| Players of the Week: 22 - 29 |
| American League |
| Jermaine Dye / Mariano Rivera |
 | Team: Chicago White Sox / New York Yankees |
| Pos: RF / Closer |
| Stats: Dye led the majors with a .500 avg., 25 TB and four 2B and notched three HR and six RBI. Rivera Rivera collected three saves while posting a 0.00 ERA with six strikeouts and recorded his 500th career save. |
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| National League |
| Hanley Ramirez / Chad Gaudin |
 | Team: Florida Marlins / San Diego Padres |
| Pos: Shortstop / Starter |
| Stats: Ramirez led the NL with 15 RBI and 22 TB, tied for first with three HR and ranked third with a .846 slugging percentage. Gaudin went 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA, allowing two earned runs and recording 20 strikeouts in his 15.0 innings. |
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Alphabetical Listing
Position Listing
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Fantasy Updates
  Manny ready to return Friday night
Manny Ramirez, LF LA
News: Manny Ramirez will be back in big leagues on Friday night after a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy. It'll be the start of the Fourth of July weekend, and thousands of blue-clad Los Angeles Dodgers fans are expected to be at sold-out Petco Park to support the dreadlocked slugger in the opener of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres.
Analysis: Ramirez should regain his status as elite Fantasy outfielder immediately upon his return. Few hitters offer his combination of batting average and power, so plan to get him active in all leagues for Fantasy Week 14 (July 6-12). In daily lineup leagues, he's ready to be activated immediately.
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 Dice-K to being strength training
Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP BOS
News: Boston right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka will be going to Florida on Monday to begin a strengthening program that the Red Sox hope will get him back to the big leagues later this season. Red Sox manager Terry Francona said there was no timetable for his return. Francona also isn't sure how long Matsuzaka will be in Fort Myers, the team's spring training home.
Analysis: Matsuzaka was 1-5 with an 8.23 ERA and an opponents' batting average of .378 before going on the disabled list June 21. He's been out with a shoulder strain, and the Red Sox have said he hasn't been right since helping Japan win the World Baseball Classic. The Japanese star was 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA and a major league-best .211 batting average against last season and is worth stashing in all leagues in the hopes he can regain that form.
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Encarnacion activated off 60-day DL
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B CIN
News: The Reds activated third baseman Edwin Encarnacion from the 60-day disabled list Friday to replace infielder Danny Richar, who went on the 15-day disabled list with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Wilkin Castillo, who had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, was moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day to make room for Encarnacion on the 40-man roster.
Analysis: Encarnacion, who'd been on the disabled list since April 28 with a chip fracture in his left wrist, was not in Friday's starting lineup. He was hitting .127 with one homer and six RBI in 19 games when he was injured. He hit .270 with two home runs and eight RBI in 11 rehab appearances at Triple-A Louisville. He could be worth activating for Fantasy Week 14 (July 6-12), but unless you need immediate help at the hot corner, you might want to bench him for one more scoring period just in case the Reds ease him back into action.
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Posada remains sidelined Friday
Jorge Posada, C NYY
News: Jorge Posada missed a second straight game Friday afternoon in the opening game of a four-game series against Toronto. He suffered a bruised thumb Wednesday night against Seattle.
Analysis: The Yankees still consider Posada day to day, but likely took the chance to rest Posada one more day to make sure the injury does not get any worst. Fantasy owners should expect him to return at some point during the series against Toronto, very possibly on Saturday. Posada has been available to pinch hit.
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Burnett strikes out seven in win
A.J. Burnett, SP NYY
News: A.J. Burnett scattered six hits over seven innings as the Yankees opened a four-game series with a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Burnett (7-4), who lost to his former team at Toronto on May 12, allowed both runs, struck out seven and walked two.
Analysis: Burnett got his first three strikeouts on 96 mph fastballs, then rung up his final four with curveballs in the low 80s. Burnett has been on an absolute tear in his last four starts with seven or more strikeouts in each game and just three earned runs in that span. He is pitching well enough to be considered an elite pitcher in all leagues again. His next start is slated for June 8 at Minnesota.
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 Soriano returns, continues to struggle
Alfonso Soriano, LF CHC
News: Struggling Alfonso Soriano returned to the Cubs lineup Friday against Milwaukee after missing two games. He went 0 for 5 and is in an 0 for 12 slide.
Analysis: Soriano hasn't homered since June 7 and is in an extended funk. However, he has the ability to go on an extended hot streak at any point and Fantasy owners have to have a significant replacement option before even beginning to think about reserving him in even smaller leagues. Soriano is a player that deserves your patience due to his track record.
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Suppan pitches well in no decision
Jeff Suppan, SP MIL
News: Jeff Suppan yielded four hits and a run in seven innings Friday against Milwaukee. It was his longest outing of the season. He struck out four batters and walked two in a no decision.
Analysis: Suppan was coming off a rough outing against San Francisco in which he allowed five runs. He has not recorded a win since June 12, a span of four starts without a win. Fantasy owners should consider him a risky play for NL-only leagues in the upcoming scoring period when he will face a tough Cardinals lineup.
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Zambrano goes seven in no decision
Carlos Zambrano, SP CHC
News: Carlos Zambrano gave up five hits and a run in six innings Friday against Milwaukee. He did not factor in the final decision, striking out three batters and walking three in the outing.
Analysis: Zambrano has not won in five starts since June 5. He has pitched seven or more innings in four of his last five starts and is pitching well enough to be used in most leagues. However, he is no longer pitching at the level of elite Fantasy pitchers. View him as a solid, but unspectacular option for the time being. His next start is slated for June 8 against Atlanta.
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Rolen keeps hitting streak rolling
Scott Rolen, 3B TOR
News: Scott Rolen singled Friday at the Yankees to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 20 games. He went 1 for 4 and has had one hit in six of his last eight games.
Analysis: Rolen is still not hitting for power, but continues to make up for it with average. He ranks second in the American League in batting average (.332) and should be considered a solid play in any format at the moment.
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Teixeira on long home run drought
Mark Teixeira, 1B NYY
News: Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira has gone 68 at-bats without a home run since June 12. He went 1 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and a strikeout Friday against Toronto.
Analysis: Teixeira still ranks second in the American League in home runs with 20 and it is only a matter of time until he gets his power stroke going again. Playing at the launching pad that is the new Yankee Stadium, he should stumble into a home run any day now. Continue to view him as an elite 1B option in all Fantasy formats.
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Wells responds well to lineup drop
Vernon Wells, CF TOR
News: Vernon Wells, dropped to No. 6 in the starting batting order for the first time since June 3, 2005, hit a long homer Friday in New York. He entered in a 2-for-19 slide. "If I want to get back to the position I'm used to hitting, I've got to do a better job," Wells said.
Analysis: Wells can be a solid starting OF in Fantasy play when he's hitting up to his potential, but he's been on a downhill slide most of the season. He has the ability to go on a hot streak and Fantasy owners who have chosen to reserve him through his struggles can start to think about activating him again.
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Coke pitching in late innings
Phil Coke, RP NYY
News: Phil Coke and Phil Hughes split the eighth inning Friday against Toronto, with Hughes retiring Vernon Wells on an inning-ending grounder with a runner on second. For now, Hughes has supplanted struggling Brian Bruney as Mariano Rivera's primary setup man. "We need to get [Bruney] going, and we need to get him right," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're going to pick some innings, and they'll still be important innings."
Analysis: Coke has allowed just one run in his last 10 outings. He has picked up a hold in four of his last six outings with strikeouts in five of those outings. Coke is a decent option in deeper AL-only formats that reward true middle men.
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Bruney removed from setup role
Brian Bruney, RP NYY
News: Phil Coke and Phil Hughes split the eighth inning Friday against Toronto, with Hughes retiring Vernon Wells on an inning-ending grounder with a runner on second. For now, Hughes has supplanted struggling Brian Bruney as Mariano Rivera's primary setup man. "We need to get [Bruney] going, and we need to get him right," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're going to pick some innings, and they'll still be important innings."
Analysis: Since he's been shifted from the rotation to the bullpen in early June, Hughes has gained 3-4 mph on his fastball to 95-96. "I can let it go," he said. He is still considered to be a starter in the long term, but the Yankees feel he can help them in this role for now. He'll be worth starting in larger Rotisserie formats for his help in ERA and WHIP with solid strikeout totals for a reliever. Bruney is someone who can regain that role at some point this season, but who is only worth activating in deeper AL-only formats through his struggles.
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Hughes now considered setup man
Phil Hughes, SP NYY
News: Phil Coke and Phil Hughes split the eighth inning Friday against Toronto, with Hughes retiring Vernon Wells on an inning-ending grounder with a runner on second. For now, Hughes has supplanted struggling Brian Bruney as Mariano Rivera's primary setup man. "We need to get [Bruney] going, and we need to get him right," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're going to pick some innings, and they'll still be important innings."
Analysis: Since he's been shifted from the rotation to the bullpen in early June, Hughes has gained 3-4 mph on his fastball to 95-96. "I can let it go," he said. He is still considered to be a starter in the long term, but the Yankees feel he can help them in this role for now. He'll be worth starting in larger Rotisserie formats for his help in ERA and WHIP with solid strikeout totals for a reliever.
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Conrad called up by Braves
Brooks Conrad, 2B ATL
News: Struggling Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with right wrist tendinitis. The move was made before Atlanta opened a three-game weekend series against the Washington Nationals on Friday. To take Johnson's place on the roster, the Braves purchased the contract of infielder Brooks Conrad from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Analysis: Braves manager Bobby Cox said Johnson's recent slump could be traced to the wrist problem. He's on a 9 for 74 skid that has dropped his batting average to .214. He had been losing at bats to Martin Prado and is not worth stashing outside of NL-only leagues at this stage. Conrad was hitting .259 with nine home runs and 38 RBI. His 46 runs scored ranked fifth in the International League. He is not expected to play a major role at the major league level and is only worth taking a flier on in NL-only leagues.
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Struggling Johnson placed on DL
Kelly Johnson, 2B ATL
News: Struggling Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with right wrist tendinitis. The move was made before Atlanta opened a three-game weekend series against the Washington Nationals on Friday.
Analysis: Braves manager Bobby Cox said Johnson's recent slump could be traced to the wrist problem. He's on a 9 for 74 skid that has dropped his batting average to .214. He had been losing at bats to Martin Prado and is not worth stashing outside of NL-only leagues at this stage.
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