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Juan Rivera, LF, Los Angeles AngelsThursday 7/10, 11:57 PM CT
Juan Rivera had three hits and scored two runs as the Angels starter in the outfield in place of the struggling Gary Matthews Jr.

Our View: Rivera had a home run and three RBI on Wednesday and now he has three hits on this night. If he is somehow on the waiver-wire in your AL only league now is the time to pounce as it appears that he will be given a chance to prove his worth.
Michael Young, SS, Texas RangersThursday 7/10, 11:54 PM CT
Michael Young pushed his average up to .302 thanks to four hits in seven trips to the plate on Thursday night.

Our View: Young is 26-for-60 (.433) over his last 13 games as he has rediscovered the stroke that has enabled him to post 200-hit seasons five years in a row.
Howie Kendrick, 2B, Los Angeles AngelsThursday 7/10, 11:51 PM CT
Howie Kendrick had a big Thursday night with his first two home runs of the season as he went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI for the Angels.

Our View: Kendrick is hitting .328 in 177 AB for the Angels, though with a lack of pop with solid run production as he has only 22 runs and 22 RBI in 47 games. The average appears to be legit, but until he can shake the injury bug he will continue to underperform his ample talents.
Eddie Guardado, P, Minnesota TwinsThursday 7/10, 11:47 PM CT
In a game with 21 runs scored, Eddie Guardado was one of the few hurlers who appeared who escaped unscathed as he worked a scoreless eighth inning on Thursday night.

Our View: Guardado lowered his ERA to 2.73 with this effort as he hasn't allowed a run over 12 appearances spanning 11.2 innings. C.J. Wilson is still the Rangers closer, but if he has a hiccup, Guardado appears ready to pounce.
John Lackey, P, Los Angeles AngelsThursday 7/10, 11:43 PM CT
John Lackey was given a 10-2 lead on Thursday night but he couldn't hold on to the lead as he allowed an amazing 15 hits over 5.2 innings which led to six runs scored by the Rangers. Lacked also walked five guys on the night for an astronomical total of 20 base runners in 5.2 innings.

Our View: The Angels bullpen went on to blow the rest of the eight run lead, but the big story was Lackey who saw his ERA shoot up to 2.46 with this effort while his WHIP lept from 0.94 to 1.12. After a phenomenal start to the year, Lackey has given up 10 earned runs and 23 hits over his last 11.2 IP so the All-Star break appears to be coming at a great time.
Billy Butler, 1B, Kansas City RoyalsThursday 7/10, 10:49 PM CT
Billy Butler feels a newfound maturity has come over him after his latest demotion, and the 22 year old is intent on making his mark with a more serious attitude, according to the Kansas City Star. "I&;m trying to be a better teammate," he said. "I think I have a different demeanor."

Our View: Butler, a 2-time minor league batting champ, is batting just .260 with an anemic two home runs in 223 AB with the Royals. He still has about as much potential at the dish as any young hitter in the majors, but it is unclear if he will start to fulfill that potential in the second half of '08.
Mark Reynolds, 3B, Arizona DiamondbacksThursday 7/10, 10:42 PM CT
Mark Reynolds had one RBI on a night in which he made three errors in the field for the Diamondbacks.

Our View: Reynolds has committed 19 errors, and with 106 K in just 300 AB, there has to be some concern that his deficiencies are rendering his talents (18 HR, 54 RBI) somewhat moot. With Chad Tracy back and healthy, the team could make a move to add an outfielder which would force Conor Jackson back to first base and potentially send Tracy back to the position of filling in at both corners which could eat into Reynolds playing time.
Chad Tracy, 1B, Arizona DiamondbacksThursday 7/10, 10:37 PM CT
Chad Tracy had three hits, two runs, and two RBI for the D'backs on Thursday night. Conor Jackson, playing in left field, also had three hits.

Our View: Tracy hasn't gone deep in 13 games, but he has lifted his average over .040 points since his last bomb up to .287. The team has committed to finding ways to get Tracy into the lineup nightly, so his value is rising to the point where he might be worthy of consideration in deep mixed leagues.
Austin Kearns, RF, Washington NationalsThursday 7/10, 10:33 PM CT
Austin Kearns had three RBI on Thursday night for the Nationals giving him 21 RBI in 49 games.

Our View: Kearns hasn't improved his swing much in July as he is batting .269 with only a single extra base hit in 26 AB. With Elijah Dukes out of the lineup, he should get plenty of time to find that groove once again.
Jason Bergmann, P, Washington NationalsThursday 7/10, 10:27 PM CT
Jason Bergmann hurled seven innings in which he allowed two runs to the D'backs in an 11 inning, 7-5 loss to the Nationals.

Our View: Bergmann is but 1-6 on the year despite solid ratios (4.02 ERA and 1.29 WHIP), but that happens when you don't get a lot of run support. Bergmann has only walked 19 batters in 13 appearances, and with control like that, he will continue to have a chance at success.
Dan Haren, P, Arizona DiamondbacksThursday 7/10, 10:23 PM CT
Dan Haren dominated the Nationals for eight innings allowing only two runs, one earned, in a no-decision. Haren walked two on the night with nine K.

Our View: Haren left without allowing a run, but you can thank Brandon Lyon (and Mark Reynolds) for blowing Haren's outing by allowing two inherited runners to score. Haren enters the All-Star break at 8-5 with a 2.72 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in a spectacular first half season in the NL.
Francisco Liriano, P, Minnesota TwinsThursday 7/10, 10:20 PM CT
Francisco Liriano picked up his seventh victory on Thursday night as he held the Durham Bulls to just three hits and one walk over seven innings. He also struck out eight batters on the night.

Our View: Liriano is just about "back" from his elbow surgery as he has now walked all of six batters in his last seven starts during which time he has 46 K. He will likely be called up to join the Twins rotation at some point shortly after the All-Star break.
Jermaine Dye, RF, Chicago White SoxThursday 7/10, 10:09 PM CT
Jermaine Dye didn't make the All-Star team on Thursday but he continued to produce on the field by going 2-for-4 with his 20th home runs of the season for the Sox.

Our View: Over his last 63 games, Dye has been a run producing monster with 18 home runs and 45 RBI. Dye is now hitting .301 with 20 home runs and 53 RBI as he has clearly returned to the type of hitter he was in 2006, and that means trouble for opposing pitchers.
Mark Teahen, RF, Kansas City RoyalsThursday 7/10, 10:06 PM CT
Mark Teahen had two hits including his 10th home run, an inside the park job, for the Royals on Thursday night.

Our View: Teahen has had a down year with an ordinary .255 average and a middling 32 RBI in 326 AB. He is a fine AL only option as he continues to pile up the at-bats, but you must be pretty desperate if you are relying on him in mixed leagues.
Joakim Soria, P, Kansas City RoyalsThursday 7/10, 10:03 PM CT
Another night, another save for Joakim Soria who picked up his 24th of the year on Thursday night.

Our View: Soria continues to prove that you don't have to be on a great team to be a tremendously successful closer. Very few relievers have ever matched the start of Soria who owns a 2.13 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over the first 100 appearances of his career.
Mark Buehrle, P, Chicago White SoxThursday 7/10, 9:59 PM CT
Mark Buehrle worked seven scoreless innings before the Royals got to him for two runs in the eighth inning as he fell to 6-8 on the year.

Our View: This was a great pitching duel with Zack Greinke, but eventually the veteran faded while the youngster didn't. Buehrle did manage to lower his ERA to 3.83 on the night in a quality start, but he remains nothing more than a mid level starter because of his lack of strikeouts.
Zack Greinke, P, Kansas City RoyalsThursday 7/10, 9:56 PM CT
Zack Greinke wasn't involved in the decision on Thursday night, but he still dominated the White Sox holding them to just one run over seven innings. On the night Greinke walked one while striking out eight.

Our View: Greinke deserved the win, but the offense didn't get rolling for the Royals until he was removed from the game. Through 19 starts the Royals starter owns a great 3.48 ERA that has him marked as one of the top-20 starters in the American League.
Aubrey Huff, DH, Baltimore OriolesThursday 7/10, 9:48 PM CT
Another night, another two hits for Aubrey Huff who with this evening's effort pushed his average up to .288.

Our View: Huff has hits in 11 of his last 12 games during which time he has hit four home runs with 13 RBI. Too bad for him the All-Star break is fast approaching.
George Sherrill, P, Baltimore OriolesThursday 7/10, 9:42 PM CT
George Sherrill picked up his sixth blown save of the season and then his fourth loss as the Orioles fell 6-5 on Thursday.

Our View: Sherrill is showing some major cracks of late with four of the blown saves and three of the loses in his last 11 appearances as his ERA has risen from 3.23 to 4.12. He doesn't appear to be close to losing his job, but that doesn't mean you would be dumb to explore his value in a trade, especially since he could be on the move to a team where he might end up serving as a setup man.
Jeremy Guthrie, P, Baltimore OriolesThursday 7/10, 9:37 PM CT
Jeremy Guthrie wasn't involved in the decision on Thursday, but he still held the Blue Jays to two runs, one earned, over seven innings.

Our View: Guthrie has only five wins on the year, but he has been one of the most solid AL starting pitchers this season with a 3.49 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Guthrie continues to operate as a below the radar innings eater worthy of running out there every start.
John Parrish, P, Toronto Blue JaysThursday 7/10, 9:33 PM CT
John Parrish had a second quality start for the Jays as he held the Orioles to three runs over seven innings in a no-decision on Thursday.

Our View: Parish has given the Jays a 2.77 ERA over 13 innings, and with the recent injury to Dustin McGowan, Parrish should remain in the Jays starting rotation for a while as a viable AL only option.
Melvin Mora, 3B, Baltimore OriolesThursday 7/10, 9:30 PM CT
Melvin Mora went 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Orioles on Thursday to extend his hitting streak to five games.

Our View: Mora has hits in seven of his last eight games to raise his average from .227 to .237. Mora is best turned to only when hot, and for those of you in deep leagues, now appears to be one of those times.
Adam Lind, LF, Toronto Blue JaysThursday 7/10, 9:26 PM CT
Adam Lind went 3-for-4 on Thursday night as he knocked in the winning run in the ninth inning off of Orioles closer George Sherrill.

Our View: Lind has hits in six of the last eight games with seven RBI in his last nine games. With Vernon Wells going down with that hamstring injury, Lind would seem a lock to remain in the lineup on a daily basis.
Paul Maholm, P, Pittsburgh PiratesThursday 7/10, 9:23 PM CT
Pittsburgh lefty Paul Maholm earned his sixth win of the season tonight, helping his Pirates to a 4-2 win over the Yankees. Maholm pitched eight innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Our View: Maholm had suffered no-decision results in four of his last five outings but now boasts four consecutive wins in games resulting in decisions.
Jonny Gomes, DH, Tampa Bay RaysThursday 7/10, 9:22 PM CT
Jonny Gomes blasted his seventh home run from the eighth hole in the order for the Rays in their humiliating 13-2 loss to the Indians.

Our View: Gomes is only hitting .190, but he still has averaged a home run every 16.9 AB. It's tough to get down on a guy when he bats only six times a week, and Gomes still is flashing 30-HR potential, though it doesn't appear that he will ever get enough AB to reach that total in Tampa.
Aaron Laffey, P, Cleveland IndiansThursday 7/10, 9:18 PM CT
Aaron Laffey rebounded from two poor outings to pick up his fifth win on Thursday night as he held the Rays to two runs over six innings.

Our View: Laffey has a 3.45 ERA after 14 starts, and he has been a tremendous waiver-wire pickup this season. Laffey figures to remain in the rotation the rest of the way, and with that he figures to return solid value.
Mike Mussina, P, New York YankeesThursday 7/10, 9:17 PM CT
The Yanks failed to support the efforts of their pitcher this evening, ruining a good outing to fall 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitcher in question was Mike Mussina , going six innings to allow just two runs (both earned) on nine hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

Our View: Mussina walks with no decision, but adding to an impressive 11-6 record would have been nice. He has five wins and just two losses over his last nine starts, allowing a total of just four earned runs in those two no-decisions during that span.
Andy Sonnanstine, P, Tampa Bay RaysThursday 7/10, 9:15 PM CT
Andy Sonnanstine lost his fourth game against 10 victories on Thursday night as he allowed six runs, all earned, over 5.1 innings. On the night, Andy didn't walk a batter, but he also didn't have a single strikeout.

Our View: This outing ended a streak of 8-straight in which he had allowed three or fewer earned runs. Sonnanstine just doesn't miss a lot of bats, so when he is forced to come into the strike zone, he can be hit hard. Still, this guy has given you more than you could have hoped for, even though his ratios are nothing more than average at this point (4.58 ERA, 1.37 WHIP).
Bobby Abreu, RF, New York YankeesThursday 7/10, 9:12 PM CT
The Yanks managed just seven total hits as a team in taking the 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates this evening, though outfielder Bobby Abreu attempted to get 'em on track. Abreu went 1-for-3 at the dish with one walk, driving in two runs on his single to give the Yanks their only runs.

Our View: Abreu is struggling through a rough July, hitting just .188 coming into tonight with no homers and just four RBIs. He's battling and every little positive note helps.
Casey Blake, 3B, Los Angeles DodgersThursday 7/10, 9:11 PM CT
Casey Blake had two hits, including his ninth home run, on his way to three RBI for the Indians.

Our View: Blake is one of the least sexy picks in the fantasy game, but year after year he does enough to be worth having at the end of your bench. Blake is currently hitting .282 with 51 RBI, numbers that are better than a whole lot of players that were drafted in front of this guy.
Ben Francisco, LF, Cleveland IndiansThursday 7/10, 9:09 PM CT
Ben Francisco had a career best four RBI on Thursday night as the Indians stopped a 10-game losing streak with a 13-2 victory over the Rays.

Our View: Francisco hit his eighth home run of the year on his way to three hits from the third hole in the order. Francisco has three home runs and seven RBI in his last nine games as he continues to do just enough to continue to pick up regular at-bats.
Nate McLouth, CF, Pittsburgh PiratesThursday 7/10, 9:02 PM CT
The offense came late but the Pittsburgh Pirates found the hits needed to pull the 4-2 win over the New York Yankees this evening, led by hot hand of leadoff outfielder Nate McLouth . McLouth went 1-for-4 on the night hitting his 18th home run of the season, totaling two RBIs and two runs scored on the night.

Our View: McLouth, the Pirates' lone rep at this year's All Star Game, also added his 10th stolen base on the season. He was hitting .344 for the month of July coming in and now touts three home runs over his last four games.
Jason Marquis, P, Chicago CubsThursday 7/10, 8:47 PM CT
Jason Marquis, who hasn't started since July 1st, will get the ball on Friday to face the Giants, according to MLB.com.

Our View: Marquis isn't scheduled to start his next game until July 22nd, so he will try and keep himself in shape by throwing extra bullpen sessions. He is nothing more than a middling starter anyway, so you shouldn't lose too much sleep over having him start just a couple of times over the course of three weeks.
Jay Bruce, RF, Cincinnati RedsThursday 7/10, 8:44 PM CT
Jay Bruce's batting average is all the way down to .265 as he has managed to bat only .219 over his last 132 AB, according to MLB.com. "This is probably the most difficult it's been so far," Bruce said. "It's to be expected. It's the big leagues. I don't have any doubt I will be successful. It's just about making adjustments and how quick I can make them."

Our View: Well up until this point, any changes he has made have been completely ineffective. Bruce's average continues to fall as his strikeouts continue to rise with 43 in just 151 AB. Bruce will eventually figure things out, he is too talented not to, but it may not happen this season.
David DeJesus, LF, Kansas City RoyalsThursday 7/10, 8:40 PM CT
David DeJesus is batting over .300 for the Royals this season (.307) while leading the American League with a .459 batting average with RISP, according to MLB.com. "I just think the same thing," he said. "Just hit a pitch I can do something with. I don't try to do too much.

Our View: Ian Kinsler entered the night second at .403 with RISP. When you are doing anything better than Kinsler, you are doing something right. Expect DeJesus to continue to provide steady numbers across the board for the Royals.
Travis Hafner, DH, Cleveland IndiansThursday 7/10, 8:03 PM CT
Travis Hafner's shoulder is slowly improving, but there is still no timetable established as to when he might be healthy enough to return to the Indians lineup, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "For three or four weeks, there was no progress. But the last couple of weeks it's started to come around."

Our View: Hafner is still hopeful of some meaningful contribution later in the year, but at this point it would appear that he would be lucky to return to the lineup by August.
Gerald Laird, C, Texas RangersThursday 7/10, 7:59 PM CT
Gerald Laird, who is currently on the DL with a hamstring injury, will spend the next week at the teams training facility in Surprise with an eye to rejoining his teammates next Thursday or Friday, according to MLB.com. "It's obvious we miss Gerald," manager Ron Washington said. "We miss his experience."

Our View: Laird was hitting well before being struck by injury with a .306 average and 25 RBI in 183 AB. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hasn't established himself as he is still struggling along with a .217 batting average, so a platoon situation could still be in play when Laird returns.
Hank Blalock, 3B, Texas RangersThursday 7/10, 7:54 PM CT
Hank Blalock will play three games at Double-A Frisco starting on Monday, and if all goes well he is hopeful of returning to the starting lineup on Friday, according to MLB.com. "If Hank is ready, I want Hank," manager Ron Washington said.

Our View: Ron Washington has remained steadfast that when healthy Blalock will be in his lineup which means power-hitting rookie Chris Davis may or may not continue to be an integral part of the daily lineup.
Craig Wilson, OF, Seattle MarinersThursday 7/10, 7:47 PM CT
The Seattle Mariners added a right handed bat on Thursday to replace the released Richie Sexson as the club traded a player to be named later to the Pirates in exchange for Craig Wilson, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Our View: Wilson was batting .230-10-27 in Triple-A this season, but with an open roster spot and some highly suspect work at both first base and DH, Wilson could end up picking up enough at-bats to give him some AL only value.
Aaron Harang, P, Cincinnati RedsThursday 7/10, 7:42 PM CT
Updating an earlier report, Aaron Harang will in fact end up being placed on the DL due to a strained muscle in his right forearm, according to MLB.com. "He won't be able to throw for at least a week, and then we'll build it back up," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said.

Our View: Harang should be back when first eligible, and in reality the timing couldn't be much better with the All-Star game to break up the stint on the sidelines.
Jose Molina, C, New York YankeesThursday 7/10, 7:38 PM CT
Jose Molina started his sixth straight game at catcher for the Yankees as Jorge Posada continues to strengthen his injured shoulder, according to MLB.com. "Posada threw today to the bases," manager Joe Girardi said. "He threw better, and it's the best his arm strength has been."

Our View: Posada has been in the lineup at DH and first base to protect his shoulder, and according to the report Posada will be back behind the dish on Friday.
Josh Hamilton, CF, Texas RangersThursday 7/10, 7:08 PM CT
Josh Hamilton hit a game-winning home run on Wednesday night as he continues to mash pitchers at a prolific rate for a player who was out of the game for 3 1/2 years due to personal problems, according to MLB.com.

Our View: For all the good, and that includes a .307-20-89 line in just 89 games, Hamilton has only gone deep once in his last 70 AB. While it is logical to expect a step back in his production, there is no reason to believe he will fall completely apart though there is some concern given that his current AB total of 358 is his highest mark since a career-high 391 in 2000 at Single -A ball.
Dan Uggla, 2B, Florida MarlinsThursday 7/10, 7:00 PM CT
Dan Uggla will return from his sprained ankle on Thursday night and be reinserted into the starting lineup, according to the Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Our View: Uggla has been out of action since June 28th though he wasn't placed on the DL because of the injury. Get him back in your lineup immediately if you have the option.
Emil Brown, RF, Oakland AthleticsThursday 7/10, 6:56 PM CT
Emil Brown hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning on Thursday in the Athletics 3-2 victory over the Mariners.

Our View: Brown had 21 RBI in April, but since then his work has been highly ineffective at the plate, especially his .154 batting average in June. If Ryan Sweeney is placed on the DL with his injured pinkie Brown could pick up more work, though a .215 batting average against right handers could force him to continue to be platooned.
Willie Bloomquist, CF, Seattle MarinersThursday 7/10, 6:53 PM CT
Willie Bloomquist had three hits and a stolen base for the Mariners from the leadoff spot on Thursday.

Our View: Bloomquist has been picking up more work in the field since the Mariners started juggling their lineup, and he certainly has enough speed to be considered a valuable AL only part, especially with his ability to qualify all over the field (2B, 3B, SS, OF).
Ryan Sweeney, CF, Oakland AthleticsThursday 7/10, 6:49 PM CT
Ryan Sweeney had two hits on Thursday before he dislocated his left pinkie, an injury that forced him to be removed from the game, according to the Associated Press.

Our View: Sweeney has been pretty injury prone this season, but when on the field he has been productive as evidenced by his .351 average over the past 10 games. Consider going with Rajai Davis the rest of the week, as Sweeney might not be back until after the All-Star break.
Huston Street, P, Oakland AthleticsThursday 7/10, 6:46 PM CT
Huston Street pitched two scoreless innings on Thursday to even his record at 2-2 for the Athletics.

Our View: Street has a less than ideal ERA of 3.60, but he has struck out over a batter per inning (42 K in 40) while posting a 1.03 WHIP as he continues to be one of the more effective closers in the American League.
Greg Smith, P, Oakland AthleticsThursday 7/10, 6:43 PM CT
Greg Smith didn't earn a decision on Thursday but he held the Mariners scoreless for six innings to lower his ERA to 3.43. Smith struck out four and only walked one on the afternoon.

Our View: Smith has allowed one or zero earned runs in four of his last six starts as he continues to be one of the biggest surprises on the hill in the American League. His K/BB ratio is still poor at 1.57, but he has managed to wiggle out of quite a few jams this season.
R.A. Dickey, P, Seattle MarinersThursday 7/10, 6:38 PM CT
R.A. Dickey hurled seven innings of shutout ball at the Athletics on Thursday in the Mariners 3-2, 11 inning loss.

Our View: Dickey owns a 3.86 ERA over 15 appearances this season, and he could continue to hold down a spot in the rotation when Felix Hernandez is activated given the recent injury to Miguel Batista leaving him as a possible starter in AL only leagues.
Brandon Morrow, P, Seattle MarinersThursday 7/10, 6:36 PM CT
Brandon Morrow suffered his first blown save of the year when Jack Cust and Kurt Suzuki took him deep in the ninth inning with two solo shots that sent the game into extra innings. Eventually the Mariners succumbed 3-2 in 11 innings.

Our View: Morrow had gone 21 appearances without allowing a run, so he was due to slip up. Even with this outing in the books his ERA is still a fantastic 1.23 with a 0.85 WHIP as he has been as dominating a hurler as the American League has seen this season.
Jaime Garcia, P, St. Louis CardinalsThursday 7/10, 6:23 PM CT
Updating a previous report, Jaime Garcia will indeed be called up to take the roster spot of injured pitcher Mark Mulder, according to MLB.com. "He's had some good periods and he's made progress," manager Tony La Russa said. "I think he can be used in a Brad Thompson-like way, versatile."

Our View: Garcia is a top flight prospect who the team has high hopes for, but he has struggled this season and has been called up because of need and not performance. As a result of this move, he will not be eligible to play in the Futures Game this weekend.
Travis Snider, RF, Toronto Blue JaysThursday 7/10, 6:18 PM CT
With the news that Vernon Wells will likely miss at least a month of action due to his injured hamstring, the Jays might be considering calling up former draft pick Travis Snider, according to the Globe and Mail.

Our View: Snider is hitting .286 with 13 home runs in Triple-A. With all of the injuries to the team it is obvious that the Jays will be lucky to finish at .500, so there really is no reason for the team not to give the young up and comer a shot.
Oscar Villarreal, P, Colorado RockiesThursday 7/10, 6:06 PM CT
Oscar Villarreal turned down the Astros assignment that would have sent him to Triple-A, and as as result he will be placed on waivers and become a free agent on Monday, according to MLB.com. "I'm disappointed about the decision," general manager Ed Wade said. "We thought there was an opportunity for him to be productive here. By going to Round Rock, he had a chance to get straightened out.

Our View: Villarreal has been a mess this year with a 5.02 ERA and 1.57 WHIP while allowing 12 home runs in 37.2 innings. He will certainly be claimed and could have value depending on what his role is with his new club, though he could still end up having to work on his game in the minors given his poor work this season.
Aaron Harang, P, Cincinnati RedsThursday 7/10, 5:58 PM CT
Aaron Harang received the results of his MRI on Thursday and they were positive as it was learned that he doesn't have any serious issues in his pitching forearm, according to MLB.com.

Our View: Harang could still end up being place on the DL if the Reds want to play things extremely safe, but with the All-Star break ahead, they will likely let him rest a bit before making that decision.
Justin Upton, RF, Arizona DiamondbacksThursday 7/10, 5:54 PM CT
It is not yet known if Justin Upton will end up on the DL due to a strained oblique, but he will at least be sidelined through the D'backs weekend series prior to the All-Star break, according to the East Valley Tribune. "We'll re-evaluate during the All-Star break," GM Bob Melvin said.

Our View: It sure seems like Upton will end up on the DL, but there is no reason for the team to rush into that call as they have about a week before they will have to make that call. Look for Alex Romero and/or Emillio Bonifacio to fill in for now.
Vernon Wells, CF, Toronto Blue JaysThursday 7/10, 5:53 PM CT
The Toronto Blue Jays have placed outfielder Vernon Wells on the 15-day disabled list due to his strained left hamstring. The injury is expected to keep Wells out of action four to six weeks, according to the AP.

Our View: This is horrible news for Wells' owners, as not only will he miss four to six weeks, but hamstring issues tend to linger and this could effect his production throughout the rest of the season.
Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay RaysThursday 7/10, 5:35 PM CT
Evan Longoria won the fan vote in the American League and was named to the All-Star team on Thursday, according to MLB.com.

Our View: Longoria has played great defense at the hot corner, and with a .281-16-53 line at the plate, the fans made a good call here as Longoria just beat out the mustached one, Jason Giambi, for the final spot.
Corey Hart, RF, Milwaukee BrewersThursday 7/10, 5:35 PM CT
Corey Hart won the fan vote in the National Legue and was named to the All-Star team on Thursday, according to MLB.com. "The fans have always been great here," Hart said. "It means a lot to me and my teammates."

Our View: Hart is the third Brewer on the squad joining Ryan Braun and Ben Sheets. Hart, who beat out David Wright for the last spot on the NL roster, could produce a 30/30 season with a strong finish this year.
Denard Span, RF, Minnesota TwinsThursday 7/10, 5:30 PM CT
Denard Span stole his fifth base of the season on Thursday, though it was his 4-for-4 outing at the plate that really opened some eyes.

Our View: Carlos Gomez went 0-for-4 to drop his average to .260, and Span could begin to eat into some of his playing time if Gomez doesn't bring up that sub .300 OBP soon especially considering that since Span has been recalled he has hits in nine of 10 games.
Marcus Thames, LF, Detroit TigersThursday 7/10, 5:27 PM CT
Marcus Thames didn't go deep on Thursday but he did produce three hits to push his average up to .282 for the Tigers.

Our View: .282 and 17 home runs from a guy who hit .242 with 18 long balls last season, not bad production huh? When Magglio Ordonez returns to the lineup it will be interesting to see how many AB Thames continues to pick up. Perhaps the Tigers will send Matt Joyce back down to keep Thames in the lineup, though Joyce has two home runs and five hits the past two days.
Kevin Slowey, P, Minnesota TwinsThursday 7/10, 5:23 PM CT
Kevin Slowey looked terrible on Thursday permitting nine hits, two walks and six runs over just 3.2 innings again the Tigers.

Our View: Luckily he got some run support and picked up a no-decision as the Twins eventually came back to win the game. Slowly has been torched for 11 runs over his last 9.2 innings as his ERA has risen from 3.47 to 4.26. He should right the ship, but there is little reason to expect him to produce a WHIP of 1.13 the rest of the way, so a bit of correction is likely in order.
Kenny Rogers, P, Detroit TigersThursday 7/10, 5:19 PM CT
Kenny Rogers had another effective outing on Thursday as he allowed three runs over seven innings against the Twins. Rogers permitted nine hits and two walks, while striking out only one batter.

Our View: Over his last nine starts, Rogers has allowed three or fewer earned runs seven times as he continues to give the Tigers time for the offense to come around to win the game. Despite the stretch of decent pitching, he has only been rewarded with two victories in this stretch.
Ken Griffey Jr., RF, Chicago White SoxThursday 7/10, 5:11 PM CT
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 12th home run of the year on Thursday as he went 2-for-5 with four RBI for the Reds.

Our View: Griffey can still swing the stick, and this was his third long ball in 10 games. Griffey, who has been rumored to be on the block, could find himself rejuvenated if he is dealt to a contender.
Adam Dunn, LF, Arizona DiamondbacksThursday 7/10, 5:09 PM CT
Adam Dunn blasted his 24th home run of the season on Thursday, one that went well out of Wrigley Field.

Our View: Dunn is struggling along at .226, but his OBP is still above .380 and he has gone deep six times in his last 11 games. If the Reds chose to move him to an AL club, get ready to spend those FAAB dollars.
Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota TwinsThursday 7/10, 5:07 PM CT
On his originally scheduled day off, Joe Mauer came off the bench in the top of the ninth and hit a sacrifice fly scoring Denard Span and extending the game into extra-innings. The Twins would go on to beat the Tigers 7-6.

Our View: Mauer has been on a tear lately with a 8-game hitting streak. He continues to be a great source for AVG, RBI, and runs, but his power numbers leave something to desire.
Mike Fontenot, 2B, Chicago CubsThursday 7/10, 5:05 PM CT
Mike Fontenot picked up three at-bats on Thursday and he took great advantage of them by producing two hits, two RBI and three runs scored.

Our View: Fontenot will likely see his playing time curtailed a bit when Alfonso Soriano returns to the lineup, but he has managed to hit .271 with six home runs making him a nice middle infield option in NL only leagues.
Ryan Theriot, SS, Chicago CubsThursday 7/10, 5:02 PM CT
Ryan Theriot had two hits and two RBI for the Cubs on Thursday from the leadoff spot.

Our View: Theriot continues to be a solid find for those who wagered on him this year providing speed (15 SB) and a surprising .314 batting average.