There were so many players that were candidates for this weeks Hot 8, many of which have already been included in previous weeks. Among these players that I still recommend you take a chance on or at least keep an eye on are Homer Bailey, Kevin Frandsen, Drew Stubbs, Kyle Blanks, Marcus Thames and of course Neftali Feliz. Feliz in fact has been moved to the bullpen in Oklahoma City this week in order to get him ready to pitch in the Rangers pen down the stretch this season. He can make a big impact in a late inning role for sure so be ready to make that move pretty soon.
For this week however I decided to cleanse our palate so to speak and give you guys some new faces to The Hot 8. Though you will see one familiar face in this weeks version, his last appearance was way back in April so many of you had probably forgot about him by now. Get your pencils and scorecards ready, here is this weeks Hot 8:

THROWIN' SMOKE
1) Ricky Romero (LHP - Starter) -- Blue Jays -- Romero is once again on fire for the Jays after a stint on the disabled list and a couple poor outings. On the season he is 5-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 54 K's in 64 2/3 innings. Romero is a classic late bloomer who had been treading water in the minors the past four season before finally starting to get it late last year. He has found success in throwing both his curve and changeup for strikes early in counts which makes his mid-90's fastball much more effective and "heavy" to hitters. Although he has struck out 33 in his previous 5 starts, Romero is not to be considered a high strikeout guy. He has found a nice rhythm with his pitches and the consistency he had lacked in previous minor league seasons. Right now he is one of the hottest left handers in the league and needs to be a pickup and hold until he proves otherwise.

2) Kevin Correia (RHP- Starter) -- Padres -- I wonder how many of you out there have ever even heard of Kevin Correia before? I have been high on him for years now and he has not failed yet in letting me down. So, when putting together my sleeper list for this season I finally decided to cut the cord with Correia as he had proved himself to be nothing more than a 28 year old spot starter or long reliever. Not even half way into the 2009 season now and Correia is now the ace of the Padres pitching staff! At least until Jake Peavy returns that is. But nonetheless, Correia has made tremendous strides in recent starts as evidenced by his 4-1 record, 2.40 ERA, 29 K's and only 3 walks in his past five starts. He credits this turn around to improved use of his curveball, a pitch he hardly used before this season. He is also throwing much more changeups than he used to and is using his legs more which has really helped with his control. Credit Bud Black with fine tuning some of Correia's mechanics and allowing him to find his way this season. He is a must pickup right now and should be rode for as long as this run lasts.

MORE PLAYING TIME = FANTASY HEAT
3) Jake Fox (OF/3B) -- Cubs -- Fox will be eligible at 3B in the very near future as he's earned his time there by putting in a ton of extra work with Cubs infield coaches. Lou Pinella gushes when talking about Fox nowadays probably because he is the only Cub player who is hitting no matter who the opposing pitcher is, the weather conditions, the spot in the order or the situation at hand. The kid is just raking and has been pretty much all season long. He got a call up to the show after hitting a whopping .409/.495/.841 in AAA Iowa. Since the call he's hitting .349/.354/.605 with 2 HR's and 11 RBI. I believe Fox is the reason Pinella finally stood up to disgruntled OF Milton Bradley because if Bradley wants to cry and pout and be a problem, Fox could slide very nicely into the RF and lineup position that Bradley has been under performing in all season long. Whatever happens with Bradley, Jake Fox has been too productive to ignore and is going to get plenty of chances going forward for a team with big upside potential.

4) Brett Gardner (Outfield) -- Yankees -- Melky Cabrera's hot streak is over and thus Gardner has found himself back into prime action for the Yankees. On the season Gardner is hitting .293/.364/.427 and most impressively has 17 stolen bases in 19 opportunities. The more he gets in the lineup and produces at these current paces the more dramatic his value increases. Gardner very well could steal 40+ bases this year. He is currently available in 93% of Yahoo leagues but that number will tumble quickly with the realization that Gardner is seeing regular playing time once again in the Bronx. Any fantasy team that could use some speed or wants to keep it away from their opponent must find a spot for Gardner ASAP.

5) Casey McGehee (2B/3B) -- Brewers -- Let me be the first to say how stunned I am at the production the Brewers have gotten out of their 2B platoon of Craig Counsell and Casey McGehee. Shortly after Rickie Weeks was lost for the season I was asked about McGehee on an episode of Fantasy Baseball Tonight to which I said not to bother with him. I was and still kind of believe that Alcides Escobar will eventually get the call up and J.J. Hardy will see time at 2B but for now there is no more ignoring of what McGehee is doing. In his last 10 games he is 12-38 (.342) with 3 HR's 7 RBI and 8 runs scored. He is seeing time at both 2B and 3B for the struggling Bill Hall. Just about everybody I know including myself, are looking for middle infield help on their fantasy teams. For the short term, I believe McGehee is a guy that can help those of us who didn't get Ben Zobrist bridge the gap until better solutions evolve.

JUST A SPARK, BUT...
6) Wladimir Balentien (Outfield) -- Mariners -- One of the best "under the radar" young power hitters in the game. Balentien is set for a big increase in playing time due to Endy Chavez being lost for the season now. The Mariners went for an all defensive outfield this season. A very intriguing approach unless of course you play fantasy baseball. Balentien has hit 20+ HR's the past four seasons mostly in the minor leagues and also possesses the speed to swipe 10+ bases annually. He has got Sheffield-like bat speed and the ball just flies off his bat to all fields. He will never hit for a good average however and will strike out a whole bunch. With steady playing time the rest of the season there is no reason to think Balentien can't continue his streak of 20+ HR's and give you an occasional stolen base. He'll hit somewhere in the middle of Seattle's order also which will provide him good RBI opportunities as well.

7) Tyler Clippard (RHP - Relief) -- Nationals -- This is for those of you who email me all of the time looking for the closers in waiting. Clippard is a career minor leaguer who has found success this season in making a conversion from starter to reliever. He's spent most of his time in the Yankees organization and actually made a decent couple of starts for them back in 2007. For AAA Syracuse this year he was 4-1 with a 0.92 ERA and 42 K's in 39 IP while posting a 0.89 WHIP as well. The Nats are obviously desperate for some bullpen help and anytime Mike MacDougal is your closer the job is ultimately available. Clippard was once a top prospect but never really filled out his frame the way scouts would have liked. Still, his fastball/curveball/changeup has shown to be able to get people out at least in the short term.

THE NEXT HOT CATCHER PROSPECT
8) Angel Salome (Catcher) -- Brewers -- Salome is my favorite minor league hitter to watch. Anybody who has the MiLB.TV subscription like I do, please check out the Nashville Sounds and their tiny little free swinging catcher. Salome will drive hitting coaches crazy with his unorthodox style and pitch selection but he has amazing hand/eye coordination. I call him the right handed Ichiro and while nobody can quite do what Ichiro does, Salome is without question the poor man's version. He hit .360/.415/.559 last season in AA Huntsville and won a batting title. For a small guy (5'7"), he does have surprising power but is more of a slap type hitter who will spray the ball to all fields when he is right. Salome started out this season horribly but has caught fire lately hitting .400 with 2 HR's, 7 RBI and 10 runs scored in his last 10 games. Salome also has a plus arm behind the plate although he gets messy with his footwork at times which leads to a lower than expected caught stealing percentage for the youngster. Still, this is a prospect to be very excited about. He is not only productive but fun to watch and can fill a big need for a team that is right in the thick of the playoff race and has a great established offense. You will not find catchers who can hit .300 on the free agent market for long. This is why you'll need to make a play for Salome quickly if you want to upgrade yourself at this always thin fantasy position.

That is the Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Post your comments below or email me at jeff@fantasybaseballsearch.com

First and foremost, Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there! Yeah, I know that it feels like just another day to us, but soak it in while you can. Take some time today or if you're like me and stuck working (you call this work?), set aside some time during the week to spend quality time with the kids. Go ahead and take them to a ballgame, or the race track or to a nearby field or park to play. It's OK to do something you want to do today but include them and let them see why you love going to these places so much and how much fun it can be. Time goes bye so fast and before you know it all you'll get for Father's Day is a phone call that you know they felt obligated to make.

For this special Father's Day edition of The Hot 8, I have decided to include a BONUS player who should be able to make a quick impact for your fantasy team. But you'll have to read all the way to the bottom to find out who that bonus baby is...

RED HOT...RIGHT NOW
1) J.P. Howell (LHP - Closer) -- Rays -- Howell is slowly starting to distance himself from the other Rays relievers in the bid to earn manager Joe Madden's trust to finish games. Howell is 2-2 with a 1.93 ERA, 3 saves, 41 K's in 32.2 IP and a 1.10 WHIP. He had been used primarily as a lefty specialist the past two seasons but has seen plenty of time and actually has been more effective versus righties this season. As it stands now, Howell is the one who will get the most chances to saves games for the Rays going forward. His only real competition may wind up being career minor leaguer and strikeout ace Winston Abreu. Howell is a much safer closer choice than a Mike MacDougal or Kerry Wood and he has more upside than a Matt Lindstrom or Jason Frasor. So, take a moment...open a new window or tab and pick up Howell right now.

READY TO IGNITE
2) Neftali Feliz (RHP - Starter) -- Rangers -- I told you a couple of weeks ago that I will put Feliz in The Hot 8 every single week until either the Rangers call him up or his ownership gets above 5% in Yahoo and CBS leagues. Since neither has happened yet here is yet another cry for you to go out and get Feliz while you still can. Since last week Feliz has been roughed up twice in starts for AAA Oklahoma City and his numbers are now looking more pedestrian than when I began this campaign a few weeks ago. But that doesn't affect the most important reasons on why he will get the call to Arlington soon. First of all he has amazing stuff. As one trusted scout told me several weeks ago, ""His fastball is best when coming from a three-quarters arm angle where it reaches 96 MPH with sharp inward bite to right handers. Then he'll hit you with a sharp tight spinning curveball that has great break down. His changeup is major league ready also registering at anywhere from 83-87 MPH with fade making it devastating when looking fastball." The second reason on why you should make the play for Feliz is that the Rangers, as always, need pitching. There is no way they can fight the temptation of what Feliz can bring to the table during a stretch run for the AL West division title or a World Series run. This will be the last week I push Feliz on you though. If you guys don't see the possibility of what Neftali Feliz can bring to the Rangers AND your fantasy team by now then I doubt you ever will. Enjoy second place!

3) Kyle Blanks (1B/OF) -- Padres -- As I prepared for the Thursday edition of Fantasy Baseball Tonight, I did some promotional emails and the such touting a couple of prospects I was going to go into detail with on a segment we call The Farm Report. One of those players was Kyle Blanks to which even my co-host responded with a resounding, "Who?" A day later Blanks was on a plane to San Diego to join the major league club. In my usual tour through minor league boxscores and video highlights this week I happened to notice that Blanks was all of a sudden playing left field. He is actually a pretty good defensive first baseman and a top prospect for the Padres so the move really stood out. I figured that they were getting ready to bring him up and let him play some OF and DH in the next few weeks to see what he could do and that is exactly what happened. Blanks is a huge beast with plus natural power in his right handed swing. He stands 6'6" tall and weighs a solid 285 lbs and can hit the ball a country mile. What makes him even more dangerous is that he has a great eye for the strike zone and is willing to take a walk or hit the ball up the middle or to the opposite field to get on base. I said on Thursday that he reminds me of a young Frank Thomas and the similarities are scary. Adrian Gonzalez and Kyle Blanks are the future middle of the Padres order for sure and if Blanks can get off to a decent enough start these next few weeks he may never see minor league ball again.

ON FIRE!
4) Juan Rivera (Outfield) -- Angels -- I have been waiting and waiting for Rivera to cool off these past few weeks and it just hasn't happened yet. I have never been a big Rivera fan, going all the way back to the hype surrounding his clutch playoff hits for the Yankees back in 2002. Now seven years later he is for the first time resembling the player we were promised all those Octobers ago. He is currently hitting a nice .312/.353/.509 with 10 HR's and 36 RBI in 218 AB's this season. He has kept the Angels offense afloat for the past month while they have been struggling to find the right lineup mix and replacements for their struggling younger players. If the regular playing time holds up which at this point is a no brainer, he is likely to match or exceed his career high in HR's (23) and RBI (85) both set in 2006. You can never really count the Angels out so if they are to get back into the playoff race they will have to do so behind the big bats of Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera. Since he is still available in 65% of fantasy leagues right now, it is time we all stop ignoring and start fanning these flames.

5) Marcus Thames (Outfield) -- Tigers -- If you are looking for some power and so many of us are these days, then Marcus Thames is your guy. He is finally fully recovered from a severe rib cage strain suffered in spring training and has been tearing it up of late. In his last 10 games he is hitting .370 with 4 HR's 9 RBI and 5 runs scored while getting steady playing time with the benching of Magglio Ordonez. Thames is one of the best pure power hitters in the game but it consistently undervalued by fantasy players. Even in part time duty, he is sure to get close to 20 HR's and 50+ RBI with big upside if and when he sees full time action as he has the past couple weeks.

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...
6) Kevin Frandsen (2B/SS) -- Giants -- Frandsen is about to be recalled from AAA Fresno and will right away become the starting 2B for the Giants. The demotion of Emmanuel Burriss cleared the way for Frandsen who is hitting a whopping .335/.383/.517 this season is AAA. While he doesn't possess the speed or pure athletic ability of Burriss, Frandsen will provide another steady bat in the Giants everyday lineup something that is desperately needed. Frandsen has always been a good contact hitter who puts the ball in play much of the time and has decent gap to gap power. With such few options available to us at middle infield positions I suggest grabbing Frandsen now before the vultures swoop down and pluck him from your grasp.

7) Drew Stubbs (Outfield) -- Reds -- This is one of the most exciting minor leaguers I have seen the past few seasons. Stubbs is an all out player who gives it everything he's got in every game and in every at-bat. For those who have not seen him play yet, you will enjoy the heck out of Drew Stubbs. He has the ability to be a superstar in this league. His best skill is his amazing speed. He has 100 stolen bases in just 3 1/2 minor league seasons. He also has made great strides in taking walks and hitting the ball on the ground in order to get himself on base. I believe in the big picture, Stubbs can hit close to 20 HR's a season as well as he has a big enough frame and is strong through the zone. Early in 2008, he made an adjustment in widening his stance which helped him make more solid contact but seems to have sacrificed a bit of power. Either way he is the Reds CF of the future without a doubt. The more Willy Tavaras struggles, the more likely the prospect unfriendly Dusty Baker will be to finally give Stubbs a chance. We could see him as early as July 1st or at late at September 1st but when he finally makes it, he will bring a smile to any fantasy player that needs some speed.

SIMMERING
8) Luis Valbuena (2B/SS) -- Indiana -- It could be just the wind at Wrigley Field but Valbuena put on a clinic this weekend and has been as hot as anybody this past week. He hit .421 this week with 3 HR's 7 RBI and 5 runs scored. Valbuena was traded to the Indians in the offseason after playing so well in a stretch for Seattle last season that he pushed Jose Lopez over to first base. He is a stocky guy who will surprise people with his quick bat speed and ability to work the count and make contact. Has the power to hit over 12-16 HR's in a season of steady playing time. He's got average speed but is not much of a base stealer. It will be interesting to see what happens when Asdrubal Cabrera comes back in a week or so but in the short term give Valbuena a shot in your middle infield spot.

BONUS BABY!!
John Smoltz (RHP - Starter) -- Red Sox -- Everybody and their brother is recommending picking up Smoltz as he is ready to make his first start for the Red Sox this week. I am not very high on Smoltz, though pitching for the Red Sox alone makes him fantasy relevant. We are all speculating on what the Red Sox do with their 7 starters going forward. That's right, I said 7 starters. Have you SEEN what Clay Bucholz is doing in AAA Pawtucket? Dice K is going to take a break for now which is actually good news for all Boston starters. A 6 man rotation would hurt each of their fantasy values as less starts mean less numbers. I think Smoltz will start out hot for the Sox. But this is not a situation I trust for the long term. Smoltz age, arm troubles and bullpen experience are all factors in him possibly not being a durable fantasy starter. Ideally, he is the perfect pitch and ditch candidate but with so many homer Red Sox fans out there that is a very unlikely scenario for most fantasy leagues.

That is the Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Post your comments below or email me at jeff@fantasybaseballsearch.com

Happy Flag Day everybody! It is at this point every season where I feel the need to remind fantasy players to be hoisting up the red, white and blue flag and not just the all white one. It is only June 14th, and there is plenty of baseball left to be played. Nobody is out of it quite yet no matter how far back you reside in the standings. Just look at the Colorado Rockies, winners of 10 straight games. Anything is possible still providing you are committed to making the necessary moves to get your team back on track. Those moves begin right here my friends every week on The Hot 8. This week I will be providing a plethora or right handed arms to get you through the dog days of summer and the dreaded tired arm syndrome. But don't worry those of you in need of a bat...I've got a power hitting middle infielder and a sweet swinging lefty poised to join the middle of a lineup in the very near future.

1) Sean Rodriguez (Second Base) -- Angels -- In the May 24th edition of The Hot 8 I ranked Rodriguez as a must watch player who had cut down dramatically on his strikeouts after a disappointing stint with the Angels last season. If you had taken my advice then, right now you'd be sitting with the most coveted waiver pickup since Tommy Hanson. In the slim chance he is available, make the move right now! A middle infielder who can hit for power and has a bit of speed is a rare find in today's market and an absolute must for anyone even if you already own Chase Utley and Ian Kinsler. Keep Rodriguez away from the competition or at least make them pay a nice price for his potential.

2) Ryan Madson (RHP - Closer) -- Phillies -- I realize that I am not starting out this weeks Hot 8 with any real surprises. But passing over a guy like Madson can be a critical mistake down the road. Madson is pitching lights out this season and has taken over the closer duties after Brad Lidge's "injury" to his knee. The fact is that Madson could remain the Phillies closer even after Lidge comes back, especially if he continues this torrid pace. He is registering a K/9 ratio of 10.1 going into this week and has 2 wins and 4 saves to go along with a 0.98 WHIP. The Phillies will have plenty of save opportunities going forward and in shouldn't be long until Madson is considered among the top 10 fantasy closers in baseball this season.

3) Neftali Feliz (RHP - Starter) -- Rangers -- I have decided to keep pounding Feliz's name into your heads until he finally gets the callup sometime in July. I have no doubts that the Rangers will go to him for their stretch run and I envision him being the young catalyst for their eventual World Series run. Plenty of wins, strikeouts and hype will be accompanying Feliz in the weeks and months ahead. Come October it will seem funny how in June many of us didn't even know who he was or what he could do. Here is a brief scouting report I posted last week about Neftali Feliz: "His fastball is best when coming from a three-quarters arm angle where it reaches 96 MPH with sharp inward bite to right handers. Then he'll hit you with a sharp tight spinning curveball that has great break down. His changeup is major league ready also registering at anywhere from 83-87 MPH with fade making it devastating when looking fastball." His time is coming soon my friends.

4) John Bowker (OF/1B) -- Giants -- Bowker should be getting a call to the majors in the very near future. He is hitting .338/.451/.547 for AAA Fresno right now with 8 HR's and 40 RBI. He has been red hot too as of late making him all that more likely to join the Giants soon. With the up and down seasons of Randy Winn and Nate Schierholz, Bowker could see a lot of playing time once he does get to San Francisco and also will likely hit in the middle of the Giants order. This sweet swinging lefty is known for spraying line drives to all parts of the ballpark and also for having a great eye and a patient approach. He did OK last year in the big leagues hitting 10 HR's in 3326 AB's. Don't be fooled however by his 10 stolen bases for Fresno so far this year, he has little speed or stolen base upside to speak of.

5) Luke Hochevar (RHP - Starter) -- Royals -- It would absolutely stun me if Hochevar was to be sent down again this season. His time as a big league pitcher has come and the Royals must start to actually let him develop in the major leagues the way Zach Grienke was allowed to do the past few seasons. Hochevar's 3 hit complete game in which he threw just 80 pitches was a masterpiece and a sign of what could be if he is given the chance. I believe in his ability to get hitters out either by strikeout or by pitching to contact as he did against the Reds last week. His two seam fastball has natural sink and can induce groundball after groundball out and his curve has a nice late break that can have hitters waving at all game long if on. There will be some ups and downs but Hochevar is here to stay and should be considered a solid pitch and ditch guy right now and a hold for those with an eye toward the future.

6) Barbaro Canizares (First Base) -- Braves -- This is more of a short term play but one that is worth noting for sure. Canizares will have a big couple of weeks while on the big league club. There are many reason why I know this, the most important of which is because of how teams pitch to former Cuban League players. They will either try to bust him in with fastballs, trying to knock the bat out of his hand or they will feed him a steady diet of off-speed rollers in the dirt trying to get him to fish. Canizares will turn on an inside fastball at nearly any speed and deposit it into the left field seats or off the wall. He also has good pitch recognition and a patient approach that many Cubans do not share. He'll get on base at a good clip and probably hit a HR or two while filling in for Casey Kotchman. Who knows, he may even stick around awhile if Bobby Cox likes what he sees out of him.

7) Homer Bailey (RHP - Starter) -- Reds -- I can almost hear the collective droan pour out amongst my readers: "Oh, no...not Bailey!!" Well my friends he is on a tear down in AAA having gone 6-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 66.2 IP recording 59 K's and a 1.22 WHIP over his last 10 starts. His past four starts have been fantastic lasting at least seven innings in each and striking out a minimum or six. There is a good chance that Bailey gets traded as Reds management just doesn't have the patience for him. But I have heard that a mechanical error in Bailey's delivery while pitching out of the stretch was causing his fastball to straighten out and also control problems. Louisville pitching coach Ted Power has worked on this with Bailey all spring long and it appears to be corrected and the results are impossible to ignore. Whatever team ends up getting Bailey will be getting a big time talent who may be finally on his way.

8) Vin Mazzaro (RHP - Starter) -- Athletics -- Mazzaro's early success is no fluke. He is the type of pitcher that projects to have long term success in the league not because of his arsenal of plus pitches, but what he does with the few that he has got. Mazzaro shows a low 90's fastball that he can run in to right handers, sink to induce ground balls or cut it in to left handers. This ability alone with his fastball keeps hitters off balance and guessing on location even after they recognize the fastball is coming. He has been able to command the fastball well over the past two seasons of minor league ball and is now doing it in the show. Mazzaro also throws a hard mid-90's sinker that is just like his fastball but with much greater drop late in the zone. While he does not have a real off-speed pitch, he does change speed well with his fastball and hard slider that keeps the hitters timing off just enough. Most of his strikeouts will come due to good command of the strikezone and not over powering stuff. Mazzaro is a solid starter that will not hurt you in ERA or WHIP the way that so many other young pitchers can and will making him quite valuable fantasy player.

That is the Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Post your comments below or email me at jeff@fantasybaseballsearch.com

Last week The Hot 8 told you to do out and grab Tommy Hanson, Gordon Beckham and Ben Zobrist right now. If you made those moves last Sunday then you are now a much better team than you were before reading this little article. Free agents moves like these are absolutely vital to winning fantasy baseball and the right moves can always turn around a struggling team. This week we've got a (mostly) new batch of talent ready to make an impact on the fantasy world.


1) Gordon Beckham (3B/SS) -- Whitesox -- Last week I mentioned how the Whitesox had promoted Beckham to AAA Charlotte and have been playing him at 3B. Five days later he was summoned to Chicago where he will now serve as the starting 3B for the rest of the season. Beckham is a very talented and very confident young man who has all the tools necessary to be a big time ballplayer. He is a Derek Jeter type talent who does whatever it takes to win. For fantasy purposes, I believe he will hit for some power the rest of the season as he'll be fed a steady diet of major league fastballs which he can handle and is hitting in a great HR ballpark in U.S. Cellular Field. I would not expect too many stolen bases, although Ozzie Guillen likes to be aggressive on the basepaths with anybody who has functional legs. A 10 HR and 10 stolen base total this season is very likely for Beckham. The fact that he will be eligible at SS, 3B and possibly 2B makes him a very good pickup for the remainder of this season and especially good in A.L. only and keeper leagues.


2) Carlos Gonzalez (Outfield) -- Rockies -- As I have mentioned numerous times in this column and on Fantasy Baseball Tonight, the Rockies are getting ready to unload both Brad Hawpe and Ryan Spilborghs in the coming weeks. Gonzalez was called up last week after tearing apart the Pacific Coast League to the tune of a .339 average, 10 HR's and 59 RBI. It appears that he'll also be given a starting role right off the bat which is a very smart move for the future of the franchise. Seth Smith. Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez are the future outfield in Colorado and the more playing time they get this year the better players they'll be next year and beyond. All three of these guys are very talented and in my opinion will all be fantasy worthy in the second half of this season. Gonzalez will reach double digits in HR's and stolen bases this year and should be a big run producer for the Rockies once Hawpe and Spilborghs are gone. Don't wait around for him though because if you do somebody in your league is bound to swoop in and get themselves a very good player for nothing.

3) J.A. Happ (LHP - Starter) -- James Anthony Happ is having himself a fine season so far. He is 4-0 with a 2.48 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. Then how come he is owned in just 30% of fantasy leagues according to Yahoo and CBS Sports? With the struggles and injuries to the Phillies starters this year, Happ's status in the rotation is assured. Happ uses his fastball to get ahead of hitters early in the count and once ahead has been going to his much improved changeup to get hitters out. His minor league strikeout totals will not hold up but he's still able to punch guys out with good command and a 3 way slider that can act as a cutter at times to back-door right handed hitters. He will need to continue pitching down in order to keep the ball in the park however, something that has plagued him in the past. The wins and good strikeout numbers will be there at seasons end but there will be an adjustment in both ERA and WHIP coming up soon. Still, Happ makes for a very good third or fourth starter on your fantasy team.


4) Andrew McCutchen (Outfield) -- Pirates -- Don't get me wrong here. I like McCutchen's ability and believe he'll be a solid major league outfielder for the Pirates hence why I am recommending him to you this week. But, I have heard and read far too many "experts" saying that he will hit for a high average and have above average power numbers. This just isn't true. McCutchen, as any scout will tell you has issues with his swing which has delayed his progress over the years. He has been able to make up for holes in his swing by "cheating" on hitters counts in the minors and with pure raw talent. I don't expect him to ever hit over .290 in the big leagues and doubt that he'll go for much better than .260 most years. His true value is in stolen bases, where I expect we'll see him reach 15-20 this season and 30+ in a full season. He's made strides in working counts and getting on base too which will help. McCutchen will hit the occasional HR too and thus is a pretty solid asset to any fantasy outfield.


5) Neftali Feliz (RHP - Starter) -- Rangers -- I would be shocked if Feliz didn't get a callup in by the end of July. With top prospects like Matt Wieters, David Price, Tommy Hanson and Gordon Beckham already getting called up, those of you who were holding onto these players the past couple months have a roster spot available. I suspect Feliz to be this years young stud pitcher who comes in and leads his team down the stretch. We've seen this in recent years with Bobby Jenks, Adam Wainwright, Clay Bucholz, Ubaldo Jimenez and David Price. Feliz has an electric fastball. He can rush it up to 100 MPH with an easy motion that appears to have little impact on either his shoulder or elbow. His fastball is best when coming from a three-quarters arm angle where it reaches 96 MPH with sharp inward bite to right handers. Then he'll hit you with a sharp tight spinning curveball that has great break down. His changeup is major league ready also registering at anywhere from 83-87 MPH with fade making it devastating when looking fastball. Feliz is the best pitching prospect the Rangers have had maybe ever. The team is doing quite well and should be positioning itself for a AL West Division title. To achieve this they will have to trade for another starter or bullpen help and bring this exciting youngster up. Feliz could be the difference this year for the Rangers and will be a fixture there going forward.

6) Ian Stewart (3B/2B/OF) -- Rockies -- This is the year Stewart finally breaks out and proves his major league worth. It's been a long road for the once prized prospect, but he has been a man without a position for the past few years. Garrett Atkins has been a roadblock in Stewart's was for the past several seasons forcing the youngster to cut his teeth at 2B and in the outfield. But Atkins is facing a possible demotion soon because of a dramatic fall that has his name now linked with other "suspicious" names of sluggers who skills seem to have diminished overnight. Either way, Stewart is part of a strong core of position players the Rockies have and as they trade off players this summer it will open up opportunities for guys like Stewart to finally blossom. I expect 20+ HR's this season and a bunch of runs batted in too. This is a guy who will be a valuable commodity down the stretch this season. His versatility makes him all that more useful and thus he should be added to your roster immediately.

7) Chris Tillman (RHP - Starter) -- Orioles -- When the Orioles are raising the World Series trophy in a couple of years, they had better make sure to give a great big thank you to the Seattle Mariners for assisting them back into elite company in the American League. Adam Jones, George Sherrill, Chris Tillman, Kam Mickolio and Tony Butler all came to Baltimore for Erik Bedard and all will most likely be on the next Oriole team that qualifies for the post season. Tillman is a very polished, professional pitcher. He is a tall guy, standing 6'5" and throws on a nice downward plane. None of his pitches are necessarily dominant, but he uses his fastball, curve and change quite well and can command all of them down in the zone. Tillman pitches to contact and will give up plenty of hits to be sure. But he'll also last longer in games that way and bring his WHIP and ERA down as a result. Though he won't be dominant, he will be a steady major league pitcher and could be a nice pitch and ditch option when he is called up in a few weeks.

8) David Murphy (Outfield) -- Rangers -- I just like this guy, OK? I drafted him in both of my leagues and have also dropped him in both of my leagues. But now Josh Hamilton is out for an extended amount of time and an outfield position is available. Andruw Jones cannot be trusted despite having a fine year as the fourth outfielder for the Rangers. Murphy has good power and can be a big time run producer in a lineup that is a talented as the Rangers is. It is my belief that Murphy will have himself a nice little fun in Hamilton's absence. He hit 15 HR's and drove in 74 last season in just 415 AB's. A run like that can get any fantasy team through the dog days of summer or at least provide you with an temporary outfielder in place of the suspended Manny Ramirez, the injured Carlos Quentin or the struggling Milton Bradley.

That is the Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Post your comments below or email me at jeff@fantasybaseballsearch.com