On April 31, Florida Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla was hitting .245 with 4 home runs and 12 RBIs. With the onset of May and a drop from second to sixth in the Marlins lineup, he has not only propelled his team into the National League East lead, but also established himself as a premier Major League and fantasy second baseman.

He provided confirmation of his elite status again Sunday with a two-run homer off of San Francisco Giants starter Pat Misch, his league-leading16th of the season and team record 12th of May. Read more »

Cleveland Indians right-hander Fausto Carmona and Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday were placed on the disabled list on Sunday, joining pretty good company as injured stars nursing early wounds. Carmona will miss four weeks with a strained right hip, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, and the Denver Post reported that Holliday was deactivated with a strained left hamdstring.

Jake Westbrook will take Carmona’s spot in the rotation and start on Wednesday vs. the White Sox. Paul Hoynes at the Plain Dealer went on to say:

One more thing, Jake Westbrook is ready to reclaim his spot in the starting rotation. He’ll be activated for Wednesday’s start against the Chicago White Sox, which works out well considering Carmona’s left hip injury.

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Just like Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels in 2006, Dodgers phenom Clayton Kershaw made a highly anticipated debut on Sunday and still found a way to exceed lofty expectations. He worked six solid innings in a home start against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in six innings. He got a no-decision when L.A. won 4-3 in the 10th on an Andre Ethier RBI single.

Hamels, a lanky left-hander with an advanced approach to pitching, is a solid comparison for Kershaw. Their arsenals are different, but their deliveries are similar and the results, at least through one start, are looking very much the same. Kershaw is armed with a live fastball and a deadly curveball, where Hamels features a quality fastball and a plus-changeup. Read more »