Two of the biggest surprises of the last month have come out of the NL East. The Phillies’ Joe Blanton and the Mets’ Fernando Nieve have been two of the top pitchers throughout June, but is either one for real?

In three starts for New York, Nieve is 3-0 with a 1.45 ERA and 11 strikeouts. He allowed only two runs in Yankee Stadium, and that’s been his worst start. In 18 2/3 innings he’s given up 10 hits, but more troubling are his nine walks. He’s also had a lot of luck, stranding 91 percent of runners and has a BABIP of .181. Still, Nieve appears to be developing into a quality pitcher.

Blanton has been a bright spot as the Phillies have spiraled into the ground over the last few weeks. He’s 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in his last six starts. In 39 1/3 innings, Blanton has struck out 40 and opponents are hitting .242 off him. He has been bitten by the long ball, allowing eight home runs in that stretch, including two in spacious Petco Park.

Both pitchers are a gamble, but for different reasons. Fantasy players should always be skeptical of pitchers in Philadelphia because of the bandbox they call a home field. This year, Blanton’s ERA is a full two runs lower on the road and he has allowed five fewer home runs in nearly the same number of innings.

Nieve, however, gets to pitch in the gigantic Citi Field. But he is largely an unproven talent and baseball history is littered by players who come up and take the league by storm, never to be heard from again. The Mets recently experienced this with star prospect Jorge Sosa, who flamed out in 2007. Manager Jerry Manuel told the New York Times that Nieve’s stuff is better than Sosa’s, but eventually hitters will adjust to him and he will have to counter with one of his own.

You won’t see either pitcher on my fantasy teams any time soon, but for those who need pitching help, Blanton may be worth breaking my no Phillies’ starters rule. He has a track record of at least being a decent starting pitcher in the majors. But keep tabs on Nieve, maybe opponents won’t figure him out this year.

Cliff notes:
It isn’t a Cy Young season for Indians’ ace Cliff Lee, but his is putting together another solid year. One of the most unsupported starters in baseball, Lee is 4-6 with a 2.92 ERA. His 16 starts are the most in the AL, and he should be on track for his second All-Star appearance. He starts this week against the White Sox at home Tuesday. The left-hander defeated Chicago on May 13 this year, going seven innings without allowing a run. He’s a must start anyway for fantasy owners, but they shouldn’t be worried this week.

As for the rumors surrounding a trade involving last year’s Cy Young award winner, don’t believe anything until Cleveland General Manager Mark Shapiro holds a press conference. Lee won’t be moved until this year unless a team is willing to give up a Tommy Hanson or Clay Buchholz type pitcher, which won’t happen. Lee will continue to not produce wins for your team, even as his ERA stays under three.

Kaz’s return:
Sidelined for a month with a strained right quad, Tampa Bay left-hander Scott Kazmir made his return Saturday night. Kazmir threw 92 pitches in five innings, allowing two runs on four hits. That outing isn’t what the Rays need out of their former ace going forward, but it was enough to allow the team to win.

Kazmir has had control problems, but that didn’t seem to be an issue against Florida. He walked one batter and threw 61 of his pitches for strikes. It will still be a journey back for Kazmir, but he has the talent to return to dominance. He’s just 25 years old, and this is really the first time he’s struggled on the mound in his life. Keep an eye out for him in the second half if he can continue to improve.

Pitcher pickup of the week: Nick Blackburn, Twins
Blackburn will make two starts this week, at Kansas City on Monday and Sunday in Minnesota against Detroit. The right-hander has flown under the radar all season, but is a key part of the terrific Minnesota rotation. He’s on a tear right now, going 4-1 with a 2.02 ERA in his last nine starts. In that stretch, opponents are hitting. 240 off him and he has pitched at least six innings in each outing. Blackburn’s last rough start did come against the Tigers, but this time he will get to pitch in the Metrodome, where he is undefeated with a 2.61 ERA this season.

By Ted Cahill

No Manny has meant no problem for Los Angeles, but with the left fielder preparing to return to Dodger Stadium next week a log jam is in the making in the outfield.

Juan Pierre, the player who underperformed so much last year that they had to bring Ramirez out West, is having a career six weeks. Right fielder Andre Ethier struggled initially without Ramirez in the lineup, but has really returned to form during June. Center fielder Matt Kemp seems to be fulfilling his potential, hitting .314 with 11 stolen bases this year.

Ramirez, of course, is a former All-Star and the Dodgers’ savior last season. So who will take a seat next to Joe Torre when Ramirez’s 50-game suspension ends July 3?

The Dodgers say the answer is Pierre, who has taken baseball by storm this year. A key pickup in many fantasy leagues, the 31-year old will return to the bench where he spent most of the first 29 games of the season.

Pierre got only 31 at bats with Ramirez in the lineup, and it seems unlikely that he will get any more chances. General Manager Ned Colletti said trading Pierre is unlikely, given that no deal was made during the offseason. The Dodgers hope to acquire a pitcher before the deadline, but have plenty of other pieces to make a deal happen.

This leaves Pierre owners in a tight spot. He has no trade value, but has been a very important contributor thus far. He has stolen 17 bases this season and replacing that production could be difficult.

However, it may be easier than it appears on the surface.

2009 may be remembered as the season that previously great singles hitters return to prominence. That might be a bit of a stretch, but in addition to Pierre, Scott Podsednik is back to slapping the ball across the South Side of Chicago.

So for all of Pierre’s fantasy owners replacing him may be as simple as picking up Podsednik. The White Sock is available in 83 percent of ESPN leagues and 80 percent of Yahoo! Leagues. He’s hitting .312 with 22 runs and 10 stolen bases.

Podsednik is a very similar hitter to Pierre, but probably with a bit better job security. His return to the White Sox was brought on by an injury to Carlos Quentin, who isn’t expected to return until after the All-Star break. When Quentin does return, Podsednik could move to center field, where Brian Anderson has not played very well.

Another option may be Brett Gardner, if Podsednik happens to already be taken. Gardner seems to have adjusted to the Major Leagues and is having a fine season. He’s hitting .285 with 27 runs and 16 stolen bases. Also because Gardner plays his home games at Yankee Stadium, he may luck into a few home runs.

Because of Denard Span’s recent trip on the DL he has become available in a few more leagues and Michael Bourn is still not universally owned. If either of them is on the waiver wire, they are better pickups than Podsednik and Gardner.

No matter what, there is no reason to worry about where your fantasy team will find a replacement for Pierre. As long as you plan now, your team can be almost as prepared as the Dodgers for July 3.

by Steve Nitz

When draft time came around in March, Francisco Liriano was an intriguing name. The lefthander was healthy after Tommy John surgery and had a good second half in 2008, going 6-1 with a 2.74 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings.

It was hard to expect Liriano to repeat his 2006 performance (12-3, 2.16 ERA, 144 K in 121 IP), but a repeat of 2008’s second half wasn’t out of the question. Liriano was a solid sleeper canidate.

But so far Liriano has been a complete disaster. He’s currently 3-8 with a 5.88 ERA and a WHIP of 1.57. His velocity isn’t the same it once was and his slider isn’t as crisp. He’s still putting good strikeout numbers (74 in 82 2/3 IP), but those don’t exactly mean a lot when he kills your ERA and WHIP every start.

Coming off three decent outings, Liriano was bad again in his start Tuesday night at Milwaukee. He earned the win, but allowed three earned runs in five innings and gave up a seven hits and walked five in the process.

It’s gotten to the point where he needs to be dropped in mixed leagues. Could he still turn it around? Yes, of course. He’s just not worth keeping on your roster when there are better options out there. Plus, the Twins could send him to AAA any time and promote Anthony Swarzak.

Players in AL-only leagues where the pitching isn’t as deep should consider keeping him, but only start him against bad hitting teams until he turns it around. You really can’t go wrong with dropping him in this format either.

You can just add Liriano to the list of complete disappointments of 2009.

by Steve Nitz

You would think it’s September 2007 the way the Rockies have been playing. Colorado has taken off ever since it fired Clint Hurdle on May 29, going 18-5 under new manager Jim Tracy.

With the hot streak, many Rockies have provided huge boosts for fantasy players. Troy Tulowitzki, Ian Stewart, Clint Barmes, and Ubaldo Jimenez have each had great months after struggling in April and May.

Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has been red hot in June. Tulowitzki is currently hitting .346 with five homers, 11 RBIs, and five stolen bases this month. Players who stuck with Tulo through his struggles are finally getting rewarded.

Another Rockie playing much better in June is Ian Stewart. Stewart, once a prized prospect in Denver, will give you average (.299 in June) and power (six homers, 17 RBIs this month). He also has four stolen bases on the year. He’s been a good-looking young player for awhile, and it finally looks like he’s coming into his own. As an added bonus, he’s eligible at 2B and 3B, and has played six games in left field and three in right meaning he could gain eligibility at those spots later in the year.

Barmes hit .259 in April and .253 in May, but has made up for it by hitting .349 in June. He’ll give fantasy owners some pop (eight homers, 37 RBIs on the season) as well as some speed (five steals).

On the mound, Ubaldo Jimenez has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this month. Jimenez, one of the hardest throwers in the game, has three wins while sporting a 2.43 ERA and has 23 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings.
Steve Nitz

By Ted Cahill

The six-man rotation was over before it even started in Boston, but the Red Sox are still rolling the dice without Daisuke Matsuzaka in the rotation.

Matsuzaka’s injury saved Terry Francona from having to manage six starters, two of whom were supposed to stay on their regular schedules. How that was going to happen with off days was never really explained, but it’s now a non issue. Now all that anyone needs to worry about is how well John Smoltz’s shoulder will hold up.

In some leagues Smoltz has been picked up in the past few weeks, anticipating his return from shoulder surgery. But he’s still available in plenty of others (76 percent of ESPN leagues, 47 of Yahoo!). He will make his first start of the year Thursday at Washington, though some might see that as just another rehab start.

The right-hander made six starts in the minors, concluding with 61 pitches in Pawtucket last week. Smoltz posted a 2.63 ERA during his rehab and won’t have pitched in a week when he faces the Nationals.

So far Boston has had plenty of success with the risky free agents they signed over the winter. Brad Penny is pitching so well, the Red Sox are reluctant to trade the starter at the deadline. Rocco Baldelli and Takashi Saito have performed their roles effectively, verifying Theo Epstein’s decision to sign them.

Now it is Smoltz’s turn to show he was worth the $5.5 million the Red Sox offered him.

He topped out at 92 mph in his final start in the minors, but said that he didn’t control his split finger well. He’ll surely get that problem solved and be ready to go for Boston.

The greater concern for the Red Sox and fantasy owners is the 42-year old’s health. But if you’re a Matsuzaka owner or just in the market for another starter Smoltz is an arm that has to be considered.

Struggling Santanas: Much has been made of Johan’s midseason swoon this year and on the West Coast, where it’s a little less noticeable, Ervin is having difficulty coming back from an injury that kept him out for the first month of the season. There really isn’t too much cause for concern with either pitcher, they’re both very good and obviously Johan is one of the best in the game. But watch for how they handle themselves this week.

Johan will make a start in expansive Citi Field against the Cardinals, who haven’t been hitting the ball too well lately. As long as he avoids getting in trouble with Albert Pujols everything should be worked out for Johan.

Ervin, on the other hand, is more a question mark. He was skipped last time in the rotation because of a forearm strain, suffered during an ineffective outing against Tampa Bay. The right-hander threw a bullpen session Sunday and said he feels pain free. He’ll start at home against Colorado on Tuesday. He’s been up and down since coming off the DL, but we must remember that this is still a bit like Spring Training for him. He should start to turn things around.

Caught in the Webb: Arizona ace Brandon Webb suffered another setback in his rehab last week and his bullpen session was canceled. Webb hasn’t pitched since Opening Day and will have an MRI Monday. There has been some talk about pushing back the Cy Young winner’s return from around the All-Star break to possibly next season.

It’s difficult to determine whether this affects the last-place Diamondbacks more than fantasy owners who expected Webb to be a top of the line starter again. Without Webb the Diamondbacks are finished this year, but they’re already 16 games behind in the NL West and 8.5 back in the Wild Card race.

Fantasy owners can look elsewhere for starters, but the prospect of an entire season without Webb is very bleak. Arizona may decide not to bring him back even if he’s ready in August or September if they don’t make up some ground soon. Depending on the results of the MRI and the inevitable second opinion, it may be time to cut him loose and free up the DL spot on your team.

Pitcher pickup of the week: Brad Penny, Red Sox

Penny is making two starts this week, against Washington and Atlanta. The right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in his last eight starts. This year his home-road splits haven’t been that favorable, but in his last two road starts he’s 1-0 with 12 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. Also the benefits of pitching in Washington shouldn’t be overlooked. This might be a pickup that actually sticks past this week because Penny seems to be regaining the form that made him one of the premier pitchers just a few years ago.

By Steve Nitz

We are in the middle of June, which means we’ve seen a fair amount of top prospects get called up recently. I’m here to take a look at some of them, and tell you whether you should be adding them off the waiver wire or not.

Tommy Hanson (Braves)-Rated the No. 4 prospect in all of baseball by BaseballAmerica before the year, Hanson dominated AAA, going 3-3 with a 1.49 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings. His first two starts weren’t anything special (although he still had a good strikeout rate), but Hanson threw six scoreless innings at Cincinnati June 18. He’s worth adding in mixed leagues.

Gordon Beckham (White Sox)-Beckham, the No. 8 overall pick in last year’s draft, has gotten off to a slow start to his big league career. The Georgia product is below the mendoza line and hasn’t homered yet. He has been better the last few games and is capable of becoming an all-star. However, I wouldn’t be adding him any time soon, unless you are weak at third base in AL only leagues.

Andrew McCutchen (Pirates)-McCutchen has gotten off to a scorching start ever since he took over in center field after Nate McClouth was dealt to the Braves. McCutchen currently sits at .333 with one homer, nine RBI’s, and two stolen bases. He’s definately worth adding in NL only leagues if he’s still a free agent. Considering his position and the possibility of stolen bases, mixed leaguers should think about adding him as well.

Kyle Blanks (Padres)-Blanks was called up to San Diego Friday. He should see a good amount of playing time in left field after hitting .283 with 12 homers and 38 RBI’s for AAA Portland. But he does play at Petco and San Diego doesn’t have much offensively with the exception of Adrian Gonalez. I would wait before adding him in any league.

Sean West (Marlins)-West put up mediocre numbers at AA Jacksonville with an ERA of 4.85 and a WHIP of around 1.50. But so far he’s gone 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in five starts since being called up. However, his horrible 15/13 K/BB ratio suggests he won’t keep this up. You have to be desparate for pitching to add him.