In my house, if Momma is happy, the whole house is happy. Life is all about priorities and picking them right this coming Sunday will most certainly be a worthwhile investment in not only your fantasy baseball future, but life in general. The right moves at this stage of ones’ season will ensure at least a fighting chance to survive the long haul.

For those playing in weekly transaction leagues, just a reminder that this coming weekend would be the beginning of the annual nightmare that we call inter-league play, and some careful roster planning during this period is essential. Without further ado, let’s move onwards and upwards to the waiver wire options heading into Week Seven.

Matt LaPorta, Milwaukee, OF: LaPorta is probably the premier offensive force currently in the minors. At Double-A, he is batting .331 with ten homers, 36 RBI, and an incredible 1120 OPS. LaPorta’s natural position, first base, is blocked by Prince Fielder and the outfield for the Brewers is a much crowded one. But if LaPorta continues to post numbers like he has to date, something has to give. He obviously doesn’t belong at Double-A, but where does he fit in on the Brewers? For those in keeper leagues, LaPorta should already be owned and at the very least should be on the radar in all formats.

Chase Headley, San Diego, OF: This spring saw Headley hit to the tune of .349 with four homers and 14 RBI before being a late cut and heading off to the Triple-A Portland Beavers. The problem wasn’t the offense, but incumbent Kevin Kouzmanoff blocking him at third base. After a slow start, Headley has picked up the pace, batting .463 with one homer, six RBI and nine runs scored in the last ten games. With the release of Jim Edmonds this past Friday, some felt it would be Headley and not Jody Gerut getting the call. Obviously the Padres feel Headley, a converted infielder, still needs more work on his defense in the outfield, because there is most certainly nothing wrong with his bat at this time. Headley is a must-own in keeper formats with his promotion to the Padres likely not all that far down the road.

Jody Gerut, San Diego, OF: Former Indian Gerut, having suffered through a series of injuries that limited his playing time over the past several years, finally has made it back to the bigs. He got the call this past week, a most deserving one considering his five homers, 18 RBI and four stolen bases for Triple-A Portland. A solid start is going to be important for Gerut with Headley appearing to be almost ready. At this time, Gerut would be a solid play in NL-only leagues.

Ronny Cedeno, Chicago Cubs, 2B/SS: It looks like Cedeno might finally be showing off that potential we’ve been hearing about for what seems like forever. The 25-year-old currently is tied for fourth among major league shortstop with 18 RBI. Middle infield is a very crowded spot in Chicago right now with Mark DeRosa, Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot and Cedeno all fighting for at bats. Cedeno’s numbers certainly warrant increased at bats, but do be cautious as we are dealing with Lou Pinella here. Currently, Cedeno would be a solid acquisition in NL-only leagues and should be on the radar in all formats.

Joey Devine, Oakland, RP: Devine, the former Braves phenom, has adapted very well to his change of scenery and has vultured three wins since his callup April 10. The 24-year-old, considered by many to be the “closer-in-waiting,” is currently demonstrating why he has been so highly touted. In the event that incumbent closer Huston Street either stumbles or is traded, Devine should be first in line for the job. In the interim, Devine is a very solid addition to your fantasy bullpen in all formats at this time.

Blake DeWitt, Los Angeles Dodgers, 3B: Is Nomar Garciaparra ever again going to be healthy enough to play third base? Andy LaRoche, the corner man of the future for the Dodgers, is still a couple weeks away from returning from the torn tendon in his thumb, leaving DeWitt as the corner man of the present. DeWitt has responded very well, posting a .306 BA, two home runs, 18 RBI, and 15 runs scored. Just be wary that this is in all probability a situation that will be short term in nature, but for now DeWitt is a great pick up in NL-only formats.

Aaron Laffey, Cleveland, SP: We are looking at only three starts, but Laffey looks more than capable of filling in for the injured Jake Westbrook until his scheduled return at the end of May. In his first start, Laffey took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, before tiring and allowing four runs. The 23-year-old southpaw is currently sporting a very solid 1.83 ERA and is coming off a strong seven shutout inning performance Saturday against a very depleted Jays’ squad. Laffey is a solid option right now in AL-only leagues and should be on the radar for mixed formats.

Chris Iannetta, Colorado, C: Manager Clint Hurdle finally tired of Yorvit Torrealba and his ugly 670 OPS, opening the door for Iannetta to move up in the pecking order. It would appear that Hurdle plans on going with the hot hand and Iannetta definitely qualifies lately. A .345 BA, three homers, and 14 RBI with a 1067 OPS are certainly solid numbers. Iannetta is looking like a very solid option at this time in NL-only formats and deeper mixed leagues requiring the use of two catchers.

Freddie Bynum, Baltimore, SS: After coming off the DL with a torn meniscus this past week, Bynum was annointed the starter at shortstop by the Orioles, replacing the largely ineffective Luis Hernandez. For those playing in deeper formats, the position of shortstop is starting to get very, very thin. A decent batting-average and the opportunity for stolen bases makes “Fast Freddie” a viable option in AL-only and deep mixed leagues at this time.

Garrett Olson, Baltimore, SP: Olson’s very solid 1.85 ERA in five starts for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides led to a promotion to the big leagues. Since the callup, the 24-year-old southpaw has now pitched two quality starts and has a very nifty 2.08 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 13 strikeouts. It would appear that with Steve Trachsel being largely ineffective and Adam Loewen scheduled to miss up to a further six weeks due to elbow soreness, the opportunity for Olson to enjoy an extended stay in the Oriole rotation is quite possible, making him a solid pickup in AL-only leagues and deeper mixed leagues at this time.

Mark Kotsay, Atlanta, OF: After a rather slow start for the Braves, Kotsay, acquired from the Athletics this past offseason for Devine, seems to be picking up the pace. Over the past ten games, the 33-year-old outfielder is batting .375 with two homers and ten RBI and has even managed a couple stolen bases. In deeper mixed formats, Kotsay is a decent option in the fifth outfielder slot.

Mike Mussina, New York Yankees, SP: Moose is experiencing a revival of sorts for the Yankees and is now up to five wins on the year. Mussina is no longer the hard-tossing dominant ace, but by utilizing his solid offspeed and breaking stuff, and being consistently in the strike zone, he has managed to keep hitters off balance. Coming off his fourth consecutive victory, Mussina has only allowed two free passes in his last 23 innings pitched. He’s a solid option in AL-only formats and in deeper mixed formats.

Vicente Padilla, Texas, SP: It is very hard recommending a Ranger starting pitcher, but Padilla is definitely a worthy choice this week. In winning his last three starts, he has allowed only one earned run and contributed 16 strikeouts. This coming week, Padilla is looking at starts against both Seattle and Houston, making him a solid acquisition in both AL-only and Head-to-Head formats.

Ryan Franklin, St. Louis, RP: Jason Isringhausen is struggling and coming off his fifth blown save this past Friday night. When the incumbent closer Isringhausen states that “they can’t keep sending me out there when I’m pitching the way I’m pitching”, it should be viewed as a fairly good indicator that change, even if only temporary, is imminent. Franklin, the current set-up man for the Cards, picked up his first save Saturday against the Brewers, and looks to be the closer while Isringhausen sorts himself out. It may be short-lived, but Franklin is a solid option in all formats at this time.

The word on the street is that the team has reversed its long standing stance of patience and has asked Don Waddell to step down as general manager.

Waddell is currently helping to oversee the American team at the World Hockey Championships, and will apparently postpone any decision until after the tournament.

It really is high time for a change in Atlanta, considering the lack of success the team has seen in this, the second attempt to make the NHL work in this city.

The Thrashers finally made the playoffs for the first time last year, but were quickly dismissed by the Rangers.

This season, they crashed and burned, dropping to 28th overall. After an ugly 0-6 start, Waddell canned coach Bob Hartley and took over behind the bench himself. Atlanta rebounded, but faded badly down the stretch, winning just five of its final 22 games.

Look at the carnage:

• Last season, the club traded for fading veteran Alexei Zhitnik. The price? Young, promising defenceman Braydon Coburn, who is currently helping to anchor the Flyers’ defence corps in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Thrashers are stuck with Zhitnik for another $3.5 million next year – a major albatross since he sat in the press box most nights down the stretch.
• The team was forced to deal star Marian Hossa after he refused to sign an extension. Hossa believed the team wasn’t headed in the right direction. Hard to fault him for that assessment, is it?
• Many believe that the only star left on the team – Ilya Kovalchuk – is headed in the same direction. He can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2009-10 season, and Atlanta may be forced to deal him too, barring a major turnaround.

Key to a Thrasher recovery is this offseason, specifically the upcoming draft, one of the strongest in years. Atlanta holds the third overall pick, but with the draft just six weeks away, getting this Waddell situation resolved and installing a new head honcho as soon as possible is vital.

Suddenly, they’ve found a second gear, and Daniel Briere is playing like the free agent god-send the Flyers hoped he would be, although he was a bit silent in the Montreal series as he was booed every time he touched the puck. He’s put up 14 points in 12 games, amazingly while averaging a relatively modest 18 minutes or so a night. He’s effective and efficient.

Of course, Briere couldn’t do it alone. He’s joined by Vaclav Prospal, a trade deadline pickup who’s produced 12 points (three goals, nine assists) while clicking very nicely with Briere, and R.J. Umberger who’s put up 11 points (nine goals, two assists). He also has a 25 per cent shot percentage. Effective and efficient. And how about Umberger’s performance against the Habs? Eight goals in five games? Uh, ya. I bet you saw that coming.

Of course, some might argue Philadelphia’s best player has been goalie Marty Biron. If you look at his numbers, they’re really very ordinary (.914 save percentage, 2.72 goals against), but when you consider the Flyers haven’t had a solid presence in goal since Ron Hextall, it suddenly seems very comforting. Because Biron is nothing if not unflappable. And he’s going to need that unflappability with defenseman Kimmo Timonen gone for the rest of the playoffs with a blood clot.

The Flyers have to match up against an increasingly physical Penguin team. Obviously, when people talk about Pittsburgh, they’re going to talk about Sidney Crosby, but he wasn’t a huge factor in the second round. The Penguins’ big man in the second round was Evgeni Malkin, who has six goals and eight assists through two rounds, with four powerplay goals. You have to wonder if the people in Pittsburgh are going to turn in their 87s for 71s. I wish I were a tailor in Pittsburgh.

Powerplays are turning into an interesting indicator of playoff success. If you look at the playoff powerplay leaders from around the league, you see some familiar teams. Philadelphia. Dallas. Detroit. Pittsburgh. Obviously, converting powerplay opportunities is proving to be helpful, which while not surprising, is somehow reassuring. Penalty killing isn’t the answer. Offense still lives in the NHL…

Of course, Thursday night, in Game One of the Detroit-Dallas Western Conference Final, the powerplay was kind of a big deal. Detroit had powerplay goals from Brian Rafalski, Tomas Holmstrom, and of course, the increasingly unstoppable Johan Franzen. Franzen already has 12 playoff goals. That’s the same number of goals he had in his rookie season. An 80-game rookie season.

I don’t actually coach the Stars, but if I did, I wouldn’t give Detroit as much space as Dallas did during Game One. Detroit had the run of the ice, with plenty of red jerseys in front of Stars goalie Marty Turco. Dallas is a defensive team. It needs to remember its tight-checking roots, especially now that defenseman Sergei Zubov is back in the lineup. That guy just doesn’t like to play defense.

Gone are defensive tackle Babatunde Oshinowo and guard Mike Jones, both released Wednesday, with more promising rookies ready to take their jobs. Third-rounder Marcus Harrison left Oshinowo with almost no chance to make the squad and seventh-round pick Chester Adams was impressive in last weekend’s rookie camp, so Jones became expendable.

Meanwhile, with running back Cedric Benson in trouble after his weekend boating adventure, there may be an opening for Matthew Lawrence to land a spot on the practice squad. Lawrence ran for 1,680 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Minutemen last season.

Benson, by the way, is due in court on May 19 to face his boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest charges. Ahoy, matey!

So will the Bears be able to get back to .500 this season?

Well, they better improve an offense that was among the NFL’s worst last season, thanks to an especially weak rush attack. Even when he was healthy, Benson proved he was not a number one runner last year. And his legal trouble could definitely put a crimp in his situation, further weakening the run game for the Bears.

Adrian Peterson – no, not Purple Jesus, but the other one – could take the lead if Benson can’t start the season, and while he doesn’t excite me either, he might get his chance to show how bad he really is.

Failing that, look for rookie Matt Forte to be handed the starting gig – not a real good idea considering his lack of experience, but this is what will likely happen.

Chicago expects to be competitive this season, but I have a feeling that even with the Packers probably coming back to earth, the Bears have their work cut out for themselves.

R.A. Dickey, who was called up last month to fill in for Erik Bedard and predictably took a beating in his couple of appearances with the Mariners, has struggled since his demotion back to Triple-A. He’s lost his last three starts, surrendering 32 hits in 21 innings. Still, his season ERA of 3.25 is impressive, so Dickey could get another look as an injury-fill in, assuming he stops getting tattooed in the minors.

Another pitcher who’s doing pretty well is Iowa starter Randy Keisler. He earned the win Wednesday for his six-inning, six-hit, one-earned run effort that included four Ks against two walks. Keisler wasn’t exactly the tonic the Cardinals needed last year with Chris Carpenter out, and he wasn’t long for the job. But this season his hit rates haven’t been awful, his command has been good, and he’s averaging almost a strikeout per inning with a fine 3.50 ERA for the Cubs. Given Jon Lieber’s rather horrific debut in the rotation, perhaps Keisler, the former Yankee prospect, will get another look in a major league rotation. Of course, he’s never done much with the opportunities that have been presented to him, so maybe this isn’t as juicy a prospect as you think. Still, you never know when lightning will strike, and Keisler’s peripherals do suggest that his improvement may be real, especially given a much higher groundball rate to date.

Should the Cubbies require bullpen help, Jose Ascanio is worth a look. The former Brave farmhand just turned 23, so there’s plenty of upside here. And he’s done a superb job as the Iowa closer, with just 14 hits allowed and 16 strikeouts in 17 1/3 IP. Ascanio, with a 1-0 mark, 2.60 ERA and seven saves, will get another chance in the majors very soon, and he’s got future closer written all over him, although Carlos Marmol looks quite qualified to step up should Kerry Wood falter.

Not only did the team win the first playoff game it has hosted in over 50 years (thereby advancing to the second round of the South California regional playoffs), but it witnessed some individual performances worthy of mention.

Team ace Zach Thornton returned Tuesday after missing two weeks with arm inflammation to scatter five hits over seven innings for his 11th win of the season – second on the school’s all-time single season list. The mark is held by Brandon Knight, a former Texas Rangers prospect who pitched 11 games in the Show for the Yankees earlier this decade. He was the 1995 California Player of the Year and is back with the school as the pitching coach.

The team’s home run record is in jeopardy, too. Jose Vargas smacked his 12th home of the season Tuesday to tie Jeremy Pierce’s school mark, set in 1997. Pierce was a 24th round pick of the Mariners back in 1996, but never turned pro. Vargas, by the way, already is Ventura’s career leader in dingers.

Another Cuban hurler we shouldn’t be so quick to write off is Livan Hernandez. He started the year like gangbusters, but started winding up on the waiver wire after three straight poor outings. However, did you catch the fact that he limited the Tigers, who’s offense has arisen from its funk, to just one run over seven innings en route to his fourth win of the year on Friday? I still think Hernandez will ultimately be battered like the proverbial step child this year, but right now, he’s a decent AL-only option, especially if you need wins.

Let’s keep the Cuban hurler thread going. Orlando Hernandez is desperately needed by the Mets with Oliver Perez getting rocked his past few starts and Mike Pelfrey still not looking like he’s ready to take the next step. Well, El Duque is still in a protective boot, but he’s scheduled to be examined again this week. He’s someone you may want to take a chance on when he finally returns as he was pretty darned good last year when healthy. Of course, it’s that whole ‘when healthy’ thing that’s a bit disconcerting, isn’t it?

Switching speeds for a moment, Todd Helton, who had a nice bounce back season in 2007, has never looked this bad. He showed signs of life Monday, with a 2-for-4 performance, including an RBI and a walk, but had gone 4-for-22 prior to that, taking his OPS lower than it’s ever been. Of greater concern is that Helton has been a fast starter the past couple of years, enjoying excellent Aprils, but generally doing his worst in May, June and July. That doesn’t bode well for a turnaround. Yes, Helton is only 34, but he’s an old 34, given all the back woes, etc., he’s endured over the years. If someone’s been sniffing around Helton, looking to buy low, you may want to give the offer some consideration.

Silva, who had previously shined since signing a four-year contract with the Mariners in the offseason, was clobbered by the Yankees as it appeared Hank Steinbrenner might have injected his whole squad with HGH prior to the third inning. The Pintripers posted six runs in the third and followed that up with two more in the fourth, knocking Silva out in his poorest performance since becoming a Mariner.

After the two-run first inning, the Mariners bats went cold again. Like their previous four contests, they could not get anything started as they managed just five hits over the final eight innings and were stifled by Darrell Rasner, making his first start this season.

In another rare showing, the Mariner bullpen actually held steady, not allowing another run the rest of the contest. But the eight runs tacked on Silva’s stat sheet were more than enough as the Yankees finished off their Seattle sweep.

Fantasy Factor

• Robinson Cano of the Yankees has been mired in a god awful slump to start the season, entering Sunday’s contest batting at a .151 clip. While he only went 1-for-4, he did belt a home run, something that could potentially reestablish some confidence he lost in April. It might be too early to reinsert him into your starting lineup, but keep a close eye on Yankee box scores in case Cano starts to wake up and hit at his usual .300 clip. This dude is way too good for this to continue much longer.
• Third basemen Adrian Beltre has enjoyed a solid start to the season and continued this on Sunday as he belted a two-run homer to account for the Mariner offense. He finished 2-for-4 on the day, and is up to .283 on the season with six home runs. Right now he is one of the few Mariners who is producing consistently. Leave him in your lineups.
• Derek Jeter had a monster afternoon, going 4-for-5 to raise his batting average above the .300 mark (.313). He could be labeled as Mr. Consistent in regards to fantasy baseball, and there’s no reason to not start him right now. It looks as if his injury is all healed up and he is ready to continue to produce good numbers in a powerful Yankee lineup.
• Signing his new three-year contract recently apparently did not cause backstop Kenji Johjima to remember how to hit the ball. He is batting a measly .184, going only 3-for-23 over his last nine games. He has been consistent in his three years in Seattle, but will soon turn 32 years old, which is getting a bit long in the tooth for catchers known for their offense. Maybe the Mariners gave him a contract extension too soon? We will see, but for now keep him on your bench as there are plenty of catchers who will at least bat over .200 for you!
• If you have not done so yet, pick up Rasner. Since Phil Hughes is out until at least July with a broken rib, and Ian Kennedy has not thrown the ball well (earning himself a demotion back to the minors), Rasner is almost guaranteed to stay in the rotation and he pitched great Sunday. Granted, the Mariner offense has been struggling mightily, but Rasner only allowed two runs in six innings on 76 pitches. If you need pitching help, he’s worth taking a look at.
• Ryan Rowland-Smith, who briefly had value when he was getting save chances with J.J. Putz out, has been horribly inconsistent, but he tossed two shutout frames Sunday. This Aussie showed promise as a rookie last year, but his command has been awful so far in 2008, making him a very shaky bet even in deep AL-only leagues.
• Kyle Farnsworth has pitched well this year — especially lately — so it’s surprising more owners aren’t giving him a longer look, particularly in leagues that track holds. After a down year in 2007, Farnsworth has improved his control, and is back to striking out over a batter per inning. Do note, however, that he will be called on the carpet Tuesday to hear his appeal of a three-game suspension he earned after throwing behind the head of Manny Ramirez last month. If Farnsworth’s suspension holds up, he won’t be seeing much action this week.
• Richie Sexson, who looked like he was getting his shit together recently before taking an 0-for-7 in the first two games of this series, was given a day off. Jose Vidro manned first in his place. Sexson has been healthy so far this season, and he’s recovered somewhat from his disastrous 2007 campaign, but he’s still nowhere near the slugger he was when he first arrived in Seattle and the years leading up to that. Still, an improved walk rate has allowed Sexson to lift his BA up to the point where at least he’s not straddling the Mendoza Line anymore. Hey, it’s something.

The age old question, and one of my biggest pet peeves commences to rear its ugly head again: “Did I win this trade?” Shouldn’t the question be, “Did I successfully fill a statistical void on my fantasy squad that leads to overall improved results moving forward?” Hopefully both teams win the deal, as without a doubt that is the key to successful trading. Winning trades per se should not be the primary focus; identifying needs and filling those needs should be the question we ask and review.

Sometimes what we give up to secure those needs becomes a moot issue. If a trade addresses the statistical deficiencies facing your squad and your trading partner, then it can be considered both a good deal and a winning one. ‘Nuff said.

Moving forward, let’s take a look at some of the waiver wire options heading into Week Six.

Jeff Clement, Seattle, C: There is very little doubt that Clement is ready to display his immense talents at the big league level. The problem in Seattle was finding the opportunity for regular playing time. A .397 batting average with five home runs and 20 RBI certainly qualified the 23-year-old Clement for the promotion. It would appear at this time that a combination of backing up the slumping Kenji Johjima and stealing at bats from DH Jose Vidro should provide more than enough opportunities for Clement to be an asset in 2008 for both the Mariners and your fantasy squad. A must-own in all formats at this time.

Max Scherzer, Arizona, SP: Having the all important first waiver wire priority this weekend means you get the opportunity to click on Scherzer and smile. He made his debut this past week and retired 13 consecutive Astros, seven via the strikeout. The middle-relief role looks to have lasted all of one game with Scherzer being penciled in to start Monday against the Phillies. The current level of hype for this former 2006 first round draft pick seems more than justified when one looks at both his MLB debut, and those 38 strikeouts with only three walks in 23 innings pitched for the Triple-A Sidewinders. For those fortunate enough to own Scherzer, enjoy the ride.

Wladimir Balentien, Seattle, OF: The Brad Wilkerson experiment officially concluded April 30, when he was designated for assignment and Balentien was called up from Triple-A Tacoma. It would appear at this time that the Mariners are committed to Balentien for the long haul as their everyday right fielder. The power potential is definitely there, but I believe his .254 BA for Tacoma is a good indicator that he still needs some polishing as an overall hitter. Balentien is a solid choice in AL-only leagues at this time and worthy of a bench slot in deep keeper formats.

Taylor Buchholz, Colorado, RP: The recent demotion of Manny Corpas not only opened the door for Brian Fuentes to assume the closer role, but for Buchholz to very neatly slide into the set-up position. After watching Corpas give up four runs to get one out this past Friday, it would appear that Buchholz’s role as a set-up guy could be a rather lengthy one. The 1.65 earned run average and 0.92 WHIP qualify this converted starting-pitcher for the job. For those of us looking for holds and the all-important first in line for saves, the mere 5 per cent of all CBS owners who have nabbed Buchholz would seem to be on the right track.

Emil Brown, Oakland, OF: It would appear that the fantasy world is starting to catch up to Brown these days, with his ownership in CBS leagues jumping from seven to 33 per cent over the past couple weeks, as it should. Currently, Brown is on pace for a 100+ RBI season and decent batting average. Looking back several years to those days he toiled in Kansas City, the ability to drive in runs has never been a problem; it’s just been getting the opportunities that’s been a challenge. And it would appear as if this year in Oakland those chances will be there. Brown is currently a must own in AL-only formats and a solid asset as a fifth outfielder in mixed formats.

Jo-Jo Reyes, Atlanta, SP: The Braves’ pitching staff is hurting to say the least and Reyes was the beneficiary of these woes, being called up this past week. With John Smoltz currently on the DL and rumoured to be heading back to the bullpen, and Chuck James sporting the ongoing rotator cuff woes, the opportunity is there for Reyes to stake his claim. In his first start since the promotion, the 23-year-old limited the Reds to four hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings pitched. The key to his potential success, as it is with most young pitchers, is to limit those free passes. With Reyes scheduled to face the Pirates in his second start this coming week, he’s a solid pick up in NL-only formats and somone to watch in deeper mixed formats.

Darrell Rasner, New York Yankees, SP: My NPB bias kicked in again last week when I mentioned that Kei Igawa was possibly looking at a promotion back to the Yankees. It is still a good possibility (especially now that the Yanks demoted Ian Kennedy), but with Phil Hughes going on the DL this past week with a stress fracture in his rib cage that will knock him out until the All-Star break, the Yankees are turning to Rasner for that first opportunity. Rasner posted a 4-0 record with a 0.87 ERA and only six walks for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and is definitely very deserving of the first shot at replacing Hughes. Rasner looks like a decent option in AL-only leagues at this time.

Jon Lieber, Chicago Cubs, SP: Lou Pinella and the Cubs, finally tired of watching his control problems, finally demoted Rich Hill and inserted the veteran presence of Lieber into the rotation. For those in NL-only leagues, this presents an opportunity to look at a pitcher that should, at the very least, make the opposition swing the bat. The Cubbies also promoted Sean Gallagher from Triple-A Iowa and have inserted him into the bullpen in long relief. Should Lieber struggle, keep an eye on Gallagher, as he is currently coming off a Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week award, after striking out 12 in 7 2/3 innings pitched on April 22.

Francisco Cruceta, Detroit, RP: Cruteta’s start to the 2008 season was a much delayed one. Securing the proper paperwork for his visa meant a very late reporting date. But an amazing 15 strikeouts in only seven innings pitched at Triple-A Toledo bodes well with him heading into a bullpen sorely missing both Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. Currently only Aquilino Lopez stands in his way to becoming the set-up guy in the Tiger pen, making Cruceta a potential asset in deep formats at this time and a relief pitcher that should be at least on the radar.

Jesse Carlson, Toronto, RP: For those looking at adding a quality relief pitcher and solid situational lefty, Carlson could be your man. Since being called up from Triple-A Syracuse, Carlson has posted a very solid 1.29 ERA and 0.71 WHIP with 16 strikeouts in only 14 innings pitched. With B.J. Ryan currently not pitching on back-to-back days, Carlson picked up his first save last Sunday and, as a situational lefty, he has the potential to garner holds and the occasional save going forward.

David DeJesus, Kansas City, OF: DeJesus, suffering through an early season ankle sprain, didn’t make it back into the everyday lineup for the Royals until April 14. Dropped early in most formats, he is currently tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of a .354 batting average, two homers and 12 RBI. If the Kansas City offense starts picking up the pace, he might also start showing some decent run totals. The opportunity to have DeJesus improve our fantasy outfields is definitely there, as he is owned in a scant 26 per cent of all CBS leagues at this time. He’s a definite asset in all formats currently.

Noteworthy from a fantasy perspective:

• Ted Lilly turned in his third straight quality outing to earn the win. It definitely looks like the veteran southpaw has turned the corner, making him an attractive pick up after he was dumped early in the season following a horrendous start to the campaign. While Lilly yielded a pair of dingers Saturday, he walked just one – the first time since his season debut that he didn’t issue at least two walks in a start. He fanned four in seven innings, including the 1,000th strikeout of his career, and even pitched in at the plate with a double – just the second extra-base hit of his career. If you need starting pitching – and whoever doesn’t? – now is the time to snatch up Lilly.
• Kerry Wood is scuffling, with three blown saves in his last four tries, but manager Lou Piniella says he’s sticking with him. Wood really hasn’t pitched horribly, so I believe that he’ll keep the job for the foreseeable future, but if you drafted Carlos Marmol, you must be licking your chops. Not only has Marmol been absolutely filthy, but now he’s just a hop, skip and blown save away from having serious value. A word of caution: Marmol has been worked hard this year, and I’m a wee bit concerned how he’ll hold up over the course of the season at this rate, especially given his injury history.
• Okay, Mark DeRosa has been very productive, but doesn’t it seem like Mike Fontenot deserves more PT? The dude is riding a five-game hit streak, which isn’t easy given that he only gets one or two plate appearances per game. He’s on a 6-for-9 run with a double, homer, seven RBI and four walks during this stretch. Saturday, he smoked a three-run homer and drove in a career-high four runs. Fontenot has no fantasy value except in a seriously deep NL-only league, but damn, he needs to get his licks. If DeRosa suffers another injury this year, get ready to pounce on Fontenot.
• The Cubs’ offense keeps raking. They had 12 hits Saturday, and rank first in the NL in BA (.286), runs (186), OBP (.375) and OPS. The pitching, however, has been middling for the most part.
• Rich Hill’s wildness cost him his job, as he was sent back to the minors. This was quite a shock after Hill showed very fine development in 2007, but now he’ll have to get his act together at Triple-A. In his place, Sean Gallagher, who had his own bouts of wildness last year, has been recalled. But it will be Jon Lieber who takes over Hill’s rotation spot. Smart fantasy owners will make a bee-line for their wires and grab Lieber, who has been strong out of the pen so far this season. Lieber won’t get you many strikeouts, but he won’t hurt your WHIP, should post a decent ERA, and will get you Ws with that great Cub offense.
• Geovany Soto continues to live up to the hype in the early going. He stroked a two-run double Saturday to run his current hit streak to five games. Soto already has 17 extra-base hits and 23 RBI in just 27 games. After another pair of walks Saturday, he’s now drawn 17 free passes too. Power and OBP skills? Uh, yeah. Give him a 1044 OPS. That’ll do. In fact, I’d say only Ryan Doumit has been a more valuable fantasy catcher so far in 2008.

Johan Franzen isn’t exactly an unknown quantity, but I don’t think anyone, least of all Colorado coach Joel Quenneville, expected him to put up back-to-back hat tricks. There’s almost next to no chance that Franzen is available in any league with multiple transactions, but some of his more unheralded teammates may be. Jiri Hudler’s numbers aren’t as gaudy as Franzen’s, but he’s still just about a point per game. Mikeal Samuelsson is just under that, but he’s flying far further underneath the radar.

Thanks to Dallas blowing it Friday night, San Jose will have at least one more game, and that’s good news for Joe Pavelski. The unheralded sophomore became big-time news with his overtime winner in Game Five. With nine points in 12 games, he’s not exactly having a bad playoff to boot, and while the focus is on San Jose’s big guns, Pavelski’s stealing a little fantasy thunder for himself.

While the Rangers are trying to climb out of a near-impossible hole (and it could all end Sunday), if they somehow manage to extend the series against Pittsburgh, former Penguin Martin Straka will still be chugging along. It helps that he plays with Jaromir Jagr. On the other end of the spectrum, someone in Pittsburgh is getting points besides Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa: his name is Ryan Malone. And while the gritty winger has made some fantasy splashes before, so far he’s got as many points as the highly paid Hossa.

Besides the fantasy aspect, there’s the whole playoff pick ‘em game floating around. Most of these brackets are locked before the playoffs start, but that doesn’t mean we can’t analyze it a little bit. My own personal feeling is that Detroit is as strong as it seems, but at the same time, the Wings haven’t been tested too much.

Put it this way: you’ve got a Nashville squad that could barely put up 20 shots a game and played without two of its best players (Jason Arnott and David Legwand) for a significant part of the series. If Nashville wasn’t so gritty — and Dan Ellis wasn’t so on the spot — the score could have been as lopsided as the shots-against.

Sure, Detroit demolished Colorado, but it played an Avalanche squad that was essentially without their usual top two lines. Combine that with a flu-sapped Jose Theodore and an injured Scott Hannan and the Avs were ripe for the picking.

That’s not to dismiss the quality of play Detroit put up during the series. The Wings are still the monster to beat in the West; their supreme puck control and special teams show that they’re a cut above the rest. However, it’ll be interesting to see how they respond in a series where it’s not men against boys (or men against injured men).

Francisco Garcia has been dropped in my dynasty league. I have some candidates for dropping to pick him up:

Kirk Hinrich
Nate Robinson
Jameer Nelson
Jordan Farmar (I hesitate to drop him, because I think he is talented enough when given the chance)
Thabo Sefolosha
Linas Kleiza
Charlie Villanueva

Do you think any of these guys are worth keeping at all?

Daryl

Daryl,

I worry about Robinson and Hinrich the most out of those guys. N-Rob is just so small and the Knicks don’t seem to have enough faith in him to play him constantly. Hinrich may be about as good as he is going to get right now. I’m not sold on Robinson as a PG because all he does is score. He doesn’t get numbers in assists or steals and that is what makes a PG. I don’t care if he’s a former Slam Dunk Champ – dunk him off your team. As for Captain Kirk, he was a massive disappointment and he did a great job of dragging the Bulls down with him this season.

Seeking Shade(s) in Ibiza

Are you wondering how Tom Brady is spending his offseason? What’s his workout regimen? How is he planning on preparing for the 2008 season to help the Patriots get back to the Super Bowl? Well, as part of his recent world trekking, he was spending time in Ibiza with gal pal Gisele Bundchen. They were at the world-famous party destination to be on hand for the unveiling of Vogue’s new collection of sunglasses. So, to answer your question, weights and workouts have been replaced by supermodels and shades. Nice work if you can get it.

Spice of Life

Speaking of off field encounters, David and Victoria Beckham were seen at the Elton John concert in Las Vegas last month. Damn, they even brought their boys along to the weekend show. Isn’t it grand that the couple is exposing their children to “alternative lifestyles” at such a young age? After all, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.

Anna Not Ready to Settle

Apparently, Anna Kournikova is not ready to settle for just one mixed doubles partner. The word on the street is that the tennis babe’s boyfriend, Enrique Iglesias, has repeatedly attempted to convince Anna to marry him, but to date, he keep double faulting.

The pair has been together for three years, and obviously Enrique is ready to settle. But, Anna? No way, Jose. Clearly, she’s holding out for RotoRob. And really, who could blame her? Damn, I might even let her serve to me, so to speak.

As per usual, power has been the Phils’ calling card, as they rank third in the NL in slugging at .445, but team speed seems to be an early weakness, as they sit just 11th in the NL in swipes (of course, injuries to Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino have contributed to this).

Next up, this weekend Philly hosts a weak Giants team that is actually holding its own lately. Next week comes a stiff test as the Phils visit Arizona.

Let’s take a look at some of the individual situations on the Phillies that fantasy owners should be following:

• Victorino was back in the starting lineup Thursday, batting leadoff and playing centrefield. It’s the first time he’s been there since getting hurt in middle of last month, a calf injury that landed him on the DL. There’s been talk that Victorino could see more time in right field if Jayson Werth continues to play well in centre. At any rate, Victorino got the job done Thursday, going 1-for-2 with a double, a run, and two walks. Werth, shifted to right field Thursday, has suddenly gone into a mini slump, taking an 0-for-7 over the past two games – a skid which has included five strikeouts. Geoff Jenkins, despite picking things up of late (6-for-12 in the last three games), appears to be the odd man out in this scenario.
• We saw signs of life from Ryan Howard Thursday as the slugger not only doubled, but also launched the game-winning home run in the eighth inning. It’s been a simply awful start for the 2006 MVP, batting under .170 in April and getting worse not better heading into last night. In the week leading up to Thursday’s breakout, Howard had just two hits in 16 at bats. There’s been much talk about his mechanics as the Phils have been trying to get him to move closer to the plate. Hopefully Thursday’s power display is the beginning of something good.
• The Phils are also trying to change the habits of Brett Myers, who only plays long toss for a few minutes on days he’s pitching. Both manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee believe Myers should do so three times a week to help build up arm strength. There’s been concern that Myers’ velocity is down, and the team has been trying to figure out why. It may have something to do with the fact that he’s not using his legs to their full capacity in his delivery. Perhaps he’s been babying them so he can use them to kick his wife in public? Whatever’s going on here is not helping his owners given the bitch slappings he’s taken (as opposed to administering) in his last two starts. Myers has surrendered 19 hits – including four dingers – over 12 innings during this stretch. He has now yielded ten longs balls in just 37 IP on the season. To put that in perspective, Myers gave up nine in 68 2/3 IP in 2007.
• Rollins has experienced a setback in his rehab and will not be activated on Monday, the first day he’s eligible to come off the DL, the first such assignment of his career. He had more discomfort in his sprained left ankle on Wednesday, leading to the delay. The Phils want to send Rollins on a minor league rehab consisting of four or five games, but he won’t be able to start that before next week at this point, so we’re looking at no sooner than a week from now before the defending MVP will be ready to return.
• The Phillies went 15-13 in April – their first winning April since 2003. A big part of this has been the unbelievable start by Chase Utley. He’s been healthy and putting up Nintendo-type numbers. How about 25 runs and 22 extra-base hits in 29 games? Can you say MVP?
• Brad Lidge has been lights out. So many thought he’d crack under the pressure of pitching in Philly, but so far, it’s been a walk in the park. He started the season a few days late because of a DL stint, but since his activation, Lidge has been almost untouchable, surrendering just five hits and no earned runs in 12 IP. Sick. His strikeout rate has never been this low, and he’s walking way too many, but as long as he doesn’t give up any hits, who cares? Still, I’m worried those walks will come back to haunt him at some point, making him a possible sell-high candidate.
• That job-share situation between Jenkins and Werth is clearly over. Werth has been starting almost every day for the past couple of weeks and given how many runs he’s going to score out of the two-hole and his power, Werth makes for an excellent waiver wire pickup.
• Mike Lieberthal plans to sign a one-day contract next month so he can retire as a Phillie. The team’s first rounder (third overall) back in 1990, Lieberthal hit .275 with 150 homers in 13 seasons with the Phils. Back in the day, he was a fantasy stud. In fact, in 1999, Lieberthal became just the sixth catcher in history to bat .300 with 30 homers in a season.
• Kyle Kendrick was solid in his last start, but so far has been unable to build on his strong rookie effort. He’s a decent NL-only guy to target because of the wins he’ll put up on the Phillies, but if you’re playing 5×5 ball, you probably can’t suck up Kendrick’s lame K totals.
• Prior to the season, we pegged Pedro Feliz as a good sleeper candidate, but so far he’s been a dud in Philly. An 0-for-7 stretch has him down to the Mendoza Line. Feliz simply has not been productive, and team management believes it’s because he is not being aggressive enough.

Readers of RotoRob may or may not know, but I actually have some experience in “old” forms of media as well as the newer ones. While I’ve written for this here fancy blog for a couple years, I also have written for a fantasy football magazine, and will be doing so again this year. Some of you guys might be holdovers from when Derek and I podcasted weekly during the football season. You may not know that I was, briefly, employed by a sports talk radio station in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

I bring this up due to the blow-up on HBO’s Costas Now featuring Deadspin’s Will Leitch and Buzz Bissinger, who penned such classics as Friday Night Lights…and…Friday Night Lights! I could attempt to describe what happened, but it’s easier to just watch the clips.

Plenty of bloggers have responded. Some thoughtfully. Some hysterically. I can’t really add anything to other than a personal moment that I was reminded of while watching Bissinger curse up a storm. Obviously, my story can’t compare to being called “full of shit” on premium cable, but I think some of the themes are similar.

At the radio station, I was part of a new show centred on fantasy football. As one might imagine, the idea of a radio show about fantasy football ruffled some feathers. Once the idea was put forth, a number of more tenured members of the station were visibly upset and clearly tried to “talk some sense” into the boss. For the record, I was amazed that we were getting a time slot. That’s not because we weren’t going to succeed. I’m sure we would have. But we were still new to the station and the boss had no idea whether we were talented or “full of shit” ourselves.

Anyway, we were scheduled to do some cross-promotion on other shows during the day. That sounded good to me and we first appeared during the afternoon drive show.

“So Andy, explain to me how fantasy sports and fantasy football aren’t ruining the fan experience.”

“Thanks for having us, it’s great to be he- wait…what?”

Basically, instead of some time for us to develop a relationship with an audience and establish ourselves as knowledgeable voices in the world of fantasy football, we were turned into defense lawyers. Old Media v. Internet-fueled Development. Sure fantasy sports isn’t exactly the same as sports blogs, but in the venn diagram of things old sports writers are afraid of, and therefore hate, they share some bubble space.

I was floored. I have defended fantasy sports to family members, friends, and even while calling into other sports talk stations, but this was an ambush and I’m sure I didn’t exactly make the best counter-arguments. In this area, I feel for Leitch. He went on knowing he probably should be on his heels, but he couldn’t prepare for venomous, nonsensical rhetorical questions.

The last laugh, obviously, stands with the new media. It always does. Sooner or later, the Buzz Bissingers and Bob Costases of the world will be media members who started off blogging or podcasting. And what blogger would actually attack blogging?

Okay, the revolution might take a little bit longer than expected. But chances are, it won’t be televised.

Josh Towers wasn’t awful last year in his role as a swingman for the Jays, but he sure is sucking in his current capacity as a starter for the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sox. Through five starts, he’s showing his usual good control (five walks), but has also been touched up for five long balls. Towers was in contention for the fifth starter job in Colorado this spring, but don’t expect the Rox to come calling for the 31-year-old righty any time soon with those kinds of results.

Remember when Chris George was a prospect? The Royals first rounder (31st overall) back in 1998, George last appeared in the majors in 2004, and judging by how badly his game has deteriorated, he won’t be back any time soon. Pitching out of the Sky Sox pen (he’s not even good enough to be a Triple-A starter any more), George has been torched for a .390 BAA through 14 innings. The good news? He has yet to yield a long ball after coughing up 21 last season.

Matt Daley, another Colorado Springs reliever, looks like someone who could actually help the big league club at some point this year. He had a decent year as a swingman for Double-A Tulsa last season, but stepped up this year, earning a quick promotion to Triple-A, where he’s held his own for the most part, despite a couple of rough outings recently. Daley, a 2005 Sally League All-Star, has fanned 15 in 11 2/3 IP, the kind of dominance that gets noticed.

Another reliever I expected could help the Rockies this year was Juan Morillo. He’s had unsuccessful cups of coffee with the big league team the last two seasons, and put himself on the radar with a dominant showing in Double-A last year. However, Morillo’s control has completely gone AWOL in this, his first full year of Triple-A. While opponents are only batting .241 against him, and he’s striking out better than a batter per inning, Morillo has walked an ungodly 18 in just 8 2/3 innings. Things are looking a bit better for him over the last few outings, so perhaps he’s nipping this problem in the bud. Morillo will need to if he has aspirations of seeing any significant time in the bigs this summer.

Back in Spring Training, I wrote about Padre pitching prospect Wade LeBlanc and how his changeup had put him in the picture for the San Diego fifth starter job. Uh, yeah. Well, he’s been rancid at Triple-A Portland so far, and is clearly not adjusting to life at this level. LeBlanc, the team’s second rounder in 2006, has progressed through the system very quickly and is only 23, so there’s plenty of time for him to figure things out. But through his first five starts, he’s been shelled for 35 hits, five homers and 13 walks in just 22 1/3 IP. In particular, LeBlanc’s last two starts have been horrible, so perhaps he’s battling an injury. His flyball rate is up, and that’s not helping matters. This kid has talent, his track record is strong, and he was very solid in 2007 at both High-A and Double-A, so keep an eye on him.

OF Sean Barker, who made his MLB debut last year for Colorado, continues to put up consistently strong numbers in this, his third year of Triple-A, as mostly a part-time player. A six-game hit streak has him up to .291 for the year, with 20 RBI in 24 games. More promising still, after walking 14 times in 72 games last season, Barker has already drawn 10 free passes this year, a newfound skill that should help put him in line for a call up should injury to one of the Rockies’ outfielders necessitate an extra flyhawk at Coors. Barker, the team’s sixth rounder in 2002, will be 28 next month, so the best we can probably hope for is he carves out a career as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

Remember Enrique Gonzalez? The D-Backs’ fifth starter in 2006, who got all of one start last year with the Snakes after a less than impressive year at Triple-A? Me thinks that Arizona gave up on the still-just-25-year-old too soon. He was waived, and claimed by the Nats in September, but they never brought him up, and in February, San Diego claimed him. Gonzalez made the team out of Spring Training, but was outrighted a couple of weeks ago after starting poorly. Since moving to Portland, Gonzalez was strong in a couple of relief appearances and decent in his only start. But with 13 strikeouts in just seven innings, it’s clear that Gonzalez could be an asset in the Padres’ pen at some point. I’d keep an eye on him.

Former Diamondback prospect Adam Bass is getting roughed up something fierce in the Portland Beaver bullpen. Bass, a 10th round pick by the D-Backs in 2003, was excellent at Triple-A Tucson last year, garnering attention from the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the NPB, if not Arizona. He spent the rest of the season in Japan, but was hammered for 30 hits in 15 1/3 IP. Now, he’s back in Triple-A, and appears no closer to getting to the majors. He’s pitched a bit better his last couple of times out, but has been ripped for 20 hits and six walks in just 12 2/3 IP over 10 appearances. The 26-year-old righty will need to show marked improvement if he’s hoping to make his big league debut this year.

Dear RotoRob,

Let us switch gears here. I am looking at guys from other teams right now that haven’t played to their potential (at least in my mind) to maybe try to pry them away from a few owners. One guy I am targeting is Andrea Bargnani.

What do you think of his progress going forward?

Thanks.

Daryl

Daryl,

I think this was the season he was supposed to do it and he didn’t. Rasho Nesterovic (who has an $8.4 million player option for next year) is 33 years old next month and Bargnani is 23 right now, so I think Bargnani is still the Raps’ idea of the centre of the future for them, but he is looking a lot like a 10-11 point/3-4 rebound guy to me. Maybe he steps up his play and gets better, but I think of him more as Darko Milicic (except with more points and less rebounds and blocks) than Zydrunas Ilgauskas. But the similarities (young, European big man who has yet to approach his lofty expectations) are striking. Obviously, Bargnani has a ways to go before he really is the next Dirk Nowitzki.

I have no doubt that Bargnani will get better – remember how long it takes big men to develop — but it doesn’t look like he will get a lot better than he is right now. Did he simply slump all year, or is he just a bust? It’s too soon to tell.

Some guys to look at next year are Francisco Garcia, Jason Maxiell, Devin Harris if you can get him, Ramon Sessions and/or Chris Quinn. Bargnani is the popular pick for people because he is the name, but I think what you see is what you get with him and if you are happy with a centre that nets you the rebounds of a PG, then go for it.

Welcome to the debut of Game Report, our periodic column that’s going weekly. Every week, I’ll focus in on one game and provide you with all the relevant fantasy tidbits from it. This week, we caught Sunday’s game with the Angels, who have been rolling without their top two starters, taking on the Tigers, off to a very sluggish start, but showing signs of life.

It has been the same story for Tiger starter Justin Verlander all year long. He starts off cruising and then abruptly smashes into a wall. Nothing was different on Sunday.

Verlander only gave up two runs through five innings and then was torched for four earned runs in the sixth, leading to his exit and, ultimately, a 6-2 victory for the Angels over the Tigers.

Torii Hunter, signed as a free agent this offseason, led the way for the Angels, going 2-for-4 with a bases-clearing triple and three RBI. Surging shortstop Erick Aybar also provided a nice punch, going 2-for-3 with three RBI to raise his average on the season to a robust .346.

Los Angeles starter Jered Weaver was as equally impressive on the mound as were his teammates at the plate. He allowed only two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings, raising his record to 2-3 on the season and lowering his ERA to 4.21.

Outside of outfielder Magglio Ordonez, the Tigers struggled to get anything going at the plate. Maggs went 2-for-2, but the rest of the lineup was only 3-for-24 and was unable to crack Weaver’s code.

The always reliable Scot Shields came into the game in the eighth inning and wrapped things up with two innings of shutout ball.

The Los Angeles Angels of Southern California Orange County Near Anaheim towards Tijuana now sit at 16-10, tied with the upstart Oakland Athletics in the AL West, while the Detroit Tigers (hey, what a simple name) sit at 11-15, mired in last place in the AL Central. I guess money doesn’t buy championships, but then again if you have seen the Yankees the last eight seasons, you already knew that.

Fantasy Factor

• While Weaver has gotten off to a mediocre start, he flashed his brilliance again Sunday which is why everyone is so high on the 25-year-old righty (that and the fact that he is not his gawd-awful brother Jeff). Continue to ride Weaver as he heats up right along with the weather.
• On the flip side, owners might want to bench veteran Gary Sheffield as he is batting a putrid .159 with only one home run. He is bound to pick it up eventually, but plug a different solution into your lineup in the meantime.
• Maicer Izturis, only playing because Howie Kendrick is hurting, left the game early with back spasms. This may be a blessing in disguise for fantasy owners, as Izturis has been awful, and this injury may precipitate the promotion of Brandon Wood. Chone Figgins shifted over to second when Izturis went down. As for Kendrick and is hammy, he’s expected to be activated this week.
• Edgar Renteria’s seven-game hitting streak was snapped, but he produced his 16th RBI of the year on a sac fly. He’s on pace for his second 100-RBI year and is batting .324. It’ll do.
• With another two hits Sunday, Casey Kotchman wrapped up a 5-for-11 series. We’ve been waiting on this breakout forever, and now it’s here as this kid is on pace for 200 hits. You want contact hitting? You got it. Kotchman has now gone six straight games without whiffing.
• Carlos Guillen (knee) was back in action after missing three games and it’s great to have him back considering he’s off to a monster start and was one of the only Tigers who was actually hitting when they started so weakly. Of greater interest from a fantasy perspective is the fact that Guillen was playing third base in place of Brandon Inge. Instead of shifting Miguel Cabrera back to third, Detroit opted to put a gimpy Guillen there. Interesting indeed. If nothing else, for leagues where only one game is necessary, Guillen now qualifies at third base, in addition to shortstop (from last year) and first base, making him an incredibly versatile commodity.

Another week of fantasy ball is drawing to a close, and again there is more turmoil in bullpens throughout the land. The volatility associated with the closer role continues and the trend to grabbing the set-up man early seems to be growing. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to lobby for some changes to our venerable game. Here’s one for you to ponder: Why not reward the seventh and eighth inning guy with an increased value?

Bridging the link between the starter and the closer has been drastically re-defined in the real game, so why not in the game that we play? Many leagues are either pondering or have already instituted holds as a separate category or a component of the existing saves category. In my principle auction league, the NABL, we use a combined stat that recognizes the set-up and seventh-inning guys with holds at 50 per cent of the value of a save. The game of baseball is constantly evolving and I believe it is time that the fantasy game makes moves to do so as well.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the potential waiver wire acquisitions for Week Five.

Kei Igawa, New York Yankees, SP: The Yankee rotation is struggling and Hank Steinbrenner is clamouring for a change. It’s getting obvious that Joba Chamberlain is very doubtful to be the answer this year. It might be the time to try and recoup some of that $45 million investment and give Igawa another (and probably final) shot in the rotation. With him currently sporting a 2-2 record, 2.93 ERA and only six base-on-balls for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the opportunity is likely close at hand. In deep leagues that have the bench space, Igawa should definitely be on the radar at this time.

Chris Volstad, Florida, SP: The early Burke Badenhop (accent on Bad) experiment, after three consecutive rough outings, could be drawing to a close. After barely missing the cut this spring, Volstad has been putting up some rather fine numbers for the Double-A Carolina Mudcats. The 21-year-old righthander has a 2.90 ERA to go along with a couple wins and 21 Ks in five starts. For those in NL-only and deep keeper formats, a Volstad watch would be highly recommended.

Aaron Cook, Colorado, SP: Cook has now put together a string of four consecutive quality starts. In his last effort against the Cubs, he even managed to reach a season high with five strikeouts. Cook’s sinker is sinking, leading to three straight wins and with a 2.91 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. Historically, Cook has been fairly hitable, but early on in 2008 he is allowing far fewer hits than he usually does. This Rockie hurler is a more than decent grab in all formats (especially in 4 x 4 leagues) at this time.

Brian Fuentes, Colorado, RP: Fuentes would be this week’s closer-in-waiting promotion. After watching Manny Corpas struggle with four blown saves in eight opportunities, it was time for a change in the Mile High City. With 81 saves over the past three seasons, Fuentes has more than proven his ability to get the job done. He should provide decent save numbers while Corpas works on getting his game back together. Fuentes is a must-buy in all formats at this time.

Jorge Cantu, Florida, 1B/3B: Isn’t it very hard to believe that Cantu is only 26 years old? That monstrous 2005 season seems so far away. With a .309 batting average, three homers and 13 runs scored already this year, Cantu could provide an opportunity to upgrade at the corner slot in deeper formats. Currently, he is owned by a scant 35 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues, so the opportunity for that upgrade is clearly there.

Eric Hinske, Tampa Bay, 1B/OF: Hinske is bringing back some memories of that 2002 Rookie of the Year season he enjoyed with the Blue Jays — starting the 2008 season with five homers and 13 RBI will do that. Given the opportunity for a decent number of at bats, why wouldn’t Hinske be able to return to at least a reasonable level of production? (Okay, don’t answer that; I know he’s spent plenty of time at the buffet table over the years.) It’s not like Hinske hasn’t done it before, and with the increased playing time he’s getting in Tampa this year, he could provide some depth at corner infield for your fantasy squad.

Matt Stairs, Toronto, 1B/OF: With the rather surprising release of Frank Thomas this past week, Stairs has been vaulted into a more prominent role for the 2008 Jays. In 2007, the slugging Canuck managed 21 homers and 64 RBI and a very solid .289 batting average in only 357 at bats. An increase in playing time this year could lead to some fine numbers as a fifth outfielder on your fantasy squad.

Chad Gaudin, Oakland, SP: Gaudin, is yet another young starter in the Oakland organization that is more than earning his keep. He is currently sporting a 2-1 record with a 3.38 ERA and sparkling 1.08 WHIP. The 25-year-old-righthander, coming off three consecutive quality starts, could be on the verge of being another in a long line of successful A’s starters, making him a must-buy in all formats at this time.

Derrick Turnbow, Milwaukee, RP: It only took Ned Yost almost a month to figure out what most of us were already aware of. Eric Gagne is not the horse he once was. Hence, we have Turnbow, having picked up a save this past week, being rediscovered by fantasy owners across the land. He’s a very effective option for the Brewers and should more than hold his own when Gagne needs the rest. Turnbow would also likely be first in line for the closer’s job should Gagne stumble, making him a very solid option for your fantasy bullpen at this time.

Heath Bell, San Diego, RP: Other than that one poor outing April 22 against the Astros, Bell has been very steady for San Diego in the set-up role in 2008, following up his huge 2007, when he was probably the best set-up man in the game. With Trevor Hoffman struggling to the tune of a 7.27 ERA, the opportunity for Bell to earn some save opportunities is definitely there. My biggest concern with Bell would be those 93 2/3 innings pitched last year and the fact that his strikeouts are down from last year’s outstanding levels worries me even more, but in the event that Hoffman continues to struggles, Bell is going be first in line for saves for the Padres.

Skip Schumaker, St. Louis, OF: After watching Schumaker go hitless in the first week of the 2008 season, Tony La Russa and the Cards stuck it out and the move is paying big dividends. Batting at the top of the order for the surprising Cards, Schumaker is currently sporting a .333 batting average, is tied for 11th in the majors in runs and has chalked up three thefts. The impressive statistic, however is those 13 walks to go along with only nine strikeouts. As long as he keeps posting solid numbers like those, Schumaker is a solid acquisition in all formats at this time.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Texas, 1B/OF: In what most considered a very surprising move, the Rangers demoted Saltalamacchia at the end of Spring Training. However, Texas was adamant that he was not going to be a part-time player in the bigs. After hitting .291 with two homers and 13 RBI in 15 games with the Oklahoma Redhawks, Salty he was recalled Friday and in all probability, he’ll be with the Rangers for the duration. With first baseman Ben Broussard currently struggling, there will definitely be enough at bats available. Saltalamacchia, 22, the key component the Rangers received in the Mark Teixeira deal at last summer’s deadline, is a must-own in all formats at this time.

Hinkle, in just his third varsity season, has already broken the state record for career home runs, set by former Yankee pitcher Christian Parker (remember him?), who took four years to hit 24 jacks.

He’s also tied the single-season New Mexico record of 15 homers set in 1985 by Jim Rino of Bloomfield. The 2007 All-State player is beginning to get the Barry Bonds treatment, as opposing teams have been opting to give him a free pass rather than risk pitching to him.