Kuzul

Yovani Gallardo of the Milwaukee Brewers has been officially placed on the disabled list retroactive to July 5 with a strained left oblique he suffered in the bottom of the third inning on Sunday. Fantasy baseball owners will greatly miss the 8-4 Gallardo with his 2.58 ERA and 9.83 strikeouts per nine innings.

Jordan Schelling of Brewers.com noted that despite being recently named to the National League All-Star team, Gallardo will not take part due to the injury. He will miss a minimum of two starts, and if all goes well, will be eligible to come off the disabled list July 20.  

In the meantime, if you need to fill the void left by Gallardo, or even Clay Buchholz, who was also recently sent to the disabled list, consider these ten options:

Begin Slideshow

This is a weekly focus on the hurlers that dominated their adversaries. These pitchers put up nasty numbers and made big league hitters wish they were playing T-Ball again.

1)    Edwin Jackson Ari

9 IP, 8 BB, 6 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

Edwin Jackson is yet another pitcher to join the list of no-hitters this year. He tossed 149 pitches against the Rays to put his name in the history books.

Jackson ’s outings leading up to his no-hitter weren’t spectacular. He was dragging around a 5.05 ERA before that night. The previous game against Detroit, he gave up nine hits in seven innings.

It would appear that fantasy owners aren’t biting on his recent success, either. He is only owned by 51.1 percent of owners with a slight increase of 2.5 percent in ESPN leagues. His current record of 5-6 and a 4.63 ERA isn’t exactly something that makes you jump out of your chair.

Much like Dallas Braden, the fantasy owners’ look at your total work and not one game.

He has posted a 1.62 ERA with two consecutive wins with 16 innings pitched in the last two weeks.

Regardless of his lack of success in the weeks prior, Jackson pitched a no-hitter and deserves the top spot for his performance last week.

2)    Chris Carpenter StL

8 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

Carpenter took a line drive off his forearm and is listed day-to-day. He is still likely to make his next scheduled start.

He is currently 9-1 with a 2.70 ERA. He already has 100 strike outs in 116 innings pitched.

3)    Mariano Rivera NYY

5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 8 K, 2 W, 0.00 ERA

Whenever there is talk about him getting old, he puts up phenomenal numbers. He was able to pick up two wins and sit down eight with strikeouts last week.           

Rivera has a 2-1 record with 17 saves and a 0.92 ERA for the season so far.

4)    Yovani Gallardo Mil

9 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 12 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

Gallardo is a killer on the mound. He was sitting down batters like an usher at a wedding.

He is 8-3 with a 2.56 ERA and 120 strike outs for the season.

5)    Carl Pavano Min

9 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

Pavano got the shut out victory after a grueling nine innings last week.

Pavano is one of the hottest players in fantasy free agency. His ownership sky rocketed by 26 percent in ESPN leagues.

He has a 9-6 record and has a nice 3.33 ERA with 59 strikeouts for the season.

6)    Jamie Moyer Phi

15 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 12 K, 2 W, 1.80 ERA

Moyer simply spot on last week with two wins and only a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings pitched.

The fantasy world still has no respect for Moyer. His ownership only jumped 5 percent to a total ownership of 12 percent in ESPN leagues. His high season ERA is keeping owners from taking a chance on him despite his recent success.

He is 3-0 for the last two weeks and touted a nice 1.96 ERA since mid-June.

He has a 9-6 record with a 4.30 ERA with 51 strike outs this season.

7)    Trevor Cahill Oak

7.2 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

          He has a 0.99 WHIP and is undefeated in June.

Cahill is fantasy baseball’s sexy waiver pick up with 35 percent increase in ownership in ESPN leagues.

He has a 7-2 record with a 2.88 ERA and 1.08 WHIP this season.

8)    Jon Lester Bos

15 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 15 K, 1 W, 1 L, 1.20 ERA

Boston has been bitten by the injury bug. With Beckett, Pedroia, Martinez, and Ellsbury on the DL it is amazing that they are nipping at the heels of the first place Yankees.

Lester’s performances on the hill would have a lot to do with their recent success.

Lester only allowed one run against the Giants in a complete game earning him the win with nine strikeouts.

He ended up with a loss despite a fantastic outing against the Rockies, giving up only one run.

He is 9-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 111 strikeouts for the season.

9)    Jake Peavy CWS

7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 9 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

In June, Peavy was excellent with a 1.75 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.

He has a 1.23 ERA with 21 strikeouts in the last two weeks.

It would appear most of the fantasy owners who dropped Peavy during his early season struggles have picked him back up.

He is 7-6 with a 4.70 ERA and 91 strike outs.

10) J.J. Putz CWS

3 IP, 1 K, 2 W, 0.00 ERA

Putz pitched only three innings last week but was able to pick up two wins and a save. Bobby Jenks was on the shelf, but looks to be returning soon which would push Putz back into his set up role.

There is no reason to pick him up off waivers, as his fantasy value after this week will dwindle.

Putz is simply being recognized for the job he did while Jenks was away.

Honorable Mentions*

Roy Halladay Phi 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 W, 0.00 ERA

Gavin Floyd CWS 7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 9 K, No Decision, 0.00 ERA

Derek Lowe Atl 7 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Baseball’s Pitching Line of the Week:

Yovani Gallardo (SP-MIL) 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K, W

According to reports out of Milwaukee, there has been another sighting of “El Chupacabra” at Miller Park. This legendary creature, who traditionally lives in the minds of Latin Americans, is said to attack an array of wild stock and leave them for dead after consuming their blood. 

I know that Yovani Gallardo serves his victims a steady diet of fastballs, sliders, curveballs, and changeups, but I’m not sure how this (or something else he has done in the past) has earned him a nickname whose literal translation is “The Goat Sucker.” 

Regardless, Gallardo recorded his most impressive win to date in this 2010 MLB season this past week in Milwaukee against the Minnesota Twins, which prompted us to take a closer look into his young career.

Originally drafted in the second round of the 2004 draft, Gallardo started making noise when he led all minor league pitchers with 188 strikeouts in 155 innings in 2006 for Single-A Brevard County and Double-A Huntsville.

In 2007, “El Chupa” was in and out of the starting rotation for the Brewers, filling in for the oft-injured Chris Capuano and Ben Sheets. We saw flashes of brilliance in the 17 games Yovani started that season, as he finished 9-5 with a 3.67 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts in 110.1 innings pitched. 

Brewers management had high expectations for Gallardo heading into the 2008 season. However, Yovani spent the majority of the year on the disabled list with a torn meniscus in his left knee and a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. Gallardo only saw action in six Major League games in 2008, finishing 0-0 with a 1.88 ERA. 

Following the injury-plagued 2008 season, Gallardo once again gave the Brewers’ brass reason to believe he was going to be the next ace in Milwaukee. In 2009, he pitched his first career complete game, threw three two-hitters, and struck out eleven or more batters on three occasions. Gallardo finished the season with a modest 13-12 record but struck out batters at an impressive rate of 9.89 per nine innings and boasted a .233 BAA.

Thus far in 2010, “El Chupa” is 7-3 with a 2.36 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 10.05 K/9 rate in 16 starts. He has recorded 10 or more strikeouts on five occasions while allowing more than two earned runs only four times in sixteen starts. In comparison to his career numbers, Yovani has increased his K/9 and runners left on base percentage, while decreasing his ERA, BB/9, WHIP and BAA in 2010.

This is the breakout year the Brewers management expected two years ago.

Yovani Gallardo is currently owned in 97% of Y! leagues. 

The “Double Dipper” is a starting pitcher who will get two starts in the same week. Each  Sunday, we will preview the top three options in each league and highlight streaming options for players owned in less than 50% of Y! leagues.

Top 3 NL Double Dippers

Ubaldo Jimenez/COL (@SD, vs. SF)—Frontrunner for NL Cy Young right now; 13-1, 1.60 ERA 

Chris Carpenter/STL (vs. ARI, vs. MIL)—5-0 in last eight starts; 7.80 K/9, 2.63 ERA

Yovani Gallardo/MIL (vs. HOU, @STL)—Nine or more strikeouts in each of his last three starts.

Top 3 AL Double Dippers

Cliff Lee/SEA (@NYY, @DET)—Last two starts: 2 W, 2 CG, 1 ER, 16:0 K:BB; Contract year.

Phil Hughes/NYY (vs. SEA, vs. TOR)—5-0 in last five; Great match-ups, well-rested.

Francisco Liriano/MIN (vs. DET, vs. TB)—9.71 K/9, 3.11 ERA, 1.22 WHIP

Warning: Streaming can be lethal. The following pitchers are owned in less than 50 percent of Y! leagues.

Brandon Morrow/TOR (@CLE, vs. NYY)—Two or less earned runs allowed in last five starts; 9.86 K/9

R.A. Dickey/NYM (@ FLA, @ WAS)—6-0 in seven starts; 2.33 ERA 

Jason Hammel/COL (@ SD, vs. SF)—5-1 in last eight starts; Solid match-ups.

Don’t Touch ‘Em

Nick Blackburn, Paul Maholm, Manny Parra, Bud Norris

Week 10 One-Start Stars Owned in 50 Percent or Less

Jon Garland/SD (50 Percent Owned in Y!)—Thursday vs. HOU (Moeller); 14 consecutive scoreless innings and three consecutive wins against the Astros.

Trevor Cahill/OAK (35 Percent Owned in Y!)—Friday @ CLE (Talbot); 6-0 in last eight, plus ratios, .212 BAA

Jonathon Niese/NYM (15 Percent Owned in Y!)—Friday @ WAS (Atilano); 4-0, 2.71 ERA in five June starts.

Is “El  Chupacabra” real? Watch Video here and here.

Who will be the best two-start pitcher owned in 50 percent or less in Week 13?

Leave a comment, or reply to us on Twitter!

Article by Alan Harrison exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for more great fantasy insight, analysis, and occasional nonsense from Alan.

For more Fantasy Sports Advice, Insight, and Analysis, visit www.TheFantasyFix.com .

Don’t forget to be a fan of TheFantasyFix.com on Facebook!

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Alright, so the Brewers’ chances of making another run at the postseason this year seem about as good as Tiger and Elin reconciling.

At 28-37, the Crew may sit just eight games back off the pacesetters of the NL Central—the Reds and the Cardinals—and may remain tantalizingly within reach of being within reach for a few months to come.

But realistically, most Brewers’ fans have resigned themselves to the fact that the pitching staff is simply not talented enough, deep enough, or consistent enough to put together enough quality starts to get the team back in the hunt.

In short, the Brewers are probably safe making vacation plans for early October.

Yet I am not here to belabor the shortcomings—or short ceiling—of this year’s team, for all is not bleak in the Brew City.

We all knew the Brewers feature a lineup capable of posting crooked numbers in droves.

That’s a given.

Despite a mediocre .259 batting average, Milwaukee still finds itself among the top five National League squads in just about every other important hitting category, including topping the Senior Circuit with 81 home runs.

The resurgent Corey Hart, the unsung Casey McGehee, and the wunderkind Ryan Braun have combined for more RBI than other trio in the NL.

However, what I’m here to highlight is in fact a sign of brightness on the pitching mound—seriously!

You see, the Brewers’ pitching staff has more or less been a patchwork group of journeyman with oversized contracts intertwined with young-but-below-average arms for the better part of two decades.

But since 2004, the first time Ben Sheets held his ERA below three and averaged more than one strikeout—and less than one hit per inning—the team at least could rest assured that, when healthy, it boasted a legitimate ace.

Hell, in 2008 they had two for a time in the short window of overlap when both Benny and C.C. were pitching well.

And having that ace in the hole is always the first reason for hope.

The first step in building a formidable pitching rotation is finding that one rock that you can count on to stop streaks of putridity and to set the tone when things are going well.

If pitching and defense are the foundation for championships, an ace is the layer below the cement.

When C.C. was yanked away by the strong pull of $60 million and the emotional rollercoaster of Benny’s injuries became too much for the franchise to bear, it appeared that bedrock had been removed.

The big question: Could Yovani Gallardo actually step up and be able to fill that role long-term?

My guess is, after last season, many would say the jury was still out.

And after the month of April this year, I would suggest confidence was still low.

Thankfully though, a thorough examination of the stats—as well as Yo’s recent stretch of Warren Spahn-like outings—have put those uncertainties to rest.

In 2009—Yo’s first as the De Facto ace—he finished the year with underwhelming numbers: a 13-12 record and a 3.73 ERA.

Not bad, to be sure, but not ace numbers.

Under the popular markers of a pitcher’s success lays a more indicative truth: Yo was just as dominating as Benny ever was.

Ben Sheet’s best year, 2004, included a ratio of 0.85 hits per inning, and a home run surrendered ever 9.48 innings.

He also averaged 1.11 strikeouts per inning.

Last year was not Yovani’s best, with a hits per inning rate of just 0.82, a home run every 8.81 innings, and a strikeout average of 1.10 per inning.

As with anything, you can nitpick this comparison and find some discrepancies.

For example, Yo walked 4.6 hitters per nine compared to just 1.2 for Sheets.

But my point here is that the results of last year, taken with the first 40 percent of this year, demonstrate that Yovani can indeed handle the burden of being the team’s ace.

Want more good news?

He’s only getting better.

At only 24, Yo’s best years are ahead of him.

In May, Gallardo’s ERA was a dynamic 2.31.

In June, it has been 2.25.

Stats which unquestionably scream ace.

The team’s pitching staff as a whole looks worse than Rex Ryan topless, at least Brewers’ fans can take solace in the fact that they have an ace they can rely on.

Well, that and Jeff Suppan wearing a different jersey.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Well, not really.

Not only are the Brewers sitting just two games ahead of the lowly Houston Astros, but Zaun is also only hitting .260 with two home runs. So, what has he done to garner such attention?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com