Fantasy Baseball Cafe

Nelson Cruz #8212; gone. Jhonny Peralta #8212; gone. Everth Cabrera #8212; gone. Alex Rodriguez? We#8217;ll see. We dissect how the Biogenesis suspensions affect fantasy leagues over the rest of the year and into 2014 before heading into the rest of fantasy baseball in this week#8217;s Cafe Pod. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: Boyakasha #8211; Yasiel Puig or Dustin Pedroia miracles716 #8211; Robinson Cano or Chris Davis acw9293 #8211; Replacing injured catchers trifecta #8211; Jose Fernandez or Curtis Granderson Garvey6 #8211; September callups: Jonathan Singleton, Zach Lee or Joc Pederson? cubsfan61 #8211; Dynasty deal: Anthony Rizzo/Jedd Gyorko or Jose Altuve/Salvador Perez Surfs up #8211; Anthony Rendon or Jonathan Villar LumberYardMT #8211; Patrick Corbin or Alfonso Soriano #8212; wait, what? bravo369 #8211; Keeping three pitchers in a five-keeper league? NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - This week, an NL-only OF who can#8217;t manage to stay on a field and an AL OBP machine who#8217;s been a monster in recent weeks. Play along and try to name the claims. FUTURE ROOKIES - This year#8217;s deadline was a little #8220;meh,#8221; but we look at some of the youngsters that changed hands, including Avasail Garcia, Grant Green, Matt Stites and Kyle Smith. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - It#8217;s time to stream against the Mets with David Wright out, and the Marlins are looking mighty tasty going into the weekend. Check out all of our spot-start suggestions in this week#8217;s six-day forecast. INJURY REPORT - Jonathan Niese could come back this weekend, but wait just a second before you rush out to grab him. Josh Willingham should be back next weekend as well, and he might make for an appetizing August trade for contenders needing OF help #8212; I#8217;m looking at you, Rangers. Speaking of the Rangers, Colby Lewis seems ready to go, so who is getting bumped from the rotation, if anyone? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Houston#8217;s looking to replace Jose Veras, and a committee might be in store. We try and find the Astro RPs worth picking up. The Mariners have penciled Danny Farquhar in at closer moving forward apparently. Go add him in all leagues, right? And Kevin Gregg may be pitching himself out of closing duties even if a trade can#8217;t be made. WRAP IT UP - The NL MVP race looks about as clear as mud. Can Clayton Kershaw win it with a microscopic ERA and non-elite win total? Or will another young Dodger split the L.A. vote and potentially take home the MVP himself? Andrew McCutchen is also lurking as a strong contender, especially if the Pirates keep winning. Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

Ryan Braun has been suspended for the remainder of 2013. While he#8217;s obviously finished helping fantasy teams in redraft leagues, it#8217;s not too early to debate his value in 2014. Would you spend a first-round pick on the guy? That and more on this week#8217;s Cafe Pod. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: jbrookes114 #8211; Everth Cabrera or Norichika Aoki Carnac #8211; Jed Lowrie or Erick Aybar trumptight #8211; Freddie Freeman or Cole Hamels toof90 #8211; Pick four keepers Applewalk #8211; Clay Buchholz keeper league trade Wadderboiz #8211; Replacing Alfonso Soriano ron paul for pres #8211; Drop Josh Hamilton gotigers54 #8211; Chris Sale vs. Justin Verlander in six-man trade TheGhost #8211; Pick six keepers out of impressive young talent NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - This week, an NL-only OF bat for redraft leagues and a rising star pitcher who needs to be owned universally. Play along and see if you can name the claims. FUTURE ROOKIES - Matt Garza was traded for a package of three young players at various levels of progression. We discuss the fantasy upside of Mike Olt, Justin Grimm and C.J. Edwards, along with a look at shortstops Xander Bogaerts and Addison Russell, in this week#8217;s Future Rookies. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - We picked on the White Sox and Marlins this week by rolling with several Indians pitchers as streaming options. We give you at least one spot-start option for each day of the week, as well as a few guys who need to be owned in far more leagues. INJURY REPORT - Brandon Beachy comes back on Monday, and we debate how he stacks up in fantasy leagues over the remainder of the season. Derek Jeter#8217;s back, so we try to ascertain his value in standard leagues and find a few guys worth cutting for The Captain. And Albert Pujols is out for a while, maybe the entire year. We take a look at how the Angels might fill that role and discuss whether Futures Game participant C.J. Cron is ready. BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - What? The Rangers may be willing to deal Joe Nathan? That#8217;s cool, but who would close in Texas if a deal is struck? Whoever that reliever is, he could have some serious fantasy value down the stretch. Also, we look at the next guy up in the Astros bullpen if Jose Veras is dealt. And should Jonathan Papelbon pack his bags? WRAP IT UP - The Angels are reportedly willing to become sellers, but what exactly does that mean? They have several assets they wouldn#8217;t move for anything and several huge contracts that no one wants. Can the Angels actually spin anybody into some solid young talent? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

It#8217;s trading season in the majors, and Matt Garza is one of the biggest names rumored to be on the market. Of all the teams rumored to be interested in acquiring Garza, which would be a boost for his fantasy value? That, and more, on this week#8217;s Cafe Pod. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: Thursday #8211; Trade Mike Trout? nickels2012 #8211; Brian McCann or Jonathan Lucroy? ryan2714 #8211; Trade Justin Verlander? ant92 #8211; Scott Feldman or Miguel Gonzalez? footballisbetter #8211; Drop Todd Frazier or Martin Prado? heinrichowe #8211; Trade Taijuan Walker for a Byron Buxton package? tnbrave #8211; James Shields or Patrick Corbin? plamb23 #8211; Keeper: Ian Kinsler or Jose Fernandez? roysmalley #8211; Cut Adam Eaton, Matt Adams, Norichika Aoki or Michael Brantley? NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - This week, we look at a hot-hitting veteran and a recently traded pitcher. Can you name the claims? Play along. FUTURE ROOKIES - This week#8217;s look at current and future rookies includes Danny Salazar, who pitched a gem in his debut, as well as Cubans Henry Urrutia and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. Is Urrutia worth a fantasy look, and is Gonzalez worth investing in over top-50 pitching prospects like Andrew Heaney and Rafael Montero? YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - Our spot starters of the week include a lot of lefties on my end, a few good White Sox and more. INJURY REPORT - Yu Darvish and Alexi Ogando return to the Rangers rotation this week, and while we#8217;re definitely playing Darvish immediately, what do we do with Ogando? And are Tommy Hanson, Zach McAllister, Paul Konerko or Neil Walker worth adds coming off the disabled list? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - The Cubs could have a new closer at any point this week due to a Kevin Gregg trade, so who will close? Will Jim Henderson go back to closing after the inevitable Francisco Rodriguez trade, or has John Axford made a compelling case to close? Do the Red Sox, rumored to be looking at several late-inning relievers in trade talks, take Koji Uehara out of the ninth inning while he#8217;s pitching so well? Is Brad Ziegler really the Arizona closer moving forward? WRAP IT UP - I throw some key names rumored to be on the trade market and let Josh guess who will be moved in the next 10 days. Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

It#8217;s time for Cafe Pod Week 15 and All-Stars, All-Stars, All-Stars! CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: mkzp54 #8211; Matt Carpenter or Cole Hamels mattgmen90 #8211; Carl Crawford or Leonys Martin Surfs up #8211; Drop Anthony Rendon, Neil Walker or Marco Scutaro zyzzbrah34 #8211; Is Yoenis Cespedes droppable? SecretAgentMan #8211; J.J. Hardy or Daniel Nava jcflash5 #8211; Trevor Bauer or Sonny Gray in keeper leagues mjacobs #8211; Dynasty value: Jered Weaver or Gerrit Cole footballisbetter #8211; Top two FA starting pitchers Trooper #8211; Pick a Robinson Cano deal NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - This week, we look at an out-of-nowhere solid middle infielder and once and potentially future closer. Can you name the claims? FUTURE ROOKIES - We discuss the fantasy worth (or lack thereof) of the Marlins#8217; Ricky Nolasco haul, the excellent season of George Springer and the on-the-doorstep Taijuan Walker, Walker#8217;s organizational mate Danny Hultzen and the five tools of Byron Buxton. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - Our spot starters of the week include Jeremy Hefner, Jose Quintana, Jhoulys Chacin, Jake Westbrook, Corey Kluber, Martin Perez and more. INJURY REPORT - Ryan Braun#8217;s returning, but will his name worth more than his fantasy production in the second half? Adam Eaton#8217;s a regular when he#8217;s activated from the disabled list, right? Is Troy Tulowitzki a name worth cashing in, or can he put his injury behind him? Any reason to monitor Dan Haren in fantasy leagues? Final question: A-Rod? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - We guess who leads Baltimore in saves over the second half, decide if Tom Wilhelmsen#8217;s struggles are behind him and take what we hope is one last look at a mess of an Arizona bullpen. WRAP IT UP - No pod next week, so let#8217;s pick a winner and an MVP of the 2013 All-Star Game. Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

It#8217;s time for another Cafe Pod, where we take a trip around the rotosphere to take stock of the talent in fantasy baseball and give some (hopefully) helpful advice for fantasy teams. This week, we start with a look at the Pirates, the first team to 50 wins this season. Who could have predicted that? They#8217;ve done it with outstanding pitching, but is this team ready to stand the test of a pennant race and emerge as legitimate World Series contenders? CAFE LINEUP The Cafe Lineup has been preempted this week due to technical issues, but we discussed plenty of players throughout the podcast who are likely the focus of many of your lineup and trade questions. NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - We quiz each other on waiver claims that we#8217;re thinking of making or have already made. Both players this week carried a fair bit of hype heading into the year, but one hasn#8217;t played while the other only made his owners wish he hadn#8217;t played. Can you name the claims? FUTURE ROOKIES - We discuss the stock of Kyle Gibson, who put together a very good debut this past weekend, and Brad Miller, who is unowned in virtually all Yahoo and ESPN leagues. We also check in with how Martin Perez is equating himself to the rotation and dig up some sleepers for dynasty rookie drafts being held over the All-Star break. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - It#8217;s time to find some potential spot-start gems for the upcoming week, including some Marlins opponents, some great K:BB ratios, a few calculated risks and at least one guy who should be added in all leagues immediately. INJURY REPORT - Bryce Harper, David Price, Wei-Yin Chen, Carl Crawford and Everth Cabrera could all be back with their teams this week. How do their returns affect the fantasy stock of their teammates and even themselves? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - The Brewers continue to juggle closers, the early disappointment is back in Detroit and Heath Bell is on his way off fantasy teams. But which of baseball#8217;s 30(-ish) closers is the biggest lock to be traded this month? WRAP IT UP - Who#8217;s the biggest name that will change hands this trading season, and which team will pull the trigger? Is anyone else fascinated by what the surging Pirates will do to compete for a title? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

We#8217;re back after a week off and deciding which rookie has been the most impressive this season. Is Yasiel Puig the no-doubt answer, or have one of the young pitchers been even more impressive? CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: medium_robin #8211; Martin Prado or Nick Franklin LoganLiCool #8211; Trading for Bryce Harper SeanyFever #8211; Drop Brett Anderson? RasmusFlow #8211; Potential overpay for Billy Butler CubsFan4Life23 #8211; Jay Bruce or Wil Myers/Chris Perez bigtymer29 #8211; Yoenis Cespedes or Craig Kimbrel redskincow #8211; Ranking four FA-type pitchers HIMYMlegend #8211; Sell Elvis Andrus and Brett Lawrie? DLRBusiness #8211; Better keeper: Shelby Miller or Madison Bumgarner NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - We quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. One has been riding a monstrous BABIP, the other was just traded to a much better playing-time situation. Can you name the claims? FUTURE ROOKIES - We discuss the value of Martin Perez, the mask of Zolio Almonte, Jurickson Profar as a left fielder, Tony Cingrani as a bullpen arm and Gerrit Cole#8217;s ridiculous heat. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - Those inclined to stream have at least one option every day in Your 7-Day Forecast, including Rick Porcello, Miguel Gonzalez and a lot of Padres. INJURY REPORT - Aaron Hill#8217;s returning from a fractured hand, but is he a starting fantasy 2B? Matt Kemp is on rehab assignment, Carl Crawford is not; do their recoveries affect Yasiel Puig at all? Jeanmar Gomez is returning this week to impressive ratios, but is he worth owning in fantasy leagues? Pablo Sandoval#8217;s coming back from a foot injury, but is there any cause for concern? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Closer situations in Boston, Detroit, Seattle, Arizona and Milwaukee are on tap in the Bottom of the 9th. WRAP IT UP - A strong push by the Blue Jays has all five AL East teams above .500. Who makes the playoffs? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

This week, Josh Shepardson and I talk about the implications of the new twist in the Biogenesis investigation and whether or not those in H2H leagues should be selling the pertinent players in anticipation of suspensions. But that#8217;s not all. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: twisteddude #8211; Trading Wil Myers for Ryan Braun Knights #8211; Resolving a Yasiel Puig logjam camvz08 #8211; What#8217;s a good offer for Clayton Kershaw? Coolest1 #8211; Michael Cuddyer/Yovani Gallardo or Asdrubal Cabrera/Matt Moore? TheGhost #8211; Jonathan Lucroy or Evan Gattis clarkw267 #8211; Selling high on Domonic Brown killahurtz #8211; Selling high on Domonic Brown, Part II AmazinMeTS86 #8211; Carlos Quentin or Kyle Blanks jruffus1 #8211; Is Kevin Gausman droppable? NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - We quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. One#8217;s just joined his team and is batting fifth, while the other is a former 19-game winner. Who can name the claim? Play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - Gerrit Cole and Zack Wheeler are joining their major-league teams this week. Who#8217;s the better pickup? And are Wil Myers and Oscar Taveras worth stashes in all fantasy leagues? YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - Those inclined to stream have at least one option every day in Your 7-Day Forecast. Ricky Nolasco, Dan Straily, Rick Porcello, rookies galore and more are in our weekly stable of streamers this week. INJURY REPORT - Giancarlo Stanton is returning, but is there still a buy-low opportunity for traders? How will the Braves resolve the return of Brandon Beachy next week, and should we be selling Julio Teheran in leagues? Is the sparsely-owned Peter Bourjos (returning Monday) a better fantasy option than #8220;name#8221; speedsters like Juan Pierre and Ben Revere? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Jim Henderson is back in Milwaukee, but that doesn#8217;t mean it#8217;s quite time to cut Francisco Rodriguez loose. J.J. Putz is on the road to recovery, so it may be time to find a taker for Heath Bell, perhaps in the form of the Putz owner in fantasy leagues. WRAP IT UP - Major-league teams picked up their next crop of talent in last week#8217;s draft. Which five players should be at the top of rookie drafts in dynasty leagues, and which three could make their major-league debuts the fastest? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

This week, Josh Shepardson of Baseball Prospectus joins me to answer Cafe questions, name waiver claims, discuss rookies and prospects, forecast spot-starters, dissect players returning from injury and examine bullpens, but first, Nick Franklin turned a hot start in the minors to a starting job in the majors. Does he have what it takes to stick with the Mariners all year, and is he a useful fantasy commodity to own? CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: JoshuaHavok #8211; Rank top-five pitcher pickups cfontenot86 #8211; Max Scherzer or Carlos Gomez sjguzin #8211; Josh Reddick or Marcell Ozuna BALCO All-Stars #8211; Desmond Jennings or Alex Gordon Garvey6 #8211; Deep AL minors options JMR162; #8211; Gio Gonzalez or Matt Holliday miracles716 #8211; Brandon Morrow as a roster stash redn22 #8211; Trading your only closer nickels2012 #8211; Monday: Trevor Cahill or Kyle Kendrick NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - We quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. One#8217;s a former top prospect, the other is a current top prospect. Who can name the claim? Play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - We weigh the fantasy prospects of Yasiel Puig, Chris Archer, Tyler Skaggs, Anthony Rendon, Zack Wheeler, Yordano Ventura and Carlos Martinez. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - Those inclined to stream have at least one option every day in Your 7-Day Forecast. Ricky Nolasco, Dan Straily, Eric Stults, Andrew Cashner, Tyler Chatwood and more are in our weekly stable of streamers this week. INJURY REPORT - We discuss whether the Yankees made the right decision in optioning Vidal Nuno and rolling with David Phelps now that Andy Pettitte is on the way back, what the Dodgers are going to do on the left side of the infield with Hanley Ramirez#8217;s return, whether Jayson Werth is worth owning in fantasy leagues and whether Jackie Bradley has the goods to be used in fantasy leagues long-term. BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street, Chris Perez. Three closers were placed on the disabled list this week. Which of Rex Brothers, Luke Gregerson and Vinnie Pestano is most worthy of a waiver claim? How much longer can the Dodgers keep Kenley Jansen from closing? WRAP IT UP - Now that we#8217;re in early June, the Super Two deadline restricting some cost-conscious teams from promoting prospects and starting service clocks is almost upon us, which may lead to fantasy baseball getting an injection of marquee names in the coming month. Who#8217;s due for a promotion? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

This week#8217;s Cafe Pod is full of more than an hour of fantasy advice, starting with what to do with the struggling Ike Davis. We answer nine fantasy questions in the Cafe lineup before guessing each other#8217;s waiver claims this week. Future Rookies includes Kevin Gausman, Michael Wacha, Tyler Skaggs and more. We find a plethora of spot-start options in Your 7-Day Forecast. Plenty of Yankees are on their way back in the Injury Report. Five bullpens are under the microscope in the Bottom of the 9th, and I have a progressive idea for what to do with the closer position. Finally, we wrap it up with a look at the dominance of Chris Davis. It#8217;s an extra-long episode of the Cafe Pod, but what else do you have to do on Memorial Day? CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: guyincognito BoBtheMule erjohnson1 kab21 chillbro Bosny Tommo TrickyRicky PointNo1 NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - We quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. Can they guess each other#8217;s pick? Can you? Play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - We decide if Kevin Gausman should be owned in all leagues, if Jose Iglesias and Hiroyuki Nakajima should be owned in any leagues, if Mike Zunino will see enough action to lose his rookie eligibility this year, if Michael Wacha is worth an add and more. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - It seems like we threw about 20 names against the wall in this week#8217;s 7-Day Forecast, including Jose Quintana, Jake Odorizzi, Andrew Cashner, Jerome Williams, Dan Straily and more. INJURY REPORT - In this episode of Yankee Hospital, Curtis Granderson went bye-bye again, but Andy Pettitte, Kevin Youkilis and Mark Teixeira are on their way back to the active roster. Also, we consider whether Jered Weaver is usable in fantasy leagues immediately and whether he makes for a good buy-high. And where does Yasmani Grandal, who returns Tuesday from suspension, rank among catchers? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Is Francisco Rodriguez the clear option for saves in Milwaukee? Is Fernando Rodney on his way out of the closing role after two votes of confidence? And will Joe Maddon give in to his progressive nature and consider my starter/closer idea? Is Rafael Betancourt turning Rex Brothers into an ownable fantasy option? Is Mike Redmond really going to use everybody at closer? Is Vinnie Pestano or Joe Smith (or someone else) the guy to own in Cleveland? Who are the top three waiver adds out of those teams? WRAP IT UP - If Miguel Cabrera deserved the MVP over Mike Trout based on the criteria that he made the playoffs and he played well down the stretch, Chris Davis was robbed by not receiving any MVP votes (an argument I#8217;ve made before). This year, Davis has played himself into the MVP conversation. Where does he finish in the voting, and how many HRs does he end up with this year? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

In this week#8217;s Cafe Pod, Josh and I discuss prospects Jurickson Profar and Jake Odorizzi joining their major-league teams. We also answer Draft, Trade, Keeper, Waiver questions from the Cafe forums, play #8220;Name That Waiver Claim,#8221; pick some spot-starters worthy of your attention (and a few worth holding on to), talk about the returns of Matt Garza and others, figure out if two of last year#8217;s top closers are in trouble, pick the best young pitcher in baseball and more. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: war106 whodtthr trumptight baegames Tutola michaelyoung4prez potown poboy Packersfan2323 astrosrock33 NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - We quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. Can they guess each other#8217;s pick? Can you? Play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - We consider whether Jurickson Profar can stick in the Rangers lineup this season, if Jake Odorizzi can have immediate success and if Travis d#8217;Arnaud is worth keeping in redraft leagues. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - This week#8217;s look at potential fantasy spot-starters includes reasons to buy Rick Porcello and Ubaldo Jimenez as well as multiple starts against the Marlins (as per usual). INJURY REPORT - With Johnny Cueto back, how do we feel about our first taste of Tony Cingrani? Did the Cubs make the right choice to pull from the rotation with Matt Garza returning? Does A.J. Pierzynski have value in one-catcher leagues? Can Michael Cuddyer keep up his hot start? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Is Andrew Bailey the league#8217;s biggest injury risk at closer? Do the Orioles and Rays have to start considering other options in the ninth inning after ugly performances from Jim Johnson and Fernando Rodney? WRAP IT UP - Josh and I pick our best young pitcher as asked in a Baseball Leftovers poll. Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

In this week#8217;s Cafe Pod, Josh and I talk about whether Roy Halladay is a Hall of Famer without throwing another pitch. We also answer Cafe user questions, quiz each other on prospective waiver claims, examine a few rookie pitchers and middle-infield prospect Nick Franklin, pick out some fantasy spot-starters for Week 7, look at the situations impacted by the returns of Jason Heyward, Curtis Granderson, Neil Walker and Zack Greinke, check out the Angels, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Cubs and Dodgers bullpens and finally guess whether the Los Angeles area will have playoff baseball in 2013. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: mrdirt73 Izenhart aram325302 SecretAgentMan dkleiss13 Surfs up KaPluie CMCrai RealChrisShelton NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - The guys quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. Can they guess each other#8217;s pick? Can you? Play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - Which rookie Phillie pitcher is worth owning? Is Padre Burch Smith worth a look in fantasy? What#8217;s up with the next Cardinal prospect to take the mound this week? And is it time to jump on Mariners shortstop prospect Nick Franklin? YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - This week#8217;s look at potential fantasy spot-starters includes endorsements for Scott Kazmir and Ubaldo Jimenez. What year is it? INJURY REPORT - Players returning from injury worth discussing include Jason Heyward, Curtis Granderson, Neil Walker and Zack Greinke. Will Heyward and Walker turn around mediocre seasons? Will Granderson and Greinke be worth using in leagues right off the bat? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Ryan Madson#8217;s returning; how does it affect Ernesto Frieri? Say goodbye to Joel Hanrahan; is this Andrew Bailey#8217;s gig, or is Junichi Tazawa the better option? What#8217;s up with the Diamondbacks? Are there any dark-horse saves candidates in Wrigleyville? Finally, is it finally time for change in the back-end of the Dodgers bullpen? WRAP IT UP - Josh and I predict whether either the Angels or Dodgers make the playoffs after slumping early in the season. Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

Welcome to Week 6 of the Cafe Pod. This week, Josh and I look at a terrible Toronto rotation and see if there#8217;s any hope for a turnaround. We then get into questions from the Cafe forums, waiver claims that we like this week, rookies and future rookies, spot-starters and streamers and the Cubs closer situation before re-ranking the top five SPs for 2013. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: averym2 gjm1794 Elsy acw9293 rjforlife eromano33 Millhouse Dodger9020 jdh2 NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - The guys quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. Can they guess each other#8217;s pick? Can you? Play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - Prospects Marcell Ozuna and Carlos Martinez are up with their parent clubs. What are the fantasy outlooks of each? And which Orioles prospect should fantasy owners think about picking up ASAP? YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - This week#8217;s streaming options include a trio of Padre pitchers who get to face the Marlins #8220;offense#8221; at home. Can it get any better than that? Don#8217;t shrug off the Marlins pitchers either #8212; two may be worth using this week. INJURY REPORT - Brian McCann is back, so is it time for Evan Gattis to get acquainted with the outfield? What does Michael Bourn#8217;s return mean for the hot-hitting Ryan Raburn? Chris Capuano is expected to come back from his injury and start Monday with the Dodgers rotation dealing with multiple injuries. Is a repeat of 2012 out of the question? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - More Cubs bullpen talk! Is Kevin Gregg the closer even when Kyuji Fujikawa returns? With a Gregg implosion on schedule any day now, does it matter long-term? WRAP IT UP - Josh and I re-rank our top five pitchers for 2013. Oddly enough, we settled on the same five guys. Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

On the Cafe Pod this week, Josh Shepardson and I break down Giancarlo Stanton#8217;s slow start and subsequent offensive explosion over the weekend. Has the window to buy low slammed shut? Is he worth selling relatively high? CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: killerbeez shelby lou hamdawg63 rmessne nyy13251 baegames zman3599 bconstant4 DaveClay12 NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - The guys quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL, including a former top prospect who has a nine-game hitting streak as well as a big natural first baseman in the outfield. Play along as you listen. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - Josh and I double up on spot starters for streaming owners in H2H leagues from Monday through Saturday and settle on one great Sunday option. INJURY REPORT - Jhoulys Chacin is expected back Sunday; is it time to add him universally? Is Hanley Ramirez a top-five fantasy shortstop the rest of the way? Is Aramis Ramirez a quintessential #8220;buy low?#8221; Does the imminent return of Curtis Granderson spell the end of Vernon Wells#8217;s reign of fantasy terror? FUTURE ROOKIES - Another highly-touted third baseman made his way to the big leagues this weekend in the form of Nolan Arenado. Does he have the skills to succeed in Colorado? Is he a must-add in that environment? And is there any upside to Austin Romine? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - Will the Red Sox really re-install Joel Hanrahan at closer with Andrew Bailey pitching so well? What should Bailey owners do with their interim closer? And is that a Kevin Gregg sighting in Chicago? Oh, Cubbies. WRAP IT UP - Nolan Arenado has the chance to be the next big rookie sensation after being promoted on Sunday. What are our predictions for him for the rest of the season? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

This week on the Cafe Pod, we note that the AL East standings seem flipped from preseason expectations. Can the Red Sox keep surging, and can the Blue Jays get things turned around? We also answer some Cafe questions, play Name That Waiver Claim, examine a few rookies, find good spot starters for the rest of the week, discuss a few key players returning from injury/suspension and diagnose a few closer situations. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: kaiser roysmalley casem2k2 JJJur footballisbetter Prooks25 kidsilk Rally Cat Colt452011 NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - The guys quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. Will we guess right? No spoilers, so play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - The big name promoted is a guy we discussed last week, Anthony Rendon. Was the timing right? Also, what do we make of Allen Webster#8217;s first start, and how does Travis d#8217;Arnaud#8217;s injury affect the Mets? YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - We make it a five-day forecast this week and identify spot starters to consider from Wednesday through Sunday, including one pitcher who may be worth an add in all leagues if he sticks in the rotation. INJURY REPORT - Freddie Freeman is back with the Braves, so what will they do about playing time for Chris Johnson and Juan Francisco? John Lackey could be back this weekend; is he worth a start against the Astros, or do we need to wait and see? Carlos Ruiz should be back this weekend as well; should owners cut April surprises John Buck and Evan Gattis for him? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - The Cardinals and Red Sox may have finally found their closers in Edward Mujica and Andrew Bailey. The Tigers say Jose Valverde will close immediately. What are they thinking? WRAP IT UP - Last year, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper were promoted in late April and took the league by storm. Who will be the next big-name prospect promoted? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!

It#8217;s time for our weekly Cafe Pod, and this week, injuries rule the day. I had four players hit the DL in one week (Jered Weaver, Jose Reyes, Kyuji Fujikawa, Jason Kubel), and those weren#8217;t the only guys to go down in Week 2. Josh Shepardson of Baseball Prospectus joins me to discuss what the Reyes injury means for the positional eligibility of other Blue Jay players before jumping into our trip around the Cafe. CAFE LINEUP - Nine fantasy baseball questions from the Cafe forums are answered, from the following users: bjabad twistedude ConorNewCafe miracles716 shoelessjoetara nflfbjunkie joeyg232 war106 Surfs up NAME THAT WAIVER CLAIM - The guys quiz each other on waiver claims on their respective radars, one from the AL and one from the NL. Can they build off correct guesses from the last pod? No spoilers, so play along as you listen. FUTURE ROOKIES - Josh tells us about the fantasy outlook of Twins prospect Oswaldo Arcia, who looks like he#8217;ll join the Twins soon, before giving us updates on Jurickson Profar, Anthony Rendon and Bruce Rondon. YOUR 7-DAY FORECAST - The guys break down potential spot-start pitchers for the remainder of the week for H2H owners. How can you not churn pitchers against the Astros Marlins? INJURY REPORT - Chase Headley, David Ortiz and Shaun Marcum should all be activated from the disabled list in the coming week. Are there any concerns of a slow start for Headley? Is Jackie Bradley droppable in all leagues? Is Marcum worth an add before he returns? BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - This week#8217;s look at bullpens has an injury cloud over it, with the closer situations of the Red Sox, Cardinals and Cubs all affected. WRAP IT UP - The Braves have swept the Cubs, Marlins and Nationals to move to 11-1. Are they playoff bound? Will Paul Maholm give up any runs this season? Check it out on iTunes or below. #160;R.J. White is the head editor at the Cafe and contributes to CBSSports.com's MLB Rumors blog. He has previously written for FanHouse, Razzball and FanDuel. Catch up with him in the forums under the name daullaz. Follow him on Twitter; don't follow him in real life.#160;Rate this article: (No Ratings Yet) #160;Loading ... Want to write for the Cafe? Check out the Cafe's Pencil Paper section!