FANTASY BASEBALL: HOOTS & HOLLERS

From the writers at thefantaasygeek.com:

SET YOUR LINEUP!!!:

For most of us, we are in the last week or two of the fantasy baseball season. Many of us are in the thick of things, either settling in for playoff time, or at least fighting for one of those last spots in your league. Sad, but true, that there are also many who are out of it and are spending more time prepping for fantasy football than following baseball. Such is life. But I need to implore to some of you to whom it may apply. Don’t toss your baseball teams aside. Many owners who have given up don’t set their lineups and dish up “gimmes” to teams who shouldn’t have it that easy. They just don’t do their adds and drops and bench their sidelined players because they figure it has no impact on their standing. But how many times have you been one game out of the playoffs with one game left only to see that John Doe and his 3-20 team have not set their best lineup against the team you’re trying to catch in the team’s final week? It happens. And it shouldn’t because next season, it could happen to the same person who gave up this year. If you’re in a continuing league with people you know, in particular, it serves as integrity to the league to play it out win or lose every season. It may not impact your outcome in the league, but you can have an impact in the league scenario just the same.

RIPE FOR THE PICKIN’:

Carlos Zambrano may be worth a pick-up

Carlos Zambrano is coming off of a very rare good star, so people are jumping on his bandwagon again… Gio Gonzalez is having an August to die for, ranking in the top ten among starters during the month… Ryan Raburn has been surprisingly hot for the Tigers and should be used in deeper leagues… If you need a middle infielder Yunlesky Betancourt has been as good of a middle infielder pickup s any recently, with his hot bat… Ian Kennedy is having some pretty good strikeout numbers as of late…

INJURY WATCH:

Before you set your lineups on Monday, check status updates for Mark Teixeira (thumb), Jose Reyes (oblique), Brandon Phillips (hand), Hanley Ramirez (head), Brian Roberts (hips), Ian Stewart (side) and Buster Posey (forearm).

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE:

Two-start pitchers for the week ahead:

Use ‘em:

C Carpenter

F Hernandez

R Halladay

Steady and Willing:

E Santana

CJ Wilson

P Hughes

T Cahill

J Jurrens

J Beckett

H Kuroda

J Sanchez

J De La Rosa

J Niese

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

N Buerhle

B Duensing

C Zambrano

JA Happ

J Westbrook

M Minor

R Wolf

B Cecil

W Davis

W Leblanc

J Saunders

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

B Matusz

H Bailey

V Mazzaro

A Galarraga

J Masterson

K Kendrick

D Moseley

A Sanabia

P Maholm

M Talbot

J Marquis

K Davies

D Pauley

P Misch

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