The Los Angeles teams seem to need pitching, and some recent scouting assignments could provide clues as the trade deadline approaches.
Joe Torre (right) and the Dodgers could use a starter and a reliever, and a flurry of scouts watching their Double-A affiliate could be a prelude to a deal.
Most noteworthy: Atlanta had both scout Rod Gilbreath and special assistant to the general manager Dick Balderson watching Chattanooga (Tenn.). The Braves do have pitching depth.
The Cubs, White Sox and Mets also had scouts watching the Lookouts in recent days.
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.
We had to break the trend. Sure, the Dodgers might have a better record than everyone else -- but competition has to count for something, doesn't it? The Dodgers have mutilated the mediocre-at-best NL West to the tune of 26-9. This means they are 14-11 against everyone else. Is that a top-two team in baseball? Hardly, I'll take the heated-rivals: Yankees (who have overcome a slow start to go 19-7 since May 12) and Red Sox (18-8 against the best division in baseball) as the top two.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a nod to what's ahead.
You Oughta Know... That rumors of Jake Peavy's demise have been exaggerated. When the San Diego Padres' ace got out of the chute with a 5.74 ERA in his first five starts, there were certainly a lot of folks wondering if he was going to suffer a second World Baseball Classic Hangover (see 2006).
Since then, though, he's been more like his normal self. Peavy pitched a four-hit complete game, beating the Reds, 3-1, on Sunday. Over his past four starts, Peavy has a 1.80 ERA.
It's not a terribly glorious week for two-start pitchers in week six (Monday, May 11th - Sunday May 17th) of the fantasy baseball season. With the light day of action on Monday there are only 34 total this week, and most of this week's pitchers are risky picks.
You won't need to set you lineups until 7:05 PM ET on Monday as the only four games are night starts
Must Start Johan Santana, Mets - Monday vs ATL (D. Lowe) and Saturday at SF (R. Johnson) Matt Cain , Giants - Tuesday vs WAS (J. Zimmermann) and Sunday vs NYM (M. Pelfrey) Jered Weaver , Angels - Tuesday vs BOS (J. Masterson) and Sunday at TEX (S. Feldman) Roy Halladay, Blue Jays - Tuesday vs NYY (A. Burnett) and Sunday vs CWS (G. Floyd)
As we head into the third week of the fantasy baseball season we have 34 starting pitchers throwing twice. When setting your lineups, remember that tomorrow is Patriot's Day in Boston, so first pitch is at 11:05 AM Eastern Time.
Must Start Roy Halladay, Blue Jays - Tuesday vs TEX (B. McCarthy) and Sunday at CWS (J. Contreras) Derek Lowe, Braves - Monday at WAS (J. Zimmermann)and Saturday at CIN (B. Arroyo) C.C. Sabathia, Yankees - Tuesday vs OAK (B. Anderson) and Sunday at BOS (J. Beckett) Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers - Tuesday at HOU (R. Ortiz) and Sunday at COL (J. Marquis)
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through every major player on each team. Fantasy FanHouse is here to help with a quick once-over.
Meet the ... Best team in baseball. Yes, they are still better than the Yankees and Red Sox. Lost in all the joy of last season were the facts that two key players were injured down the stretch and another had an absolutely dreadful offensive season. Throw in the addition of Pat Burrell, and the continued growth of the young pitching staff, and you have a team who can take on the big-spending Yankees and venerable Red Sox.
From the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.
While there is still time left in the Hot Stove season, and there are a few high quality players left on the market -- Ben Sheets, anyone? -- the Yankees have been the team who has made the biggest splash in all of baseball thus far. That splash was seemingly a reaction to missing the playoffs for the first time since the strike-shortened 1994.
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.
As you may have heard, the Tampa Bay Rays burst onto the scene in 2008, finishing the regular season with 97 wins, 27 more than their previous franchise high of 70. They then breezed past the White Sox in the ALDS and survived Boston's furious comeback in the ALCS before falling to the Phillies in the World Series.
On its face, Tampa's story may seem similar to that of the 2007 Rockies, who were an afterthought in the pennant race in early September yet ended up still playing in late October. But in reality, the surprise teams of the last two years couldn't be more different. While Colorado was led by guys in their late-20s having career years, the Rays were a very young team that came into its own earlier than expected. Nearly all of their key parts will be back for '09 and beyond; if Tampa Bay makes the right offseason moves, it is set up quite nicely for a potentially dominant 3-5 year run.
With each passing day it seems more likely that Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday won't be wearing a Rockies jersey come spring training. After trying to move their MVP outfielder before the trade deadline last season and not finding any deals that worked, Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd is back at it again. With Holliday scheduled to make $13.5 million in 2009, the Rockies feel they'd be better off moving Matt and using that money elsewhere.
Colorado would like to part ways with Holliday so bad, in fact, that it appears they're even going to lower their asking price.
Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd increased the likelihood Matt Holliday will be traded with his admission Wednesday he doesn't have to receive a proven starter in return.
O'Dowd is looking for the best deal, not the best pitchers, with multiple opposing executives predicting that Philadelphia and Oakland are the most likely trade partners.
"There is not much pitching in the market available. Period," O'Dowd said. "And any pitching we get will likely be projection pitching. Not that guy that has been there, done it. We are completely open-minded to anything."
I think it's pretty safe to say that last night was the greatest start in Joe Blanton's career. Sure, he's had a few games where his stat line looked better than the six-inning, seven-strikeout, four-hit two-run performance on Sunday night, but none of them came in a game as important as a World Series affair. Oh, and I'm sure the home run didn't hurt either.
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon noticed Blanton's performance last night as well, and given the dark spot on the brim of Blanton's cap, he can't help but wonder if Blanton had a little help.
After the game, Maddon addressed the issue with the media. Asked if he noticed a dark spot on Blanton's cap, Maddon said: "We did notice, it was rather dark. I did bring it to their [umpires'] attention. I asked them to just watch it and be vigilant about it, and nothing happened. But I was concerned about it early on."
Too bad he wasn't concerned enough with Andy Sonnanstine to pull him for a lefty before Ryan Howard came to the plate in the fourth inning. As for the hat, Blanton says there was nothing illegal on the brim of his cap.
The Los Angeles teams seem to need pitching, and some recent scouting assignments could provide clues as the trade deadline approaches.
Starting Five
As we head into the third week of the fantasy baseball season we have 34 starting pitchers throwing twice. When setting your lineups, remember that tomorrow is Patriot's Day in Boston, so first pitch is at 11:05 AM Eastern Time.
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through 
With each passing day it seems more likely that Rockies outfielder 
I think it's pretty safe to say that last night was the greatest start in 
