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Designated Hitters

1. Milton Bradley (Texas Rangers) - If your league is really picky, Bradley might qualify only for RF or DH, and about 75% of his starts have come at DH. In that case, as a DH, Bradley is in a class by himself. Hitting .330 with 15 HR and 48 RBI, Bradley has been one of the biggest surprises of the year. It was only a few months ago that Bradley suffered a strange, but severe, knee injury that threatened his status at the beginning of the season. Texas took a chance, and they have reaped the rewards. Bradley has not only hit for average and power, but he has put up Pujols-ian numbers, complementing his base numbers with plenty of walks (.452 OBP) and plenty of extra base hits (.628 SLG). Bradley has always been a good hitter, but not nearly this good, hitting .278/.366/.455 for his career. Hitting in friendly Arlington helps, but so does staying healthy, and playing DH primarily seems to have benefited Bradley immensely. Don't expect Bradley to continue hitting for a 1.080 OPS, but he should continue to be one of the top DHs in the league going forward.

2. David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox) - Ortiz started off badly, and his overall numbers are not typical Ortiz numbers, but the position's overall struggles and his excellent hitting of late (before his injury) helped him stay around the top of the DH list. Ortiz managed to boost his AVG to .252, hit 13 HR, drive in 43 runs, and score 36 runs. Of course, the issue now is whether his wrist injury will hamper the rest of his season. The reports out of Boston have been positive so far, but wrist injuries are always a big concern for hitters because they are the kind that linger, then strike at the most inopportune moment. Right now, if your league establishes position eligibility based on this year alone, Ortiz owners are in trouble since he has not been participating in interleague play and does not have any games at 1B. Fortunately, most leagues establish eligibility based on last year as well, so Ortiz owners should be able to start him at either a UTIL/DH position or 1B, giving them a little flexibility. Ortiz's value is big in AL-only leagues, because there is a dearth of quality 1Bs or DHs, but in regular leagues, you may want to explore a trade in case his wrist does hamper him for the rest of the year.

3. Hideki Matsui (New York Yankees) - In a year where it seems every stalwart DH is struggling, Matsui has shined without overwhelming numbers. Playing DH full-time for the first time in his career because of the Yankees' outfield depth and his lingering knee problems, Matsui has been steady as ever, hitting .321 with 7 HR, 34 RBI, and 36 R. Matsui's weakness has been the power numbers, as his extra-base hits are way down this year. Whereas Matsui was generally good for about 55-60 extra-base hits per year, this year he is on pace for only 31 doubles and 17 HR. That will have an effect on his RBI output going forward, although he benefits greatly from hitting in the middle of a Yankee lineup that is finally hitting its stride, and he is widely considered one of the Yankees' better clutch hitters. As long as Matsui can continue to DH and does not have to put a lot of stress on his knee, he has always been a steady player not prone to many slumps, so you might prefer his consistency over a more streaky player.

4. Aubrey Huff (Baltimore Orioles) - Huff has revived his career somewhat as a designated hitter in Baltimore. Once a very valuable player in fantasy baseball because of his hitting ability and positional versatility (though in real life, he was not very good at any of his multiple positions), Huff is pretty much an exclusive DH now. His numbers are solid, if unspectacular, across the board: 261 AVG, 11 HR, 38 RBI, 38 R, .333 OBP, .463 SLG. Batting in the middle of a Baltimore lineup that is perhaps hitting a little better than expected, Huff should continue to drive in runs and threaten 100 RBI. Although Huff's fantasy value has fallen greatly in the past few years because of his declining power, moving back into the middle of a lineup makes him relevant again. He might still be on waiver wires, and if so, he is not a bad pickup to get you a few RBIs each week.

5. Jim Thome (Chicago White Sox) - The overall numbers are not great, and Thome at the moment is looking like a hitter on the decline. Hitting only .221, Thome is still on pace for 30+ HR (he has 14 now), but he has driven in only 36 as a result of his low AVG. Though his percentages are still adequate (.346 OBP, .465 SLG), Thome needs to get his AVG up if he wants to be an option for fantasy owners in the UTIL role, or else the RBIs won't come. At the age of 37 (and soon to be 38), that may not happen, although he has hit better in June (.279 AVG). Keep an eye out on Thome, because he still possesses a very good batting eye and may yet be able to boost his AVG, but don't bet the bank on it either. If he is sitting on your waiver wire, you might want to take a chance on him.

On the outside looking in: Jason Kubel (Minnesota Twins); Frank Thomas (Oakland Athletics) - Really just here because so few players qualify as DHs and Jose Vidro has been awful, Kubel has been an adequate hitter as a result of a hot streak in June, and Thomas has been streaky all year. Thomas, of course, has struggled with ineffectiveness and injury at times, but he gets on the occasional hot streak that makes fantasy owners regret benching him that week. Kubel, meanwhile, was terrible in April and May (.615 and .706 OPS those months, with 6 total HR and 27 total RBI), but has really picked it up in June (.326 AVG, 4 HR, 10 RBI). For the long term, Kubel is your better bet if only because he is a better bet to stay healthy, but if you see Thomas have a couple of good games, think about grabbing him temporarily if only to ride his hot streak (though keep in mind that he probably will be out for another month).

Buy now: Jeff Clement (Seattle Mariners) - Clement got a taste of the majors this year, but was quickly sent back in a puzzling move. Now that a new GM is in place, Clement should get more of a chance to prove himself at the major league level, because he had absolutely nothing left to prove in the minors. This year at AAA, Clement was hitting .337 with 14 HR and 43 RBI, good for a .457 OBP and .680 SLG. There is a chance that Clement will see more time behind the plate while Kenji Johjima plays 1B, but the wiser move would be to have Clement replace the ineffective Vidro in the lineup. Either way, look for Clement to get significant playing time for the rest of the season, making him a good sleeper pick.

Rookies

1. Geovany Soto (Chicago Cubs) - It is hard enough finding a catcher who can hit. If you are able to grab a rookie catcher who can hit, you have really struck gold. Soto has quickly become one of the top-hitting catchers in all of baseball, hitting .286 with 12 HR and 43 RBI. Soto has good patience at the plate, has displayed 25-30 homer potential, and he is on pace to challenge 100 RBI, which would put him in an elite class of catchers. You need to be careful with rookie catchers, since they are not used to 162-game seasons, especially at t. Still, Soto is at the top of the heap as a catcher or rookie even if he wears down some. Since many veteran catchers also fade as the season goes on, Soto should continue to be an elite fantasy catcher and a top rookie-of-the-year candidate.

2. Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds) - Votto started the season fighting for a starting position, what with the Reds' outfield depth (or supposed depth, enough to keep Jay Bruce in the minors) and Scott Hatteberg's presence at first base. Votto, however, quickly convinced Dusty Baker to change his mind and keep Votto in the lineup over the veteran Hatteberg. Votto has been a steady presence at 1B, hitting .278 with 11 HR, 36 RBI, 32 R, and showing good patience at the plate. Votto has clearly met Baker's approval, and if Jay Bruce can continue to get on base in front of him, Votto should get more RBI opportunities. he is a very good sleeper pick for the remainder of the season as he continues to adjust to major league pitching.

3. Jacoby Ellsbury (Boston Red Sox) - Ellsbury was heavily hyped before the season, and though he has not really performed to those unrealistic expectations, he has been a solid fantasy player and done what should have been expected of him. Never the power threat that last September's .500+ SLG seemed he would be, Ellsbury has done instead simply what Boston wants from him: get on base and steal bases. Ellsbury is hitting .281 with 51 R and 34 SB, which easily offset his 5 HR and 23 RBI. Ellsbury could drive his value even higher; after all, he is demonstrating that he is a 70-80 SB threat, and there is always the possibility that he will develop more power as the season wears on, especially if he learns to take advantage of the Green Monster at Fenway. If you can snag him from an owner who is disenchanted with Ellsbury's lack of power, do it with confidence.

4. David Murphy (Texas Rangers) - Texas has somehow found numerous gems this year. While Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley get all the press, Murphy has been quietly productive, hitting .279 with 10 HR and 48 RBI. Recently moved to fifth in Texas' lineup, he could end up a legitimate threat for 120 RBI if he remains there. Murphy, however, is a bigger threat than Hamilton or Bradley to regress, as his K:BB ratio is not good (52:17). Murphy was not especially patient in the minors, so it is unlikely that he will develop that patience at least for the rest of this season. Still, Murphy was a legitimate power threat in the minors, and hitting in Arlington should benefit him. As long as he continues to hit in the middle of the Rangers' lineup, Murphy should provide your team with consistent RBI production.

5. Joba Chamberlain (New York Yankees) - Sure, his value has been stagnant or declining ever since his move to the starting rotation. However, he still compiled 12 holds while a reliever, and it looks like he has gotten his starters' legs underneath him. Chamberlain has not put up the insane numbers he did last year, but he has still struck out more than a batter per inning, his ERA is still stellar at 2.48, and in his last start, he threw about 90 pitches with relative ease, still throwing hard on his last pitch. Innings are no longer a concern, because he should stay underneath his season limit as a result of his bullpen work at the beginning of the season. His control has been more of an issue this year, resulting in a higher WHIP than you would like to see (1.32 currently), but as he continues to adjust to life as a starter, look for him to give you strikeouts and, finally, some wins. It will be hard to pry him from his current owner, since he or she has probably been following Joba's development closely, but it doesn't hurt to ask, does it?

On the outside looking in: Kosuke Fukudome (Chicago Cubs) - Ignoring his freaky splits (.376/.483/.560 at home, .213/.319/.303 away), Fukudome overall has done what was expected of him. Hitting .296 with a .400+ OBP, Fukudome has hit only five HR, but he has driven in 30 and scored 47. His on-base ability means he will score runs, even if he does not steal many bases, and especially if Soto continues to hit well behind him. If he is ever moved to the top of the lineup consistently, where he is better suited, Fukudome's value could rise even more. Right now, you should not make much of his strangely extreme splits, but if it keeps up for another month, you may want to consider benching him during away games, as a .622 OPS is difficult to ignore.

Buy now: Jay Bruce (Cincinnati Reds); Evan Longoria - Bruce, as was widely noted, finally got his chance with the Reds (far too late, in many people's minds), and he immediately made a huge impact. Bruce absolutely crushed minor league pitching, and though he has cooled off lately, he has taken the major leagues by storm as well. Bruce has the potential to do everything: hit for power, drive in and score runs, and steal a few bases. The only drawback is that Bruce showed only moderate patience in the minors, so he could hit a major slump if major league pitchers stop giving him anything to hit. However, he has always shown a great ability to adjust, so any slump should not be too long-lived. Longoria, meanwhile, was just as hyped, but he has not made the immediate impact Bruce did. Of course, Longoria did not have the development time Bruce did (353 minor league games for Bruce, only 205 for Longoria, including only 38 at AAA), so Longoria is fighting through an adjustment period. He has shown flashes of his potential, but his overall numbers are still disappointing for owners hoping he would be a major sleeper. His value may be as low as it will get, because as he learns to recognize major league pitches, he should develop quickly, perhaps as early as the second half. In keeper leagues, if anyone was foolish enough to drop him, take him immediately. In standard leagues, take a chance on him if your roster can afford to have him sit on the bench for a few weeks or until the All-Star break.