Yasmani Grandal - The catcher of the future may become the catcher of the present for the Pads, as the struggling Nick Hundley was demoted to AAA, opening the door for Grandal to wrest the backstop role away. Grandal has...

Coco Crisp - Coco Crisp has struggled for much of this season, but he's showing some life of late by batting .360 with 7 steals and 10 runs in his past 15 games. On Friday, Crisp went 1-for-4 with 1...

Ivan Nova (SP-NYY)- Nova continued his strong month of June by throwing 7.1 solid innings against the White Sox on Thursday night. He did not earn a decision, but allowed just one run on six hits and three walks while...

Roy Oswalt- TEX- Cold- It wasn't just the number of hits that Oswalt gave up last night, it was how he gave them up that was disconcerting. He wasn't having problems finding the strike zone. Oswalt threw 74 of his...

Zack Greinke (SP-MIL)- Greinke earned his ninth victor of the season on Wednesday against the Reds improving his overall record to 9-2 and his ERA currently rests at 2.82. He allowed two runs on five hits (one home run)...

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C - BOS) - Saltalamacchia hit his 14th home run, most among catchers in all of baseball. He is now hitting .255/.303/.542. His plate discipline remains suspect as he's struck out over four times as many as he's...

Cameron Maybin OF (SD) - Maybin went 0-4 last night to drop his batting average on the season to a dreadful .201 mark. If the Padres are patient with Maybin and continue to play him every day, this is...

Jason Castro - Castro is 4-7 with a pair of doubles and a homer over the past few days, and there are a few reasons for optimism in the 25 year old's underlying stats this year. Castro was indeed a...

Kevin Youkilis - In his debut with the White Sox on Monday, Kevin Youkilis finished 1-for-4 and hit from the No. 2 hole in the lineup. I really like seeing Youkilis in the 2-spot as he should get good pitches...

Kevin Youkilis (3B - CHW) - Youkilis' trade speculation finally ended as the third baseman was dealt to the White Sox. The situation couldn't be better for him from a fantasy perspective, as he goes to the launching pad of...

Trevor Bauer (SP-ARI) - You can hardly blame the Diamondbacks for not promoting Bauer despite his carving up of Double-A and Triple-A hitters. Dan Hudson and Ian Kennedy are rotation mainstays; Trevor Cahill has a big contract and has been...

Chase Utley 2B (PHI) - For those of you who have stashed Utley all season long, you may be finally rewarded. The Phillies could activate Utley Wednesday. While Utley owners must be rightfully excited, expectations must be realistic as...

1)Vance Worley - Worley was a hard luck loser again Thursday night, pitching seven strong innings and giving up just two runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Once again, the Phillies offense failed to back him...

Jason Hammel BAL (SP) - I just made an imaginary bet with fellow analyst Drew Dinkmeyer that Ervin Santana would have a better ROS fantasy wise than Hammel. Oops. Hammel got the scale immediately posting in Drew's favor as...

Chris Archer (SP - TB): As owners head into the weekly deadline for lineup decisions I'm sure many will be wondering if Chris Archer makes for a potential two-start pickup. Archer is scheduled to face the Royals on Monday...

James McDonald- PIT- Hot- Facing the team with the worst record in the AL, McDonald dominated, allowing 1 run in a complete game. He continued the control he has shown this season, issuing no walks. McDonald's K/9 ratio has dropped...

Alex Avila (C - DET) - Avila was activated from the DL and went 1-4 against the Cardinals. Following last year's breakout campaign, the backstop is hitting just .252/.337/.427 in 45 games. Regression was expected, but his LD% is actually...

Yu Darvish- TEX- Caution- Darvish has put together consecutive solid starts after hitting a rough patch. It must be kept in mind that these starts were against Houston and in San Diego. Also, Darvish threw a season high 122 pitches...

1. Yovani Gallardo (SP - Brewers) - Another QS for Gallardo gives him 12 out of his 15 starts for the season. His three non-QS were two against the Cardinals in April (as I wrote about in a previous post)...

Hitters 1 Billy Hamilton CIN SS A Last Saturday: on base 3 times, stole 5 bases. 80 SB in first 66 games. 2 Wil Myers KC OF A 45 XBH (24 HR) in first 66 games, so Royals may have...

Colby Rasmus OF (TOR) - Rasmus has made some obvious changes in his swing over the past year (closer to the plate, more straight up, much lower leg kick) and it appears to be paying off in a big...

1. Lance Lynn (SP - Cardinals) - While R.A. Dickey improved to 11 wins on Monday, Lynn tried to match it on Tuesday. Lynn was unsuccessful in his pursuit as he allowed 5 ER and 9 H for the loss...

Brandon Belt - Belt had a single, double, two walks, and a steal last night in the 5-3 win over the Angels, and he's now hit in 7 straight and is batting 342/458/658 for the month. I know the Giants...

1. Shin Soo Choo (OF - Indians) - Choo went yard for the 3rd time in the last 5 games (he had a 2 HR game last week) and raised his OPS to .774. His power continues to trend in...

Cliff Lee (SP - PHI) - Lee was on track to get his first win of the season taking a three-run lead into the bottom of the eighth, but he and the Phillies defense unraveled as the Blue Jays tied...

Brad Lincoln (SP-PIT) - Lincoln came into Sunday's action averaging nearly 93 mph with his fastball and he was even better than that Sunday, sitting in the 92-94 range generally, and hitting 95 several times. Unfortunately, Indians batters weren't fooled,...

Garrett Richards (SP - LAA): For the third consecutive start Garrett Richards held an opponent to 2 ER's or less and for the second straight start we're left wondering just how he did it. Richards posted the following peripherals...

Brandon Moss - Moss has played almost every day since his recall from AAA, and over the last five games he's gone 8-21 with all eight hits going for extra bases. He's knocked in 10 runs while scoring 7, but...

Ryan Dempster (SP - CHC) - Dempster threw seven shutout innings against the Red Sox, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out three to lower his ERA to 2.11 and extend his scoreless streak to 22 1/3...

Phil Hughes SP (NYY) - Hughes picked up his 7th victory of the season yesterday as he pitched wonderfully against the Nationals. He allowed just 1 ER in 6 IP while striking out 9 and only walking 2. Currently...

Kirk Nieuwenhuis- NYN- Hot- Nieuwenhuis slugged 2 homers last night, giving him 5 on the season. Only 1 has been against LH pitching. He is hitting .200 against southpaws despite a .321 BABIP against them. Nieuwenhuis has a .329 average...

Jeremy Hellickson (SP-TB)- The Mets offense roughed up Hellickson on Thursday to the tune of eight runs in 3.2 innings of work. He allowed nine hits (three home runs) and one walk while not recording a strikeout. While struggling...

Scott Feldman- TEX- Stats- Feldman takes the mound tonight having lost his last 5 starts and posting an ERA of 7.13 as a starter. He has been the victim of some bad luck, with a 43.1% LOB% when he starts....

1. Stephen Strasburg (SP - Nationals) - Strasburg was masterful once again. He improved his record to 8-1 with a 2.45 ERA and has an incredible K/9 of 11.7. Of course, Strasburg's fantasy value may be limited a bit because...

Lots of changes this week as 2012 draftees have started signing and we saw Jorge Soler ink a monster deal with the Cubs. Hitters 20 Jorge Soler CHC OF B+ High-risk / high-reward type of guy, but the Cubs needed...

Freddie Freeman (1B-ATL)- Freeman went hitless in four plate appearances with two strikeouts in the Braves 6-4 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. He has struggled through the first two weeks of June hitting .212/.212/.242 with zero home runs...

Dustin Pedroia (2B - BOS) - Pedroia went 0-4 against Miami to lower his line to .273/.332/.411. After a hot start, the second baseman has been derailed by a thumb injury suffered on Memorial Day, as he's just 3-28 in...

Steve Lombardozzi - Lombardozzi is still not to the point where he should be owned in the majority of formats, but the Nats' utility man is basically playing almost 2/3 of the time now and sees his value growing by...

Cliff Pennington SS (OAK) - For those of you in AL leagues and deep mixed leagues and need for some speed up the middle, Pennington should rebound from his slow start (.208/.260/.290). He has just a .185 singles average...

1. Jemile Weeks (2B - A's) - Weeks was certainly impressive in 2011 hitting .303/.340/.421 with 22 SB in 97 games. While 2012 has gotten off to a slow start for Weeks, he is showing slow and steady signs of...

Chipper Jones (3B-ATL) - Chipper is back off his latest DL stint and was in Sunday's lineup for the Braves. He's made it known that 2012 will be his final season playing baseball, but it's pretty clear that when healthy,...

Gio Gonzalez (SP - WAS) - Gonzalez continued his dominant season, holding the Red Sox to two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out five. His dominance of NL lineups has been very impressive,...

Scott Diamond (SP - MIN): Scott Diamond extended his streak to 7 straight starts with 3 ER's or less allowed while picking up his 5th win of the season on Saturday against the Cubs. Diamond allowed just 7 hits...

1) Bryce Harper - Harper continues to be the straw that stirs the drink for the Nationals. He had another big game Friday night against the Red Sox, going 3 for 5 with a home run, three RBI and two...

Hiroki Kuroda - Entering Friday's start against the Mets, Hiroki Kuroda had been a disappointment since coming over to the Yankees this season, missing fewer bats and giving up more HRs. I had him pegged for an ERA around...

Coco Crisp (OF - OAK): For the first time in a long time we saw some life out of Coco Crisp. Crisp homered, tripled, walked and drove in 4 while scoring a run. The two extra base hits doubled...

RA Dickey (SP-NYM)- Dickey improved his record to 9-1 after shutting out the Nationals for 7.1 innings on Thursday. He allowed just four hits (none for extra bases) and two walks while striking out eight. Dickey now as a 2.44...

In our continuing series on player recommendations, the latest edition of Strategy Manager + highlights the pitchers who are deviating from their projected production this season. The under and over producers are listed according to their projected rankings through the...

Yan Gomes- TOR- Rookie- Gomes is back with Toronto and might get some playing time. He was hitting .349 at AAA when called up. Manager John Farrell has been making noise about using Gomes as a super sub player since...

1. Bud Norris (SP - Astros) - It looked like it was going to be one of those nights for Bud Norris. He allowed a quick 3 ER in the first inning, but then settled down and just allowed 1...

Chris Young (SP-NYM)- Young made his first start of the season and earned a no decision against the Nationals. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out two in five innings of work....

Colby Rasmus OF (TOR) - Rasmus continued swinging a hot bat last night going 5-5 with a homer and a double; he scored 4 times and drove in 3. Schuyler wrote an optimistic blurb abut Rasmus a week ago...

Dillon Gee - Gee tossed his 4th straight quality start yesterday, holding the Cards to three runs (two earned) over 7 IP, striking out 8 in a no-decision. Gee has struck out 28 over 27 1/3 IP during this stretch,...

Derek Holland - Now that Lonnie Chisenhall is back in the majors, Derek Holland has competition for best mustache in the AL and it's a three-man race for best mustache in baseball between those two and the Reds' Sam...

Jake Arrieta (SP - BAL): Jake Arrieta's ugly May struggles (6.17 ERA) continued on into June as he yielded 4 ER's on 2 hits and 4 BB's over 4 2/3 innings on Sunday. Early in the season the jump...

Tommy Hanson (SP-ATL) - Shoulder injuries can be troublesome, so I was a little down on Hanson entering the season, but with the exception of a recent start against the Cardinals, he's been just fine recently. Sunday, Hanson did allow...

Howie Kendrick - I am definitely ready to cut bait on Kendrick in just about all formats. He hasn't had an XBH since May 9th, and he has regressed in just about every facet of the game this year at...

1) Hanley Ramirez (3B, MIA) - After slumping through a good portion of the first six weeks of the season, Ramirez has turned it on over the last 15 games to raise his batting average 48 points from .230 to...

Madison Bumgarner (SP-SF) - Bumgarner was outstanding against the Cubs, allowing just two runs (both bequeathed) on eight hits in eight innings, punching out 11 without walking a batter. After fanning just 30 in his first 52 1/3 innings, he...

PJ Walters SP (MIN) - For those of you who like to play stacked lineups (heavy on one team) in daily fantasy baseball salary cap formats such as Draftstreet, go with the Indians today. They face Walters (who I...

Chris Capuano - Chris Capuano faces the Rockies in Colorado tonight as he looks to improve to 8-1 in 2012. Capuano's 2.14 ERA is being heavily aided by an 84% strand rate and .226 BABIP - his xFIP is actually...

Justin Smoak (1B - SEA): The Smoak monster has been unleashed over the last 12 games (.313/.365/.646) as Smoak has launched 5 HR's and driven in 15. Is this the beginning of something clicking for the young 1B prospect...