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| Mike Pelfrey allowed a run and six hits in seven innings in his first career appearance against St. Louis, winning his fourth in a row on the road in the blowout 11-1 victory over St Louis on Thursday night. |
Our View: The Mets have won six of his last seven starts and given him sick run support in the process. Pelfrey even contributed at the plate. The starter had been 2-for-57 (.035) for his career before his RBI single in the third.
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| Carlos Delgado hit a two-run home run and recorded three RBI as the Mets offense seems to have found itself. New York pounded rookie right-hander Mitchell Boggs, rebounding from a disappointing one-run loss on Wednesday night, to earn a split in the four-game series. |
Our View: Delgado's home run was his 15th of the season and the three RBI raises his total to 49 in 83 games played.
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| Bobby Crosby missed his first game of the season, a 3-2 win over the White Sox, with a strained left hamstring. Crosby told reporters after the game "It's better today. It's a little sore but it's definitely better." |
Our View: Crosby is considered day-to-day, but the shortstops relationship with the disabled list is legendary. Any injury is a concern when Crosby is involved.
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| Huston Street allowed one hit, but struck out three, recording his 16th save of the season as the A's defeated the White Sox 3-2 on Thursday night. |
Our View: Street dropped his ERA below four runs (3.89) for the first time since April and now has 41 strike outs in 36 innings of work.
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| Javier Vazquez suffered his seventh loss of the season despite pitching his first complete game. The White Sox right-hander allowed three runs on four hits, walked one and struck out 10 in the loss. |
Our View: The complete game was his first in nearly a year and it was arguably one of Vazquez's best efforts of the season. Not only did he strike out 10, he retired the first 11 batters he faced.
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| Justin Duchscherer continues to shine. On Thursday night at hitter-friendly US Cingular Field, the A's right-hander pitched seven solid innings helping Oakland to a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. Duchscherer allowed two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out four in the win. |
Our View: Duchscherer scored his ninth win of the season and continues to amaze with his transformation from reliever to starter. The two runs allowed raised his ERA from 1.91 to 1.96.
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| Andy Pettitte didn't have much to offer his teammates in the 7-0 loss to the Red Sox on Thursday night in the Bronx. The left-hander allowed six runs (five earned), walked three and struck out two. Pettitte had been 6-0 since May 17 with a 3.54 ERA. |
Our View: Pettitte had a pitcher-friendly home plate umpire, and a slumping Boston lineup, and still struggled.
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| Jon Lester performed like an ace on Thursday night pitching a complete game 7-0 victory over division rival New York. The left allowed five hits, walked two and struck out eight in his seventh win of the year. |
Our View: The winning performance was easily his best since the no-hitter against the Royals in May.
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| Joakim Soria was lights out again on Thursday night in Baltimore. The right-hander threw a perfect ninth inning recording two strikeouts in his 23rd save of the season. |
Our View: It's hard to pick out a player that has not only surprised, but also performed better in the process. George Sherrill comes to mind, but he recently blew saves in consecutive appearances. Soria's ERA is at 1.22, his WHIP at .073, and only his 23 saves trump his 41 strike outs in 37 innings.
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| Garrett Olson allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits, walked two and struck out two in Thursday's 10-7 loss to the Royals. The southpaw was not involved in the decision. |
Our View: Olson had lost two straight decisions coming into tonight's game, and while he was in line to win the game upon his departure, he didn't pitch well enough to deserve a cheap victory.
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| Kyle Davies was hit hard for the third straight start against Baltimore on Thursday night. The right-hander allowed seven runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out four in the Royals win. |
Our View: Davies started strong after being recalled from Omaha, but has quickly returned to his career peripherals. After Thursday's performance, his ERA went from 3.34 to 4.71.
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| David DeJesus matched his career-high hitting streak of 15 games by singling in a run in the sixth inning. |
Our View: DeJesus, who returned to the starting lineup for the second straight night after missing time to a bruised rib, has raised his average to .321 during the hitting streak.
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| Jose Guillen went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored in the Royals 10-7 victory over the Orioles on Thursday night. |
Our View: Guillen has 14 multi-hit games in his last 26 starts and has his average up to .280 on the season.
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| Aubrey Huff had a big night at the plate in the Orioles 10-7 loss to the Royals. Huff hit a solo home run in the fourth and a two-run shot in the fifth, both off starter Kyle Davies. The designated hitter also doubled giving him a 3-for-4 performance. |
Our View: Huff now has three homers in his last two games and 17 for the season, two more than in 2007.
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| Mark Grudzielanek went 4-for-5 helping the Kansas City Royals defeat the Baltimore Orioles 10-7 on Thursday night. Grudz drove in and scored a run in the win. This is the second four-hit performance for the Royals second baseman in the last week. On June 29, Gruzielanek went 4-for-5 against the Cardinals.
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Our View: As bad as this Royals team can be at times, they rarely lie down for their opponents. KC overcame a four-run deficit, and a two home run performance by Aubrey Huff, to earn a split of the four-game series against the O's. Grudz is a large part of the big-hearted team.
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| Alfonso Soriano, sidelined with a broken hand, was re-examined in Chicago on Thursday and is set to rejoin the team Friday in St. Louis, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: The Cubs outfielder could return after the All Star break, June 18th, at Houston.
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| Omar Vizquel ended his 0-for-18 hitless streak with a seventh inning infield single. Giants manager Bruce Bochy told the team website on Thursday that he has noticed positive signs in Vizquel's swing in the last three games. The veteran shortstop raised his .148 average to .159 with his 2-for-4 performance. |
Our View: Vizquel's two hits gave him his first multihit game since May 21 and first RBI since a squeeze bunt on June 24.
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| Sean Gallagher allowed three runs on only four hits, walked two and struck out two -- extending his winless stretch to five starts in an 8-3 loss to the Giants on Thursday night.
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Our View: The rookie didn't pitch poorly, he just couldn't match the Giants Tim Lincecum. The loss was Gallagher's third straight. He hasn't won since June 1 against Colorado.
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| Aramis Ramirez rejoined the Cubs starting lineup on Thursday night after attending to a family matter for the last three games. The Cubs third baseman went 0-for-4 in his return. |
Our View: The veteran is hitting .285 with 55 RBI, 54 runs and 14 home runs on the season.
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| Cristian Guzman went 2-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 11 games in the 5-3 Thursday loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Guzman is hitting .317 in 366 at-bats this season. |
Our View: This is the second double-digit hitting streak that Guzman has recorded this year. He had a 12 game streak from June 7-19.
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| Johnny Cueto, who retired the first 13 batters he faced before allowing an infield single to the Nationals' Christian Guzman, exited the 5-3 win after seven strong innings. The Cincinnati right-hander earned his seventh win of the season. |
Our View: The Reds' rookie allowed three runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out eight in the quality start.
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| John Lannan allowed three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out three over six innings in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Reds. Lannan wasn't involved in the decision after exiting with the game tied 3-3. |
Our View: The rookie left-hander has had an up and down season. His 4-9 record isn't an indicator of how well he has pitched at times. His 3.54 ERA and 1.31 WHIP are.
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| Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save in 19 opportunities helping the Reds to a 5-3 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night. |
Our View: The save was the closers first since June 25.
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| Austin Kearns returned from the disabled list on Thursday, started in right field, and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in a 5-3 loss to the Reds. |
Our View: With Kearns being activated from the DL, Wily Mo Pena returned to the bench with Roger Bernadina starting in center and Elijah Dukes in left.
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| Jeff Keppinger has struggled since returning from the disabled list due to a broken knee cap. The Reds third baseman went 0-for-3 in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Nationals. |
Our View: Keppinger extended his season-high streak of consecutive hitless at-bats to 13 in the 0-for-3 performance.
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| Brandon Phillips went 3-for-4 with three RBI and the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 5-3 win over the Nationals on Thursday night. |
Our View: Phillips now has 54 RBI, 50 runs scored, 16 stolen bases and 14 home runs on the season.
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| Rich Aurilia hit a pinch hit three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Giants salvaged a four-game split with an 8-3 win over the Cubs on Thursday night. |
Our View: It was the veteran infielders seventh home run of the season, and his third career pinch-hit homer.
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| Tim Lincecum increased his National League-leading strikeout total to 122 with eight strikeout over six innings in an 8-3 win over the Cubs on Thursday night.
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Our View: Lincecum allowed three runs on seven hits and walked one in his 10th victory of the season.
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| Tom Gordon earned a one out save in the Phillies 4-1 win over Atlanta on Thursday night. The save is the veteran right-handers second of the season. |
Our View: Gordon came in for the final out of Cole Hamels' near complete game, and did so because closer Brad Lidge had pitched the last three games. Lidge's Thursday night appearance saw him throw 28 pitches making him unavailable for tonight's game.
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| Jeff Francoeur, who is rumored to be on his way to Triple-A to work on his swing, went 0-for-4 in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Phillies furthering his chances of a demotion. |
Our View: The Braves outfielder is hitting .234 with 41 RBI, 40 runs scored with eight home runs on the season. Fancoeur's June numbers were ugly (.200/.263/.300).
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| Jair Jurrjens didn't throw a quality start but allowing four runs on eight hits in seven innings of work against the hard-hitting Phillies lineup is nothing to be ashamed of. |
Our View: The rookie walked one and struck out six in his fourth loss of the season.
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| Ryan Howard hit a solo home run helping the Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Atlanta Braves by the score of 4-1 on Thursday night. |
Our View: The home run was the big first baseman's 22nd of the season. Howard went 1-for-4 in the game, a percentage that unfortunately raises his average. Howard came into Thursday's game hitting .219 and exited with a .220 average, this in 324 at-bats.
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| Chase Utley hit his league leading 24th home run and the Phillies scored a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. |
Our View: Utley, who has recently shown signs of breaking out of a 40 at-bat funk, is hitting an even .300 on the season.
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| Cole Hamels was one out short of a complete game victory as the Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Thursday night. Hamels allowed one run on five hits, walked two and struck out seven. |
Our View: Hamels earned his ninth win of the season and lowered his 3.38 ERA to 3.22 in the wining effort.
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| After announcing that Emmanuel Burriss would receive more playing time at shortstop, Giants manager Bruce Bochey started Omar Vizquel for the third straight game on Thursday night, this according to the official Omar Vizquel. "You can see it's close," Bochy said. "We need him. We need his presence, his defense and his offense."
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Our View: The report notes that Bochy wasn't trying to mislead with his conviction, but rather he has noticed positive signs in Vizquel's swing in the last three games. The veteran shortstop is hitting .148 in 128 at-bats.
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| Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that right-hander Merkin Valdez will begin throwing off the mound on Friday, this according to the team website. Valdez, who strained his throwing elbow, will report to the Giants' training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. |
Our View: Valdez was 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 17 appearances before being disabled.
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| Dan Ortmeier, who is recovering from a fractured finger, is expected to begin his rehab on Sunday with either Triple-A Fresno or Single-A San Jose, this according to MLB.com.
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Our View: Ortmeier batted .219 in 38 games before being placed on the disable list on May 29.
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| Dave Roberts is expected to begin a Minor League injury rehabilitation assignment Monday, this according to the team website. Roberts will begin his work with the Giants' Triple-A affiliate in Fresno. Roberts was batting .118 (2-for-17) before being sidelined.
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Our View: Roberts is slowly working his way back from left knee surgery he underwent on April 12. Upon Roberts return he is not expected to unseat his replacement, Fred Lewis.
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| Jamie Walker, who has been on the disabled list since Monday, June 30, with inflammation in his left elbow, received a cortisone shot and is scheduled to begin throwing as soon as Thursday afternoon, this according to the team website.
"I feel like Superman right now," Walker said. "I'll know more when I start throwing."
Walker went on the disabled list after pitching with what he referred to as bone spurs in his elbow for about a month.
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Our View: The hope is that Walker will be able to return to the 25-man roster by Saturday, July 12, in Boston.
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| The Texas Rangers will skip Scott Feldman in the rotation and send Kevin Millwood to the mound on Sunday versus the Orioles, this according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Millwood, who last started on Tuesday, July 1, will be working on regular (4-days) rest.
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| Milton Bradley has missed 14 of the Rangers' first 85 games. But he still leads the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage despite nagging injuries, this according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Bradley, apparently healthy again, hit a two-run home run on Wednesday night supporting his claims he feels as good as he has all year. The outfielder claims his ailments have been the result of his offseason knee surgery and the normal bumps and bruises that occur during a long MLB season.
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| Josh Hamilton, who has led the American League in runs batted in for nearly the entire firs half of the season, is expected to be a popular choice for the All Star Game Home Run Derby, this according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Hamilton isn't considered a raw power player, but neither was Bobby Abreu when he won the contest a few years back. As well as Hamilton is swinging the bat, one has to be concerned what the derby has done to other players who have made it to the finals of the event.
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| Tony Pena Jr., who hasn't played in nearly a week, started at shortstop in Baltimore on Thursday replacing Mike Aviles. |
Our View: Pena hasn't played in the teams' last six games. He lost his starting shortstop job to Aviles after hitting .154 in 169 at-bats in April and May.
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| Mike Aviles was out of the lineup for the first time in 24 games as Kansas City was playing the fourth and final game of a road series in Baltimore. Tony Pena started at shortstop. |
Our View: The ookie shortstop was hitless in his last two games and made some costly mistakes defensively on Tuesday night. Ultimately costing the team a win.
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| Joey Gathright, who suffered a left shoulder separation, didn't start in center field tonight against the Orioles.
Gathright suffered the injury when he attempted an over-the-fence catch during a 5-2 loss to Baltimore on Wednesday night.
David DeJesus was moved from left to center field. Jose Guillen went from designated hitter to left field and Billy Butler served as the teams designated hitter. |
Our View: The Royals television network reported that the Royals center fielder could have played, but manager Trey Hillman opted to give him the day off.
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| Clint Barmes (knee), who didn't play the past three games, is back in the starting lineup on Thursday night as Colorado hosts the Florida Marlins. |
Our View: Barmes is hitting second, the first time since coming off the disabled list on June 23.
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| Jeff Baker is starting at first base on Thursday night for the injured Todd Helton (back). The start marks the fifth this season at first for Baker. |
Our View: The fifth start is significant. Many fantasy formats only require five starts in a season to qualify a player at a position.
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| Todd Helton, who left Wednesday's game in the eighth inning with a sore back, is out of Thursday's lineup for the Rockies, this according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Manager Clint Hurdle said, "As we move forward, I just think there's going to be days we take more liberally, and he's good with it. But this is something we need to calm down."
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Our View: Helton has slumped recently (14-for-77)dropping his average from .295 on June 6 to .266.
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| After seemingly recovering from a rough patch of starts by defeating the Florida Marlins last Saturday, Brandon Webb struggled through six innings on Thursday afternoon. The right-hander allowed five runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out six. |
Our View: Because of the miracle at Chase Field, that saw the D'backs score six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Webb didn't factor into the decision. He pitched poorly enough to deserve the loss, and at one point looked completely disinterested in pitching.
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| J.J. Hardy extended his hitting streak to a team-high 15 consecutive games, but it failed to help a Brewers' team that gave up a five-run ninth inning lead to the Diamondbacks eventually losing 6-5 on Thursday afternoon. |
Our View: Hardy was brilliant in the four-game set. The shortstop went 11-for-18 with three home runs and six RBI.
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| Three Brewers pitchers failed to record an out as seven consecutive Diamondbacks reached base in the ninth, the most responsible for the Milwaukee collapse was Guillermo Mota. Salomon Torres (4-2) suffered the loss allowing Conner Jackson to hit a ground ball up the middle, through a drawn-in infield, and the Diamondbacks kept their small lead in the NL West and returned to the .500 mark (43-43). |
Our View: Mota didn't have anything. He allowed two hits and a walk before departing the game shaking his head. The right-hander hasn't been very good the entire season. His 4.22 ERA coming into Thursday's game included 16 walks in only 32 innings of work.
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| Conor Jackson recorded the game-winning two-run single as the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied from a five-run, ninth-inning deficit to shock the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 on Thursday afternoon.
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Our View: Jackson and the Diamondbacks left runners on base all afternoon, but in the end the Arizona left fielder went 2-for-5 with two huge RBI.
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| Manny Parra was robbed of his ninth victory on Thursday afternoon. The rookie left-hander allowed three hits, walked three and struck out four in six scoreless innings. Unfortunately the Brewers bullpen turned a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth into a 6-5 loss, and did it without recording an out. |
Our View: Parra is now a fixture in mixed formats, and officially the Brewers No. 2 starter behind Ben Sheets. All of the pre-season hype on the Milwaukee southpaw has come to fruition.
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| According to the Chicago Tribune the Cubs sent Eric Patterson to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday to make room for Reed Johnson. |
Our View: Reed Johnson is starting in left field and leading off for the Cubs tonight in the series finale against the Giants.
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| Billy Butler is serving as the Royals designated hitter in the final tilt of a four-game series in Baltimore. |
Our View: Butler, who was recently recalled from Omaha, is hitting fifth against Orioles' lefty Garrett Olson.
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| Nick Blackburn did something on Wednesday night that he wasn't able to do in his previous start, keep the ball in the park. The right-handed Twins starter pitches to contact. He allowed but three hits, walking one and striking out four in earning his seven win of the year. |
Our View: However, Blackburn still didn't induce enough ground balls to sustain productive starts. He allowed eight fly balls and forced the Tigers to the ground on another eight. Any improvement in his GB percentage will make Blackburn successful and attractive in most formats.
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| The Philadelphia Phillies will recall J.A Happ on Friday, this according to The News Tribune. Happ will start Friday against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in place of the demoted Brett Myers. |
Our View: Myers was sent down to triple-A Lehigh Valley after recent struggles. Happ was ultimately the choice over bullpen fodder Chad Durbin.
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| Takashi Saito gave up two ninth inning hits but recorded the third out without surrendering a run and recorded his 14th save of the season. |
Our View: The Dodgers haven't given Saito nearly as many opportunities to this point as they did a year ago. The LA closer remains a top-tiered fantasy option.
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| Andre Ethier hit his second home run in as many games helping the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-2 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon. |
Our View: Ethier now has nine home runs in 269 at-bats this season, a pace that is close to what was expected of the young outfielder.
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| Chad Billingsley pitched eight strong innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored a 5-2 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday.
Billingsley allowed six hits, walked one and struck out five in his fourth straight win. |
Our View: Billingsley didn't allow a baserunner through the first three innings and lowered his 3.38 ERA to 3.12 in the effort.
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| KyPost.com reports that the Reds claimed Andy Phillips off waivers from the Mets on Thursday. The report notes that the infielder is expected to arrive in time for tonight’s 7:10 p.m. game vs the Nationals…
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Our View: This is the second time Phillips has spent time with the Reds this season.
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| Austin Kearns was activated from the disabled list on Thursday, this according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The injury to Lastings Milledge will place Kearns in right field and Elijah Dukes in left with Roger Bernadina and Willie Harris platooning in center. |
Our View: It also means that Wily Mo Pena's chance to receive more at-bats is squashed.
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| The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the team has optioned Daryl Thompson back to Triple-A Louisville to make room on the 25-man roster for Andy Phillips. |
Our View: The report noted that even though Thompson's next start falls on Monday's off day, and the team could give him a start on the farm, Thompson isn't expected to return anytime soon. Josh Fogg could fill the No. 5 slot in the rotation, but nothing official has been announced.
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| Joel Zumaya is progressing as he works his way back to being the dominant set-up man he had been, as he hit 99 miles-per-hour on the radar gun on Monday against Minnesota, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Zumaya has had control problems in his five games since coming back, walking five batters in 5.1 innings while striking out only three. If he can regain his 2006 form, he is an asset in fantasy leagues.
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| Ben Zobrist has been called up to the big leagues today from Triple-A Durham, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Zobrist has hit well in his nine games with the Rays, but he is just 3-for-19 in his last five games since the last time he was sent down.
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| Reid Brignac has been recalled from Triple-A Durham to take the roster spot of Jason Bartlett, who was placed on the 15-day DL, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Brignac was not tearing it up offensively in the minors, with just a .265 average and .312 on-base percentage. He has decent pop with the bat, as 32 of his 75 hits went for extra bases, but he does not have fantasy value right now.
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| Jason Bartlett has been placed on the disabled list with a right knee sprain, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Bartlett is not hitting well enough to be on fantasy rosters, as he has no home runs on the year and his on-base percentage is now below .300
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| Coco Crisp has completed his suspension and returned to the Boston Red Sox lineup for tonight's game against the Yankees, according to the Boston Globe. Crisp will hit seventh and play center field. |
Our View: Crisp retains some value in fantasy play because he can steal a base, but his other numbers leave something to be desired, especially his .313 on-base percentage. He has only walked 12 times in 196 at-bats.
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| Jeff Kent left today's game against the Astros with back stiffness, according to Dodgers.com. The site reported that Kent did not appear to be in great discomfort as he was leaving the game. |
Our View: Angel Berroa came in at shortstop and Luis Maza moved to second base. There is no word on how long Kent may be out.
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| Bryan Bullington was designated for assignment by the Pirates, in order to clear room on their 40-man roster for Chris Duffy, according to TSN.com. |
Our View: The former first overall pick has not been very good this season, and he has a 5.29 ERA and 1.71 WHIP. The team has 10 days to decide what to do with him. He shouldn't be on fantasy rosters anywhere.
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