Your Fantasy Baseball League Probably Sucks...

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...IF these players are still available on waivers.

• 1B Brett Wallace of the Houston Astros is hitting .382 (34/89) with a .967 OPS and a ridiculously high BABIP of .471 deserves to be owned in more than 27.4% of ESPN leagues and 27% of Yahoo! leagues. He recently strung together six games in which he had two or more hits in a game and has done it 10 times in 24 starts. Any player sporting this much wood going into May should be on someone's roster in your league.
• C Alex Avila of the Detroit Tigers leads all catchers in the majors in Total Bases (48) and RBI (21) and has produced an unexpected 5x5 line of .309/12/5/21/1. Any catcher producing numbers like these deserves to be owned in 100% of all non-NL only leagues. So explain to me why he's 74% owned in ESPN leagues and just 66% in Yahoo! leagues.
• SP Josh Tomlin of the Cleveland Indians is 4-0 with a 2.45 ER and a 0.91 WHIP. He has gone 5-for-5 in pitching a Quality Start and easily could be 5-0. He hasn't shown the ability to be a strikeout pitcher (just 18 K in 33 IP) but he's giving three-category scoring. He deserves better than 60.4% ESPN and just 44% Yahoo! ownership.
• RP Sergio Santos of the Chicago White Sox has done a solid job (3-for-3 in save opps) as the team's most recent closer and looks to be settling in nicely into the role. All full-time closers deserve to be owned more than 56.3% in ESPN leagues and 47% of Yahoo! leagues. If Matt Thornton (25.4% E; 41% Y!) and Chris Sale (11.9% E; 31% Y!) are still owned in a league that doesn't count Holds, that league probably sucks.
• OF Peter Bourjos of the Los Angeles Angels and OF Jason Bourgeois of the Houston Astros have combined for 11 stolen bases and a .313 batting average. They are a combined 26% owned in both ESPN and Yahoo! leagues. How about this, combine them into a nice platoon and see what they do as a 4th/5th outfielder combo in deeper mixed leagues.
• Manny Ramirez is still owned in 10.7% of ESPN leagues and 6% of Yahoo! leagues. If he's still rostered in your league then this means you have an owner that has bailed on managing their team already. It's May 3rd. These people have no business playing fantasy baseball and have poisoned the rest of your league with inactivity.

This post is written periodically to help point out one of the things fantasy baseball owners complain about most: inactivity. Inactivity on any level within a league can kill the competitive balance for the entire league. Even if three-quarters of a league's members are very active, the inactivity of the other one-quarter will cause frustration to owners trying to make trades.

I truly think a large portion of fantasy baseball participants are addicted to the thrill of the live draft but are bored or even overwhelmed with how much effort it takes to manage one, let alone many, successful teams for six months compared to the relative-ease of managing a fantasy football team.

Is it getting harder each season to find quality owners and quality leagues? The answer for me is yes. I had to shut down three of my keeper leagues this offseason because I got tired of competing against 2/3rds of the teams and pulling teeth with the other 1/3 to keep them active. What types of issues are you already experiencing in your leagues this season that makes you wonder why some people bother to join in the first place?

Line of the Day: May 1st, 2011

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SP Bud Norris of the Houston Astros combined with three relievers on a three-hit shutout in a 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed all three of the Brewers' hits, walked three and struck out 11 while upping his record to 2-1 while lowering his ERA to 3.03 and WHIP to 1.26.

Line: 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K; W, QS

My fantasy perspective: In six starts this season, Norris has allowed 33 hits in 35.2 innings pitched while striking out 43 (10.85 K/9). His BB/9 are down from 4.4 for the 2009-2010 season to 3.03 this season while his K/9 are up from 9.1 to 10.85. These are the kinds of numbers you like to see from a young pitcher as he grows from a hard-thrower to a maturing pitcher. He's still only owned in 10.6% of ESPN leagues and 27% of Yahoo! leagues. The time to own him is now. His next scheduled start is at the Pirates, so he could be looking at another productive evening real soon.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Waiver Saviors: April 27th, 2011

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Waiver Saviors will be a semi-regular feature on COSFBA looking for players available in a majority of leagues (ESPN and/or Yahoo!) who are currently having a statistical impact and could/should be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch without destroying your current roster in the process.

Here are some players having a hot week worth taking a long look at for the short and long term, depending on your league type, too:

• OF Peter Bourjos, LAA (11.1% ESPN owned; 22% Yahoo! owned) has gone 9/23 (.391 BA; 1.112 OPS) over the last week with no home runs (four extra-base hits for 16 total bases), four runs, an RBI and a stolen base. For the season, his 5x5 line is now at .321/11/2/9/2 and very worthy of an outfield slot in all leagues except the shallow ones.
• OF Melky Cabrera, KC (21.9% E; 14% Y!) has gone 10/26 (.385 BA; 1.141 OPS) over the last week with one home run (five extra-base hits for 18 total bases), five RBI, four runs and a stolen base. His season's 5x5 line of .301/15/2/14/2 has to be taken seriously soon by fantasy owners or at least while he and the Royals are firing on all cylinders.
• OF Ryan Ludwick, SD (2.2% E; 6% Y!) has gone 11/34 (.324 BA; 1.067 OPS) over the last week with  three home runs (seven extra-base hits for 24 total bases), five RBI and four runs scored. He's 5x5 line of .209/12/4/11/1 is getting better but may only have value as a spot starter in deeper mixed leagues or very shallow NL-only ones. An encouraging sign is that three of his four home runs have come at PETCO but that unfortunately comes along with a .157 batting average at home, too.
• OF Ben Francisco, PHI (26.8% E; 20% Y!) has gone 8/26 (.308 BA; .960 OPS) over the last week with two home runs (three extra-base hits for 16 total bases), six RBI and three runs scored. He seems to have settled back in as the Phillies' everyday right fielder and has produced a season's 5x5 line of .262/10/4/14/1, with is becoming more ownable in most league formats.
• 2B/SS Darwin Barney, CHC (41% E; 24% Y!) has gone 12/34 (.353 BA; .824 OPS) over the last week with one home run (two extra-base hits for 16 total bases), eight RBI, five runs and one stolen base. His 5x5 line of .329/13/1/13/1 makes him a great find for a MI slot in deeper leagues and a must-own in NL-only formats. He should continue to get the majority of starts at second base and hit out of the number two hole.
• SS Erick Aybar, LAA (67.3% E; 16% Y!) has gone 9/28 (.321 BA; .679 OPS) over the last week. He's started at shortstop the last seven games and stolen two bases. He won't contribute much to your fantasy team unless he continues to hit for average and steal bases. Even then, his value is limited to a spot start or MI position in the deepest of leagues.
• OF Kosuke Fukudome, CHC (2.9% E; 4% Y!) has gone 14/23 (.609 BA; 1.292 OPS) over the last week but that was helped by 5-for-5 and 4-for-7 performances. He's only starting against right-handed pitchers, so he may only be worth rostering to play in favorable match ups.
• 1B Brett Wallace, HOU (8.3% E; 10% Y!) has gone 11/21 (.524 BA; 1.260 OPS) over the last week with no home runs (four extra-base hits for 15 total bases), two RBI and five runs scored. He doesn't have the power numbers (1 HR this season) to be a primary option at first base but his overall 5x5 line of .347/14/1/8/0 makes him a target as a CI or IF candidate on deeper leagues.
• OF Carlos Gomez, MIL (15.3% E; 6% Y!) has gone 10/27 (.370 BA; .861 OPS) over the last week with one home run (one extra-base hit for 13 total bases), four RBI, five runs and a stolen base. Maybe he's feeling the pressure of Nyjer Morgan being brought in and Corey Hart coming off the DL? Keep an eye on his playing time if you plan to pick him up.

Starting pitchers are harder to grab off waivers, with most only have four or five starts to show their stuff. Keep an eye on all of the "pitch and ditch" type articles regarding streaming to see if there's a gem or too hiding in there. Relief pitchers in the mix for saves should be grabbed now and dumped later if things don't pan out. You'll probably miss out if your league is worth anything when it comes to scavenging for saves.

Fantasy Baseball News and Notes from April 19th, 2011

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Here are some fantasy baseball tidbits I picked up from games played on April 19th, 2011:

• DH Adam Dunn, CHW has two hits in his last 27 at-bats and may be dropped down in the batting order.
• RP J.P. Howell, TB, coming back from left shoulder surgery, is set to pitch in extended spring training after throwing a 35-pitch batting practice session. The reliever is not expected to rejoin the team until mid-May.
• C Matt Wieters, BAL is 5-for-5 with eight RBI this season with runners in scoring position.
• OF Nick Markakis, BAL has only one hit in his last 20 at-bats.
• OF Ryan Braun, MIL is 9 for 19 in his last five games, and has reached safely in all 17 games this season.
• Toronto activated RP Frank Francisco (right shoulder) off the 15-day DL and optioned SP Jesse Litsch to Triple-A Las Vegas. Francisco will be in the mix for saves with Jon Rauch depending on the situation.
• 3B David Wright, NYM is hitless in his last 16 at-bats with seven strikeouts.
• OF Michael Bourn, HOU is 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts this year and has swiped 16 straight dating to last season.
• SP Josh Johnson, FLA is now 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA, a 0.59 WHIP and a 9.00 K/9 ratio this season. He's allowed four hits or less in each of his four starts and batters are hitting .112 against him.
• OF Logan Morrison, FLA left the game in the fifth inning with a strained arch in his left foot and hopes to be back in the lineup within a couple of days.
• CL J.J. Putz, ARI is 4-for-4 in save chances this season with an 11.57 K/9 ratio over 7 IP.
• 3B/OF Alex Gordon, KC went 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .361, with two stolen bases.
• OF Grady Sizemore, CLE is 5-for-9 with two doubles, two RBI and a home run in two games since returning from knee surgery. Indians manager Manny Acta plans to let him play three or four games every five days or so. Plan accordingly.
• OF Andre Ethier, LAD went 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 16 games. He's hitting .362 on the season.

A Steady Stream: Probables For 04/05/2011

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A Steady Stream will be a semi-regular column that looks at probable pitchers starting games tomorrow and owned in approximately less than 50% of all ESPN and/or Yahoo! leagues that could be "stream-worthy" if they are available in your league.

Here are my Stream-Worthy Starting Pitchers for games to be played on Tuesday, 04/05/2011 and the level of RISK associated with streaming:

• Anibal Sanchez, FLA (65.6% ESPN; 46% Yahoo! owned) @ home vs WAS (Jason Marquis) - In the first three games of the season, the Washington Nationals, as a team, are batting .209 with 1 HR and 8 Runs Scored. RISK: LOW
• Derek Lowe, ATL (58.1% E; 59% Y!)  @ MIL (Yovani Gallardo) - Reports have Lowe using his slider more and increasing his K/9 from a career rate of 5.9 to a rate of 8.6 over his last five starts of 2010. He opened 2011 with 6 K's in 5.2 IP (9.5 K/9) and faces a Brewers team that strikes out a lot but also hit home runs (7 in 4 games). RISK: MODERATE
• Gavin Floyd, CHW (24.4% E; 50% Y!) @ KC (Luke Hochevar) - The White Sox are scoring runs in bunches (8 runs per game) and Floyd should be the beneficiary of this lineup facing Hochevar. RISK: LOW
• Mike Leake, CIN (1.1% E; 4% Y!) @ home vs HOU (J.A. Happ) - As a team, the Reds are batting .350 in their first three games. Leake should be able to control an Astros offense (and I use that term lightly) that has a 28/3 K/BB ratio. RISK: LOW
• Jo-Jo Reyes, TOR (0.1% E; 1% Y!) @ home vs OAK (Dallas Braden) - Toronto is back to hitting home runs and scoring runs while Oakland is pitching well but struggling offensively. Is Reyes worth owning? This start will speak volumes about his fantasy value. RISK: MODERATE

Other possible streamers I'm simply avoiding:

• Michael Pineda, SEA (16.9% E; 31% Y!) @ Alexi Ogando, TEX (3.8% E; 8% Y!) - This could turn into a slugfest with two rookie pitchers going. I've got my eye on these two pitchers for future streaming opportunities. RISK: HIGH x 2
• James McDonald, PIT (4.2% E; 11% Y!) @ Kyle McClellan, STL (5.7% E; 30% Y!) - Again, too soon in the season to commit to either of these guys but worth monitoring. RISK: MODERATE x 2
• Chris Young, NYM (1.2% E; 17% Y!) @ PHI (Cole Hamels) - The Phillies, even without Chase Utley, can be a scary offensive team, especially at home. RISK: HIGH

Is it too early to already be looking at streaming a pitcher or two? Was that part of your draft strategy (LIMA Plan)? What are your personal feelings on streaming pitchers and the practice that may take place in your league? Are there policies in place to deter such behavior (IP limits, transaction limits, etc)? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

2011 Draft Results: First Basemen Targeted

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If you are new to the world of fantasy baseball, you should be very aware that first base is traditionally a position of great depth filled with some of the most impactful players. Heading into the 2011 season, this still holds true. MockDraftCentral.com is showing 10 of the top 50 players being drafted currently qualify as first basemen. If your league uses a corner infielder (CI or 1B/3B), extra infielder (IF), designated hitter (DH) or even a utility slot (UTIL) or two, there's a great opportunity to add one or more of these highly coveted players.

I went into all of my drafts having some players within the different tiers of first basemen as targets but draft position was really going to determine who I grabbed in the early rounds and how that would shape my entire roster. I wound up drafting 1st, 6th, 8th and 7th in my four snake drafts which meant three of my four drafts would have a lot of familiar faces...so I thought.

But before getting to the snake draft results, I wanted to talk about my online auction draft, which had me aggressively biding for the players I deemed "must have" and produced some interesting results:

• Adam Dunn, CHW ($30)
• Paul Konerko, CHW ($20)
• Mitch Moreland, TEX ($4)
• Dan Johnson, TB ($1)

I was in on all of the big name first basemen (Pujols, Miggy, AGon, etc) early but wound up bailing when I realized the prices were going to go a lot higher than I was willing to go. That strategy allowed me to focus in on and win such big names as Tulo ($39) and CarGo ($34) and drop down into the next tier of players and outbid everyone for a nice Dunn/Konerko duo to fill my 1B and CI roster slots. Moreland was a definite "sleeper" target while  Johnson was simply a late-round flier to add some possible depth to my bench, IF he wins the starting job in Tampa Bay. There were 390 players drafted in this league, so I fell pretty confident in what I was able to acquire and look forward to putting this plan into action.


Snake drafts definitely allow you to focus in on player tiers a little easier than an auction because most people are choosing from the best available ranked players (minus the ones you know will be autopicked). And here are the results of my four snake drafts for players that currently qualify at first base (draft pick in parenthesis):

• Albert Pujols (1)
• Kevin Youkilis (23), Adam Dunn (34) and Brandon Belt (314)
• Adam Dunn (36), Ike Davis (204) and Brandon Belt (316)
• Adam Dunn (35), Gaby Sanchez (175) and Brandon Belt (330)

Okay, so I may have a man-crush on Adam Dunn. What's not to love about a guy that can crush 40 bombs in his sleep? The possibility of a devastatingly low batting average will always be there but I try to balance that out on my roster with a player that might offset the two categories where Dunn won't help you much these days (batting average and stolen bases). I believe so heavily in this strategy that one of the first fantasy baseball articles I ever had the opportunity to write was titled "Surviving Adam Dunn" in August of 2008.

The league where the only first baseman I drafted was the best one, Pujols, was a lot shallower than the other three and I was able to grab the versatile Michael Young (97) for my CI slot and heavily invest in quality outfielders in the early rounds; Matt Kemp (24), Ichiro Suzuki (48), Jayson Werth (49) and Hunter Pence (73).

Heavily investing three very late-round picks in Brandon Belt ("sleeper"?) seemed worth the upside risk of him becoming this season's Buster Posey. There's still a chance he will break camp with the Giants and receive a ton of playing time but, if not, June could be more realistic for his arrival. Either way, I was willing to take a shot to see how the first few weeks of the season play out and whether or not Belt will bring me any value on this relatively inexpensive investment.

Ike Davis and Gaby Sanchez are similar offensive players (.270/20/80) and the best available to fill a roster need in the middle rounds. Period. I may not be overly excited to own either but I think, at the end of the year, their steady production will prove to be valuable to the overall success of my teams.

Similarly to my catcher targets, my teams have a lot of commonalities on purpose. One, it makes it easier to manage multiple teams when it comes to injuries or slumps and two, these are the players I am most interested in following. The goal of all of my teams is to win (especially the one money league I decided to join) but I also enjoy having fun as a fan of the game of baseball.

What strategies did you use when it came to drafting players that qualified at first base? What unique settings does your league have in place that made some players more favorable than others? Do you change strategies based on a classic rotisserie league versus a head-to-head scoring league? Please feel free to comment on my players or share your personal experiences when looking back on your draft(s) outcomes.

Finding Keepers: Houston Astros

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The Houston Astros are a franchise that has made the decision to go young and so that is going to limit the number of fantasy keepers on their roster that are proven stars but that doesn't mean that don't have keeper-worthy players.

OF Hunter Pence is this team's no-brainer when it comes to finding the keepers. At 27 years old, Pence is showing consistency and growth potential. He's hit 25 home runs in each of his last three seasons, batted .282 in his last two season and reached a career high in stolen bases with 18 in 2010. I think you know what you're getting with Pence and that is a very attractive quality in a keeper candidate.

OF Michael Bourn has averaged (per 162 games played) a line of 78/3/31/.263/50 compared to Juan Pierre's line of 92/1/44/.298/54. I was on the fence whether or not to call Pierre a keeper. I feel even less strongly about whether Bourn is a keeper. If you like the thought of a guaranteed 50 stolen bases on your roster then both of these players are probably keepers in your mind. Again, single-category dominance is definitely a factor when evaluating a keeper selection but Bourn will hurt you in four of the five standard scoring categories. It's a "no" for me.

Based on SP Wandy Rodriguez's first-half statistics (18 GS, 6-11, 10 QS, 1 ND, 4.97 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, 1.93 K/BB), Wandy was barely worth rostering. Based on his second-half statistics (14 GS, 5-1, 13 QS, 8 ND, 2.11 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, 3.61 K/BB), he threw up some elite numbers. The question remains: Which Wandy shows up in 2011?


Best of the rest (non-keepers): SP Brett Myers had a very nice season (14-8, 3.14 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 180 K) for the Astros but should be very available on the cheap in almost all leagues. OF Carlos Lee hasn't cracked the 90/30/100/.300 mark since 2007 and only managed to put up a 67/24/89/.246 line in 2010. He should fall to the middle/late rounds of most drafts and could be a source of some very cheap power. In 94 games in 2010, 3B Chris Johnson compiled a very ownable line of 40/11/52/.308/3 and will probably be slapped with the season-killing label of a "sleeper" any day now.

The Astros roster has some other fantasy-relevant players but none that would be worthy of keeping unless your league uses very deep or complex keeper scenarios. If so, I truly would love to hear about them.

Line of the Day: 08/17/2010

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OF Hunter Pence, HOU was 2-for-4 with two home runs (both off Johan Santana) and four RBI against the New York Mets. The second wound up being the game winner in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pence is on pace for 25 HR, 92 RBI, 101 Runs and 21 SB. A very solid season for a star player on a poor team.

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Waiver Saviors: 08/07/2010

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Here are some names of note worth a look in your league(s) that are widely available in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues in the latest installment of Waiver Saviors:

• C Carlos Ruiz, PHI (20.8% E; 27% Y!) hit .327 (18/55) in July and is off to a .417 (10/24) start in August. If you are thin at catcher and he's available in your league, grab him. Catcher is a position that many bail on in one-catcher formats if they miss out on an upper tier guy, so he may be easier to get than in a two-catcher format league.
• 2B/3B/SS/OF Omar Infante, ATL (34.3% E; 18% Y!) hit .429 (27/63) in July and .357 (10/28) in August. Toss a current 10-game hitting streak and a full-time role as a result of Martin Prado's injury. He won't bring more than a hot bat to your roster but he can fill a lot of holes while he's on fire.
• 3B Chris Johnson, HOU (60.7% E; 34% Y!) hit .414 in June, .359 in July and .368 so far in August. He's hit in 18 of his last 19 games, accumulating 30 hits, while driving in 11 runs in his past six games. He's the 3rd-ranked third baseman over the last 30 days, according to ESPN's Player Rater. Fantasy owners...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???
• OF Dexter Fowler, COL (31.4% E; 7% Y!) is hitting .341 (14/41) over the last 15 days and a crisp .400  (4/10) to start the month of August. Colorado is notorious for heating up as the season winds down and you can expect Fowler to be a part of this season's surge.
• SP R.A. Dickey, NYM (31.5% E; 39% Y!) is 1-4 in his last eight starts. So why would I be recommending you add him? During that span, he's recorded two no decisions in which he gave up ZERO runs. Also, 12 of his 15 starts have been of the quality nature while compiling a 2.36 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Fantasy wins are unpredictable but ratios speak volumes.
• SP Brett Cecil, TOR (22.4% E; 31% Y!) had a rough June (5 starts, 2-3, 534 ERA) but has been much better in July and August (6-for-6 in QS, 2-0, 1.60 ERA). Definitely worth streaming at this point.
• RP Aaron Heilman, ARI (10.1% E; 12% Y!) is now the Diamondbacks' closer. For whatever that's worth, if you need saves, Heilman is available and should get first crack at any save chances. Good luck!

If you're still active and within striking distance of the lead or a payout spot, working the waiver wire and cutting ties on dead weight could mean the distance in a title or a larger payday.

Line of the Day: 08/03/2010

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SS Angel Sanchez, HOU went 4-for-6 with a double, triple and six RBI in the Astros' win over the Cardinals. Sanchez is a relative nobody in the fantasy realm (0.2% E; 0% Y! owned) and should continue to be treated that way. Four hits and six RBI deserves to be recognized, regardless of the player's name. Congrats on a career day. COSFBA loves ya!

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Ups and Downs: 08/03/2010

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This edition of Ups and Downs looks at a few players being added and dropped the most (according to ESPN leagues) and the possible reasons why.

• RP Drew Storen, WAS (+33.8%) was considered by many to be the new closer in Washington after Matt Capps was traded to Minnesota but it now looks like he will be eased into the role by sharing save opportunities with Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett. Storen is definitely the future closer for the Nationals and should claim that role as soon as he proves able to handle the pressure.
• SP Brett Myers, HOU (+28.9%) extended his franchise-best streak to 22 consecutive starts of six or more innings to start the season and fantasy owners are starting to take notice. Myers is only 8-6 for the lowly Astros but is sporting a 3.10 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP with 117 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched. The wins may not come but he shouldn't hurt your ratios this late in the season.
• OF Andres Torres, SF (+26.1%) is 11/25 (.440 BA) with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R and 2 SB over the last 7 days and a solid .286, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 58 R and 19 SB on the season. Torres continues to be waiver-wire gold for owners that grabbed him early.
• RP Jon Rauch, MIN (-32.2%) was an unfortunate fantasy casualty at the trading deadline. The Twins brought in Matt Capps and demoted Rauch to a setup role. Rauch owners are left scratching their heads as to why since he was 21 of 25 in converting saves with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Rauch definitely has value if your league counts Holds and could pick up a few more saves if Capps struggles moving into the American League.
• SP Joel Pineiro, LAA (-29.2%) is out 6-to-8 weeks with an oblique injury that may keep him out the entire season. No sense stashing him in a DL slot at this point and he has no keeper value, either. Time to part ways.
• OF Brennan Boesch, DET (-27.7%) struggled in July (.209, 0 HR in 91 AB) and is currently mired in a 4-for-52 (.077 BA) slump and hasn't homered since June 27th. It may have been premature to hand him the AL ROY in June.

Keeping an eye on late-season call-ups and injury replacements could mean the difference between winning and losing a league. Stay active! If you're more concerned with your upcoming fantasy NFL draft(s), the MLB season may be way too long for you.

Did You Know? 07/10/2010

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Here are some statistical tidbits worth knowing:

• SP Brett Myers, HOU has 18 consecutive outings of six or more innings.
• SP Cliff Lee, TEX allowed three home runs in his first nine innings as a Ranger, after allowing a measly five homers in 105 2/3 innings with the Mariners.
• 2B/3B Neil Walker, PIT ranks fourth among National League rookies with a .289 batting average and has reached safely in 27 of his 34 games.
• C/1B Buster Posey, SF has homered five times in his last seven games and hitting .351 in 37 games. How is he only owned in 79 % of ESPN leagues and 62% of Yahoo! leagues?
• OF Nick Markakis, BAL, a lefty, is hitting .392 (40/102) versus lefties.
• OF Michael Stanton, FLA hit his third in the last five games and pushed his extra-base hit streak to six games. He's struck out 44 times and only walked six times in just 27 games.
• SP Ian Kennedy, ARI has allowed 19 home runs in 18 starts but has struck out 100 in 111.1 innings pitched.
• OF Adam Jones, BAL hit his 13th home run and is on pace for 26. His career high is 19.
• SP Scott Kazmir, LAA is 0-4 in his last four starts and has allowed a whopping 30 earned runs in 19 2/3 innings.
• C Chris Snyder, ARI is tied for fourth among all catchers with ten homers.
• OF Angel Pagan, NYM has five multi-hit efforts in the last six games, going 12-for-26 with five extra-base hits and four stolen bases. His 19 stolen bases have him tied for fourth in the NL.

Hope you find these statistical gems helpful heading into the All-Star break. Be sure to look me up on Twitter, if you're into that sort of thing.

Line of the Day: 06/28/2010

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OF Michael Bourn, HOU was 4-for-6 with a home run (his 1st), two RBI, two runs and stole his 23rd base (was caught stealing once, too). His batting average is now up to .265. His career average is only .262, so anything north of that is a plus. Bourn is on pace for 49 steals and 97 runs. That's about all you get when you draft him (and Juan Pierre).

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Waiver Saviors/Ultimate Lineup: 05/24/2010

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I've decided to combine two topics into one for this article. Waiver Saviors normally looks at who's hot and available in a majority of leagues and Ultimate Lineup normally looks at who's hot by position. I'm going to attempt to combine them both and give you a name at each position that is widely available and possibly worth a waiver wire pickup in your league. Here we go.

• C  John Jaso, TB (0.4% E; 3% Y!) is barely owned, so if you are in need of a catcher, grab him. This is a line worth owning (22 games): 22/63, .349 BA, .475 OBP, .540 SLG, 1.015 OPS, 7 XBH, 11 R, 2 HR,  18 RBI, 15 BB, 6 K. Dioner Navarro is hitting .188 with 0 HR and 4 RBI in 80 ABs. It's only a matter of time before the starting job is Jaso's.
• 1B/3B Troy Glaus, ATL (63% E; 20% Y!) is being snatched up, so don't miss out. After a rough April, he's hitting .355 with 4 HR and 18 RBI in May. At this pace, he won't be available much longer.
• 2B/SS Mike Aviles, KC (40% E; 19% Y!) is back in a starting role and performing (.347 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 10 R). He could be a nice addition in deeper leagues, especially in a MI roster slot.
• 3B Scott Rolen, CIN (40% E; 41% Y!) is on a pace for over 30 home runs and 90 RBI. That's ownable in every format. He will always feel like an injury risk, but his ownership numbers should be better, at this point.
• 2B/3B/SS Jeff Keppinger, HOU (3% E; 4% Y!) may be the best of what's left out there at the shortstop position. Probably only an option in NL-only or very deep mixed leagues where his .292 BA, 15 R and 17 RBI could be helpful. He's hitting .433 (13/30) over his last 7 games.
• OF Luke Scott, BAL (44% E; 28% Y!) is on one of his tears (last 15 games: .420 BA, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 12 R, 1.253 OPS) and could be a nice "quick fix" in weekly, head-to-head leagues orif your team is decimated by injuries.
• OF Eric Hinske, ATL (3% E; 6% Y!) looks to have played himself into an everyday role with the Braves (last 15 games: 16/36, .444 BA, 7 R, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 1.432 OPS). Hinske is another player to ride while he's hot and piling up the offensive numbers.
• OF Corey Hart, MIL (49% E; 38% Y!) is on a power surge (12 R, 6 HR, 12 RBI in May) and no longer in a platoon. His average (.264) and steals (3) are down, so you may just be sacrificing some scoring categories to get the runs, home runs and RBI.
• SP Carlos Silva, CHC (30% E; 33% Y!) is 6-0 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. I know everyone is waiting for him to implode, but what if he doesn't? He's also 6/9 in quality starts with a nice 2.82 K/BB ratio. If you're desperate for pitching or looking to stream, Silva is getting it done.
• RP Manny Corpas, COL (37% E; 29% Y!) is Colorado's closer until Houston Street comes off the DL and should be owned if you need saves. He's recorded three saves in his last five outings and could be setting himself up to be the Rockies primary setup man once Street returns.

Is it me or do fantasy baseball managers hold grudges against players that have burned them in the past? Are their guys out there that have burned you one too many times and you simply refuse to fall for it again? (That's right, Zach Duke, I'm talking about you!)

Waiver Saviors: 05/13/2010

HOU

Here are some guys very available in ESPN leagues that are worth looking at in the latest installment of Waiver Saviors.

HITTERS (last 7 days)*

• SS Starlin Castro, CHC (6/18, .333 BA, 2 R, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB) came up with a splash and hasn't disappointed, offensively, in his first week. If he's still available in your league, grab him. The Cubs are invested heavily into this 20-year-old and so should you, especially if your league is a keeper. (56.5% owned)
• C John Buck, TOR (9/21, .429 BA, 7 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB) may not be a long-term solution at catcher, but he's definitely proving to be a short-term one. If your league uses a two-catcher format or you punted the catcher position all together, Buck is worth owning while he's hot. (25.4% owned)
• OF Fred Lewis, TOR (14/33, .424 BA, 3 R, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB) is getting it done at the top of the Blue Jays batting order. If he can increase his walks (only five) and stolen bases (just 3/5), he could be an asset worth owning in deep mixed leagues. (9.8% owned)
• 1B/3B Troy Glaus, ATL (11/28, .393 BA, 3 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB) is heating up (May: 16/40, .400 BA) after a very slow start (April: 14/72, .194 BA). Glaus could easily reach 30 home runs, if he can simply stay healthy, and the move to first base should help. (11.2% owned)
• OF Angel Pagan, NYM (10/26, .385 BA, 5 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB) has a solid hold on the center field job (until Beltran comes back) and is making the most of his opportunity. If you are in need of speed, Pagan could provide a short-term boost. (2.2% owned)
• SS Orlando Cabrera, CIN (9/23, .391 BA, 4 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB) is batting leadoff, producing and should be rostered, especially if you're in a deep league with an MI spot. (36.1% owned)

PITCHERS (last 15 days)*

• SP Ian Kennedy, ARI (2-1, 2 QS, 21.2 IP, 20 H, 4 BB, 14 K, 2.49 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) is on everyone's waiver wire pickup lists, so why is he still so available? He's finally living up to his potential and could be a nice addition to a struggling fantasy pitching staff. (11.2% owned)
• RP Alfredo Simon, BAL (3 SV, 6 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 7 K, 0.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 10.50 K/9) is the Orioles closer and should be owned in all formats that use saves as a scoring category. If he's available in your league, then your league probably sucks. (29% owned)
• RP Frank Francisco, TEX (2-0, 2 SV, 1 HLD, 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 5.06 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, .444 OBA, 8.44 K/9) will kill your ratios and frustrate the hell out of you for owning him, but the Rangers bullpen is a mess and he is right in the thick of it. If you've got the stomach for it, own him. (42.7% owned)
• SP Brett Myers, HOU (1-1, 3 QS, 20 IP, 20 H, 9 BB, 14 K, 3.15 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) could be worth owning if the Astros showed any signs of life on offense. He's gone at least six innings in all seven starts, recording a quality start in five, but only sporting a 2-2 record. (1.1% owned)
• RP Tyler Clippard, WAS (3-1, 0 SV, 4 BSV, 4 HLD, 9.1 IP, 10 H, 7 BB, 11 K, 3.86 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 10.61 K/9) is the major league leader in wins with seven...as a middle reliever. If your league uses holds, he's a must-own. If you are desperate for wins, he's ownable. If your league uses K/9, what are you waiting for? I can't think of any reason for him not to be owned at this point. (40.6% owned)
• RP Jhoulys Chacin, COL (2-0, 2 QS, 15.1 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 16 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, .217 OBA, 9.39 K/9, 3.20 K/BB) is pitching his way into a permanent spot in the Rockies rotation. Grab him while the league tries to figure him out. Chacin should gain SP eligibility after he makes his 3rd start, according to ESPN rules. (21.9% owned)

REMEMBER: Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) that is currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch without destroying your current roster to do so.

Six weeks into the 2010 season, what players have you claimed off waivers that are paying dividends?

* Statistics accurate through games played as of 05/11/2010

Waiver Saviors: 05/03/2010

HOU

Waiver Saviors will look at players available in a majority of leagues (ESPN & Y!) that are currently having a statistical impact and could be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) that is currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch without destroying your current roster to do so.

HITTERS (last 7 days)

• OF Austin Jackson, DET (15/30, .500 BA, 8 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB) NEEDS TO BE OWNED! If he's still available on waivers in your league, then your league probably sucks. Any guy leading the league in hits going into the month of May deserves to be rostered. If you're scared away by the strikeouts (34 K in 109 AB), then why is Justin Upton still 100% owned (36 K in 98 AB)? (32% E; 57% Y!)
• 3B David Freese, STL (12/26, .462 BA, 4 R, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB) is thriving in the middle of the Cardinals lineup. He's heating up and could provide some very nice production if you are thin at the 3B, CI or INF positions. (7% E; 21% Y!)
• C Rod Barajas, NYM (6/14, .429 AB, 6 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB) can help you in deep two-catcher while he's hot. He's got long-ball potential but could hurt your batting average (.239 career). (7% E; 24% Y!)
• 1B/2B/3B Ty Wigginton, BAL (6/18, .333 BA, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB) continues to get the job done and with three positions of eligibility, he's the perfect guy to have on your roster. Brian Roberts' return is still unknown and Wiggy will continue to get plenty of playing time. (41% E; 60% Y!)
• OF Austin Kearns, CLE (11/25, .440 AB, 4 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB) is starting, is hitting and should be owned while he's hot. Cleveland's offense is struggling and hopefully Kearns continues to earn the playing time. (0.1% E; 9% Y!)
• 3B/SS Jhonny Peralta, CLE (9/23, .391 BA, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB) has two positions of eligibility and four multi-hit games over his last five outings. Sounds like a guy that could help out a struggling team. (6% E; 27% Y!)
• 2B/3B Adam Rosales, OAK (10/21, .476 BA, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB) will continue to see regular at-bats while Mark Ellis is sidelined and he's making the most of the opportunity. Also has 1B eligibility on Y! (0.1% E; 3% Y!)

PITCHERS (last 15 days)

• SP Jon Garland, SD (3 QS, 3 W, 20 IP, 12 H, 0.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 6.30 K/9) is thriving in the Padres rotation and is a guy to consider if you are looking for some pitching depth. He's never been a strikeout pitcher but recently racked up ten in six innings against the Marlins. (2% E; 15% Y!)
• SP/RP C.J. Wilson, TEX (3 QS, 2 W, 19.2 IP, 14 H, 1.37 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 5.03 K/9) has successfully transitioned from reliever to starter in 2010 and could provide some nice depth to a struggling pitching staff. Also doesn't hurt that he recently gave COSFBA some love on Twitter. (25% E; 55% Y!)
• SP Wade LeBlanc, SD (2 QS, 2 W, 17.1 IP, 18 H, 1 ER, 0.52 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.31 K/9, 4.00 K/BB) is another Padres pitcher that should be owned at this point. His next start will be at home versus Colorado. His ownership should increase if he pitches well again. (0.4% E; 16% Y!)
• SP Jaime Garcia, STL (2 QS, 1 W, 13 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 1.38 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 4.85 K/9) pitches at Philadelphia in his next start. This is make or break for his Waiver Saviors life. (12% E; 49% Y!)
• RP Matt Lindstrom, HOU (6 IP, 5 SV, 9.00 K/9) is the closer on a bad team. Regardless, he will get whatever saves there are to be gotten in Houston and is a must-own, at this point. (60% E; 62% Y!)
• RP Luke Gregerson, SD (9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 HLD, .071 OBA, 0.22 WHIP, 9.00 K/9) is racking up the Holds in San Diego and should be owned in all deep leagues with lots of RP spots to fill. (0.4% E; 10% Y!)
• RP Alfredo Simon, BAL (3 IP, 2 SV, 15.00 K/9) is currently the closer in Baltimore and all closers should be owned if your league uses saves. His 2.00 WHIP could be cause for concern but his sample size is only three innings. It helps that Mike Gonzalez is on the DL and Jim Johnson was optioned to AAA. (0% E; 15% Y!)

Picking players off waivers can be the difference between winning or losing a league, as long as the timing is right. Which players on your roster are you ready to trade or dump going into the month of May?

Your League Probably Sucks: 04/30/2010

HOU

...IF players like these are still available on waivers:

• 1B Paul Konerko, CHW is the major league leader in HR with 10, yet is only 69% owned in Y! leagues. Can I get an invite to those other 31% of leagues?
• 2B Kelly Johnson, ARI is only hitting .320 with 17 R, 9 HR, 18 RBI and an OPS of 1.202. What more does a guy need to do to be owned in more than 72% of Y! leagues? Walk on water? Good luck finding any in the deserts of Arizona.
• SP Kevin Correia, SD has four wins in five starts with some nice peripherals (3.86 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 8.36 K/9). His ownership numbers are baffling (13% E; 77% Y!). Yes, he's averaging less than 6 IP per start, but he's winning. Period!
• RP Matt Lindstrom, HOU is the closer and should be owned, so why is it that he's only 60% owned in both ESPN and Y! leagues? Houston has put their 0-8 start behind them and are now winning ballgames. Do people not like his six saves and 9.90 K/9 ratio?
• OF Austin Jackson, DET strikes out a bunch (32 K in 22 G). So what! He's hitting .330 with 18 R, 1 HR, 7 RBI and 4 SB. Those numbers aren't worth owning in more than 32% ESPN and 35% Y! leagues? Unreal.
• OF Marlon Byrd, CHC. What's everyone got against a guy that's hitting .333 with 12 R, 3 HR, 15 RBI and 1 SB? Only 55% ESPN and 56% Y! owned? I have this guy on three of my four teams and enjoying the benefits.
• C Miguel Olivo, COL has performed so well, the Rockies sent Chris Iannetta to AAA and gave him the starting job. So why isn't he on more fantasy rosters? Just 13 % ESPN and 60% Y! owned, he deserves better and his numbers prove it (.314 BA, 1.004 OPS, 10 R, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 1 SB).
• 1B/2B/3B Ty Wigginton, BAL has done nothing but produce since being inserted into the everyday lineup when 2B Brian Roberts went on the DL. His .323 BA, 11 R, 6 HR, 12 RBI and 1.064 OPS plus three-position eligibility have been fantasy gold for the 41% of ESPN and 55% of Y! managers that grabbed him off waivers. With as bad as Baltimore is playing, Wiggy will continue to play even after Roberts is activated.
• SP Jaime Garcia, STL is 4-for-4 in quality starts and posting some awesome statistics (2-1, 26 IP, 16 H, 3 ER, 0.96 WHIP). What are people waiting for? Just 12% owned in ESPN leagues is embarrassing.
• SP Colby Lewis, TEX has already posted two 10 K performances in only four starts. He's averaging below 6 IP per start but has managed 3 wins. If he can get his stamina up and his pitch counts down, be ready for a lot more 10 K performances. Oh, take your time picking him up. He's only 10% ESPN and 43% Y! owned (not for long).

Are there other players in your league(s) that you can't believe are just sitting there on waivers? How do you explain such low ownership rates for such highly performing players?

Any questions, comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.
* All statistics accurate through 04/29/10

Waiver Saviors: 04/21/2010

HOU

Waiver Saviors will look at players available in a majority of leagues that are having a statistical impact over the last 7 days and could be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) that is currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch. The stats in parenthesis are a summary of the past week's data.

HITTERS

• 2B Alberto Callaspo, KC (9/25, .360 BA, 4 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB) continues to perform and should see regular playing time while Chris Getz is on the DL. 3B eligibility in Yahoo! leagues. (9% E; 31% Y! owned)
• 1B/3B Ty Wigginton, BAL (7/23, .304 BA, 6 R, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB) is making the most of his playing time as a fill-in for Brian Roberts and Miguel Tejada. 2B eligibility in Yahoo! leagues. (15% E; 29% Y!)
• C Ivan Rodriguez, WAS (12/26, .462 BA, 7 R, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB) is hitting. Any catcher that is hitting should be owned! If you are hanging onto a guy like Ryan Doumit, why not bail on him and take a shot at where Rodriguez goes. Odds are no one is dying to pick up Doumit, at this point. (43% E; 53% Y!)
• 2B Mike McCoy, TOR (6/15, .400 BA, 4 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3 SB) is filling in for the injured Aaron Hill and making the most of his opportunities. If your team is decimated by injuries or you play in a very deep mixed league with large rosters and positions like INF, MI or 2B/SS, McCoy could be a nice temporary filler. (0.1% E; 0% Y!)
• OF Josh Willingham, WAS (5/22, .227 BA, 7 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB) has walked 9 times over his last 7 games and continues to produce. Definitely worth owning at this point. (61% E; 55% Y!)
• 3B/OF Jose Bautista, TOR (7/23, .304 BA, 4 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB) has been dropped to 6th in the Blue Jays lineup, leading to more RBI opportunities. (1% E; 4% Y!) 
• OF Jim Edmonds, MIL (7/18, .389 BA, 5 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB) keeps stealing at-bats from Corey Hart and making the most of those opportunities. Hopefully he finds his power stroke soon. (1% E; 2% Y!)
• SS Cristian Guzman, WAS (11/27, .407 BA, 5 R, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB) is getting playing time at SS and 2B and making it count. Either Ian Desmond or Adam Kennedy could be in danger of losing their starting job if Guzman continues to perform. Already 2B eligible in Yahoo! leagues. (2% E; 23% Y!)
• DH Andruw Jones, CHW (6/16, .375 BA, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB) is performing and could be a nice source of cheap power while he's hot. He's a little more versatile in Yahoo! leagues, having already become OF eligible. (3% E; 11% Y!)
• 1B Casey Kotchman, SEA (6/18, .333 BA, 4 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB) is the only Mariner hitting right now. He accounted for both of the teams only HRs this past week (let that settle in) and should be owned in deeper leagues with a CI position. (5% E; 8% Y!)

PITCHERS

• SP Jason Vargas, SEA (13 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 2.08 ERA, .204 OBA, 0.77 WHIP, 7.62 K/9) is doing his best to stay in the rotation once Cliff Lee is activated from the DL. (0.3% E; 1% Y!)
• RP Fernando Rodney, LAA (5 IP, 1 H, 5 SV, .063 OBA, 7.20 K/9) did an incredible job filling in for Fuentes as the closer and shouldn't be dropped until Fuentes proves he's healthy or if your league uses Holds. (31% E; 51% Y!)
• CL Matt Lindstrom, HOU (4 IP, 3 SV, 13.50 K/9) is raking up the saves quickly (3 in the last 3 games) and has a firm hold on the closer role, for now, ha. (44% E; 41% Y!)
• SP Mike Pelfrey, NYM (15 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 0 ER, .236 OBA, 0.87 WHIP, 7.20 K/9, 1 SV) has done it all this week and looks to be living up to fantasy expectations. Stream him if you are afraid to lock him up as a starter on your staff. (17% E; 43% Y!)
• SP Randy Wells, CHC (12.1 IP, 1 QS, 0-0, 3.65 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 8.76 K/9) has gone at least six innings in all three starts this season and has some nice potential. (11% E; 74% Y!)
• RP Kevin Jepsen, LAA (3 IP, 4 HLD, 15.00 K/9, 5.00 K/BB) is a must-own if your league uses Holds and worth keeping an eye on for your bullpen with a 10.29 K/9 this season. (0.1% E; 4% Y!)
• SP Brad Penny, STL (14 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 1.29 ERA, .231 OBA, 0.86 WHIP, 5.79 K/9, 9.00 K/BB) is flourishing in St. Louis, having thrown 7 IP in each of his 3 starts this season with a 13:3 K:BB ratio. (49% E; 51% Y!)
• RP Burke Badenhop, FLA (3.2 IP, 0 H, 1 SV, 1 HLD, 9.82 K/9) is working his way into the bullpen mix for Holds and opportune Saves. Deeper, mixed leagues using Holds are made for guys like this. (0.4% E; 6% Y!)
• SP Jaime Garcia, STL (7 IP, 1 QS, 0-0, 1 H, 0 ER, 6.43 K/9) is proving he's legit with his 13:5 IP:H ratio. He's flying under the fantasy radar for most, so now is as good as time as ever to give him a start. (7% E; 21% Y!)
• RP Joba Chamberlain, NYY (4.2 IP, 2 HLD, .188 OBA, 0.64 WHIP, 13.50 K/9) is back to his old self as the Yankees' setup man and should be owned in leagues utilizing Holds. Would be next in line for Saves if Mariona Rivera can't go or suffers an injury. (30% E; 28% Y!)

Any other guys out there that you've picked up off waivers recently that are paying off dividends?

Injury Bug Bites Hard This Spring

HOU

Many teams are fighting the injuries this Spring (none harder than the Mets) and all have fantasy baseball impact. Here's a look at some of the more significant injuries and the replacement players that may benefit in the short-term.

• CL Joe Nathan, MIN (elbow) - Nathan is done for the year. No surprise here. There was speculation that SP Francisco Liriano would step into the closer role until he came out and said he didn't want it. The surprise is that in a matter of days, manager Ron Gardenhire went from a "closer-by-committee" approach including RHP Matt Guerrier, RHP Jon Rauch and LHP Jose Mijares to "officially" naming Jon Rauch the closer. Rauch needs to be 100% owned.
• 1B Lance Berkman, HOU (knee) - Not a good sign when the player says he's not sure he'll be ready to come off the DL when eligible. Hopefully he only misses a couple of weeks, but be prepared for this injury to linger if he rushes back. Rotowire.com says, "The plan calls for 3B Pedro Feliz to stay at third against righties with UTL Geoff Blum playing first base. When the Astros face a lefty, rookie 3B Chris Johnson will start at third with Feliz shifting over to first."
• OF Carlos Beltran, NYM (knee) - Beltran could be out until June. Hopefully you were aware of this fact when you drafted him and planned your outfield accordingly. OF Angel Pagan and OF Gary Matthews Jr. are expected to pick up the slack until Beltran returns. Neither is a viable fantasy option unless one of them gets off to a hot start.
• SS Jose Reyes, NYM (thyroid) - Reyes had already slipped down many fantasy draft boards after his horrendous 2009 season and the discovery of a thyroid condition this Spring isn't helping his value. Not officially on the DL yet, it's hard to figure out what to do with him on your roster. A wait-and-see approach will provide you with nothing but waiver fodder. I hope you planned ahead or just avoided Reyes all together for 2010. MI Alex Cora is expected to fill in during the Reyes absence.
• SP Cliff Lee, SEA (abdomen) - A timetable hasn't been determined for his return and a trip to the DL hasn't been ruled out. Toss in a "pending" five-game suspension and it could be a while before Lee returns. Not wait Mariners fans and Lee owners were hoping for in 2010.
• 2B Ian Kinsler, TEX (ankle) - Kinsler hasn't participated in drills recently and there is no timetable set for his return. Assume a few weeks unless positive news starts coming out of Texas.
• CL Brad Lidge, PHI (elbow) - Reports are that he'll be out until "at least" mid-April. RHP Ryan Madson has been named the interim closer and could claim the job long-term if Lidge comes back and falters like he did in 2010. Sleeper closer candidate - RHP Danys Baez averaged 32 saves over 2003 - 2005.
• SP Joe Blanton, PHI (oblique) - He's expected to miss 3-to-6 weeks. RHP Kyle Kendrick is the beneficiary of Blanton's injury but has limited fantasy value other than a spot start for a possible favorable match-up.
• OF Coco Crisp, OAK (finger, hamstring) - Crisp was dinged up before fracturing his pinkie. OF Travis Buck makes the team but it's unclear who benefits from Crisp's injury.
• 1B Russell Branyan, CLE (back) - Branyan was nothing more than a late round flier at best but his injury ensures OF Matt LaPorta gets a chance to shine and could be a very valuable late roound/waiver wire pick up.
• 3B Alex Gordon, KC (thumb) - Gordon is a favorite "bounce back" candidate for 2010 and shouldn't miss much time. Stash him on the DL and pick up anyone that won't hurt your team in his absence (as if someone could do worse than him).
• SP Scott Kazmir, LAA (back, hamstring) - Scott should only miss one start as he looks to regain strength. He's owned in 100% of ESPN leagues because everyone keeps hoping he reaches his potential. Grab him if he was dropped and stash him.
• SP Gil Meche, KC (shoulder) - Meche shouldn't be out long and is the perfect guy to spot start with favorable match-ups, at best.
• SP Erik Bedard, SEA (shoulder) - Bedard could have been had cheap in the late rounds or even better, off waivers after drafts. He won't be ready to go until June, at best, but could be a valuable starter down the stretch, if healthy. Stash him on the DL and be patient.
• CL Houston Street, COL (shoulder) - The Rockies recently shut him down and that can't be good. Estimates originally had him returning by May. Pay close attention to his rehab process if you own him. In the mean time, LHP Franklin Morales and ex-closer RHP Manny Corpas should be owned by someone in your league.
• 2B Freddy Sanchez, SF (shoulder) - He's expected to miss 3-to-4 weeks but has little to no fantasy value except for his batting average in a deep mixed league with a middle infielder roster spot. 2B/3B/SS Juan Uribe benefits from Sanchez's injury but also has limited fantasy value in deep mixed leagues.
• 1B/OF Daniel Murphy, NYM (knee) - Murphy was shaping up to be a nice late round pick until being sidelined 2-to-6 weeks with a knee injury. 1B Mike Jacobs and 1B/3B/OF Fernando Tatis are expected to platoon in his absence.

Are there other injuries (large or small) that are impacting your team(s) or have you benefited from a waiver pickup at some other managers expense?