Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki received a positive evaluation from the Rockies' medical staff and will play in a couple minor league games. He should be back in the majors by Friday.

BOTTOM LINE: Although he struggled to start the season, Tulowitzki should provide the Rockies with a huge lift. The replacements have not been getting the job done, and if his bat gets hot, the Rockies will be in much better shape.

Philadelphia Phillies first basemen Ryan Howard continued his excellent week on Monday, going 3-5 with a pair of homers and a triple. He also drove in four.

BOTTOM LINE: Howard has 13 RBI in the team’s last four games, and after struggling mightily in the beginning of the year, Howard is now tied for second in the national league with 19 homers.

Anaheim Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver fell to 6-7 after another poor outing against the Mets. He allowed six runs in 6.1 innings pitched. His ERA is up to 4.73 on the season.

BOTTOM LINE: Weaver should not feel comfortable, because although the Angels are grooming Kelvim Escobar to be a reliever when he comes back, Weaver's struggles could send Escobar right back into the rotation.

New York Mets reliever Aaron Heilman came in to an 8-6 game in the 7th inning, and struck out Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter with the tying runs on base.

BOTTOM LINE: This was a big performance for a guy who had been letting inherited runners score at will thus far this season (50 percent). If your league counts holds and Heilman gets hot, he may be someone worth picking up.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang injured his foot while running the passes during Sunday's 13-0 win against Houston. Wang was spotted after the game on crutches.

BOTTOM LINE: The Yankees fear that this injury may be as serious as the one that Brian Bruney suffered, which would mean that Wang would be out for months, and not just a couple of weeks. The Yankees will perform an MRI on Tuesday, and we will know more then.

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina left Sunday's game against the Phillies with an apparent head injury. He was carted off of the field on a stretcher.

BOTTOM LINE: Molina was down for about eight minutes before he was put on the stretcher. Hopefully, this is one of those cases in which they are over precautious, but we wont know until more tests are performed.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Marcus Thames has now homered in three straight games and has ten in total on the season.

BOTTOM LINE: Thames has been a part time player for a large portion of the season, and until recently, he wasn't doing much to prove otherwise. His .248 average is hurting him, but as long as he keeps up his recent surge, the Tigers would be foolish to take him out of the lineup.

Atlanta Braves reliever Mike Gonzalez may be activated from the disabled list as soon as Friday, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

BOTTOM LINE: The Braves are pretty desperate for arms in the bullpen since John Smoltz's season ended. Rafael Soriano's recent return has helped, and Gonzalez will be sure to help as well.

Seattle Mariners closer J.J. Putz left Wednesday's game in the ninth with an undisclosed injury. It seemed to be either a shoulder or arm injury, because his fastballs had nothing on them.

BOTTOM LINE: Putz hasn't been himself for a while now, but this would be a big loss to a struggling Mariners pitching staff. Brendan Morrow would be the favorite to take over saves if Putz is out for an extended amount of time.

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton struck out all four batters he faced on Tuesday in a relief appearance against the Padres.

BOTTOM LINE: While his 4.94 ERA to this point is not terribly impressive, Broxton's K/BB ratio is exceptional. In 26 innings, he's struck out 35 and walked only 10.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes is eligible to come off of the disabled list, but he will not return for the current series versus the Mets because he has yet to run at full speed.

BOTTOM LINE: With the Diamondbacks sitting atop the National League West, there is no reason to rush Byrnes back. He should be back in time for the series against the Royals next weekend.

St. Louis Cardinals first basemen Albert Pujols is set to go on the disabled list on Wednesday with a strained calf. Pujols aggravated the preexisting injury on Tuesday, and was in visible pain as he was helped off of the field.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a big blow for a Cardinals team that has played very well up to this point in the season. Chris Duncan was recalled from triple a to replace Pujols and the Cardinals putting Pujols on the disabled list is nothing more than a formality at this point.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Willy Taveras is going to lose significant playing time to Ryan Spilborghs, beginning on Wednesday, according to the Denver Post.

BOTTOM LINE: Before his two stolen base game on Tuesday, Taveras had only one stolen base in his previous 11 games. He is only hitting .160 in June, and it looks like he is falling out of favor in Colorado.

Oakland Athletics closer Huston Street admitted after Sunday's game that he has been bothered by a groin strain, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

BOTTOM LINE: This doesn't look like the kind of injury that would land one of the game's premier closers on the disabled list, but it will have to be monitored closely. Street currently has 12 saves and is sporting a 3.49 ERA.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Dioner Navarro went 4-5 in the win on Monday and has raised his average all the way up to .349.

BOTTOM LINE: He ended the season on a season on a high note last year, and he doesn't seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. Start him while he's going well.

San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain tossed 6.1 innings of one-run ball for his third win of the season on Monday.

BOTTOM LINE: This guy is one of the most frustrating players in all of fantasy sports. The talent is there, but the results vary. When he is on, he could be excellent, and this was one of those times. He is worthy of being owned in fantasy leagues, but will never be a top-flight fantasy producer if he remains with the dreadful Giants.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Gary Sheffield is progressing slowly as he tries to make his return from the disabled list, according to mlive.com.

BOTTOM LINE: The Tigers are going to be extremely cautious with this, because no matter how you slice it, the season is less than half way through, and they will need Sheffield for a second half run. He has been light tossing and swinging in the cage, and Sheffield himself claims that he, “sees a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Chicago White Sox outfielder Nick Swisher homered and drove in four runs in a win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Swisher has a 7-game hitting streak and has had multiple hits in two straight games.

BOTTOM LINE: If Swisher is on your team, this may be the time to get a good starter for him. It is Sell High time for the guy who is doing well. Swisher has always been a pretty good hitter, but he will net you a nice bounty if you trade him while things are going well.

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Chris Perez has won the job of eighth inning reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals. In 12 appearances, he has a 1.74 ERA and 4 holds.

BOTTOM LINE: This is big news for a team that had been struggling to find a consistent arm in that bullpen. Perez has been stellar, and he should remain in the eighth inning role even after Jason Isringhausen returns. Perez may be the surprising reliever who emerges this year, If your league counts holds, you may want to pick him up.

Los Angeles Angel's outfielder Vladimir Guerrero hit his first home run since May 24 on Sunday in a loss to the Athletics, but still finds himself in a 4-25 slump.

BOTTOM LINE: Guerrero hasn't been the same fantasy player that he was three or four years ago, but he is still in the top echelon of outfielders in the game. Vlad needs a day off to clear his head, and then maybe after that he will get his stroke back. I wouldn't sit him just yet. Keep putting him out there.

Arizona Diamondbacks' outfielder Justin Upton hasn't had a hit since last week against Milwaukee and is currently in a 5-32 slump.

BOTTOM LINE: Upton has really been struggling as of late, and he was given a day off on Sunday to clear his mind. He will return to the lineup today, but you may want to consider other options until he gets out of this major rut. He has really been hurting fantasy teams lately.

San Diego Padres second basemen Tadahito Iguchi was placed on the disabled list after he separated his shoulder trying to avoid a batted ball on Thursday night.

BOTTOM LINE: Iguchi has been steady this season, and he was also having a good series against the MEts when the injury occured. While he is out, Edgar Gonzalez, who is Adrian's older brother, will get most of the playing time at second base. He is worth picking up in NL only leagues while he is playing every day.

St. Louis Cardinals first basemen Albert Pujols is not sure whether or not he will be in the lineup for Friday's game. He suggested the late flight from Washington to Houston could leave his calf stiff.

BOTTOM LINE: Pujols has been banged up for most of the season, which is why many people have tried to cash in on him before he suffered the big injury. You just have to expect Pujols to not push it too much while the team is going well. On the season, Pujols has a .364 average with 15 homers and 40 RBIs. Monitor him day by day, because if you bench him at the wrong time, he could go on a massive hot streak.

The Tampa Bay Rays have decided to take high school shortstop Tim Beckham with their No. 1 one pick in the first year players draft.

BOTTOM LINE: The Rays decided to go with the five tool player rather than address their biggest need at catcher. They initially had very strong interest in Buster Posey, but that disipated when he revealed that his asking price was about $12 million. Beckham projects to be an above average shortstop at the big league level, and a lot of the experts even expect superstardom. I think we won't see him in the big leagues until the 2011 season.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will be making his next start on Tuesday, despite the fact that Joe Torre previously stated that he would skip Kershaw whenever the five-man rotation wasn't needed.

BOTTOM LINE: Much like many of the other young pampered pitchers in baseball, Kershaw is under an innings limit this season. His limit is 170. Thus far, he is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA and he has struck out 14 batters in 14.2 innings pitched. Start him if you are in a deep league.

Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitski is optimistic about returning to the Rockies lineup soon, and is currently doing drills at Coors Field.

BOTTOM LINE: Tulowitzki is recovering from a torn left quadricep muscle, and he will need to take it slow. The Rockies have been awful since Tulowitzki went down and they really need him. On the season, Tulowitzki is hitting a mere .152 in 109 abs. He has hit one home run and has also driven in 11 runs. The Rockies anxiously await his return to the lineup.

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada returned from the disabled list on Wednesday and was available off of the bench. Joe Girardi said he will start two games in a row at some point this week.

BOTTOM LINE: Posada has been on the disabled list since April 28 with right rotator cuff tendonitis and went on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. The Yankees need him back, but they won't rush him. It is now safe to activate the Yankees backstop in all fantasy formats. Posada also revealed on Thrusday that he will have labrum surgery in the offseason. We will have to see if the injury affects his play.

Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz was put on the disabled list due to a torn tendon in his wrist. He will be in a sling for 2-3 weeks.

BOTTOM LINE: The Red Sox have decided that they are going to go with internal options rather than exploring the trade or free agent market. As soon as this news broke, the questions about Barry Bonds arose, but Theo Epstein made it clear that the Red Sox have no interest in the all-time home run king.

New York Mets starting pitcher Pedro Martinez returned and allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings, and threw a starking 109 pitches in his return.

BOTTOM LINE: Martinez shocked everyone by throwing 109 pitches when he was supposedly on a pitch count. While Martinez was a little bit off with his control, he managed to change speeds well and use his pitches effectively. Pedro is now a good option to be activated in fantasy leagues.

Atlanta Braves Reliever John Smoltz has decided to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

BOTTOM LINE: Smoltz had only one appearance since returning to his old role as reliever, and he even recorded a save on Monday night. But, the deciding factor was established when he woke up Tuesday with immense shoulder pain. Smoltz has previously been quoted as saying he would rather retire than undergo another shoulder surgery, but it appears he will do the surgery. Smoltz is scheduled to be a free agent at season's end.

Atlanta Braves reliever John Smoltz was activated from the disabled list on Monday. The Braves will not use Smoltz on consecutive days.

BOTTOM LINE: Smoltz will be used cautiously in the beginning but it seems like he will be in line for quite a few saves, especially if the Braves are at home. Feel free to put him in your lineup, but don't look for a sensational week.

Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is struggling to get back on to the field due to the sprained left wrist that he suffered. He will undergo an MRI on Monday as a precautionary measure. Right now, he is day-to-day and will not be in the Red Sox lineup tonight.

BOTTOM LINE: After an absolutely dreadful start, Ortiz has raised his averaged to .253. He has 13 homers and 43 RBIs on the season and is still one of the most feared players in the game. With the way the Red Sox are playing, there is no reason to rush him back, so this may be the week to sit him down.

Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett improved to 4-2 this season and earned his 1,000 career strikeout after topping the Detroit Tigers 5-1. Beckett tossed seven innings of six hit ball, striking out eight and allowing just one run. He lowered his ERA to a 3.70 with his fine outing.

BOTTOM LINE: Beckett hasn't been overpowering, just good. He's allowed three runs or more in four outings this season, but he has recorded more than a strikeout an innings and he continues to win. Start him.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Dioner Navarro hit a grand slam in the top of the 13th inning to help top the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Thursday. Navarro finished the day 3-for-6 with two runs and four RBI. He improved his batting average to .368 after the solid outing.

BOTTOM LINE: Navarro has been a pleasant surprise for the Rays to start the season. He's probably available in your league, so grab him if you're in need of a catcher. He has a high batting average but hasn't shown power numbers yet. Even with the hot bat, he's a No. 2 catcher.

New York Yankees starter Mike Mussina won his fourth consecutive start to improve to 5-3 this season after tossing five innings of three run ball in a 6-3 win over the Cleveland Indians. Jason Giambi muscled a two run home run out of the park, and Robinson Cano showed signs of life with a two-hit afternoon.

BOTTOM LINE: Despite a decent stretch of baseball, Moose is a boarderline fantasy start at best. He'll get wins pitching for the Yankees, but he's not a strikeout pitcher and he sports a nasty WHIP and ERA.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Webb improved to 8-0 on Thursday after throwing a complete-game 8-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Webb allowed six hits and struck out four without walking a batter. Mark Reynolds broke out of his extended slump with a 3-for-4 day at the plate.

BOTTOM LINE: Webb won 18 games and posted a 3.01 ERA last season. Now that the D'Backs are improved, there's no reason he won't have a breakout season. He's hardly been overpowering. He's just won his starts.

Although he's back in the starting rotation, San Francisco Giants ace Barry Zito is still searching for his first win. Zito fell to 0-7 after allowing two runs in five innings on Wednesday in a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Zito surrendered both runs off a home run in the fourth inning by Xavier Nady.

BOTTOM LINE: Zito shouldn't be avoided entirely, but on this Giants squad he'll be hard pressed to pick up 10 wins. If he's on the waiver and your desperate, consider picking him up. He can't get any worse.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit three home runs in a 9-0 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Votto drove in four runs, scored three times and raised hit batting average to .302. Votto had recorded just two RBI in his previous 10 contests prior to Wednesday's outbreak.

BOTTOM LINE: Votto won't give you this type of power every week, or every month for that matter, so ride him while he's hot. The second-year youngster has decent enough numbers to warrant a watch over the second half of baseball.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd came two outs away from a no-hitter on Tuesday in a 7-1 win against the Minnesota Twins. Floyd tossed 8.1 innings of one-hit ball, walking three and striking out four. Floyd threw a one-hitter against the Detroit Tigers earlier this season.

BOTTOM LINE: Floyd improved to 3-1 with a 2.50 ERA in six appearances. He's still anchoring the back end of the White Sox rotation, so he doesn't see too much action, but he's improving his pitchers and is a great play in deeper league's.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Juan Pierre has started the past six games for manager Joe Torre, including Tuesday's 5-4 win over the New York Mets. Pierre has a six game hitting streak which has seen him total seven runs, four RBI and five steals, while raising his batting average to .316.

BOTTOM LINE: Pierre won't hit home runs or drive in RBI, but if he's playing he'll net you a nice batting average, runs and steals. That makes him a strong NL only candidate and a great play in deeper leagues.

Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano improved to 5-1 on Tuesday after throwing eight innings of shutout ball in a 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Zambrano allowed three hits and three walks while striking out three. He has won four consecutive decisions and has given up more than two runs just once this season.

BOTTOM LINE: Zambrano has control of all his pitches and is throwing strikes. He owns a 1.80 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP through eight appearances -- great numbers.

Los Angeles Dodgers leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal smacked his fifth home run of the season Monday, helping propel a 5-1 win over the New York Mets. Furcal is batting .366 with five home runs and 16 RBI already this season. Last season he hit just six homers and drove in 47. He's looking like a draft-day steal.

BOTTOM LINE: Hope Furcal can keep it up. Ride his bat while he's hitting off the charts and sell high.

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard drove in two runs to help spark a 11-4 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. Howard went 1-for-4 with a walk, improving his batting average to a still reeling .169. Second baseman Chase Utley continued his hot start by going 2-for-4 with two runs.

BOTTOM LINE: Utley's proving to be the steal of the draft while Howard looks like a one-trick pony. After a down 2007, many were hopeful he'd approach his 2006 numbers. Instead, he's sinking fast.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dustin McGowan outpitched Chicago White Sox hurler Javier Vazquez to earn a 1-0 victory on Monday. McGowan tossed 7.2 innings of four-hit ball, striking out six and lowering his ERA to a 2.95.

BOTTOM LINE: McGowan has had some tough breaks in the early going this season. He hasn't allowed more than four runs in any contest, yet has walked away with just two wins. His low ERA and nice strikeout totals keep his fantasy value high.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka earned a his fifth win of the season in a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday. A wild Matsuzaka walked eight batters, though he allowed just two hits over five innings. The Tigers could only manage one run off him.

BOTTOM LINE: Although Dice-K has yet to pick up a loss this season, he's not pitching deep into ball games and has seen his strikeout numbers decline. With Boston's powerful bats behind him, he'll keep on winning. Don't cout on 200 strikeouts or an under 3.00 ERA however.

The Washington Nationals placed Chad Cordero on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 30, with a torn lat muscle on Friday and activated catcher Paul Lo Duca. Cordero is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks. Cordero has been effective this season, posting a 2.08 ERA in 4.1 innnings.

BOTTOM LINE: The Nationals are carrying three catchers now with Lo Duca, Johnny Estrada and Wil Nieves. Lo Duca has been an everyday player for most of his career. It's unclear how that will change with the Nationals, but you should expect him to get the majority of at-bats at the position. That being said, he's slowing down and you shouldn't expect more than a handful of homers and 40 RBI.

Chicago Cubs reliever Kerry Woods picked up his third blown save of the season after allowing three runs in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday. Woods wasted another fine outing from Carlos Zambrano, who tossed 6.1 innings of one run ball. Woods has held opponent to under a one WHIP and an even .200 batting average, but has blown saves in big spots.

BOTTOM LINE: Woods has been sloppy, but hang onto him. He'll figure things out as a closer and reap big rewards for a strong Cubs squad. Meanwhile, Zambrano continues to prove he's a No. 1 ace.

New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes will undergo an extensive stint on the disabled list after it was revealed he has a stress fracture in one of his ribs on Thursday. Hughes will miss at least two months as he recovers. Hughes was 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in six outings this year. The Yankees recalled Darrell Rasner from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre where he was 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in five starts.

BOTTOM LINES: Hughes was a huge dissapointment for the fantasy owners and the Yankees alike. If for some reason they were harboring hope Hughes could return to form, maybe they'll find respite in Rasner, who has dazzled in Triple-A. Even with pitching at a premium, feel free to drop Hughes.

Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki tore a tendon in his left quadricepts and will be out at least six weeks, according to his agent. "Best case scenario is six weeks. The realistic one is a few months,” agent Paul Cohen said Thursday. “We’re hoping it’s a couple months, but we won’t know until they do further medical tests.” Tulowitzki, the NL Rookie of the Year runner-up last season, was off to a slow start, batting .152 with a homer and 11 RBI in 26 games.

BOTTOM LINE: Unless you have an empty disabled list spot in your fantasy league, drop Tulowitzki immediately. Even if he's better by the All Star break, he won't come close to last season's numbers in any category. It's a tough loss to swallow, but start scouring the waiver wire for his replacement.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel homered and Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 in a 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. After an off-season of speculation regarding Pujols shaky elbow, he has soundly delivered. He's batting .382 with five homers and 20 RBI in 27 games. Ankiel, meanwhile, has been servicable without being great. He's flashed power, but has rarely delivered with runners in scoring position. He has just 12 RBI thus far.

BOTTOM LINE: Ankiel has an outside shot at 30 homers, but don't expect above .275 (if that). Pujols is a ticking time bomb. Move him before the All Star break. That elbow could go at any time.

Arizona Diamondbacks third basemen Mark Reynolds broke out of a mini-slump with a two run double in Monday's 5-3 win over the Houston Astros. Since his torrent start, Reynolds has gone just 3-for-25 with 12 strikeouts. Still, he has been producing. He picked up his third stolen base of the season on Monday and has seven homers in under 100 at-bats.

BOTTOM LINE: Reynolds has fallen back to earth a bit since his hot start, but don't count him out. He's a virtual lock for .275, 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBI. He should also top 100 runs batting in the middle of the D'Backs lineup.

The San Francisco Giants announced Monday that they would send winless left-handed starter Barry Zito to the bullpen. Zito signed a seven-year, $126 million contract at the begining of last season, hoping the former Cy Young winner would anchor their rotation. Instead, he's been a disaster. Zito has gone 0-6 with a 7.53 ERA and 1.95 WHIP this season.

BOTTOM LINE: A lot of players have gone from front-line starters to the bullpen and been successful. He holds little fantasy value until he can prove himself, but he might be a good guy to stash on the bench if you've got space. He'll work out his mechanics before long.

The Yankees received some unpleasant news following their 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians -- durable catcher Jorge Posada was headed to the disabled list. Posada, who has played at least 137 years in each of his last eight seasons, heads to the DL for the first time in his career with a tired shoulder. Mike Mussina picked up the win, throwing to Jose Molina, and improved to 3-3. His ERA dropped 4.73, though he allowed seven hits and a walk while only striking out two in just five innings.

BOTTOM LINE: Losing Posada hurts the Yankees, who just signed him to a four-year contract. Moose showed he still has some life in him, but not nearly as much as in his hey-day. He's a boarderline start at best.

The Los Angeles Angels defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-2 on Sunday behind outfielder Torii Hunter's three RBI against ace Justin Verlander. Hunter tripled in the fourth to drive in Casey Kotchman and doubled in sixth to score two more. He also crossed home plate once for the surging Angels. They've won four of their last six games for a stake of the best record in the AL.

BOTTOM LINE: Hunter projected out as a fantasy dream in Los Angeles. So far he hasn't dissapointed. He's batting .305 with 15 RBI and four home runs. While he might not steal so many bags this season -- just one so far -- his power numbers should remain consistent.

Tampa Bay Rays starter James Shields threw his first career complete game shuout on Sunday, a 3-0 win over the Boston Red Sox that helped the Rays first ever sweep of Boston. Shields threw a two-hitter, walking one and striking out seven, and out-pitched Josh Beckett for the win. He improves to 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA with the victory, and the Rays are now co-leaders in the American League East with a 14-11 record.

BOTTOM LINE: Shields has been a pleasant fantasy surprise thus far. He went 12-8 with a 3.85 ERA, so this is no fluke. On a vastly improved Rays squad, he could win 15-18 games. Keep him active in all formats.

Atlanta Braves ace John Smoltz will likely miss his next start and may end up on the DL with a sore shoulder, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Of his loss against the Mets on Sunday, Smoltz said, "I couldn't command any one pitch that I wanted to, and had to throw a lot of off-speed pitches because my fastball wasn't anywhere near where I needed it to be." He allowed four runs in four innings and picked up the loss, falling to 3-2.

BOTTOM LINE: The Braves right-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in a season-low four innings. He also gave up his first two home runs of the season. Although his ERA is still a pretty 2.00, he's an injury candidate. Wait to see how this plays out before dropping him. If he misses and significant amount of time, however, consider him a no-doubt cut case.

New York Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang improved to 5-0 on Sunday after shutting out the Cleveland Indians 1-0 in a tough pitcher's duel against reigning Cy Young C.C. Sabathia. Wang now leads the A.L in wins and lowered his ERA to a 3.23 with the outing. He struck out a season high nine batters and allowed just four hits and two walks in seven innings. Sabathia was nearly as impressive. The Yankees scored a lone run off Melky Cabrera's fifth inning home run and were shutout the rest of the way. Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera pitched the eighth and ninth innings to complete the shutout.

BOTTOM LINE: Wang's career record is an impressive 51-18. He's a true ace and a fantasy stud. It's good to see him strikeout batters as well.

The Oakland Athletics signed designated hitter Frank Thomas, who was released Sunday by the Toronto Blue Jays, to a prorated $337,000 contract on Thursday. Thomas had become disgruntled with his playing time and became disheartened at moving to the bench. The A's moved Eric Chavez to the 60-day DL and Travis Buck to the 15-Day DL to make move for Thomas.

BOTTOM LINE: Thomas smacked 26 home runs and drove in 95 runners last season, so there's obviously still game left in him. He's a notoriously slow starter, and the Blue Jays had gotten frustrated with waiting for his bat to come around. He's hitless in his last 13 at-bats and has gone 4-for-35 since homering in three straight games April 5-8. Keep an eye on him or stash him on your bench. He can be a valuable power hitter if his bat comes around.

Milwaukee Brewers first basemen Prince Fielder went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. His eighth inning, two-run bomb erased a 4-3 deficit and was the deciding factor in the win. After finishing with 50 long balls last season, Fielder has been slow to start 2008. He's totaled just three homers, though he does have 16 RBI.

BOTTOM LINE: To expect a repeat of his 50-homer season would be foolish. Pencil him in for 35 and 110 RBI and you won't be dissapointed. He's driven in nine runs over his last seven games, so he's definitely heating up.

The Detroit Tigers exploded for 11 runs in the sixth inning of Wednesday's 19-6 win over the Texas Rangers, breaking out of an early season offensive slump in exciting fashion. Carlos Guillen finished 3-for-4 with five RBI, and both Jacque Jones and Miguel Cabrera homered in the impressive rout. Kenny Rogers continued his struggles, however, allowing six runs and nine hits in 3.1 innings and failing to earn a decision.

BOTTOM LINE: The Tigers have won seven of their last 10 contests after a brutal start to the season. The offense that was predicted to drive the Tigers has finally come around. They've scored 34 runs over the last three games and, aside from Rogers on Wednesday, have pitched well.

New Yorks Mets prized free agent acquisition, Johan Santana improved to 3-2 after tossing seven innings of two run ball in a 7-2 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Santana allowed seven hits, none after the fourth inning, and added two doubles at the plate. Santana lowered his ERA to a 3.12 with the win.

BOTTOM LINE: Santana has hardly been lights out. But that should be good news for owners. Once he really revvs up there will be no stopping him. He's at nearly a strikeout per innings, owns a solid ERA and a WHIP under 1.00. There's nothing not to like about Santana.

New York Yankees maligned starting pitcher, Mike Mussina, picked up his 252nd career victory on Wednesday, allowing just two runs in a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. Moose kept the White Sox hitters off balance all night long and limited them to just four hits and a walk while striking out three. He moves to 2-3 with a 4.93 ERA with the win. The Yanks have won three straight and try for a sweep of the Sox on Thursday.

BOTTOM LINE: Mussina doesn't have much gas in the tank. No matter how you look at it, he's a weak fantasy start. Yeah, he might earn 12-15 wins behind a strong Yankees lineup, but his ERA will hover around 4.50 and he's not a strikeout pitcher any more. He's a last resort option at best.

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Nomar Garciaparra went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Monday's 9-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Garciaparra picked up his first hit since his opening game on April 16 and raised his batting average to an even .200. Nomar batted .283 with seven home runs and 59 RBI in 121 games last season.

BOTTOM LINE: Once considered among the best hitters in the league, Garciaparra's career has been derailed by injury after injury. He hasn't appeared in more than 122 games since 2003. He has had just one solid fantasy year (2006) since then.

Phildelphia Phillies second basemen Chase Utley homered for the fifth consecutive game in Monday's 9-5 win over the Colorado Rockies. Utley has six home runs and nine RBI during his current home run tear and he's batting .354 on the season. Utley now has nine home runs this season and is almost guaranteed to break last season's 22 mark.

BOTTOM LINE: Utley is the No. 1 second baseman in the game. With all these home runs you'd like to see some more RBI out of Utley, but you can't really argue with his production.

Arizona Diamondbacks sluggers Mark Reynolds and Eric Byrnes both homered to lead a 4-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday. It was Reynold first bomb since opening the season with five in quick succession. He's slowed down since then, but he's slowly regaining his footing (.429, one homer, four RBI in last four games). Byrnes, meanwhile, is right on pace with last season's numbers (sans stolen bases).

BOTTOM LINE: Reynolds may very well be the surprise of the draft. He'll easily approach 100 RBI and should be a close 30 home run bet. Byrnes will keep up his production as well, but don't expect another 50 stolen base season. In fact, don't expect even 30.

Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buccholz earned his first win of the season on Monday, throwing six innings of shutout ball in an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. Buccholz improves to 1-1 and lowers his ERA to a 4.79 with the win. Althogh he has recorded 18 strikeouts in 20 innings (including six Monday), Buccholz struggles with his command. He's walked eight batters already this season and owns a whopping 1.50 WHIP.

BOTTOM LINE: Buccholz is an untested arm, so he's likely to have growing pains. But strikeouts and wins should start to pile up, especially in Boston's loaded lineup. He's an interesting No. 4 fantasy pitcher.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee hit his sixth home run of the season on Wednesday in a 12-3 rout of the Cincinnati Reds. His six homers are more than he had through the first half of the 2007 season. He's batting .393 with 13 RBI and seems destined to repeat his breakout 2005 campaign. Lee has hit in five straight.

BOTTOM LINE: Lee is off to a roaring start and could be a fantasy gold mine after a sluggish 2007 and 2006. Keep him active in all lineups. The Cubs have won eight of their last 10 and look like the NL team to beat so far.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez threw a complete game on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out eight in a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics. Hernandez improves to 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA with the win and looks like more of an ace than recently acquired free agent Erik Bedard. Hernandez has allowed one earned run or less in three of his four starts this season.

BOTTOM LINE: Perhaps this will be the year that Hernandez puts it all together. He still has command issues (nine walks in 30.2 innings), but he's also sporting a wicked fastball and has been nearly unhittable. He's a No. 2 pitcher in fantasy ball.

Cleveland Indians starter C.C. Sabathia surrendered nine earned runs in just four innings of work Wednesday in a 13-2 drubbing by the Detroit Tigers. Sabathia now owns an unsightly 13.50 ERA and an 0-3 record through four starts. He gave up two homers, walked five, and only struck out one batter.

BOTTOM LINE: Sabathia doesn't seem to be battling an injury, so his slow start is a little perplexing. He rattled off a 19-7 record with a 3.21 ERA last season on his way to a Cy Young nod. Keep him active; he'll get through this rough patch.

New York Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang went through his first rough start of the season Wednesday when he allowed eight runs in four innings and failed to earn a decision in a 15-9 win over the Boston Red Sox. Wang surrendered nine hits and three walks while striking out two, pushing his ERA to a 3.81. Every Yankees hitter had at least one hit at the plate. Derek Jeter scored his third consecutive multi-hit game, Alex Rodriguez hit home run No. 522 and Jason Giambi broke out of his slump and drove in two runs.

BOTTOM LINE: Wang earned a no decision despite his horrible outing. He looked uncomfortable on the mound without Jorge Posada or Jose Molina behind the plate and clearly didn't have his stuff. This is the exception from Wang, not the norm.

New York Mets third baseman David Wright went 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI in Tuesday's 6-0 win over the Washington Nationals. Wright has four homers and 15 RBI for the .500 Mets. Jose Reyes had a big day as well, going 4-for-5 at the plate.

BOTTOM LINE: Wright is a possible NL MVP candidate and should be started in all formats. The slick-fielding third baseman was presented with a Golden Glove before Tuesday's game. Ironically, he has committed three errors in 11 contests this season.

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter feels just fine after missing a week with a strained right quad. He added another three hits and an RBI in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and has five hits over the past two contests. Andy Pettitte allowed three runs to earn the win.

BOTTOM LINE: Jeter looks good at the plate and is a strong candidate for another awesome fantasy season. Pettitte, meanwhile, got the job done and should be a strong No. 3 or 4 pitcher.

Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera hit a game-breaking two run homer in the eighth inning of Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. Magglio Ordonez also added a home run and two RBI, and Nate Robertson threw 6.1 innings of four run ball without earning a decision.

BOTTOM LINE: Perhaps this will help Cabrera find his stroke. He's been amiss at the plate, like the rest of the Tigers offense, and Detroit has won just four games this season.

Chicago Cubs leadoff man Alfonso Soriano left Tuesday's 9-5 win over the Cincinnatti Reds after straining his right calf making a catch in the first inning. Although results from the MRI haven't been released yet, Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Soriano would likely require a stay on the DL.

BOTTOM LINE: The Cubs will probably recall Matt Murton from Class AAA Iowa to fill Soriano's void. Soriano has struggled at the plate this season, batting just .175 with two homers and five RBI.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Nate McLouth hit a ninth inning, game winning three-run homer on Monday, propelling the Pirates to a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though it was just McLouth's second homer of the young season, he is second in the league with 14 RBI and third with 11 runs. Top it off with a healthy .383 batting average and it's safe to say that McLouth is having a breakout season.

BOTTOM LINE: It will be hard to sustain his current run production batting leadoff, but McLouth is swinging a hot bat right now. Keep him active in all formats.

Arizona Diamondbacks ace Randy Johnson made a successful return from back surgery on Monday, throwing five innings of three run ball in a 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants. Johnson struck out seven, though he walked four and threw 90 pitches. None of the runs were earned and Johnson failed to get a decision.

BOTTOM LINE: A healthy Randy Johnson could be a big fantasy grab. Not only will he net you strikeouts and wins, but also a nifty ERA. Consider him a viable No. 2 pitcher if healthy.

New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano drove a pitch-hit home run to snap an eighth inning tie in Monday's 8-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Cano is batting just .185 through 14 games with one homer and three RBI. Alex Rodriguez went 4-for-5 in Monday's contest, tying Ted Williams and Willie McCovey on the career list with 521 home runs.

BOTTOM LINE: Hopefully this big hit snowballs for Cano. Owners were counting on him after his breakout 2007 campaign and he has yet to deliver. Meanwhile, Derek Jeter made his return to Yankee Stadium and finished with two hits.

Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez continued his strong play of late, batting 2-for-5 with a two run home run, in Monday's 6-4 win over the Cleveland Indians. The scorching Ramirez now has a three game hitting streak, including two homers and six RBI. Kevin Youkilis also finished the day with a homer and raised his batting average to a .375 clip with a 3-for-4 effort.

BOTTOM LINE: Manny has picked up any slack for the slumping David Ortiz. After hitting just 20 home runs last year, Manny already has three through 14 games.

Outfielder Gabe Kapler hit a home run and drove in three runners to power the Milwauke Brewers past the New York Mets 9-7 on Sunday. Kapler has hti home runs in back-to-back contests and has recorded four longballs and 11 RBI on the season. After appearing as a minor league manager in 2007, Kapler seems to have rejuvinated his career in Milwaukee.

BOTTOM LINE: Kapler hasn't knocked in more than 33 runs since 2001, so temper your expectations a bit. But he has made a strong case for keeping him around once Mike Cameron returns to the Brewers lineup. Stick with him while he's hot. Kapler's worth taking a flyer on.

Atlanta Braves starter Tom Glavine was forced out of his Sunday start against the Washington Nationals and failing to record an out before leaving with a strained left hamstring. He gave up three hits and a walk before doubling over in pain and being helped off the mound. Glavine was credited with two runs before he left, giving him an 0-1 record and a 2.38 ERA.

BOTTOM LINE: Glavine owners should be worried. Hamstring problems linger and usually take some time to heal. It's unknown how much time he'll miss, so watch for a status update before dropping him.

San Diego Padres pitcher Greg Maddux earned his 349th career win on Sunday, throwing five innings of shutout ball in a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maddux improved to 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA with the outing. The four-time Cy Young winner threw just 68 pitchers and Trevor Hoffman worked the ninth for a save.

BOTTOM LINE: Maddux still has plenty of game left in him. He owned a 14-11 record and 4.14 ERA last season. Don't expect him to win 20 games, but 12-15 and an ERA under four is always a possibility. He's a strong No. 3 or 4 pitcher.

Toronto Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan was activated on Sunday and earned his first save in over a year, working a scoreless tenth in a 5-4 win over the Texas Rangers. Ryan threw just 4.1 innings in 2007 before landing on the injured list. The bulky left-hander recorded 38 saves and a 1.37 ERA in 2006.

BOTTOM LINE: Ryan failed to hit 90 mph on the radar and surrendered a leadoff triple before he lucked into his save. Expect some growing pains while he regains his velocity and works into baseball condition. Consider benching him for another week or two.

New York Yankees starter Phil Hughes endured his second consecutive rough outing on Sunday, getting battered for seven runs (six earned) and six hits in just two innings of work in a 8-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Hughes, who fell to 0-2 with the outing, has surrendered nine earned runs in his last five innings. Backup catcher Jose Molina continued his hot start, going 2-for-4 and driving in a run. He has seen starters time with Jorge Posada battling a sore shoulder.

BOTTOM LINE: Hughes is owned in a staggering 91 percent of leagues. Those owners should consider benching the young right hander until he improves his command. Pitching is at too much of a premium to drop him in most leagues.

Washington Nationals first basement Nick Johnson went 2-for-3 and drove in a run on Thursday in a 4-3 loss to the Florida Marlins. Johnson is batting .303 with a home run, five RBI and a whopping .410 OBP. Still, the Nationals have lost seven straight behind poor pitching and lackluster defense. Odalis Perez fell to 0-2 after surrendering two runs in 5.2 innings.

BOTTOM LINE: Johnson's a worthy comeback candidate after missing all of last season with a broken leg. He seems like he's always on the disabled list, but when he's healthy he puts up numbers. He hit .290 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI in his last full season. While you shouldn't bank on the power numbers, he's batting average and RBI should fall right in place.

New York Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera went 2-for-5 on Thursday in a 6-1 win over the Kansas City Royals, hitting a solo home run in the top of the third and driving in another on a single in the fifth. Cabrera is one of the few Yankees having success at the plate to start the season. He's batting .320 with two home runs and three RBI. Andy Pettitte threw 6.2 innings of one run ball to earn the win for the Yanks, who narrowly avoided a three game sweep.

BOTTOM LINE: Cabrera's stock is high, even on a loaded Yankees lineup. Even though he only belted eight home runs last season, most fantasy insiders are expecting 15-20 out of the Melk Man to go along with 75-90 RBI. This talented outfielder has the strongest arm in the Yankees clubhouse and will start the majority of games in 2008.

Boston Red Sox third basemen Mike Lowell was placed on the 15-day DL Thursday after spraining his thumb fielding grounders prior to Wednesday's game. Kevin Youkilis slid over from first base to cover third in Thursday's contest against the Detroit Tigers, and the Boston Red Sox purchased Jed Lowrie's contract from Class AAA Pawtucket. There's no word on the extent of Lowell's injury.

BOTTOM LINE: Last season's World Series MVP and a huge off-season free agent signing for the Red Sox, Lowell has gotten off to a poor start. He's batting an even .200 and has yet to drive in a run and has scored just once. Keep an eye on his status in the coming days.

The Oakland Athletics placed starting pitcher Rich Harden on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, retroactive to April 3, and called up Triple-A righ hander Joey Devine. Harden has gone 1-0 with an 0.82 ERA in two starts, though he experience shoulder soreness and his next start had been pushed back. The A's hoped he would be fine to pitch this Saturday, but that hasn't been the case. Harden has now been on the DL six times in the past four years.

BOTTOM LINE: The 26-year-old was limited to just seven games last year due to injury and nine the season before that. He's flashed overpowering stuff when healthy, but he seems to spend more time on the DL than the mound. If healthy, he's a No. 3 pitcher.

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Fausto Carmona agreed to a four-year, $15 million contract on Thursday with club options for another three years, bring the total deal to a possible $48 million. Carmona went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA in 32 starts and emerged as one of the AL’s top pitchers in 2007. He's pitched well to start 2008, going 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA in two starts.

BOTTOM LINE: The Indians now have a possible staff ace should C.C. Sabathia depart for free agency after this season ends. Carmona makes a strong No. 3 pitcher in any format. He needs to strike out more batters and has had some control problems this season despite a sparkling ERA.

Cleveland Indians starter Paul Byrd lasted just three innings in Wednesday's 9-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, surrendering six runs on five hits and two walks. Byrd is off to a rough start after a strong finish down the stretch last season as the Indians went deep into the playoffs. He owns a 0-2 record and a 11.05 ERA in two starts. He's surrendered 13 hits and four walks in just 7.1 innings this season.

BOTTOM LINE: Even though he won 15 games last season, Byrd isn't worth your time. He will finish with an ERA aproaching five and he never strikes out a considerable amount of batters. And if his recent struggles are any indication, there's no telling when he'll turn it around this season.

Florida Marlins first basemen Mike Jacobs slammed two home runs and drove in four RBI in Wednesday's 10-4 win over the Washington Nationals. Jacobs has four home runs and nine RBI through eight games despite batting just .212. Florida broke the game open with a seven run fifth inning, highlighted by home runs from Dan Uggla and Jacobs.

BOTTOM LINE: After a somewhat regressive 2007, Jacobs is off to a hot start. Most pundits expected 17-23 home runs, but it looks like this slugger will approach 30. Don't expect him to bat over .270, but he could knock in some runs if Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida get on base in front of him. He's a good sleeper grab.

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeremy Accardo allowed four runs in the ninth inning on Wednesday, blowing a save opportunity and picking up the loss in a 6-3 defeat to the Oakland Athletics. Accardo has had a rough start to the season. After recording thirty saves and a 2.14 ERA in 2007, he owns a 0-2 record and a 10.38 ERA in five appearances in 2008. His rough outing cost starter Dustin McGowan the win. McGowan lasted five innings, striking out seven and allowing two runs.

BOTTOM LINE: The Blue Jays will stick with Accardo for now, but B.J. Ryan is rehabbing fast and will be back before long. Ride him until Ryan's return, then leave him to the waiver wire.

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols went yard twice on Wednesday, driving in three RBI in a 6-4 win over the Houston Astros. The two longballs were Pujols first of the season. He has recorded just four RBI despite batting .379 through the first nine games.

BOTTOM LINE: Pujols is off to a hot start with the bat, but he still looks like a walking time bomb. Try to pawn him before the All Star break. That elbow of his could go bad at any time and Tommy John surgery would mean the end of his season.

Los Angeles Angels outfield Torii Hunter hit a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to help defeat the Cleveland Indians 6-4 on Monday. Hunter finished the day 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. He's batting .333 with four home runs and eight RBI to start the season. Scot Shields picked up the win for the Angels.

BOTTOM LINE: Hunter should be one of the top fantasy outfielders in any league. On a revved up Angels offense, he'll provide offensive pop and has a shot at repeating last season's 100-plus RBI success.

Florida Marlins standout Hanley Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Monday's 10-7 win over the Washington Nationals. Ramirez has thrived in the leadoff spot this season and is batting .440 with two home runs and five RBI through seven games. Dan Uggla also added a home run in the sixth and walked in a runner in the second for the Marlins, who have won three of their last four.

BOTTOM LINE: Ramirez should have a monster season, even batting leadoff. He's an all-around great fantasy pick and a top five player. Keep him active.

New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina scattered two hits and a walk over six strong innings Monday, allowing just one run to earn a victory in a 6-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Mussina struck out three and improved to 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA with the win. Captain Derek Jeter was forced to leave in the third with a right quad injury and is expected to miss the Yanks next series at Kansas begining Tuesday.

BOTTOM LINE: Moose has owned Tampa Bay throughout his career, so his latest outing comes as little surprise. But don't expect the Moose of yesteryear. He's lost his fastball and will struggle to win 15 games this season. Expect 12 wins, a 4.50 ERA and 110 strikouts. As for Jeter, quad injuries can linger. Bench him this week and watch his status.

Shortstop Miguel Tejada hit a two run walk off homer in the bottom of the ninth on Monday to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Tejada is batting .267 with two home runs and six RBI through eight games this season. Tejada has driven in 100 runs in six of the last eight season's and hit 20-plus homers in eight of his last nine.

BOTTOM LINE: Last season was a down year for one of the game's best sluggers. Don't expect him to return to the 34 home run, 150 RBI power he's displayed in the past. But 25 homers and 110 RBI is reachable for this veteran shortstop.

Arizona Diamondbacks sophomore third basemen, Mary Reynolds, homered twice in Monday's 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Reynolds has four home runs, nine RBI and is batting .333 through seven games this season. Although he's not a household name, he had a successful rookie season, hitting 17 home runs and knocking in 62 RBI in just 111 games.

BOTTOM LINE: The Diamondbacks project Reynolds to be a 30-plus home run power threat. He's batting fifth in the lineup, and there's a good chance he's unowned in your league. Grab him. You won't be sorry.

San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman continued his sluggish start on Sunday, giving up a run and picking up the loss in a 3-2 defeat by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hoffman is now 0-2 with a 12.27 ERA and two saves in four appearances. The loss wastes a strong effort from Chris Young, who threw seven innings of two run ball and struck out eight batters without earning a decision.

BOTTOM LINE: While it's too early to give up on the all-time saves leader, Hoffman has a short leash after a sloppy finish to the 2007 season. There's no need to panic just yet, but the clock is ticking.

New York Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang earned his second win on Sunday, throwing six shutout innings in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Wang struck out six and allowed just four hits and two walks before being pulled in the seventh in favor of Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera combined to pitch the last three innings without allowing a base runner. Hideki Matsui batted 3-for-4 and hit his second home run of the young season.

BOTTOM LINE: Wang might be the most underrated No. 1 pitcher in the league. He's a lock for another 18-plus win season and should improve his strikeout numbers. Matsui, too, could be a sleeper. He drafted poorly because of an ailing wrist, but he's off to a hot start and hitting home runs.

Atlanta Braves ace John Smoltz threw five shutout innings to out-duel Johan Santana and help defeat the New York Mets 3-1 on Sunday. Smoltz allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out six before leaving the game with a soreness in his shoulder. He had thrown just 78 pitches -- 51 for strikes -- and looked sharp in his first MLB action this season.

BOTTOM LINE: Smoltz obviously had his sharp stuff on Sunday, but it's a little dissapointing to see him leave with tightness in the same shoulder that landed him on the DL to start the season. If he can pitch through it, consider him an ace pitcher that will net you 12-15 wins. Keep an eye on him though. If he lands on the DL again, it might be enough to cut your losses.

Toronto Blue Jays veteran Frank Thomas hit a grand slam off Josh Beckett in a 7-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, completing a three game sweep. Thomas has blasted home runs in back-to-back contests and has eight RBI in his last three games despite batting just .238 through six games. Ace Roy Halladay earned his first win of the season, throwing eight innings and allowing four runs.

BOTTOM LINE: Thomas hulking frame and 40-year-old knees have to give owners some cause for worry. But if Thomas can stay healthy (and he did last year), then he's a 30 home run, 100 RBI candidate. He's hot start bodes well for owners.

Chicago Cubs veteran thirdbasemen Aramis Ramirez homered in the Cubs 6-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, and Ryan Dempster threw six solid innings to earn the win. Ramirez also scored two runs and picked up his first hit of the season as the Cubs won their first game. Soriano drove in two runners, once on a bases loaded walk and another on a single in the sixth.

BOTTOM LINE: The Cubs host the Astros, a team known for its anemic hitting. Take advantage of good Cubs pitching and expect Carlos Zambrano and Rich Hill (Friday's starter) to have particularly good outings.

Outfielder Bobby Abreu went 2-for-3 and hit the go-ahead run in the eighth as the New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Thursday. Pitcher Phil Hughes tossed six innings of two run ball, and Joba Chamberlain picked up the win. Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for the save, his second this season.

BOTTOM LINE: Abreu is batting .500 through three games this season and appears to have laid aside the April woes that derailed his 2007 campaign. Hughes looked sharp on the mound and can be a decent No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy pitcher, and Chamberlain might have more value than initially expected. The Yankees open a four game set against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays Friday at Yankee Stadium -- a favorable matchup.

Detroit Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield tore a tendon in his right finger in the eighth inning of Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals and will miss at least one game. Sheffield said he will try to play through the injury, though until the swelling subsides he has no idea if it will affect his swing. The Tigers are thin right now with Curtis Granderson and Miguel Cabrera missing time with injury.

BOTTOM LINE: Sheffield has played through injury before, so don't get too worried. He'll probably miss at least a game and it might take him time to adjust, but he'll be fine. Stick with him.

Atlanta Braves starter Mike Hampton strained his left pectoral muscle in during pregame warmups on Thursday, delaying his first major league start in almost three years. Hampton was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to March 30. The Braves called up left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes from Triple-A Richmond and he will be available to pitch Friday.

BOTTOM LINE: Hampton won 22 games in 1999 with the Houston Astros and has had a successful career. Tommy John surgery's have kept him out of the bigs though, and this latest injury just seems like a cruel joke. Expect him to be back on the mound at some point this season, but don't consider him a fantasy option until he has had two or three starts under his belt.

Houston Astros first basemen Lance Berkman hit a three-run walk off home run in a 9-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Miguel Tejada also picked up his first RBI this season, hitting a sacrifice fly in the eigth to drive home Berkman. Jose Valverde picked up the win for the Astros, throwing two innings of one run ball.

BOTTOM LINE: Berkman drove in 100 RBI for the fifth time of his career last season. Expect the runs to come piling in from Berkman and Tejada. Don't expect steals though. Berkman, who nabbed a base on Wednesday, has never hit double-digits in his career.

New York Mets third basemen David Wright batted 3-for-5 and hit his first home run of the season --a three run shot-- in a 13-0 rout of the Florida Marlins. Starting pitcher Oliver Perez threw six innings of shutout ball, striking out eighth and allowing just five hits. Newcomer Ryan Church also hit a home run, a two run blast, and scored two runs for the Mets.

BOTTOM LINE: Wright is an NL MVP candidate, and Perez is a bright up-and-comer. Both are automatic starts, especially Perez now that he'll be asked to up his game with Pedro Martinez out.

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz snapped out an early season funk and hit his first home run of the season in a 5-0 blanking of the Oakland Athletics. Ortiz batted 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, pulling his batting average to a .133 and notching his first hits of the young season.

BOTTOM LINE: Even after a down 2007, Ortiz is high on everyone's fantasy radar this season. His balky knee is reportedly better, and the defending champion Red Sox have one of the best team's in the league on paper.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Brian Bannister pitched a two-hit shutout Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, going seven innings, striking out four and walking none. Tigers leadoff man Edgar Renteria recorded both hits. Bannister went 12-9 with a 3.87 ERA in his rookie season with the Royals and looks like the real deal.

BOTTOM LINE: While Bannister will probably be hyped following his impressive season debut, consider his meager strikeout totals. He whiffed just 77 batters in 165 innings last season -- not a good number for a starting pitcher. And on a Royals team expected to finish in the bottom half of the standings, wins don't seem likely either. That leaves Bannister with just two strong areas (ERA, WHIP) when most fantasy leagues run with five pitching categories.

The New York Mets announced Wednesday that starting pitcher Pedro Martinez will miss the next four to six weeks after straining his left hamstring in his first start against the Florida Marlins. Martinez threw just 57 pitches before he "felt something pop", grabbed the back of his leg and was helped off the field. The three-time Cy Young winner has been placed on the 15-day DL.

BOTTOM LINE: The Mets purchased the contract of pitcher Nelson Figueroa from Triple-A New Orleans to fill Martinez's spot in the rotation. While Figueroa will probably start, pitching is easy to find on the waiver wire and he shouldn't be seriously considered. If your league uses an IR, then feel free to stash Martinez. Otherwise, drop him.

San Diego Padres Cy Young pitcher Jake Peavy threw seven innings of no-run ball Monday, helping top the Houston Astros 4-0. Peavy finished spring training with an unsightly nine-plus ERA, but if his regular season debut is any indication then he should once again be a top five pitcher. He allowed six base runners and struck out four. As a bonus, he drove in two runs and finished 1-for-1 with a walk.

BOTTOM LINE: Peavy is a Cy Young candidate once again. Keep him active in all formats. Hopefully, your league counts pitcher's batting stats. Tadahito Iguchi finished 3-for-5, and the Padres flashed some capable, if underwhelming, hitters.

New York Mets starting pitcher Johan Santana threw seven innings of two-run ball on Monday, striking out eight in a 7-2 win over the Florida Marlins. Santana threw 68 of 100 pitches for strikes and allowed just five base runners. Carlos Beltran and David Wright finished with two hits apiece with the latter driving in three runs.

BOTTOM LINE: Santana's success is no surprise. Meanwhile, Wright go off to a hot start and should be an MVP candidate once again in the NL.

After a rocky spring, starting pitcher Erik Bedard pitched well in his Seattle Mariners debut, allowing three hits, four walks and one run in five innings of a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday. Bedard struck out five batters, though he did not last long enough to pick up the win. J.J. Putz earned the save for the Mariners, and second basemen Jose Lopez hit a two run home run.

BOTTOM LINE: Bedard wasn't efficient, throwing over 100 pitches in five innings, but he did get the job done. He'll need to pitch deeper into games and he's never logged more than 200 innings, but he's still an ace pitcher and a fantasy must start. Meanwhile, keep an eye on Lopez. He's had hot first halves in each of the past two season's.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brady Penny pitched 6.2 innings of shutout ball, and manager Joe Torre picked up his first win with his new team Monday, defeating the San Francisco Giants 5-0. The aging Jeff Kent hit a two run homer in the first, and Rafael Furcal batted 3-for-4 as the Dodgers pounded Barry Zito for eight hits and four runs in five innings.

BOTTOM LINE: The 40-year-old Kent hit 20 homers and knocked in 79 RBI last season. Don't count him out. He's hit at least .289 since 1997 and knocked in 100 RBI seven out of the last 10 years. If healthy, 20-25 homers and 75-90 RBI is reasonable to expect out of this Hall of Fame second basemen.

Chicago White Sox designated hitter Jim Thome hit two home runs and drove in four RBI in a 10-8 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Monday. Pitcher Mark Buehrle lasted just 1.2 innings, surrenderinh seven runs, seven hits and two home runs before being yanked. The White Sox tied the game, but closer Octavio Dotel allowed three runs in the eighth to earn the loss.

BOTTOM LINE: Thome, who batted .275 with 35 homers and 96 RBI in just 130 games last season, is off the a hot start. If he can stay healthy and the White play decent ball, he's a lock for 35, 100 and .275 again. Buehrle, the staff ace, should rebound and improve his ERA, if not his win total.

Philadelphia Phillies temporary closer Tom Gordon allowed five runs in the ninth inning of Monday's 11-6 defeat to the Washington Nationals and picked up the loss. Gordon recorded just one out in his first save opportunity of the season. With closer Brad Lidge requiring surgery, Gordon was chosen to fill the late game void. It's a role he's played before in Chicago and New York with some success.

BOTTOM LINE: Consider Flash's meltdown minor. He's thrown enough innings to prove he can bounce back. Keep in mind, however, that once Lidge returns (mid-April) Gordon loses nearly all of his fantasy value, even if he proves immensely valuable now.

Milwuakee Brewers closer Eric Gagne allowed three runs in the ninth inning of Monday's 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs and blew a save opportunity, but picked up the win after Tony Gwynn's sacrifice fly in the tenth. Ben Sheets pitched 6.2 innings of no-run ball, striking out seven and allowing just four base runners, but Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano matched his strong outing, though he was forced to leave with cramps in the seventh.

BOTTOM LINE: The Brewers were a surprise team last season. If Gagne can find his stuff, they could have an ace closer and a bunch of strong bats. Unfortunately, Gagne's last season and a half has been less than impressive. He's a boarderline start as of now; he'll get opportunities, but can he convert them?

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb allowed two runs and struck out six batters in six innings to pick up his first win of the season in a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnatti Reds. Chris Young and Eric Byrnes both hit solo home runs, and the Arizona pitching staff limited the Reds to just three hits and four walks.

BOTTOM LINE: Byrnes and Webb are coming off career year's, and the Diamondbacks may be the sleeper NL team of the season. They have an ace staff and some solid hitters.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander struggled in his first start of the season, allowing four runs in six innings of a 5-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Verlander allowed four hits and walked one, though he did strike out six batters. Placido Polanco batted 0-for-6, and Miguel Cabrera went 1-for-5 with one RBI in his Tigers debut. Reliever Denny Bautista picked up the loss, giving a run in two innings pitched.

BOTTOM LINE: Verland is a top 20 pitcher this season, so his performance against the Royals was a little dissapointing. But the roto-season is a marathon, not a sprint. Polanco might not go 0-for-6 the whole rest of the season, and Magglio Ordonez stranded five runners despite going 2-for-5. All in all, not a great day for the Tigers.

The Baltimore Orioles cut outfielder Jay Gibbons on Sunday, losing the $11.9 million still owed to him over the next two years of a four-year contract. The oft-injured Gibbons batted just .189 in 16 spring training games. He played in just 84 games last season due to a myriad of injuries.

BOTTOM LINE: Gibbons still has a 15-game suspension to serve if he gets picked up by another team for reported receiving shipments HGH. He's missed at least 65 games in three of last four season's and at this point is not a fantasy option.

Third basemen Ryan Zimmerman hit a walk off home run in the ninth inning, and the Washington Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in their home opener on Sunday. Nick Johnson and Adam Kearns added first inning RBI singles, and Odalis Perez pitched five innings of one run ball, but failed to pick up the win.

BOTTOM LINE: Zimmerman is the face of the Nationals franchise and rightly so. He's a top fantasy candidate to keep an eye on. Meanwhile, Johnson looked fine at the plate after a broken leg caused him to miss all of last season, and Perez pitched well enough to keep the Nats in the game.

Oakland Athletics outfielder Emil Brown hit a three-run homer off Jon Lester in the bottom of the third inning to help top the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Wednesday. Rich Harden pitched six innings of one-run ball, striking out nine and earning the win for the Athletics. Boston's Manny Ramirez continued his hot start with his first home run of the season.

BOTTOM LINE: Despite rarely seeing the mound the previous three season's, Harden is the undoubted staff ace. Brown, meanwhile, could be a .275, 20 home run, 85 RBI guy if he stays healthy and gets at-bats.

The San Diego Padres released outfielder Jeff DaVanon and Robert Fick on Sunday, according to manager Kevin Towers. Both were signed to minor league contracts and were battling for back-up positions on the Padres. The surprising play of rookie Chase Headley made them expendable. Headley was also optioned to AAA.

BOTTOM LINE: Headley will be in the big leagues before long. The Padres wanted to get him more at-bats though and were worried about his change of position. Keep an eye on him as the season drags on.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a host of young candidates for the vacated third basemen position, including front-runners Tony Abreu and Chin-lung Hu. With Nomar Garciaparra (hand) unable to start, Abreu is the likeliest to steal his spot. He batted .271 with 17 RBI in 166 plate appearances last season. Hu had two home runs in just 29 at-bats last season.

BOTTOM LINE: Abreu is the more polished of the two hitters, though Hu has a better glove. Look for Abreu to make the most out of his stint as a starter, however short lived. Garciaparra shouldn't miss more than a week or two.

The Colorado Rockies look like they will make Mark Redman their No. 5 starter this season, following a strong finish to spring exhibition play. Kip Wells was moved to the bullpen, leaving Jason Hirsh (shoulder) as his only threat in the rotation. Redman went 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA last season with the Rockies.

BOTTOM LINE: Redman should only be considered in deeper leagues. He owns a career 66-80 record and a 4.75 ERA. Once Hirsh returns (probably in late April), Redman's future with the Rockies becomes uncertain.

The Arizona Diamondbacks optioned righty pitcher Billy Buckner to class AAA Tuscon on Monday. Buckner made six appearances for Arizona this spring, recording a 7.62 ERA. Buckner had a 5.29 ERA in 34 innings last season with the Kansas City Royals.

BOTTOM LINE: The Diamondbacks are pretty deep, so it would be surprising if Buckner made more than a few starts this season with the Diamondbacks. Keep away from him when drafting.

The Pittsburgh Pirates purchased Luis Rivas' contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday and will start him opening day if Freddy Sanchez (shoulder) can't make the start. The Pirates also cut four players, including former major leaguer Kevin Thompson. Casey Fossum and right-hander Elmer Dessens were re-assigned to the minor leagues.

BOTTOM LINE: Rivas will act as the Pirates utility man and should see some decent starting time early on if Freddy Sanchez is still ailing. Otherwise, Rivas' fantasy value is limited.

The Milwaukee Brewers released pitcher Claudio Vargas on Tuesday, according to the team's official website. Vargas finished 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA and 107 strikeouts last season. Ben Sheets, Jeff Suppan, Manny Parra, Carlos Villanueva and Dave Bush are now the definite starting five until Yovani Gallardo (knee) can return. Earlier in the week Chris Capuano announced he'd need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.

BOTTOM LINE: This move comes as somewhat of a surprise. Rather than attempt to trade Vargas the team out and out dropped him. The starting rotation is now set, however, and fantasy GM's can plan accordingly.

The Houston Astros have opted to go with the young J.R. Towles as their starting catcher on opening day. He's completely healthy after straining his hamstring earlier this month and will start ahead of veteran Brad Ausmus.

BOTTOM LINE: Towles is a good late-round sleeper pick. He's played well this spring and the Astros love him. The starting job is his to lose, so he'll have plenty of chances to prove himself. In deeper leagues, he's a must draft.

Cincinnatti Reds top young pitcher Homer Bailey threw a wild 4.2 innings on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays and likely earned a ticket back to the minors. He threw just 42 of 84 pitches for strikes and walked six. Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Josh Fogg are the leading candidates for the final three roster spots, leaving Bailey on the outside.

BOTTOM LINE: A lot of fantasy GM's were high on Bailey, and while he'll likely wow at some point, it won't be at the start of the Reds season. Expect him to stay in the minors until injuries sideline a starter.

Washington Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes, who missed a week with a strained hamstring, feels healthy and will start opening day in place of the injured Willy Mo Pena. Pena has a strained left oblique and will not be seen until at least May. This gives Dukes, a top prospect, plenty of time to prove himself.

BOTTOM LINE: Dukes is going in the later rounds of fantasy drafts, but his playing time will largely depend on Pena's recovery. If he can return quickly and establish himself, then Dukes will find himself as the fourth man in the outfield.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed closer Brad Lidge on the 15-day DL on Monday to allow him more time to rest his surgically repaired knee. Lidge had been pitching in the minor leagues, but the Phillies wanted him to get more innings before the regular season. Lidge recorded 19 saves and a 3.36 ERA last season with the Houston Astros and was a key off-season acquisition for the Phillies.

BOTTOM LINE: Tom Gordon will assume closing duties while Lidge is out, making Gordon a short-term fantasy find. He's closed before and still has enough gas to pile up the saves. If he's on the waiver wire, consider making a stab at him for the first weeks of the season. Once Lidge returns though, Gordon's value plummets.

The New York Mets have tapped Johan Santana as their opening day starter, but they still have no clue who will anchor the back end of the rotation. Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey are the leading candidate and both were ineffective in Sunday's 14-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Willie Randolph plans to use a five man rotation from the season's start, so either Hernandez or Pelfrey will make the rotation.

BOTTOM LINE: Expect Hernandez to take the final rotation spot to start the season. He's a veteran craftsmen and knows how to get the job done. Hernandez finished 9-5 with a 3.72 ERA last season in 27 appearances with the Mets, including 128 strikeouts in 147.2 innings.

Atlanta Braves veteran pitcher John Smoltz opted not to throw a bullpen session on Monday, wishing to give his sore shoulder more rest, and Javy Lopez retired after being assigned to the minor leagues. There is a chance Smoltz opens the season on the disabled list, which would keep him out of the lineup until April 6. The Braves would operate a four man rotation until then. Lopez ended his comeback bid after batting just .188 this spring. Brian McCann will be the full time catcher.

BOTTOM LINE: Smoltz's age and injury history make him a dangerous draft liability, but the talent is undeniably still there. Smoltz said he pitched with similar discomfort last year and was confident it would dissappear. Keep him on your radar; he's a top 20 pitcher.

The Texas Rangers signed pitcher John Patterson to a minor league contract Monday just four days after being cut by the Washington Nationals. Patterson was 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA in three spring starts for the Nationals and was slowed by nerve damage in his right forearm. He spent five months on the disabled list last season.

BOTTOM LINE: Patterson was once a young phenom. At 30-years-old he's not so far removed from those days. The Rangers own a perenially bad pitching staff, so expect Patterson to get a call-up sooner than later. Until then, he's not worth considering.

The Seattle Mariners optioned pitcher Jeff Clement and catcher Cesar Jimenez, though both could be back in the big leagues before long. Jimenez owned a 0.77 ERA during winter league, but the Mariners may have the best rotation in recent history. Clement didn't have a good spring, but he will likely see time before long. The Mariners love his potential.

BOTTOM LINE: Unless the Mariners are decimated by injuries, don't expect either Clement or Jimenez to make much of a fantasy spash. The Mariners love the potential there; there's just not enough roster space right now.

Los Angeles Angels pitchers Kelvim Escobar (shoulder inflammation) and John Lackey (strained triceps) will both be out until mid-May. Now, relief pitcher Scot Shields has experienced a set back with a sore shoulder and tightness in his right forearm. Shields has pitched just four innings this spring and his readiness for opening day is in doubt.

BOTTOM LINE: Don't count on Shields being ready (or effective) for opening day. Nick Adenhart or Dustin Moseley will land a starting gig with the other moving to the bullpen. Neither is a strong fantasy bet though.

The Minnesota Twins have selected Carlos Gomez as their starting center fielder and leadoff hitter on Monday. Denard Span and Jason Pridie were optioned to Triple-A Rochester before the Twins' 8-4 preseason loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Gomez batted .232 with two homeruns and 12 RBI in 125 plate appearances with the New York Mets last season before being acquired in the deal that sent Johan Santana to the Mets.

BOTTOM LINE: Gomez is a definite sleeper pick. The sophomore speedster stole 10 bags and batted .278 during Grapefruit League play. He's bench worthy material in deeper leagues and a good waiver wire candidate. He's not likely to go drafted in most leagues.

The Kansas City Royals optioned pitcher Luke Hochevar, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 amateur draft, to Triple-A Omaha on Monday. Hochevar was 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three spring training games, but he hadn't appeared since March 13. He was 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA in four appearances, including one start, last Sept.

BOTTOM LINE: Hochevar pitched well this spring, but the Royals rotation is much improved and they would like to see him get more work in the minors. Look for him to be called into action the moment a starter goes down. He's a sleeper in deeper leagues, but not worthy of fantasy consideration right now.

The Cleveland Indians have selected Cliff Lee as their No. 5 starter and reportedly designated reliever Aaron Fultz for assignment after he posted horrible spring numbers. Lee posted an 18-5 record and a 3.79 ERA in 2005 before going through two down years. Lee has a 5.27 ERA in five starts this spring, but the Indians are convinced that he has made significant progress. Meanwhile, hitters batted .390 off of Fultz. He's gauranteed $1.5 million this season --money the Indians will have to eat if they can't trade him.

BOTTOM LINE: Lee is a guy to keep an eye on. He's pitched poorly the last few seasons, but he's done well in the past and the Indians believe in him. He's not getting drafted, which means if he starts hot, you could scoop him up and reap the benefits. Keep an eye on his numbers for the first few starts.

The Detroit Tigers placed Curtis Granderson on the 15-day DL Monday with a broken finger in his right hand. Granderson broke the finger when he was struck by a pitch during a minor league game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Granderson said he will miss a minumum of three weeks. He batted .302 with 23 home runs and 74 RBI last season.

BOTTOM LINE: Brandon Inge is the likely candidate to replace Granderson in the outfield. Inge, who started at third last season, was bumped out of that position by the acquisition of Miguel Cabrera. If you can stomach his atrocious batting average, Inge makes a solid pickup.

The Chicago Cubs announced pitcher Kerry Woods would be their closer to start the season. The oft-injured Woods beat out Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol for the spot because manager Lou Piniella believes Woods will remain injury free pitching out of the bullpen. Woods had success last season, going 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 22 appearances. Last year's closer, Ryan Dempsey, has been tagged as the No. 3 closer and Jason Marquis earned the fifth spot in the rotation.

BOTTOM LINE: Woods is a high risk / high reward pick. He still throws a mid-90's fastball, but he's always an injury away from a lost season. That said, the Cubs will provide him with many save opportunities and he can strikeout batters.

Chicago White Sox third basemen Joe Crede has likely locked up a starting spot over promising prospect Josh Fields. Crede signed a one-year, $5.1 million deal in Jan. and has shown no ill effects from June back surgery. Fields made 373 plate appearances last season, batting .244 with 23 home runs and 67 RBI.

BOTTOM LINE: Crede is starting more because of his hefty price tag than his less than stellar numbers. If he continues to falter, you can expect to see Fields back in the majors before long with the Sox looking to move Crede. Neither is a fantasy pickup right now, but monitor their status' closely.

The Tampa Bay Rays optioned prized prospect Evan Longoria to Class AAA Durham on Monday. The 22-year-old Longoria recorded 26 home runs and 95 RBI in 136 games in Class AA and AAA last year. Willy Aybar will likely start at third base in Longoria's place.

BOTTOM LINE: Aybar has been experiencing some hamstring soreness and has seen his playing time cut of late. But in deeper AL-only leagues, he's a decent pickup. Longoria will be back in action by the time June rolls around, so Aybar isn't a permanent option, but he's a solid stop-gap.

Toronto Blue Jays third basemen Scott Rolen had surgery on a broken finger Monday and will miss at least two weeks. He will likely miss closer to a month though, and Marco Scuturo will fill in during this time. Meanwhile, B.J. Ryan will miss the start of the season after experiencing soreness stemming from elbow surgery during the off-season. Manager J.P. Ricciardi placed Ryan's return at mid-April.

BOTTOM LINE: You know what you're getting with Scuturo: .260 and no power production. If you need an immediate bat though, he's a nice stop-gap. Jeremy Accardo will close in Ryan's absence and is a solid short-term addition.

The Oakland Athletics named left-hander Dana Eveland as their No. 5 starter this season with Chad Gaudin begining the season on the 15-day DL. Eveland beat out Lenny DiNardo and Dallas Braden during spring training, but will not see action until April 12; the A's have said they will use a four-man rotation until then.

BOTTOM LINE: Eveland will only get one or two starts to show off his stuff before moving to the bullpen. He's worth a look in deeper AL-only leagues. Otherwise, he won't get enough appearances to make an impact.

The Boston Red Sox placed starting pitcher Josh Beckett on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 19 and activated first basemen Sean Casey on Tuesday. Beckett has a strained lower back and is eligible to return by April 3. Casey was not expected to be ready for opening day with a sore neck. He batted .296 with four home runs and 56 RBI in 453 plate appearances last season with the Detroit Tigers.

BOTTOM LINE: Casey is an insurance policy for the Red Sox, who wil start Kevin Youkilis at first base. Manager Terry Francona has said that Beckett has a shot at pitching in a three game series against the Toronto Blue Jays starting April 4.

The New York Yankees have optioned relief pitcher Chris Britton to Triple-A Scranton / Wilkes Barre on Tuesday. Britton posted an 0-1 record with a 3.55 ERA in 11 relief appearances last season. He allowed one earned run in five innings this spring. Joba Chamberlain will move to the bullpen and likely set-up closer Mariano Rivera.

BOTTOM LINE: If Mike Mussina, who faltered down the stretch last season, can't give the Yanks some solid starts, Chamberlain will move into the starting rotation and Britton will likely return to the bullpen. Britton won't have much value as a setup man.

The Florida Marlins sent top prospect Cameron Maybin to the minors on Monday, shipping him to Double-A Carolina. The 20-year-old Maybin has been a draft sleeper favorite and is being targeted in the later rounds. The Marlins will start either Alejandro De Aza or Cody Ross in his place.

BOTTOM LINE: Maybin has no fantasy value as of now. He's the center fielder of the future for the Marlins, but he's just a wasted draft pick at this point. He'll be back in the majors at some point this season though, so keep your eye on him.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored in a 6-5 10th inning win over the Oakland Athletics in baseball's season opener on Tuesday. Ramirez doubled twice, including a 10th inning go-ahead two RBI shot. Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed two runs, five walks and struck out six in five innings of erratic work, and Jon Papelbon pitched a shaky tenth to earn the save.

BOTTOM LINE: 2007 was the first time since 1997 that Ramirez didn't finish with 100-plus RBI. Expect a monster year from the wacky outfielder. J.D. Drew was scratched before the game with a bad back, and Oakland's Houston Street allowed a ninth inning two run homer to earn a blown save.

The Minnesota Twins signed close Joe Nathan to a four-year, $47 million contract on Monday in a deal that includes an option for a fifth year on the 33-year-old closer. Nathan finished 4-2 last year with a 1.88 ERA, 37 saves and 77 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. He has 160 saves in four years with the Twins.

BOTTOM LINE: This deal eliminates any trade risk associated with Nathan and boosts his fantasy value. Unfortunately, the Twins aren't good enough to place him in many save situations. Otherwise, he'd be a No. 1 closer.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed pitcher Adam Wainright to a $15 million, four-year contract on Thursday in a deal that includes two option years and could be worth up to $36 million. Wainright is projected to be the Cardinals opening day starter. Wainright went 14-12 with a 3.70 ERA last season.

BOTTOM LINE: The Cardinals sorely needed an ace, and though Wainright won't be that No. 1 pitcher, he could be a solid fantasy asset. He's capable enough to put up similar numbers this season, so take a flier on him in later rounds.

Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett will miss the opening series in Japan with back pain. The team decided to leave Beckett at home despite a successful bullpen session on Sunday. He may also miss the May 28-30 series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Beckett suffered from back spasms after his first spring training game this season.

BOTTOM LINE: The Red Sox will work Beckett back slowly. They wan't him healthy for the remainder of the season. Don't expect him to miss more than his first two starts (if that), but keep this in mind if you're planning on drafting him.

The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a one-year, $4.25 million contract with right-handed pitcher Kyle Lohse on Thursday. Lohse was 9-12 with a 4.62 ERA with the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies last year, throwing 192.2 innings. He has started 30 or more games in five of the last six seasons.

BOTTOM LINE: This move reflects how desperate the Cardinals need starting pitching. Lohse isn't a guy to spending a draft pick on. A .500 record and a 4.50 ERA would be a best case scenario for Lohse.

The Boston Red Sox placed Curt Schilling on the 60-day DL Thursday morning with a shoulder injury, according to the Boston Globe. The Red Sox brought in right-handed reliever Lincoln Holdzkom to replace Schilling. There is currently no time-table for Schilling's return, though the best case scenario is that the 41-year-old veteran returns by the All Star break.

BOTTOM LINE: Schilling has no fantasy value right now. With no assurances that he will return, there's no reason to waste roster space on him. Monitor his status as the season progresses and hope you can snatch him before other GM's if he does return this season.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli will begin the season on the DL because of an undiagnosed condition that leaves the 26-year-old extremely fatigued after short workouts. “Either my body isn’t making or storing ATP the right way, therefore not allowing my muscles to work as they should, and especially recover like they’re supposed to on a day-to-day basis," he said. He has missed 348 games over the last three seasons.

BOTTOM LINE: Luckily, there's plenty of depth in the outfield. Baldelli shouldn't be considered as a fantasy option until he proves he can stay healthy and produce. Right now, there's no reason to draft him.

Doctors have confirmed that St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols has a high-grade tear of his elbow ligament, but have said that he will not require immediate surgery. "If it blows out it's going to blow out," Pujols said. "You can't control that." Fans and media have expressed their concern, but Pujols has refused to alter his preparation during Spring Training.

BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy GM's should approach with caution. He's too good a player to let sit on the draft board for long, but wasting a No. 1 pick on a guy who's guaranteed to be playing through injury an entire season isn't the smartest thing to do. He played hurt last season and produced -- though not as well as hoped-- so there is no reason to think he won't post similar numbers if he stays on the field.

The Boston Red Sox signed closer Jon Papelbon to a one-year, $775,000 contract on Thursday, nearly doubling his salary. By signing Papelbon, the Red Sox have now placed their entire 40-man roster under contract. The 27-year-old closer posted 37 saves in 40 opportunities and a 1.85 ERA.

BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy are hoping Papelbon wasn't a flash in the pan last season. The Red Sox refusal to tender him a multi-year contract should raise some eyebrows, but the Sox haven't given long-term contracts to any of their younger players. Consider Papelbon a mid-level closer; on Boston he'll get save opportunities. He'll also get yanked quickly if he can't produce.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed pitcher Adam Wainright to a a one-year contract worth approximately $500,000 on Tuesday. Wainright, who posted a 14-12 record with a 3.70 ERA in 32 starts and pitched 202 innings last season, is expected to be the Cardinals ace on opening day. He also notched three saves filling in for the injured Jason Isringhausen last season.

BOTTOM LINE: Wainright is an interesting fantasy prospect. He's expected to fill in as the Cardinals staff ace, but he's not an elite pitcher. Expect similar numbers from last season, perhaps with a higher ERA.

The Colorado Rockies agreed to a three-year, 17.5 million contract with outfielder Brad Hawpe on Monday. Hawpe is the fourth Rockies hold over from the Championship team to receive a long-term contract. Hawpe batted .291 with 29 homers and 116 RBI last season.

BOTTOM LINE: Hawpe is a solid fantasy outfielder with plenty of upside. He's hitting in a batter-friendly ball park on a team that went to the World Series last season. There's no reason to think he can't repeat last season's success.