Jose Bautista is No Bust

     Jose Bautista may be the hottest hitter in all of baseball right now. The Jays right fielder is hitting .529 with 5 HR's and 5 RBI's in the last 7 days. Bautista had a break out year in 2010, hitting a league leading 54 HR's. Many experts projected Bautista to level off this season and several others called him a possible fantasy bust. But Bautista is on pace to hit .362 with 56 HR's and 77 RBI's. There's no doubt that Bautista will eventually cool off, but that may not happen until summer-time. Last May, Bautista hit 12 HR's and drove in 25 runs. If for some ridiculous reason you're looking to move last seasons home run king, wait until after the month of May. His trade value could be at its peak once the summer months roll around.

Closer Carousel in Philly.

The Phillies closer-role has changed hands once again. Jose Contreras was placed on the DL Sunday with an elbow injury. Contreras is the guy who replaced Brad Lidge as the Phillies closer after Lidge was placed on the DL with a shoulder injury that may keep him out until the All-Star break. Contreras did a nice job filling in this season going 5 for 5 in save opportunities. It looks like Ryan Madson will become the closer for now with Antonio Bastardo battling him if Madson should slip up. I say for now because Madson has been asked to close before and has struggled. Bastardo has done well this year but is the lefty specialist. Teams usually don't want to use their lefty  specialists as closers. Keep track of this situation, Madson could be a cheap option for saves for the next month or so.

Jason Bay's Return

     Jason Bay is back and early signs point to the old him rather than last year's version whom the Mets signed to a 4 year $66 million contract before the 2010 season. Bay struggled mightily last season hitting just 6 home runs in 401 plate appearances. A lot of this has been blamed on Citi Field which we've seen zap the power out of many players, but he managed only 3 home runs on the road. I think last season was a "perfect storm" of negative factors (i.e. Citi Field, rib-cage injury, and adjusting to new team) which produced a forgetful season. Many owners will pass on him because because of Citi Field and will remember getting burned by him in the past. He was surprisingly consistent before last season, going for 30 home runs and 100 RBI's in 4 of the last 5 seasons. If he's available in your league pick him up, he should be a pleasant surprise. Watch for many other Mets to also improve with the addition of Bay (David Wright, Ike Davis, or Carlos Beltran) because of the lineup protection he brings.

Andrew Bailey on track to Return Shortly

    Andrew Bailey, according to RotoWire.com, impressed manager Bob Geren during a bullpen session Wednesday. Bailey has been out all season with a forearm strain. An injury that was once believed to be ligament damage, is now healing nicely. It looks like Bailey will be cleared for a rehab assignment next week. If everything goes to plan, he should be back in two weeks. Bailey had injury problems last season also, but all signs seem positive for his return. When healthy he's a lights out closer with a career ERA of 1.70, who averages about a strikeout an inning. He's still available in 15 % of Yahoo! leagues. If your league is one of them, pick him up as soon as he gets back. It's always nice to pickup an allstar closer in the middle of the season.

What's Wrong with Cargo?

     Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez isn't off to a hot start. He's only hitting .257, but fantasy owners are mainly concerned that he only has one homerun so far this season. Cargo hit 34 dingers in 2010 and some fear that he's begun his sophomore slump. 
     Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Last April, Gonzalez only hit 3 HR's and plated 17 RBI's. There's still over a week left in April and he already has 12 RBI's and 3 SB's. In the last 7 days, Gonzalez has 5 of those RBI's, his only HR and 2 of those SB's. He's heating up and a sophomore slump seems to be more myth than reality. Don't be duped into trading him away for anything less than a first rounder.

Brandon Belt to the Minors

    Brandon Belt has been sent back down to AAA with the activation of Cody Ross Wednesday. This move has been looming for a week or so and was obvious when Belt wasn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies. I was high on Belt early in the year as he dominated the minors last season and showed promise in Spring Training. All is not lost for Belt's career, it was just a small stint. Look for him to come back to the majors in a few more months. For leagues that keep players in the minors or a starting lineup, monitor his status. For now two names to replace him with are Matt LaPorta or Freddie Freeman. Freeman started slow and had many critics wondering if he could handle hitting MLB pitching (another example of people freaking out over a small sample size). Freeman has hit two homer runs in the last four games and has showed good patience at the plate. He would be a solid pickup. Matt LaPorta is a guy we've heard of for years. He was the main prospect in the C.C. Sabathia deal that sent him to Milwaukee. For the most past of his career he;s struggled. He's been a positive surprise for many Tribe fans and should continue to put up solid power number.

Is Jed Lowrie for Real?

Jed Lowrie is ready to make his mark in Boston.

     Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie has been Boston's hottest hitter and biggest surprise so far this season. Lowrie is currently leading all shortstops in on-base percentage and is second only to Troy Tulowitzki in slugging percentage. As of April 18th, Lowrie only has 31 AB's but he's already tallied 9 RBI, 2 HR and 8 runs scored. Fantasy owners aren't jumping on Lowrie's bandwagon quite yet because of such a small sample size. But with rumors swirling that Marco Scutaro could be on his way out in Boston, I think that Lowrie could be a top 10 shortstop by seasons end. With Scutaro gone, Lowrie should get more starts, meaning more plate appearances and a better shot at putting up excellent fantasy numbers. Remember, Carl Crawford is faltering at the top of the lineup and manager Terry Francona could move Lowrie up in the Red Sox order to make up for Crawford's lack of success. Lowrie is only owned in 43% of Yahoo! leagues, and let's not forget that the shortstop position is very thin this season, giving Lowrie the potential to be a waiver wire gem.

He's Got the Runs

     Colorado Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler has got the runs! No, not the kind that keeps you strapped to the toilet for hours on end, but the kind that can make a big difference in any fantasy league. So far this season, Fowler is in the top 10 in runs scored and the best part is, he's owned in only 39% of Yahoo! leagues. Hitting in front of Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki should keep Fowler's run production steady for the rest of the season. Fowler won't put up eye-popping power numbers for a leadoff hitter (he only had 6 HR's last season), but if it's runs you need, then Fowler is your man. Tulowitzki does have injury concerns, but his absence from the Rockies lineup shouldn't affect Fowler's numbers. Last July, when Tulo only had 19 AB's, Fowler scored 21 runs, tallied 5 stolen bases and plated 11 RBI's. Get him now while the Rockies are hot!

Sizemore Activated from DL

     Grady Sizemore has been activated from the DL and will be in the Indian's lineup today vs. the Orioles according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Sizemore is coming back from micro fracture surgery on his knee last season. This same injury limited him to just 33 games in 2010. This may be a positive sign for Sizemore and the Cleveland Indians but not much for fantasy owners. Grady will receive limited playing time to start as manager Manny Acta will give him plenty of rest. The Indians don't want to rush him back and cause  further injury. On top of that, Sizemore will be rusty. It will take a little while before he's a major fantasy impact. You want players in your lineup who play everyday. If you have the bench spot take the chance and see if he returns to his 30-30 form he showed a few years ago. If you're in a league without a bench, monitor his playing time and production and wait to pick him up.

Phil Hughes to the DL

     Yankees starter Phil Hughes has been placed on the disabled list, but not for a reason you might think. According to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, Hughes is going through a "dead-arm period." "We don't feel that he's hurt," Girardi said of the decision. Hughes' velocity on his fastball is down an average of 3 mph from last season, according to FanGraphs.com. This season, Hughes has tallied an ERA of 13.94, giving up more homeruns than strikeouts. Bartolo Colon, who has pitched fairly well so far this season, will most likely replace Hughes in the rotation. As a fantasy owner of Hughes, all I think when I hear this information is RED FLAG, RED FLAG, RED FLAG! If Hughes can't find his arm, the Yankees have plenty of depth to replace him. On top of Colon, the Yankees also have Carlos Silva and Kevin Millwood waiting in the minors. AJ Burnett is off to a great start this season, meaning Hughes may not be relied upon as much as he was last year when Burnett struggled. Hughes is still young and will look to make a comeback when his arm strength returns. There's no guarantee, however, that Hughes will keep his spot in the rotation and total 18 wins like he did last season. Hughes' trade value is down significantly, but see if you can make an offer for someone like Bronson Arroyo who will give you a solid win total and a respectable ERA.

Joe Mauer has Leg Weakness

If you read this blog consistently then you understand that Hollywood isn't that high on Joe Mauer. There isn't any doubt that he's a great player but he has had injury problems and a lack of power. Adding those factors up doesn't equal 2nd round talent. According to the Associated Press  Joe Mauer was placed on the DL last night, following the Twins loss to the Rays, due to leg weakness. Mauer had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the off season and had his workload lightened during spring training. Mauer has struggled this season  batting only .235. If you have Mauer on your team then you obviously have to hold on to him. Keep a watchful eye on Mauer's leg issues, they could linger which would mean more days off for him. If you can trade him for 2nd round value now, immediately do it. A guy like Matt Kemp would be someone to target.

Longoria's Status Update

Photo: TBO.com

   According to Rays manager Joe Maddon, Longoria's recovery from an oblique strain is "moving along pretty well." Maddon thinks that Longoria could be back in the lineup by the end of this month. Longoria will most likely have a short stint in the minors before rejoining the Rays on an everyday basis. If you own Longoria or are considering stealing him in a trade, keep a close eye on his rehab stint in the minors. Any signs of a weakened swing or short hopped throws could be a warning sign that Longoria's oblique isn't ready to start producing power numbers again. Remember that April is a warm-up month for many players and Longoria is missing out. Don't expect the Rays third baseman to be completely back to normal until summer time.

Nothing Funny about Hamiltons Injury

      Josh Hamilton will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks with a fracture of the humerus bone just below his right shoulder, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. A lot for controversy has been swirling around this injury as Hamilton called out third base coach Dave Anderson, saying it was a "stupid play." Whether Anderson should have sent him or not doesn't change the fact that Hamilton will be on the DL for the third time in as many years. The biggest draw-back for drafting Hamilton was his reckless play and injury problems. When he's playing, you get MVP caliber numbers, as he showed last season. David Murphy will be first in line for Hamilton's at-bats. Murphy is your best bet as a solid player in every category. If someone has beaten you to him, don't worry, there are still some gems out there in the free agent pool. Ride the hot hands until he gets back. Some of the players that come to mind are Josh Willingham or Logan Morrison, who will both give you some power number, or The Legend of Sam Fuld or Willie Bloomquist for speed and average.

Slow Starters: To Trade, or Not to Trade

   The first full week of fantasy baseball is over and some of you may be wondering when your first round pick is going to show up and hit. While most of your worries are a bit exaggerated, it might be a good time for a few of you to trade your top pick for two or three solid players.
    Albert Pujols, the number one pick in almost every league, is off to a very slow start. A week into the season and Pujols has only 1 HR and 4 RBI's. The most troubling stat may be Pujols' .143 batting average. Last April, the Cardinals first baseman hit .345 with a .655 slugging percentage! Many critics are already blaming The Machine's "struggles" on the distraction of his upcoming contract negotiations. Don't be fooled. Pujols has never ever had a bad season. In his worst seasons, Pujols was still a top hitter: .312 AVG (2010), 32 HR's (2007), 103 RBI's (2010) and .561 SLG (2002).
     Hanley Ramirez is also off to a slow start, posting a .207 AVG, with 0 HR's, 2 RBI's and 1 stolen base. Some fantasy owners took Ramirez over Pujols because of his potential for stealing bases. Those same owners may be sweating a bit right now, but they need to grab a towel and chill out. Hanley only hit .279 last April with 2 HR's and 2 SB's that same month. He then hit a combined .303 with 10 HR's and 44 RBI's the next two months!
     Finally, Carl Crawford, to the delight of many fans in Tampa Bay, hasn't yet found his swing in Boston. Crawford has only 5 hits in 38 at-bats and doesn't have a home run in hitter-friendly Fenway Park. He already has 7 strikeouts and only 1 RBI. Experts say that the pressure of Red Sox nation and a hefty contract have left Crawford reeling at the plate. The problem with Crawford's slow start is that April is usually his month to shine. In the past three seasons, CC has averaged 12 RBI's, a little over 7 SB's and a .303 batting average. The thing that worries me the most is the depth of the Red Sox lineup. There's no guarantee that Crawford will retain a top spot in the batting order and Red Sox manager Terry Francona already proved this by placing him in the seven hole two Sundays ago. If you own Crawford, a trade for two or three solid players could be beneficial. Look to trade Crawford for another solid base stealing outfielder like Shane Victorino along with a good starting pitcher.

Edwin Jackson: High Risk, High Reward

Edwin Jackson pitched a no-no against the Rays last season.

     Chicago White Sox pitcher Edwin Jackson is off to a great start this season. He's 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA after dismantling the Rays on Thursday. Rays fans are well aware of what Jackson is capable of. Jackson moved into the starting rotation as a member of the Rays and threw a no-hitter against Tampa Bay last season as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jackson has a ton of potential, but his career numbers don't reflect that. He has a career 4.57 ERA, but he's rarely been a part of a winning team. Jackson began starting games for the Rays in 2007, who went 66-96 and finished last in the AL East. That season, Jackson only won 5 games and his ERA was above 5. The very next season, the Rays won the AL East and Jackson won 14 games. Jackson then left the Rays to pitch for Detroit in 2009. The Tigers went 86-77 and just missed the postseason, losing to the Twins in extra innings in a one game playoff. Although the Tigers missed the playoffs, Jackson again posted a winning record of 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA. Jackson pitched for the dismal Diamondbacks last season and again had a losing record. However, he joined the White Sox late in the season and went 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA. If you haven't already noticed a trend, let me make it easy for you. When Edwin Jackson is a part of a winning team, he posts great numbers. The White Sox will look to compete in the AL Central this season and Jackson could easily win 15 games, or more! Get him now before your fellow league members beat you to the waivers.

The Three Hottest Hitters: Week One

     With the first week of baseball just about finished, the three hottest hitters are very framiliar names. All had concerns (for different reasons) which made people pass on them during the draft and all three have had huge fantasy seasons in the past. Ryan Howard is a guy whose career was trending downward, and with Chase Utley out for a considerable time, people were worried he might not get anything to hit. Ben Francisco has been a nice surprise for the Phillies protecting Howard. His stat line after the first week is 2 HR's 8 RBI's and a .524 Avg.
    Mark Texiera owners usually get a productive season out of him, but never at the beginning of the season. Texiera has been a notoriously slow starter whose batting average plummeted last year. The fact that he's torn the cover off the baseball thus far is great news for many fantasy owners. His stat line is 4 HR's 10 RBI's and a .333 Avg.

     Carlos Quentin was having an MVP-caliber season in 2008 after coming to the White Sox in a trade with the Diamondbacks. He's since been plagued with heel problems but has still put up decent home run numbers (21 in '09 and 26 in '10), but has struggled with his average. If he can stay healthy, I see no reason why he can't give you 30 HR's and 90 RBI's. If he hasn't been picked up yet, go ahead and ride this hot-streak out for a couple of weeks until his average comes back down to earth. His stat line is 2 HR's 10 RBI's and a .500 Avg.

Nelson Cruz off to a Historic Start

      Nelson Cruz failed to hit a home run last night vs. the Seattle Mariners, breaking his 4 game home run streak, which would have broken the Major League record. Home runs haven't and never will be Nelson Cruz's problem. It's been his health. Cruz has played in just 129 and 108 games in the last two season due to injuries to his ankle and hamstrings, and at 31 years old, his health might start to catch up to him. If Cruz can stay healthy he'll put up huge fantasy numbers, especially in a loaded Texas Rangers lineup. This may be a perfect time to sell high and try to get more value for him before he gets hurt again. Remember people, (especially Rays and Red Sox fans) we are about 1/40 of a way through the season. There are 162 games, don't get too high or low on players until a few months into the season.

Rays Place Longoria on Disabled List

Longoria's injury will hurt Manny and Damon's fantasy numbers.

     The Tampa Bay Rays have placed third baseman Evan Longoria on the 15 day disabled list. Longoria left Saturday night's game against the Orioles with a strained oblique. There may be panic in Tampa Bay, but according to ESPN's David Schoenfield, losing Longoria for 3 to 4 weeks will only cost the Rays a total of one win. However, fantasy owners may feel a much bigger impact. Longoria was projected by many experts (ourselves included), as the top third baseman in this year's fantasy draft. The absence of Longoria in your lineup will hurt, but I worry more about a trickling effect his injury will have on fellow Ray teammates. Longoria offers a lot of protection for guys like Ben Zobrist, Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. Replace these guys in your lineup if you have decent backups. Jack Hannahan of the Cleveland Indians could be a surprisingly sufficient fill in for Longoria. Don't judge Hannahan just because he plays for Cleveland. In three games this season, Hannahan has scored 3 runs, has 3 RBI's, a homerun and a .778 slugging percentage. He could be a waiver wire gem.

Matt Holliday Out 4-6 Weeks

     Outfielder Matt Holliday will have an appendectomy Friday, according to the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday felt pain in his stomach after yesterday's season opening loss to the Padres, in which Holliday went 3 for 4 with a home run. Holliday hit .312 with 28 HR's and 103 RBI's in 2010 and is projected to be one the top fantasy outfielders in 2011. This could be a major blow to fantasy owners who took Holliday with an early pick, however I wouldn't abandon him this early in the season. Four to six weeks may seem like an eternity, but Holliday is worth holding on to. In 2005, Holliday only played in 125 games, but he still hit .307, with 19 HR's and 87 RBI's. His power numbers may drop slightly when he returns, but having Pujols in the lineup will help him drive in runs and see better pitches.  If you're that panicked, the beginning of the season is a great time to try to steal another outfielder in a trade.