Thursday Morning Cup of Fantasy Baseball

For those of you looking to search for us on Bleacher Report, the author name is The Roundtable. Hopefully you'll keep checking us out.

Big night last night for my Celtics. Sure, no NBA game should last 3.5 hours, but if it has to, you might as well win. Let's see them wrap it up in Detroit. Lots of news and notes, so let's get to it.

• Joba Chamberlain's next relief appearance could be his last. The Yankees put Ian Kennedy on the DL with a strained muscle in his ribcage and it looks like Joba will take his spot. Good news if you already own him and good news if you can go out and grab him on waivers. Chamberlain is likely already owned in most deep leagues, and that shouldn't change. He should be added in any mixed league with at least 12 teams, and is worth a flyer for guys hanging on to borderline starters (Mark Buehrle, Brad Penny). Kennedy could be in trouble. This injury is always tough for pitchers because of the force they put on their midsections. If Chamberlain is successful in the rotation, expect Kennedy's next stop to be AAA.
• Jake Westbrook returned from the DL and was largely effective. He gave up three runs in five innings, but his location and velocity were good. It's always hard for your first start off the DL. Give him one more, then get him back into your lineup on a regular basis.
• The Roundtable giveth and the Roundtable taketh away. Some good calls and bad calls yesterday. If you started Armando Galarraga, Andy Pettite, JoJo Reyes, or Matt Garza, then things worked out pretty well for you. Reyes, despite not getting the win, looked very good and only gave up one run over seven while striking out nine. Pettite continued his domination over the Orioles. He basically owns them, and is a must start against them. The fact that Garza is owned in so few leagues is just sad at this point. In deep leagues, he's a must own, and I'd take a chance on him in some 10-team leagues as well. He's pitching better than most people realize, and his strikeout and WHIP numbers don't show signs of that changing. My bad if you listened and started Wandy Rodriguez. I didn't follow my own rule of waiting a start when guys come off the DL.
• Important note: Glen Perkins will have his start flipped with Boof Bonser's over the weekend. Why is this important? Because the start by Bonser on Saturday will coincide with Scott Baker's rehab start. If all goes well for Baker, it looks like he'll be taking Bonser's spot as opposed to Perkins. Perkins has pitched well and deserves every chance to let that continue in the rotation. Bonser, meanwhile, has been awful all month and seemed to be the most likely candidate to go.
• The Braves activated Rafael Soriano from the DL. Look for him to step back into the closer role for Atlanta. If you find him on the waivers, he's worth the add in any format if you need the saves.
• Erik Bedard continued to shut down Boston's bats. Sure, the Red Sox haven't looked good for most of the road trip, but Bedard has their number. David Ortiz still holds the only home run against him that the team has. Bedard has held the Red Sox to a .167 average, including last night's games. Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are a combined 9 for 42 with one home run. Needless to say, he owns this matchup.
• Kevin Youkilis sat out his second straight game with an injury to the back of his right hand. With the day off today, he should be good for Friday, according to reports. That would be a good thing, as he's 6-16 lifetime against Friday starter Daniel Cabrera. Daisuke Matsuzaka had a shoulder exam done, and nothing abnormal was found. Still, expect him to miss a start, and it would time well with Clay Buchholz's return from the DL.
• Pedro Martinez looked good in his rehab start for single-A. He's still on track to pitch June 3. I think he's worth taking a chance on, if only because you have a DL spot open on your roster. You can never have too much pitching. Pedro at 70 percent is better than most guys pitching at their best.

Notes for today's games...Limited slate in baseball today.

Dana Eveland should be owned in virtually all formats, but makes an especially good play today. He's already faced the Toronto lineup once and done well. He's lights out at home, with an 0.94 ERA, and batters are hitting .160 off him. He's been almost as good for all of May, with a WHIP just over 1.00, an ERA under 2.00 and batters hitting .194.

John Danks has been tough all season, and has a good spot start on the road against Tampa. I know they're playing well, but Danks has been even harder to hit on the road, with a WHIP of 1.00 in 31 innings and batters hitting .216 against him. He's 2-0 against Tampa for his career, and his opponent Edwin Jackson hasn't fared well against Chicago.

Jeff Francis should be benched today against Chicago, almost everytime. Derek Lee is 6-6 lifetime, with three walks against him, not that you would sit him anyway.

Need a spot bat today? Scott Podsednik is 7-17 against Jason Marquis.

Start all your Mets. Carlos Beltran and Brian Schneider struggle against Brad Penny, but that's it. Penny has been bad against the Mets, worse on the road, and even more horrendous in May. Needless to say, I'm not high on him.

Like your star Pirates against Aaron Harang as well. Jason Bay and Xavier Nady especially.

Spot starts today? John Lannan, Jorge Campillo, Barry Zito, and Kevin Slowey in that order. Check yesterday's notes for thoughts on Zito and the Giants.

Notes for Friday, expect Alex Cora to get the start over Julio Lugo, as Cora is 11-23 against Cabrera, vs. Lugo's .158.

Greg Maddux is a very different pitcher away from Petco, and the Giants' regulars hit him well (Aaron Rowand, Bengie Molina).

Tim Redding still makes my list as a good spot-starter on the road against nearly anyone.

Carlos Silva has been bad and the Tigers have his number, all of them.

Jered Weaver is a decent play against Toronto.

Very surprising that Aaron Cook is still available in 25 percent of leagues. He should be owned and started against Chicago.

Back as the need arises.