MLB Fantasy Baseball: Monday News and Notes

t as anyone in baseball right now. He's a more than adequate shortstop and will provide solid offensive numbers. It's like I say, ride the hot hand while you can.

 

Notes for today's games:

• No concern in starting your Rays against Gil Meche. Crawford and Pena already have solid numbers against him and Meche has not had success on the road. The only concern would come in Eric Hinske, who is 2-19 against Meche. The Royals pitcher is 1-2 since 2005 against the Rays with a 4.15 ERA.
• Matt Garza is starting to get the respect he deserves, at 93 percent owned in standard leagues. Garza's a better play at home than on the road, and gets to pitch from the Trop today. He's 5-1 with a 2.16 ERA in eight home starts this season.
• Scott Baker's struggles have come on the road against better offenses. The Red Sox qualify as one of those, in this case. He hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any start since his return from the DL, but does have an ERA around 4.50 on the road. I wouldn't use him tonight. This early in the week, you have time to make up the stats.
• Dana Eveland's success has been at home, and he'll get a struggling Mariners offense. Eveland is 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA at home. His one loss to Seattle was on the road early in the season. The question with Eveland is control. He's walking 4.5 batters every nine innings at home, but opponents are only hitting .230. His strand-rate has been very good. Against Seattle, he's a healthy gamble.
• Greg Maddux's last two outings have been rough. But if you're looking for a spot to use him, it's certainly at home. He's not recording wins, but his ERA is 2.45 in nine starts. Given the choice between Maddux and his opponent, Ricky Nolasco, I take Nolasco. In a big ballpark, his flyball tendencies won't show themselves nearly as much.
• Start all your Mets against Adam Eaton today. Eaton hasn't had success against any major Mets player, with the exception of David Wright, and Wright is swinging the bat too well right now to put on the bench.
• Not much action today. If you're looking for spot starts, I like Hiroki Kuroda and Jorge Campillo (but Kuroda is the better play at home), Eveland, and Nolasco.

 

Notes for Tuesday's Games:

• The problem in looking at many of the Twins' pitchers is that much of their success has been at home. Nick Blackburn is the extreme of that. I'd stay away from him if at all possible.
• Jon Lester is coming off a great outing against the Yankees and has been in control for most of the season. Lester holds lefites to a .223 BAA, so better options are likely available for Morneau and Mauer if you have them.
• Not a big fan of starting Andy Pettitte against Tampa. Johnny Gomes will likely get the start for Tampa, as he's 8-19 against the lefty. Tampa, as a team, hits .279 against him, and all your regular Rays are close to or above .300. Pettitte has a 5.32 ERA against them since 2005 and is 1-2 this season.
• If you have options outside of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, I suggest using them against Scott Kazmir. The two are a combined 5-41.
• Randy Wolf could be auditioning for his next team. No better place than at home for him to do it. He's a good play in Petco. I like him better than Andrew Miller, but both should provide solid strikeout numbers.
• I'm backing Manny Parra until there is reason to do otherwise. He's been very good overall in his last six starts, and he's flat-out unbeatable at home. Against Mark Redman, good play.
• Justin Verlander has given up three runs or less in his last six starts and he gets a Cleveland team he's pitched very well against. Verlander will draw a fill-in starter, as he was supposed to face Sabathia. Makes a decent play for that reason alone and the Tigers have been hitting well. Add to that, batters are hitting just .234 against him at home.
• Daniel Cabrera has been just plain hit or miss. He's just 3-4 on the road in 11 starts this season and has an ERA of 4.17. Dustin McGowan has been very good at home. I'd take McGowan and make Cabrera put up a second solid outing before I start buying that one again.
• Spot start calls? I like Odalis Perez, Wolf, Miller, and Jair Jurrjens (who is virtually not a spot player anymore based on ownership percents).

 

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