What's with the NL Central trading for all the good pitchers on the market? Let's start things off today with a look at the fantasy impact of the Rich Harden deal in the same way we addressed the Brewers' acquisition of CC (No Periods) Sabathia.

Cubs: There's actually not much affected here in fantasy terms. The rotation is Carlos Zambrano, Harden, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis. Sean Marshall loses some value because he had just joined the Cubbies' rotation, and now there's no room for him. When Harden goes on the DL again - and he probably will, Cubs fans - Marshall and new arrival Chad Gaudin are the fill-in candidates.

A's: Sean Gallagher (1.2 percent owned) benefits the most from this deal, going from the Cubs' bullpen to the A's rotation - he'll start Friday, and with his strikeout numbers (49 in 58 2/3 IP) he could be worth a shot in a deep mixed league.

OF Matt Murton and 2B Eric Patterson will initially head to Triple-A Sacramento. Murton has been a decent hitter until this season, and if he comes up in the second half he'll probably be worth an AL-only league pickup. The same goes for Patterson, who's got some pop and some speed (.320, six HR, 11 SB at Triple A), and could get some playing time if the A's go into full-blown selling mode and deal Mark Ellis. C Josh Donaldson is struggling (.625 OPS) in A ball, and you don't need to worry about him for at least a couple of years.

And now, we rejoin your regular fantasy blog, already in progress.

Who's off: Nobody

First pitch: There are a couple of 1:05 p.m. ET starts in the AL, while the Marlins and Pads get the NL slate going at 3:35. Here's the full schedule. 

Pitcher to start: Way to hook a brother up, Randy Wolf! Today, with a dearth of options available, let's take another ride on the Padre train with Cha Seung Baek (1 percent owned). He's been very inconsistent, but has struck out 19 batters against just two walks in his last three starts. Yes, I know he's allowed 10 runs in those starts.

On to the news:

• The White Sox put closer Bobby Jenks on the DL with an injury that I've seen described as both left shoulder pain and upper back tightness. Either way, it should be a brief absence, with Jenks returning as soon as the All-Star break ends next week. Scott Linebrink leads the closer committee while Jenks is out, but he blew a save last night.
• Finally! Mark Mulder makes his first start of the season tonight for the Cardinals. I'm in wait-and-see mode here - there have been too many bumps in the road during Mulder's recovery for me to recommend him right away.
• Mets OF Ryan Church is back on the DL with post-concussion issues. Looks like a lot more time for Fernando Tatis in the Mets' outfield.
• Good news for D'backs C Chris Snyder - his testicle is apparently badly bruised rather than fractured (OUCH!). He hopes to be back right after the break.
• Eric Hurley is on the DL and Vicente Padilla is hurting for the Rangers, who are planning to debut a starter I've never heard of tonight. Michael Ballard is 8-3 with a 3.97 ERA in Double A. Ballard wasn't included in this season's editions of Baseball Prospectus or the Baseball America Prospect Handbook. I think he might be a robot the Rangers constructed in a bunker under their stadium or something.
• The Blue Jays' Web site reports that SP Dustin McGowan left last night's start after four innings with a sore shoulder - he'll have an MRI today.
• Tigers OF Magglio Ordonez expects to be back right after the break next week. His teammate, 1B Miguel Cabrera, is on fire.
• The Mariners are going to give Erik Bedard some rest and start him again on July 21. If you see news of him going on the DL, don't worry. Yes, you can be mad about the whole idea of your fantasy ace being so fragile, but the DL part will just be a roster move.
• Could the Brewers also add Yovani Gallardo to their rotation late in the season? Probably not, but there's a tiny bit of hope.
• The Astros will reactivate 2B Kaz Matsui in time for today's game.
• Rockies OF Ryan Spilborghs injured an oblique last night, and went on the DL after the game.
• The Yankees are giving away Jason Giambi mustaches at today's game. Please, please, PLEASE vote for the Giambino to get into the All-Star Game so FOX can show that 'stache in high definition.

See you tomorrow.

It's like the New York tabloids got together and prayed to the gods for something to use on both the front and back pages, and - BOOM! - it came along and was even better than expected. I just hope that all this kaballah cleansing doesn't cost A-Rod any home run power.

Who's off: Nobody

First pitch: There are a bunch of 7:05 p.m. ET starts. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Matt Garza was just kinda sorta OK yesterday. He's also up to 49.5 percent owned in our leagues as of this morning. Tonight, let's go with Padres' lefty Randy Wolf (35.8 percent owned) against the Marlins. Wolf seems to pitch better at home, and since he's a hot name on the trade rumor mill there should be plenty of scouts to impress.

On to the news:

• Who knew that the cure for a miserable, season-long slump was three days in Mississippi? OF Jeff Francoeur is back with the Braves - already - after being sent to the minors on Friday and going 7-for-13 in three games. I guess he can't get any worse moving forward, right?
• As mentioned late yesterday, SP Jeff Suppan is on the DL for the Brewers with elbow irritation. That keeps both Dave Bush and Seth McClung in the rotation, at least for now.
• The White Sox are planning to have Paul Konerko back in their lineup tonight after a DL stint.
• Clay Buchholz is scheduled to start for the Red Sox on Friday after some time in the minors. Unfortunately for some of you, it'll be at the expense of Justin Masterson, who will be sent back to the minors to become a reliever. Fantasy baseball stinks sometimes, doesn't it?
• David Ortiz took batting practice with the Red Sox yesterday, and all reportedly went well. He should have a return timetable set later this week.
• In Mariners pitching news, Felix Hernandez is penciled in to return on Friday, closer J.J. Putz hopes to be back from the DL soon after the All-Star break, and Erik Bedard might rest his various injuries by skipping his Saturday start.
• Roy Oswalt is on track to start Friday for the Astros.
• If you've been waiting on Dontrelle Willis, he's added a knee injury to his troubles. In terms of this season, to paraphrase Mike Tyson, Willis appears to be fading into Bolivian.
• The Giants are recalling speedy Eugenio Velez from the minors. He's expected to come off the bench, but if you're in an NL-only league, he can still help on the stolen base front.
• Josh Johnson will make his first start of the season on Thursday for the Marlins, just 11 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery. You know how Francisco Liriano has struggled in his return from TJ surgery? Johnson is no Liriano.
• Go, IronPigs! Brett Myers had a solid minor league outing last night. He should be back with the Phillies right after the break.
• Ian Snell returns from the DL to start tonight for the Pirates.
• Lefty hurler Matt Harrison makes his major league debut tonight for the Rangers. Don't expect much just yet - he's regarded as a decent but not great prospect, and he's only 22.

See you tomorrow.

It looks like the C.C. Sabathia deal is basically done, and he could start for the Brewers as early as Tuesday. The main fantasy impact will be seen in both teams' rotations. Here's what they'll probably look like post-trade:

Brewers (UPDATED 8:40 P.M. ET): Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Manny Parra, Dave Bush, Seth McClung. McClung was going to probably be the odd man out until Jeff Suppan went on the DL with elbow irritation.

Indians: Cliff Lee, Paul Byrd, Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers. That's four, and Fausto Carmona will be the fifth if he comes off the DL shortly after the All-Star break, as expected. The team also signed journeyman Jeff Weaver over the weekend, so he's a possibility as well.

Matt LaPorta is the prospect to keep your eye on, and the guys at DiaTribe take a good look at the 23-year-old slugger. LaPorta's playing the outfield now, but reports on his defense are consistently unenthusiastic, and that could mean a return to first base. Which could mean that come September or April, Ryan Garko might be looking for a new job.

That's all on the trade front. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Who's off: Yanks, O's, Blue Jays, White Sox, Indians, Tigers, Nationals, Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Giants, Diamondbacks

First pitch: The Royals and Rays get the AL slate started at 12:40 p.m. ET, while there are a couple of NL games at 7:05. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Braden Looper had a solid outing Friday. On Saturday, Kevin Slowey gave up too many runs, but got a win and helped in the other categories. John Danks closed out our strong weekend with a nice win Sunday. Today I take what is probably my last shot with Tampa Bay's Matt Garza, since he's up to 37.1 percent owned.

On to the news:

• The nightmare season continues for Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki, who will miss a couple of weeks after cutting his hand on a bat in the middle of a small temper tantrum Friday night. If you took him in the fifth round or so, would it make you feel better if I said he could have a good August and September? In other Rox news, 1B Todd Helton is also on the DL with his constantly bad back.
• As I noted late Friday, the Braves optioned OF Jeff Francouer and his miserable slump to Double A. He'll reportedly be there no more than 20 days, and there's a mish-mash of guys taking his place at the moment.
• Mariners SP Erik Bedard felt tightness in his shoulder on Friday, and his next start will be pushed back.
• OF Johnny Damon is on the DL with an injured shoulder, but with the Amazing Brett Gardner around to carry the Yankees, who cares?
• A's SS Bobby Crosby is on the DL with an injured hamstring, and he's being replaced by a couple of guys (Donnie Murphy and Gregorio Petit) that you don't need to worry about.
• Nats OF Elijah Dukes will have knee surgery today and miss 4-6 weeks. I actually picked up Dukes in a league on Saturday morning, and dropped him 24 hours later. Dammit.
• Remember when people thought Pittsburgh's Tom Gorzelanny was a good pitcher? Maybe he'll be good for Triple-A Indianapolis, which is where he is now. Here's an update on the Pirates' rotation.
• Rangers C Jarrod Saltalamacchia should play today after missing Sunday's game with a groin injury.
• If the Indians would ever win a game we might see who their new closer is. Masa Kobayashi is still owned in just 3.8 percent of leagues around here, and he's the rumored candidate.
• Mark Mulder is expected to make his first start of the season on Wednesday for the Cardinals. If you're feeling lucky - or desperate - he's owned in just 1.3 percent of FOXSports.com leagues.
• Here's a Marlins update that includes news on 2B Dan Uggla, 3B Jorge Cantu and rookie starter Chris Volstad. Volstad's 21, and regarded as a good (but not great) prospect. Don't expect much for now.
• If you're a J.J. Hardy owner, don't you feel good about being patient with him, since he has six home runs in his last six games? If you waived him out of frustration, you probably feel something a little different. Rage, maybe.
• D'backs reliever Juan Cruz is on the DL with the dreaded strained oblique.
• The O's have lost youngster Adam Loewen to an elbow injury. Again.
• Josh Fogg had a strong return to the mound for the Reds on Saturday.
• The Angels put C Mike Napoli on the DL with a shoulder injury.
• The Dodgers aren't expecting SP Brad Penny back until after the All-Star break.
• Tigers 3B Carlos Guillen might not play Tuesday for family reasons.
• White Sox closer Bobby Jenks could be out through the All-Star break.

See you tomorrow.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone. Ken Rosenthal reports that C.C. Sabathia might be on his way to the Brewers. 1B/OF Matt LaPorta could be the headliner in a Sabathia trade, and you can click here to learn a little more about him. However, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel doesn't think the Brew Crew would offer both LaPorta and SS Alcides Escobar for Sabathia. As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, we'll look at the fantasy impact from every deal.

FRIDAY

First pitch: The Yanks and Sox start the AL action at 1:05 p.m. ET, while the NL ledger has a 1:15 tilt between the Nats and Reds. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: John Lannan didn't kill us yesterday, I guess. Tonight we'll use the "when in doubt, pick a Cardinal" theory and go with Braden Looper (39.2 percent owned) against the Cubs. The pickings are kind of slim.

SATURDAY

First pitch: Both leagues get the day's action started with hate-filled rivalries on FOX - Yanks-Sox and Cubs-Cards both start at 3:55. There's going to be so much tension leading up to these games, Jeanne Zelasko might punch a cameraman in the pregame studio.

Pitcher to start: Blog favorite Kevin Slowey (7.7 percent owned) is the call. His Twins host the freefalling Indians.

SUNDAY

First pitch: It's the Nats and Reds again at 1:15 in the NL, while the Rangers and O's begin the AL day at 1:35.

Pitcher to start: Despite his matchup against the seemingly unstoppable Rich Harden, White Sox lefty John Danks (35.6 percent owned) is the pick. Also, I can tell you right now that as long as he stays eligible - which probably means 40 percent ownership or lower - Matt Garza will be the man again on Monday.

On to the news:

• With 117 players already on the DL, the Dodgers need some help, so they've moved up the timetables on OF Andruw Jones and Nomar Garciaparra and plan to activate both players today. Nomar will play shortstop, and while he doesn't yet qualify there in FOXSports.com leagues, he will soon. As for Jones, if he's healthy I think he can help you, no matter how brutally, horrendously awful he was before his knee injury. I drafted him in a couple of leagues, and he owes me, dammit.
• Carlos Zambrano will be back on the hill tonight for the Cubs after missing a couple of weeks with a shoulder strain.
• The Rays Express hit a speed bump yesterday when SS Jason Bartlett was disabled with a right knee sprain - he should be out for only a couple of weeks. The team recalled both gloveman Ben Zobrist and prospect Reid Brignac, and Marc Topkin of the St. Pete Times says that Zobrist "seems likely to get most of the playing time." Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune notes that Brignac is up due to "lingering uncertaintly over the status of Zobrist's shoulder." Add up these two opinions and you've got something like a two-week timeshare, which doesn't help you at all.
• Miguel Cabrera was back yesterday for the Tigers, who are apparently considering a move to the rotation for fireballer Joel Zumaya. OK, so they made it clear that it's not happening this year, but that woke you up, didn't it?
• The Nats welcomed RF Austin Kearns back yesterday. I hope they cleaned out Wily Mo Pena's locker before the game to make extra room for Kearns. Damn that guy.
• This blog entry says that Yankees OF Hideki Matsui is "probably headed for knee surgery." Speaking of the Yankees, I can't believe it's been 25 years since Dave Righetti's July 4 no-hitter.
• Across town, the Mets put 2B Luis Castillo on the DL. Damion Easley played second base last night, and he was becoming a platoonmate with Castillo, anyway.
• Joe Borowski's removal as the Indians' closer is expected to be made official today. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Masa Kobayashi might become the closer or simply be part of a committee. I'd grab Kobayashi (2.4 percent owned) now just in case. (NOTE 7/4: Borowski has been designated for assignment by the Indians.)
• Earlier in the week there were rumors in Boston that Clay Buchholz would be called up to start in Justin Masterson's place Saturday, but manager Terry Francona says that's not happening. Keep a close eye on Buchholz this month, though.
• Todd Helton's back is acting up again - he's day-to-day.
• The Astros have officially pushed Roy Oswalt's next start to Tuesday.
• The Phillies will start lefty J.A. Happ tonight against the Mets. No need to pick him up.
• The White Sox Web site reports that 1B Paul Konerko will begin a rehab assignment today with the goal of rejoining the White Sox on Tuesday.
• 7/4 UPDATE: The Braves have demoted OF Jeff Francouer.

That's all, folks. Enjoy the long weekend.

Thank goodness Hank Steinbrenner is alive, well and on the quote warpath again. It's been a couple of weeks since the whole "the National League needs to grow up and join the 21st century" rant, and we hadn't heard from him since. Good to have you back, big fella. Since you're talking again, what do you think about the Rodriguezes marriage problems?

Who's off: Rays, Blue Jays, Twins, Indians, Angels, Rangers, Pirates, Padres

First pitch: The Dodgers and Astros get the NL slate started at 2:05 p.m. ET, while there are a couple of 7:05 starts in the AL. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Attaboy, Ricky Nolasco. I don't like any of today's home team selections, so let's go back to Washington's John Lannan (2.5 percent owned) against the Reds.

On to the news:

• Pirates closer Matt Capps will miss a couple months with a bum shoulder, and manager John Russell basically said that anyone and everyone would be in the mix for saves. Looking at the numbers alone, John Grabow and Damaso Marte seem to be the most likely choices, and Marte closed a bit for the White Sox, so if someone's going to lead the commitee it'll probably be him.
• Last week I suggested picking up Indians closer Joe Borowski, and that's not working out. His status is going to be in jeopardy if the Indians pull the plug on their season today, and it appears that Masa Kobayashi is the likely successor. Stay tuned.
• Eric Byrnes' latest hamstring injury might require season-ending surgery.
• It looks like Astros ace Roy Oswalt (hip) will have his Saturday start pushed back to Sunday or Monday. Nothing to worry about, at least for now.
• So much for the Clayton Kershaw experiment in L.A. - he's on his way back to the minors. In other miserable Dodger news, SS Rafael Furcal will have back surgery today and miss a "minimum" of eight weeks. You can hit the EJECT button on him now.
• Jeff Francis' miserable season continues in Colorado - he's on the DL with shoulder inflammation. He should be back in a couple of weeks to stink up his remaining fantasy rotations.
• A's 3B Eric Chavez is back on the shelf with a bad shoulder. You know how I always say "third basemen are everywhere?" If you own Chavez, you can almost certainly find a better replacement in the free agent pool.
• If you're in an NL-only league and were holding out hope for SS Alex Gonzalez to return to Cincinnati, it's over. He's having knee surgery next week.
• Closer note: Dan Wheeler got the save as they Rays closed out their sweep of the Red Sox.
• In other Pirates news, SP Ian Snell should be ready to return to the rotation early next week.
• Another stolen base for Yankee rookie OF Brett Gardner. I have a feeling that Melky Cabrera is going to get Wally Pipped here.
• 2B Luis Castillo appears headed for a part-time role with the Mets.
• I've always complained about bad fantasy luck with closers, but owning K-Rod this season has been unbelievable. He got save No. 34 yesterday, and I'm hoping for 60, because I'm greedy.
• The Cubs expect to welcome back 3B Aramis Ramirez and OF Reed Johnson tonight. Big Z is expected to follow tomorrow.
• The Braves' Web site has a story saying the team is at least considering sending OF Jeff Francouer to the minors.

See you tomorrow with a star-spangled weekend preview. What, are you taking the day off or something?

Ken Rosenthal says the Angels are interested in Rockies OF Matt Holliday, and that they'd probably have to get any trading partner to take Gary Matthews off their hands. That would be an interesting conversation. "Yep, we really like Holliday, and we have some prospects to deal. Also, we'd throw you Matthews back, too. What do we owe him? Only another $38 million. What's that? Through 2011, right. So, do we have a deal? Hello? Is anyone there? Hello???"

Who's off: Nobody

First pitch: The Nats and Marlins get the NL schedule going at 12:10 p.m. ET, while the Tigers and Twins have a 1:10 start in the AL. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Matt Garza is a bad man, and he had another stellar start against the Sawx last night. Really, I'm at the point where I think I need to take him every fifth day no matter what. Today's choice is Fish righty Ricky Nolasco (11.5 percent owned), who has allowed just six earned runs and K'd 27 batters in his last 29 2/3 innings.

On to the news:

• If you're a fan of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, head out to the park tonight and welcome your newest starter, Brett Myers, who was demoted by the Phillies yesterday thanks to a putrid 5.84 ERA. If you've been holding onto Myers because of his good strikeout rate - like a certain stubborn blogger you might know - he'll apparently be at Triple A for no more than 20 days due to contractual issues. The Phils are not planning to make Myers a reliever, even if some local media members don't think he should start anymore. It's possible that this move could be some sort of small karmic payback for ... something.
• The Rays put Troy Percival back on the DL due to his re-injured hamstring. Both local beat writers think the Rays will use a committee of Grant Balfour, Dan Wheeler and maybe J.P. Howell in Percival's absence, and Balfour got the four-out save last night.
• Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera (hip flexor) pinch-hit last night, but the Detroit News says he won't start today and isn't "certain to get any starts" in the four-game series against the Mariners this weekend. It's not like Cabrera does anything besides hit, anyway, so can't they just let him play?
• Rafael Furcal's back hurts again, and has no idea when he'll play again. I know, it's a huge shock. On the bright side in L.A. Hiroki Kuroda returns to the mound tonight after a DL stint.
• The Braves activated OF Mark Kotsay from the DL, they apparently won't be sending 3B Chipper Jones there. Chipper, who appeared ready to sit for awhile longer with an injured quad, played last night and hit a double.
• Mets SP John Maine said he had a "dead arm" on Monday, but doesn't think it's a big deal. You love to hear stuff like that about your fantasy players, don't you?
• The Orioles put SS Alex Cintron on the DL with a strained hamstring. Brandon Fahey started last night, Freddie Bynum has been recalled, and manager Dave Trembley says the starter will be a game-by-game proposition. If any of these names affect your fantasy team, I'm very sorry, and I hope being in last place isn't ruining your summer.
• The Kelvim Escobar comeback train screeched to a halt yesterday.
• Catcher J.R. Towles is back with the Astros after spending a month in the minors. He had five homers and three steals in 19 games at Triple A. Remember how overhyped Towles was at fantasy draft time? He could be a nice No. 2 backstop in the second half, especially since hardly anyone owns him now.
• A's 3B Eric Chavez is still bothered by his injured shoulder and doesn't know when he'll play again.
• OF Eric Byrnes and C Chris Snyder are both on the DL for the D'backs. Conor Jackson played left field and Chad Tracy was at first last night, and that could happen a lot in Byrnes' absence. As for Snyder, I can't help but have extra sympathy for a guy whose injury is listed as "testicular fracture." Get well soon, Chris.
• It sounds like Clay Buchholz will be back with the Red Sox shortly. He's widely available (15.1 percent owned), and posted a 1.63 ERA in eight Triple-A starts, even if he did walk too many batters. I'm recommending a buy on Buchholz.

See you tomorrow.

After the Manny Ramirez-beating-up-the-old-traveling-secretary incident, David Ortiz put his arm around Manny in front of the media and talked about how the Red Sox were a "family," and I couldn't agree more. I mean, just last week I asked my 64-year-old uncle to get me a beer out of the fridge, and when he told me he was already getting five more for other people and couldn't carry a sixth, I got up and beat the #### out of him. That's just what families do.

(By the way, the language filter is very sensitive around here. Trying to write a phrase like "beat the _______" out of someone is really hard. ####, ####, #### - they all get flagged.)

Who's off: Nobody

First pitch: There are a couple of 7:05 p.m. ET starts in the AL, and three 7:10 starts in the NL. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: When in a slump, bet on one of Dave Duncan's mediocre Cardinal starters - Kyle Lohse was terrific against the Mets last night.

There are a few solid choices tonight, and despite the presence of the reliable Messrs. Danks and Wellemeyer on the schedule, I'm going back to the well with Matt Garza (21.2 percent owned), even though he's pitching against the Red Sox. Garza was soooooo good last time out that he earned this selection.

On to the news:

• Felix Hernandez's sprained ankle has finally landed him on the DL, but I wouldn't worry too much if I owned him. He's not ready to pitch tonight, and since the move is retroactive to June 24, he can start as soon as next Wednesday. He should be fine.
• Last week in my AL keeper league, I traded for Tigers OF Magglio Ordonez, who was disabled Sunday. Yesterday I dealt for 3B Miguel Cabrera, and within eight hours he left the game against the Twins with a hip flexor injury. Cabrera's status is day-to-day, and if you're a Justin Verlander owner you'd better hope I don't trade for him next.
• Speaking of the Tigers, Joel Zumaya got the save last night, and the team says it was because closer Todd Jones needed a day off. Don't do anything crazy after reading that boxscore.
• Rays closer Troy Percival re-injured his hamstring last night, and could be headed for another DL stint. Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune suggests letting Dan Wheeler and Grant Balfour take over the closing duties if Percival goes on the shelf, but since both had already pitched before Percival's injury, lefty J.P. Howell finished up last night.
• Astros ace Roy Oswalt left last night's start after six fantastic innings with a hip injury, and the team's Web site says he's day-to-day. His next start is scheduled for Sunday, so we should know more as the weekend approaches.
• It's back to the disabled list for D'backs OF Eric Byrnes, who re-injured one of his hamstrings last night. Speedy Jeff Salazar filled in, and could get some more playing time while Byrnes recovers. C Chris Snyder also left the game for the D'backs after taking a foul tip to the groin, and the team site says he's day-to-day.
• OF Juan Pierre will miss 4-6 weeks with a sprained knee, but if you're a Dodger fan reinforcements are on the way. Rafael Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra, Hiroki Kuroda and Brad Penny could all be back within a week. I guess Penny doesn't exactly qualify as a "reinforcement" the way he's been pitching all year, but you know what I mean.
• The Marlins are hoping that 2B Dan Uggla is able to return Thursday from his sprained left ankle.
• See you next year, Chad Cordero.
• Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez apparently has some family issues to deal with in the Dominican Republic, and he'll be out of the lineup until Thursday.
• A few miles away, Juan Uribe is probably on his way out of Chicago. Alexei Ramirez is your White Sox second baseman until further notice. You know how just about every Cuban import gets wildly overrated? Ramirez might be a little better than most. Not a lot, but a little. He's owned in 7.1 percent of leagues around here.
• Rangers OF Josh Hamilton knocked in his 80th run last night. I really hope his bat, WONDER BOY, lasts until September.
• OF Brett Gardner started his first game for the Yankees last night and - whooosh! - stole a base.
• Royals OF David DeJesus might miss a couple more days with a rib injury that he suffered in a collision over the weekend.
• The A's might have a 75-year-old righthanded DH platoon ready to play in a couple of weeks. I wouldn't run to the free agent pool over this one if I were you.
• Pirates OF Nate McLouth missed last night's game with a knee injury, but he should be back tonight.
• Everyone who was counting on Omar Vizquel to lead their squad to a fantasy title might be looking at a little less playing time for their star shortstop.
• Finally, you know what I always say - it's not an All-Star week unless Bon Jovi is playing.

Enjoy Joba's start tonight, everyone. See you tomorrow.

I don't want to alarm anyone, but there are only 66 days left until the NFL season opener. SIXTY-SIX! Make sure you sign up for FOX Fantasy Football right away, OK?

(Was that shameless? Absolutely. So sue me.)

Who's off: Braves & Phillies

First pitch: Both leagues have 7:05 starts. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: I'd like to thank Kevin Slowey for salvaging the weekend slate of picks after Nick Blackburn and John Lannan brought nothing to the table on Friday and Saturday. Slowey's ERA is down to 3.47 for the season, his WHIP is 1.03, and he's owned in just 4.4 percent of leagues around here. You really have five or six better starters than this guy?

Tonight's selection is the Cards' Kyle Lohse (30.3 percent owned), who goes at home against the Mets.

On to the news:

• A big thanks to my dad for trading me Magglio Ordonez in our AL keeper league last week. Maggs went on the DL with a pulled oblique muscle, and will be out through the All-Star break.
• OF Michael Cuddyer is on the DL for the Twins with a torn tendon in his finger, and they're not sure when he'll be back. The team promoted Denard Span (yawn) to take Cuddyer's roster spot, but yesterday they DHed Mike Lamb while moving Jason Kubel to the outfield. Somehow, under "designated hitter" in the dictionary, I don't think there's a photo of Lamb.
• It sounds like Braves 3B Chipper Jones is finally heading to the DL with his quad strain. If that happens, the earliest he'll be back is a week from Friday.
• The Yankees are apparently going to call up speedy outfielder Brett Gardner today, and he should get some playing time while Hideki Matsui is on the disabled list. Gardner had 34 steals in the minors this season, and if you're in an AL-only league you might want to take a shot at him.
• The Brewers activated Eric Gagne from the DL yesterday, but he won't be the closer anytime soon unless Salomon Torres either falls on his face or gets accidentally run over by one of the team's racing sausages. By the way, click on the first link and read manager Ned Yost's brief explanation as to why Gagne will be fine in a setup role, even though he said in the off-season that his problems in Boston last year were due to him setting up rather than closing. I wonder if Yost had a straight face when he was quoted.
• Are you keeping an eye on Rangers' rookie first baseman Chris Davis, who has two homers in his first four games? I'm just saying.
• DH Billy Butler is back with the Royals after a month in the minors, where he batted .337 with five home runs in 26 games. I was a big Butler fan coming into the season, and I think he's probably going to hit well for the Royals at some point soon.
• Nats CF Lastings Milledge is on the DL with a groin injury, and Roger Bernadina was called up from Double A to take his place. Quick scouting report, thanks in part to the Baseball America Prospect Handbook: Bernadina's full first name is "Rogearvin," and while he's apparently not much of a hitter, he'll steal bases as long as the Nats let him play. I have a hunch that won't be too long.
• The Cardinals activated Mark Mulder over the weekend, and he'll be in the bullpen for the time being.
• Mets OF Ryan Church is back from his concussion, and he takes the roster spot of Trot Nixon, who's on the DL with a groin strain.
• If you own Carlos Zambrano, you can tentatively plan on seeing him Friday night against the Cardinals.
• Reds 3B Edwin Encarnacion finally returned to the lineup yesterday, and made up for lost time.
• Dodgers OF Juan Pierre hurt his knee yesterday, and he'll have an MRI today to see what's wrong.
• A's 3B Eric Chavez might be in tonight's lineup after missing a couple of games with a sore shoulder.
• Paul Konerko's rehab is going to take awhile longer.
• Brett Myers might miss a start for the Phillies this week. The official diagnosis is "atrociousness."

See you tomorrow.

%$#@! - no Kevin Love for the Bobcats. Just another really short point guard and a big French guy who averaged five points a game last year. Yawn.

FRIDAY

First pitch: The Mets and Yankees start their doubleheader at 2:05 p.m. ET. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: So much for taking a shot with Josh Banks. Tonight, let's go with Twins control freak Nick Blackburn (5.3 percent owned) against the Brew Crew. I need a turnaround - I feel like I've been playing blackjack all week and getting nothing but 12s and 13s.

SATURDAY

First pitch: The Braves and Jays start the interleague action at 1:07. Later on, the FOX scehdule features Cubs-White Sox and Yankees-Mets at 3:55.

Pitcher to start: There aren't really a lot of options, so I'll go with my man John Lannan (2.9 percent owned) against the Orioles. Is it a bad sign than between Lannan and Jason Bergmann, I pick two Nats pitchers a LOT?

SUNDAY

First pitch: Reds-Indians and Rockies-Tigers both get underway at 1:05.

Pitcher to start: We'll conclude a weekend of my personal favorites with Minnesota's Kevin Slowey (2.6 percent owned).

On to the news:

• Fantasy MVP candidate Josh Hamilton left last night's game in the first inning after being hit in the left hand by a pitch. X-rays were negative and his status is day-to-day, but his hand was apparently pretty swollen so his chances of playing tonight don't sound promising (that's just a gut feeling based on what I read). If you own Hamilton, you can exhale now.
• I'm not surprised that Oakland's Rich Harden continues to dominate when he pitches. I am surprised that I'm still seeing him in boxscores instead of on injury lists with words like "oblique" or "lat" next to his name. He can't possibly last all year without an extended trip to the DL, right? Right?
• Speaking of dominant starts, Tampa Bay's Matt Garza was awesome yesterday. People seem to be noticing - he's now owned in 13.2 percent of leagues around here, and I'm proud to say I'm still driving the Garza train. All aboard!
• Let's see how Albert Pujols did after two weeks off. Hmm ... 4-for-4 with a walk and an RBI ... sounds about right.
• Speaking of the Cardinals, as of this morning Mark Mulder was listed as Saturday's probable starter on MLB.com, but that's not going to happen.
• The Pirates put starter Ian Snell on the DL with elbow inflammation. This sounds more like a rest thing than a possible surgery thing.
• Cubs OF Kosuke Fukudome (calf) missed his second straight game last night, and his status for today is uncertain.
• If you want a Dodger startter, you'll have plenty of opportunities to get one when they go to a six-man rotation.
• Jerry Hairston was back in the Reds' leadoff spot last night after a DL stint. He played shortstop, Jeff Keppinger played third base, and Edwin Encarnacion missed a third consecutive game with back spasms. There's no news on when he'll return.
• All systems are go for Carlos Pena's return to the Rays' lineup tonight.
• The long nightmare in our nation's capital is finally about to end: Odalis Perez starts tomorrow for the Nats after spending three weeks on the DL.
• Ever have one of those young guys who keeps falling short of expectations, and you want to pick him up every time you see him return to the majors? Fernando Cabrera is one of those guys for me, and he's back with the Orioles. I'm trying to construct a logical scenario by which he can replace George Sherrill as the closer soon, but I haven't come up with one yet.
• Can't win 'em all, Edinson Volquez. Someone pointed out that I've written about Volquez twice recently - once as a "sell high" candidate, and the other time as someone I thought would continue to pitch well. If it makes sense, I stand by both. I think Volquez can be a good pitcher in the second half, but if you can find someone who will give you Johan-type value for him in a deal, you'd have to take it. If that sounds stupid, let me know.

Have a great weekend, folks.

Memo to the handul of you who still own Shawn Chacon: When you cut him from your fantasy team, be smart and don't interrupt him while he's eating.

Who's off: Red Sox, Royals, Mariners, Angels, Mets, Nationals, Braves, Brewers, Rockies, Diamondbacks

First pitch: The Rays and Marlins start the day at 12:10 p.m. ET. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Thanks for nothing, Armando Galarraga. Today's pick is San Diego's Josh Banks (4.9 percent owned), who has walked one batter in 25 1/3 innings over four starts this season. He goes at home against the Twins.

On to the news:

• A few weeks ago, after getting burned by some false alarm disabled list returns, I promised to use the phrase "is expected to" before promising a player will be activated. Well, Albert Pujols says he's playing tonight, and I've seen nothing to suggest that he's BSing us. Start him if you've got him.
• Red Sox DH David Ortiz tested his wrist with some swings last night, and estimates that he's about three weeks away from returning. That means you're looking at the games coming out of the All-Star break, so if you take a few days off from setting your fantasy lineups then, don't forget about Big Papi.
• Joba Chamberlain is my summer appointment television, and he had his best start yet last night. Again, where are the mea culpas from all the people who wanted him to stay in the bullpen? You don't see me hiding from my idiotic 35-homer prediction for Wily Mo Pena, do you? I do have a quibble, though. I know the Yanks want to stretch Joba out, but with an 8-0 lead and 98 pitches through six innings, was it really necessary to send him back out there for the seventh? What was the point? Anyway, he's becoming a fantasy ace. Enjoy the ride.
• Speaking of the Yankees, Dan Giese and Sidney Ponson are their probable starters for Friday's doubleheader against the Mets. You won't see either one in the "Pitcher to Start" section. Ugh.
• The Angels' Web site reports that OF Vlad Guerrero should be back Friday after missing a couple of games with a stomach bug.
• 1B Carlos Pena is planning to return to the Rays' lineup Friday, and my AL keeper league clubhouse is very excited to see him. The same story notes that closer Troy Percival's hamstring is going to bother him for awhile. In an AL-only league, Dan Wheeler might be a good guy to hang on to.
• Tigers C/3B/OF Brandon Inge is on the DL after getting injured while ... putting a pillow under his son's head. No, I'm not kidding.
• Rangers OF Josh Hamilton sat out again with his bad knee, and might be back tonight. OF Milton Bradley might play tonight as well, and their third basemen, who I refuse to name until he plays again, is apparently mad at the team doctors over all his setbacks. Finally, I think I trust this report that power prospect Chris Davis will make his major league debut tonight. Davis was batting .333 with 23 homers and 73 RBI between Double A and Triple A - he's big-time.
• In Dodger news, Joe Torre workhorse Scott Proctor is on the DL, and neither Brad Penny nor Hiroki Kuroda will be activated this weekend.
• Wait ... is the pitcher in this boxscore really Barry Zito?
• 3B Joe Crede should be back in the White Sox lineup tonight.
• The Mariners are hoping that Erik Bedard (back spasms) will be able to start Sunday in Felix Hernandez's usual spot.
• Cubs OF Kosuke Fukudome missed last night's game with tightness in his left calf, and the team's Web site says he's day-to-day.

See you tomorrow.

Jeff Goodman's got a mock NBA draft over in our basketball area. If Kevin Love slips to the Bobcats tomorrow, I'll be calling their ticket office Friday morning. Since that's the eve of the third anniversary of the day they eliminated my job, do you think they'll give me a discount?

Who's off: Nobody

First pitch: The Brewers and Braves get the interleague slate going at 1:05 p.m. ET. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: A pox on me for not trusting my gut with Kevin Slowey; Justin Masterson didn't get it done. Tonight, let's try Detroit's Armando Galarraga (26.1 percent owned) against the Cardinals. If Roger Rotter and I agree, this has to be a good selection, right?

On to the news:

• If you want to play left field for the Yankees, you might have plenty of opportunities in the days ahead. Johnny Damon sat out last night with a foot injury, and while he hopes to play tonight, he might have plantar fascitis, and that could linger for awhile. Hideki Matsui has a bad knee and a stiff neck, and will be limited to DH duties for a few days. Justin Christian was called up from the minors to play left last night, but you shouldn't get attached to him, and I'm not just saying that because I had never heard of him 12 hours ago.
• Astros 2B Kaz Matsui is on the DL again with a strained hamstring, and one Houston columnist wonders if the team should have ever signed him in the first place.
• Felix Hernandez is pretty confident he'll make his scheduled start Sunday, but it sounds like the Mariners are going to overrule that confidence by giving the King a couple of extra days off.
• Rangers OF Josh Hamilton left last night's game with inflammation in his left knee. He'll be evaluated today while his fantasy owners hold candlelight vigils across the country.
• Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis hopes that the injury near his eye recovers enough to let him play tonight. Youkilis didn't start last night due to blurred vision, but he entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning, since you apparently don't need to see anything when you play the field.
• Finally! After missing nearly two months, OF Josh Willingham returned to the Marlins' lineup last night. He had one hit from the cleanup spot.
• 2B Aaron Hill's return to the Blue Jays is a long way off.
• Gary Sheffield went deep in his first game back from the DL. He's owned in just 46.1 percent of leagues around here, you know.
• If you own Bronson Arroyo, don't click on this link to last night's Reds-Blue Jays boxscore. No, really. STOP... see I told you.
• Nats 1B Nick Johnson is officially done for the season, and teammate Shawn Hill is probably on his way to the DL with a forearm injury. I think the Vegas preseason odds on these guys getting disabled together were about 1-5.
• Reds 3B Edwin Encarnacion might miss another game with a stiff back.
• Look for OF Xavier Nady in the Pirates' lineup tonight after a 10-day absence. I hope Joba doesn't make Nady and his teammates look too foolish.
• Finally, I'd like to welcome our new colleague, Michael Strahan, to FOX Sports. Strahan will be an analyst on FOX NFL Sunday, and I'm sure he'll do a great job. I've been selected to host the staff party welcoming him aboard, and while I've got the burgers and dogs covered, I'd like to request that either Terry, Howie or Jimmy bring a few extra kegs of beer. Thanks, fellas.

See you tomorrow.

John Juhasz's latest fantasy football team preview covers the Carolina Panthers. Growing up in New York, I only saw professional athletes on TV  Here in Charlotte, I've seen Steve Smith a couple of times in my local supermarket, and I spotted Jake Delhomme at a Christmas pageant last year, since our kids attended the same preschool. How is that relevant to your fantasy draft? It's probably not, but I think my neighbors are going to hook up for a bounceback season that makes Smith a big-time fantasy receiver again. You want inside information? There you go.

Who's off: Nobody

First pitch: There are plenty of interleague starts at 7:05 p.m. ET. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Another nice job last night for Jason Bergmann, even though his team didn't give him any help. Tonight, as much as I like Minnesota's Kevin Slowey, I can't pick him on the road against Jake Peavy. Let's go with Justin Masterson (8.3 percent owned), who takes the hill at Fenway against the D'backs.

On to the news:

• Monday was quite a night for Felix Hernandez. The Mariners' ace smashed a grand slam off Johan Santana in the second inning, and left the game in the fifth after spraining his ankle while covering home plate following a wild pitch. The team is calling the sprain "mild," and says that while the King's next start might be pushed back a day or two, a trip to the DL isn't in the forecast. If you own Felix, it looks like you dodged a bullet. If you're an M's fan, this post (and its accompanying comments) from U.S.S. Mariner just about sum things up.
• Stop me if you've heard this before: Hank Blalock's return to the Rangers has been delayed due to a bruised wrist he suffered in a minor league rehab game on Sunday. Blalock will be evaluated today, and then ... heck if I know. Let me know when you see his name in a boxscore, because I'm boycotting any headlines including the word "Blalock" until then.
• Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis left last night's game after taking a warmup throw to the face. It sounds like all he got was a bad black eye, and his status for tonight will depend on whether or not the swelling goes down.
• Pirates starter Ian Snell might miss a start with his sore elbow, but he's not expected to spend time on the DL.
• Braves OF Jeff Francouer got a new contact lens. It's for his right eye, and he only has to wear it at night. I feel like every time an athlete gets some magic eyesight solution, it's a big letdown, like when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to wear white in the late 1980s because Vinny Testaverde's colorblindness was making him throw passes to the other team. I guess we'll see.
• Speaking of the Braves, you're probably not going to see Chipper Jones until Friday.
• Mets OF Ryan Church, who has had trouble recovering from a concussion, hopes to start a rehab assignment later this week. In other Mets news, Gangsta Jerry Manuel is encouraging Carlos Beltran to run more often, which is great news if you're a Beltran owner.
• Mark Mulder was scratched from a rehab start last night with a stiff back. If you're a Cardinals fan, don't read this extended analysis of Mulder's status and the trade that brought him to the Cardinals. It'll just make you mad.
• Still waiting for Nats 1B Nick Johnson to return? Move on, folks. He's got another surgery scheduled for his wrist.
• Royals 2B Mark Grudzielanek missed Monday's game with a sore back, and might be looking at more time on the shelf. Does anyone remember when Harry Caray kept stumbling over Grudzielanek's name and finally just decided to call him "Mr. G?"
• DH Gary Sheffield might be back in the Tigers' lineup tonight.
• Good news for Shaun Marcum, who won't need surgery on his elbow. The Blue Jays' Web site says that he'll probably be out until around the All-Star break.

See you tomorrow.

Looks like Mr. Bloody Sock is going to call it a career. On the list of all-time greats in the postseason, he takes a back seat to nobody.

Who's off: A lot of teams, since there are only five games today. Yankees, Orioles, Blue Jays, Rays, Tigers, Twins, Indians, White Sox, A's, Rangers, Marlins, Phillies, Pirates, Cubs, Cardinals. Reds, Astros, Giants, Padres, Dodgers.

First pitch: The D'backs and Red Sox start another week of interleague mayhem at 7:05 p.m. ET. Here's the not-so-full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Let's recap the weekend selections first. On Friday, Matt Garza had one of those outings that makes you shrug your shoulders and say, "I guess it could have been worse." Seth McClung continued to forget he's Seth McClung on Saturday - even though his five walks should be a giant red flag if you're thinking about picking him up - and steady John Lannan had another fine start on Sunday, even though he didn't get the win. Mr. Lannan needs to start getting some respect, pronto.

The pickings are slim tonight, with only three starters owned in less than half of FOXSports.com leagues. I'm not a big Brian Bannister (41.5 percent owned) fan, and he's close to the threshold. anyway. My friend Roger Rotter