Here are some news and notes from around the league:
- Mark Teixeira has been told by a handful of doctors that he should have surgery to repair the tear on the tendon sheath on his wrist. If and when he has the surgery he will likely miss the rest of the season. If you've been holding on to Teixeira hoping for some help in the second half, feel free to let him go.
- Michael Pineda had his first rehab start for AA Trenton yesterday and went 6 innings giving up just 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. He needed only 79 pitches to get through the outing and reported increased velocity and better command of his off-speed pitches. If you are struggling to find quality innings for your team, Pineda should join the Yankees sometime in July and could be a major boost to your pitching staff in the second half.
- In other Yankee news, OF Zoilo Almonte has breathed some life into the Yankee lineup over the past week, batting .438 with a HR and a SB. If you are looking to breathe some life into your lineup Almonte might be worth a look. Although he only had 6 HRs and 4 SBs when he was called up, he did manage 21 and 15 in a pitchers park in AA last year and has greatly improved his plate discipline in AAA this year while batting .297. He may sit versus some lefties, but he could post some solid numbers until Curtis Granderson returns from injury. After that, it'd be hard to imagine him getting consistent enough playing time to justify a spot on your roster.
- The Cubs finally decided to sit Starlin Castro for a game, ending his consecutive games streak at 269 and giving him a much needed mental break from the game. The 2-time all star, who just signed a big contract extension this off-season, is suffering through a horrendous season with a .228 batting average and just 3 HRs and 6 SBs. I own Castro on 2 teams and he's been on my bench for a month now; I just haven't had the nerve to release him. Statistically, I have no reason to think he's about to turn things around. He's striking out more and walking less than at any point in his career. Sometimes, however, a wake-up call like a day off can get a player back on track. If you are incredibly desperate at SS, I'm sure you could pry Castro away from his weary owners fairly easily. If he wakes up and returns to form, you could have an All-Star SS for the second half. Look for some signs of life in his next few games.
- Matt Kemp has returned from the DL and "promises" that his shoulder problems are behind him. His slash line isn't much better than Castro's, so the former MVP candidate has nowhere to go but up. I have a lot more confidence in Kemp's ability to return to form (or close to it), so I'd encourage you to make some buy low offers for him now before he heats up.
- In some non-fantasy baseball news, Brian Cashman and Alex Rodriguez have decided to attend high school again to settle their most recent dispute. They've agreed that if A-Rod stays away from his twitter account they will meet on the playground during recess and settle this thing once and for all. Afterwards, the Yankee's organization is secretly hoping to have their insurance pick up Cashman's salary as well.
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