MLB Fantasy Baseball: Thursday News and Notes

A long weekend is right around the corner, and a holiday tomorrow means plenty of day baseball. I'm fully in favor of more day games like these. Nothing says fun like playing hooky from work or school to take in a game. 

The 'Table will have quick columns this weekend, highlighting some questions from faithful readers. Should be a few notes thrown in there as well. Otherwise, everyone enjoy the holiday. 

On to the notes.

• Welcome back, Xavier Nady! Nady knocked in two home runs yesterday. Because of that, he should be able to stop the speculation regarding his injured shoulder. Nady was on fire prior to the injury and was one of the pleasant surprises of the season. The Pirates are providing some offense, and he's going to be what makes them go even more than Jason Bay. Keep him in lineups.
• Jay Bruce hit two home runs as well, his first since his call-up. Bruce hasn't been swinging the bat well, needing time to adjust to major-league pitching. This is no reason to give up on a player, especially one with the talent of Bruce. He's still going to be a 20-home-run-type player in the second half of the season. I'd try to capitalize on a frustrated owner.
• Clayton Kershaw was sent down to make room for Hiroki Kuroda. Interesting move, because Kershaw hasn't pitched poorly. He just hasn't been the ace the Dodgers hoped he would be in his first tour. Kershaw will be back, just maybe not this season. Kuroda picked up where he left off, pitching seven solid innings. He's should be back in your lineup if you have him on the roster. If you don't, you'll hear me talk about him a fair amount.
• I warned you not to give up on Dustin Pedroia. He's hot and cold, but he is beyond hot right now. He had four hits last night, finishing a single short of the cycle. Pedroia will go cold again, but as long as you can ride it out, you get this kind of streak as a bonus.
• Nick Blackburn's strong work at home continued. Blackburn improved to 5-2 at home and lowered his ERA there to 2.70. He's not an add in any format, but he's a solid spot-play when he's in the confines of the Metrodome. It doesn't seem to matter who he faces there.
• I called on both Odalis Perez and Ricky Nolasco to provide solid outings and both delivered. Perez continues to pitch well against the Marlins, allowing just two earned on five hits in six-and-two-thirds innings. Nolasco went seven full, giving up just two runs and striking out eight. Perez is a spot play, but Nolasco should be owned in all NL-only formats and deeper, mixed leagues.
• Chris Davis hit his third home run in his short career. Davis is slated to be in more of a platoon, but I'm not buying that right now. The kid is raking. He did this in the minors, slugging 23 home runs between AA and AAA before his call-up, in just under 300 at-bats. If you're unhappy with your production at first base or a utility position, I'm always in favor of riding the hot hand. Davis gets that crown at this point. In keeper leagues, he should be picked up and held on to.
• DL notes: Jeff Francis hit the 15-day DL with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. I'm not sure of many reasons to own Jeff Francis anyway, but this is as good a reason as any to cut ties with the struggling lefty. Francis' numbers don't justify ownership, let alone the fact that he pitches half his games in Colorado. Eric Chavez hit the DL as well. Stop me if you've heard this before. Chavez is full of promise, but continues to spend time injured. I don't recommend drafting him at all at this point, always use him as a waiver spot once he's healthy and proves he can hit.
• Randy Wolf got himself through four innings at home and gave up seven earned runs in the process. I can't stress strongly enough how he and Maddux should never be started outside of Petco. Another pitcher going the route of "home-only" start is Dustin McGowan. He worked into the eighth last night, giving up four runs, but his road ERA still went to 6.19 on the season.
• Final thoughts: Chase Headley and Troy Tulowitzki homered last night. These two will be major factors in the season's second half. Grady Sizemore has been providing power and speed most of the season, and now his average is starting to come around as well.

Notes for today's games:

• Andy Pettitte has not pitched well against the Red Sox, posting a 5.24 ERA since 2005. Manny Ramirez, even though slumping, should be in the lineup against Pettitte. He OWNS him. If you have a Red Sox player on your roster, find a way to get them in. There aren't many better options today, by the numbers.
• Carlos Guillen might be a good play today. He's gone .531/3/13 against Carlos Silva. Placido Polanco, Curtis Granderson, and Gary Sheffield would all be in my lineup today. Silva has started two games against Detroit this season and hasn't pitched a total of five innings. His home ERA is 5.31. I think you get the picture.
• Justin Verlander has enjoyed success against the Mariners. He's 5-1 since 2005 and 2-1 at Safeco with an ERA of 3.21. Jose Vidro (9-16) is a good play, but I'd find other options for Adrian Beltre and Raul Ibanez. Both are just 3-18 against Verlander.
• The Yankees haven't seen much of Jon Lester, but are much less effective against lefties than righties. Lester isn't a solid play, but I'd sit Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi against Lester tonight.
• Johnny Cueto has given up two runs or less in his last three starts and is holding batters to a .221 average at home. He's still walking enough batters to give concern, but his control has been much better. Cueto is a decent spot-play against a Nationals team that struggles with offense.
• John Lannan may not get the win against Cincinnati, but his peripheral stats are solid if you need WHIP, strikeouts, or ERA to help you out. Lannan is a groundball pitcher and has a road ERA of 2.33 for the season in nine road starts.
• No concerns in starting aces Cole Hamels, Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum, Justin Duchscherer, or Chad Billingsley.
• Spot starts today? I like Garrett Olson, Andrew Miller, John Lannan, and Kyle Davies.

Notes for Friday:

• Given a choice between Darrell Rasner and Josh Beckett, I take Beckett. Bobby Abreu is only a .193 hitter against Beckett in 57 at-bats. Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano should both be ok to start against the Red Sox ace. Beckett hasn't been great at Yankee Stadium, sporting an ERA over six, but his last three starts have been electric.
• I wouldn't start Bronson Arroyo for your team, let alone my own. Arroyo's struggles have just been too rough to even justify his 15 percent ownership. All your Nationals make good plays. I would recommend Jason Bergmann. He's allowed one run in each of his last three starts.
• The Giants hit .315 against Derek Lowe as a team. I'd start Rich Aurilia, Ray Durham, and Aaron Rowand for certain. Lowe does not make a good play on the road, as he has a 4.62 ERA and opponents hit close to .300 against him.
• Jason Bay (.370) and Xavier Nady (.529/3/9) should be in the lineup, even with an ace like Ben Sheets on the mound. Ryan Doumit has three hits against Sheets in eight at-bats, two for home runs. I'd still play Sheets, as he's 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA against the Pirates.
• Need a bat for tomorrow? Look to Emil Brown, who is 16-36 (.444) against Mark Buehrle with three home runs. Buehrle has been good at home, posting a 2.96 ERA, and makes a decent spot-play against a struggling offense in the A's.
• Jered Weaver did not enjoy his last outing against Toronto, and his two recent rough outings have come at home. A.J. Burnett has held down the better bats in Anaheim's lineup. Picking between the two, I'd take Burnett. If you have better options for Vlad Guerrero (.184 in 38 at-bats), Torii Hunter (1-13), and Garrett Anderson (2-10), I'd suggest using them.
• The Cubs have hit just .179 against Braden Looper, who makes a solid spot-play if you aren't looking for a guaranteed win but need other stats. Carlos Zambrano will be back on the mound and has pitched very well against St. Louis. Pujols has four home runs, but only a .234 average in 47 at-bats. Zambrano is 7-0 against the Cardinals since 2005.
• Last piece of advice: Do not start Paul Byrd on the road. Get all your Twins in the lineup.
• Spot starts? Let's go with Looper, Scott Olsen, Jeremy Guthrie, and Edwin Jackson.

Back as the need arises. Check out the full Roundtable blog.