Fantasy Baseball: Tuesday News and Notes

At this point, everyone should be focusing on the playoffs. The field has been narrowed, and the title is getting closer for many. Owners need to be certain to create opportunities and watch players that seem to be sidelined for unexplained reasons.

Unless you are certain that an injured player is going to be in the lineup, the gamble simply is not worth taking. Not now. 

Injuries are piling up, and it is only a matter of time before some players are shut down for the season with their team out of contention. Unfortunately, those players are not often put on the DL. That makes dropping them a bit of a risk.  

Make moves that continue to fit with your ultimate goal. Fewer teams means that there are likely less owners paying attention. Players that you drop not be helping your team. Do not worry about what they will do to your opponents. Remember, there is a reason they are not in your lineup. 

On to the notes. 

Monday Rewind

• Alfonso Soriano continues to sit with knee problems. While the Cubs have not shut him down for the season, there is really nothing to gain by playing him. All the team risks is making the injury harder to come back from next season. Best to keep him out of the lineup entirely as opposed to taking the chance that he might be in the lineup.
• Josh Hamilton received a second injection in his back and is likely out until the weekend. Hamilton continues to nurse an aggravated nerve in his back. With the Rangers fighting for the playoffs, Hamilton will no doubt look to be back quickly. Still, owners should not expect him in their lineups prior to Friday.
• Tim Wakefield will not make a start for another nine days or so. The Red Sox are being very conservative with the veteran hurler because of the injuries he has sustained. Wakefield was only adequate in his last start and is being bothered by lingering problems with his back and calf.
• J.A. Happ missed his scheduled start on Monday after straining a muscle in his side during warmups. Happ has suffered this injury before, but feels he should be good with some limited rest. It could cause him to miss at least one more start based on his comments from yesterday.
• Carlos Pena is done for the season. Pena was hit on the hand by a C.C. Sabathia pitch that broke two of his fingers. The slugger has been one of the best spots in the lineup for Tampa, and this is certainly a significant blow for those who were hoping to see him hit more home runs than singles.
• Clayton Kershaw will not make his next start. In what can only be described as a dumb and freak injury, Kershaw bruised his shoulder while shagging flies in the outfield prior to the game last night. The lefty will not pitch on Friday as scheduled, but hopes to make his next start. Look for Randy Wolf to be moved up a day to make the start for the Dodgers.
• Troy Tulowitzki left yesterday's game in the seventh inning after straining a muscle in his back. The Rockies shortstop singled in the inning to drive in a run but was unable to continue. No word on his status heading in to the rest of this week, but owners should look to avoid him today if possible.
• Chris Carpenter continues to make his pitch for the Cy Young. Carpenter tossed a one-hit shutout against the Brewers yesterday to record his 16th win of the season. He continues to be dominant, picking up where he left off prior to injury. In looking at pitchers next season, Carpenter needs to be near the top of your lists.
• Mark Reynolds is just three for his last 21, but has been suffering from effects of the flu. Reynolds lost 12 pounds in a week, and certainly seemed to be lacking in strength despite a return to the lineup. He will get better, but he needs to be at 100 percent. Expect a few days off here and there as he gets to that point.

Tuesday Notes

• While John Lannan is 5-1 at home with a sub-3.00 ERA, he continues to have problems with the Phillies. Lannan is 0-2 against them this season, posting a 5.17 ERA in three starts. As a team, Philadelphia has hit nearly .300 against him in 2009 and have added four home runs in 19.2 innings.
• Ryan Dempster has given up only four earned runs in his last 20 innings of work. Dempster does not have much of a track record against this particular Pirates team, mainly because it was sold for spare parts. He struggled against an earlier version in one appearance in 2009. Put more stock into the recent starts than in the history.
• Justin Upton is just 1-for-13 against Chad Billingsley. Also be careful of starting either Chad Tracy or Reynolds in this matchup, as neither have hit above .235 against the Los Angeles starter. Stephen Drew is a solid play in this one. He has hit .394 against Billingsley in the past.
• No doubt he is dominant at home, and Tim Lincecum's pedigree should never have owners thinking about benching him. Still, in deeper leagues, look to start Kevin Kouzmanoff. He already has driven in 83 runs this season and is 11-for-31 lifetime against Lincecum.
• Felix Hernandez was able to keep the Angels at bay during his last start against them, but this next one comes in Anaheim. The Angels have a solid track record against the ace, as evidenced by the bulk of the order hitting north of .300 against him. Start Kendry Morales and your normal Angels. Look to avoid the 1-for-15 of Juan Rivera and the 2-for-18 of Howie Kendrick.
• David Price is simply not a play on the road at all. He has given up 16 runs in his last 22.1 innings of work away from home. For the season, he is 1-4 with a 6.81 ERA in eight road starts. The Yankees have been hitting all too well for this to be a good gamble in the playoffs for owners in any format.
• Rick Porcello has seemingly found his groove again. Porcello had a bump in the road against Oakland, but has allowed more than two earned runs only once in his last six starts. He is still young, but this is a bad Kansas City team he will be facing. On top of that, Bruce Chen is the opposition. Even an average start should generate a win.
• If you can explain this, certainly send an email this way. Manny Parra is 2-1 against the Cardinals this season in four starts. The Cardinals have hit just .211 against him as a team, and Parra has allowed only 20 hits in 26 innings of work. The Milwaukee starter is coming off a win against them on the road. He is a reach even in deep leagues, but there seems to be something there this season.
• While the Rangers continue to play good baseball, they go into the double-header against the Indians already short-handed. Aaron Laffey held them scoreless over six innings in his only outing against them this season, but has gone 4-0 at home with a 1.90 ERA in that span.
• Spot Starts: Laffey, Clay Buchholz, Porcello

Wednesday Notes

• Do not look for much help from the Brewers against Adam Wainwright. Prince Fielder is only 5-for-24 and even Ryan Braun is 6-for-25. Given that two shortstops are up, bet on J.J. Hardy being on the bench. Against Wainwright he is only 5-for-26. Just not good enough to start.
• Casey Blake, Manny Ramirez, and Andre Ethier are all solid bets against Dan Haren. Ramirez is 13-for-24 with two home runs against the Arizona ace. If you can avoid Rafael Furcal and Russell Martin, you should do so. Neither have been able to break above the Mendoza line against Haren.
• Adrian Beltre has done nothing but struggle against Jered Weaver. Beltre is a .212 hitter in 33 at-bats and does not have a home run. Who could be a sleeper play for owners? Check out Kenji Johjima. The catcher is 12-for-29 against Weaver lifetime.
• Get Billy Butler in you lineups against Justin Verlander. Butler has two home runs and is 10-for-23 against the Detroit pitcher. Otherwise, there is not much to speak of in terms of offense for Kansas City. While Verlander has a 4.14 ERA on the road, he has been too good lately to risk loading any sort of lineup with reaches from Kansas City.
• If you were told that Barry Zito had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last 10 starts, would you buy it? He has been that good since the All-Star break, and owners are starting to take notice. Zito is 0-3 this season against the Padres, but chalk it up to him being due.
• Spot Starts: Barry Zito, Jeff Niemann, Trevor Cahill

Collin Hager writes The Elmhurst Pub fantasy blog. You can get your questions answered by sending an e-mail to [e-mail]. He's also on Twitter @TheRoundtable.