Kuzul

The San Diego Padres are finally playing like we expected them to play this season. Going into Monday, The Friars have dropped ten straight games are holding a very slim one game lead. This might be the end of their magical run, but Cinderella has four more weeks to dance if they can regain their winning ways.

Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds are pulling away in their respective division races. Watch these clubs to rest starters from time to time to keep them fresh for October.

Teams out of the playoff hunt are busy calling up prospects to give them a little Major League exposure, meaning veterans will sit to give the youngsters a chance to play. You’ll want to watch your players closely to avoid too many missed starts.

This week, all teams are scheduled to play at least six games while Chicago (AL), Detroit, Texas, Toronto, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida, Houston, Los Angeles (NL), Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, and St. Louis are all on the docket for seven. The Phillies and Marlins play a doubleheader on Monday.

Now, the projected 2-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider—

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Mat Latos is the San Diego ace, whether the team likes it or not. He’s very young and very talented and gets two home games against division foes Los Angeles and San Francisco. Two wins for the youngster could thrust the Friars back into the playoff chase.

2. Tim Hudson gets a weak Pirates squad in Pittsburgh and then a suddenly slumping St. Louis team at home. Even though there is room for trouble in each game, Hudson has been too dominant this season and this should be a good week for him.

3. Dan Haren will host the Indians and Athletics this week. With the Angels all but out of the playoff hunt, they are playing for pride. That shouldn’t stop Haren from having a big week.

4. Kevin Slowey has had an up and down season, but still has a lot of talent. With the Twins trying to pull away in the division, Slowey gets the Royals at home and the Indians in Cleveland. Looks like a great opportunity to right himself before the playoff start.

5. Vance Worley is up and is trying to make an impression. A home start against Florida and a road start in New York should give him a great opportunity to do that. With the Phillies offense heating up, this kid should get all the run support he needs to shut down two teams playing out the string

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com. Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Matt Kemp has had a poor season for the lofty expectations that were set for him. I projected the Los Angeles centerfielder at .301 BA/25 HR/111 RBI/28 SB. He was ranked as the second best fantasy outfielder by most, but just hasn’t been that good. He is currently at .255/22/74/18.

While most players would be more than happy to post these numbers for a season, Kemp has been outperformed by teammate Andre Ethier and there have even been trade rumors regarding moving Kemp from the Dodgers.

For those in keeper leagues, now is the time to pounce. This guy turns 26 at the end of September and is likely to return to his once lofty status. The batting average and RBI are lower than expected, but he quietly went .302/5/17/3 in August. This is not a guy to ignore, Kemp is a guy to pursue and his owner might be willing to sell him at a discount.

Another Dodgers outfielder not putting up numbers expected of him is Manny Ramirez. He appears to be on his way to Chicago’s south side. A grumpy Manny is not a useful piece to his team, but a happy Manny can be a one-man wrecking crew.

For a reminder of his ability to turn it on, see his stats from 2008 when he was traded to the Dodgers. After sulking in Boston for 100 games, he was sitting at .299/20/68, but in only 53 games with the Dodgers, Man-Ram posted a line of .396/17/53. The moral of the story is that Manny gets bored and needs a change of scenery to regain his interest. He’s about to get the change he desires.

This week, all teams are scheduled to play at least six games while Cleveland, New York (both), Oakland, Seattle, Atlanta, Colorado, and Philadelphia are all on the docket for seven.

Now, the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider:

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Roy Halladay. Best pitcher in baseball. Enough said.

2. Carlos Zambrano has had his fair share of drama this season but when his head is in the game, he is one of the best. Getting the Pirates and Mets at home this week will be the right tonic for Big Z.

3. Phil Hughes gets Oakland and Toronto at home. What’s not to like?

4. Wade LeBlanc gets the benefit of two starts this week for a somehow still upright Padres team. This team is still winning despite all the signs that say they should be mediocre. LeBlanc will take advantage at Arizona and at home against Colorado.

5. Jair Jurrjens is a tremendous pitcher at home and mediocre on the road. He gets the Mets in Atlanta and then the Marlins on the road, so look for one big outing and then a crap shoot in the second matchup.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com. Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As we watch Stephen Strasburg and Ricky Nolasco shut down for the year with surgery likely looming in their futures, and Cody Ross and Rod Barajas given away to other teams, we think how strange the last six weeks of the baseball season are.

Though their injuries are serious, Strasburg and Nolasco remind us that young pitchers with the slightest of injuries can be shut down for the season in fear of making a small problem worse by exposing them to more wear and tear on their arms. The Nationals and Marlins will look closer at the injuries this week, but either way, these young players are done for 2010. Cut bait and find a useful arm.

Ross was awarded to San Francisco after the Giants claimed him off waivers this week. They are already too full in their outfield with Pat Burrell, Jose Guillen, Aaron Rowand, and Andres Torres looking for at bats, but now they add the left handed Ross to the mix. At least they didn’t let him slip to a possible contender.

The Dodgers were in need of a catcher and were awarded Barajas from the Mets. With Russell Martin out for the rest of the season, Barajas will provide the Dodgers with some pop from behind the dish.
All of these situations were unforeseen just a few days ago, but they all help shape the fantasy landscape.

The winners will be the starters in Washington and Florida who pick up starts, Barajas who finds himself with full time at bats again and anyone who picks up Cameron Maybin, Ross’ replacement in Florida’s center field. All the Giant outfielders will lose at-bats, not to mention Brad Ausmus and A.J. Ellis will find themselves with few at-bats down the stretch.

This week Detroit, Minnesota, Texas, Toronto, Houston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Washington are all on the docket for seven games. All other teams are scheduled to play six games this week.

Now, the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider—

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Adam Wainwright. If you don’t know why, you haven’t been paying attention. He also gets two patsies (at PIT, at WAS).

2. Matt Cain seems to be back in the saddle after a rough patch following the All-Star Game. He gets two games at home (where he is a much better pitcher than on the road) against two teams (vs CIN, vs ARZ) that can hit or be shut down on any given night. Cain should handle these two outings well and is likely to reward you this week.

3. Tim Hudson gets two challenging games (at COL, vs FLA) this week. The first at Colorado is dangerous for the obvious offensive reasons at cavernous Coors Field, but many pitchers tend to struggle in the game after they visit Denver as they try to recover from the high altitude and the stresses it puts on the body. Huddy is having a great season, but these are two potential landmines.

4. Two road games aren’t a good indicator of success on the week, but Josh Johnson isn’t an average pitcher. He goes to New York and Atlanta for a couple of divisional matchups in two stadiums that seem to favor pitchers. Look for his strikeouts and ratios this week and maybe a win or two.

5. Colby Lewis has very quietly had a very good season. His 9-10 record doesn’t tell the whole story quite as much as his 3.37 ERA and 1.17 WHIP do. His ERA is below 3.00 at home, where he gets Minnesota and Oakland this week. His offense might not score a lot for him, but the ratios should be good as always. Play him confidently.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com. Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Now is the time of the season to be the most diligent. As some owners are losing interest in the baseball marathon and gearing up for their fantasy football draft, now is the time to make your move. With their lack of focus, you can move up the standings.

The long baseball season takes focus and dedication, and it is easy to refocus your attention elsewhere when your team is not living up to expectations. The best part about fantasy sports is that there’s always another sport and another opportunity just around the corner if the last one didn’t work out like you planned. But if you are in the hunt, now is the time to be vigilant scanning the waiver wire and making trade offers that can move you into the money or towards the championship.

Of note, the Texas Rangers are scheduled to play only five games this week while Arizona, Baltimore, Boston, both Chicago teams, Kansas City, Milwaukee, New York (AL), and San Francisco are all on the docket for seven. All other teams are scheduled to play six games this week.

Now are the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider:

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Chris Carpenter is a must play any week he gets two starts. The first matchup is a tough divisional battle (at CIN) but the second should be a walk in the park (vs CHC). You have to play Carpenter if he is on your squad.

2. Stephen Strasburg gets two teams who are already looking towards next season at home (vs FLA, vs ARZ). Neither has an offense that will do much and the boy wonder is likely to strike out a ton this week. This is a guy you want.

3. Ervin Santana gets two great matchups at home (vs KC, vs TOR). The Angels are desperate to catch up in the A.L. West, so two wins here would go a long way to helping the team’s playoff chances and your fantasy team’s stats.

4. Wade LeBlanc gets two weak offenses (at SF, vs PIT). The Padres continue to defy logic and win games. This week should be no different.

5. Jon Lester is a heck of a pitcher, but gets two tough teams on the road (at NYY, at TEX) this week. Neither matchup is favorable, but this kind of pitcher is the kind you have to play.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com. Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As we have now passed the Major League non-waiver trade deadline, watch certain teams closely. Teams who have decided that they are out of the running are likely to do things that will benefit their team for the future, rather than what might be of benefit right now.

For instance, while the Houston Astros traded their two biggest stars in Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman , they have turned to youngsters to build their experience. The Astros brought up Brett Wallace to see what he can do in the big league lineup. Though his glove is substandard, will his bat measure up? They are likely to give him the next nine weeks of baseball to find out. That time in the lineup can affect the owners of Hunter Pence , Michael Bourn , and Carlos Lee if Wallace doesn’t live up to his hype. A downgrade from Berkman to a poor-hitting Wallace will hurt other Astros. But if Wallace is the real deal, the rest of the offense can benefit.

You also have to keep an eye on the competitors. Teams will juggle their rotations to either rest starters or position certain pitchers to face or avoid certain teams. The Tampa Bay Rays will bring up studly prospect Jeremy Hellickson to start Monday, but will likely be send him back down afterward. This is being done to give their five starters extra rest to make sure they have enough gas in the tank for their playoff run.

The moral of the story is to watch how each MLB team uses your fantasy players and plan their starts accordingly. There is little more frustrating than seeing your guy not playing in games that you expected them to do so.

Now, the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider:

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Roy Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball. You don’t really need to know he gets the Marlins on the road or the Mets at home, but there you go.

2. Tim Hudson gets two weak offenses (vs NYM, vs SF) at home. He’s been awesome since returning from Tommy John surgery, so play him with confidence.

3. Trevor Cahill gets two good offenses at home. The Royals and Rangers are coming to town, but Cahill has been lights out lately and has only yielded a 2.19 ERA at home this season. He should reward you this week.

4. Mat Latos gets the Dodgers at home and Arizona on the road. Arizona has already given up and the Dodgers shouldn’t be too long for it. Latos is the next young star pitcher, so ride him this week and see what he does for your fantasy squad.

5. I don’t like the second matchup in the Bronx (at NYY), but the first one against the Cleveland White Flaggers is very promising for Josh Beckett . If you can pull him after the first start, you might want to do so, but Beckett is a big game pitcher.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com . Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As we approach the Major League Baseball trade deadline, a lot can change with your fantasy team without you lifting a finger. Stars can be acquired on teams that end up pushing lesser players to the bench, and all of a sudden your starting third baseman is a part-time player. If you play in one of the quickly-becoming-extinct AL-only or NL-only leagues, you know you just lost Dan Haren from your league or else he just became available for all your FAAB dollars.

Speaking of Haren, be wary of teams who posture too much about acquiring players but never do. The New York Yankees were front and center of all trade rumors surrounding Cliff Lee and Dan Haren, but when the deal was finally struck, they were nowhere to be found. They only have a few players that anyone would be willing to trade for (Robinson Cano , Phil Hughes , Joba Chamberlain , and Jesus Montero), but the Yankees aren’t about to trade them away.

Don’t let this be your fantasy team, because no one will take you seriously when you decide that you want to acquire someone. The guy who talks a lot of smack but rarely shows any action is quickly dismissed as a wannabe, unless you have the Yankees bottomless pockets and can buy players and their bad contracts.

Now, the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider:

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Josh Johnson pitches in two pitchers’ parks (at SF, at SD) against two weak offenses. This is a no brainer for a guy with a 1.61 ERA.

2. Francisco Liriano has been dominant in six of his last nine starts and games at Kansas City, and home against Seattle should just help him pad his stats. This guy has finally got the 2006-07 form back again.

3. and 4. Gavin Floyd and John Danks both get Seattle and Oakland at home. There is no reason not to play either this week.

5. Facing the Braves and Phillies isn’t usually a recipe for making this list, but Stephen Strasburg isn’t your average pitcher. He gets both divisional juggernauts at home so the wins probably won’t materialize, but look for good ratios and strikeouts from the phenom.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com . Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

We are now just past the midway point of the 2010 season and it is time for a little self-reflection.

Do you have a chance to compete or is it time to start preparing for fantasy football ? (Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy Football now available) Understanding your league rules and looking at results realistically will be the key to success.

In my NFBC league, I am behind in strikeouts by almost 50 Ks. I’m sure my team can get more than 50 strikeouts before the end of the season, but the team ahead of me will assuredly keep piling up the Ks too.

So the question is can I pick up 50 Ks more than my opponent for the remainder of the season given the current players on our two teams?

Since he is beating me so far and none of my players was underperforming too much, it is unrealistic to expect to make up that ground. So I should use this opportunity to try to make up points in other categories instead while punting strikeouts for the rest of the season.

Depending on your league rules, your decisions can vary.

If you are in a re-draft league, you have no way to keep your players for next season and have no choice but to keep playing for this season, no matter how far down in the standings you are.

If you decide to abandon your team, that is your choice, but don’t give your best players away for next to nothing to another team. You’d be pretty upset if a competitor of yours got the same advantage if you were challenging them.

If you are in a league that allows keepers then you have to decide if it is best to be a seller or a buyer.

Just like a Major League general manager, you must decide if your team is in contention or if it is time to start selling pieces in preparation for next season.

Have your players underperformed in the first half and are reasonably expected to find their second half swing? Or do you trade some youth for a difference maker that can help give your team an edge on the competition?

If so, give it a go and see if you can find yourself in the playoffs, where anything can happen. But if your team is just not excelling like you had hoped, maybe it is time to sell off the players not worth keeping and find a few who are.

Now, the projected 2-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider:

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. Chris Carpenter gets the Phillies at home and the Cubs in Chicago. You can’t go wrong with the big righty.

2. Ubaldo Jimenez goes on the road for games at Florida and Philadelphia. He’s too dominant to let you down.

3. Phil Hughes hosts the Angels and Royals. Both have good hitting squads, but Hughes has figured out this starting thing and will get plenty of run support.

4. Mike Leake is still befuddling hitters. It will likely be next season before they start to catch up, so enjoy two weak offenses flailing away (vs WAS, at HOU).

5. Going on the road is never good for newbie rookies, but Dan Hudson will face two weak hitting teams in pitchers parks (at SEA, at OAK). This kid has success written all over him so play him with confidence.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com . Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

What on earth is going on down in San Diego? Most every baseball pundit predicted the Padres would be one of the worst teams in baseball and would likely be shipping off their best players at the trade deadline. Instead, the Padres are looking for a durable pitcher as well as a legitimate bat as they are trying to hold their division lead. Selling Adrian Gonzalez or Heath Bell to the highest bidder is not part of the equation that likely involves the team taking on more payroll in an attempt to compete right now.

Why they are winning is kind of a mystery. Their payroll is just over $38 million, the second lowest in MLB. The offseason commitment to adding talent was more geared toward building for the future rather than trying to win in the present. Yet somehow they are leading the NL West by two games at the break and Baseball Prospectus even gives them a 60 percent chance of making the playoffs .

With so many low expectations, where are the Pads exceeding those expectations and winning games they shouldn’t be winning? They only have one regular batting above .300 and three slugging above .400, so their bats are certainly not tearing things up.

Adrian Gonzalez leads the team in batting average, runs scored, home runs, runs batted in, on base percentage, and hits. His team lead in home runs is 10 and RBI is 24, so he’s carrying the offensive load where the rest are just simply spare parts.

Petco Park is well known for being a pitchers park and the team ERA certainly shows that. The team ERA is a MLB-leading 3.25, but the ERA in home games is 2.89. Opponents are hitting .238 against San Diego pitchers in all games and .228 in San Diego. These stats show that pitching is winning games for the Pads.

Injuries have more to do with a team’s successes as almost anything else, and the Padres have only been significantly hurt by the loss of starting pitcher Chris Young . Otherwise, the team has been pretty healthy, which is more than their division foes can say.

All four division rivals have had significant injury problems that have slowed their progress this season. Not that the injuries to their competition is the only reason for the Padres’ success this season, but it is one factor. It is as much to their credit that they took advantage of those injuries to rise above their foes.

So what about the future? First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and closer Heath Bell would be welcome on any team in baseball. Starting pitcher Mat Latos is the real deal. Outfielder Kyle Blanks is blocked at his primary position by Gonzalez, but a bat like his will always find a spot in the lineup. Third baseman Chase Headley is starting to live up to expectations. But this team is rather thin after that. It just doesn’t appear to be a team built to win this year or any other in the near future, so don’t build up too many high expectations. The Padres are definitely a greater whole than the sum of their parts.

There once was a team of Padres
Whose players’ offense was very passe
But their pitchers were stout
And their faith was devout
That in first place they could stay

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com . Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

A few players could provide your club with a nice boost if you are willing to scan the waiver wire. Coco Crisp and his fresh legs could provide steals. Tom Gorzelanny’s newfound rotation opportunity could provide strikeouts. And Aubrey Huff is a surprising source for most offensive stats, along with a little position flexibility.

Also, with the rash of injuries to middle infielders (Troy Tulowitzki, Dustin Pedroia, Brian Roberts, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins), a plethora of unusual suspects, like Bill Hall, Jonathan Herrera, and Wilson Valdez, are getting opportunities. These guys could help you.

Eight teams in each league play seven games this week while the others all play six.

Now, the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For anyone in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are starters you should strongly consider:

Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. C.C. Sabathia faces two weak offenses in pitchers’ parks (at OAK, at SEA). Carston Charles should have a big week.

2. Felix Hernandez gets a cupcake (KC) and a juggernaut (NYY) this week, both at home. Play him confidently.

3. Roy Halladay has been beatable over the last month, losing six of his last eight starts. But in those eight starts, he’s only thrown two clunkers (against two AL powers, Boston and New York). So feel confident in the best pitcher in baseball. The reason he’s No. 3, and not No. 1, is because he is facing two very tough opponents (vs ATL, vs CIN).

4. After a putrid performance for most of April and May, Jake Peavy seems to have finally figured out the American League style of baseball. Home games against the Angels and Royals will provide Peavy an opportunity to keep going in the right direction.

5. Jeff Niemann has been downright nasty this season. He gets Boston and Cleveland at home and should be good for a strong week.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com. Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Mariners trade for Russell Branyan is a valuable lesson for all fantasy owners: when you are out of contention, don’t start trading your future for the present, no matter who it is. If you are out of the hunt, realize that and start planning for next year. The only exception to this rule is if they already have another deal worked out, like sending Branyan in a trade with Cliff Lee to another team for a much better package of minor leaguers.

Interleague play is over so all players are back to their expected roles. 12 NL teams and three AL teams play seven games while the Boston Red Sox only play five games this week.

Now, here are the projected two-start pitchers for this week. For those of you in leagues who require you to set your lineup at the beginning of the week, these are guys you should strongly consider:

Rick’s Picks
Five best bets for double-start pitchers this week

1. and 2. Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter get two teams that are considering when to start their fire sales (vs. ARZ, vs. MIL). The two best pitchers in the National League don’t need this much help from their opponents, but it sure helps.

3. Tim Hudson has found his way back after Tommy John surgery and is pitching very well. Two mediocre opponents at home (vs. WAS, vs. FLA) is a good recipe for success this week.

4. Stephen Strasburg is pitching great, but gets two very tough opponents (at ATL, vs. NYM). Don’t expect him to go away empty handed, but temper your expectations a bit.

5. Barry Zito has found the fountain of youth again and is finally somewhat earning his ridiculous salary. Though he gets two tough division opponents (vs. LAD, at COL), he should do just fine.

Rick Milleman is the head fantasy baseball contributor at DraftBuddy.com . Check his annual player projections included in the Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy to help draft your championship team.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com