The Philadelphia Phillies will be heading back to the postseason to defend their title, but they're going to look a bit different than they did at this time last year. Pat Burrell has been replaced by Raul Ibanez, Pedro Martinez has taken the role of "Old Pitcher" from Jamie Moyer, and the "Albert Pujols Destroyed My Psyche" version of Brad Lidge has made a return to the mound to replace the "Nothing Fazes Me" Brad Lidge of 2008.
Still, the biggest difference in this team may not be with the roster, but in the waistband of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. Manuel has trimmed 50 pounds from his once abundant stomach this season and because of it, he's now the latest pitchman for the diet program Nutrisystem.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
With the lack of options available to us yesterday, I have to say I'm pleased with the effort turned in by Ryan Rowland-Smith. He wasn't going to get us another win, since he was facing John Lackey in Anaheim, but he went 7 innings and allowed just 3 runs, striking out 5 guys along the way. I hope those 5 Ks will be the difference in your H2H playoff! We streamed Hiroki Kuroda today against the Giants -- hopefully he'll stick to his impressive ratios in a win.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Heading into the season, the signs were there that the Rockies' 25-year-old right-handed starter Ubaldo Jimenez was ready for a breakout campaign. The only question was his occasional lack of command, which reared its ugly head in April (he started the season 1-3 with a 7.58 ERA and 2.11 WHIP). Since then, though, Jimenez has actually been one of the best hurlers in baseball and he's been even hotter for the past month.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... Jamie Moyer can still win games.
Moyer bristled when the Phillies demoted him to the bullpen in favor of Pedro Martinez, and when a rain delay Tuesday forced Martinez from his start against the Diamondbacks, Moyer took over when play resumed in the fourth inning for his first outing since the decision.
He went the rest of the way, allowing two hits and striking out five in six scoreless innings and earning his first relief win since May 15, 1996, for the Red Sox. (That day he worked two innings in relief of Tom Gordon.)
With Pedro Martinez set to make his first start in a Phillies uniform Wednesday night, someone had to come out of the rotation. That someone was 256-game winner Jamie Moyer, and the veteran left-hander is none too pleased about his team's decision to relegate him to relief.
"I'm really not happy with this decision that the Phillies have made," Moyer said, sitting in the stands behind the first-base dugout. "I will take what they've asked me to do, but I'm not really excited about the decision that has been made. Ultimately, I'm a little disheartened because this past winter when I was negotiating with the Phillies this was a sore thumb, if you will, about this potentially happening.
"You can't promise anything in this game, but I really felt that Ruben [Amaro Jr.] parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen. Actually, even had some discussion with David [Montgomery] with them reassuring me that this type of situation wouldn't happen."
It's been nearly a year since Pedro Martinez last started a major league game (Sept. 25 of last season against the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium). Well, Pedro may have switched jerseys this season as he's now a Phillie, but he's got another date with the Cubs on Wednesday.
Martinez will make his first start as a member of the Phillies at Wrigley Field, the team said. He was signed by the Phillies back on July 15, and, after going on the disabled list with a mild right shoulder strain, has made three rehab starts, going 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.
There are only 39 pitchers starting twice this week and while you have your normal distribution of both good and bad options, it's the guys in the middle who are intriguing.
Of the seven pitchers who I call "Solid" headed into fantasy week 18, six are owned in less then 70% of fantasy leagues. This week would be a great week to go trolling for two-start pitchers on the waiver wire.
• Jamie Moyer is only owned in 12% of fantasy leagues • Randy Wells is only owned in 53% of fantasy leagues • Ryan Rowland-Smith is only owned in 2% of fantasy leagues • Mat Latos is only owned in 15% of fantasy leagues • Brett Anderson is only owned in 27% of fantasy leagues • Zach Duke is only owned in 67% of fantasy leagues
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.
The second half of the season is in full swing and lo and behold if capitalism hasn't reared it's ugly head once again. Billy Beane was spun off Matt Holliday (as expected of course) and the eleventy billion dollar payroll machine that is the New York Yankees are in first place in the AL East. (Of course, that can't explain why the Mets are horrible but that's a whole other thing.)
Will the Yankees' surge be enough to propel them into the critically important No. 1 slot of the FanHouse MLB Power Rankings? Find out after the jump.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
Hey, two straight wins for the Stream Team, first from Phille Joe Blanton, then from his teammate Jamie Moyer. Moyer pitched around trouble beautifully last night, allowing six hits and four walks but no runs. Our post-All Star Break ERA is down to 2.79, and we've got 56 Ks in 67.2 innings. If you're playing along with us in your league, I have a no-brainer add for tomorrow.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham accomplished a feat that had been done just twice in National League history before yesterday, smacking two grand slams in the same game. Check this out -- the first National Leaguer to do this was Tony Cloninger, a pitcher, and the second was Fernando Tatis, who you may remember hit both his grand salamis in the same inning. By comparison, Willingham's slams look mundane. Ten American League players have also hit two grand slams in the same game, with the trick last being accomplished in 2003 by Bill Mueller.
The Philadelphia Phillies will be heading back to the postseason to defend their title, but they're going to look a bit different than they did at this time last year. Pat Burrell has been replaced by Raul Ibanez, Pedro Martinez has taken the role of "Old Pitcher" from Jamie Moyer, and the "Albert Pujols Destroyed My Psyche" version of Brad Lidge has made a return to the mound to replace the "Nothing Fazes Me" Brad Lidge of 2008.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Starting Five
With 
It's been nearly a year since 
There are only 39 pitchers starting twice this week and while you have your normal distribution of both good and bad options, it's the guys in the middle who are intriguing.
MLB Power Rankings
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
