The Giants and Padres combined for 25 runs yesterday. We probably had better odds of seeing a solar eclipse.

***

Philip Humber's rough outing dropped our streaming starter record to 32-20 for the season. For the weekend, we'll go with A.J. Burnett (owned in 5.8 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Cubs today, Felipe Paulino (5 percent owned) at Baltimore on Saturday, and Hector Noesi (0.6 percent owned) against the Angels on Sunday. Noesi has been improving a bit lately, and I don't like the rest of Sunday's options.

On to the news:

• I don't like dealing in small sample sizes, but White Sox OF Alex Rios homered for the second consecutive game last night, and has a 1.000 slugging percentage over his last four. His 2012 OPS (.747) isn't far off from his career mark (.756), and his .274 BA is about what it has always been. There's no reason why Rios can't return to the 15-homer, 15-steal level, and he's owned in just 11.2 percent of FOXSports.com leagues. It's very possible that I led off with Rios today because I've been waiting for him to start turning things around.
• White Sox SP John Danks is on the DL with a sore shoulder. The team expects Danks to start again on June 5, so the injury apparently isn't serious.
• The Braves are still struggling with some weird issues. 1B Freddie Freeman is having vision trouble due to dry eyes, and waiting for a pair of sports glasses that are expected to be delivered "before or during the homestand" that starts today, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Catcher Brian McCann missed another game Thursday due to a flu bug that seems to be getting worse. Also, 3B Chipper Jones has been sitting out with a bruised ankle that isn't improving. Try to wait for the Braves' lineup to be released tonight before starting any member of that trio.
• As expected, the Tigers placed OF Austin Jackson on the DL with a strained abdominal muscle. His speedy replacement, Quintin Berry, stole two bases while you read that sentence.
• Why did Logan Ondrusek get Thursday's save for the Reds? Probably because Aroldis Chapman pitched on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Reds' website game recap said that Ondrusek "handled the closer's role for the night."
• Emilio Bonifacio's thumb injury is worse than originally thought, as he's expected to undergo thumb surgery today and miss another 4-6 weeks. Is it too much to ask for the Marlins to let Bonifacio pinch-run every day so he can keep racking up stolen bases for his fantasy owners?
• Albert Pujols homered last night for the fourth time in nine games. I hope you came up empty when you tried to trade him early this month for an absurdly low return.
• Cardinals 1B/OF Allen Craig (hamstring) took batting practice Thursday, and hopes to come off the DL when eligible on June 1. In weekly leagues, you should probably err on the safe side and keep Craig on the bench next week.
• The Mariners sent OF Casper Wells to the minors to accommodate catcher Miguel Olivo's return from the DL. I had Wells pegged as an interesting AL-only sleeper this season. Oh, well.
• Padres OF Carlos Quentin will begin another minor-league rehab assignment tonight. His timetable for returning to the lineup is TBD.
• Here's an update on Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. The Phillies still have no idea when they'll come back.
• Brewers SP Marco Estrada is on the DL with a quad strain, which he got while running the bases on Wednesday. Serves the Brewers right for moving to the National League in 1998.
• Hey, AL-only owners: Have you been keeping an eye on Indians 3B Jose Lopez? He's got a 10-game hitting streak, and even though he might spend more time on the bench when Jack Hannahan returns, he still might be able to help you a little.
• Let the trade deadline speculation begin! First up: The Chicago Cubs.

See you back here Monday morning. If I'm getting up at 5:30 a.m. on a holiday to write a blog post, you had damned well better get up to read it. Have a great weekend!

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Remember Aroldis Chapman's speeding ticket from earlier this week? It turns out that he's gotten four of them in the last two years. Chapman is a really good pitcher, but maybe he should have defected from Cuba to become a NASCAR driver instead.

***

Carlos Zambrano got knocked around last night, dropping our streaming starter record to 32-19 for the season. Today's pick is Philip Humber (owned in 7 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Twins, while Friday's is A.J. Burnett (4.5 percent owned) versus the Cubs. Burnett has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his six starts as a Pirate. Yes, I know he gave up 12 runs in the other start. Don't be a wet blanket, OK?

On to the news:

• Tigers OF Austin Jackson missed another game Wednesday due to his abdominal injury, and the team is likely to decide by Friday if he needs a DL stint. Since Jackson has missed a week already, a DL stay could be backdated, leaving him eligible to return next week. Quintin Berry, who was called up to start in Jackson's place and led off last night, had 19 steals in 39 Triple-A games this season. If Jackson goes on the DL, Berry might be able to help AL-only owners for a handful of games.
• What's that? Robin Ventura said Wednesday that Addison Reed is the White Sox' closer? I am shocked - shocked! - at this development.
• Ernesto Frieri got the save in the Angels' 11th-inning win yesterday, and game recaps from both the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times hint that Frieri has become the team's de facto closer. Frieri has a crazy-high strikeout rate, with 37 whiffs in 20 1/3 innings this season, but it would be nice to see him get a traditional save sometime soon. I still suspect that the Angels would like to give the job back to Jordan Walden, who has nine consecutive scoreless appearances.
• In other Angels' news, it sounds like OF Torii Hunter will rejoin the team next week.
• Braves' catcher Brian McCann missed his second straight game on Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms. His status for tonight is TBD.
• The Nationals hope that OF Michael Morse will return before his June 8 target date. Morse is still available in 27.3 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, so see if you can grab him.
• Manny Ramirez, who went hitless in his latest Triple-A rehab game on Wednesday, might not join the A's on May 30 after all.
• Brewers SP Marco Estrada pitched only one inning last night because he injured a hip flexor while running the bases on a first-inning double. Can someone remind me why I should pay to see pitchers hit?
• Diamondbacks' pitching prospect Trevor Bauer struggled in his latest Triple-A start, walking five batters in five innings. Let this serve as a reminder that, whenever Bauer gets called up to the big leagues, there are likely to be bumps in the road before he becomes a stud.
• Adrian Gonzalez started in right field again yesterday, but Bobby Valentine doesn't sound eager to play him there when the Red Sox return to Fenway Park this weekend. Will Middlebrooks owners, take note.
• Astros OF Jordan Schafer missed Wednesday's game after having a toenail removed, but they're hoping he can play Friday.
• Indians 3B Jack Hannahan will probably return to the lineup this weekend.
• Cole De Vries will make his first major-league start tonight for the Twins. De Vries, P.J. Walters, Scott Diamond ... why are the Twins making me work so hard by letting all these no-name guys start? Anyway, you don't need to bother with De Vries.
• This article on the Padres' website makes me think that closer Huston Street is less than two weeks away from coming off the DL.
• Catcher Miguel Olivo is a few days from returning to the Mariners, and one possible roster move for them could be to cut Chone Figgins.
• Cardinals 1B/3B Matt Carpenter (oblique) is on the DL. Remember when they had too many players to fit into the lineup?
• I love that the Rays batted Carlos Pena leadoff and Drew Sutton cleanup last night. Sutton is eligible at shortstop in FOXSports.com leagues, and is an interesting AL-only pickup.
• Blue Jays 2B Kelly Johnson is day-to-day after leaving Wednesday's game with hamstring tightness. The Jays' website notes that Johnson has had nagging leg issues this season, so we'll need to keep a close eye on him.

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Have you listened to this week's edition of the Fantasy 15 podcast, with Joel Beall, Mike Harmon and me? You really should. Like, right now.

***

Another start, another quality start for R.A. Dickey, who whiffed 11 batters in seven innings and raised our streaming starter record to 32-18 on the season. Tonight's selection is Carlos Zambrano (owned in 37.8 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Rockies, with Thursday's pick being Philip Humber (3.6 percent owned) against the Twins. Humber has been solid in his last two starts after a brief post-perfect game slump.

On to the news:

• Nationals manager Davey Johnson has decided that the team will use a closer-by-committee approach, and Tyler Clippard got the group's first save last night. You may remember Clippard as the pitcher whose name was omitted from yesterday's blog entry, which mentioned Sean Burnett and Craig Stammen as candidates to close for the Nats. That was a brainfart on my part, since Clippard is pretty good. The only thing we can safely predict about this committee is that Burnett will get chances against good lefty hitters. Beyond that, remember that Drew Storen is apparently only a few weeks away from returning. Don't get too attached to the new triumvirate, and feel free to cut Henry Rodriguez in mixed formats.
• Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero will be out until at least Friday due to a groin injury. The team doesn't want to put Montero on the DL, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. Stay tuned.
• Kevin Youkilis hit a home run in his return to the Red Sox lineup last night, starting at first base while rookie Will Middlebrooks played third and Adrian Gonzalez was in right field. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Heck, this team even called up Scott Podsednik yesterday.
• Ubaldo Jimenez won a game last night, which would have been nicer if he hadn't given up three runs and six walks in six innings. For the season, Jimenez has a 5.02 ERA, a 1.71 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts against 38 walks in 52 innings. When you cut him, try to resist the urge to say, "But it's Ubaldo Jimenez! I can't cut him!" Yes, you can. He's horrible.
• Nats 3B Ryan Zimmerman was scratched last night due to shoulder soreness, but is expected to play tonight.
• Irving Falu and Johnny Giavotella will platoon at second base for the Royals while Chris Getz (ribcage) is on the DL. Giavotella will be busier, since he'll face lefties. Giavotella is a better hitter, but Falu has some speed (21 SB at Triple A last season).
• Orioles 2B Brian Roberts, who hasn't played in a major-league game since May 16, 2011, due to concussion-related issues, will begin a minor-league rehab assignment tonight. Roberts' maximum stay in the minors is 20 days, so you can expect to see him in Baltimore during the week of June 11 barring any setbacks. Let's see how Roberts hits before figuring out a fantasy strategy.
• Did you buy low on Adam Wainwright? After last night's shutout, it might be too late.
• Rockies' infielder Jonathan Herrera is headed to the DL with a hamstring injury.
• We've got six afternoon games on today's schedule, with Red Sox-Orioles and Mets-Pirates leading things off at 12:35 p.m. ET. Set your lineups accordingly.
• In Phillies' news, SS Jimmy Rollins (paternity leave) isn't expected to play today, and SP Vance Worley won't need Tommy John surgery, if you were worried about that (he has bone chips in his elbow). Worley's timetable to return from the DL is still unclear.
• Padres 3B Chase Headley missed Tuesday's game due to a "lower back issue." His status for today is TBD.
• In other Padres' news, here's a non-update on Huston Street. He seems to be moving along in his rehab.
• Hector Noesi ... hmm.
• Cardinals' infielder Matt Carpenter left Tuesday's game with an injury to his right side, but it doesn't sound serious.
• The Toronto Star thinks that June 25 is the target date for Vladimir Guerrero's debut with the Blue Jays. Zzz ...

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

New Reds closer Aroldis Chapman was arrested early Monday for driving 93 mph with a suspended license. I'd make a joke about Chapman's driving speed being slower than his pitching velocity, but approximately 8,794 people on Twitter have already beaten me to it.

***

Erik Bedard wasn't so good for us last night, dropping the streaming starter record to 31-18. Today's pick is quality start machine R.A. Dickey (owned in 27.2 percent of FOXSports.com leagues), while Wednesday's is Carlos Zambrano (33.7 percent owned) against the Rockies.

On to the news:

• After giving up a run on a four-pitch walk, a hit and two wild pitches, Nationals closer Henry Rodriguez was yanked during the ninth inning last night. Sean Burnett finished up for the save, and after the game manager Davey Johnson said he would "look at alternatives" for Rodriguez. Two Nats beat writers tweeted that Johnson might consider a closer committee - Burnett and Craig Stammen would be in the mix - but the team's website reports that Drew Storen could be back in three weeks. Taking a flier on Burnett or Stammen isn't a bad idea right now, as long as you don't count on them as more than part-time, short-term solutions. Maybe Johnson will help us today by announcing that he's settling on one guy.
• Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman will have knee surgery later this week, but the team isn't yet sure if it will be a season-ender or one that will keep him out 6-8 weeks. Berkman seems to think he has a torn ACL that will end his season, and if you own him, don't be stubborn about keeping him unless you have bench/DL space that you're not using. We should have a verdict on Berkman's status by the weekend.
• Look for a Matt Adams/Allen Craig first-base platoon in St. Louis when Craig comes off the DL, with Craig also getting as much time in the outfield corners as Carlos Beltran's health warrants. Even though Adams hits left-handed, I suspect that Craig will hit enough to play most days, leaving Adams in danger of a demotion before too long.
• Rangers SP Neftali Feliz will miss at least six weeks due to a sprained elbow ligament. The Rangers are considering multiple candidates to replace Feliz in their rotation, but Alexi Ogando is the most intriguing. Remember how good he was for much of last season?
• Dodgers OF Matt Kemp (hamstring) is targeting a May 29 return from the DL.
• The Diamondbacks have called up 3B Josh Bell, and will give him the chance to play. I saw Bell hit two homers in a Triple-A game a couple of years ago, but that doesn't mean I'm not skeptical of his 1.047 OPS at Reno prior to his promotion. Look at Bell in NL-only leagues, and maybe some deep mixed formats if you're desperate, but remember that the Orioles thought so little of him that they traded him in April for a player to be named later. Bell's arrival in the desert means that Ryan Roberts will fill a utility role for now.
• The Arizona Republic story linked to in the previous bullet also notes that SP Daniel Hudson will probably come off the DL this weekend.
• D-backs, Part 3: Catcher Miguel Montero is day-to-day after suffering a groin injury on Monday.
• Red Sox OF Cody Ross could miss 6-8 weeks due to a fractured bone in his foot. The cavalry isn't coming anytime soon for the Sox, as the Boston Globe reports that Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford aren't expected back until July. At least they're getting Kevin Youkilis back tonight.
• Manny Ramirez is in the midst of a rehab assignment, and will be eligible to join the A's roster on May 30, which happens to be his 40th birthday. We'll have more on Manny's fantasy prospects in this space later in the week.
• Blue Jays closer Sergio Santos is still three weeks or more away from returning? Come on!
• Royals SP Felipe Paulino, who shut out the Yankees for six-and-two-thirds innings last night, is still owned in just 3.1 percent of FOXSports.com leagues. Friend of the blog Jason Collette tweeted this link last night to Paulino's stats before and after his trade to the Royals last season. The differences are pretty striking. What are you waiting for, people? Go get Paulino!
• Rays' infielder Jeff Keppinger will miss 3-4 weeks with a broken big toe. This injury made me think of Sgt. Hulka in Stripes. Please tell me that someone else gets that movie reference.
• See you next season, Cory Luebke.
• Angels OF Vernon Wells will have surgery on his thumb, and won't even resume "baseball activities" for 8-10 weeks, according to the Orange County Register. That means Wells probably won't be back until August, and since he was terrible when healthy, you don't need to hold on to him.
• Royals 2B Chris Getz left Monday's game after re-aggravating a rib injury. We should know more about his status today.
• Remember Brian Roberts? The Orioles' second baseman might begin a minor-league rehab assignment within a week.
• Braves 3B Chipper Jones has missed three straight games, and is day-to-day with a bruised ankle.
• I'll make my weekly appearance in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 2 p.m. ET. Send your questions!

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Angels OF Mike Trout is batting .355 with four homers, six stolen bases, 15 runs scored and a 1.026 OPS in 20 games. Would anyone still rather have Bryce Harper for the remainder of the 2012 season?

***

Edwin Jackson had a very good outing for us on Saturday, Christian Friedrich got bombed by the Mariners - the Mariners! - on Saturday, and Anthony Bass was solid on Sunday. With the streaming starter record up to 31-17, we'll go with Erik Bedard (owned in 6.4 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Mets tonight, and the steady R.A. Dickey (24.7 percent owned) tomorrow against the Pirates.

On to the news:

• Aroldis Chapman closed out Sunday's game for the Reds, and is the team's new closer even if he might not be available tonight after pitching four times in five days. Chapman has the stuff to dominate as much in his new role as he did as a setup man, and could be one of the game's best closers if he stays where he is. He's already owned in 78.6 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, so don't expect to pick him up as a free agent. Sean Marshall can still be helpful as a setup man in NL-only and deep mixed leagues, but if you need saves from your relievers in standard mixed formats, feel free to cut him. It's hard to imagine Chapman losing this job.
• Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman is back on the DL, and the team is hoping that an MRI on his knee today doesn't show any torn ligaments. Berkman's owners should prepare for the worst, and while power-hitting prospect Matt Adams should play regularly in the short term, Allen Craig (29.5 percent owned) will probably get the job when he comes off the DL in a couple of weeks. Adams' 2012 value will likely hinge on another injury, and that's not a longshot with Carlos Beltran around.
• Kevin Youkilis might come off the DL to rejoin the Red Sox lineup on Tuesday. Buh-bye, Will Middlebrooks.
• A's SP Brandon McCarthy is on the DL with a sore shoulder, but he doesn't think it's serious. McCarthy's teammate, OF Coco Crisp, will reportedly be reactivated today after missing time with the worst ear infection in history.
• With Vernon Wells (thumb) on the DL and Torii Hunter's return still TBD, Peter Bourjos (3.5 percent owned) will get another chance to play in Anaheim. Remember that Bourjos hit 12 homers and stole 22 bases last season, and is only 25 years old. He could have value, but he'll probably need to hit right away to keep a job.
• Best wishes to Dodgers 2B Mark Ellis, who is expected to miss six weeks due to a scary knee injury.
• The Tigers hope to get OF Austin Jackson (abdominal strain) and closer Jose Valverde (back) back in action on Tuesday.
• Are you as concerned as this Bay Area columnist is about Tim Lincecum? I'm still ready to buy low.
• Stephen Strasburg was pulled from Sunday's game after five innings because of a tired arm, but manager Davey Johnson doesn't expect his ace to miss a start. Putting Strasburg on the DL would be a convenient way for the Nats to get closer to the innings limit that they say was a media creation, right? Keep an eye on this one.
• Lots of news from Miami, where speedy Emilio Bonifacio is on the DL with a sprained thumb, struggling 1B Gaby Sanchez has been sent to the minors, and 2B Omar Infante is expected to miss a few days due to a death in his family.
• Speaking of struggling first basemen, could the Mets send Ike Davis to the minors? It sounds like manager Terry Collins is open to the idea, but he doesn't make those decisions.
• Ancient Mets SP Miguel Batista is on the DL with a lower back strain.
• White Sox 1B Paul Konerko hopes to return to the lineup on Tuesday. He's had swelling above his left eye after getting hit by a pitch last Friday. Teammate Brent Morel is headed to the DL with a back injury, and vet Orlando Hudson is expected to join the team and start in his place.
• Reminder: Jays 3B Brett Lawrie is due back tonight after serving his four-game suspension. Activate Lawrie if you have him.
• Here's an update on Phillies SP Vance Worley, who is likely to be pitching with pain when he comes off the DL. I don't like the sound of that.
• Look for Astros OF Jordan Schafer to miss a couple of games due to a strained muscle in his lower leg.
• The Cubs play their first interleague game in an American League park on June 8, which is when we might see slugging 1B prospect Anthony Rizzo.
• Diamondbacks OF Chris Young has been activated from the DL. Start him if you have him.
• This week's edition of Free Agent Frenzy is available for your reading pleasure. Please check it out.

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Thursday's Diamondbacks-Rockies game was delayed by a swarm of bees. The FOX Sports Arizona story includes the following paragraph:

Play resumed when the bees settled in a cluster on a railing in front of a camera well just beyond the dugout. Beekeeper David Bowers removed the bees by sucking them up with a "bee vac" two innings later.

Do the Rockies have a beekeeper on retainer? Why was he so close to the stadium that he could get his bee vac, drive to the stadium, park in close proximity, put on his beekeeper suit, go inside and get the bees sucked up within, say, 45 minutes? I need further clarification here.

***

Edinson Volquez wasn't so good last night, dropping our streaming starter record to 29-16. Today's pick is Edwin Jackson (owned in 23.2 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Orioles. Saturday's is Colorado's Christian Friedrich (5.5 percent owned) against the punchless Mariners, and Sunday's is Anthony Bass (10.2 percent owned) at PETCO against the Angels. I'll try to tweet out Monday's pick over the weekend - there are too many TBDs on the schedule right now.

On to the news:

• With interleague play starting today, some American League designated hitters will take unwanted days off. Not so for hot-hitting Adam Dunn, who will start in left field today for the White Sox, sending Dayan Viciedo to the bench. According to the team's website, manager Robin Ventura will try to get Viciedo playing time beyond just pinch-hitting appearances, but won't put him at third base and probably won't play him in right field. Unless Dunn sits for a game - perhaps Sunday against southpaw Paul Maholm - Viciedo won't have much to do this weekend.
• Reminder: The likeliest playing-time victims of this weekend's interleague schedule are DHs David Ortiz and Kendrys Morales. However, the Red Sox are hinting that Ortiz will play one game at first base, with Adrian Gonzalez moving to right field.
• Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie began serving his four-game suspension on Thursday, and will be eligible to play again on Monday. Rookie Yan Gomes (.359 BA, five HR, .956 OPS at Triple A) is expected to get Lawrie's starts this weekend. Gomes has been splitting his Triple-A time between third base and catcher, which is where he qualifies in FOXSports.com leagues. He's an interesting AL-only target if he sticks around for awhile.
• The Jays had a busy Thursday, also sending 1B Adam Lind to the minors. The move makes Edwin Encarnacion the team's everyday first baseman, and probably means that DH Vladimir Guerrero will be in Toronto sooner than we thought. Keep in mind that Vlad really declined last season, with 13 homers and a .733 OPS in 562 at bats. He's 37, and could be close to done.
• So much for wondering how the Cardinals will find playing time for OF Allen Craig, who was placed on the DL with a strained hamstring. On the bright side, the Cards hope to get Carlos Beltran (knee) back in the lineup tonight. Beltran was only able to pinch-hit on Thursday.
• Cubs catcher Geovany Soto is day-to-day with knee inflammation, and will have an MRI today. If Soto (.161 BA) sits out today, it will probably be less infuriating to his fantasy owners than if he plays.
• The Brewers are targeting a Sunday return from the DL for OF Carlos Gomez.
• The Nationals are hoping to speed up Michael Morse's recovery timetable and activate him by June 1.
• Tigers OF Austin Jackson didn't play Thursday due to his abdominal strain, and is still day-to-day. Keep Jackson on your bench until you know he's playing.
• Rays SP Matt Moore gave up three runs in six innings against the Red Sox last night, but whiffing eight batters against one walk was an encouraging development. After all the preseason hype, can you buy low on Moore and his 5.20 ERA?
• Padres rookie OF James Darnell left Thursday's game with a shoulder injury, and will have an MRI today.
• With Brandon Inge on the DL, Josh Donaldson started at third base yesterday for the A's. Donaldson got off to a horrendous start for the A's, but was hitting pretty well at Triple A (.447 BA, five HR in 13 games) before returning to Oakland last weekend. Donaldson qualifies at catcher in most leagues, and AL-only owners should see if he's available.
• Ivan Nova (ankle) will probably be able to make his scheduled start on Saturday for the Yankees.
• The Twins reversed course on C/OF Ryan Doumit, deciding not to put him on the DL with a strained calf. Doumit should be able to return to the lineup early next week.
• There's no update on when Torii Hunter will return to the Angels.
• The Royals hope to get injured catcher Salvador Perez back in about a month.
• The Marlins plan to start Logan Morrison at DH this weekend in an effort to give his sore knee some rest.
• Orioles OF Adam Jones hit his 13th home run of the season yesterday. Jones is a nice, young player, but sell high if you can. He's not this good.
• Brandon Beachy - wow.
• The Padres released 2B Orlando Hudson on Thursday, and placed SS Jason Bartlett (knee) on the DL. Alexi Amarista and Everth Cabrera are the new middle infielders for the Padres. Cabrera had 15 stolen bases in 34 games at Triple A, and should be claimed in NL-only and some deep mixed leagues. Bartlett has been terrible, anyway.

See you back here Monday morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Today marks the 14th anniversary of David Wells' perfect game, which remains the best sporting event I've ever attended. Before we get to the usual fantasy news, here's an excerpt of my blog post from the 10th anniversary of the game on May 17, 2008. I hope you like it.

***

... it (also) represented what I love most about baseball - you never know when something great is going to happen, or who's going to make it happen. In basketball, if someone is going to have an all-time game, you know it's going to be someone like Kobe or LeBron or D-Wade. In football, the Giants recently pulled a shocker, but it was the Super Bowl - it's supposed to be exciting. (Ed. note: Who knew that would happen again?)

Wells' gem came on a random Sunday afternoon against the Twins. My friend Cogs and his fiancee (now wife) Monica were going to be in town for my cousin's wedding the day before, and he had asked me to pick up tickets. The three of us, along with our friend J.D., got to the game a little late, expecting to sit down for a few beers on a relaxing day. In the fourth inning, we knew Wells hadn't allowed any hits, and we asked the guy in front of us if he had walked anyone. He turned to us with a grin and said, "Nope."

After that, I felt like I was watching the best suspense thriller ever made - it kept building and building and building. After every out, we'd look at each other but not say anything, because we weren't going to be the ones to jinx it. By the eighth inning, I watched a few pitches while mostly covering my eyes. I honestly can't imagine a sporting event - or any other form of entertainment, for that matter - being so exhiliarating. Whenever I see Wells criticized for being a drunk or a lout, I smile and remember the history I witnessed thanks to him.

One more note: Cogs lived in San Francisco for awhile. Being such a big fan, he kept the game ticket in his wallet (and probably still does). A few years after the game, a friend of his happened to be on a work visit to Macy's in Union Square and spotted Wells. He called Cogs, who tore out of his office and got to Macy's within minutes. Out of breath, Cogs found Wells and asked him to sign the ticket. Wells looked at the ticket before signing and said, "You really carry this thing around with you?"

***

Rick Porcello didn't help us much last night, dropping the streaming starter record to 29-15. Today's pick is Edinson Volquez (owned in 11.9 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Dodgers, while tomorrow's is Washington's underrated Edwin Jackson (21 percent owned) against the Orioles.

On to the news:

• Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie received a four-game suspension for hitting an umpire with a helmet on Tuesday, but filed an appeal. It seems unlikely that Lawrie will win the appeal, and one Toronto scribe suspects that he'll drop the appeal prior to the weekend series against the Mets, meaning that he'd be out of action Friday through Monday. If you own Lawrie, try to keep an eye on his status as often as you can on Friday.
• Phillies SP Vance Worley is on the DL, but an MRI showed no structural damage to his elbow. Hopefully, he'll miss just a few weeks.
• With Tigers closer Jose Valverde day-to-day due to a back strain, Jim Leyland says that we can look for Joaquin Benoit to get the save opportunity if one presents itself today.
• Tigers OF Austin Jackson is day-to-day due to an abdominal strain, and we shouldn't expect to see him today.
• There are eight afternoon games today, with the 12:05 p.m. ET Mariners-Indians slugfest getting things started. Set your lineups accordingly.
• Twins C/OF Ryan Doumit is headed to the DL with a calf strain. Speedy Ben Revere has been recalled to take Doumit's roster spot, and could get some playing time when Joe Mauer is behind the plate.
• Rockies 3B Chris Nelson is on the DL with a sore wrist. Since Nelson wasn't hitting much, this isn't a big loss for his remaining fantasy owners.
• Rays' infielder Will Rhymes is day-to-day after getting hit in the arm by a pitch, and then passing out, on Wednesday. Check out this video of the incident, which must of looked really scary when it happened.
• D-backs SP Daniel Hudson seems to be tracking toward a May 26 or 27 return from the DL. We should know more after Hudson makes a rehab start on Monday.
• Hudson's teammate, OF Chris Young, hit a home run in a minor-league game last night, and has a chance to come off the DL this weekend.
• Attention, Aroldis Chapman owners: Dusty Baker doesn't plan to remove your guy from his setup role anytime soon.
• Royals 2B Chris Getz left Wednesday's game with a bruised rib, and won't start today. Johnny Giavotella, you're up!
• Speaking of the Royals, check out Felipe Paulino's line from last night. It's early, but in three starts since coming off the DL, Paulino has a 1.93 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts against five walks in 18 2/3 innings. Control was Paulino's biggest issue entering the season, and if he's solved that problem, he's got the stuff to be pretty good.
• The status for Ivan Nova's Saturday start might not be decided until, um, Saturday. Sorry.
• A's 3B Brandon Inge is probably headed to the DL with a groin injury.
• This Padres' update suggests that Carlos Quentin's return date is still up in the air, and notes that Cory Luebke is trying - probably in vain - to avoid Tommy John surgery.
• Cardinals OF Allen Craig is day-to-day after being removed from Wednesday's game with a hamstring injury. Read this article for an idea of how well Craig has been hitting over the last two seasons.
• An interleague weekend is on tap. Your list of designated hitters who will probably sit in National League parks includes Adam Dunn, Kendrys Morales and David Ortiz.

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Hey, Brett Lawrie owners: Watch this video of your guy throwing a helmet at the home plate umpire last night. I'm going to place my bets on a 10-game suspension.

***

Dillon Gee didn't get it done for us last night, dropping our streaming starter record to 29-14. Today's pick is Rick Porcello (owned in 9.9 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Twins, and Thursday's is Edinson Volquez (9.5 percent owned) at PETCO against the depleted Dodgers.

On to the news:

• The Yankees have placed RP David Robertson on the DL with a strained oblique. It sounds like Robertson won't be out longer than the required 15 days, but until then, try to grab Rafael Soriano (23 percent owned) if you're hunting for saves.
• So, Stephen Strasburg's rough outing last night was due to some Hot Stuff ointment being in the wrong place on his body? Really?
• Cardinals OF Jon Jay is on the DL with a shoulder sprain. I know the Cards don't want to play Carlos Beltran in center field too often, but this injury figures to force a creative way to keep Allen Craig's scorching hot bat in the lineup. Craig played last night because Beltran's knee issues kept him out of the lineup, but Beltran is expected to return today.
• Tigers closer Jose Valverde left Tuesday's game due to lower back tightness; his status is TBD. In related news, I traded for Valverde in my AL keeper league TWO DAYS AGO.
• The Phillies have scratched Vance Worley from today's start due to elbow soreness. We should know in the next day or two if Worley will go on the DL.
• The Twins will reactivate 1B Justin Morneau in time for tonight's game.
• Mike Harmon and I discussed closers and more in this week's Fantasy 15 podcast. Also, here's a link to this week's chat.
• Diamondbacks OF Chris Young is probably a week away from coming off the DL.
• Braves 1B Freddie Freeman hopes to return today after sitting on Tuesday with some eye issues.
• Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis will make a minor-league rehab appearance today. It appears that a Will Middlebrooks demotion, er, decision is imminent.
• Rockies manager Jim Tracy is very impressed with Christian Friedrich's first two starts. Tracy knows those starts were at the Giants and Padres, right?
• Indians 3B Jack Hannahan hopes to return to the lineup today after missing a couple of games due to back tightness.
• Twins OF Denard Span didn't play Tuesday because of a sore hamstring. The injury sounds minor.
• Remember Franklin Gutierrez? The Mariners hope to get their center fielder back by mid-June. If Gutierrez can return to his 2010 form, he'll be interesting.
• The Rays are looking at youngsters Alex Cobb and Chris Archer to take the injured Jeff Niemann's rotation slot. Archer is probably the more talented hurler, and could be good if he ever learns to throw strikes. Figure that Cobb will get the call, and have value in AL-only leagues.

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

Congratulations to Nationals OF Bryce Harper on hitting his first major league home run last night. I missed it because I'm blacked out from watching Nats' games on MLB.tv in Charlotte, and I look forward to missing Harper's next 900 homers as well.

***

Jeff Niemann left last night's game after one inning due to a broken leg suffered when an Adam Lind grounder hit him. Niemann will miss at least 4-6 weeks, and probably longer, and he obviously didn't help us as last night's streaming starter pick. With the record at 29-13 for the season, tonight's pick is Dillon Gee (owned in 2.5 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) versus the Brewers, and Wednesday's selection is Detroit's Rick Porcello (7.6 percent owned) against the atrocious Twins.

On to the news:

• The Dodgers placed OF Matt Kemp on the DL due to his strained hamstring. It sounds like Kemp will be back when his 15 days are up, but stay tuned. Tony Gwynn Jr. started in center field last night for the Dodgers, but the Los Angeles Times reports that Andre Ethier and speedy Elian Herrera will get time there as well. NL-only owners might want to check out Herrera, who had nine stolen bases at Triple A before his recent callup.
• Why did Rafael Soriano get last night's save for the Yankees? Because David Robertson is dealing with an oblique injury. Robertson will have an MRI today.
• Addison Reed got last night's save for the White Sox. Manager Robin Ventura has talked about a closer committee, and Jesse Crain is about to come off the DL to enter the mix, but the bet here is that Reed will save 20 or 25 more games.
• Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki is day-to-day with a leg bruise, and probably won't play tonight.
• Angels OF Torii Hunter has been placed on the restricted list due to a family issue, and there's no timetable for his return. If you own Hunter, keep him out of your lineup until you hear news that suggests you should reinstate him. In the meantime, Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos should assume most of Hunter's playing time.
• Royals SP Danny Duffy has a torn ligament in his elbow, and is probably headed for Tommy John surgery. Ugh.
• A few hours after his manager said he'd remain the Mets' closer, Frank Francisco survived another rocky ninth inning that included two hits, a walk and a run. He's still got the job for now.
• Desmond Jennings' sprained knee has finally landed him on the DL. Matt Joyce started in left field last night for the Rays, with Luke Scott at DH.
• Nats' closer Henry Rodriguez got yanked after walking three batters last night. Manager Davey Johnson said later that Rodriguez would get today off, but is still his closer. Keep an eye on this one, since Rodriguez's control is, um, horrendous.
• Diamondbacks SS Stephen Drew, who hasn't played yet this season after undergoing ankle surgery in 2011, might begin a rehab assignment on Sunday. Once Drew begins his rehab, figure that he'll be two weeks away from rejoining the D-backs, barring any setbacks.
• Yankees SP Ivan Nova injured his ankle while fielding a ground ball last night, and his status for his next start is TBD.
• Question after reviewing the A's boxscore: What the %$#@! has gotten into Josh Reddick? Reddick has never hit more than 23 homers as a professional, but he slugged his ninth last night, and has 25 runs scored along with 20 RBI and four stolen bases. Reddick is still available in more than 40 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, and you should grab him if you can.
• Braves 1B Freddie Freeman left last night's game due to blurred vision. His status is TBD.
• Here's an update on Orioles OF Nolan Reimold, whose back isn't healing as quickly as the team hoped.
• Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis might be activated from the DL as soon as this week, which should result in some hysteria in Red Sox Nation if Will Middlebrooks gets sent to the minors. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
• Dodgers 3B Juan Uribe is on the DL with a sore wrist. Not that Uribe is very good, but with this team suffering from so many injuries, I wonder if it will shine a brighter light on how bad Dee Gordon is. One of Don Mattingly's excuses for Gordon has been that the team is doing fine as is, and that might not continue.
• Shin-Soo Choo is the Indians' new leadoff hitter. If he actually starts hitting as a result of this move, a lot of us will appreciate it.
• There's a good chance that 2B Rickie Weeks (hand) will return to the Brewers' lineup tonight.
• Justin Morneau (wrist) took batting practice yesterday. Morneau hopes to come off the DL on Wednesday, but I'll believe that when I see it.
• Cardinals OF Carlos Beltran was restricted to pinch-hitting duties last night due to a sore right knee, and the team is calling him day-to-day.
• I'll make my weekly appearance in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 2 p.m. ET. Make sure to stop by with your questions!

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.

This week's edition of Free Agent Frenzy is available for your reading pleasure. Check it out!

***

The weekend was good for our streaming starter selections, as James McDonald, R.A. Dickey and A.J. Burnett all had solid games. The record is up to 29-12 for the season. Today, we'll go with Tampa Bay's Jeff Niemann (owned in 7.3 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) at Toronto, with the Mets' Dillon Gee (2 percent owned) being Tuesday's pick against the Brewers. A few readers have asked for the picks to appear a day ahead of time, and since that's an easy enough task, it'll be that way from now on.

On to the news:

• Dodgers OF Matt Kemp left Sunday's game after re-aggravating a hamstring injury. Kemp will have an MRI today, and while he insisted Sunday that he won't need a DL stint, let's hear what the doctors have to say. At the very least, you can expect him to miss tonight's game.
• Another blog post, another significant injury for the Nationals. Catcher Wilson Ramos is probably done for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Jesus Flores could hit a half-dozen homers the rest of the way as Ramos' primary replacement, but his career BA is .252. Don't expect much.
• Speaking of the Nats, Padres SP Tim Stauffer (1.8 percent owned) makes his 2012 debut against them tonight. I like Stauffer, who had a 3.73 ERA and 1.25 WHIP last season, but I'd like to see him throw one game against big-league hitters before adding him to the streaming starter rotation. Does the current Nats' lineup count as "big-league hitters?" They barely have anyone left.
• Grant Balfour is reportedly unhappy that he lost the A's closer role to Brian Fuentes. Fuentes is owned in 3.1 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, and should be picked up for short-term saves until he becomes unhappy when HE loses the role to Balfour or Ryan Cook.
• MetsBlog thinks that Big Jon Rauch is the likely option to replace the struggling Frank Francisco (8.59 ERA) as the team's closer - if Frankie Frank gets replaced following his latest bad outing, of course. I made a bid on fireballing Bobby Parnell in my dynasty league, so I'm clearly rooting for a different outcome.
• Royals SP Danny Duffy, who left Sunday's game during the first inning because of elbow tightness, will have an MRI today. Keep your fingers crossed even if you don't own Duffy, because he's fun to watch.
• Orioles 3B Mark Reynolds is on the DL due to a strained oblique.
• A's OF Yoenis Cespedes (hand) hopes he'll be able to come off the DL when eligible on May 22. With the A's experiencing numerous injuries, OF Collin Cowgill got a couple of starts over the weekend, and he could be an interesting AL-only pickup.
• Dodger manager Don Mattingly seems committed to leaving SS Dee Gordon (.250 OBP) in the leadoff spot for now. That's bad for the Dodgers, but good for Gordon's fantasy owners.
• Recently demoted Cubs closer Carlos Marmol is on the DL with a strained hamstring, which appears to be minor.
• Look for Todd Frazier to get most of the starts at third base for the Reds while Scott Rolen (shoulder is on the DL). Frazier is a fellow Rutgers Scarlet Knight, so I hope he keeps the job and breaks the major league home run record.
• It sounds like Tyler Colvin is starting to steal playing time from longtime blog mascot Dexter Fowler in Colorado. Fowler isn't exactly making a compelling case to keep his job.
• The Twins don't have a target date for Justin Morneau's return from the DL. It sounds like he's progressing, though.
• Padres OF Carlos Quentin (knee) has had a setback in his rehab, and probably won't return this week.
• In case you missed it, Chris Sale returned to the rotation on Saturday for the White Sox, who are considering a three-way closer committee between Addison Reed, Hector Santiago and Matt Thornton. You'll excuse me if I don't believe anything Robin Ventura says at this point, right? Reed is still my guy in this situation.

See you back here tomorrow morning.

Check out more Fantasy Baseball News and Notes.