Football
Tristan H. Cockcroft 17y

Daily Notes: Pass on Lowry, Stick with Germano

Fantasy Game Notes for Friday: American League
Chicago White Sox @ Boston Red Sox

Fenway Park (outdoor) 7:05 p.m. ET (partly cloudy, low of 62 degrees)
Jose Contreras, RHP (5-11, 5.32 ERA, 1.53 WHIP) versus
Josh Beckett, RHP (12-3, 3.35 ERA, 1.14 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: none

Game Story: Just about any pitcher warrants a start against the White Sox, the 26th-ranked offense in the bigs (4.23 runs per a game), and Beckett is no different, coming off back-to-back quality starts at home against strong offenses (Devil Rays, Blue Jays). Jermaine Dye, though, gets to the right-hander (2-for-3, .667, 2 HR). Steer clear of Contreras, who has a disastrous career record at Fenway (2-3, 9.69 ERA in six games, five starts). Of course, much of that came when he was with the Yankees and unable to handle the pressure of the rivalry. Still, the Red Sox have a deep enough lineup to get to him -- even now. Alex Cora (4-for-10, .400), Coco Crisp (8-for-19, .421, 1 HR) and Eric Hinske (4-for-13, .308) hit him, so check the early lineup for their names.

Kansas City Royals @ Detroit Tigers

Comerica Park (outdoor) 7:05 p.m. ET (clear, low of 55 degrees)
Gil Meche, RHP (6-6, 3.69 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) versus
Kenny Rogers, LHP (3-1, 2.82 ERA, 1.16 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Mike Rabelo, C (calf, day-to-day); Craig Monroe, OF (back, day-to-day); Marcus Thames, OF/1B (hamstring, DL)

Game Story: Meche tossed eight innings of three-run (all unearned) baseball at Comerica on April 18, but don't expect that here; he's 3-5 with a 5.35 ERA in his past 11 starts. Considering the Tigers just beat Johan Santana earlier in the week, you need to be very selective with your pitchers facing them; they're by far baseball's most potent offense (5.86 R/G). Brandon Inge (6-for-19, .316, 1 HR) and Curtis Granderson (6-for-16, .375, 1 HR) have hit Meche well in the past. Expect a solid outing from Rogers, who is 5-1 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in eight games (seven starts) against the Royals since 2005. Still, Mark Grudzielanek (6-for-10, .600, 2 HR) owns him, and Mark Teahen (2-for-4, .500, 1 HR) can also handle the lefty.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays @ New York Yankees

Yankee Stadium (outdoor) 7:05 p.m. ET (partly cloudy, low of 64 degrees)
Edwin Jackson, RHP (1-9, 7.14 ERA, 1.85 WHIP) versus
Mike Mussina, RHP (4-6, 4.61 ERA, 1.35 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: none

Game Story: Jackson pitched respectably enough against the Yankees on Sunday (6 IP, 6 H, 4 ER). However, he's a much riskier play starting on the road against the second-best offense in the big leagues (5.41 R/G). Left-handers hit him for a .333 batting average and .923 OPS, and the Yankees have plenty of those. Sure enough, Melky Cabrera (2-for-4, .500) and Hideki Matsui (3-for-5, .600) hit him nicely, and Derek Jeter is the one Yankee to have a home run against the right-hander. Mussina, meanwhile, went six solid innings against the Devil Rays last Sunday, though he's not looking at all like the every-start fantasy option he once was. Use him in AL-only leagues, but remember, Jonny Gomes (2-for-6, .333, 1 HR), Dioner Navarro (4-for-8, .500), B.J. Upton (3-for-7, .429, 1 HR) and Ty Wigginton (5-for-15, .333) have hit him well in the past.

Seattle Mariners @ Toronto Blue Jays

Rogers Centre (indoor/retractable roof) 7:07 p.m. ET
Miguel Batista, RHP (9-7, 4.38 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) versus
Jesse Litsch, RHP (2-3, 4.02 ERA, 1.60 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: none

Game Story: Batista returns to Toronto, where he pitched from 2004-05. Keep in mind that he beat Blue Jays with 6 1/3 strong innings in Seattle on June 30. Batista handles right-handers capably (.259/.737 rates) and the Blue Jays are stacked from that side. They're a .248/.731 team against righties, meaning Batista isn't a bad AL-only option here. Frank Thomas (5-for-16, .313, 2 HR) is the one Blue Jays hitter with a strong history against the right-hander. Meanwhile, Litsch is a hittable pitcher who doesn't get strikeouts, and the Mariners are third in big leagues in team batting average (.282) and last in strikeouts (457). Expect the M's to get to the rookie right-hander, with the red-hot Adrian Beltre (.352/1.076 in July) leading the way.

Los Angeles Angels @ Minnesota Twins

Metrodome (indoor) 8:10 p.m. ET
John Lackey, RHP (12-5, 2.98 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) versus
Carlos Silva, RHP (7-10, 4.55 ERA, 1.35 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Torii Hunter, OF (hamstring, day-to-day); Mike Redmond, C (wrist, day-to-day)

Game Story: So much for Lackey's shoulder problems; he has a 3.07 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and .211 batting-average against in four starts since having a start pushed back a couple days in late June. He's a must-start, and has a 3-1 record and 3.58 ERA in five career outings at the Metrodome, which is historically a tough ballpark for a visitor to pitch in. Luis Castillo (6-for-10, .600) and Michael Cuddyer (3-for-11, .273, 3 HR) are the two Twins with the best histories against the righty. As for Silva, be wary of him against the Angels' ninth-ranked offense (4.91 R/G). Orlando Cabrera (9-for-17, .529, 1 HR), Chone Figgins (8-for-22, .364, 1 HR) and Gary Matthews Jr. (6-for-20, .300) have handled Silva in the past; Casey Kotchman (.303/.891 against righties) is another standout option.

Cleveland Indians @ Texas Rangers

Rangers Ballpark (outdoor) 8:35 p.m. ET (30 percent chance of rain, low of 74 degrees, winds up to 15 mph)
Fausto Carmona, RHP (11-4, 3.77 ERA, 1.35 WHIP) versus
Brandon McCarthy, RHP (4-6, 5.59 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Akinori Otsuka, RP (forearm, day-to-day); Michael Young, SS (personal, day-to-day)

Game Story: Don't fear Carmona here simply because of the ballpark. He has only three truly poor starts all season, his ground-ball tendencies should neutralize the ballpark factor. Carmona is also helped by the fact that Young is unlikely to be in the Rangers lineup. The Indians, meanwhile, hit McCarthy well -- with Ryan Garko (3-for-5, .600), Travis Hafner (3-for-5, .600, 1 HR), Victor Martinez (2-for-7, .286, 1 HR) and Grady Sizemore (5-for-11, .455) the most successful. Use Jhonny Peralta, too; he's a .286/.799 hitter against right-handers . As far as the Rangers are concerned, go for Mark Teixeira, Kenny Lofton (.328/.889 against right-handers) and Brad Wilkerson (2-for-3, .667, 1 HR lifetime against Carmona).

Baltimore Orioles @ Oakland Athletics

McAfee Coliseum (outdoor) 10:05 p.m. ET (cloudy, low of 56 degrees)
Erik Bedard, LHP (8-4, 3.22 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) versus
Joe Blanton, RHP (8-6, 3.36 ERA, 1.11 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Erik Bedard, SP (neck, scheduled starter); Eric Chavez, 3B (back, day-to-day); Mike Piazza, DH (shoulder, DL/could return)

Game Story: Bedard's start was pushed back two days from Wednesday, but his neck strain shouldn't make him any less of an appealing fantasy option. Remember when he complained of that "dead-arm" period? Bedard looked as strong as ever in his next two starts. That could be the case again here, in a pitching-friendly ballpark in Oakland, against a team that's a combined 16-for-86 (.186) with three homers and 22 K's against the left-hander. Dan Johnson (3-for-7, .429, 1 HR) is the one A's hitter who seems to handle Bedard. Expect Blanton to keep things close, though, especially looking at his 2.19 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in nine home starts this year. Nick Markakis (3-for-7, .429, 1 HR) hits Blanton well, though, and Aubrey Huff and Corey Patterson warrant attention.

Fantasy Game Notes for Friday: National League
Arizona Diamondbacks @ Chicago Cubs

Wrigley Field (outdoor) 2:20 p.m. ET (sunny, high of 73 degrees)
Brandon Webb, RHP (8-7, 3.42 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) versus
Jason Marquis, RHP (6-5, 4.03 ERA, 1.32 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Ryan Dempster, RP (oblique, DL/expected back); Derrek Lee, 1B (ankle/suspension, out)

Game Story: Dempster is scheduled to return for this game, and manager Lou Piniella says the right-hander will immediately reclaim his closer's role, but will there be a save chance to be had? Webb is 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA in three career starts at Wrigley, his ground-ball tendencies neutralize the ballpark factor, and as a team the Cubs are only 24-for-97 (.247) with two homers lifetime against him. Limit your Cubs choices to your regulars, and save Dempster's activation for another day. Stick with Marquis in NL-only formats, though. He's 4-2 with a 3.90 ERA in 10 home starts, and the Diamondbacks rank 29th in runs per game (4.10). Chad Tracy (.291/.907 against righties) should be used.

Colorado Rockies @ Washington Nationals

RFK Stadium (outdoor) 7:05 p.m. ET (partly cloudy, low of 65 degrees)
Aaron Cook, RHP (5-6, 4.60 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) versus
Jason Simontacchi, RHP (6-7, 6.37 ERA, 1.67 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Brian Fuentes, RP (ribs, DL/expected back); Brian Schneider, C (knee, day-to-day)

Game Story: Most any pitcher becomes a useful fantasy option in a road start at RFK, and Cook is no different. He has a 3.31 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 10 road starts this year, so take a look at him in NL-only formats in particular. Still, look to Ryan Church (2-for-3, .667) and Austin Kearns (2-for-2, 1.000), both of whom hit Cook well. Dmitri Young and Ryan Zimmerman, meanwhile, are too talented to sit. Don't bother with Simontacchi; he has been clobbered at home (7.81 ERA, 1.76 WHIP), and the Rockies are potent enough with the bat to get to him. Brad Hawpe (.339/1.074 against right-handers), Todd Helton (.309/.948) and Kazuo Matsui (.302/.780) stand out.

Houston Astros @ Pittsburgh Pirates

PNC Park (outdoor) 7:05 p.m. ET (partly cloudy, low of 54 degrees)
Roy Oswalt, RHP (8-6, 3.90 ERA, 1.41 WHIP) versus
Tom Gorzelanny, LHP (9-4, 3.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Chad Qualls, RP (suspension, out)

Game Story: Oswalt beat the Pirates on Opening Day and has a 2.60 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) at PNC Park. With Gorzelanny opposing Houston's ace, this could be quite the pitchers' duel. The Astros rank 22nd (4.46) and the Pirates 28th (4.11) in runs per game, after all. Gorzelanny, incidentally, is 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA in nine home starts. Don't look for too much in the way of hitting here. Jason Bay (9-for-26, .346), Freddy Sanchez (6-for-18, .333) and Jack Wilson (21-for-57, .368) are three Pirates who have hit Oswalt over the years, though none has homered. Brad Ausmus (4-for-6, .667, 5 RBIs) and Carlos Lee (2-for-4, .500) are two Astros who have hit Gorzelanny well.

Cincinnati Reds @ Florida Marlins

Dolphin Stadium (outdoor) 7:05 p.m. ET (30 percent chance of rain, low of 77 degrees)
Kyle Lohse, RHP (5-11, 4.68 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) versus
Scott Olsen, LHP (7-7, 5.15 ERA, 1.69 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: none

Game Story: Suffice to say that a bounce-back second half for Olsen isn't nearly as likely as it was a year ago; the left-hander has had some real problems with his command all season. Moreover, he's coming off a two-game team suspension due to insubordination. He has a 5.57 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in his last 10 starts (to be fair, he's 5-2 with a 4.37 ERA in 10 home starts this year, while the Reds are weak against left-handers (.241/.699 team rates)). That's enough to make Olsen NL-only worthy, but go for Reds hitters who get to lefties, like Brandon Phillips (.352/1.003). Also limit Lohse's usage to NL-only formats, while leaning heavily on left-handed Marlins hitters. Mike Jacobs (.268/.698 in July) and Jeremy Hermida (.326/.980) stand out in particular.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Atlanta Braves

Turner Field (outdoor) 7:35 p.m. ET (20 percent chance of rain, low of 69 degrees)
Adam Wainwright, RHP (8-7, 4.36 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) versus
Chuck James, LHP (8-7, 3.73 ERA, 1.45 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Jim Edmonds, OF (back, DL/expected back); Scott Rolen, 3B (shoulder, day-to-day)

Game Story: Edmonds is expected back Thursday, but with the Cardinals facing a left-hander Friday it's best to take a wait-and-see approach with him. The Cardinals as a team are rather weak against southpaws, with .257/.706 rates. Only David Eckstein (.400/.915) and Albert Pujols (.321/1.049) seem to hit lefties all that well, and James has a 3.16 ERA in eight home starts this year. Still, with Wainwright on the mound, this should be a pitching-rich affair on both sides. The right-hander has a 3.03 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in his last 10 starts, six of which were of quality starts. Among Braves, Kelly Johnson (.310/.921 against right-handers), Chipper Jones (.352/1.055) and Brian McCann (.270/.810) are your best bets.

San Francisco Giants @ Milwaukee Brewers

Miller Park (indoor/retractable roof) 8:05 p.m. ET
Noah Lowry, LHP (9-7, 3.50 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) versus
Jeff Suppan, RHP (8-8, 4.90 ERA, 1.50 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Guillermo Rodriguez, C (dehydration, day-to-day); Jonathan Sanchez, RP (ribs, DL/expected back)

Game Story: You've heard it here before, you'll hear it again, the Brewers positively dominate left-handers, with .285/.853 team rates. Lowry is the ultimate matchups pitcher; he's weaker on the road, where he's 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in eight starts, and against right-handers, who hit him for .263/.747 rates. Call this one a bad matchup for the lefty, with Ryan Braun (.543/1.868), Johnny Estrada (.319/.819), J.J. Hardy (.275/.899), Corey Hart (.306/.965) and Kevin Mench (.330/.934) standing out based on their mastery of southpaws. It's a good matchup, meanwhile, for Suppan. Sure, Dave Roberts (7-for-11, .636, 1 HR) and Omar Vizquel (14-for-41, .341, 1 HR) own the right-hander, but as an offense the Giants rank 27th (4.16 R/G). Meanwhile, Suppan is 5-2 with a 4.13 ERA in nine home starts this year and 10-2 with a 3.01 ERA in 16 lifetime starts at Miller Park.

Philadelphia Phillies @ San Diego Padres

Petco Park (outdoor) 10:05 p.m. ET (cloudy, low of 65 degrees)
Adam Eaton, RHP (8-6, 5.98 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) versus
Justin Germano, RHP (6-3, 3.55 ERA, 1.13 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: none

Game Story: Eaton knows Petco from his days there in 2004-05. Nevertheless he has a 4.39 ERA in 28 career starts there, which isn't anything special. He's an underwhelming right-hander who struggles against lefties (.314/1.007), and the Padres stack up nicely from that side. Milton Bradley (.284/.795) and Brian Giles (.289/.839) hit righties well, and Adrian Gonzalez matches up nicely despite his recent struggles. Marcus Giles will sit as the Padres help him through his slump, so Geoff Blum could be worth NL-only consideration. Stick with Germano in a home game, despite his 5.46 ERA at Petco this season. He's capable enough against left-handers (.221/.639) to hold these Phillies at bay, so don't get creative on their side. Stick only with the usuals.

New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodger Stadium (outdoor) 10:40 p.m. ET (clear, low of 64 degrees)
Oliver Perez, LHP (8-6, 3.13 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) versus
Brett Tomko, RHP (2-7, 5.88 ERA, 1.60 WHIP)

Notable Injuries: Damion Easley, 2B/OF (personal, day-to-day)

Game Story: Although the Dodgers hit left-handers well -- .289/.799 team rates -- Perez actually isn't that good a matchup for them. Perez can be a tough lefty to hit when he's at his best, and he sure looked good in his first start off the DL last Sunday (6 IP, 2 ER). Teams usually need to load their lineup with right-handers against this type; Olmedo Saenz (2-for-5, .400 lifetime against Perez) could sneak into the lineup, and Jeff Kent (7-for-20, .350, 1 HR) should be the best of the bunch on L.A.'s side. Matt Kemp (.375/.960) should sneak into the lineup, too. Avoid Tomko against the Mets, who have enough bats to get to him. Carlos Delgado (4-for-12, .333, 2 HR), Paul Lo Duca (10-for-35, .286, 1 HR) and Lastings Milledge (2-for-3, .667) have each handled him over the years.

Waiver Wire Pickups

Milton Bradley, OF, SD versus Philadelphia Phillies
Melky Cabrera, OF, NYY versus Tampa Bay Devil Rays
David Eckstein, SS, STL @ Atlanta Braves
Jeremy Hermida, OF, FLA versus Cincinnati Reds
Chuck James, SP, ATL versus St. Louis Cardinals
Matt Kemp, OF, LAD versus New York Mets
Casey Kotchman, 1B, LAA @ Minnesota Twins
Justin Germano, SP, SD versus Philadelphia Phillies
Mark Grudzielanek, 2B, KC @ Detroit Tigers
Kevin Mench, OF, MIL versus San Francisco Giants
Dave Roberts, OF, SF @ Milwaukee Brewers
Jeff Suppan, SP, MIL versus San Francisco Giants
Chad Tracy, 3B/1B, ARI @ Chicago Cubs
Adam Wainwright, SP, STL @ Atlanta Braves
Brad Wilkerson, OF, TEX versus Cleveland Indians

Please Note that the notable injuries are not meant to be a comprehensive report of each team's disabled list. For brevity, we include only day-to-day injuries or new DL additions for players you might otherwise consider using in these games. Long-term DL or day-to-day injuries to starting pitchers who were not scheduled to appear are omitted.

Tristan H. Cockcroft covers fantasy sports for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.

^ Back to Top ^