Fantasy

The struggles of Ubaldo Jimenez continue, but will he be able to rebound?  Could Wade Davis’s time in the major leagues be in jeopardy?  Is Matt LaPorta now a usable option in all formats since returning from the minor leagues?  Let’s look at these questions and all the rest from yesterday’s games:

Saves....some people care about them, some people could care less.  For those that do care, it's time to take a close look at each team's closer role.  It's July and the sample sizes are large enough to see some trends.  So here we go...

What to watch for

Through 82 team games (324 at-bats) this season, Reds’ second baseman Brandon Phillips is tied with Boston’s Kevin Youkilis for the major league lead in runs, with 62.

Phillips also has 10 homers and 10 steals at the mid-way point, putting him on pace for his fourth consecutive 20/20 season.

It’s time to check in on three more prospects from around the minor leagues. Are any of them primed to make an impact in the not too distant future? Let’s take a look:

Mat Latos continues to roll on the mound.  Max Scherzer continues to put his early season struggles behind him.  

Every time we think the Tigers have depth in the rotation, they seem to have to dig deep into their system to find someone to plug into the mix.

The latest find has been left-handed pitcher Andrew Oliver, who made his second career start earlier this week after being drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft.

Middle infielders have been taking a beating this season with many of the top names having injury issues at some point in time.  Let’s get an update on some of the players currently nursing injuries:

While the MLB trade deadline is more than four weeks away, the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers swapped catcher Bengie Molina for reliever Chris Ray and a player to be named later on Thursday.

Although this deal may appear insignificant on the surface, it’s important to understand how this trade affects not only the fantasy values of the players involved, but others as well.

The recent rash of perfect games and no hitters has many people scratching their heads. Some are calling it the “Year of the Pitcher,” while others think it’s due to the eradication of steroids in the sport.