By Moonlight Graham
It’s been a disappointing Major League season for those fans that enjoy September pennant races 
as each division seems to be locked up and only the NL Wild Card spot is still being contested. We might see one more divisional race if the Twins can sweep the Tigers this weekend but, with their pitching, it’s not likely. For baseball purists, the final month has been a letdown.
The absence of close races will have a bearing on Fantasy Baseball owners also, as they’ll be forced to keep an eye on star players that are vital to their Fantasy Baseball teams being rested as their MLB team preps for the post season. So, if you’re looking to pick up an important point or two in the W or ERA categories, be aware that C.C. Sabathia or Chris Carpenter might be passed over in order to get a little more rest before the playoffs. Likewise, dependable veterans on teams out of the mix; guys like Paul Konerko and Miguel Tejada, to name two, may find a seat on the bench as their teams audition younger players. The bottom line is, if you’re lucky enough to still be in the running for your league title, it is more important to keep an eye on the box scores now than at any other point in the season.
Streaking
Arizona’s Juan Gutierrez is making a case to be the D’Backs’ 2010 closer with 4 S and 1 W in September… Tommy Hanson has a 0.45 ERA over three September starts for Atlanta… Kansas City’s Robinson Tejeda is 2-0 over three starts with 18 K. When did you ever think he’d be a piece of your puzzle?… Seattle’s Ryan Rowland-Smith has gone 7 IP in each of his last four starts while posting a 2.61 ERA…
Stalling
Houston’s Miguel Tejada will see his playing time decrease as the Astros audition Tommy Manzelli at SS… Chad Billingsley’s most recent turn in the rotation was skipped as he has struggled over the last month… Despite extended rest, Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo was ripped in his last start and could be shut down for the rest of the year… Even though his last outing was a strong one, Chris Tillman may be shut down by the Orioles as they try to limit his IP… Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona is 1-5, 5.48 in his last nine starts… Jorge Posada will miss the weekend after being suspended for his ridiculous display during the Yankees- Blue Jays game on Wednesday… A.J. Burnett continues to struggle, going 1-4, 6.75 over his last six starts. It’s been awhile since any of his teammates hit him with a pie… Take the 5-0 record given you by Pedro Martinez and run. In his last start, the fragile Martinez threw 130 pitches, the most he’s thrown since 2002. That followed a 119 pitch game in his previous outing. You can’t expect him to hold up under the strain…
Sick Bay
Washington C Jesus Flores is done for the year after shoulder surgery… Justin Morneau will be out for the year with a stress fracture in his back… Kevin Youkilis has missed three straight with back spasms and could be out through the weekend… Detroit’s Jarrod Washburn is out with a bad knee… Yankees’ starter Andy Pettitte will miss a turn due to shoulder fatigue… Texas OF Josh Hamilton may miss the rest of the year with back issues…
where Chris Aucone’s R Farters remain atop the standings. The Farters have led the pack since early June and have only recently been challenged by Bobby Carr’s Master Batters and Lou Carducci’s Mean Street Posse. However, neither has been able to get within three points of the leader and may not be able to as they battle each other in several categories. Mindful of how last season’s title was, literally, decided on the season’s final pitch, all three have been active on the transaction wire; hoping to grab that one rookie with a hot bat or a flamethrower with one three hit shutout up his sleeve. Rest assured, they’ll be perusing the following lists looking for any help they can get. You should too.
Beckett, Clay Bucholz and Jon Lester all turned in solid performances on the hill… Baltimore’s Aubrey Huff has cleared waivers and can now be dealt… Despite posting stellar numbers in Seattle, Jarrod Washburn has been brutal in two starts since being traded to Detroit. Some guys seem to thrive on mediocre teams… Angels’ OF Vlad Guerrero is 10 for 28 with 4 HR since returning from the DL… Since the All Star break, Twins’ starters have an ERA of 5.97, severely limiting Joe Nathan’s save opportunities… Ichiro Suzuki is 30 hits shy of becoming the first Major Leaguer with 200 hits in 9 consecutive seasons… Milwaukee’s Manny Parra is 4-0, 1.10 since returning from the minors… The Phillies have moved Jamie Moyer into the bullpen to clear a spot in the rotation for Pedro Martinez. Hard to imagine Moyer will have any 
to deal with from Bucs’ GM Neal Huntington after the latest rounds of trades stripped the franchise of most of its remaining Major League talent. “We don’t feel like we’ve broken up the ’27 Yankees.” Maybe not, but they’re certainly on there way to assembling the ’62 Mets. While it is the bane of the small market team that it must eventually dump promising players that become too expensive, most still manage to be cyclically competitive. Not the Pirates, though. They resemble the guy in your Fantasy Baseball League that buys his preview magazines on his way to the draft. During Pittsburgh’s current streak of 17 consecutive losing seasons, the Twins, A’s, Marlins, Brewers, Reds, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays and Rays have all managed at least one playoff appearance. What have they done differently than the Pirates? They’ve actually developed the prospects they’ve received in exchange for their stars. But, in Pittsburgh, there exists a revolving door through which even young and relatively inexpensive talent is dispatched. It is not uncommon for a struggling franchise to request the patience of its fans as it rebuilds. Hell, watching young, exciting players earn their stripes is a lot of fun. The Pirates, however, have stripped their fans of even that bit of enjoyment by trading away the very players they said they were building upon just last winter. As for Huntington’s crack about the ’27 Yankees, he has a point. However, while he may not have had this era’s equivalent of Murderer’s Row, a lineup featuring Nate McLouth, Jason Bay, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Ryan Doumit, Aramis Ramirez and Nyjer Morgan would absolutely be a contender in the NL Central… The White Sox acquisition of Jake Peavy smells of desperation, especially since the former Cy Young winner won’t be available for another month… Alex Gordon is back in the Royals lineup but is admittedly not at full strength, as evidenced by his sub-Mendoza BA… Ben Zobrist is now the Rays’ cleanup hitter… With the departure of Nick Johnson to the Marlins, Washington recalled OF Elijah Dukes, who will likely see regular playing time… NL Rookie of the Month, Greg Jones of Pittsburgh, had 10 HR and just 17 RBI… Love Felipe Lopez, playing for a contract, at the top of the Brewers’ lineup… Cleveland will use the newly acquired Justin Masterson as a starter… Brandon Inge has yet to hit a dinger since the All Star break. As predicted here, he’s tailing off but still a prime player if you can use him as a catcher… Andre Ethier, the Dodgers’ leading RBI man is now their #2 hitter…
PM, many Fantasy Baseball owners have a little more time to digest the MLB moves and act accordingly. In the Hausier’s Krowedum Fantasy Baseball League, owners have until August 5th before trades are no longer an option for improvement. The deals started last week as players like Roy Halladay, Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Howard turned up on the rosters of the teams at the top, acquired from those out of the running. With many fantasy leagues facing deadlines over the next few weeks, it seems like a good time to discuss trade strategy and protocol from both sides of the transaction.
