MLB Fantasy Baseball: Monday News and Notes

An impressively rough weekend when it comes to injuries and DL stints across baseball. Unfortunately, that has to lead off the notes. Playoff positions are being fought for in both the majors and in fantasy, so staying on top of this information can only help your cause in the final three weeks of the season.  

Let's get right to it.

• Jose Contreras had been a reliable starter at home for the White Sox, but that will not be the case the rest of the season. The White Sox starter ruptured his achilles tendon on a routine play Saturday,  attempting to cover first base. Contreras' stats can be made up through strategic use of many pitchers with solid home/road splits. Where he was most effective at home, look to pitchers from Milwaukee or Minnesota to help make up the ground.
• The news is not as good for Orlando Hudson, who will be sidelined the rest of the season with a dislocated wrist. Hudson was one of the more reliable middle-infielders in fantasy baseball this season, but he too can be replaced at second base. Many leagues still find Kaz Matsui available, as well as a few that would let you grab Mike Aviles. Both will provide reliable stats the rest of the way. Otherwise, look to Mark Ellis in Oakland.
• Carl Crawford is hitting the DL, and his status for the rest of the season is unknown. Crawford has a "subluxation of a tendon in his right middle finger." That just SOUNDS painful. Crawford's availability should be doubted the rest of the way until proven otherwise. Personally, we find Crawford to be one of the more overrated fantasy players that has not lived up to the billing this season because of leg injuries. We've seen his power numbers fall off (again) as well. He's not irreplaceable. Look to Marcus Thames, Jason Kubel, and Mark Teahan to help out. They're available in most formats.
• Boston's pitching woes continue. Clay Buchholz was destroyed by the White Sox in three innings of work and, after the game, it was announced that Tim Wakefield will hit the DL with tightness in his shoulder. The Red Sox have the pitching internally to fill in these holes. Josh Beckett will be moved up to start today and look for David Pauley to potentially get the call to pitch Wakefield's next start. As for Buchholz, he shouldn't be owned in any format until he proves he can throw strikes that don't land over the fence.
• Chris Carpenter left with another injury last night. Carpenter had started off well in his comeback bid, but will now be sidelined with a strained triceps muscle. Part of that has to be strictly getting back to the type of throwing that he's doing, but it's a problem nonetheless. Carpenter could have been a decent addition for most teams, but now quickly becomes spot-start material if/when he returns.
• And another injury note, Carlos Lee is lost for the year as well. Lee broke his left pinky after being hit by a slider off the arm of Bronson Arroyo. The six-to-eight-week timeline is enough to basically end any and all fantasy consideration that Lee would have the rest of the way. Erstad will take the everyday left field spot for Houston.
• Ryan Braun was held out of the lineup again yesterday with what is being termed a lower-back injury. Braun hasn't missed much time all season and hasn't had much to deal with in terms of injury in his limited career. It will be important to see how he responds to treatment, but expect him back in the lineup this week if you need to make the weekly call.
• In a bit of good news/bad news, Vernon Wells is back for the Blue Jays, but Scott Rolen is heading to the DL. Wells has much more fantasy relevance and should be added for any team in need of an outfielder as a result of all these injuries. Wells can still produce and be effective the rest of the way.
• Finally, we give up. Let's cry "uncle." Paul Byrd spun a complete game victory on the road against Toronto over the weekend. That's three solid road starts in a row for a guy that has been beyond ineffective away from home from April until mid-July. Byrd hasn't been a good post-All-Star break pitcher either, so none of this adds up. So you know, the second we think he could be a decent play, he'll blow up. Just keep that in mind. For now, we're recommending staying away and checking the weather forecast for flying pigs.

Notes for today's games:

• Three of Fausto Carmona's last four outings have been just plain bad. He's just 4-3 at home on the year with an ERA of 4.76. That said, this is a bad Baltimore offense that just hasn't been able to get going all year. This could be what breaks the slump for Carmona.
• As good as Justin Verlander's run was leading up to the All-Star break, his last three outings have been just as bad. He's given up a total of 18 earned runs in 17-1/3 innings pitched. Two of those bad outings were against the White Sox, and all were within the division. He's held the Blue Jays to a .237 average in his career and has held all batters to a .232 mark this season. When things go bad, they just go very bad. He's struggled against the White Sox and on the road, so the recent stats are skewed. Keep him active today against a weak hitting Toronto team.
• Glen Perkins has had a good run of success at home, but not so much against the Yankees. Perkins has faced them twice this season, posting an 0-2 record, and ERA of 9.00, and a BAA of .429. Not the gamble to take here.
• Sidney Ponson has been hit hard in his last two road outings, and most of the season in general. He's been a pitcher that has been lucky with run support, and that could be the case again today. Ponson still allows batters to hit over .300 against him on the road. Keep him reserved, unless you desperately need the win.
• Josh Beckett has been moved up a day to cover for the injured Tim Wakefield, but is still pitching on normal rest thanks to the off-day on Thursday last week. What we saw out of Beckett last outing is much closer to what we're used to seeing. Orlando Cabrera is 8-32 and Jim Thome has three home runs, despite a .222 average. Those are the best numbers, so keep Beckett active.
• Zach Duke has had limited success against the Mets, but no one has enough at-bats to reveal any trends. What is telling is that Duke is 0-4 on the road in 11 starts. He's put up an ERA of 5.82 and a BAA of .319. Not good numbers to be looking at, especially in an offense that has been depleted.
• Ronnie Belliard is 6-10 against Dave Bush, and Austin Kearns is .313/2/5 in his at-bats against the Brewers starter. Those are the only two numbers to be concerned with at this point. Bush has been good enough at home to still be started in all formats if you need the win or the peripheral numbers to help your cause.
• Joel Pineiro has struggled on the road, so keep all Marlins active. He hasn't had much success in terms of keeping averages down, with lefties hitting .297 against him and righties at .317.
• Ryan Howard is just 2-13 against Derek Lowe, but Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Chase Utley have all had good success against the Dodgers' righty. This is the time to start him, though, as Lowe has a 2.72 home ERA and .211 BAA inside Chavez Ravine. He's a good matchup against Kyle Kendrick to pick up stats if nothing else.
• Spot starts today? Go with Lowe, Bush, and Anibal Sanchez.

Notes for Tuesday:

• We always advocate riding the hot hand until something changes your mind. Given the way Jeff Karstens has pitched, you have to keep him in the lineup against the Reds. He's a solid play, even against Volquez. While the win may not be there, the stats certainly will be.
• Since his run of success early on, Garrett Olson has been nothing but trouble for fantasy owners. He's not a decent option on the road against Cleveland here either, as his splits just don't stack up. Get all Indians into the lineup and don't be afraid of Jeremy Sowers as a spot start.
• Nick Blackburn is 0-2 against the Yankees, but his record at home makes him a healthy gamble. He's 6-2 at home, with an ERA of 2.54. He's also 2-0 already in August. In deep leagues, keep him active.
• Brian Bannister has had a rough year, and it only gets harder for him on the road. Don't expect much out of him in Chicago on Tuesday. Make sure any and all White Sox are in the lineup here. Don't necessarily start Vazquez, as his troubles with the Royals make that a risky play as well.
• Chone Figgins is just 2-22 against Jarrod Washburn, and Torii Hunter is only 7-40, but the remaining Angels should all be in the lineup against the Mariners. In every game, not just this one.
• Clayton Kershaw at home is a decent play, especially given his last outing. The Phillies, as a team, have struggled against lefties enough to make the potential for a win strong in this matchup.
• Early spot start calls? Go with Gio Gonzalez, Jon Garland, Blackburn, and Kershaw.

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