Our weekly digest of everything fantasy baseball. Facts don't lie and The Lineup is full of 'em. Here is your weekly digest of everything fantasy baseball. Projections for the week of April 28 to May 4. Stats through and including April 25:



Boston Red Sox, OF
Stats:.379 AVG, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 11 R, 4 SB
Comment: With Coco Crisp out, Ellsbury has been taking full advantage of regular at-bats.

Florida Marlins, SS
Stats: .258 AVG, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 9 R, 6 SB
Comment: To all of you out there who scoffed when Update! endorsed him as the No. 2 overall pick for fantasy drafts: eat it.

Philadelphia Phillies, 2B
Stats: .536 AVG, 6 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R, 0 SB
Comment: Already has 10 home runs on the season and is carrying the Phillies offense as Jimmy Rollins recovers and Ryan Howard flounders.


Baltimore Orioles, SP
Stats:2-0, 2.57 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 8 SO
Comment: Yes, Daniel Cabrera has made it to the "Who's Hot" list. Cue the Rapture.

Oakland Athletics, SP
Stats: 2-0, 0.64 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 12 SO
Comment: Gaudin has helped the A's become the surprising early leaders of the AL West.

Cincinnati Reds, SP
Stats:1-0, 1.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 7 SO
Comment: The guy just cannot lose and he is averaging over a strikeout per inning thus far in 2008.



New York Mets, 1B
Stats: .107 AVG, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 R, 0 SB
Comment: The demotion to sixth in the lineup was expected. Question is, will the Mets get so fed up that they find an alternative first base starter?

Pittsburgh Pirates, 1B
Stats: .160 AVG, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R, 0 SB
Comment: LaRoche hit .133 in April 2007 so it shouldn't be a huge surprise that he's struggling mightily this early.

Minnesota Twins, OF
Stats: .227 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 0 SB
Comment: Just like in 2007, Young is off to an awful start to the season.


Cincinnati Reds, SP
Stats: 0-2, 11.57 ERA, 2.36 WHIP, 9 SO
Comment: Arroyo has yet to make it to the sixth inning all season.

Los Angeles Dodgers, SP
Stats: 0-1, 7.20 ERA, 2.20 WHIP, 9 SO
Comment: Has now taken three straight losses and is still searching for win No. 1 on the season.

Los Angeles Angels, SP
Stats:0-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 4 SO
Comment: Has given up 20 hits in his past two games and is looking like an inconsistent headache for fantasy owners.


Washington Nationals, C
Comment: While Paul Lo Duca sits on the DL, Estrada is not a bad play this week. He batted .345 against Atlanta and Pittsburgh in 55 at-bats in 2007.

San Francisco Giants, C
Comment: The veteran catcher is a terrific option based on last year's stats against the Rockies (.338 AVG, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R in 17 games) and Phillies (.450 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R in 6 games).

Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B
Comment: Loney stands to have a productive week thanks to his 2007 numbers versus Florida and Colorado: .321 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI in 53 at-bats.

Cincinnati Reds, 1B
Comment: Has been putting his power on display while also showing that he should be the clear-cut starter over platoon-mate Scott Hatteberg.

Tampa Bay Rays, 2B
Comment: Iwamura hasn't been good this season, but there is reason for hope when one looks at his 2007 stats against Boston and Chicago: .289 AVG, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 22 R, 4 SB in 32 games.

Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
Comment: Kent had no problems at the plate in 2007 against the Marlins and Rockies: .368 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R in 18 games.

Boston Red Sox, SS
Comment: Lugo is trying to keep Boston prospect Jed Lowrie at bay and he should do just that at least this week since he had great numbers last season against Toronto and Tampa Bay: .285 AVG, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 19 R, 7 SB in 35 games.

Detroit Tigers, SS
Comment: Renteria is on the road this week. Good thing too, as he has 3 HR, 11 RBI and a .319 AVG in 12 games away from home this season.

Chicago Cubs, 3B
Comment: Ramirez is a must-start player this week based on his 2007 stats versus Milwaukee and St. Louis: .321 AVG, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 18 R in 30 games.

Arizona Diamondbacks, 3B
Comment: Reynolds has been awesome at home this season: .341 AVG, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 13 R, 1 SB in 11 games.

Milwaukee Brewers, OF
Comment: Cameron is going to return from his suspension this week and immediately start in center field and hit second. Good timing for him as he had five HR and 10 RBI against Chicago and Houston in 2007.

Milwaukee Brewers, OF
Comment: Hart's start has not been exciting, but there's reason for optimism this week. Take a gander at his 2007 stats versus the Cubs and Astros: .324 AVG, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 20 R, 10 SB in 29 games.

Colorado Rockies, OF
Comment: Expect a big week for Hawpe, who owned stellar numbers against the Giants and Dodgers last season: .322 AVG, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 17 R in 35 games.

Seattle Mariners, OF
Comment: Ibanez should continue his strong 2008 this week based on his 2007 numbers versus Cleveland and New York: .333 AVG, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 9 R in 16 games.

Toronto Blue Jays, SP
Comment: While Burnett has not lit up opposing hitters thus far, he gets to face Boston this week, whom he has good career numbers against: 3-0, 2.51 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 16 SO in 20.2 IP.

Arizona Diamondbacks, SP
Comment: The Big Unit has never lost to the Astros, garnering 4 wins, a 2.50 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 36 innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers, SP
Comment: For his career, Penny has absolutely owned the Rockies: 12-2, 2.92 ERA, 1.19 ERA, 87 SO in 126.1 IP.

New York Yankees, SP
Comment: Wang has been a dominant force against Seattle for his career: 6-0, 2.51 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 18 SO in 43 IP.

Comment: Kendall has been far better than anyone expected this season, except on the road where he is batting just .237 on the year.

Philadelphia Phillies, C
Comment: Ruiz is not off to a good start and is batting just .207 in 29 home at-bats this season.

Los Angeles Angels, 1B
Comment: Kotchman managed to bat just .233 with only one HR in 90 at-bats last season against the Orioles and Athletics.

Toronto Blue Jays, 1B
Comment: Keep Overbay reserved this week based on his .229 batting average last season against the White Sox and Red Sox.

Cincinnati Reds, 2B
Comment: Phillips has started slowly in 2008 and there is no reason to think he'll bust out this week thanks to his .194 average in eight road games thus far this season.

Florida Marlins, 2B
Comment: Uggla deserves a benching this week after hitting just .208 against Los Angeles and San Diego last season with only 1 home run in 14 games.

San Diego Padres, SS
Comment: Where's the power? Greene hit just 1 home run with a .235 average in 14 games against Florida and Philadelphia last year.

Milwaukee Brewers, SS
Comment: The inconsistent Hardy is hitting at a mere .208 clip this season in 12 road games.

Seattle Mariners, 3B
Comment: The veteran third baseman batted just .219 in 16 games against Cleveland and New York last season.

Milwaukee Brewers, 3B
Comment: Hall has been a popular waiver pick-up in the early going of the season, but don't play him this week. Thus far in 2008 he owns a .152 batting average in 12 games on the road.

Pittsburgh Pirates, OF
Comment: Bay has been abysmal on the road this season, batting just .205 AVG with 0 home runs or RBI.

Minnesota Twins, OF
Comment: Fantasy owners who have had him on their rosters probably have enjoyed enough stolen base help that they can afford to bench him this week because, let's face it, outside of steals, there isn't much else Gomez can do for you.

Los Angeles Angels, OF
Comment: Matthews labored through his at-bats last season versus Baltimore and Oakland, batting just .131 in 24 games.

Florida Marlins, OF
Comment: While Willingham did have four HR in 14 games against San Diego and Los Angeles last year, those bombs came attached to a .135 average.

Los Angeles Dodgers, SP
Comment: Lowe couldn't get a single win in five starts last season against the Marlins and Rockies. Keep him on the pine.

Boston Red Sox, SP
Comment: Dice-K gets two starts this week, but they come against two squads he had some trouble with in 2007 in Tampa Bay (1-3, 4.09 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 35 SO in 33 IP) and Toronto (3-1, 5.18 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 23 SO in 24.1 IP).

New York Mets, SP
Comment: Perez gets to face Pittsburgh, his former team, this week. Unfortunately, he owns pretty weak career numbers against the Pirates: 0-2, 5.14 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 14 SO in 14 IP.

Seattle Mariners, SP
Comment: He's having a nice start to his season, but his ugly performances last year against New York (0-1, 8.44 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 2 SO in 5.1 IP) and Cleveland (0-3, 6.65 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 14 SO in 21.2 IP) dictate a rocky week for Silva.


Starbonell is UPDATE! Major League Baseball Editor.

18 Walks by Chicago White Sox OF Nick Swisher thus far this season in 21 games. The unlikely leadoff hitter has impressed manager Ozzie Guillen enough to leave him at the top of the order.

17 Lead off home runs swatted by Florida Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez. He has seven total dingers on the season.

5 Consecutive games in which Philadelphia Phillies 2B Chase Utley hit a home run this week.

0 Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury has yet to be caught stealing in his young career.


Cleveland Indians, SP
Comment: Does this name look familiar? That's because Sowers was a popular sleeper pick heading into last season after a superb second half in the 2006 season. His 2007, however, was atrocious. Sowers gets another shot at sticking in the big leagues this Saturday as he makes his 2008 debut with Jake Westbrook sitting on the DL. The crafty left-hander will have to have good control in order to stick around as he relies on his command to get hitters out. Fantasy owners should check to see how Sowers performs this weekend because if he has a strong start, he may have some staying power in Cleveland's rotation.


April 29-May 1 8:05 p.m ET
Even before these two teams played against one another for a season-opening series at Wrigley Field, there were plenty of similarities the two squads shared. Both feature strong bullpens with risky closers (Eric Gagne and Kerry Wood) and both have their fair share of superstar position players (Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, etc.). These two teams have to be the favorites for the NL Central Division and since both teams head into this series playing well, it should be fun to watch. Ben Sheets (if healthy), Jeff Suppan and Yovani Gallardo are the scheduled starters for Milwaukee and they will be opposed by Rich Hill, Jason Marquis and Ryan Dempster.

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