SEATTLE -- Adrian Beltre is considered a sparkling defensive third baseman, possessing great range, soft hands and a cannon for throwing arm. The veteran Mariner might have been too confident in his fielding abilities and it could cost him a month or even the rest of the season.
On Thursday, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu, shaking his head in bewilderment, announced Beltre would be placed on the disabled list with a torn right testicle and was even more stunned when told that Beltre does not wear an athletic supporter, better known as a cup that protects the groin area.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
You hear that, fantasy baseball owners? Josh Hamilton's sole purpose on this Earth is to mess with you. Really, there's no way to over-dramatize the crap he's put fantasy owners through. Initially, he would have been the crown jewel in a dynasty league with minor-leaguers. When those types finally gave up on him, he made the show for the Reds. Then, he started to catch on for the Reds, but couldn't stay healthy. So he goes to the Rangers and puts himself on a record RBI pace, only to significantly slow down in the second half. In 2009, the bona fide elite-level fantasy outfielder has only played 35 games. He's only hitting .240. And he's out until mid-July.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Dare we say it? He's back. The man who won the 2005 Cy Young and finished third the following season is officially back in the Cardinals rotation. He made the Brewers -- one of the best hitting teams in the league -- look stupid for eight innings Monday, which means he's now thrown 23 innings of shutout ball this season. His staggering numbers thus far: 23 innings, 0 earned runs, 23 strikeouts, 10 hits, 4 walks.
From the Windup is Matt Snyder's extended look at some aspect of America's pastime each Thursday.
With the recent news that Mark DeRosa is on the trade block and the White Sox have possibly landed Jake Peavy, junkies of major league baseball trade rumors got an early glimpse at what promises to be a very interesting July. It's far to0 early to know exactly who will be in the market for what -- or who can afford to take on temporary payroll in this economy -- but it's certainly fun to speculate. Let's do it.
These Kids Are Alright is FanHouse's look at minor league prospects who could have a fantasy impact in the near future. Pay attention, we gave you Mat Gamel and Nolan Reimold the day before both were promoted.
The White Sox are scuffling right now, and one of the several reasons is the lack of production from their middle infielders. Chris Getz (.231 average, .590 OPS), Brent Lillibridge (.162, .451) and Jayson Nix (.241, .806, has been playing some outfield) aren't cutting it. Alexei Ramirez has yet to get on track (.215, .527) either, though they should be patient with him. Still, the White Sox have an option -- they can see if Gordon Beckham is ready.
MLB Power Rankings:Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.
While it's entirely possible the Blue Jays do hit a snag, isn't it about time columnists across the internet stopped doing Can the Blue Jays Really Keep This Up? pieces by now? I've seen at least 10 in the past three weeks. There are almost as many The Rangers Are For Real posts. The discrepancy in the media's faith in those two is likely due to the divisions in which the teams reside, but seven weeks isn't a small sample. At some point, you have to start giving credit where it's due.
The White Sox are off to a 15-18 start to the 2009 season, and that record is pretty misleading. The fact of the matter is that the White Sox have played a lot worse than their record would indicate. They're at or near the bottom of the American League in any significant offensive, defensive, or pitching stat that's kept. They were also shut out for an MLB-leading sixth time on Wednesday afternoon, and as Fletch mentioned it in the Starting Five on Monday, when they lose, they lose big. They've now been outscored 125-39 in their 18 losses.
So what's the reason for the team's lackluster play? Is it injuries? Maybe it's just the cold weather during the first few weeks of the season? Nope, according to Paul Konerko the answer is pretty simple. The White Sox just aren't that good.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
He's only 21 years old. He's only 21 years old. Whenever you get frustrated that your future fantasy stud is struggling, it's important to take a breather and repeat those words. When I was 21, I think I spent my Wednesday nights playing Counter-Strike and eating bad pizza. Justin Upton, on the other hand, has to deal with expectations that he's the next Willie Mays. Whatever happened to the 27-year-old "breakout" rule? Suddenly it's six years younger?
Fletch already mentioned it in the Starting Five this morning, but on Monday night in Kansas City Zack Greinke was once again absolutely dominant in going the distance and pitching a shutout against the White Sox. It was the type of pitching performance that you couldn't help but enjoy watching, even if you happened to be pulling for the other team, as it was an absolute clinic performed with a surgeon's precision.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said afterward that it was the best performance he'd seen from a major league pitcher in a long time, and I have to agree. I've seen Greinke make three starts this season -- twice on television, and once in person -- and I'm yet to see him surrender a run. However, I did see him strike out 27 batters while only walking three. It's the type of dominance I haven't seen from a pitcher since Pedro Martinez's amazing run from 1999-2002.
SEATTLE -- Adrian Beltre is considered a sparkling defensive third baseman, possessing great range, soft hands and a cannon for throwing arm. The veteran Mariner might have been too confident in his fielding abilities and it could cost him a month or even the rest of the season.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
The White Sox are off to a 15-18 start to the 2009 season, and that record is pretty misleading. The fact of the matter is that the White Sox have played a lot worse than their record would indicate. They're at or near the bottom of the American League in any significant offensive, defensive, or pitching stat that's kept. They were also shut out for an MLB-leading sixth time on Wednesday afternoon, and as Fletch mentioned it in the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Fletch
SAN DIEGO -- 
