The Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every weekend, we provide you with favorable and unfavorable matchups as well as lineup changes for each team.
Weather planner: Taking into account all games with at least a 50 percent chance of precipitation according to Weather.com, the following games could potentially get rained out: Detroit at Chicago White Sox (50 percent chance) on Monday and San Francisco at Florida (50 percent chance) on Monday.
Interleague play returns over the weekend, so any AL team that travels to the NL will lose a hitter, and any NL team that travels to the AL will gain one. If a team plays on the road this weekend, you'll notice a new section, "Interleague Effect," added to its news and notes. That section will offer a best guess as to which players will lose or gain at-bats as a result of interleague play.
This week's news and notes for each team:
Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: @SD1, SF3, HOU3
Heating
Up: Mark Reynolds is batting .346
(9-for-26) over his last seven games and continues to play a big role on
the base paths with two stolen bases during that stretch. He's a
must-start in at least Rotisserie leagues, if not Head-to-Head. Stephen Drew is showing signs of coming around, batting .317
(13-for-41) during a 10-game hitting streak. Get him active.
Cooling
Off: Felipe Lopez hasn't hit
particularly well since returning from a hamstring injury, batting .194
(6-for-31) in eight games. He's not necessarily a must-start, but you'd
better have a good alternative if you decide to sit him.
Injury
Concerns: Conor Jackson (illness)
and Chad A. Tracy (oblique) will both be
eligible to come off the DL soon, but neither appears on the verge of
returning. Keep them reserved in NL-only leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face two left-handed pitchers this
week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: Chris B. Young finally
showed some signs of life by homering and stealing two bases Saturday.
He, Eric Byrnes and Gerardo Parra are apparently rotating between two outfield spots, with
Parra getting the most playing time. Ryan Roberts
continues to get most of the starts at third base with Tracy on the DL,
bumping Mark Reynolds over to first
base. Roberts is batting second right now, giving him some low-end
viability in NL-only leagues.
Atlanta Braves
Schedule: PIT4, @BAL3
Heating Up:
Nobody's performing above expectations.
Cooling Off: New
acquisition Nate McLouth hasn't had time
to right the ship with Atlanta, but he's batting only .136 (6-for-44)
over his last 13 games. You shouldn't bench him, though.
Injury
Concerns: Chipper Jones left
Saturday's game with dizziness, which doesn't sound like more than a
day-to-day issue, but you never know with him. Unless a worse prognosis
comes out Sunday, keep him active. Casey Kotchman
might have to go on the DL with a bruised shin. Even if he can make his
return this week, it won't happen until later in the week, so get him
out of your lineup. Martin Prado has
started in his absence but doesn't have the power to matter outside of
NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face three
left-handers this week, but Garret Anderson
and Kelly Johnson rarely sit against
them these days.
Lineup Changes: McLouth takes over as the
Braves' everyday center fielder, batting third in front of Jones. The
Braves sent Jordan Schafer to the minor
leagues, so you don't have to worry about him ruining your batting
average in NL-only leagues anymore. The McLouth acquisition pushes Brian McCann down to fifth and Anderson down to sixth, not that
either player's appeal changes much as a result.
Interleague
Effect: The Braves will use their DH spot either to rest McCann or
to give Matt Diaz some extra at-bats.
Diaz probably still won't see enough at-bats to matter outside of deeper
NL-only leagues.
Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: SEA3, ATL3
Heating
Up: Luke Scott didn't slow down much
after his torrid first week back from the DL. He's batting .455
(5-for-11) with two home runs in his last three games and should start
in all Fantasy leagues until he cools off.
Cooling Off: Brian Roberts is batting .080 (2-for-25) over his last six games, but
you should never bench him. Matt Wieters
hasn't made much of an impression yet, batting .167, but at the weak
catcher position, you might as well stick with him.
Injury
Concerns: Cesar Izturis needed an
appendectomy and will go on the DL, not that he mattered outside of
deeper AL-only leagues. Robert Andino,
who's even worse, will start in his absence. Felix Pie left Saturday's game after a foul ball bounced off the
ground and hit him in the throat. He's just a reserve these days anyway.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Orioles face two left-handed pitchers this week,
but Scott has gotten to play against them of late. The Orioles might try
to find some other way to get Ty Wigginton
into the lineup.
Lineup Changes: None
Boston Red Sox
Schedule: NYY3, @PHI3
Heating Up: Dustin Pedroia recently moved to the leadoff spot and began playing
more like a leadoff hitter, swiping three bases in his last seven games.
He's not hitting any better than he normally does, though.
Cooling
Off: Kevin Youkilis has battled
injuries lately, and his batting average has suffered as a result. He's
batting .200 (3-for-15) over his last five games, which isn't reason
enough to sit a player like him.
Injury Concerns: J.D. Drew sat out Saturday with general soreness. He's not seriously
injured, though, and actually has some sleeper potential as the Red
Sox's No. 2 hitter.
Platoon Possibilities: This week wouldn't
be the best time to start Drew, however. The Red Sox face three
left-handers, and he often sits against them in favor of Rocco Baldelli.
Lineup Changes: The Red Sox have moved
Pedroia to the leadoff spot, making Drew the No. 2 hitter and dropping Jacoby Ellsbury to the bottom third of the order. Ellsbury loses some
value with the move, but he still hits for a high enough batting average
and steals enough bases to start in all Fantasy formats.
Interleague
Effect: David Ortiz can barely play
first base, and his hitting of late doesn't give the Red Sox any reason
to force the issue. Expect him to sit for the three games at
Philadelphia.
Chicago Cubs
Schedule: @HOU3, MIN3
Heating Up: Derrek Lee is batting .409 (9-for-22) with one home run over his last
six games. He hit .313 with a .955 OPS in May and again looks like a
must-start after struggling in April.
Cooling Off: Kosuke Fukudome already has to overcome a lefty-righty platoon to have
Fantasy significance, and now he's batting .194 (7-for-36) over his last
14 games. He's barely hanging on in mixed leagues.
Injury
Concerns: Milton Bradley, who's out
with a strained calf, is likely to return Tuesday at Houston, but
knowing him, he'll just injure something else when he returns. You
should probably keep him reserved in mixed leagues. Aaron Miles is likely to return from a shoulder injury, but he's just
a part-time player.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face two
left-handed pitchers this week, meaning Fukudome will likely sit twice
for Reed Johnson.
Lineup Changes:
None of permanence.
Chicago White Sox
Schedule: DET5, @MIL3
Heating
Up: Scott Podsednik, getting a
chance to play every day again after two years as a part-timer, is
batting .333 (13-for-39) with four stolen bases over his last nine
games. A.J. Pierzynski is batting .436
(17-for-39) over his last 11 games and should start in all leagues since
the White Sox have a heavy schedule this week.
Cooling Off: Paul Konerko is batting .125 (3-for-24) over his last seven games,
dropping his season average under .300. He's not exactly a must-start in
mixed leagues, but he's not cold enough that you absolutely shouldn't
start him either.
Injury Concerns: The White Sox still don't
have a timetable for Carlos Quentin's
return, so keep him reserved in all leagues. He's dealing with plantar
fasciitis.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox face only two
left-handers in their eight games this week. Jayson Nix will likely start those games instead of Chris Getz. Dewayne Wise certainly
won't start those games, but he and Brian N. Anderson aren't in a strict platoon since Anderson often starts
against right-handed pitchers.
Lineup Changes: The White Sox
have called up shortstop prospect Gordon Beckham,
and he'll likely start at least four or five games a week, filling in
for Josh D. Fields at third base and
Getz at second. He has the most upside of the three and is worth a flier
in all leagues given his power potential at a weak position. He's not
worth starting until he does something, though.
Interleague
Effect: Jim Thome can't really play
the field anymore, so the White Sox have no choice but to sit him for
their series at Milwaukee.
Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: @WAS3, @KC3
Heating
Up: Brandon Phillips hasn't had any
trouble playing with a broken bone in his right thumb. He's batting .290
(9-for-31) with three home runs in nine games since returning and
remains a must-start.
Cooling Off: Jay Bruce's slump has reached epic proportions. He's batting .212
on the season and is 6-for-52 (.115) over his last 15 games. Sit him in
mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Willy Taveras continues to miss time with a sore hamstring and
doesn't appear on the verge of returning. Chris Dickerson is starting in his absence. Joey Votto remains on the DL because of "stress-related issues" and
won't return when eligible June 14. Continue to reserve him.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Reds face only one left-handed pitcher this week,
so Laynce Nix should get five starts to Jonny Gomes' one, assuming Gomes doesn't man DH when the Reds visit
Kansas City.
Lineup Changes: Catcher Ramon Hernandez has moved over to first base in Votto's absence,
allowing Ryan Hanigan to play every day.
Hanigan is hitting .321 with a .408 on-base percentage and deserves a
look in NL-only leagues.
Interleague Effect: The Reds don't
have any obvious choices to DH, so they'll probably give a different
starter a day off from fielding for each of their three games at Kansas
City.
Cleveland Indians
Schedule: KC3, STL3
Heating
Up: Shin-Soo Choo is batting .345
(10-for-29) with one home run and three stolen bases over his last nine
games, but he's not doing anything he doesn't normally do. Start him as
always.
Cooling Off: Ryan Garko
is getting to play most of the time with all the injuries to the Indians
lineup, but he's batting .167 (2-for-12) over his last 12 games. His
occasional power makes him worth a look in AL-only leagues.
Injury
Concerns: Grady Sizemore might need
arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow, but the Indians probably won't
know until next week. Keep him reserved.
Platoon Possibilities:
The Indians don't face any left-handers this week, which means Luis Valbuena has a chance to play every day. He and Josh Barfield have begun platooning at second base with Asdrubal Cabrera (shoulder) on the DL.
Lineup Changes: Travis Hafner, who continues to have shoulder problems, returned from
the disabled list Friday and has started the last two games. He won't
play more than two or three days in a row, though, making him hard to
use in mixed leagues. Ben Francisco has
become the team's leadoff hitter with Sizemore and Cabrera sidelined, so
he might get to steal more bases. He's streaky, but his combination of
power and speed makes him a low-end option in Rotisserie leagues.
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Player | % Change | |
1. | Andrew McCutchen, OF, PIT | 45 |
2. | Gordon Beckham, SS, CHW | 30 |
3. | Clint Barmes, 2B, COL | 17 |
4. | Aaron Rowand, OF, SF | 17 |
5. | Luke Scott, OF, BAL | 15 |
6. | Ian Stewart, 3B, COL | 13 |
7. | Jerry Hairston, SS, CIN | 10 |
8. | Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL | 10 |
9. | Marlon Byrd, OF, TEX | 8 |
10. | Adam Kennedy, 2B, OAK | 7 |
Colorado Rockies
Schedule: @STL1, @MIL3, SEA3
Heating
Up: The Rockies found regular at-bats for Ian Stewart, and he responded by hitting .588 (10-for-17) with four
home runs over his last four games. Unfortunately, his primary
competition at second base, Clint Barmes,
is batting .400 (16-for-40) with one home run and two stolen bases over
his last nine games.
Cooling Off: Todd Helton is scoring Fantasy points in other ways, but his batting
average has fallen from .342 to .311 since May 24. He's still too
valuable to sit in most formats.
Injury Concerns: Where to
start? Chris Iannetta is on a Triple-A
rehab assignment and could return Tuesday. You might want to give him a
week to prove his health before you activate him in mixed leagues. His
replacement, Yorvit Torrealba, continues
to miss time with a personal issue and will be relegated to backup duty
soon enough anyway. Dexter Fowler
fouled a ball off his calf Friday and missed Saturday's game. He'll
likely return in time to play a full week, but he might lose starts to Seth Smith and Carlos Gonzalez
regardless. Troy Tulowitzki missed five
straight starts with an injured left hand but returned to the field
Saturday and should start Sunday. Get him active if you don't have any
viable alternatives (and you probably don't at shortstop).
Platoon
Possibilities: The Rockies face three left-handed pitchers this
week, so you can rest assured Smith won't start those games. He, Fowler
and Gonzalez have to split time between two outfield positions.
Lineup
Changes: Ian Stewart thrived in
Tulowitzki's absence, putting more pressure on the Rockies to find
at-bats for him between third base, second base and the outfield. He's
worth owning again in mixed leagues, but his playing time remains a big
question mark. The Rockies recently called Gonzalez up from the minors
and will work him into the lineup as often as possible. He's mostly just
an NL-only option right now, but he has the potential to matter in mixed
leagues. Ryan Spilborghs appears the odd
man out of the outfield rotation with Gonzalez's promotion, making him
worthless in mixed leagues.
Detroit Tigers
Schedule: @CHW5, @PIT3
Heating
Up: Curtis Granderson had a
nine-game hitting streak interrupted Saturday. He's still batting .378
(17-for-45) with two home runs and five stolen bases over his last 12
games and is obviously a must-start in Fantasy.
Cooling Off: Placido Polanco did go 2-for-2 with his first stolen base of the season
Saturday, but he's still hitting only .148 (4-for-27) over his last
eight games. He'll get hot eventually, but he doesn't have enough power
or speed to justify starting in mixed leagues when he's cold. Clete Thomas has come back down to earth, going 1-for-18 (.056) over
his last five games. Leave him for AL-only leagues.
Injury
Concerns: Miguel Cabrera, who left
Thursday's game with a tweaked hamstring, missed both Friday's and
Saturday's games as a precaution. But he's better now, according to
manager Jim Leyland. He'll likely play the whole week. You have to keep
him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers face at least
four left-handers this week, so Josh Anderson
will likely lose a good portion of his at-bats to Ryan Raburn. If you can bench him in a Rotisserie league, do so.
Lineup
Changes: None of permanence.
Interleague Effect: The
Tigers will likely move Magglio Ordonez
into the outfield for their trip to Pittsburgh over the weekend, forcing
one of Anderson and Thomas to the bench. Keep Ordonez active if you
count on him as a starter.
Florida Marlins
Schedule: SF1, STL3, @TOR3
Heating
Up: Dan Uggla continues to normalize
his stats after an awful slump, batting .438 (7-for-16) with two home
runs over his last five games. If you miss his hot streaks, you drafted
him for nothing, so get him active.
Cooling Off: Cody Ross has predictably gotten back on the wrong side of streaky,
batting .160 (4-for-25) over his last seven games. Sit him in all but
deeper NL-only leagues.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Marlins face only one left-hander this week, so John Baker should get enough at-bats to make an impact in mixed
leagues.
Lineup Changes: The Marlins have flipped Chris Coghlan and Emilio Bonifacio
in the lineup, batting Coghlan first and Bonifacio second. The move can
only hurt Bonifacio's Fantasy value. He's good for nothing but stolen
bases, and he might not have as many chances to run batting directly in
front of Hanley Ramirez.
Interleague
Effect: The Marlins will probably use their DH spot to rest some of
their starters. Wes Helms could see the
biggest increase in at-bats, but not enough of one for him to matter
outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Houston Astros
Schedule: CHC3, @ARI3
Heating Up: Miguel Tejada, who recently had a 17-game hitting streak come to an
end, went 3-for-5 Saturday and isn't showing any signs of slowing down
yet. Michael Bourn is batting .364
(8-for-22) with three stolen bases over his last six games, further
establishing himself as a viable option in all leagues. Carlos N. Lee has gotten back on track power-wise, homering twice with
a .417 (10-for-24) batting average over his last six games.
Cooling
Off: Ivan Rodriguez is about the only
Astros regular who could qualify as "cooling off," but he's not doing
all that poorly, batting .227 (5-for-22) over his last six games.
Injury
Concerns: Kazuo Matsui could return
from a hamstring injury sometime this week, but the Astros haven't given
an official timetable. He's too risky to start in any Fantasy format. Edwin Maysonet continues to start in his place.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Astros face only one left-handed pitcher this
week, so Geoff Blum should get the
majority of at-bats over Jeff Keppinger.
Lineup
Changes: The Astros have flipped Hunter Pence
and Lance Berkman in the lineup, batting
Pence third and Berkman fifth. The move makes sense considering Pence
has a higher on-base percentage than Berkman right now, but when (if?)
Berkman comes around, the Astros could always switch them back.
Kansas City Royals
Schedule: @CLE3, CIN3
Heating
Up: Miguel Olivo has gotten to play
virtually every day with John Buck
(back) on the DL and is batting .333 (6-for-18) with two home runs over
his last six games. He's no more than a No. 2 option in mixed leagues.
Cooling
Off: Jose Guillen, who was one of the
Royals' few reliable hitters for much of May, has only four hits over
his last nine games, batting .114 (4-for-35) during that stretch. Bench
him in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Royals face only one left-handed pitcher this
week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup
Changes: This team somehow manages to turn over its starting lineup
every day, but Willie Bloomquist should
get most of the starts at shortstop with Mike Aviles on the DL. He doesn't offer much other than a few stolen
bases, but those give him some value in deeper Rotisserie leagues.
L.A. Angels
Schedule: @TB3, SD3
Heating Up: Chone Figgins has gotten his batting average over .300 with another
hot week. He's batting .417 (10-for-24) over his last six games and .419
(36-for-86) over his last 21 games. He has the ability to maintain a
batting average over .300, but he's a little streaky for a speedster.
Still, you want him active now.
Cooling Off: Not only has Mike Napoli gone ice cold lately, but he's not even playing
regularly. He's batting .081 (3-for-37) over his last 11 games and
losing at-bats to Jeff Mathis. He
doesn't qualify as a No. 1 Fantasy catcher anymore. Likewise, Howie Kendrick doesn't deserve to start in a standard Fantasy lineup,
batting .115 (3-for-26) over his last 10 games.
Injury Concerns:
None
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face only one
left-hander this week, but they don't have any strict lefty-righty
platoons.
Lineup Changes: None
L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: SD2, @TEX3
Heating Up: Andre Ethier, who fell into a deep slump when Manny Ramirez began serving his 50-game suspension, has seemingly
righted the ship, batting .391 (9-for-23) with three home runs over his
last six games. He even had a two-homer game Saturday. Time to get him
active again in all leagues.
Cooling Off: Orlando Hudson, on the other hand, looks like he's starting to miss
Ramirez. He's batting .121 (4-for-33) over his last nine games. If
you've relied on him up to this point, you probably wouldn't find an
adequate enough replacement to consider benching him.
Injury
Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers face
right-handers in each of their five games this week, not that they have
anyone who consistently sits against lefties.
Lineup Changes:
The Dodgers have varied their lineup a bit recently, moving James Loney up to the third spot and Casey Blake
up to cleanup. Blake would get more RBI opportunities if he stays there,
but he's so streaky he probably won't.
Interleague Effect: The
Dodgers don't have a clear DH candidate on the bench and will likely use
their series at Texas to give several of their starters days off without
taking their bats out of the lineup.
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Player | Start % | |
1. | Adrian Beltre, 3B, SEA | 43 |
2. | Nick Johnson, 1B, WAS | 49 |
3. | Nick Swisher, OF, NYY | 60 |
4. | A.J. Pierzynski, C, CHW | 58 |
5. | Aaron Rowand, OF, SF | 28 |
6. | Kelly Johnson, 2B, ATL | 56 |
7. | Yunel Escobar, SS, ATL | 65 |
8. | Gary Sheffield, OF, NYM | 35 |
9. | John Baker, C, FLA | 38 |
10. | Andruw Jones, OF, TEX | 5 |
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Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: COL3, CHW3
Heating
Up: Prince Fielder homered twice
Saturday and is now batting .500 (11-for-22) with three home runs in
June. Coming off a nine-homer May, he's clearly back to being an elite
first baseman.
Cooling Off: J.J. Hardy
doesn't have a single extra-base hit over his last nine games, and he's
batting only .171 (6-for-35) during that stretch. You probably couldn't
find an adequate replacement at shortstop, though. Plus, he's the kind
of player who gets hot without warning.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Brewers face three left-handers this week, which
means Mat Gamel and Craig Counsell will likely sit in favor of Bill Hall and Casey McGehee those
days.
Lineup Changes: Gamel, a rookie, has effectively
supplanted Hall as the starting third baseman, at least against
left-handers. He has the upside to make an impact in mixed leagues, but
as an unproven player getting part-time at-bats, he remains just an
NL-only option.
Minnesota Twins
Schedule: @OAK4, @CHC3
Heating
Up: Joe Mauer is batting .462
(12-for-26) over his last seven games. Like you'd ever have reason to
bench him ...
Cooling Off: Jason Kubel
is batting .148 (4-for-27) over his last eight games. Given his tough
matchups this week, you should probably sit him.
Injury Concerns: Michael Cuddyer returned to the lineup Saturday after missing four
games with a strained right index finger. He has cooled off a bit since
his hot streak in late May, but he's still a decent low-end starter with
25-homer, 100-RBI potential.
Platoon Possibilities: The Twins
face five left-handers this week. They don't have any clear lefty-righty
platoons, but you have to think Kubel will sit once or twice just to
keep him from falling into a slump. He's an inadvisable start in mixed
leagues this week.
Lineup Changes: Alexi Casilla has seemingly supplanted Matt Tolbert at second base since returning from the minors in late
May. He's not hitting well enough to matter in Fantasy, though. Joe Crede has begun to bat cleanup, which obviously improves his
Fantasy value with Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau on base in front of him. He might move down, though,
when Cuddyer and Kubel get in the lineup at the same time.
Interleague
Effect: Two of the five lefties the Twins face this week will come
in their weekend series at Chicago, so you have to figure Kubel will sit
those games for sure. He might start the one game against the righty,
forcing Delmon Young to the bench.
N.Y. Mets
Schedule: PHI3, @NYY3
Heating Up: David Wright is the only Met playing up to his ability right now,
going 7-for-10 over his last three games.
Cooling Off: One
week after reaffirming his place as a must-own Fantasy option, Gary Sheffield developed a balky right knee. He's trying to play
through the pain, but he's batting .063 (1-for-16) over his last five
games.
Injury Concerns: Jose B. Reyes,
who was already on the DL with a strained calf, found out he had a tear
in his quadriceps and will likely miss the next 2-3 weeks. Alex Cora and Wilson Valdez will
continue to fill in for him, but neither has any Fantasy appeal.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Mets face four left-handers this week, which
should hopefully get Sheffield going again. He's batting .378 against
lefties compared to .208 against righties. Daniel Murphy and rookie Fernando Martinez
will both likely sit four times in favor of Fernando Tatis and Emil Brown.
Lineup
Changes: None
Interleague Effect: The Mets will likely use
their DH spot this weekend as an excuse to take Sheffield out of the
outfield. Tatis might end up playing all three games in his place,
making him a bit of a sleeper in deeper leagues.
N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: TB1, @BOS3, NYM3
Heating
Up: Nick Swisher, the epitome of
streakiness, has gotten hot again after a suicidal May, batting .385
(10-for-26) over his last nine games. He's worth a look in mixed leagues.
Cooling
Off: Robinson Cano is a must-start
in all leagues, but he has cooled off over his last six games, batting
.167 (4-for-24).
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Yankees face only one left-handed pitcher this
week, but they don't have any clear platoon situations.
Lineup
Changes: Melky Cabrera has returned
from a shoulder injury to reclaim the center field job from Brett Gardner. He's a worthy low-end option in mixed leagues.
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Team | Schedule | |
1. | Mariners | @BAL3, @COL3 |
2. | Rangers | TOR4, LAD3 |
3. | Blue Jays | @TEX4, FLA3 |
4. | White Sox | DET5, @MIL3 |
5. | Braves | PIT4, @BAL3 |
Oakland Athletics
Schedule: MIN4, @SF3
Heating
Up: Matt Holliday is finally hitting
like the player the A's thought they acquired from Colorado in the
offseason, batting .480 (12-for-25) with two home runs over his last
seven games.
Cooling Off: Adam Kennedy
has two hits in each of his last two games, but he has still come down
to earth a bit after an impossibly good start, batting .206 (7-for-34)
over his last nine games. Leave him for AL-only leagues.
Injury
Concerns: Jason Giambi left Saturday's
game with a tight left calf, and at his age, you have to think he's
going to miss a few games. He's not worth starting in mixed leagues
right now anyway. Same goes for Ryan Sweeney,
who has a sprained MCL in his left knee and hasn't played since Tuesday.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Athletics face three left-handed pitchers this
week, so Jack Hannahan will likely lose
at-bats to Gregorio Petit or Rajai Davis those days. None of those players have any Fantasy appeal.
Lineup
Changes: Aaron Cunningham has
gotten to play every day with Travis Buck
on the DL and has a modest five-game hitting streak. His upside makes
him worth a flier in AL-only leagues. If he plays well enough, he could
end up keeping the job when Buck returns.
Interleague Effect:
If Giambi's calf needs extra time to heal, the A's have an easy decision
when they travel to San Francisco. Otherwise, they'll probably take
Hannahan out of the lineup, move Bobby Crosby
to third base and start Giambi at first.
Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: @NYM3, BOS3
Heating
Up: Jayson Werth has begun to heat up
again, batting .412 (7-for-17) over his last five games. Get him active
again in all leagues. Chase Utley is
batting .341 (14-for-41) during an 11-game hitting streak.
Cooling
Off: Jimmy Rollins can't seem to
sustain a hot streak, going 0-for-12 over his last three games after
showing signs of breaking out of his season-long slump earlier in the
week. You still can't afford to sit him.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Phillies face two left-handers this week, but
they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Jayson Werth hit second with Shane Victorino
sidelined by a hip injury, but with Victorino back, he'll likely drop to
fifth or sixth.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: @ATL4, DET3
Heating
Up: Adam LaRoche seems to land in
the "heating up" or "cooling off" category every week, which should tell
you something about him. Here's the latest: He has an eight-game hitting
streak during which he's batting .407 (11-for-27), making him a sleeper
in mixed leagues. He could always go cold again, though.
Cooling
Off: Nyjer Morgan's slump has gone
from frustrating to embarrassing. He's batting .182 (10-for-55) over his
last 15 games and no longer deserves to start in mixed leagues. Freddy Sanchez is 3-for-23 (.130) over his last five games, but he's
the kind of player you use always start or never consider depending on
the depth of your league.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Pirates face only one left-handed pitcher this
week, so Craig Monroe doesn't figure to
get many at-bats while Brandon Moss
does. Leave both players for deeper NL-only leagues.
Lineup
Changes: After trading Nate McLouth
to the Braves, the Pirates dropped Morgan and Sanchez to the second and
third spots respectively and promoted prospect Andrew McCutchen as their new leadoff hitter. McCutchen has the upside
to become a high-end power-speed guy, but he's more speed than power
right now. He's also likely to struggle as a 22-year-old rookie, so he's
not a must-add in mixed leagues.
San Diego Padres
Schedule: ARI1, @LAD2, @LAA3
Heating
Up: Tony Gwynn, who recently came over
in a trade with the Brewers, is batting .387 (12-for-31) over his last
10 games.
Cooling Off: This lineup is so unimpressive from top
to bottom that nobody stands out as struggling.
Injury Concerns: Scott Hairston had to go on the DL with a strained biceps, allowing Will Venable to come up from the minors and get some starts. He has
OK upside, but you shouldn't bother with him in mixed leagues.
Platoon
Possibilities: The Padres face two left-handers this week, but they
don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes:
Gwynn continues to get most of the starts in center field. He's batting
.325 with a .426 on-base percentage and deserves a look in NL-only
leagues.
Interleague Effect: The Padres barely have enough
hitters to fill a starting lineup as it is, so you shouldn't expect any
miracles from their DH. If nothing else, Gwynn, Venable, Brian Giles and Chase Headley should
all be able to get in the lineup at times.
|
||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Phillies | @NYM3, BOS3 |
2. | Angels | @TB3, SD3 |
3. | Padres | ARI1, @LAD2, @LAA3 |
4. | Astros | CHC3, @ARI3 |
5. | Indians | KC3, STL3 |
San Francisco Giants
Schedule: @FLA1, @ARI3, OAK3
Heating
Up: Aaron Rowand has thrived as the
team's leadoff hitter, batting .406 (28-for-69) during a 16-game hitting
streak. He's been hot enough long enough that he deserves a look in all
leagues even though he has so-so speed and above-average power at best.
Cooling
Off: Pablo Sandoval, playing first
base because of a sore throwing elbow, is batting .238 (5-for-21) over
his last seven games.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Giants face four left-handed pitchers this week,
but they don't have any clear platoon situations now that Sandoval's
elbow has bumped Travis Ishikawa from
the starting lineup.
Lineup Changes: None
Seattle Mariners
Schedule: @BAL3, @COL3
Heating
Up: Adrian Beltre has begun to play
like a viable mixed-league option again, batting .344 (22-for-64) with
two home runs over his last 15 games. Ichiro Suzuki just had a 27-game hitting streak end Friday, but he
kept rolling with a 3-for-4 day Saturday.
Cooling Off: Jose Lopez has gone 1-for-12 over his last three games after a pair
of three-hit games earlier in the week. Keep him reserved.
Injury
Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Mariners don't
face any left-handed pitchers this week, so Endy Chavez and Ken Griffey should get
the majority of at-bats over Wladimir Balentien
and Mike Sweeney.
Lineup Changes:
The Mariners have begun batting power hitter Russell Branyan second, likely to take advantage of his .420 on-base
percentage. They've dropped the Griffey-Sweeney platoon down to the
cleanup spot. Adrian Beltre is hitting
third and Jose Lopez fifth. None of
these moves significantly alters any of the involved players' Fantasy
value.
Interleague Effect: The Mariners will likely take a
direct approach and bench the Griffey-Sweeney platoon for their trip to
Colorado. Neither player matters in mixed leagues anyway.
St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: COL1, @FLA3, @CLE3
Heating
Up: As usual, Albert Pujols is
carrying the Cardinals offense, batting .424 (14-for-33) with four home
runs over his last nine games. He's no doubt been carrying your Fantasy
team all season.
Cooling Off: Skip Schumaker is batting only .150 (3-for-20) over his last six
games and doesn't have the power or speed to matter in mixed leagues
when he's not hitting well.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon
Possibilities: The Cardinals face four left-handed pitchers this
week, so Schumaker and Joe Thurston
might not get to play as much as they normally would. Tyler Greene and Brian Barden will
fill in as appropriate.
Lineup Changes: Colby Rasmus is stealing at-bats periodically from all three
Cardinals outfielders, but mostly Chris Duncan.
Neither Rasmus nor Duncan deserve a look in mixed leagues right now.
Interleague
Effect: The weekend series at Cleveland will give the Cardinals an
opportunity to play Rasmus, Duncan, Rick Ankiel
and Ryan Ludwick all at once, and that's
probably what they'll do.
Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: @NYY1, LAA3, WAS3
Heating
Up: Ben Zobrist continues to
establish himself as a must-start middle infielder now that he gets
everyday at-bats, batting .362 (17-for-47) over his last 13 games with
three home runs in his last four. B.J. Upton
seems to have come around finally, batting .387 (12-for-31) with one
home run and three stolen bases during a nine-game hitting streak. Carl Crawford has begun contributing power along with speed, hitting
three home runs in his last seven games.
Cooling Off: Carlos Pena has only gotten worse over the last week. He's batting
.151 (11-for-73) since May 14 and is looking more like a No. 2 first
baseman than a No. 1 in mixed leagues. After looking like he had broken
out of a season-long slump last week, Dioner Navarro is 2-for-26 (.077) over his last six games. Sit him.
Injury
Concerns: Evan Longoria hasn't
started a game since leaving Tuesday with a tight left hamstring, but he
pinch hit Saturday. Pat Burrell, who has
already suffered one setback in his return from a stiff neck, will
likely begin a rehab assignment this week and could return to the Rays
by the weekend. Keep him reserved in mixed leagues since he'll play only
half a week at most. Jason Bartlett
could also return from a sprained ankle by the weekend, but his
timetable isn't as clear.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays face
two left-handers this week. Matt Joyce
has come up from the minors and has seemingly replaced Gabe Gross as the team's right fielder against right-handers. Gabe Kapler likely will continue to start against lefties.
Lineup
Changes: The Rays will lose some of their flexibility once Longoria
and Burrell return to the lineup, but they've done plenty of mixing and
matching lately. Joe Dillon and Willy Aybar will likely split time at designated hitter for now, with
Aybar also playing second base on occasion. Dillon has made a good first
impression and has monstrous minor-league numbers, but you can't expect
him to come out of nowhere and make a significant Fantasy impact at age
33.
Texas Rangers
Schedule: TOR4, LAD3
Heating Up: Michael Young is looking like a .330 hitter again, batting .414
(12-for-29) over his last seven games. He hasn't homered since May 4,
but he's still too valuable to sit, especially in leagues where he
qualifies at shortstop.
Cooling Off: Elvis Andrus, who got his batting average up to .292 near the end of
May, is batting .212 (7-for-33) over his last 10 games. He's not worth
using right now in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Josh Hamilton (abdominal strain) won't return this week, and the
Rangers still don't know if he'll end up needing surgery. Keep him
stashed.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face four
left-handed pitchers this week, which means Hank Blalock won't get enough playing time to start in mixed
leagues. Andruw Jones will start for him
against lefties and deserves a look in AL-only leagues this week.
Lineup
Changes: David Murphy has gotten to
play regularly with Hamilton sidelined, but his lack of upside makes him
just an AL-only option.
Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: @TEX4, FLA3
Heating
Up: After slumping at the end of May, Adam Lind has gotten back on track, batting .469 (15-for-32) with
two home runs in eight games. Get him active again in all leagues. Lyle Overbay has a 12-game hitting streak during which he's batting
.436 (17-for-39). He plays only against right-handers, though, limiting
his appeal to AL-only leagues.
Cooling Off: Aaron Hill has started to come back down to earth, going hitless in
his last 21 at-bats, but he's still a must-start. Alex Rios has tailed off a bit after a hot end of May, going
1-for-15 over his last four games. Vernon Wells
is just as cold, going 1-for-18 over his last six games. Both players
remain too valuable to sit in Fantasy and could easily heat up this week.
Injury
Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Blue Jays face
two left-handed pitchers this week, so Overbay will likely sit twice in
favor of Jose A. Bautista. Kevin Millar has essentially become an everyday player with Travis Snider in the minors.
Lineup Changes: None
Washington Nationals
Schedule: CIN3, @TB3
Heating
Up: Nick Johnson and Elijah Dukes aren't exactly hot, but they each got three hits
Saturday. Johnson should probably be starting in all leagues, and Dukes
has the potential to become a must-start option himself.
Cooling
Off: You wouldn't dare sit Adam Dunn
given his power potential, but he's batting .107 (3-for-28) over his
last eight games.
Injury Concerns: Josh Willingham, who has sat out with a stomach virus since he
homered twice last Sunday, should return this week. He splits at-bats
with Austin Kearns, though, making him
just an NL-only option.
Platoon Possibilities: The Nationals
face all left-handed pitchers this week, which should help Dunn improve.
They don't have any lefty-righty platoons, though.
Lineup Changes:
None
Interleague Effect: Dunn will probably move to DH for the
Nationals' three-game series at Tampa Bay. The Nationals could opt to
start Willingham and Kearns in the outfield at the same time, or they
could go with Willie Harris instead.
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