two cashes). … Picks: Howell, Toms, Davis, Baird.

C-List: Jerry Kelly isn’t getting a lot of fantasy pub this week, but why not? He won here last year. He’s made seven cuts in a row, with three six-figure checks. No need to overthink it, he’s a smart play. … Mike Weir is still putting well, but the rest of his game is a mess right now. I need a show of good faith first. … Justin Rose has played at TPC of Louisiana twice – a missed cut last year and a T17 back in 2005. But based on what I’ve seen from him recently (three deep runs in his last four events on our side of the pond) I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. … Tim Petrovic won here in 2005, but he’s currently sitting 180th on the money list (just three cuts made). No need to get cute, you have better options. … Ben Crane has settled into a solid if unspectacular groove since his win in January. He’s made five cuts in a row, nothing worse than T36 and nothing better than T24. I suppose that makes him a safe play here, but I’d like to swing for more upside. … Picks: Kelly, Rose.

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You’re using catchers this year, right? Okay, let’s price them. Assume a 5×5 format, as always (shame on the founding fathers for ignoring runs scored), and don’t stress too much on any singular dollar value here – the important thing is noting how the players relate to one another.

$25 Joe Mauer(notes)
$22 Victor Martinez(notes)
$21 Brian McCann(notes)

When they ask Martinez what position he plays, he should say "hitter." But he’s going to carry catcher eligibility for a while, no matter what eventually happens to his position.

$17 Jorge Posada(notes)
$16 Matt Wieters(notes)
$15 Kurt Suzuki(notes)
$14 Bengie Molina(notes)
$13 Geovany Soto(notes)

The Orioles are a train wreck, but it’s not the kid’s fault. Let’s hope he sees a team over .500 before too long; catching and losing is an unfair burden for anyone. … Molina probably looks like 4-5 guys on your weekend softball team. You want players like this in your bunker. … Suzuki’s counting stats get a boost from the heavy workload the A’s throw his way. Let’s just hope they don’t break him down early in his career.

$12 Russell Martin(notes)
$11 Ryan Doumit(notes)
$10 Yadier Molina(notes)
$10 Miguel Montero(notes)
$9 Miguel Olivo(notes)
$8 Mike Napoli(notes)
$8 Carlos Santana(notes)
$8 A.J. Pierzynski(notes)

Yadier Molina is another backstop getting run into the ground, but I’m sure the genius knows what he’s doing. Molina played six days in a row (one of the games was 20 flipping innings) before getting Tuesday off. … There’s no universal right answer with the Santanas and the Poseys; it depends on the scope of your league, the value of your bench spots, how competitive the waiver wire is, etc. Gotta take it on a case-by-case basis. … Montero’s just a shot in the dark; I loved him in March, like we all did.

$6 Ivan Rodriguez(notes)
$5 Jeff Clement(notes)
$4 Chris Iannetta(notes)
$4 John Baker(notes)
$4 Buster Posey(notes)

I’m not going to totally bury Clement yet because if he’s able to snap out of this funk he immediately becomes uber-valuable as a faux-catcher. … There’s always a stat-defense for Iannetta, or an excuse, but I’ll be surprised if he’s able to get anything past a time share with Olivo this summer.

$3 Rod Barajas(notes)
$3 Ramon Hernandez(notes)
$3 Carlos Ruiz(notes)
$2 Jarrod Saltalamacchia(notes)
$2 Chris Snyder(notes)
$2 Ronny Paulino(notes)
$2 Nick Hundley(notes)

I think Hundley could handle a regular catching gig (at least for our stat-grab purposes) but it’s not happening yet. … Anyone else sick of waiting on Salty? . . . Baker is what he is, a useful part-timer but in a mixed league where just one catcher goes to post, you need to be above him on the list. … A few people got excited when Snyder fell into a full-time gig, but I don’t see it. Go look at those career totals again.

$1 Kelly Shoppach(notes)
$1 John Buck(notes)
$1 Jeff Mathis(notes)
$1 Jason Varitek(notes)
$1 Jason Kendall(notes)
$1 J.R. Towles(notes)
$1 Dioner Navarro(notes)
$0 Rob Johnson(notes)
$0 Gregg Zaun(notes)
$0 Gerald Laird(notes)

I refuse to rank Taylor Teagarden(notes) until he actually gets a hit. Your witness.

Mike Pelfrey(notes) is headed for the Rotisserie Record Books, and he’s got an eraser in his hand. After all, he’s on pace for 34 wins and 11 saves, miraculous numbers considering he plays for a 6-8 Mets ballclub. This is the season you’re going to tell your grandchildren about. All aboard the Pelfrey bandwagon, seats are filling up quickly.

Nothing in that first graph is intended to be taken seriously – a little hyperbole goes a long way on a Wednesday morning – but there is a case to be made for Pelfrey. He was masterful in dispatching of the Cubs Tuesday (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K) and there are logical explanations for a possible growth year. He’s a former No. 1 pick (2005, ninth overall). He’s using a split-fingered fastball as a put-away pitch and he’s also improved his slider. He worked with a sports psychologist in the offseason (don’t discount this out of hand; Pelfrey’s attitude on the mound has gotten the best of him in the past). He’s still just 26.

"My confidence, after every start, is improving," Pelfrey said after Tuesday’s win.

"He is probably close to where he was after the All-Star break two years ago, and that is a dominant right-handed pitcher," Jerry Manuel said.

Dominant? Seems like a stretch, even if the small sample of stats do support it. As for the video, you be the judge (here’s the Pelfrey highlight package). But here’s the bottom line: every season there are pitchers who come out of the woodwork to become stars and game-changers for fantasy. Sometimes there’s no warning or clues to these breakouts, but usually there’s something that you could point to, even if it’s merely after the fact. You can make a case for Pelfrey’s breakthrough coming in 2010, and that’s why he should be owned in all mixed leagues. There’s a chance he’s one of the bigger profit players of the year. Once you see a plausible argument supporting the player, don’t overthink it – just grab him and see where it goes.

Pelfrey’s next start is a home turn against the Braves on the weekend. I’m making no guarantees when he heads to Philadelphia next week.

• Jonathan Sanchez(notes) and Mat Latos(notes) hooked up for seven tidy innings at San Diego; Sanchez was more dominant (1 H, 10 K) in his stint, but he allowed a single run while Latos (4 H, 1 BB, 2 K) posted bagels. The strikeout potential and experience advantage makes Sanchez the more valuable play going forward, but Latos deserves to be considered as a spot-play when the matchup is right. I wouldn’t use him Sunday at Cincinnati if that’s where he slots, but if the Padres hold him off until the Monday game at Florida, I’ll sign off on Latos.

• Joe Girardi surprisingly did not manage by the save rule at Oakland; the Athletics were still one baserunner away from putting the tying run on deck but Girardi brought Mariano Rivera(notes) in anyway to wrap things up. On one hand it’s somewhat refreshing to see a manager occasionally deviate from the idea that a statistic’s definition should mandate all of your substitution patterns, but you could also argue that Rivera wasn’t needed on this night. Joba Chamberlain(notes) impressed in a set-up role, striking out three of the four men he faced.

• Kyle Kendrick(notes) had the pitch-to-contact thing working in Atlanta (eight scoreless innings), then it all felt apart in the bullpen. Ryan Madson(notes) had a bombastic blown save, allowing a two-run homer to Troy Glaus(notes) and a solo shot to Jason Heyward(notes), and Jose Contreras(notes) ended the game by serving up a gopher ball to Nate McLouth(notes) in the tenth. It’s only the first blown save of the year for Madson but he’s only had a single 1-2-3 inning over seven appearances. Brad Lidge(notes) isn’t far from a return, as you know.

• Jeremy Hermida(notes) becomes an outfielder of interest in Boston now that Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) and Mike Cameron(notes) are both on the disabled list. Hermida homered for the second straight game Tuesday. The other outfield fill is a little more hazy; Josh Reddick(notes) batted ninth and started in center field Tuesday (one hit, two RBIs), then gave way to journeyman Darnell McDonald(notes) (homer, game-winning single).

As we discussed earlier in the evening, the Rangers ran wild at Fenway (nine steals) and they got plenty of baserunners (eight hits, nine walks), but they also left 11 men on base and weren’t able to score after the fifth inning. Nelson Cruz(notes) tweaked his hamstring and had to leave the game, but he’s optimistic that he’ll be able to go Wednesday.

• Chad Billingsley(notes) was knocked around for the second straight game, not that pitchers struggling in Cincinnati is any new thing. He’s got some ugly numbers on the young season (7.07 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, .351 BAA) but Joe Torre says his rotation spot isn’t in jeopardy. There’s still stuff in that right arm – Billingsley has 14 strikeouts in 14 innings – but he’s also walked seven batters. Keep in mind Billingsley pitched so poorly in the second half of 2009, the Dodgers bounced him from the playoff rotation and went with Vicente Padilla(notes) instead.

The story is almost identical for Homer Bailey(notes), Cincinnati’s starter. He’s also got an ERA over 7, he’s also walking too many men (9 in 15.2 IP) and he’s also teasing us with some strikeouts (13). "I’m not very big on personal stats," said Bailey, noting the Reds won Tuesday’s game, 11-9. "As long as we get the win when I’m out there, that’s what’s important." Bailey obviously doesn’t realize that he’s taking thousands of fantasy teams down with his mediocre pitching.

• Every major league club is capable of supporting a closer so long as the manager pays homage to the save rule and uses one guy as the designated stat-grabber. That’s the case in Houston, where Matt Lindstrom(notes) is the man for the ninth; he’s quickly picked up three saves as the Astros have four wins over the last week.

The Houston offense got Lance Berkman(notes) back against Florida Tuesday and although he didn’t go bananas in his return (1-for-4, two RBIs) the Astros did have a rare outbreak of offense (seven runs, a homer, two steals, even three walks, which is a lot for them). Carlos Lee(notes) and Hunter Pence(notes), the two hitters behind Berkman in the Houston order, figure to benefit the most here.

• The Orioles are a team you can definitely gang up on for streaming purposes, at least when the schedule falls into line (Baltimore gets the Red Sox and Yankees after the current Seattle series; most of the arms there are owned). Baltimore is the lowest-scoring lug in the American League thus far (don’t blame Wiggy, it’s not his fault), and they’re also a woeful 2-13 as we hit the middle of Week 3.

• Scott Olsen(notes) shouldn’t be pitching for a major league club, something the Rockies were more than happy to remind him off Tuesday (2 IP, 7 H, 6 R). Carlos Gonzalez(notes) got the day off against the Washington lefty, which is a shame everyone in the Colorado lineup finished with some production in the 10-4 victory.

• The Twins looked like a tough matchup for Justin Masterson(notes) on paper and that’s how it played out on the field, though Masterson was let down by his defense (4 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 6 K). If Asdrubal Cabrera(notes) converts what appeared to be a routine double-play grounder in the third, we’d looking at a much different result. It will be interesting to see what Masterson can do at Anaheim next week; although the Angels have their share of quality left-handed batters, I’d probably give him a play here.

Speed Round: Life as Nick Johnson(notes) these days: .146 average, .407 on-base percentage. Hey, he’s doing what they want him to do, and he hasn’t gotten hurt yet. … Ian Kinsler(notes) (ankle) did some running Tuesday and says he feels great. … Garrett Jones(notes) went 0-for-3 with a walk, pushing his average below .200. He has just one extra-base hit (a double) since the second day of the season. … The Jays continue to manufacture save situations; Kevin Gregg(notes) retired three of four men to put the Royals away Tuesday. But any victory over Kansas City when Scott Podsednik(notes) isn’t playing simply should not count. … John Danks(notes) has been sharp in all three of his starts, and when you mow down the Tampa lineup (a two-hitter over eight innings, one run, nine strikeouts), you’ve really done something. The revitalized Andruw Jones(notes) backed the Chicago offense, getting two hits including his fourth homer. … Chad Qualls(notes) wants everyone to know that he’s fine; he put down the Cardinals 1-2-3, picking up two strikeouts and his second save. … Kelly Johnson(notes) batted leadoff for the second straight day; obviously the Conor Jackson(notes) DL news was a boost to KJ’s immediate value. … Cliff Lee(notes) (abdomen) is scheduled for a Triple-A rehab start this weekend. … News of a PED suspension raced around the internet Tuesday; it was a relief for most of us when we found out the flag was on Edinson Volquez(notes), who’s already out of our 2010 plans due to Tommy John surgery.

Just how much does Mike Scioscia not want to play Mike Napoli(notes)? We’re about to find out.

The Angels got the worst possible news on Jeff Mathis(notes) Tuesday – he’s got a broken bone in his right wrist and early speculation says he’ll miss 6-8 weeks. Mathis was off to a roaring start at the plate (10-game hitting streak) and it’s well-documented that Scioscia would rather play Mathis than Napoli because of their defensive skills (Mathis has them, Napoli doesn’t).

Now the skipper’s hand is basically forced – Napoli should settle in as the everyday catcher. Yahoo! owners were busy dropping Napoli the last week or so, with good reason, but it’s time to jump back in. Bobby Wilson(notes) is the other catcher on the Los Angeles roster; he carried a .271/.316/.398 line over 354 at-bats at Triple-A Salt Lake last year. Unless Wilson can convince the Angels brass that he’s the second coming of Matt Wieters(notes) Johnny Bench, Napoli is set to get his chance.

The Napoli Era has is off to a slow start Tuesday – he’s 0-for-2 through four innings with a strikeout and double-play grounder. He’s also batting ninth in the order, not surprisingly. But there aren’t that many catchers that can push 20-plus homers if given regular playing time, and Napoli is one of them. Kick the tires here, give him a shot.

If you feel like stealing a base tonight, head down to Fenway Park. The Red Sox are handing them out like Halloween candy, and the Rangers are happy to take advantage.

Boston has been basically defenseless when it comes to stopping anyone’s running game this year – throwing out just 1-of-23 runners into Tuesday night – and things get more messy when you have Tim Wakefield’s(notes) knuckler on the hill. Armed with this information, Texas hit the ground running Tuesday, picking up an insane nine steals over the first six innings. Poor Victor Martinez(notes), he’s had a rough go of it.

Elvis Andrus(notes) and Nelson Cruz(notes) led the running parade with three steals each, Vladimir Guerrero(notes) swiped a couple, and Rotisserie whipping boy Julio Borbon(notes) picked up one as well. If this game goes on long enough, Bump Wills might get a couple of swipes in. It’s the most steals the Red Sox have allowed in a game since 1913, and we’ve still got three innings to play.

Often these types of bag runs are fueled by a bunch of double steals, but that hasn’t been the case tonight – just one instance of players running at the same time. Bottom line, Texas identified a flaw and its taking full advantage.

For those looking to exploit this weakness for fantasy purposes, have a look at the Boston schedule. Texas gets two more games on the Merry-Go-Round, then it’s Baltimore, Toronto, Baltimore again, Los Angeles and New York.

We hyped Casey Kotchman(notes) for years, we chased him, we cursed him, and we gave up on him. But he’s still just 27, and maybe it’s time to get the post-hype file open.

The Mariners handed Kotchman the first-base job into 2010 and they haven’t been expecting the world; he bats seventh most of the time, even against right-handed pitching. But the Mariners might be ready to rethink that position, given that they’re scrambling for offense and Kotchman has been one of their better hitters thus far. He homered for the second straight game Monday en route to a 2-for-4 night, upping his line to .286/.367/.595 for the year.

That zesty slugging percentage immediately grabs your attention. Kotchman’s career slugging is a paltry .410, which shouldn’t get you on the field at any position, let alone a corner infield slot. But there are different paths to glory (or usefulness) in this professional baseball racket, and let’s not forget how highly regarded Kotchman was in MLB circles a few years back (the Angels played him in front of Kendry Morales(notes); the Braves targeted him in the Mark Teixeira(notes) trade).

There’s nothing fluky about Kotchman’s early power – his line-drive rate is an impressive 22.9 percent. He’s always had a sharp batting eye and that hasn’t changed (six walks, four strikeouts). Maybe this is a grow-up season for the guy who drove us crazy all those years.

• The Citi Field crowd was in good spirits Monday night, eager to cheer for a first baseman not named Mike Jacobs(notes). Fresh rookie Ike Davis(notes) came through with two singles and an RBI in four trips, batting out of the No. 6 slot. He’s Ron Davis’s kid, don’t you know, which probably earns him some extra cred in New York. The rookie will probably see a diet of breaking pitches given the way he ducked away from one Sean Marshall(notes) bender, but hey, Davis went on to single later in the at-bat. If I were ranking all the first basemen right now for a Shuffle Up, I’d give Davis a price in the $6-7 range.

• David Ortiz(notes) is not the only Boston hitter in a funk right now, but we focus on his troubles because he might be the regular in this lineup who’s closest to the cliff portion of his career. Ortiz over the last two years has been most dangerous at home and against right-handed pitching, but that hasn’t helped him this far in 2010 (.158/.238/.289). Now things get tricky, headed out to the road and set to face three lefties in three days (Matt Harrison(notes), C.J. Wilson(notes) and the dazzling Brian Matusz(notes)). Anyone feeling a comeback story from Papi here? I’m bullish.

• Ty Wigginton(notes) gave us the Wiggy Hat Trick on Monday, a homer, an error and a strikeout. He’s also qualifying at three infield spots and he’s got five quick homers for the year (on just 34 at-bats), so we’ll gladly take the good with the bad. He’s been in the No. 2 slot the past two games.

• Tampa Bay’s loaded roster makes it difficult for a younger player to get noticed sometimes and that was more or less the story with Jeff Niemann(notes) this spring. His dominant form from camp has carried over to the real games, with the latest strong outing coming Marathon Day in Boston (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K). Niemann got away with more fly balls than usual in this start (12 batted balls in the air, against six on the ground) but we’ll take that line every day of the week. Home days with the Blue Jays and Royals await.

• Dontrelle Willis(notes) hans’t completely blown up through three starts (4.24 ERA) but I’m not endorsing this guy in any format. The 1.59 WHIP suggests rockier times are ahead, and he’s got a modest nine strikeouts over 17 innings – he bears little resemblance to the power arm we saw in the early Florida days. Willis’s Monday turn in Anaheim was effective (6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K) in part because home plate umpire Mark Wegner was friendly with borderline strikes on both sides of the plate (the entire game saw just two walks, in fact). I’ll be stunned if the Rangers don’t put up a big number against Willis this weekend.

• Anyone willing to stump for Seattle right-hander Doug Fister(notes)? He’s been sharp in his last two outings, the latest coming Monday against Baltimore (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 B, 3 K). He’s a funny guy to watch, a finesse pitcher that stands 6-foot-8; he can’t throw the ball by many hitters, but he’s always around the plate with his high-80s heater. I’ll put him in the spot-start file, especially when he’s at home and against a modest opponent, but I’m not risking him Sunday at Chicago, no matter that the White Sox aren’t hitting right now. If everything clicks for Fister this year, maybe this is another Jarrod Washburn(notes) story, coming at you from the other side of the mound. (I’d like to trade credit for the Washburn comp, but it’s straight from Dave Cameron over at U.S.S. Mariner.)

Speed Round: Ted Lilly(notes) (knee, shoulder) was super in his Single-A rehab start (7 IP, 1 R) and might start for the Cubs this weekend at Milwaukee. I’d watch his start with interest, but there’s very few starting pitchers I’d use immediately coming off the DL. … Brian Fuentes(notes) (back) had a clean inning of work in his rehab assignment Monday. In the meantime, Fernando Rodney(notes) has been closing very well, thank you. … Cliff Lee(notes) will throw a simulated game Tuesday and a rehab assignment could be next up. … Reid Brignac(notes) (8-for-22, .591 slugging) just needs a place to play, and perhaps the terrible start from Sean Rodriguez(notes) will open things up. … Dioner Navarro(notes) has the Tampa Bay catching job all to himself while Kelly Shoppach(notes) rehabs, not that there’s any real fantasy utility here. Navarro will bat ninth in the Tampa order and he’s carrying a .162 average with him. … The Nationals have seven victories and Matt Capps(notes) has saved six of them. Let’s hear it for efficiency.

Jeff Mathis(notes) extended his hitting streak to ten games and the Angels won again, so don’t look for a lot of Mike Napoli(notes) anytime soon. Sorry it went down like this, but someone had to lose. … Russell Branyan(notes) (back) is ready to return to the Indians, which means Michael Brantley(notes) will go back to the minors. … Brandon Morrow(notes) looked super against the Royals (7 H, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K) but unfortunately Kansas City has not transferred to the AL East. If Morrow can get it done in Tampa this weekend, I’ll reevaluate. … A bad hamstring puts Conor Jackson(notes) on the disabled list and Gerardo Parra(notes) back in the Arizona lineup (Rico Suave name-drop rules apply). … Mike McCoy(notes) is on a 6-for-12 run with three steals over the past five days, but he’ll be back on the bench when Aaron Hill(notes) returns (likely this weekend). … Let’s give the final handshake of the night to Eric Gagne(notes), who called it quits Monday. He goes to the couch with 187 career saves, and from 2002-04 he was probably the best fantasy closer in the game.