On Thursday, we touched on the Indians’ plight heading into 2010, focusing on the health of owner Larry Dolan, who bought the team from Richard Jacobs almost 10 years ago. But one thing we failed to allude to is “the curse,” something I was reminded of recently.

The Indians last won the World Series in 1948 – over 60 years ago. About the same time, according to a recent article I read, they started using the controversial Chief Wahoo logo.

The writer of this article, Ed Rice, is somewhat of a Cleveland Indian expert, having rewritten the Tribe’s media guide back in 1999 and a few years later, writing the book Baseball’s First Indian, a copy of which he says he “hand-delivered to the team’s vice-president of public relations, Bob DiBiasio” to make sure the team got a copy.

Rice wrote that if the team is cursed – as many suspect – it’s simply justice.

“Shame on Cleveland,” Rice wrote, for wearing the “insidious” logo.

If this is truly what ails the Indians, then the solution to their problems is easier than anyone could have imagined.

Lose the freaking racist logo, people.

Those of you unfortunate enough to have followed the Timberwolves over their history know that things can still get worse. In fact, believe it or not, this is only the third longest losing streak in franchise history. They’ve had a pair of 16-gamers dating back to last decade. So in looking ahead, assuming they can’t beat the Knicks tonight, Minnesota will then head home and take on Orlando (good luck there) and Memphis. It is against the Grizzlies where they have their best chance of avoiding what will then probably be a 15-game losing streak. Memphis is actually playing decently lately, but is a woeful 2-11 on the road.

The worst thing here is that, generally speaking, Minny isn’t just losing, it’s getting pounded. The average margin of loss during this stretch is 13.1 points. The T-Wolves, already the NBA’s worst-shooting team, are sinking a mere 41.6 per cent of their shots during the losing streak. Even Big Al Jefferson, the team’s top player, is sinking less than half his shots for the first time in three years. As a team, the Wolves are also among the worst in the association at stopping their opponents (47.54 field goal percentage against), but lately, it’s been even worse at 49.1 per cent during the 13-game losing streak. Already a weak team defensively (21st in the NBA in PPA), Minny has been allowing opponents to put up 104.3 PPG during this skid. Considering the Knicks are an even worse defensive team (in fact, only those legendary defensive dolts, the Warriors, are giving up more), we could see a real last-basket-wins kind of game this evening.

Ryan Gomes got off to a good start this season, but has been slumping badly lately, so it looks unlikely that he’ll build on last year’s career-best performance. He’s epitomized the team’s shooting woes, sinking just 6-for-29 in the past four and being unable to top seven points in any of those games. Gomes’ limited fantasy value is just about done unless you’re in a deeper league.

More bad news for the Wolves: they are among the worst in the NBA at forcing turnovers. However, the Knicks are among the worst teams as far as coughing the ball up. How’s this going to play out?

The fact that Mike Miller (ankle) is out of commission is exposing the T-Wolves even more. He missed Tuesday’s loss and will probably be in a suit again Friday. He’s hurt his right ankle twice this month, severely limiting his value and putting an exclamation point on what is appearing to be a down season for the swingman. He’s taking just 3.5 treys per game compared to two seasons ago when he was hoisting up 7.1 per game. The fact that Miller is sinking only 39 per cent of shots from downtown (his worst percentage since 2003-04) isn’t helping. At this point, there’s not much owners can do but hope he doesn’t come back too early this time and is truly healthy and ready to start making some progress when he does return.

Jefferson, meanwhile, just keeps getting better. No wonder I was so stoked to get him in the second round – the dude is playing like a top 10 player in nine-cat leagues. He’s coming off a 28-point night – his ninth straight game of at least 20 points, a run which has seen him average 25.3 PPG and 10.0 RPG while racking up five double-doubles. Big Al’s offense just keeps getting better, and small wonder with him averaging a career-high 19 shots per game, but what I’d really like to see is more trips to the line. He’s only averaging 4.5 free throw attempts per game, and that’s too few for a superstar. If he can boost that (eight attempts on Tuesday was a nice sign), it will really help – especially since he’s never shot better than he’s done this season from the charity stripe (76.2 per cent).

As for the Knicks, don’t look now, but they are just 5-13 since a surprising 6-3 start. But let’s be clear – these are no longer Isiah’s Knicks, and I mean that as a compliment.

Looking to add some scoring? Quentin Richardson looks like a decent speculative pick right now; just be prepared for serious inconsistency. Case in point: last Friday, he was 1-for-10 from the field for two points. Sunday, against Boston of all teams, he exploded for his best game of the month, nailing five 3-pointers on his way to 29 points with four assists. Q-Rich has actually gotten better as the season has progressed, and despite the fact that his shooting has slipped in December – especially from downtown – he’s getting more and more touches each month (averaging 12.5 FG attempts in December), so he could be on the verge of bigger value once the shooting stabilizes. It’s been a nice comeback season for Q, who’s overall shooting is better after a woeful 2007-08 season.

The Knicks allowed Boston to shoot 65.8 per cent from the field Sunday, the worst New York has done all season. But I guess this wasn’t a shocker. Boston, the league’s best team, is the second-best shooting team overall, and no one allows their opponents to shoot better than the Knicks do. Big Al must be licking his chops, thinking about the huge line he’s going to drop at MSG tonight.

Glimmer of hope for the T-Wolves: they’ve won five of their last seven games in New York. Could this be the night they taste the sweet elixir of victory for the first time since November 28?

Centres

Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards: After coming off the bench in all but one of his first 21 games this season, Blatche has started Washington’s last three, averaging 14.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. If he keeps getting 30-plus minutes a night he could post some quality fantasy numbers. Consider him a nice sleeper addition and someone to acquire now before less informed owners take notice. Just keep in mind that Blatche was also a major sleeper heading into the season and he has struggled to maintain consistent value.

Matt Bonner, San Antonio Spurs: The University of Florida product has started each of San Antonio’s nine games this month and is averaging a respectable 11 points and 6.8 boards per contest. He has made at least one three pointer in each game and is 37-for-75 on the season. That added dimension makes him a valuable addition for owners that need help supplementing their three-point shooting.

Best of the Rest

Tyrus Thomas tallied 38 points and 14 rebounds in a two-game span recently, but has played just five minutes in the team’s last three games because of a concussion. He’s a flier option in deeper leagues if you’ve got the room…Chris Wilcox missed just two games after dislocating his finger and has reached double figures in seven of his last 12 contests. He has averaged better than 13 points and at least seven rebounds per game in each of the last three seasons, meaning it might be a good time to buy low on Wilcox…however, bear in mind that Nenad Krstic has signed an offer sheet with the Thunder, which the Nets are not expected to match, meaning the former first-round pick could be Oklahoma City’s starting centre before the New Year.

Forwards

Francisco Garcia, Sacramento Kings: Garcia has reached double figures in each of Sacramento’s nine games this month, averaging 14.6 points during that stretch. The absence of Kevin Martin may be a big part of Garcia’s success, but the fact that he may be a short-term solution shouldn’t dissuade you from pulling the trigger to acquire him.

Best of the Rest

Jamario Moon’s first six games since returning to the starting lineup went well as he averaged 10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He laid an egg in San Antonio on Saturday (1-for-5, two points, four boards in 19 minutes) but is still a decent addition… Thaddeus Young and Marreese Speights should see increased minutes with Elton Brand (shoulder) on the shelf. Young has taken Brand’s spot in the starting lineup and is a capable scorer – 13.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG on the year – while the rookie Speights has reached double figures in three straight games. Young is the better option at this point, though Speights has some value in deeper setups…Grant Hill is putting up solid totals since the addition of Jason Richardson, scoring between nine and 15 points in all four games and chipping in with 4.4 boards per contest. Terry Porter would be wise not to run him into the ground the way Mike D’Antoni did, which means you shouldn’t expect much more than those totals the rest of the way.

Guards

Nate Robinson, New York Knicks: After missing seven games in an eight-game stretch, Robinson has returned with a vengeance, racking up a cool 100 points in four contests since coming back. He’s a natural fit for D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense and always contributes more boards and dimes than his 5-foot-9 frame suggests he should. Odds are he’s already taken, but if someone made the short-sighted mistake of cutting him loose during his recent absence you should pounce immediately.

Best of the Rest

We mentioned Lou Williams and Rodney Stuckey in this space last week, and since then neither man has done anything to discourage our endorsement. Both players should be owned in all leagues at this point – don’t hesitate any longer…Jarrett Jack has poured in 79 points over the past four games, playing better than 30 minutes in three of them. He’s playing behind talented, but oft-injured T.J. Ford, which makes Jack an attractive stash option for owners with available bench slots…Daequan Cook has been a monster from downtown in Miami’s past five games, draining 18 threes in 32 attempts. He’s still a little inconsistent with his scoring, but if you’re looking for a boost behind the arc, Cook could be your man.

Mark Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies: Viewed as an afterthought in the deal that sent his older brother to Los Angeles, Gasol looks like a legitimate NBA talent through the Grizzlies’ first six games. His scoring has come and gone, but he is showing consistent effort on the glass. He owes a lot of his 10.8 PPG and 8.8 RPG averages to a huge game against the Warriors (27 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks), but there’s enough here to warrant an addition.

Best of the rest…

T-Wolves’ rookie Kevin Love had his best game on Friday, pouring in 20 points and eight rebounds in a loss to the Kings. His minutes had been kept low with Randy Gomes starting, but Love has started the last two and is someone on the rise…Former No. 1 pick Andrea Bargnani has alternated good and bad games this year. He’s still not rebounding enough and the fact that he has only cracked 22 minutes in a game twice is a concern. Still, he’s a possible stash option…Sacramento’s Jason Thompson was making the most of his playing time this season, reaching double-digits in his first five games and doing some solid work on the boards. However, he played just 11 minutes on Friday following the return of Brad Miller. That makes Thompson nothing more than a flier in deep formats.

FORWARDS

Marvin Williams, Atlanta Hawks: He sat out the opener while serving a one-game suspension and played sparingly in his first game back, but the 22-year-old power forward has racked up 25 points and 12 boards in his last two games. Right now he’s still primarily a source of points, but if he can get his rebounds up he could be a solid contributor.

Kelenna Azubuike, Golden State Warriors: A steady hand off Nellie’s bench for most of 2007-08, Azubuike has tallied back-to-back 20-plus-point efforts and made his first start of the year on Friday. The 6-foot-5 swingman has done a yeoman’s job on the boards and is launching his fair share of threes, though at this point too many of them aren’t falling. However, Coach Nelson isn’t the kind of guy that’s going to rein him in, so opportunity should eventually equate to production for Azubuike.

Wilson Chandler, New York Knicks: Step aside, David Lee! Chandler got the starting nod over everybody’s favourite rebounding machine on Friday, and he responded with 17 points and four rebounds. It was the fourth time in five games he reached double figures. His rebounding has fluctuated and a fairly low field-goal percentage makes him somewhat one-dimensional at this point, but he seems to be taking well to Mike D’Antoni’s offense, which gives him upside.

Luc Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee Bucks: While Milwaukee’s first-round pick, Joe Alexander, has barely gotten off the pine, second-rounder Mbah a Moute is emerging as the Bucks’ sixth man. Known as a defensive stopper – he drew comparisons to Bruce Bowen (sans the dirty tactics) entering the draft – Mbah a Moute has shown surprising offensive aptitude and pulled down 25 boards in the last three games. Despite his strong play, he’s better suited for larger leagues.

Best of the rest…

With Agent Zero on the mend, Nick Young has emerged as the third scoring option in Washington. He’s a one-trick pony right now, offering scoring and little else…Sean May continues to struggle to get back into condition, which has moved Jared Dudley into the starting lineup. He hasn’t done much statistically, but he’s a hard worker and could emerge as a favourite of Larry Brown because of it. He’s an option exclusively in deep leagues at this point…Trevor Ariza beat out Luke Walton for playing time during the preseason and is currently the Lakers’ second or third option off the bench. He’s not playing enough to resonate in standard formats, but can be decent depth in deeper versions…Brandan Wright is off to a slow start, but flashed what he’s capable of on Wednesday when he posted an 18-point, 13-rebound effort. With Al Harrington in the doghouse in Oakland, Wright is looking like a strong pickup.

GUARDS

J.R. Smith, Denver Nuggets: The trade of Allen Iverson opens up additional playing time and shots for Smith at the two-guard, though George Karl continues to bring Smith off the bench by starting Dahntay Jones. Smith’s numbers haven’t changed appreciably following the move, but the streaky guard’s value goes northward regardless. Add him in all leagues.

Marquis Daniels, Indiana Pacers: The absence of Mike Dunleavy has opened up playing time for Daniels, who has shown more in the first four games of ‘08-09 than he did in the last four seasons. He has notched two double-doubles in his past three games and is currently second on the team with 8.0 rebounds per game. It’s hard to know what role he’ll play once Dunleavy returns from his knee woes, but Daniels deserves ownership in all leagues until further notice.

Nate Robinson, New York Knicks: Robinson has adjusted nicely to D’Antoni’s scheme and is currently contributing across the board, including a surprising 4.2 rebounds per game. Nate Dogg is seeing time as the primary backup at both guard spots and is a solid option in all formats.

Roger Mason, San Antonio Spurs: With both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker out of action, Mason suddenly finds himself as San Antonio’s No. 2 scoring option behind Tim Duncan. He has scored 44 points in his last two games and won’t hurt you with his rebounding or passing, either. His long-term fortunes are a little cloudy, but he should be a worthwhile fantasy contributor for at least the next several weeks.

Sebastian Telfair, Minnesota Timberwolves: Telfair has 23 points and 17 assists in his last two games and started over Randy Foye in Minnesota’s last game. The former first-round pick has never lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he reached the NBA, but he could be a nice source of assists going forward.

Best of the rest…

A recent move to the starting lineup has agreed with Jason Terry, who poured in 49 points and dished out 17 assists in two games since the switch was made. Still, his primary value still comes from his ability to put the ball in the net…Rudy Fernandez has adjusted quickly to NBA life, scoring between 14 and 20 points in four of his five games this season. He’s not contributing much else just yet, but he carries enough name value that he won’t last long on waiver wires. Act accordingly…The hyper-quick Aaron Brooks has flashed his talent this year, but he has been wildly inconsistent, scoring 14 points one game and none the next. He has a chance to push Rafer Alston for minutes, though, which makes him a possible flier in deeper formats…Miami’s Mario Chalmers is starting at the point and playing north of 30 minutes a night, but that hasn’t translated into much production outside a 17-point debut – in fact, he has scored just 17 points in the four games since that combined. Those in deep leagues can consider making a move based on his assists, but he’s more of a name to file away for later in the season.

The Washington Wizards enter the 2008-09 campaign with more questions than answers. Once again, their franchise star, Gilbert Arenas, will be out an extended period of time as he underwent another knee surgery. In his absence, the ball will be in good hands with Antonio Daniels. He is always among the league leaders in assist-to turnover ratio, but on the downside, he hardly the star and shot maker that Agent Zero has become over the past few years.

In addition to Arenas’s injury, starting centre Brendan Haywood will be out virtually for the entire season thanks to a wrist injury. It’s awful timing as he was starting to show signs of consistency when he was given consistent minutes last year. This injury is far more important than it seems as Haywood is a long seven-footer that fills up the lane on defense and can block shots. Etan Thomas will fill in as starter, but I am not sure how many minutes he will be getting as he is coming off heart surgery. The Haywood injury most likely will leave a revolving door at the centre spot, with Andray Blatche and, to a lesser extent, Javale McGee factoring into this mix.

If Coach Eddie Jordan does not get the Wizards past the second round of the playoffs, and more importantly the Cavs (who have knocked them out in the first round three straight years), there will be questions about whether he is the guy to lead this team. You can only blame injuries for so long, right? It just seems the Wizards can never catch a break, as injuries to their big three have been commonplace. The last time Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and Arenas were all healthy, they were No. 1 in the East at the All-Star break the season before last.

Another huge question will be how the young talent on the team (Nick Young, McGee, Dominic McGuire, Blatche) continues to be integrated into the rotation. All four have outstanding potential as Young can be a deadly scorer, Blatche is a very versatile big man, and McGuire could be a great energy guy off the bench. I think Blatche is finally taking his job seriously, so I look for him to continue to develop.

Fantasy wise, the only guys worth a starting spot on a standard league will be Butler and Jamison. Daniels could be a nice bench player if you need assists and want to keep your turnovers down. Jamison is a perennial 20-10 guy, so you know what you will get with him. Butler, on the other hand, fills up all the categories as he covers points, assists, rebounds, and steals.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: DeShawn Stevenson
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Etan Thomas

Key Bench Players: Andray Blatche, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Darius Songalia, Dominic McGuire, Dee Brown.

Position Battles

While there is a constant battle for bench minutes on the team, the only starting gig being contested is at centre. With Haywood out basically for the season, it is Thomas’s job to lose, with McGee, Blatche, and Songalia looking to push him for starts. With Arenas out, Brown steps in as the back-up point guard to Daniels. Also look for Young to seriously push for Stevenson’s starter minutes within the first 20 games of the year.

Stud: Caron Butler is an absolute fixture for the Wizards. He is not called “Tough Juice” for nothing. He plays hard and consistent and is the stud on the team. You could argue for Jamison, but he is sometimes soft and usually hides when there’s an opportunity for a big shot.

Dud: As good as Gilbert Arenas is when he is healthy, he is the fantasy dud on the squad. He has not played on a regular basis for a very long time. His injuries will always be a concern ever since he went down with the meniscus injury. As much as Wizard fans would love to see Agent Zero in full effect this year, that very well may never come to pass.

Sleeper: I will go with Andray Blatche as the sleeper on the Wizards. He has the skill set and size to be a valuable fantasy player. He can handle the ball, get assists, and his size allows him to get easy rebounds. He also is a decent shot blocker who is getting better on the defensive side. His scoring and jump shooting has improved each year, which is promising. Draft him late, and you could be rewarded. He should end up getting more minutes than starting centre Etan Thomas.

Rookies to Watch The only rookie on the squad is centre JaVale McGee. This ultra-athletic seven-footer will compete for minutes this year. Coach Eddie Jordan did not expect him to be in the rotation before the preseason started, but it will be hard to keep him on the bench if he continues to work and play as hard as he has in the last few exhibition games. McGee will not make a major fantasy impact, but if you are in a keeper league, you may want to keep an eye on him.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

I think the biggest fantasy story to watch will be if those who draft Gilbert Arenas get any returns. He is slated to come back by January, but recent reports say he could make it back as early as November. If you want a potential stud in round six or seven, he may be worth a shot. After his previous complications, Arenas won’t be rushing back to the court. Are you willing to take the risk and pull the trigger on Arenas?

Another interesting story to follow is the scoring ability of Nick Young. I think he is a legit NBA scorer would could very soon be averaging 16 to 20 points a game. The problem is that he will be just that, a scorer. I do not see him putting up enough assists and boards to become a fantasy stud. Basically, he will just be taking points away from Jamison and Butler, making them slightly less valuable.

All in all, the Wizards are ready for another playoff year. I am sure they will do just enough to allow LeBron to eliminate them again as he takes his three steps down the lane for game winners. Long live the King…

Playing in a division that includes the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, the Indiana Pacers can get lost in the shuffle at times in the Central. However, a busy offseason of change has brought a sense of optimism and hope to a team that struggled to a 36-46 season last year.

The Pacers were looking to change the culture of their team and were successful by trading the huge contract of Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto Raptors, giving away Shawne Williams to the Dallas Mavericks and basically dumping Jamaal Tinsley. The trade of O’Neal brought T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Pacers from Toronto and the Pacers also brought in Jarrett Jack to help run the point. In addition, the Pacers got rid of Kareem Rush, Flip Murray and Ike Diogu.

Ford, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger lead the “new” Pacers. With the breakouts of Granger and Dunleavy last year, the Pacers are poised to make an impact in a potentially loaded Central Division.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: T.J. Ford
SG: Mike Dunleavy
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Troy Murphy
C: Rasho Nesterovic

Key Bench Players: Jarrett Jack, Travis Diener, Marquis Daniels, Jeff Foster, Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert.

Position Battles

The new-look Pacers have had a very peaceful training camp with little distraction off the court — a novely considering the events of recent years. The only real position battle at this point is at the power forward/centre positions where the Pacers will utilize a three-man rotation of Murphy, Nesterovic and Foster.

Stud: Only four players in the NBA averaged 18 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block per game in 2007-08 – LeBron James, Rudy Gay, Kevin Garnett and the Pacers’ Granger. In his third year in the league, Granger broke out and became a fantasy stud. Look for him to continue to mature and to post great multi-category lines as the ball will go through him even more this year.

Dud: The Pacers cleaned house and dealt away most of their duds. I would be leary of Ford only because he has had trouble staying healthy. When healthy, he can easily average 8+ assists, but he doesn’t shoot many threes and his field goal percentage has steadily declined.

Sleeper: The absence of O’Neal should free up minutes and opportunities for Murphy. He will start at power forward and even play minutes at centre. Murphy is a solid double-double guy every night and his centre eligibility makes him a strong sleeper for the 2008-09 season.

Rookies to Watch: The Pacers drafted Roy Hibbert and acquired the draft rights of Kansas swingman Brandon Rush, the 13th pick in the draft, in a package deal that sent Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless to Portland. Rush should make an immediate impact for the Pacers as he will likely see consistent minutes at the shooting guard spot.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

Can Ford stay healthy and put behind him the neck injury that cost him over 30 games last season?

Can Granger ascend to the next level as a fantasy stud?

Dunleavy’s injured knee is causing some concern, but all indications are that he should be ready for the start of the regular season.

Catcher

Kelly Shoppach, Cleveland Indians: The injury to Victor Martinez opened the door and Shoppach jumped right in and ran with it. In only 349 at-bats, he managed to lead AL backstops in homers with 21 and finish fourth in RBI with 55. A difference maker? You betcha!

First Base

Chris Davis, Texas Rangers: Davis was promoted to the Rangers at the end of June and demonstrated that his minor league numbers (.333 with 23 homers, 73 RBI and an OPS of 1029 split between Double-A and Triple-A) were no fluke. In his first taste of The Show, the 22-year-old managed to hit .285 with 17 homers and 55 RBI in only 292 at-bats. At three levels this year, all told Davis put up 40 long balls and 128 RBI. Toss in that he has first and third base eligibility for next season and this guy looks to be a great long-term asset in all formats heading into 2009.

Second Base

Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox: The aptly nicknamed Cuban Missile created no crisis for the ChiSox this season. He was bounced around the lineup early on, starting at shortstop, outfield and second base, until an injury to Juan Uribe in mid-May allowed Ramirez to settle in at second base. Ramirez, who just turned 27, responded with a great second half and his final totals of 20 homers, 73 RBI, and 12 steals were definitely difference makers for many a fantasy squad’s middle infield. The low walk total (only 15 on the year) is a bit concerning, but at the same time he did manage to strike out only 61 times. You did very well here, Kenny Williams.

Jose Lopez, Seattle Mariners: The Mariners are a mess, plain and simple. Out of the rubble there were several highlights, most notably the play of Lopez, who was good enough for us to break our pattern and award a second keystone corner man a coveted spot on our team. What a year! The 24-year-old amassed career highs in virtually every offensive category this year with 17 homers, 89 RBI, 80 runs, and a .297 BA. He led AL second basemen in RBI, finished fourth in homers and sixth in runs scored, all accomplished on a team that was a disaster. Lopez should be a key ingredient in both the Mariners’ and your fantasy plans for 2009.

Shortstop

Mike Aviles, Kansas City Royals: The 27-year-old Aviles was called up at the end of May and provided a great spark at the top of the order for the Royals. In 415 at bats, he managed a great .325 BA with 10 homers, 51 RBI and 68 runs scored while kicking in eight thefts. Heading into the 2009 season, Aviles qualifies at both shortstop and second base. His combined totals this year between the minors and the bigs — 20 homers and 93 RBI — were very impressive. Toss in that superb batting average, and it looks like the Royals have taken a solid step in filling in their middle infield for next year. One of these years Trey Hillman will get all those kids playing on the same page and make Royal fans forget the past 20 years.

Third Base

Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles: The 31-year-old former Devil Ray reminded us of those past glories this year. A .306 BA, 32 homers, 108 RBI, 96 runs scored and an OPS of 916 are by far his best numbers since way back in 2003, when the Rays still had a bit of the Devil in them. Huff also qualifies at first and third heading into next year. Those who gambled early certainly reaped some rather huge rewards.

Outfield

David Murphy, Texas Rangers: The early season favourite for AL Rookie of the Year, Murphy played his last game of the season August 6, injuring his knee after a home plate collision with Ivan Rodriguez. In 415 AB, Murphy managed a .275 BA, 15 homers, 74 RBI, and seven stolen bases. Now if one had listened to our waiver wire advice and added the next outfielder mentioned, you would have had yourself one heckuva combination. In my Writers’ League I did just that, and wound up in a tie for first.

Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland Indians: After enjoying the best season ever by a Korean born positional player, Choo has certainly got the Tribe’s attention heading into the ’09 campaign. Since August 1, those that jumped on the Choo Choo train were rewarded with a .359 BA, 10 homers, 41 RBI, 40 runs scored, and an astounding 1080 OPS in 170 at bats. My guess would be the Indians are hoping he can find a way to get that military exemption he is going to need for the 2010 season.

Denard Span, Minnesota Twins: The 24-year-old Span was originally called up at the end of June to replace the injured Michael Cuddyer. The struggles of Carlos Gomez in the lead-off slot prompted the Twins to make a move at the beginning of August, and Span responded in fine form. He managed six homers, 46 RBI, 69 runs scored, 18 stolen bases and a .296 BA in 341 at bats. Most impressive for a young hitter were those 47 walks. All this from a player who was on the DL at Triple-A with a broken finger for most of May.

Jack Cust, Oakland: As a bonus, we’ve added a fourth outfielder on the team. Sure, Cust still strikes out way too much with 196 on the year, but when not flailing away he also managed 109 free passes. If you could handle the .232 BA, his 33 homers and 77 RBI were certainly very solid numbers as a fourth/fifth outfielder on your fantasy squad.

Designated Hitter

Melvin Mora, Baltimore Orioles: Obviously no one could have forseen the year Mora managed to put together. Injuries slowed the third baseman in September, but for the months of July and August, there wasn’t a hotter hitter in the game, as he led all of baseball with 58 RBI over that span. Next year, of course, is another year, but for those that grabbed Mora off the wire, kudos to you!

Starting Pitcher

Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians: Hmm, let’s see now. Last year Lee was banished to Triple-A to try to find his game. This year, he is the clear-cut favourite to win the Cy Young award. My, how the fortunes in the world of pitching can change in such a short period of time. Scratched from his final start with a sore neck, Lee finished up the 2008 campaign with a 22-3 won/loss record, a 2.54 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP and 170 Ks with only 34 walks. Lee was a huge difference maker in all formats in 2008.

Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels: Despite getting hammered Saturday, the “other” Santana had himself one heck of a year. For those that gambled early, and I was fortunate in being one of those owners, the rewards were huge. Santana ended up with 16 wins, a 3.49 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP and 214 strikeouts, second in the AL to only A.J. Burnett. Santana carried a strong winter ball season right into the regular season and didn’t skip a beat, rebounding from a very poor 2007 campaign.

John Danks, Chicago White Sox: The 23-year-old lefty currently has White Sox fans saying “Brandon who?” Acquired from the Rangers for Brandon McCarthy in February, Danks managed a huge improvement in virtually all categories in his sophomore season. In 187 IP, he put together an 11-9 record with an ERA of 3.47 ERA a WHIP of 1.25 and 155 strikeouts. Have I mentioned that Kenny Williams has many reasons to smile these days?

Justin Duchscherer, Oakland A’s: The 30-year-old, formerly a top set-up man, but sidelined most of 2007, came out of nowhere to post some great numbers before his surgically repaired hip acted up on him in mid-August. Duchscherer finished the year with a 10-8 record, an ERA of 2.54 and a 1.00 WHIP in 141 2/3 IP. Is it sustainable? Probably not, but for those who snatched him off the heap this year, the rewards were high. I’m always leery of those pitchers that toss 80 mph fastballs, but one certainly can’t argue with the results this season.

Mike Mussina, New York Yankees: The Moose is loose is all that really needs to be said here. It is just unfortunate that the Yankees couldn’t get it together in 2008 to take advantage of his great season. The 39-year-old has given us some great memories over the years, but his 2008 season has to rank among the best. Given up as back of the rotation material heading into the season, he managed to get that elusive 20 wins for the first time with his outstanding performance Sunday. The name of his game is control, and Mussina limited the opposition to a scant 31 free passes in 200 1/3 IP, the best numbers he has posted since his rookie campaign way back in 1991, when he only pitched 87 innings. Congratulations on a truly outstanding campaign.

Andy Sonnanstine, Tampa Bay Rays: The 25-year-old showed dramatic improvement in this, his second season with the Rays. A 13-9 record, an ERA of 4.38 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP and 124 punchouts in 193 IP were big factors in Tampa making it to the postseason for the first time. In early August, Sonnanstine set a Ray record by retiring 17 straight against the Mariners. With only 37 walks this year, the future looks very bright for Sonnanstine.

Relief Pitcher

Brad Ziegler, Oakland A’s: This is one of those made-for-TV movies in the waiting. The 28-year-old groundball specialist had a remarkable debut in 2008 for the Athletics. He established a new record of 39 consecutive scoreless innings to start a career, and along the way managed 11 saves, a 1.06 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and 30 Ks in 59 2/3 IP. Ziegler faded a bit down the stretch — or at least demonstrated he was human. And although those numbers are probably unsustainable, it was a great story and year nonetheless.

Jensen Lewis, Cleveland Indians: The Tribe had so much potential heading into 2008, and the bullpen ended up following suit with the trials and tribulations of the rest of the team. In the carousel that was the closer job in Cleveland, 24-year-old righthander Lewis replaced Rafael Perez, who replaced Masa Kobayashi, who replaced Rafael Betancourt, who replaced Joe Borowski . In the end, Lewis had some nice success down the stretch for the Tribe. Called up at the beginning of July and inserted into save situations at the beginning of August, he managed 13 over the final two months of the year and has to be the early favourite to do the job for the Indians heading into 2009.

1. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals: Were you expecting anybody else to be here? Sidney Crosby gets all the love, but Ovechkin carried the Capitals on his massive shoulders.

2. Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings: One school of thought says Detroit might have too many superstars, but Zetterberg’s grit and ability to play with just about anybody should pretty much guarantee another season of 90-odd points.

3. Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers: Awful team, fantastic player, lots of points.

4. Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators: Heatley had a great regular season despite missing 11 games. He could easily hit 90 points this season.

5. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks: He lost Markus Naslund, but he still has his brother. Sedin is nothing if not consistent, and if he somehow finds himself on a line with Mats Sundin? He could easily put up 90 points.

6. Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets: Like Kovalchuk, a great player on a lousy team. The general consensus is that having R.J. Umberger as his centre will allow Nash to put up even more than last season’s 69 points. Umberger’s no Sidney Crosby, but he should be serviceable enough to take the pressure off Nash having to do everything himself, which will let Nash focus on scoring.

7. Alexander Frolov, Los Angeles Kings: His 67-point campaign last season was actually a bit of a dip from the season before. Slowly, ever so slowly, the Kings are becoming a more cohesive team, and Frolov should benefit from that.

8. Kristian Huselius, Columbus Blue Jackets: Huselius had 25 goals and 41 assists in Calgary last season. While he’ll be behind Nash on the Columbus depth-chart next season, he should see plenty of chances to score. The gamble is he’ll lose some assists, but pick up more goals.

9. Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres: Vanek didn’t have a great season, presumably because he was freaked out about being the first successful Sabre ever to get a decent contract extension. He settled down toward the end of the season and that should carry over into the upcoming one.

10. Alex Tanguay, Montreal Canadiens: A truly underrated player who saw his numbers dip in Calgary because of his two-way versatility. Playing in Montreal, he’ll have plenty of chances for offense and probably won’t have a ton of defensive responsibilities. The only question is if Tanguay remembers how to score.

11. Ray Whitney, Carolina Hurricanes: He’s coming off ankle surgery, but assuming that’s fully healed, he should provide plenty of offense for the Hurricanes.

12. Marco Sturm, Boston Bruins: He flirted with a 30-goal, 30-assist season last season and while he didn’t hit that mark, he still managed to lead the Bruins in goals. Sturm’s not a very exciting player, but he’s usually good for anything from 40 to 50 points a season.

13. Markus Naslund, New York Rangers: He’s old and he’s not coming off a great season, but how can you not put up decent numbers playing on the Rangers’ top line with Scott Gomez as your centre? Naslund is getting a fresh start on a huge stage as the Rangers reinvent themselves. If that’s not good for 60 to 70 points, I don’t know what is.

14. Andrew Brunette, Minnesota Wild: His time with the Avalanche was often marked by inconsistency, but he’s back with the Wild where he should find himself playing with Marian Gaborik (for as long as Gaborik stays in Minnesota). This should help Brunette to step up his play and find some game-to-game consistency.

15. Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils: He should really be an honorable mention, but I just can’t believe he’s as awful as he played last season. It didn’t help that he spent some time at centre and was bounced around New Jersey’s lines. I can’t help but think that pride will force Elias into a strong upcoming season, though.

Others to Consider
Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars
Cory Stillman, Florida Panthers
Paul Kariya, St. Louis Blues
Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks

So my goal this year is to help you find the “sneaky starts” — that is, the players you would normally leave on the bench, but have a compelling reason to see your starting lineup in a given week. I’ll also point out some players with bad matchups and provide any other sort of interesting tidbit of info I might find (but hardly ever make reference to The Hills).

Sneaky Starts

Ronnie Brown or Ricky Williams (vs. Jets) – While all the attention of this game will be on Brett Favre, it’s the Miami backs that intrigue me the most. The most recent rumours have Williams getting around 20 carries, but previously, the word was that Brown would be the starter. Williams has a mere six carries since the 2005 season, so even if Ricky does emerge from his cloud of smoke and starts, Brown will see action as well. And by the way, the Jet run defense was downright terrible last season. They made moves to improve that, but even if they jump up in the rankings, they will still give up stats that make a 15-carry, 20-touch back a worthwhile start. Watch the situation closely and start whoever will see more action.

Brodie Croyle (@ Patriots) – Okay, this is probably something of a stretch, but hear me out. There are a number of quarterbacks battling injuries right now, including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Jeff Garcia. Brady and Manning are starters in every league and Garcia might be starting in larger leagues (you never know). All indications say that all the supposed starters will play, but if one is a late scratch, Croyle is a high-risk, high reward sneaky back-up plan. The Chiefs have two studly receiving threats in Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez. The Patriots stand a good chance to get ahead early in this contest, so Kansas City will probably have to throw the ball a lot. Also, New England gave up a good number of passing scores last year and it lost its best corner, Asante Samuel, in the offseason. Again, this is no sure bet, but something like 200 yards, two scores, and two turnovers could be in the offing for Croyle.

Justin Gage (vs. Jaguars) – Gage sort of established himself last year as the Titans’ go-to wide out. Okay, that might mean about as much as being the Browns’ best defensive player, but still, it’s worth noting. In the Jags’ second meeting with Jacksonville last season, Gage produced a 7-90-1 stat line, which might be right around where he ends up in this game as well. If you are struggling at wide out, you could do worse.

DeSean Jackson (vs. Rams) – With the evolution of college passing offenses, rookie wide outs have started breaking the trend of being worthless. Randy Moss, Anquan Boldin, and Marques Colston all had stellar rookie campaigns, and all had impressive opening games. Jackson isn’t quite built like those three, but he has progressed well in the preseason and will be one of the Eagle starters against St. Louis. Yeah, I said St. Louis, as in the really bad, no good, awfully putrid Ram pass defense. In a pinch, Jackson is certainly worth a shot.

Matt Forte (@ Colts) – Any time you can start a player who has a clear path to 20 carries, there’s some serious upside. The Colts are an average rush defense, so it will really come down to Forte’s ability to make the most of the touches he gets. Since the Bear passing game is so bad, they will need the backs to lead their offense down the field. Besides, teams that run draws against Dwight Freeney are basically guranteed six yards per rush.

On Second Thought

Jamal Lewis (vs. Cowboys) – While the Dallas defense can be beat through the air, its rush defense is one of the more steady units in the NFL. Couple that with a game that could be rather high scoring and using Lewis becomes increasingly perilous. The Browns could be looking at a pass-only game by the second half, and that neuters Lewis even more since he’s a “wear the defense” down kind of back. You might have to start Lewis, but if you have a good back-up plan, it might be worth making the switch this week.

Eli Manning (vs. Redskins) – Just a reminder that Manning is still not a good fantasy quarterback no matter what he did during last year’s post-season run. Got that? Good.

Fantasy Game of the Week – Arizona @ San Francisco – The NFC West used to be throughly awesome for fantasy purposes, but with the ‘Niners’, Rams’, and Seahawks’ offenses falling back to various degrees, the excitement was starting to wane. With Mike Martz back in the division and Kurt Warner set to start, I’m back on board. Warner, Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, J.T. O’Sullivan, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and one of San Francisco’s wide outs could be worth starting this week. Just don’t ask me which wide receiver. I have no idea.

Fantasy Dud of the Week – Denver @ Oakland – There’s a signficant amount of hype around many of the players in this game. Obviously, the buzz for youngsters like Darren McFadden, JaMarcus Russell, Jay Cutler, and Eddie Royal is warranted. I just think this game might end up on the lower scoring side of things. The Bronco passing game will be hurt with Brandon Marshall out of commission and the Oakland offense still needs to make strides. Only Selvin Young has me amped up for this late game.

Good luck this season. E-mail me with any roster questions (Who Do I Start) for Week One. I will answer either via the site or through e-mail.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some potential wire picks for this coming week.

Brandon Moss, Pittsburgh, OF: Moss is one of the four prospects the Pirates acquired in the three-way-deal involving the Red Sox and Dodgers. Last year at Triple-A Pawtucket, Moss hit 16 homers and drove in 78 runs with a decent .282 BA. This year, in 163 at bats, Moss hit eight HR with 30 RBI and a .282 BA. Do you notice a trend developing here? It looks like the bar has been set and, heading forward, we can expect more of the same. The 24-year-old Moss is definitely going to get playing time, expecially against righties, and is a decent addition in NL-only formats.

Yusmeiro Petit, Arizona, SP: Petit has finally forced his way into the lineup for the Diamondbacks. The ongoing struggles of Micah Owings has given the 23-year-old Petit another opportunity to start this year. Back on July 2, Petit two-hit the Brewers in one of the two starts he’s made for ‘Zona this season. In his brief career, Petit has been part of two trades, the original one for Carlos Delgado and then the deal that sent him to the desert for Jorge Julio. This year at Triple-A Tucson, Petit has issued only eight walks while striking out 67 in 60 IP. It would seem he is finally ready to be a part of the Arizona rotation, making him a solid add in NL-only leagues, and someone who should be on the radar in mixed formats.

Andy LaRoche, Pittsburgh, 3B: The 24-year-old top prospect, acquired this past week from the Dodgers in the three-way deal discussed above, is moving right into the third base slot for the Pirates. As a 23-year-old at Las Vegas in the PCL last season, he managed a fine line of 18 homer, 48 RBI and a .309 BA in just a half a season. The kid has demonstrated at the highest minor league level that he has all the tools, and now that he’s with the Pirates, he will certainly get the opportunity to play, making him an asset in NL-only and deep keeper formats. The fact that he’ll have his older brother Adam there to help him develop should prove to be a boon for both LaRoches. While they’re reuniting families, maybe the Buccos should go retro and bring back Dave and his LaLob.

Kyle Farnsworth, Detroit, RP: Farnsworth was acquired this past week for Ivan Rodriguez and he should provide some short-term relief to the beleagured Tiger bullpen. Detroit, with the shoulder injury suffered by Todd Jones and the ongoing control issues of Joel Zumaya, is a bit short in the bullpen at this time. Fernando Rodney currently has the closer gig for the Tigers, forcing Manager Jim Leyland to up his intake to three packs of smokes per day. If Rodney continues to flounder, Farnsworth should be next in line for saves in the Motor City, making him a solid acquisition in all formats. Remember, he did manage to save 16 games for the Tigers and Braves back in 2005 before heading to New York to work in a set-up role for Mariano Rivera.

Brandon Inge, Detroit, C/3B/OF: Think back to only four months ago when Inge wanted to leave town after the trade for Miguel Cabrera. He eventually ended up playing centrefield while Curtis Granderson was hurt and now with the trade of I-Rod to the Yankees, Inge finds himself the primary catcher in Tiger Town. Quite the change in fortunes, isn’t it? Inge can hit for power, albeit with a poor average, but with the increased playing time, he needs to be added in all AL-only formats and is worth of a gamble in deeper mixed formats that require two catchers.

Emilio Bonifacio, Washington, 2B: Bonifacio was acquired from Arizona in the recent deal for Jon Rauch. Since the trade, he has hit .458 with three thefts at Triple-A Columbus, prompting a promotion to Washington on August 1. It looks like the Nationals are going to give the kid the opportunity to bat in the lead-off slot, and his combination of speed and average makes him a solid acquisition in both NL-only leagues and any format where stolen bases are a need.

Jeff Karstens, Pittsburgh, SP: The 25-year-old righty was acquired as part of the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte deal with the Yankees. He blanked the Cubs on six hits and four walks through six innings Friday. Karstens does not possess an overpowering fastball and has to rely on his breaking stuff to be successful. He’s a potential innings-eater that should be treated with caution and only considered in NL-only leagues.

Joe Mather, St. Louis, OF: The season ending injury to Chris Duncan, and the abdominal strain suffered by Rick Ankiel has opened the door for Mather to get some increased playing time. In the past week, he has hit three homers, driven in seven and is batting a solid .321. Ankiel is tentatively slated to be back this week, but Manager Tony La Russa has demonstrated that he will find ways to get at bats for the hot hand. Mather is a solid acquisition in NL-only leagues at this time.

Jeff Francis, Colorado, SP: Francis is scheduled to return Tuesday from a stint on the DL due to shoulder inflammation. He has struggled through a dismal 2008, with only three wins and a 5.67 ERA. Keep in mind that in 2007, he managed to post 17 wins and record a decent 4.22 ERA for the Rockies, so he has certainly proven he can do the job. During Francis’s recent rehab stint at Double-A Tulsa, he allowed only one earned run while striking out 19 in just 14 1/3 IP. He gets to face two of the worst offenses in the league this week in the Nationals and Padres, making him a decent addition in NL-only, H2H and deeper mixed formats.

Rocco Baldelli, Tampa Bay, OF: Will Baldelli ever return to the form that made him one of the top young players in the game? The jury is still out on this one, but he has just completed a very successful rehab stint at Double-A Montgomery and could be on the verge of being activated by the Rays. There are obviously some serious question marks here, but coming off a three-homer, eight-RBI, .297 BA performance during his 13-game stint with the Biscuits, Baldelli looks like a decent add in AL-only formats and a player who potentially could help in deeper leagues down the stretch.

In addition to the fun that is the trading deadline, we’ve had a wave of closer-related moves this week, so those seeking saves better pay attention.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the potential waiver wire pickups heading into the trade deadline.

Fernando Rodney, Detroit, RP: In a rather surprising move, Detroit manager Jim Leyland announced prior to Sunday’s game that Rodney has taken over the closing job from Todd Jones. The Tigers are currently firing on all cylinders, making Rodney a solid acquisition in all formats. Anyone want to place a wager Rodney jumps from his current three per cent ownership level in CBS leagues? Get on this one fast, kiddies!

David Purcey, Toronto, SP: It looks like the Blue Jays are going to try to sort out the future, but demoting Jesse Litsch is just another in a series of baffling moves by the J.P. Ricciardi regime. Is John Parrish the answer heading into 2009? Enter Purcey, a 26-year-old southpaw who was enjoying a very strong season at Triple-A Syracuse. He has posted a superb 2.69 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 117 innings pitched. The key to Purcey’s success has been limiting the free passes to only 34 in 19 starts. If the improved control can be translated to the bigs, Purcey has the potential to be successful down the stretch, making him a decent gamble in AL-only leagues.

Joel Hanrahan, Washington, RP: Another week, another new closer. The Nationals traded Jon Rauch this past week and immediately announced that Hanrahan is their new closer. Given his 65 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings pitched, Hanrahan is dominant enough to handle his new role. Yes, he walks too many, but at this stage of the season is that really going to hurt you in the WHIP category? I don’t think so. If you’re in the market for ten to 15 saves over the balance of the year, Hanrahan could be a solid addition to your bullpen.

Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh, 2B: In what has been a very disappointing year, Sanchez is finally starting to heat up. In the past week, he is hitting to the tune of a .467 BA with two homers, seven RBI and nine runs scored. His numbers over the balance of the year should be more in line with his past levels of performance, making Sanchez a solid acquisition in all deep formats and an especially attractive one in NL-only leagues.

Paul Maholm, Pittsburgh, SP: The 26-year-old southpaw is very quietly enjoying a solid year with the Pirates. In the past month, he has recorded two wins, a 2.68 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched. Maholm has allowed a scant five base-on-balls in his past five starts, and is surprisingly still available in most mixed formats. Roster him quick before the rest of your league figures this one out.

Josh Fields, Chicago White Sox, 3B: Joe Crede has finally succumbed once again to the DL with those on-going back woes, so Fields has been called up from the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. If you are in need of a boost in those power numbers and can afford the hit to your batting average, Fields has the potential to be an asset down the stretch. The other option for the White Sox would be Juan Uribe; need I say more? Fields is a decent acquisition in AL-only leagues and should be on the radar in mixed formats.

Ryan Sweeney, Oakland, OF: For those looking for an outfielder with decent batting average and stolen base potential, Sweeney could be your man. He’s certainly available in most formats with a scant eight per cent of teams in CBS leagues utilizing his services. Over the past month, he is batting .338, with one homer, ten RBI and a couple of stolen bases. Sweeney has moved into the leadoff slot for the Athletics, which should give him plenty of opportunities to score runs. He’s a solid add in AL-only leagues and should be on the radar in mixed formats.

John Grabow, Pittsburgh, RP: The recent trade of Marte to the Yankees has opened up the closer gig in Steel City. Don’t you guys in NL-only leagues just love this move? Grabow is the early favourite for saves, but a bullpen-by-committee can’t be ruled out. When the other option is currently Tyler Yates, who has allowed earned runs in six of his past seven appearances, I’d have to lay my money on Grabow here. The 29-year-old southpaw has posted a solid 3.08 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings pitched this year and should be owned in all formats.

Melvin Mora, Baltimore, 3B: Since the break, Mora has been on fire. In the past month, he has hit five homers and driven in 25 while batting .310. He is also currently available in about 50 per cent of all leagues. If Mora is still sitting on waivers in your league add him. In deeper formats, ride the hot streak and look for other options if and when the inevitable cooling off occurs. Either way, he’s an excellent addition for those in deep leagues requiring a middle-infield slot, AL-only and H2H leagues.

Eugenio Velez, San Francisco, 2B: The trade this past week of Ray Durham to the Brewers has opened the door for Velez to see increased playing time for the Giants. This would be the same Velez that led all players with 16 thefts in only 84 at bats in the 2008 preseason. If speed is your need, there’s definite potential here, so Velez should be acquired in NL-only leagues and deeper formats where the ten to 15 stolen bases could be a difference maker.

Adam Lind, Toronto, OF: In the past month, Lind has entrenched himself in the Blue Jay lineup by hitting .351 with four homers and 20 RBI. He’s hitting everything hard right now and with the Jays currently playing for pride and Ricciardi’s future, Lind should get plenty of playing time over the balance of this year, making him a solid acquisition in all formats.

Willie Harris, Washington, 2B/3B/OF: Okay, let’s be honest here, did anyone see this one coming? Harris currently owns the lead-off spot for the Nationals and is on fire. Over the past ten games, he has amassed three homers (urine test, please), ten RBI and a gaudy .459 BA. Toss in the stolen base and runs scored potential hitting at the top of the order and you have a great, albeit probably short-term acquisition in H2H formats and NL-only leagues.

Jerry Hairston, Jr., Cincinnati, 2B/SS/3B/OF: Hairston, placed on the DL July 14 with a hamstring strain, was batting .351 in 188 at bats this year with 15 stolen bases. He is looking at a return August 1 and will probably be resuming his successful lead-off role for the Reds. Expect more of the same solid numbers down the stretch. Hairston is currently owned in only 19 per cent of CBS leagues, a somewhat surprising number based on his solid performance in 2008. If you have the need for speed, he’s a great acquisition.

Chris Carpenter, St. Louis, SP: Manager Tony LaRussa has announced that Carpenter would be activated off the DL and start Wednesday against the Braves. Carpenter has been out since Opening Day 2007 and is coming off Tommy John surgery. In what would appear to be his final rehab start, he went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out five. It looks like the control is coming around nicely as he threw 53 of 78 pitches for strikes. Just remember that Carpenter is returning from a very serious operation, so temper those expectations somewhat. The dominating Chris Carpenter will probably not resurface until next spring. That being said, even an average final two months out of him could be a difference maker in all formats.

Steve Pearce, Pittsburgh, OF: The trade of Nady to the Yankees has opened up a window of opportunity for Pearce. He’s had a disappointing campaign and the clock is ticking for Pearce with Andrew McCutcheon and those 26 stolen bases waiting in the wings down on the farm. This year at Triple-A Indianapolis, Pearce hit 11 homers, with 54 RBI and a .258 BA. He’s a decent grab in NL-only leagues and the deepest of keeper formats, but again, be wary that if he doesn’t produce, the Pirates do have other options.

Kaz Matsui, Houston, 2B: Since returning from his latest stint on the DL with a strained right hamstring, Matsui has been slotted back in the lead-off spot for the Astros. For those looking at filling a rather weak position, and who need help in both the runs scored and stolen base categories, grab him now before the inevitable next trip to the DL.

Anthony Reyes, Cleveland, SP/RP: The Cardinals finally tired of Reyes’ under-achieving ways and constant headbutting with pitching coach Dave Duncan , shipping the enigmatic Reyes to the Indians this past week. Reyes never fulfilled his huge potential with the Cards, but at just 26 he is still young enough to make us forget those past struggles. This year, in ten starts at Triple-A Memphis, he went 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 41 Ks in 47 2/3 IP. Reyes has been teasing fantasy owners for years now and with the Indians rebuilding, it could be time to see if he has the potential to step up his game or if he’ll continue to be the consummate Quad-A player he has been to date. Reyes makes for a decent gamble in deep keeper formats and AL-only leagues.

MVP

Josh Hamilton, Texas, OF: For a guy that has yet to play a full season in the majors and was out of the game for four years dealing with his well-documented drug and health problems, to post the numbers he is putting up is truly amazing. With 21 homers and a league-leading 95 RBI at the break, Hamilton has now seen his career come full circle. To be leading the league by 25 RBI at the break is a truly outstanding accomplishment. Now, if the Rangers with Nolan Ryan at the helm could only find a way to build a starting rotation…

Grady Sizemore, Cleveland, OF: And the leading home run hitter in the American League at the break would be…yes, Grady Sizemore. When your top-of-the-order bat is leading his team in home runs, RBI, stolen bases and OBP it is certainly worthy of MVP consideration. Is a 40-40 season in the works for the 25-year-old Sizemore in 2008?

Ian Kinsler, Texas, 2B: Kinsler has raised his stock dramatically this year for the Rangers and for his fantasy owners. With a .337 BA, 14 homers, 58 RBI, 23 thefts and a league-leading 84 runs-scored — 17 more than the nearest competition — Kinsler is a true five-category stud, and definite MVP candidate. Taken in the sixth round in most drafts this spring, Kinsler has ascended to the title of the best offensive second baseman in the league, bar none.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees, 3B: Even with missing 17 games with a strained right quad, A-Rod has rather quietly put together a great first half. Currently, he is tied for fifth with 19 homers, is sitting in third spot with a 972 OPS and has pitched in with a very solid 13 stolen bases. How valuable is Rodriguez to the Yankees? The paltry seven wins they totaled in the 18 games he’s missed this year pretty much says it all. He has the potential to carry both the Yankees and your fantasy squad in the second half.

Justin Morneau, Minnesota, 1B: Morneau is probably one of the true team MVP candidates of the first half. Currently, the Twins’ offensive leader has driven in 68 runs, a staggering 22 more than the number two guy on the squad. He is the principle reason that the Twins are within two games of the first-place White Sox at the break.

CY YOUNG

Roy Halladay, Toronto, SP: With seven, Halladay has more complete games at the break than any combined pitching staff in baseball, this side of the NPB ( Yu Darvish of Nippon Ham just got his 8th). Doc’s strikeouts are back to 2003 levels, the walk total is at a stingy 21, and with 11 wins at the break he could be very well on his way to a second Cy Young award. Posting these numbers while pitching for one of the worst offenses in the game makes this even a more incredible achievement.

Joe Saunders, Los Angeles Angels, SP: The 27-year-old southpaw has stepped up his game in ’08. Saunders is currently tied for the league lead in wins with 12 and is sporting a fine 3.07 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. He’s seen a distinct drop in his hit rates this year, leading to a very successful first half. Is it sell high time here?

Justin Duchscherer, Oakland, SP: You have to love those junk ball pitchers that toss them in at 68 mph. The converted reliever takes a 10-5 record into the break with a league-leading 1.82 ERA. Food for thought: Duchscherer has only allowed more than two earned runs in one start this season. Is this sustainable? Probably not, but for those that gambled early and grabbed him off the waiver wire, enjoy the ride!

Cliff Lee, Cleveland, SP: Lee has had a truly amazing first half. That run of eight starts to commence the season (allowing a total of only four earned runs) was one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. At the break, Lee was tied for the league lead in wins with 12 and second in ERA with a 2.31 mark. He wrapped up the first half by earning the successful start in this year’s All-Star game. Lee is another fine example of why we don’t draft starting pitching in the early rounds of fantasy drafts — because clearly, you can use later picks or even the wire to find difference makers.

Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels, SP: What a turnaround Santana has enjoyed after that disappointing 2007 campaign. Currently the “other” Santana is sitting with 11 wins, a solid 3.34 ERA and is tied for third in the league with 122 strikeouts. He’s even found a way to pitch on the road this year. The 25-year-old righthander looks to be proving that his solid sophomore campaign in 2006 was no fluke.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay, 3B: Longoria started the 2008 campaign at Triple-A Durham and was called up April 12 to replace the injured Willy Aybar. After six games and 20 or so at bats, he signed a six-year deal with the Rays for a reported $17.5 million. Three months later, he’s hit 16 homers, driven in 53 runs and made the All-Star team. Evan Almighty, without a doubt, is the leading candidate for top rookie in the AL.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston, OF: It looks like the long-standing Boston stolen base record of 54 set in 1973 by Tommy Harper is going to be shattered. Ellsbury has 35 thefts at the break and has scored 60 runs batting leadoff. Apparently, the hype generated by his September run last year has been more than warranted.

Masahide Kobayashi, Cleveland, RP: It took a bit longer than I was expecting, but Kobayashi looks like he’s moved into the closer role for the Tribe heading into the break. Kobayashi has all the skills that a closer needs and he hopes to build on his success from those NPB days with Chiba Lotte. The Indians are already looking ahead to 2009 and the next couple of months will determine Kobayashi’s role in the Tribe bullpen for next year. I’m betting on success.

Greg Smith, Oakland, SP: Where does Oakland find its starting pitching? Smith is another in a long line of young A’s pitchers who have come up to the majors and been able to contribute. The 24-year-old southpaw has posted a very steady 3.43 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, to go along with 74 strikeouts in 110 1/3 IP. On the downside, Smith has allowed 47 free passes in the first half. If he is going to sustain those solid first-half numbers, he will have to find a way to limit the walks or those early results will be hard to duplicate in the second half.

David Murphy, Texas, OF: Murphy has hit 13 homers, driven in 60 runs and managed five stolen bases in the first half. Not bad for a guy that didn’t have a full-time job coming out of Spring Training. When you have Hamilton, Kinsler, Michael Young and Milton Bradley getting on base in front of you, the RBI opportunites are going to be there. Undrafted in most formats, Murphy has been another huge bonus for those gambling early on the waiver wire.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

J.D. Drew, Boston, OF: At the end of May, Drew was either buried deep on your fantasy bench or sitting on the waiver wire. In 115 at bats from mid-April until the end of May he hit the grand sum of one long ball. It was looking like the 2008 season was going to be a carbon copy of that disappointing ’07. And then came June. Twelve homers and 27 RBI later, and he’s back to being the player that the Red Sox thought they were getting when they shelled out $70 million to sign the free agent in the 2006 offseason. It’s been quite the turnaround for this Phillies’ fans favourite, so no worries that Drew will be dodging batteries any time soon at Fenway.

Mike Mussina, New York Yankees, SP: Many thought that after last year’s disaster, the fine career of Mike Mussina might be over. Not only is he alive and well in New York, but he’s been an integral part of the Yankee rotation. At the break, Mussina is tied for third in the league with 11 wins and has posted a solid 3.61 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He is currently on pace to have his lowest base-on-balls total in his career, with a stingy 16 so far. With the injuries to Chien-Ming Wang and Philip Hughes, and the failures of Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa, Moose will need a solid second half if the Yankees are to make the postseason again in 2008.

Troy Percival, Tampa Bay, RP: Percival commenced his comeback last fall by pitching very effectively for the Cardinals down the stretch. Signed by the Rays in the offseason, he has been a stabilizing force in the Tampa Bay pen. Still the fierce competitor, Percy has 19 saves and has allowed only 16 hits in 28 innings pitched this year. Coming back and pitching at the level he has after being out of the game for virtually three full seasons is an amazing accomplishment and one that will have to be sustained if the surprising Rays are going to reach the postseason this year.

Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox, OF: Dye is enjoying a fine resurgence this year for the division-leading White Sox. He is currently hitting to the tune of a .306 BA, with 21 homers and 56 RBI. This year, Dye is putting together a season reminiscent of that fine 2000, his last as a Royal, and he’s a big reason for the early-season success of the White Sox in 2008.

Aubrey Huff, Baltimore, DH: We haven’t seen numbers like this from Huff since the Rays had a bit of the Devil in them. With 18 homers already, he has surpassed his season total from 2007. Huff is another one of those early waiver wire acquisitions that has paid huge dividends for fantasy owners this season.

BUST OF THE YEAR

Victor Martinez, Cleveland, C: Over the past four seasons, Martinez has been the premier offensive catcher in the game. I remember thinking, ‘now here’s a safe pick for the third round in my bloggers’ league. Let’s grab a power bat at a relatively scarce position and run with it.’ Uh, yeah. At the break, in 198 at bats, he amassed the grand total of zero, that would be no home runs, and yes, I am bitter. Let’s hope the time off recovering from the elbow surgery helps him rediscover some semblance of a power stroke over the last six weeks of the season.

Alex Rios, Toronto, OF: For those that took the opportunity to read our pre-season picks to miss column back in late-March, we listed Rios as a player who would potentially disappoint — and disappoint he has. Four home runs from a player at a power position who was a third round pick in most formats is beyond disappointing. On the positive side at least he’s running, with a career high 23 thefts so far. With Vernon Wells missing a substantial amount of time due to injury, it would have been nice to see Rios step up to the plate, rather than away from it.

Kenji Johjima, Seattle, C: With Johjima coming off two very successful years in Seattle, who saw this one coming? Obviously not the previous Mariner regime, which rewarded Johjima with a three-year contract extension at $24 million. Yes, catchers have a history of rapid descent as they approach their mid-30s, but with three homers and a .213 BA, this would appear to be more of a crash than a descent. Now that Richie Sexson has been released, is moving Johjima the next part of the dismantling process? Johjima would be a very nice fit on a financially secure east-coast team for that stretch run, wouldn’t he?

Gary Sheffield, Detroit, OF/DH: This had to happen eventually. Sheffield has enjoyed a great career, but the combination of age, shoulder woes, and a strained oblique has finally taken its toll. Five homers and 18 RBI with a .217 BA is not what we were counting on when we made Sheffield a mid-level draft pick this spring. There’s definitely the potential for a bounce back in the second half in a strong Tiger lineup, but I’m not betting on it.

Travis Hafner, Cleveland, DH: Here’s another one of those picks that has done some serious damage to fantasy rosters throughout the land. Hafner amassed the staggering total of four homers, 22 RBI, and a .217 BA in 157 at bats this season before hitting the DL with a strained shoulder. With the Indians playing for 2009, and Hafner currently without a timetable for his return, don’t count on any reasonable levels of production this year from “Pronk.”

Heading into this series, Boston and Tampa had developed a well-established history of violence over the years, with no less than ten episodes of ugliness over the years having cemented these foes as the fiercest of rivals.

Well, maybe it’s Boston that needs that spark right now. After all, with all the crap that’s gone on between these two clubs, the Sox led the all-time series 117-61 before suffering huge losses the past two nights. On Monday, Justin Masterson plunked Willy Aybar with a pitch, but that wasn’t serious enough to spark another melee.

Some history:

The fun dates back to August 29, 2000, when Pedro Martinez, who (coincidentally or not) had lost to the Rays twice in his previous three starts against them, nailed Gerald Williams with a pitch, causing Williams to charge the mound. Rays hurler Dave Eiland throws at Brian Daubach, and the benches wound up emptying twice on the night. Eight players get the heave ho.

A month to the day later, Tampa beats the Sox, eliminating Boston from playoff contention. After finishing things off for the final out, Rays closer Roberto Hernandez gives the Boston bench a “bye bye” wave. Clearly, the Sox are unimpressed, so the next night, when Hernandez failed to protect a 2-1 lead, surrendering a two-run homer to Morgan Burkhardt as part of a three-run rally, the Sox respond with their own waves to Hernandez, mostly of the one finger variety.

Things are quiet for a year and a half, but then on May 5, 2002, Rays starter Ryan Rupe hits both Nomar Garciaparra and Shea Hillenbrand in the first inning. Then Trot Nixon loses control (uh, ya) of his bat after swinging and missing and the bat goes flying towards Rupe. Later, Randy Winn gets hit by a pitch.

A couple of months later, both Manny Ramirez and Brent Abernathy get plunked twice, causing ejections for Esteban Yan and Rays manager Hal McRae.

Less than two months later, on September 9, Derek Lowe nailed Felix Escalona twice, despite a warning from the Commissioner’s office.

The next night, Doug Mirabelli, Garciaparra and Lou Merloni are all drilled by the Rays. Both Lowe and Lee Gardner get suspensions for this one.

Flash forward just over two years to late-September 2004. Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar are plunked on consecutive at bats by Scott Kazmir, causing the benches to empty. Earlier in the game, Bronson Arroyo had hit Aubrey Huff and Tino Martinez. Both Manager Lou Piniella and Kazmir were ushered from the game for this episode.

On April 24, 2005, Lance Carter threw behind Ramirez. Manny responded by going yard. Then Carter threw behind David Ortiz. Ortiz’s response? He made a move towards Carter, sparking a melee in which six players were ejected and eight were either fined or suspended. It turns into a war of words off the diamond when Curt Schilling uses his radio show to criticize Piniella. Rays announcer Joe Magrane responds by calling out Schilling on the next Rays telecast, which caused Schilling to drag Magrane through the mud. Good times.

Things are quiet until March 2006, when during a Spring Training game, crazy man Julian Tavarez kicks Joey Gathright as Gathright was scoring on a wild pitch. Tavarez slapped and punched Gathright, causing another emptying of the benches. In the scrap that ensues, Ty Wigginton busted a bone in his right hand. Tavarez earned himself a ten-game suspension for this squirreliness.

Last season remained more or less episode-free, but last month, on June 5, there was finally an episode in Boston when James Shields hit Coco Crisp in response to Crisp’s hard slide into Akinori Iwamura the night before. The upshot was that three players got kicked out and eight got suspended. Sweet!

Well, lest you think that kind of thing never happens, the Braves have signed catcher/1B Jason Phillips (aka, Goggles Paisano) to a minor league deal, adding him to the roster of their Richmond Triple-A team.

The 31-year-old Phillips, a veteran of 465 major league games with the Mets, Dodgers and Jays, was batting .302 with five dingers and 38 RBI in 42 games for the Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League.

When last seen in the bigs in 2007, Phillips flamed out with just a .208 BA for Toronto.

But the trade of Sal Fasano last week opened a spot on Richmond so Phillips finds himself back in organized ball. He didn’t exactly burst onto the scene, taking an 0-fer in his first game on Friday. It’s going to take a hell of a lot of injuries for Phillips to actually make his way back to the bigs this season.

This isn’t the first time Atlanta has reached down to the Indies to add a body. Earlier this season, the Braves signed righty Brian Lawrence, who was also toiling with the Riversharks. Unfortunately, in three starts for Richmond, the 32-year-old Lawrence has been absolutely tattooed, so don’t look for a happy ending to this tale.

Having said that, remember Kerry Ligtenberg? The Braves plucked him from the Indies back in 1996, and he wound up having a brilliant rookie season in 1998, saving 30 games.

So hey, it can happen, but I’m not sure a similar triumphant return is in store for the goggled one.

Drafted by St. Louis in the 24th round in 2001, Ledbetter spent two awful seasons at Rookie Level Johnson City, going 3-11 with a sky high ERA that would have made a pre-humidor Rockies’ hurler blush.

The following year, at the age of 22, he wound up in River City of the Frontier League and he’s never looked back.

In fact, earlier this month, Ledbetter became the league’s all-time strikeout king, passing the immortal Matt Schweitzer’s Frontier mark of 434 career Ks.

You can add the K mark to an impressive list of Frontier League records Ledbetter already owned, including most career wins, innings pitched, starts and a share of the mark of complete games.

He’s made the last three all-star games, and last year, based on his sick season (14-2, 2.71, 103 Ks in 129 2/3 IP), won the Brian Tollberg Award as the Most Valuable Pitcher (by the way, how bizarre is it that a pitcher who went on to win 15 major league games is the standard that all Frontier League hurlers strive to match?).

Ledbetter has accomplished all of this before the age of 27 (which he’ll reach this coming weekend). So here’s a question for you: is there a major league organization paying attention to what Ledbetter has been doing the past few years? Would someone give this still quite young hurler an opportunity to be the next Brian Tollberg?

While he’s finally stayed healthy for Toronto, Burnett still hasn’t lived up to that overinflated contract he signed after the 2005 season. So talk that he’d trigger his opt out clause after the 2008 season — thereby walking away from $24 million for 2009-10 – seems bizarre.

Would Burnett – struggling through the worst season of his career – choose now to head back on to the market? As sad as it seems, he’d probably make out like a bandit, despite the crappy 2008 he’s enduring. But that speaks more to the paucity of quality starting pitching out there.

Case in point: Griffin put together an interesting list — the 15 starters who currently earn an average of more than $12 million per year. Here’s the list, along with my assessment of their respective values: Johan Santana (no quibbling with that); Carlos Zambrano (also well worth it); Barry Zito (oops); Jake Peavy (not doing as well as his Cy Young season last year, but still pretty damn fine); Andy Pettitte (getting worse as the season progresses); Jason Schmidt (six starts since the start of last year and no idea when his next outing is coming); Mike Hampton (almost ready to make his first appearance in the majors since 2005); Roy Oswalt (looking better recently, but suffering through his worst season); Mark Buehrle (unable to consolidate his nice recovery in 2007, but looking very strong lately); John Smoltz (was getting better with age until the arm woes caught up with him); Roy Halladay (he’s been superb); Pedro Martinez (struggling to refind his form); Randy Johnson (the Old Unit is just getting ripped lately); Chris Carpenter (he’s made exactly one start since the beginning of last year and now Dr. Andrews is taking another look at him…uh, yeah); and Bronson Arroyo (has been sliding for two years now).

So of this list of 15, I’d say only four are actually worth this kind of money (notwithstanding the injured pitchers, of course). Examined from this angle, perhaps Burnett and his woeful 4.90 ERA are actually worth $12 million per season.

Jays are in dead last in the AL East, but sit just six games back of the Wild Card. So, on the one hand, holding onto Burnett to make a run at the WC might make sense. But if he’s determined to leave – and recent actions suggest he is – why not deal him to a team with an excess of offense and try to address your lack of power?

A big stick may be just the ticket for the pitching-rich Jays, assuming the trading partner would be able to work out an extension with Burnett.

Burnett could be a key name to watch as we inch closer to the trading deadline. Other starters who could be available, depending on how their teams do in the interim, include: C.C. Sabathia (a free agent next year for the disappointing Tribe), Brad Penny, Rich Harden, Vicente Padilla, Kevin Millwood (someone please explain to me what happened to this dude), Zack Greinke, Livan Hernandez and Joe Blanton.

Burnett has already suggested he’d be perfectly copasetic being dealt to the Cubbies, but other teams that will likely be in the hunt for his services include the Yanks, Mets, Braves and Dodgers.

Scott Linebrink, Chicago White Sox, RP: Linebrink has very quietly been putting up great numbers for the White Sox this year. He’s racked up 14 holds and owns a nifty 1.38 ERA with a very strong 0.92 WHIP pitching in a set-up capacity for Bobby Jenks. With Jenks, seemingly about two cheeseburgers away from a massive coronary and the always volatile Ozzie Guillen at the helm, Linebrink should definitely be on the radar. He is a great pickup at this time for leagues counting holds and all AL-only formats.

Jose Arredondo, Los Angeles Angels, RP: The injury to Scot Shields has opened the door and Jose Arredondo has walked through big time. Since getting promoted on May 13, he has allowed only one run in 11 2/3 innings pitched, and has moved into the set-up role for Francisco Rodriguez. The 24-year-old converted starter is a solid candidate for holds over the balance of the season. Remember, that K-Rod is heading into free agency this offseason, so I’d suggest keeping Arredondo on the radar in deep keeper formats. For now, he is a good choice in AL-only leagues and all formats counting holds.

Homer Bailey, Cincinnati, SP: The 22-year-old top-tier prospect was promoted from Triple-A Louisville this past week. In his first start, Bailey allowed two earned runs against the hot-hitting Phillies. Those 32 walks in 69 1/3 IP at Louisville indicates that there will likely be some struggles this year at the major league level. Until Bailey can demonstrate that he has mastered his control problems, he probably will have limited value in standard 12-team mixed formats. At this time I would recommend Bailey for NL-only leagues, and all deep keeper formats.

Josh Banks, San Diego, SP: Banks was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays in April, and found himself inserted into the rotation with the injury to Chris Young. He is off to a great start and has allowed only one earned run in three starts. The 0.39 ERA and 1.04 WHIP are most certainly not sustainable over the long haul, but in NL-only leagues, grab him off the waiver wire and ride him while he’s hot.

Rod Barajas, Toronto, C: For a guy that couldn’t make up his mind two years ago, Barajas seems to be enjoying his time in Toronto these days. The elbow strain suffered by Gregg Zaun at the end of May created an opportunity and Barajas has responded very well. Over the past couple of weeks, he is batting .333 with two homers and nine RBI. Currently owned by only 12 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues, Barajas would be a solid add in AL-only leagues and mixed formats requiring two catchers.

Scott Downs, Toronto, RP: In his past two appearances, both resulting in blown saves and subsequent losses, B.J. Ryan has been rocked to the tune of five earned runs. This should bring the name of Scott Downs into the picture. With Jeremy Accardo currently on the DL with a forearm strain, Downs would be the logical choice to step into the closer’s role for the Jays should Ryan continue to struggle. Downs is currently sporting a 1.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, to go along with the five saves earned while Ryan was on restricted duty earlier in the year. He’s a solid pick in AL-only leagues and someone that should be watched very closely in all formats, depending of course on the health status of Ryan.

Cody Ross, Florida, OF: Ross falls into the category of a very one-dimensional player. If one is looking for a cheap source of homers, he could be an asset. With the walk-off homer this past Saturday, Ross has now hit 11 jacks on the year in only 119 at bats. Now, for the bad news: he also is currently sporting a .227 batting average. It seems as if the injury to Josh Willingham is going to be of a long-term nature, thereby providing an opportunity for Ross. However, unless the batting average improves, Ross is limited to being a decent acquistion in only NL-only formats.

Miguel Olivo, Kansas City, C: Olivo found himself in just a bit of a bind this past offseason and, with few takers lining up, he signed on with the Kansas City Royals for the 2008 campaign. He’s been sporting a very hot bat lately and is currently batting .291 with seven homers and 23 RBI. Trey Hillman is currently playing Olivo at both catcher, over the always batting average challenged John Buck, and at DH. As long as Olivo is hitting, the offensively challenged Royals will be taking advantage of it, making him a great grab in both AL-only leagues and all formats requiring two catchers.

Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado, SS: What I find very surprising here is that Tulowitzki is currently owned by only 36 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues. We are talking about the same kid that is coming off a 24-homer, 99-RBI rookie campaign, aren’t we? The torn quadriceps injury that sent him to the DL at the end of April is reportedly healing ahead of schedule, and he could possibly be returning to the active roster some time in the next several weeks. Last year at this time Tulowitzki had only three homers, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could very easily vault himself into the top tier of all shortstops in the second half. If he is a free agent in your league, avoid the scramble to pick him up once he is activated and grab him now.

Chris Perez, St. Louis, RP: The injury to Jason Isringhausen opened the door for a May 16 call up for Perez. The 22-year-old righty, compiled a 2.04 ERA to go along with 22 strikeouts for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. Last year, between Double-A and Triple-A, Perez converted an astounding 31 consecutive saves. Control problems have been a concern with Perez, but so far he has only allowed one free pass since his promotion. In five appearances for St. Louis he has allowed only one hit and struck out the side Saturday against the Dodgers. Should Ryan Franklin struggle, it looks like Perez could be next in line for save opportunities in St. Louis, making him a very solid acquisition in both NL-only and deep keeper formats at this time.

Wandy Rodriguez, Houston, SP: Last year was a breakout year of sorts for the 29-year-old southpaw. He put up some of the wildest home/road splits in the past several years, but those 158 strikeouts were still very impressive. Rodriguez was touted by many to be a candidate for an even bigger breakout in 2008, however, a strained groin in mid-April sent him to the DL. After a solid rehab start this past week, it looks like if Rodriguez is ready to rejoin the Houston rotation, possibly as early as this week. In his four starts prior to the injury, Rodriguez posted a very sold 2.31 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, and had allowed only five walks. Currently owned by only 23 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues, he should be a solid buy in all formats.

Salomon Torres, Milwaukee, RP: Okay, to recap: Milwaukee grew tired of Eric Gagne’s struggles so he was removed from the closer’s role; 24 hours later he was back in there, and then landed on the DL him shortly thereafter with rotator cuff tendinitis. Phew. What a mess. It seems that Milwaukee is looking at using everyone fantasy owner’s favourite strategy — the closer-by-committee format, and Torres is the current favourite to garner saves until at least early June. Torres is a solid addition in all formats for those looking at saves, at least until the Gagne injury sorts itself out.

Jose Guillen, Kansas City, OF: After a miserable start to 2008, Guillen is finally starting to earn some of that $36 million that the Royals invested in him. Since May 7, he is 25-for-57, with three HR and 20 RBI. In 2007, Guillen managed to hit 23 homers to go along with 99 RBI in a good pitcher’s park in Seattle, so there is nothing to indicate that this resurgence can’t be sustainable. Guillen is currently available in nearly half of all CBS leagues and is a solid pick-up in all formats.

Eric Chavez, Oakland, 3B: Let’s give his medical file a quick review, if that is even remotely possible. Since September of last year, he’s undergone surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and repair damage to the biceps tendon, microdiscectomy surgery to repair a bulging disc, surgery to repair damaged tissue in his left shoulder and as recently as February 29, Chavez underwent an epidural for stiffness in his surgically repaired back. Currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacremento, he is playing the field on a regular basis, is batting 8-for-19 and showing some power. At the age of 30, Chavez would have to be considered a miracle of modern medicine. Will he return as scheduled and actually be a contributer? With his history, those glory days of being a stud third baseman are probably way behind him, but the potential to be an asset in AL-only leagues makes Chavez a high-risk, high-reward pick in that format.

Ben Francisco, Cleveland, OF: The struggling Indian offense needed a spark and called up Francisco on May 6. He currently sports a .365 BA to go along with two homers and 11 RBI. So far, Francisco is getting the job done, but he struggled at Triple-A Buffalo so it’s easy to wonder if these results are sustainable. They probably aren’t, but in the interim he is currently the hot hand and worthy of a pick-up in both deep and AL-only formats.

Lyle Overbay, Toronto, 1B: Overbay finally seems to be picking up the pace, coming off the broken hand suffered at the beginning of June last year. This type of injury takes there plenty of time to heal (trust me on that one!) and it looks like Overbay is finally starting to get some of that gap power back. In the past week, he is batting .400 with two homers and five RBI. For deep mixed formats, Overbay looks to have turned the corner and should be an asset at the corner infield slot.

Brian Burres, Baltimore, SP: Burres just flat out is getting little to no respect in fantasy leagues at this time. The 27-year-old southpaw is currently owned by a scant 15 per cent of owners in CBS leagues. Other than the April 13 implosion against the Rays, he has been remarkably steady. Burres is currently sporting a 3.16 ERA and 1.26 WHIP and would be a solid option in all 4×4 standard formats, deeper leagues and a definitely strong pickup in AL-only leagues.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, SP: Those fantasy players that play in leagues that use a waiver priority system will be wanting to use that first pick this week to snatch up Kershaw. This past Saturday, the Dodgers purchased the contract of the 20-year-old from Double-A Jacksonville. The 2006 first round pick has been limiting opponents to a meagre .205 BA. Add in those 47 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings pitched, and I’d say all the hype is certainly justified. Yes, he’s worth the investment, but do take into consideration that the Dodgers are going to be very cautious when it comes to limiting his innings pitched this year, as they should be. That being said, go get him. This potential “ace” is a must buy in all formats at this time.

Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox, 2B: Juan Uribe and his .198 BA hit the DL this past week with a strained hamstring and Ramirez looks to be the beneciary of increased playing time in his absence. The former slugger from the Cuban national team has been used very sparingly to date, and this could be the opportunity that either leaves him as a regular or demoted to Triple-A. Getting those six at bats per week has done absolutely nothing in allowing the White Sox to evaluate his potential. With Danny Richar currently on a rehab assignment, the window of opportunity is likely going to be fairly short, but at this time Ramirez is a decent option in AL-only leagues.

Ian Stewart, Colorado, 3B: With the onslaught of injuries to the Rockies, they called up top prospect Stewart from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox this past week. Stewart, with 12 dingers, 43 RBI and a 988 OPS, it appears he has all the tools to be a solid offensive force. Unfortunately finding a place to play would be the bigger concern here. He is blocked at third base by Garrett Atkins and the Spring Training attempt at a conversion to second base was far from being successful. It is very hard to believe that Stewart is still only 23, given that we’ve been hearing about him for years. With Atkins arbitration eligible next year and currently unsigned, either he or Stewart could very easily be trade material over the next couple of months. Stewart is a solid option in NL-only leagues and a decent stash in deep dynasty formats at this time.

Ryan Spilborghs, Colorado, OF: This past week, the struggling Rockies lost Brad Hawpe to a strained right hamstring and now Matt Holliday appears to be dealing with the same issue. With these injuries come opportunity and Spilborghs should be guaranteed steady playing time until the return of Hawpe, making him a definite asset at this time in NL-only formats.

Nick Evans, New York Mets, OF: The Mets went from having solid depth in their outfield to being decimated in the span of about three days this past week. Moises Alou (no big surprise there), Angel Pagan, and Marlon Anderson all ended up on the DL and Ryan Church is still getting the cobwebs out of his head after trying to break up a double play with his forehead. Enter into the picture Evans from the Double-A Binghamton Mets. In his first game for the Mets, the 22-year-old smacked three doubles in four trips to the plate and contributed two RBI. Evans’ ability to play both corner infield positions and the outfield should provide NL-only leagues an additional option heading into Week Nine.

Wakefield only lasted 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs — six earned — raising his ERA on the season to 4.25. The Red Sox bats heated up briefly with one run in the third and three in the fourth, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the Twins in check, giving up runs in the fourth and the seventh innings. The Sox scored twice more in the seventh on Kevin Youkilis’ two run double, as the Youk-dog continued his torrid May similar to what he did last season. He’s batting .359 so far this month, with five doubles, six homers, ten runs, 14 RBI and six walks. It’ll do. Of course, the Greek God of Walks hit over .400 with six dingers last May, so he’s clearly a May man.

The BoSox entered the top of the ninth down three runs against the usually unhittable Joe Nathan and made some noise. They quickly collected three hits and scored two runs, but stranded the tying runner on base as Nathan was able to barely escape out of the inning for his 12th save of the season.

The win pushed the surprising Twins to 19-17 on the season, one game ahead of Cleveland for first in the AL Central, while the Sox fell to 24-16 with their lead over the Tampa Bay Rays shrinking to only 1.5 games. That’s right, the Rays. Seriously. I’m not joking. And it’s May.

Fantasy Factors

Youkilis has been putting on a rare display of power and production with an OPS of 1384 for the month and it looks like he might be on his way to becoming a top five fantasy first baseman. He went 2-for-5 on Sunday to raise his overall average to .319 on the season. Continue to ride Youkilis’ hot bat, but don’t be surprised if his power numbers start to level out as he is not typically known for the long ball (last season, he hit a career-best 16). May is clearly his month, so either start him on your team or sell him while his stock is high.

The real David Ortiz is finally starting to show up. After a dismal April in which he batted under the Mendoza Line at .198, Big Papi currently sits at .241 on the year, thanks to a .368 mark for the month of May. And to think Sox fans were worried! Ortiz currently has seven homers and 28 ribbies, and with his batting average still being lower than usual, you might be able to steal him from other owners. Big Papi just had a bad month, but trust me when I say…actually, when I guarantee…he will finish with 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI. Don’t say I didn’t tell you so when September comes around.

Wakefield finally put up a serious stinker. Prior to Sunday’s game, his worst outing was an eight inning performance in which he gave up five runs. Normally, he does very well in the Metrodome, heading in with a career mark of 7-3 with a 3.95 ERA. Owners shouldn’t be worried though, because from time to time the knucklers are going to get rocked. Half the time, they don’t even know where their pitch is going to end up. I wouldn’t start Wakefield unless you have a big time pitcher on the DL, in which case he is a nice fill in. Otherwise, his 27 Ks to 23 BB is not enough to make up for the fact that he’s a good source of Ws, likely headed for 15 wins on the season.

Joe Mauer is being outhomered by Ichiro Suzuki right now, 2-0. Now, that’s no knock on Ichiro as we all know he has some power, but the point is Mauer is batting in the three hole for the Twins and while he is hitting a superb .330, one would think he would have at least one dinger by now. He is sporting an excellent .409 OBP with a modest 15 RBI, and he went 1-for-4 again on Sunday, continuing a solid May. Mauer is one of the best catchers in the game, so obviously start him and hope he begins to mash a few home runs and produce some more RBI.

Craig Monroe went 2-for-4 with a grand slam in Sunday’s contest, raising his average to .284 on the year. Despite having a nice game, do not count on Monroe as he is a streaky hitter who is currently splitting time at DH for the Twins.

Justin Morneau’s average isn’t quite where we want it to be yet (.284), but he took a step in the right direction on Sunday, going 3-for-3 with a walk. Canada’s finest has a respectable six home runs on the season to go along with his 27 RBI, but has yet to go yard and has only produced five RBI so far this month . He is going to give you plenty of power, but unless he gets that batting average and OBP up a little bit, it might be worth looking at another option for first base.

Manny Ramirez, nursing a sore hammy, got the day off, but the fact that he pinch-hit in the ninth suggests he’ll be okay. Hopefully some down time with help ManRam redisover his early-season stroke. A 1-for-15 skid has him under .300 for the first time since April 15. Contract year, baby!

Mike Lamb enjoyed a nice weekend, going 5-for-9, but please remind me why the Twins signed this guy again? A 556 OPS? Uh, right. And the Twins actually believed this dude could be an everyday player.

With Manny sitting, Jacoby Ellsbury shifted over and handled left field. He took an 0-for-4, capping an ugly 1-for-12 weekend. The rook is playing, but not hitting particularly well so far this season. Coco Crisp, meanwhile, was in centrefield for the second straight day, and he went yard for the second straight game. He also tripled, stole a base and drove in three runs on Sunday. It’s about time to consider Crisp as a fantasy option, in AL-only leagues at the very least. He’s earned more PT, and if Ellsbury keeps flailing, Crisp will get it.

Matt Tolbert, an early season revelation, continues to struggle. He’s been playing second with Brendan Harris nursing a sore right hamstring, so Adam Everett has been manning short. But Everett hasn’t exactly taken his chance and run with it. He was 1-for-4 Sunday to get back to .200 on the year. Woo hoo! I’d say Tolbert needs not worry, about Everett at least.

Alex Cora returned from a DL stint because of his elbow. He’s been out almost a month, and got the start at short, lashing three hits, including a double. With Julio Lugo still dealing with the after effects of his concussion, and Jed Lowrie sent back to the minors, Cora could see some action this week.

Rookie Nick Blackburn earned the win for the Twins. He wasn’t overly sharp, giving up nine hits and four runs in six innings, but he walked just one and struck out five — his most in over a month. Blackburn is now over .500, but his ERA is approaching 4.00. He’s a decent option in deep AL-only leagues, but because of his lack of Ks, he’s best used in 4×4 leagues.

Mike Timlin appeared in his 1,032nd career game, moving him past Lee Smith and Jose Mesa into eighth place all-time. Unfortunately, after a solid 2007 campaign, the 42-year-old righty looks to be on his last legs, having giving up 16 hits and ten runs in nine innings this year. Start watching for a passing ice floe to toss the oldtimer onto.