Today's featured shit

Nelson Cruz just keeps on hitting. I was able to snag him in a league. Hopefully you can too.
Paul Maholm is a starting pitcher that can help you out. And don’t give up on Rick Ankiel either.
Scott Podsednik is going to get some at-bats, especially as long as Carlos Quentin pretends to be injured. (His injury is that he sucks.) He can still steal bases when given the chance, and now he has it.

Joel Pineiro has converted me. Sure, he obviously pitched a shutout yesterday, but he leads the league in walks per 9IP, which is a pretty meaningful statistic.
Don’t give up on Brian Bannister yet. You can give up on Mike Fontenot. I went with Luis Castillo to replace him, but I’m not happy about it.

Colby Rasmus is getting enough plate appearances to start. Even if you aren’t in a keeper league, he is worth considering.
Don’t give up on Kyle Lohse just yet.
Mat Gamel will play during interleague play as a DH and will then be sent down. If you need power, he’s worth a shot.
Nick Johnson could always hit for average, but he kept getting hurt. He’s finally staying healthy, and he’s reminding everyone that a .330 average is to be expected.
So who are you replacing Rickie Weeks with? I was offered Robinson Cano for Yovani Gallardo, but I turned that down. Why wouldn’t I, when I can add Akinori Iwamura for free? The problem with shallow fantasy leagues (eight or 10 teams) is that there is always someone on the waiver wire. As for Weeks’ replacement, it’s Craig Counsell.

Nothing but starting pitcher news today. I am going out of town for a few days, so the next update will likely be on Monday.

Matt Palmer is a starting pitcher on a good baseball team, so even when he has an off night like last night versus Boston, he can still get the win.
Don’t give up on Scott Richmond yet.
Andy Pettitte is still pitching well and can help a team out. So can Ross Ohlendorf. I guarantee he’s available.

Matt Diaz is only recommended if you pay attention to your team. He is in a weird platoon so you need to constantly check whether he is starting.
Clayton Richard will replace Jose Contreras in the rotation.
Augie Ojeda should be back from his injured hamstring at this point. He is especially useful if he has multiple position eligibility in your league.

Brett Cecil hasn’t faced the strongest competition, but he has still looked good so far. He is worth adding until the scouting reports come in. Want a veteran option? Try Vicente Padilla. Or Brett Myers.

Jorge Posada is on the DL, and now Jose Molina is hurt. Who does that leave? Francisco Cervelli.
Mike Pelfrey is a good complement if you have a hard luck loser like Dan Haren or Matt Cain. His other numbers will fall in line. He may not be as good as his 4-0 record, but he is a lot better than his 1.71 WHIP.
Jarrod Washburn has a 1.04 WHIP and probably is available in your league. Brian Bannister is also worth a look.

Well, Manny Ramirez really ought to be the top story, eh? That’s what you get for leaving the Red Sox, as I’ve been told! The Dodgers called up Xavier Paul, but who starts for Manny has yet to be determined.
As for guys who haven’t been caught yet, Mark Teahen alert! He is the No. 3 hitter in a lineup that figures to make some noise, but nobody even remembers that Kansas City has a team, let alone what state it is in. He’s likely available in your league.

Mike Jacobs is like the stockmarket. Millions have been won and lost trying to time it. I just released him, and now I am thinking about adding him again.
Garret Anderson is back, and he is hitting cleanup. It’s very hard to leave any cleanup hitter on the waiver wire, even if it is Anderson.

John Lannan has deceptive stats because he got lit up in April. He’s worth adding if you need a starting pitcher.
I just found Rickie Weeks dangling on the waiver wire in one of my leagues. What a find! I was proud to be on the Marco Scutaro bandwagon, but if I can have Weeks instead, well, it’s been nice knowin’ ya, Marco.
Aaron Harang is one of those guys that churn fantasy players use. You know the kind; there is no innings cap, so they add pitchers that are pitching that day, winning wins and strikeouts in the process. If you’re willing to use your waiver claim on a guy like him, you’ll be rewarded. People never use their claim often enough. Unless you’re in a 16-team league or an AL- or NL-only league, you should use your waiver claim as often as possible. There’s just too many good players out there to worry about missing out a star to someone with a higher claim.
Jonathan Sanchez is still worth it, even after his six walks yesterday. He is a strikeout pitcher and will have days like that. Especially if you’re doing well with wins but poorly with strikeouts, he’s worth an add.
Joe Thurston has multiple position eligibility and is seeing a lot of action. He can hit, and he can walk, too. The walk doesn’t do much in most fantasy leagues, but what it does do is guarantee playing time. This is why Justin Upton and Chone Figgins still have jobs, although I will admit to dropping both of them (and in a league that counts walks no less–don’t keep a player just for the walks).
John Maine is starting to figure it out. If you need a starting pitcher, he’s worth a shot. Same with Edwin Jackson. Somehow he’s got a great WHIP and ERA. His line from last night looks bad, but really it is because he ran out of gas in the seventh inning.