FANTASY BASEBALL: HOOTS & HOLLERS

HUSTLE POINTS (7/18)

MORE TWEETS THAT WERE TOO LONG FOR TWITTER:

Brian Roberts should be off the DL anytime soon, so get ready to use him and win!

Sorry to see Matt Weiters have to go to the DL recently. He was just starting to finally come around, hitting .320 in July. So much for momentum… Brian Roberts is getting ready for his rehab assignment and then a return to Baltimore. I am looking for a hot second half from the second baseman… Adam Lind is hitting around .210 at present. I still tend to believe that is an anomaly and it can only get better going forward… Now that we are officially in the season’s second half, I am expecting big things from Mark Teixeira. Allegedly, it is officially his time to shine. The problem with ever drafting him is having to compensate for his first half output with better late round draft picks…It is ironic that whenever I sit Brett Myers he looks like a stud and when I put him in my lineup, he seems to disappoint, Maybe his manager should pay me a cut to keep him benched…  I am actually considering Dan Haren next week- must start, my butt… It is amazing how Tim Hudson pitches like Cy Young for six innings and usually falls apart in the seventh. Bobby Cox, please take him out after six from now on- pleeeeaaasse… I am happy for Carlos Beltran owners everywhere to see him finally return to play. While it would be nice to see him get 10 homers with 10 stolen bases, the power stats are just not kind to New York Mets sluggers in that home park they play in. I still have to wonder what the Mets’ front office was thinking with that stadium design…With the addition of Buster Posey and Carlos Santana to the MLB and the success they look like they will continue to enjoy, there is hope of being able to rank a legitimate top ten for next season’s draft kit…

RIPE FOR THE PICKIN’:

Justin Smoak will be a big hit in Seattle...

With the deletion of Justin Smoak in Texas, due to the Cliff Lee acquisition, Chris Davis now gets another shot at first base in Arlington. Maybe this time, Davis can pay dividends. He hasn’t yet, but keep watch anyway… Yunel Escobar hasn’t had an awesome season, but he is another guy to watch, as a change of scenery may not hurt, especially a trip to the hitting-friendly AL… People are starting to scoop up pitcher Travis Wood. The rookie hasn’t won a game in four tries for Cincinnati, but his other stats certainly look good… Chris Perez may be a source for the occasional save in Cleveland, so if you truly are desperate, he could give you something… Surprisingly, Johnny Damon is available in a lot of leagues, but his current seven game hitting streak could mean he is ready to show some vintage play in Detroit for fantasy owners…

INJURY WATCH:

Before committing in week 16., check the injury status on Carlos Quentin (hand), Jose Reyes (oblique), Colby Rasmus (leg), Manny Ramirez (calf), James Loney (leg), Andrew McCutcheon (shoulder), Scott Baker (elbow), AJ Burnett (hand), Pedro Sandoval (hip), Roy Oswalt (ankle), and Russell Marin (elbow).

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE:

Two-start pitchers for the week ahead:

Use ‘em:

Ubaldo Jimenez

Tim Lincecum

Clayton Kershaw

Chris Carpenter

Steady and Willing:

Johnny Cueto

Jair Jurrjens

Phil Hughes

Wandy Rodriguez

Mike Leake

Tommy Hunter

Madison Bumgarner

Wade Davis

Only if you have to, but take an antacid first:

Mike Pelfrey

Carlos Silva

Daisuke Matsuzaka

Kevin Slowey

Scott Baker

R.A. Dickey

Anibal Sanchez

Ben Sheets

Brett Cecil

Ian Kennedy

Jamie Moyer

Daniel Hudson

Doug Fister

Wade LeBlanc

Scott Feldman

Dave Bush

Chris Tillman

Jake Arrieta

Kyle Kendrick

James McDonald

Nate Robertson

Barry Enright

Blake Hawksworth

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ You’ll be sorrrryyyyy ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫:

Scott Kazmir

Jeremy Bonderman

Jeff Francis

Armando Galarraga

B Lincoln

Kyle Davies

JD Martin

Aaron Laffey

Jeff Karstens

Anthony Lerew

David Pauley

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