MLB Fantasy Baseball: Tuesday News and Notes

With such a light slate across baseball, the action and notes are harder to come by. Fear not, as we have taken the best of the best and looked at the night that was to make sure we have our bases covered. It's just how the 'Table rolls. Let's get to it.

• Before the beginning of THE big series against Minnesota, Ozzie Guillen thought it would be a good idea to call out his starter, Javier Vazquez. No doubt, Vazquez has struggled, and the Twins have hit him hard. This doesn't make the situation any better or any worse, but it would have been nice to call him out against a team he's had more success against. Vazquez shrugged it off, but if he's as soft as we think he is, this could be more of a disaster.
• Jed Lowrie had been one of our favorite players as a pickup for those that have lost some players on the left side of the infield. Lowrie, though, is making sure that he doesn't live up to the hype he had back in July. His average has fallen 50 points in the last six weeks, down to the .260 range. Last night, he managed to strand a small village on the bases last night, including the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth. He's better than what the Sox had thrown out there, but the race is getting closer.
• The Red Sox have the best average in the league against left-handed pitching, and they did manage to knock Zach Jackson around pretty well. Problem is, they also seem to make young pitchers look better than they actually are. Maybe you can make this argument about most teams, but take a look at their record when they face a pitcher for the first time. Average and wins aren't easy to come by for them in those situations.
• Gary Sheffield was suspended four games for his role in the brawl with the Indians last week. He will not appeal. Fausto Carmona and Victor Martinez, who were suspended six and three games respectively, will appeal their penalties and are expected to play in the series against Boston the rest of the way. For a team that's out of it, I wouldn't want to start next season with two of my better players sidelined to start the season. Maybe that's just me.
• Miguel Cabrera left last night's game against Kansas City with tightness in his back. His status is uncertain for tonight's games, but look to reserve him if you have the options available. We don't like to take chances at this point in the finals. You need to have guys out there that will be certain to play.
• The Cubs clinched home-field advantage yesterday, so look for them to start to get their rotation ready for the playoffs. Owners of Dempster, Zambrano, and Harden should be especially wary, as an extra off day for these pitchers is likely. The Cubs are also likely to start to rest starters and make sure they have fresh bats for the start of the playoffs.
• Sticking with the Cubs, we always view first base as a power position. That's not what you get if you draft Derrek Lee. Lee hit what was just his 20th home run of the season last night to go with a .293 average. I'm not saying that he's a bad option at first, but I am saying that Stephen Drew hit his 20th home run last night as well. Lee will give your team average, but you will need to find power elsewhere if you wait to draft the Cubs first basemen in your league.
• Joey Votto knocked his 22nd home run of the year last night. This time of year is certainly good for watching what the future could be with some of the younger players. The Reds have two that have really come on to the scene this season. Votto is hitting .288 with 22 home runs and 79 RBI, complementing Jay Bruce incredibly well at this point. The two should be a solid combination next year, and would do some damage if the Reds get some pitching help.
• The night after I pump him up as one of the better closing options heading in to next season, Brad Ziegler blows the game against the Rangers. Hey, it happens. It just seems to happen to these guys the second they get mentioned in our articles. Good times!

Notes for Tuesday

• The Yankees need a win tonight to keep any playoff hopes they have alive. Mike Mussina is just 2-2 for the month with an ERA at 4.70. While he's 7-2 on the road, batters are hitting .302 against him away from the Bronx. As a team, Toronto is at .313, led by Alex Rios and Vernon Wells. Doesn't look like a good matchup for Moose, keep him down if you can.
• As good as Jesse Litsch has been, he has looked awful in two starts against the Yankees. He's been able to register just a combined eight innings. Litsch, though, has been very different since he came back up, and is now 7-2 at home on the season. In deep leagues, he's still worth the gamble, especially given his opponent's record against the Jays this season.
• James Shields is 2-0 against Baltimore in four starts this season, but has struggled on the road on the year. He's only been to Camden Yards once this season, turning in an impressive victory. Roberts, Markakis, Millar, and Huff have given Shields enough problems to keep them active.
• The Rays and Orioles have two games to play today, keep that in mind as you look at lineups. It's possible you'll see regulars in just one of the two games, and judging by the pitching matchups it will likely be the early game. You need to start your best options here, but something to keep in mind as you set lineups.
• Jered Weaver has had two solid starts this month and is coming off an impressive outing against the Mariners earlier in September. He's pitching on normal rest, so don't let the shift in rotation fool you here. Weaver is a good option today and should be started if you can get to him.
• While Polanco, Inge, and Renteria have put up decent numbers against Zack Greinke, the Tigers true stars have struggled to numbers below .200 against him. The Royals starter is 3-1 on the month, and has pitched well against the Tigers this season. While he isn't great on the road, the other numbers give you reason to keep him active.
• Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't recorded a win against the Giants, but in three starts he has an ERA under 1.00. He's 2-0 in September, but has struggled more on the road than at home. His matchup for a win isn't very favorable, going against Tim Linceum, but he's proven he can pitch against the Giants. In deep leagues, take a flyer.
• Wandy Rodriguez is making his return to the Houston rotation following a strained oblique muscle that kept him sidelined. That's another injury that can jsut nag at a player. I'm not in favor of starting him today, but I would get my Reds into the lineup, especially the two young guys we mentioned above. Rodriguez has a 4.42 ERA against the Reds in three starts this season.
• The Padres have good numbers against Chad Billingsley. Khalil Greene (.583/1/2), Adrian Gonzalez (.304), and even Kevin Kouzmanoff (.280), should be active against him. Billingsley is 0-2 against the Padres this season, but is 9-4 at home for the year
• Backing off the Scott Olsen call from yesterday. Olsen has struggled on the road for most of the season, and, even against the Nationals, this doesn't pose as a good matchup to use in the finals of any format. Look for other options.
• Spot Starts: Dave Bush, Scott Baker, Ubaldo Jimenez, Garrett Olson.

Notes for Wednesday

• Brett Myers is coming off his first really bad outing since he came back from the minors. He gave up ten runs to the Marlins, and that has skewed his monthly stats. Given what he's done, he can lay an egg on one start. He's been a good enough option since July, and you always dance with the girl that brought you. Keep him in there.
• Want some offense? Start players from Detroit and Kansas City. Brian Bannister is opposing Nate Robertson. I'm convinced we could get some guys together and get a few hits off of either of these two. Their ERA's are awful, Bannister can't get anyone out on the road, and neither team is really going anywhere. From Teahan to Thames, get these guys into lineups.
• A.J. Burnett has been filthy against the Yankees, posting a 3-1 record and 1.78 ERA in four starts this season. The Yankees haven't known what to do with the guy. If you can afford to bench even your star Yankee players, that's the recommendation here. Burnett is in line for one of the better matchups of the day. Given batters are hitting just .185 against him in September, the signs get better.
• Mark Buehrle hasn't had much luck with the Twins or on the road. Against Minnesota, he's 1-2 with a 5.79 ERA. On the road, his record is just 4-8 with a 5.14 ERA. While Justin Morneau is hitting just .229 against him, the Twins as a team are at .313. Bench Buehrle and go with your Twins starters.
• Paul Byrd gets the ball against his old team at home. These guys know Byrd, and they know he has a tendency to tip his pitches. Last time out, he was able to mix in a change in delivery to give hitters a different look, but I'm not sold on how this will work against guys that know his tendencies. He's a cautious play, even at home.
• Jon Garland continues to record wins, but he does it at the expense of nearly every other major pitcher's statistic. He's 2-1 against Seattle, but his ERA is too dangerous to want to play with, especially on the road where his numbers get worse. Felix Hernandez hasn't been a whole lot better against the Angels, but he is good at home. The matchup for Garland just doesn't work in his favor.
• Spot Starts: Clayton Kershaw, Randy Wolf, Josh Johnson, and Odalis Perez.

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