I was at Borders this afternoon, and two things caught my attention:

1. They have sensors near the restroom to make sure you don't take any reading material in, which would likely get you flagged like George Costanza at book stores throughout the country.

2. Fantasy football magazines are on the shelves.

This is a legitimately exciting day for me every year. I know baseball season is in full swing, but it's never too early for football. When I see those magazines on the shelves each year, I know training camp is just around the corner.

That means pretty soon it will be time for rankings, drafts and football season when we can commence wondering what Chris Berman is talking about as he runs through highlights every Sunday night for 17 weeks.

Ahh, I really can't wait.

That being said, it's time to start thinking about the 2007 season. To get things started, I'm going to run through a relevant question for each NFL team, division-by-division over the next couple weeks. We'll see where things go from there. If there's anything you'd like to see me blog about to get you ready for your draft, feel free to chime in.

Without further ado, here are questions surrounding NFC East teams:

Philadelphia Eagles - How high should quarterback Donovan McNabb be ranked?

In ESPN.com leagues, McNabb ranked as the No. 7 quarterback. In my league, he was No. 12. However, he only played in 10 games because of a knee injury. McNabb had four 300-yard games, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. The good news is that he looks like he'll be 100 percent entering 2007. McNabb's a lock to be productive when healthy and has a very good offensive line. The bad news is that he's missed 13 games over the past two seasons, and the Eagles lost probably their most dangerous receiver in Donte Stallworth. Also, keep in mind that Philadelphia excelled last season when their offense was balanced, which could mean fewer passing yards for McNabb. All things considered, McNabb is worth the risk. He should be among the top six or seven quarterbacks off the board. If he stays healthy, McNabb can be one of the game's top fantasy producers. Just make sure you have a solid backup.

Dallas Cowboys - Is Terrell Owens worth the trouble?

From McNabb to T.O. Seems fitting right? Owens led the league in drops last season, but unless you play in some crazy league where receivers are penalized for that, it doesn't hold much significance. What does matter is that T.O. ranked among the top-five fantasy wideouts last season, catching 85 balls (his highest total since 2002) for 1,180 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. He's 33 years old, but nobody stays in better shape than Owens. I'm not sure exactly where I'll rank him in the next couple months, but Owens is definitely a top-10 receiver. Don't let personal feelings get in the way. Unless Tony Romo fizzles out completely, Owens will be a solid producer.

New York Giants - With Tiki Barber gone, who gets the touches at RB?

Let's take a second to appreciate Barber as a great fantasy performer over the past five or six seasons. He was tremendous in 2006, racking up over 2,100 rushing/receiving yards to go along with five touchdowns. He carried 327 times and caught 58 passes. So who gets those touches this season? At the end of 2006, I thought the answer would be simple: Brandon Jacobs. After all, Jacobs showed flashes of brilliance last seasson, rushing for nine touchdowns and averaging 4.4 yards per carry. After Barber announced his retirement, I liked the prospects of Jacobs being a solid fantasy producer in 2007. Then the Giants had to go and make things complicated by trading for Reuben Droughns. The former Browns running back was pretty bad last season, rushing for 758 yards and averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. This will be a major storyline to watch during training camp. Do the Giants trust Jacobs to be the No. 1 guy? Will they split carries? Will Droughns be used more as a fullback? Answers to these questions will determine when both players should be selected.

Washington Redskins - How will Ladell Betts' 2006 performance affect Clinton Portis' value?

Portis went down last season -- playing in just eight games -- and Betts filled in superbly. Washington's backup running back piled up 1,599 rushing/receiving yards and averaged 128 yards on the ground over the last six weeks of the season. Portis, meanwhile, found the end zone seven times in eight games. He's battled knee tendinitis, and Portis' condition will be something to keep an eye on during training camp. If he's healthy, you have to believe Portis will be the main guy in Washington, but owners who draft him also need to grab Betts. Needless to say, Portis' value is not as high as it's been in the past.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here's a look at fantasy nuggets for the Orioles' three-game series with the Angels:

Orioles // Standing out: Kevin Millar went 6-for-10 in three games against the Yankees and is 8-for-14 (.571) in his last four games. Millar is not a good fantasy option because of his sporadic playing time. On the season, he's batting .271 with six homers and 24 RBIs. His .385 on-base percentage is second on the team to Brian Roberts.

Player to watch: Corey Patterson is 9-for-22 (.409) with four stolen bases and six runs in his last eight games. Patterson has been a fantasy disappointment this season, hitting .225 with one homer and 15 stolen bases. Last season, he hit .276 with 16 homers and 45 steals.

On the mound: Erik Bedard allowed no runs and two hits in seven innings against the Yankees in his last start. He struck out eight and walked one. Bedard's 129 strikeouts lead the majors, and he is on pace to shatter his career-high of 171 K's set last season.

Angels // Standing out: Vladimir Guerrero is putting together another stellar year, hitting .330 with 14 homers, 69 RBIs and 44 runs. He went 5-for-11 with two doubles in the Angels' three-game series agianst the Royals. Guerrero has hit at least 30 homers and driven in at least 100 runs in eight of the last nine seasons.

Player to watch: Chone Figgins has been on a tear, hitting .443 with 13 stolen bases and 15 RBIs in June. The Angels third baseman was injured early on but is now proving to be a fantasy asset. Overall Figgins is hitting .310 with 18 steals.

On the mound: Kelvim Escobar is 3-0 in his last four starts and 9-3 overall. Tonight's starter has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners, posting a 2.81 ERA (fourth among American League starters) to go along with 78 strikeouts and a pair of complete games.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

UP

Alfonso Soriano, OF, Cubs: He got off to a slow start in Chicago (no homers, one RBI in April), but Soriano has come on strong. He's 14-for-32 (.438) with four homers in his last seven games. Soriano is hitting .309 overall with 15 homers, 51 runs and 10 stolen bases. He's batting .340 with 11 homers in June.

Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies: Colorado's first-year player hit .244 in April but is now showing why many pegged him as a Rookie of the Year candidate going into this season. Tulowitzki is hitting .321 with four homers, seven RBIs and seven runs in his last seven games. He's hitting .275 overall with seven homers, 35 RBIs and 42 runs.

Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers: Last year's American League Rookie of the Year has won four straight starts to improve to 9-2 on the season with a 2.78 ERA. But that's not the best news for fantasy owners. Verlander has struck out 29 batters in his past three starts, an alarming number considering he hadn't stuck out more than eight in any start prior to June 12.

DOWN

Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, Athletics: He's 3-for-22 (.136) with no homers and one RBI in his last seven games. Swisher is having a good season overall, hitting .281 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs. He hit .254 with 35 homers and 95 RBIs in 2006.

Julio Lugo, SS, Red Sox: Boston's shortstop is 0-for-27 in his last nine games and is batting .191 overall. Lugo has managed to steal 20 bases despite an awful on-base percentage of .256. Red Sox manager Terry Francona has indicated that Alex Cora could see increased time at shortstop.

Homer Bailey, SP, Reds: Cincinnati's highly-touted prospect was pounded for six runs on six hits in 1 2/3 innings in his last start against the Phillies. However, in his previous start, Bailey allowed one run and two hits in seven innings against the A's. Expect more of the same from the 21 year old -- flashes of brilliances but inconsistency the rest of the season.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Orioles // Standing out: Brian Roberts is 14-for-26 (.538) with six extra-base hits, five RBIs, four runs and two steals in his last six games. Overall, Roberts is batting .324 with 46 runs and 24 steals, making him the top-ranked fantasy second baseman in the American League.

Player to watch: Aubrey Huff went 2-for-14 (.143) on the Orioles' six-game road trip. He's batting .301 at home and .237 on the road. Huff has not homered in his last 38 games, but he is batting .324 in June. Overall, he's hitting .269 with four homers and 32 RBIs.

On the mound: Jeremy Guthrie helped the Orioles stop their nine-game losing streak with another tremendous performance against the Padres in his last start. The O's righty went eight innings, allowing one earned run and striking out nine. He has gone at least seven innings in eight straight starts and has allowed no more than three earned runs in any outing. Guthrie has been the 11th-ranked fantasy pitcher over the last month.

Yankees // Standing out: Alex Rodriguez has been the top fantasy player all season. He's hitting .333 with 28 homers, 77 RBIs, 72 runs and nine steals. A-Rod cooled down slightly in May but has been on a tear in June, hitting .436 with nine homers and 32 RBIs.

Player to watch: At 35 years old, Jorge Posada is showing no signs of slowing down. He's the third-ranked fantasy catcher, hitting .341 with nine homers, 44 RBIs and 40 runs. Posada entered '07 having hit 20 or more home runs in six of seven seasons.

On the mound: Roger Clemens has been solid in two of three starts since returning to the majors. However, in his last outing, Clemens allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. A good sign for fantasy owners is that he's struck out 22 batters in 17 2/3 innings. A bad sign is he hasn't pitched past the sixth inning in any start. Overall, Clemens is 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here are the top-scoring players overall at each position. This is based on standard scoring in a 5x5 league: 

Mixed leagues 

Catcher: Victor Martinez, Indians // .314, 14 HRs, 62 RBIs

First base: Prince Fielder, Brewers // .283, 26 HRs, 61 RBIs, 51 runs

Second base: Chase Utley, Phillies // .320, 12 HRs, 58 RBIs, 52 runs, four SBs

Third base: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees // .333, 28 HRs, 77 RBIs, 72 runs, nine SBs

Shortstop: Jose Reyes, Mets // .323, 33 RBIs, 52 runs, 38 SBs

Outfielder: Magglio Ordonez, Tigers // .381, 13 HRs, 68 RBIs, 64 runs

Outfielder: Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners // .364, 53 runs, 22 SBs

Outfielder/DH: Gary Sheffield, Tigers // .295, 17 HRs, 50 RBIs, 66 runs, eight SBs

Starting pitcher: Dan Haren, A's // 9-2, 1.78 ERA, 89 K, 0.90 WHIP

Starting pitcher: Jake Peavy, Padres // 9-2, 2.14 ERA, 113 K

Starting pitcher: Johan Santana, Twins // 8-6, 2.83 ERA, 114 K

Relief pitcher: J.J. Putz, Mariners // 21 saves, 1.07 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 36 K

Relief pitcher: Francisco Cordero, Brewers // 27 saves, 2.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 45 K

AL-only

Catcher: Victor Martinez, Indians // .318, 14 HRs, 62 RBIs

First base: Justin Morneau, Twins // .278, 20 HRs, 57 RBIs, 50 runs

Second base: Brian Roberts, Orioles // .324, 46 runs, 24 SBs

Third base: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees // .333, 28 HRs, 77 RBIs, 72 runs, nine SBs

Shortstop: Carlos Guillen, Tigers // .324, 12 HRs, 54 RBIs, 44 runs, five SBs

Outfielder: Magglio Ordonez, Tigers // .381, 13 HRs, 68 RBIs, 64 runs

Outfielder: Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners // .364, 53 runs, 22 SBs

Outfielder/DH: Gary Sheffield, Tigers // .295, 17 HRs, 50 RBIs, 66 runs, eight SBs

Starting pitcher: Dan Haren, A's // 9-2, 1.78 ERA, 89 K, 0.90 WHIP

Starting pitcher: Johan Santana, Twins // 8-6, 2.83 ERA, 114 K

Starting pitcher: C.C. Sabathia, Indians // 10-2, 3.34 ERA, 100 K

Relief pitcher: J.J. Putz, Mariners // 21 saves, 1.07 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 36 K

Relief pitcher: Francisco Rodriguez, Angels // 22 saves, 2.43 ERA, 49 K

NL-only

Catcher: Russell Martin, Dodgers // .290, eight HRs, 47 RBIs, 13 SBs

First base: Prince Fielder, Brewers // .285, 26 HRs, 61 RBIs, 51 runs

Second base: Chase Utley, Phillies // .320, 12 HRs, 58 RBIs, 52 runs, four SBs

Third base: Miguel Cabrera, Marlins // .330, 17 HRs, 54 RBIs, 46 runs

Shortstop: Jose Reyes, Mets // .323, 33 RBIs, 52 runs, 38 SBs

Outfielder: Matt Holliday, Rockies // .355, 13 HRs, 59 RBIs, 46 runs

Outfielder: Eric Byrnes, Diamondbacks // .317, 12 HRs, 42 RBIs, 47 runs, 14 SBs

Outfielder: Adam Dunn, Reds // .271, 20 HRs, 48 RBIs, 49 runs, seven SBs

Starting pitcher: Jake Peavy, Padres // 9-2, 2.14 ERA, 113 K

Starting pitcher: Cole Hamels, Phillies // 9-3, 3.80 ERA, 111 K

Starting pitcher: Chris Young, Padres // 7-3, 2.08 ERA, 81 K

Relief pitcher: Francisco Cordero, Brewers // 27 saves, 2.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 45 K

Relief pitcher: Takashi Saito, Dodgers // 20 saves, 1.45 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 40 K

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here's a look at fantasy nuggets for the Orioles' three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks:

 Orioles // Standing out: Nick Markakis - The Orioles right fielder is 9-for-18 (.500) with two RBIs, five runs and three stolen bases in his last four games. Markakis is batting .306 in June and .278 overall with nine homers, 42 RBIs, 41 runs and seven stolen bases.

Player to watch: Miguel Tejada - The O's shortstop could be placed on the disabled list with a nondisplaced fracture in his left wrist, a move that would end his consecutive games streak at 1,152. Tejada's hitting .350 over the last week and .306 overall with seven homers and 41 RBIs. He's the 10th-ranked fantasy shortstop according to ESPN.com's player rater.

On the mound: Jeremy Guthrie - He turned in another brilliant outing against the Padres, allowing one earned run in eight innings while striking out nine. Guthrie has been the eighth-best fantasy pitcher over the last month. Overall, he's 4-1 with a 2.42 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 10 starts.

Diamondbacks // Standing out: Eric Byrnes - The former Oriole went 8-for-15 with a home run, four RBIs, four runs and two stolen bases in Arizona's three-game series against the Devil Rays. Overall, Byrnes is hitting .318 with 11 homers, 39 RBIs, 44 runs and 14 stolen bases.

Player to watch: Conor Jackson - He hasn't taken the next step that some predicted before the 2007 season. Jackson hit .291 with 15 homers and 79 RBIs in '06, his first full season in the majors. This year, he's batting .267 with five homers and 25 RBIs.

On the mound: Jose Valverde - Arizona's closer has been very productive this season with 23 saves and a 3.00 ERA. He's struck out 34 batters in 30 innings. Last year, Valverde was extremely inconsistent, saving 18 games with a 5.84 ERA.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

UP

Corey Hart, OF, Brewers: He's 7-for-19 (.368) with three homers, four RBIs, six runs and two stolen bases in his last four games. In his first full season in the majors, Hart has proven to be a productive fantasy player, hitting .301 with eight homers and 13 stolen bases.

Mike Lamb, 3B, Astros: Houston's third baseman is 16-for-28 (.571) with three homers and 13 RBIs in his last seven games. Lamb is hitting .316 but doesn't produce much in other areas. He's never hit more than 14 homers or driven in more than 58 runs in his seven-year career.

Chien-Ming Wang, SP, Yankees: He was the AL Cy Young runner-up a year ago and has been just as productive in 2007. Wang has won four straight and six of his last seven. In his last start, Wang allowed two earned runs and struck out a career-high 10 batters in 8 2/3 innings against the Mets. Overall he's 7-4 with a 3.33 ERA.

DOWN

Travis Hafner, DH, Indians: He's 4-for-24 (.167) in his last six games and hasn't homered in 16 games in June. Hafner hit .300 or better from 2004-2006 but is batting just .257 this season. He still has 10 homers and 46 RBIs.

Andruw Jones, OF, Braves: Atlanta's center fielder is 1-for-25 in his last six games and batting just .202 on the season. Entering '07, Jones had hit 34 or more homers in six of seven seasons. He hit 41 last year and 51 in '05. Jones, a free agent at the end of the season, has 11 homers and 42 RBIs this season.

Tom Glavine, SP, Mets: The veteran lefty has allowed 16 runs on 19 hits in 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts. In his last outing against the Yankees, Glavine was pounded for seven runs in four innings. He's 0-4 in his last five starts and has a 4.67 ERA on the season.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Chicago Cubs traded catcher Michael Barrett and cash to the San Diego Padres for backup catcher Rob Bowen and minor league outfielder Kyler Burke.

I guess that's what happens when you get in public arguments/physical altercations with two-fifths of your starting pitching staff. Everyone's seen footage of Barrett's fight with pitcher Carlos Zambrano, but he also had a disagreement with starter Rich Hill in the dugout during a game.

I liked Barrett going into this season and thought he would be a top-10 catcher for sure, with the possibility of cracking the top five. Last season, Barrett hit .307 with 16 homers in 107 games. While his power has been solid this season, Barrett's been out of the lineup lately because of his problems with the pitching staff.

Barrett is the ninth-ranked fantasy catcher according to ESPN.com's standardized player rater. He's batting .256 with nine homers and 29 RBIs through 57 games. Only Cleveland's Victor Martinez and Kansas City's John Buck have more bombs (they both have 13) among catchers.

So does the move to San Diego help or hurt Barrett's fantasy numbers? This is a tricky one. On one hand, he moves from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field to a pitcher's park in PETCO, meaning his power numbers will likely suffer. The Padres have hit 29 homers at home this season as a team, which ranks 21st in the majors and 10th in the National League.

On the other hand, Barrett will resume his role as an everyday catcher. Since his run-in with Zambrano, Barrett started just 10 of 17 games. Also keep in mind that he is a free agent at the end of the season.

Overall, expect Barrett to finish among the top-10 fantasy catchers, but the high expectations I had for him going into this season probably won't be met.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 4:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

A question from reader Brooksflow:

What are your thoughts on a trade involving Ian Kinsler for either Julio Lugo, Sammy Sosa, or Carlos Pena? I'm tempted to let go of Sosa, but the grand slam the other night made me hesitate. While Sosa's been a nice surprise, I'm skeptical.  Additional reasoning for letting Sosa slide is that I already have the injured Mark Teixeira. Please help.

Let's take a look at the players involved.

We'll start with the player you're thinking about obtaining. Kinsler started out on fire, hitting .298 with nine homers in April. Since then, he's gone yard just twice, and his average is down to .231. I wouldn't recommend giving up on Kinsler yet. Despite his terrible May and his struggles in June, Kinsler is still the 11th-ranked fantasy second baseman, according to ESPN.com rankings. He's stolen 11 bases to match his total from a year ago. The truth is Kinsler's not as good as he showed in April, but he's not as bad as he's shown since then. Be patient with him.

Meanwhile, Lugo is batting just .207 in his first season in Boston and was recently dropped to ninth in the lineup. While he still has fantasy value -- 19 SBs, 34 RBIs -- Lugo has been a disappointment. It's tough to imagine he'll continue to hit so poorly (he's usually around a .270 hitter), but Lugo is not a player I'd be looking to trade for at this point.

The last two players you mentioned are Sosa and Pena. Sosa's comeback bid has gone better than expected. He's hit 11 homers to go along with 51 RBIs. However, like Kinsler, Sosa started off hot (seven homers in April) and has since cooled down. He's batting .246 and offers nothing in the speed category. Also, at 38 years old, injury is always a concern.

And finally, Pena is having a big year, hitting .317 with 16 homers and 42 RBIs. He's not a bad sell-high candidate, considering he's never hit better than .248 in a season where he had at least 250 at-bats. However, Pena has shown power in the past, hitting 27 homers with Detroit in 2004. Given how well he's playing, I'd see what I could get for him, and if it's not enough, ride out the hot streak.

There you have it. Lugo and Kinsler are pretty comparable, but I like Kinsler to have the better season from here on out. I'd unload Sosa for Kinsler also. As for Pena, see if you can find an owner who just looks at his numbers this season and realize he won't keep up this pace.

Hope this helps!

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here's a look at fantasy nuggets for the Orioles' three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks:

Orioles // Standing out: Aubrey Huff - With the Orioles having lost five straight, it's tough to find positives in the lineup. That being said, Huff is 12-for-26 (.462) in his last seven games. In the three-game series against Washington, he went 6-for-11. Overall, Huff is batting .272 with four homers and 30 RBIs.

Player to watch: Brian Roberts - He's been one of the team's most productive fantasy players this season, but Roberts went 0-for-14 in three games against the Nationals and reached base just once all series. He's 4-for-27 (.148) in his last six games. Overall, Roberts is batting .306 with 40 runs and 22 steals.

On the mound: Steve Trachsel - I wrote in this space a couple weeks ago that it was a good time to unload Trachsel, but he's continued to produce in the Orioles' rotation. Trachsel allowed four runs in seven innings in his last start against the Nationals and two runs in six innings in his previous start against the Rockies. He's 5-4 with a 3.94 ERA overall. The red flags for fantasy owners -- Trachsel's struck out 23 and walked 38; opponents' batting average of balls in play is .225.

Diamondbacks // Standing out: Eric Byrnes - The former Oriole is hitting .312 with nine homers, 33 RBIs, 38 runs and 12 steals. Last year, Byrnes showed a good blend of speed and power, hitting 26 homers and stealing 25 bases. With the Orioles in '05, he hit .226 with 10 homers and seven stolen bases in 126 games.

Player to watch: Stephen Drew - Arizona's shortstop has struggled in his first full season in the majors. Drew is batting .241 with three homers and 26 RBIs. In 59 games with the Diamondbacks last season, he hit .316.

On the mound: Randy Johnson - Returning to Arizona, the Big Unit is 4-2 with a 3.52 ERA in nine starts this season. He's struck out 70 batters in 53 2/3 innings and has walked just 11. Johnson is 4-0 in his last five starts and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in all of those outings.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

UP

Bobby Abreu, OF, Yankees: After a slow start, he's turned it up, batting .457 with 12 RBIs and 17 runs in 12 games this month. Abreu hit 20 or more homers in seven straight seasons, but had just 15 in '06. The power hasn't returned this season as he's hit just four bombs. Overall he's batting .272 with 34 RBIs, 49 runs and 11 stolen bases.

David Wright, 3B, Mets: New York's third baseman is 10-for-27 (.370) with four homers, eight RBIs, six runs and two stolen bases in his last seven games. Overall he's batting .286 with 12 homers, 36 RBIs, 39 runs and 14 stolen bases.

Brian Bannister, SP, Royals: Who? My thoughts exactly. But Kansas City's starter is 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in his last three starts. Bannister has gone seven innings or more in four straight outings. On the season, he's 3-3 with a 2.91 ERA.

DOWN

Jason Bay, OF, Pirates: He's 3-for-31 (.097) in his last nine games. Still, Bay has proven to be one of the top fantasy outfielders over the past few years. On the season, he's batting .285 with 11 homers, 46 RBIs and 38 runs.

Vernon Wells, OF, Blue Jays: He's 2-for-24 (.083) in his last seven games. Wells has not homered in his last 21 games and has just one bomb in his last 41. Wells has been a serious disappointment this year, batting .246 with five homers and 30 RBIs. He hit .303 with 32 HRs and 106 RBIs in '06.

Jason Schmidt, SP, Dodgers: He got lit up for six runs on nine hits in four innings in his second start since returning from the disabled list. According to the Los Angeles Times, Schmidt's velocity dropped down into the mid-80s. On the season, he's 1-3 with a 6.43 ERA in five starts in his first season with Los Angeles.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here are the top-scoring players overall at each position. This is based on standard scoring in a 5x5 league:

Mixed leagues

Catcher: Victor Martinez, Indians // .325, 12 HRs, 54 RBIs, 33 runs

First base: Prince Fielder, Brewers // .298, 23 HRs, 51 RBIs, 43 runs

Second base: Chase Utley, Phillies // .301, 11 HRs, 48 RBIs, 44 runs

Third base: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees // .304, 24 HRs, 63 RBIs, 56 runs, seven SBs

Shortstop: Jose Reyes, Mets // .309, 45 runs, 31 SBs

Outfielder: Magglio Ordonez, Tigers // .367, 13 HRs, 56 RBIs, 53 runs

Outfielder/DH: Gary Sheffield, Tigers // .281, 17 HRs, 43 RBIs, 57 runs, seven SBs

Outfielder: Grady Sizemore, Indians // .289, 11 HRs, 32 RBIs, 54 runs, 18 SBs

Starting pitcher: Dan Haren, Athletics // 7-2, 1.58 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 76 K

Starting pitcher: Jake Peavy, Padres // 7-1, 1.97 ERA, 95 K

Starting pitcher: C.C. Sabathia, Indians // 9-1, 3.09 ERA, 89 K

Relief pitcher: Francisco Cordero, Brewers // 22 saves, 2.05 ERA, 37 K

Relief pitcher: J.J. Putz, Mariners // 18 saves, 1.23 ERA, 31 K

AL-only 

Catcher: Victor Martinez, Indians // .325, 12 HRs, 54 RBIs, 33 runs

First base: Justin Morneau, Twins // .273, 17 HRs, 46 RBIs, 40 runs

Second base: B.J. Upton, Devil Rays // .320, nine HRs, 31 RBIs, 36 runs, 13 SBs

Third base: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees // .304, 24 HRs, 63 RBIs, 56 runs, seven SBs

Shortstop: Orlando Cabrera, Angels // .335, 35 runs, 42 runs, six SBs

Outfielder: Magglio Ordonez, Tigers // .367, 13 HRs, 56 RBIs, 53 runs

Outfielder/DH: Gary Sheffield, Tigers // .281, 17 HRs, 43 RBIs, 57 runs, seven SBs

Outfielder: Grady Sizemore, Indians // .289, 11 HRs, 32 RBIs, 54 runs, 18 SBs

Starting pitcher: Dan Haren, Athletics // 7-2, 1.58 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 76 K

Starting pitcher: C.C. Sabathia, Indians // 9-1, 3.09 ERA, 89 K

Starting pitcher: Josh Beckett, Red Sox // 9-0, 2.88 ERA

Relief pitcher: J.J. Putz, Mariners // 18 saves, 1.23 ERA, 31 K

Relief pitcher: Al Reyes, Devil Rays // 15 saves, 1.95 ERA

NL-only

Catcher: Russell Martin // .298, 7 HRs, 41 RBIs, 40 runs, 11 SBs

First base: Prince Fielder, Brewers // .298, 23 HRs, 51 RBIs, 43 runs

Second base: Chase Utley, Phillies // .301, 11 HRs, 48 RBIs, 44 runs

Third base: Miguel Cabrera, Marlins // .333, 14 HRs, 47 RBIs, 40 runs

Shortstop: Jose Reyes, Mets // .309, 45 runs, 31 SBs

Outfielder: Matt Holliday, Rockies // .352, 10 HRs, 46 RBIs, 35 runs

Outfielder: Eric Byrnes, Diamondbacks // .319, nine HRs, 33 RBIs, 38 runs, 12 SBs

Outfielder: Carlos Lee, Astros // .297, 11 HRs, 52 RBIs, 35 runs, four SBs

Starting pitcher: Jake Peavy, Padres // 7-1, 1.97 ERA, 95 K

Starting pitcher: Cole Hamels, Phillies // 8-2, 3.57 ERA, 96 K

Starting pitcher: Rich Hill, Cubs // 5-4, 2.71 ERA, 74 K

Relief pitcher: Francisco Cordero, Brewers // 22 saves, 2.05 ERA, 37 K

Relief pitcher: Takashi Saito, Dodgers // 17 saves, 1.73 ERA

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 4:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here's a look at fantasy nuggets for the Orioles' three-game series with the Nationals:

Orioles // Standing out: Aubrey Huff - The O's first baseman/designated hitter is 9-for-23 (.391) with five doubles and five RBIs in his last six games. Known as a slow starter, Huff hit .235 in April and .265 in May. He's batting .313 in June. Overall, Huff is at .259 with four homers and 29 RBIs.

Player to watch: Jay Payton - He's 4-for-23 (.174) in his last six games. Payton hit .296 with Oakland last season and is batting .276 overall. Not considered a power threat (although he did hit 28 bombs with Colorado in 2003), Payton has one homer and 20 RBIs.

On the mound: Jeremy Guthrie - He had another stellar start Saturday against the Rockies, but as has been the case many times this year, Guthrie was not rewarded with a win. He went eight innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out six and walking one. Guthrie has a 1.75 ERA since joining the rotation and a 2.70 ERA overall. He's now gone seven innings or more in six straight starts.

Nationals // Standing out: Cristian Guzman - Washington's shortstop went 8-for-14 (.571) in the Nationals' three-game series against his former club, the Minnesota Twins. Guzman was a major disappointment in 2005, hitting .219 after signing with the Nationals as a free agent. He missed last season with a shoulder injury, but is batting .346 this year.

Player to watch: Ryan Zimmerman - After a tremendous rookie season (.287, 20 HRs, 110 RBIs), Washington's third baseman has struggled at times this season. Zimmerman is 5-for-27 (.185) in his last six games and is batting .243 overall. He has nine homers, 35 RBIs and 35 runs.

On the mound: Chad Cordero - The Nationals' closer got off to a shaky start this season but has rebounded to get back to his usual form. Cordero has allowed one earned run in his last 14 appearances (14 innings). On the season, he has eight saves and a 2.76 ERA.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

In his first start of the year, Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens went six innings and allowed three runs on five hits for the win against the Pirates.

He struck out seven and walked two while throwing 108 pitches.

As I've stated earlier, Clemens will have a tough time matching his 2.30 ERA from last year (with Houston), but he's still extremely valuable because he'll put up high strikeout totals and should get great run support. He got off to a good start today, but the Pirates aren't exactly an offensive powerhouse. Pittsburgh ranks 13th in the National League in runs, 14th in batting average, 12th in home runs and last in on-base percentage.

Clemens is scheduled to make his second start against a much tougher lineup when he faces the Mets on Friday.

And finally, I went to see Knocked Up Thursday night. What does that have to do with fantasy baseball? Paul Rudd's character, Pete, lies to his wife so that he can attend a fantasy baseball draft with his friends. Decked out in Orioles gear, he expresses excitement for getting Hideki Matsui. For the record, the Yankees outfielder is hitting .282 with six homers, 30 RBIs and 29 runs on the season.

As for the movie, I give it a seven out of 10. You'll laugh, it's worth the $8, but certainly not a classic.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

UP

Chone Figgins, 3B, Angels: Los Angeles' third baseman is 13-for-23 (.565) with four RBIs, eight runs and five stolen bases in his last six games. Before last week, Figgins had struggled after missing the early part of the season due to injury. Overall, he's batting .221 with eight stolen bases. Figgins had 52 steals last season and 62 in 2005.

Russell Martin, C, Dodgers: He's 9-for-23 (.391) with four homers, five RBIs and seven runs in his last seven games. Martin has been tremendous all season, hitting .314 with seven homers, 39 RBIs, 38 runs and nine stolen bases.

C.C. Sabathia, SP, Indians: He's 4-0 in his last five starts and 9-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 83 strikeouts overall. In his last start against the Royals, Sabathia tossed a complete game shutout. He allowed five hits, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.

DOWN

Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins: The reigning AL MVP is 3-for-22 (.136) with no homers and one RBI in his last six games. Morneau has still produced all season, hitting .277 with 16 homers, 44 RBIs and 38 runs.

Juan Pierre, OF, Dodgers: He's 4-for-28 (.143) in his last seven games. On the season, Pierre is batting .269 with 34 runs and 18 stolen bases, but his on-base percentage is down to .298.

Carlos Zambrano, SP, Cubs: He went to blows with catcher Michael Barrett in his last start, but Zambrano probably has some fantasy owners who'd like to get him in the Octagon. He was hammered for 13 hits and six earned runs in his last start against Atlanta. Zambrano has been a major disappointment this season, going 5-5 with a 5.62 ERA.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here's a look at fantasy nuggets for the Orioles and their opponents for this week:

Orioles // Standing out: Ramon Hernandez - The O's catcher is batting .381 with a couple homers, 10 RBIs and six runs in his last seven games. Hernandez has hit .262 in 31 games since missing the early part of the season due to injury. He drove in a career-high 91 runs last season and has been a good run producer again in '07, with 26 RBIs in 31 games.

Player to watch: Corey Patterson - The O's center fielder was a surprise fantasy producer last season when he hit .276 with 16 homers and 45 stolen bases, but Patterson has struggled in '07, hitting .217 with one homer. In his last six games, Patterson is 2-for-20 (.100). He does have 11 stolen bases on the season.

On the mound: Jeremy Guthrie - Even though he didn't get the win yesterday against the Angels, Guthrie tossed a gem, allowing three hits and one earned run in eight innings. Guthrie has completed at least the seventh inning in five straight starts and has allowed one earned run or fewer in five of his last seven outings. Overall, Guthrie is 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

Mariners // Standing out: Jose Guillen - Seattle's outfielder went 7-for-12 in the Mariners' series against the Rangers. He's batting .375 with a pair of homers and 11 RBIs in his last seven games. Overall, Guillen has been very good in his first year with Seattle. He's batting .282 with seven homers and 36 RBIs. In 69 games with the Nationals in '06, Guillen hit .216 with nine homers and 40 RBIs.

Player to watch: Adrian Beltre - Fantasy owners will always remember his '04 season when Beltre hit .334 with 48 homers and 121 RBIs. While those numbers are likely to never surface again, the Mariners third baseman has been solid this season, hitting .274 with nine homers, 27 RBIs and five stolen bases.

On the mound: Felix Hernandez - King Felix started the season on a tear. He allowed no runs and four hits while striking out 18 in his first two starts. However, Hernandez hasn't been the same pitcher since returning from the disabled list on May 15. In his last start against the Angels, Hernandez was roughed up for nine hits and seven runs over six innings. He's 1-3 in his last five outings.

Rockies // Standing out: Matt Holliday - The Rockies outfielder has been tremendous this season, hitting .345 with 10 homers, 44 RBIs, 31 runs and three stolen bases. Holliday has hit safely in 12 straight games. He's coming off a break-out season in which Holliday hit .326 with 34 homers, 114 RBIs and 119 runs.

Player to watch: Garrett Atkins - Unlike Holliday, Atkins hasn't been able to produce the same numbers he did a year ago. The Rockies third baseman is hitting just .233 with four homers and 22 RBIs. Last season, Atkins hit .329 with 29 homers, 120 RBIs and 117 runs.

On the mound: Jeff Francis - He's been Colorado's best starter this season, with a 5-4 record to go along with a 3.70 ERA. Francis has completed the seventh inning in seven straight starts and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six straight outings. Francis went 13-11 last season and 14-12 the year before.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)