At the core, I don’t believe that the Tampa Bay Rays did anything wrong when they threw down with the Boston Red Sox on June 5 and ignited a new rivalry. The Rays had a justifiable beef with Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp, who drew the ire of manager Joe Maddon with a dirty slide on Akinori Iwamura the previous night. But, I do disagree with how the young Rays went about exacting their revenge.

First of all, I have a hard time believing that Maddon was free and clear of payback plans. He had the biggest problem with Crisp’s actions, and his jawing at the outfielder from the dugout set a bad example for his young team. Who knows what happened behind closed doors between the June 4 game and the June 5 brawl, but Maddon, either directly or indirectly, was responsible for the blowup. Read more »

The seed has been planted in Minnesota. With the recent quotes from Twins manager Ron Gardenhire about how close left-hander Francisco Liriano is to returning to the majors, one more quality start could officially put the wheels in motion. A fantasy owner would be wise to add Liriano now, rather than wait for firm news and risk losing out to a rival manager.

At this point in the year, there is little upside to be had on a standard waiver wire. Spot starters, risky youngsters and unknowns are the best we can hope for, but a healthy Liriano is a much different story. This is a Cy Young caliber pitcher when healthy, and he can offer dominant numbers in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. While his ownership is creeping up, he can still be had in the vast majority of leagues. Read more »

The chance to pick up a new fantasy team in the midseason is almost over; most fantasy vehicles will wrap up their midseason offerings by this time next week. By now owners have had 11 weeks to evaluate the landscape and level of performance of every noteworthy player in the league, and draft boards have shifted accordingly. Megastars from seasons past have slid embarrassingly into the depths of the bargain bin, while players who were unknowns mere months ago are now riding the wave to fantasy stardom.

So as time winds down for Fantasy Drafting v.2008, who are the most notable players likely to prop your fantasy team toward glory in September, and which ones are due for a fall? And which hobbled studs are most likely to raise their game? Read more »

Sixty-seven games into their season and the Chicago Cubs must face a little adversity, at least for the next six weeks. They have won 4 straight games and remain atop our power rankings, but the injury to Alfonso Soriano lessens their offensive punch and flexibility, not to mention the confidence of the Wrigley faithful.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins, despite the expected occasional sputter, remain in the top 10, while the once promising Blue Jays and Indians have slipped. Read more »