Athlon Sports takes a look at what took place this past weekend on the fantasy baseball diamond.
Stay tuned each week to Athlon Sports for a 2012 Fantasy Baseball Weekend Waiver Wire every Monday and a Weekend Rundown every Thursday.
Top 25 fantasy baseball hitters of last week (7/2-7/08):
| Name | Team | Pos | R | HR | RBI | SB | BA | OPS | |
| 1. | Andrew McCutchen | PIT | OF | 11 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .517 | 1.479 |
| 2. | Ian Desmond | WAS | SS | 5 | 4 | 8 | 3 | .409 | 1.390 |
| 3. | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | 6 | 3 | 7 | 4 | .364 | 1.180 |
| 4. | Tyler Colvin* | COL | 1B/OF | 6 | 5 | 10 | 1 | .308 | 1.280 |
| 5. | Kevin Youkilis | CWS | 1B/3B | 7 | 3 | 10 | 0 | .478 | 1.484 |
| 6. | Justin Ruggiano* | MIA | OF | 5 | 4 | 8 | 1 | .393 | 1.290 |
| 7. | Brian McCann | ATL | C | 5 | 4 | 11 | 0 | .364 | 1.284 |
| 8. | Neil Walker* | PIT | 2B | 8 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .481 | 1.474 |
| 9. | Mark Teixeira | NYY | 1B | 7 | 2 | 10 | 1 | .348 | 1.247 |
| 10. | Garrett Jones* | PIT | 1B/OF | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .385 | 1.101 |
| 11. | Miguel Carbrea | DET | 1B/3B | 6 | 2 | 9 | 0 | .440 | 1.248 |
| 12. | Michael Bourn | ATL | OF | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .423 | 1.199 |
| 13. | Logan Morrison* | MIA | 1B/OF | 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .391 | 1.332 |
| 14. | Alex Rios | CWS | OF | 7 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .435 | 1.328 |
| 15. | Ryan Braun | MIL | OF | 7 | 2 | 6 | 2 | .286 | .983 |
| 16. | Matt Holliday | STL | OF | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | .423 | 1.198 |
| 17. | Prince Fielder | DET | 1B | 5 | 3 | 10 | 0 | .292 | 1.122 |
| 18. | Michael Brantley* | CLE | OF | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1 | .370 | 1.081 |
| 19. | Delmon Young* | DET | OF | 5 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .308 | 1.090 |
| 20. | Anthony Rizzo* | CHC | 1B | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 | .414 | 1.207 |
| 21. | Rickie Weeks* | MIL | 2B | 7 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .346 | 1.125 |
| 22. | Mike Moustakas | KC | 3B | 4 | 2 | 9 | 1 | .310 | .945 |
| 23. | Andruw Jones* | NYY | OF | 4 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 1.238 |
| 24. | Casey Kotchman* | CLE | 1B | 5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .450 | 1.300 |
| 25. | Shin-Soo Choo | CLE | OF | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | .414 | 1.192 |
* - less than 70% owned in Yahoo! leagues
The All-Star Break DL Update
Take a breath. Just past the half-way mark, fantasy leagues are still very much up for grabs. Names like Rickie Weeks are finally starting to come around. Drew Stubbs is next, I promise. And others are finally coming off the DL. Reports are that Carl Crawford will likely need surgery on his elbow but will forego any procedures in an effort to return to the line-up. He may never return to his Rays form (until surgery) but he can certainly help a fantasy outfield over the second half. Ryan Howard was 2-for-8 in his return to the Phillies line-up. Don't expect big numbers from Howard, as he will likely be limited in his playing time, but his power threat should help someone in need of pop. Jayson Werth is swinging a bat and will be back by August. It might be time to stash him away on the DL. The break couldn't come at a better time for guys like Dustin Pedroia and Dan Haren, as both hit the DL on Friday. Giancarlo Stanton owners awoke Monday morning to bad news as his "loose bodies" had been removed from his knee. Recovery time is listed as four-to-six weeks.
Waiver Wire Adds
Tyler Colvin is just too hot to ignore. And his situation is obvsiouly very fantasy friendly. He has been solid through most splits (righty-lefty, home-road) and should he keep getting at-bats there is no reason why the 1B/OFer can't help your line-up. Tigers' speedster Quintin Berry is worth a look if you need some speed, as is Milwuakee's Norichika Aoki. Both could provide plenty of run and stolen base support, each without hurting the other categories too much at all. I need more time before adding names like Justin Ruggiano or Alexi Amarista just yet.
Top 20 fantasy Starting Pitchers of last two weeks:
| Name | Team | IP | W | K | ERA | WHIP | |
| 1. | Mat Latos | CIN | 25.0 | 2 | 28 | 0.72 | 0.56 |
| 2. | Jered Weaver | LAA | 21.2 | 3 | 13 | 0.42 | 0.88 |
| 3. | Travis Wood* | CHC | 20.2 | 3 | 13 | 0.87 | 0.87 |
| 4. | Jason Vargas* | SEA | 23.2 | 1 | 22 | 1.52 | 0.85 |
| 5. | Mark Buehrle* | MIA | 14.2 | 2 | 15 | 1.23 | 0.95 |
| 6. | Felix Hernandez | SEA | 22.0 | 1 | 27 | 2.05 | 1.05 |
| 7. | Tommy Milone* | OAK | 19.0 | 1 | 20 | 0.95 | 1.05 |
| 8. | Kyle Lohse | STL | 21.2 | 3 | 13 | 2.49 | 0.97 |
| 9. | Paul Maholm* | CHC | 15.1 | 2 | 11 | 0.59 | 1.04 |
| 10. | Bronson Arroyo* | CIN | 22.2 | 1 | 14 | 1.99 | 0.75 |
| 11. | Freddy Garcia* | NYY | 15.1 | 2 | 12 | 1.76 | 0.85 |
| 12. | Ricky Nolasco* | MIA | 19.2 | 2 | 14 | 0.92 | 1.17 |
| 13. | Michael Fiers* | MIL | 13.1 | 1 | 19 | 1.35 | 0.98 |
| 14. | Max Scherzer | DET | 13.0 | 2 | 14 | 2.08 | 0.92 |
| 15. | James McDonald | PIT | 19.2 | 3 | 17 | 3.20 | 1.07 |
| 16. | Drew Pomeranz* | COL | 12.1 | 1 | 7 | 0.00 | 0.65 |
| 17. | Chris Sale | CWS | 14.1 | 2 | 9 | 1.88 | 0.91 |
| 18. | David Price | TB | 14.0 | 1 | 15 | 1.93 | 0.86 |
| 19. | Gavin Floyd* | CWS | 20.0 | 2 | 15 | 1.80 | 1.20 |
| 20. | Hiroki Kuroda | NYY | 19.2 | 2 | 21 | 3.20 | 1.12 |
* - less than 70% owned in Yahoo! leagues
Top 5 Spot Starts for the Week (Tues. - Sun.):
Since this week is only three games long, I will simply toss out my favorite available SPs on my waiver wire:
1. Michael Fiers, MIL: 46.0 IP, 3 W, 50 K, 2.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP (season)
2. Jair Jurrjens, ATL: 25.1 IP, 3 W, 10 K, 2.13 ERA, 1.14 WHIP (last month)
3. Travis Wood, CHC: 33.1 IP, 4 W, 21 K, 1.62 ERA, 1.08 WHIP (last month)
4. Ubaldo Jimanez, CLE: 39.1 IP, 2 W, 40 K, 3.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP (last month)
5. Scott Diamond, MIN: 79.0 IP, 7 W, 45 K, 2.62 ERA, 1.18 WHIP (season)
Top 20 fantasy Relief Pitchers of last month:
| Name | Team | IP | W | SV | K | HLD | ERA | WHIP | |
| 1. | Craig Kimbrel | ATL | 11.0 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 0.82 | 0.18 |
| 2. | Huston Street | SD | 13.1 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 1.35 | 0.75 |
| 3. | Tyler Clippard | WAS | 12.0 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| 4. | Casey Janssen* | TOR | 12.2 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 0 | 0.71 | 0.55 |
| 5. | Rafael Soriano | NYY | 13.2 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 0 | 1.32 | 1.24 |
| 6. | Kenley Jansen | LAD | 10.2 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 0 | 1.69 | 0.38 |
| 7. | Fernando Rodney | TB | 11.0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0.82 | 0.73 |
| 8. | Joe Nathan | TEX | 12.2 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 1.42 | 1.03 |
| 9. | Ryan Cook* | OAK | 12.1 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2.92 | 0.97 |
| 10. | Ernesto Frieri | LAA | 12.0 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 0.00 | 1.08 |
| 11. | Charlie Furbush* | SEA | 16.2 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 1.08 | 0.96 |
| 12. | Jim Johnson | BAL | 11.1 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0.79 | 0.79 |
| 13. | Jason Motte | STL | 13.2 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 3.29 | 1.10 |
| 14. | Tom Wilhelmsen* | SEA | 12.1 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.14 |
| 15. | Joel Hanrahan | PIT | 11.0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1.64 | 1.09 |
| 16. | Darren Oliver* | TOR | 11.2 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| 17. | Brayan Villarreal* | DET | 15.2 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 1.72 | 0.96 |
| 18. | Robbie Ross* | TEX | 17.1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.81 |
| 19. | Clay Rapada* | NYY | 10.0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.60 |
| 20. | Addison Reed* | CWS | 11.1 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 3.18 | 1.06 |
* - less than 70% owned in Yahoo! leagues
Keep up to date all season long with Athlon Sports' Fantasy Baseball Closer Grid
- by Braden Gall
