Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around major league baseball to help you set your fantasy baseball lineup for week 6 (May 2 – May 8) of the 2011 fantasy baseball season.
American League:
Outfielder Rajai Davis returned from the disabled list for the Toronto Blue Jays and should be active in all formats. He stole five bases in three games since his return including including three today.Davis’ return will send Corey Patterson back to his role as a reserve outfielder.
Third basemen Evan Longoria is expected to return from the disabled list on Tuesday for the Tampa Bay Rays so he should be active in all types of leagues as you are likely not to have a better alternative unless you play in a shallow eight or 10 team league.
Jered Weaver missed Sunday’s start for the Los Angeles Angels due to illness on Sunday so he will now become a two start pitcher in week 6, swapping places with Tyler Chatwood. Weaver will get starts at Boston and at home against Cleveland.
Joel Pineiro made his first start of the season for the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. He allowed one run in seven innings with three strikeouts. He should be activate in AL-only formats going forward and will get his next start on Thursday at Boston.
National League:
Cole Hamels looks like he will become a two start pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies in week 6 with Roy Oswalt still dealing with issues stemming from the tornadoes in Mississippi as Hamels moves up to start on Tuesday. There has been no definite date for when Oswalt is expected to return so you might want to reserve him for next week if you have a decent starting pitcher on your reserve to replace him with.
Zack Greinke is expected to make his National League debut on Wednesday for the Milwaukee Brewers as he comes off of the disabled list. Greinke will get the start at Atlanta against Tim Hudson. In his last rehab start at Triple-A, Greinke allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings with seven strikeouts.
With Ryan Zimmerman out of action for the next six weeks for the Washington Nationals after surgery, Jerry Hairston Jr. should see the majority of at bats at third base. Hairston is off to a slow start this season hitting .208 in 53 at bats, but he should be active in NL-only formats going forward while Zimmerman is out.
Pablo Sandoval will be out four-to-six weeks with a fractured hamate bone for the San Francisco Giants. In the interim, Miguel Tejada will move to third base with Mike Fontenot starting at shortstop, giving Fontenot some value in NL-only leagues. Fontenot went 2-for-4 on Sunday, batting seventh and playing shortstop.
With the St. Louis Cardinals now going with a closer by committee approach, NL-only league owners in need of saves should consider having active Mitchell Boggs, Fernando Salas and Eduardo Sanchez.
The Los Angeles Dodgers swapped out relievers in their bullpen activating Hong-Chih Kuo from the disabled list and demoting Kenley Jansen. The demotion of Jansen serves as a reminder how fickle relief pitchers can be from year to year unless they a longer track record of success in the major leagues. Kuo moves in the saves picture in the Dodgers bullpen with Jonathan Broxton and Vicente Padilla.
To help set your pitching rotation for next week, check out the week 6, two start pitchers.
