Kuzul

Getting two starts out of a starting pitcher can make all the difference in a weekly fantasy league. While a one-start ace is still an ace, a two-start ace can single-handedly tip the scales. Additionally, two starts can make an otherwise mediocre spot starter into a difference-maker. This list is broken up by tiers, and rankings are based on skill as well as matchups. The Aces Yu Darvish @ARI, vs. KC Adam Wainwright @KC, vs. SF Justin Verlander vs. PIT, @BAL Matt Harvey vs. NYY, @MIA Chris Sale vs. CHC, @OAK Cliff Lee @BOS, vs. MIL Madison Bumgarner @OAK, @STL James Shields vs. STL, @TEX Gio Gonzalez vs. BAL, @ATL You would be starting these pitchers regardless. If there is one among these who seems less safe than the rest, it's James Shields. He faces two good teams in the Cardinals and Rangers (in Arlington, no less). With the Royals' offensive underperformance, he may be at risk to lose both games, ...

While it's way too late to buy low on a player that's already broken out in the first half of the season —Diamondbacks starting pitcher Pat Corbin and Brewers shortstop Jean Segura would be the best examples—plenty more could break out between now and the end of the season. If you're looking for this season's version of Chris Carter, who had just 17 first-half at-bats in 2012 before hitting 13 homers and knocking in 34 runs after the All-Star break for the Oakland A's, or Kris Medlen, who didn't join the Braves rotation until July 31 and then might've been the best pitcher in baseball the rest of the way (9-0, 0.97 ERA, 83.2 IP, 57 H, 10 BB, 84 K in 12 starts), consider these eight breakout candidates. Begin Slideshow

Injuries have continued to plague some of the biggest names in baseball. With David Price the latest Cy Young contender to come up with a sore arm, Bryce Harper bouncing his head off an unprotected section of fencing and Ryan Howard limping again, we can only wonder about the hours that the medical staff is putting in.And while those good men and women work 18-hour days, we're left wondering if anyone else seems to care. I'll pass on stepping back up on my normal soapbox here. You know the next stanza on your own by now. At some point, some team will realize the advantage it can gain.In the meantime, we're left trying to find where the advantages are in our own fantasy world. You'll know if your favorite team is serious about managing injuries, but on a fantasy team, it's a game of minimization and prediction. The simplest way ...

In the fantasy baseball world, it’s difficult to discern if a player will be scorching hot for a week, a month, or a season. For example, owners who picked up Edwin Encarnacion in 2012 reaped the benefits for the whole season. Managers who added speedster Jordan Schafer last year bemoaned his awful for the second half. Of the players who are currently hot pickups, the following will be legitimate contributors to a fantasy roster for the rest of the season. Count on them for production beyond their recent hot streak.   Kelly Johnson, TB 2B/OF (73.8 percent owned, 57.4 percent owned increase) If you need a second baseman and Johnson is still available in your league, make sure you snatch him up before he’s universally owned. Dating all the way back to his time as an Atlanta Brave, the two-position player has been a solid choice at second. As a ...

After just nine days in the show, Nolan Arenado is already becoming a household name in the world of fantasy baseball. In fact, if Arenado is still on the waiver wire in your league, stop reading this and go pick him up this instant. While Arenado is probably the hottest player flying off waivers, there are plenty of others that are worthy of looks right now as well.  3B Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies In just 31 at-bats in the majors, Arenado has 10 hits with three homers and eight RBI. On May 4, he belted a grand slam off of a slider from Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price. Arenado is certainly proving himself as one of the best blue-chippers to come out of the minors early in the season. If he's available in your league, picking him up is a must.  SP Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City RoyalsWith the Rockies last year, Guthrie had a 6.35 ...

Just look at the names in this week's UTK and you'll see the issue. Giancarlo Stanton, Zack Greinke, Troy Tulowitzki, Stephen Strasburg—these are big-time stars, with most making big time money or carrying the hopes of a franchise on their back.Instead of being on the field, these players and more are in the training room or worse. The inability of Major League Baseball to keep even their biggest stars healthy is a true indictment of the last decade. Some can't be helped, but some can, and those opportunities to save money and keep the talent on the field are often being missed.Let's take a look around the league to see what's going on with the biggest names and biggest injuries in another week of Under The Knife:Begin Slideshow

Giancarlo Stanton looks like Superman, but injuries have been his kryptonite. On a hustle play in extra innings Monday night, Stanton racked up another injury. This time it is a hamstring strain that could cost Stanton a month or more, depending on the severity.The Marlins pushed Stanton to the disabled list on Tuesday morning, even before an MRI could be taken. The Marlins medical staff needs to have clear indication that this is a significant strain.Manual testing, as well as Stanton's assertion that he heard a pop, indicate at least a Grade II strain. That type of injury will leave what doctors call a "palpable defect," which means that someone with their hand on Stanton's leg would be able to feel the hole that the tearing has left in the muscle.The injury is to his right leg, which is his "power leg" when hitting and the same one he had ...

Picking busts is about value.Scratch that. It's about lack of value compared to expected return.In other words, just because Maicer Izturis is hitting .162 and having a truly atrocious season, no fantasy owner in their right mind was expecting much, if anything, from him in the first place, so Izturis was ignored in drafts.When we say "bust," we mean a player with a relatively high average draft position (ADP) but whose performance so far hasn't been worth the pick.And because the focus is on results—or lack thereof—injury doesn't count. You won't find, say, Zack Greinke, Aaron Hill or Joel Hanrahan below, simply because a player can't under perform if he isn't, you know, playing.With that clear, it's time for the All-Early Bust Team as we close out the season's first month.We'll point out the biggest bust at each position as well as a few close calls. Plus, since we like to ...

Last week, two of my three “Buy Low” picks, Carlos Gomez (10-for-18, HR, 3B in last week) and Homer Bailey (8 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 10 K in last start), came through while the third, Ike Davis, finally broke out on Friday with a two-homer game. One of my “Sell High” picks, Barry Zito (2.2 IP, 9 ER, 8 H), also made me look pretty smart in my first week of this feature.   Just in case last week wasn’t a fluke, here’s some advice for next week  …   Sell High J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jays  His six homers and 11 runs batted in this month shouldn’t be much of a surprise. He had eight homers and 19 runs batted in last May and also hit six more long balls in July.  The other months when he’s not red-hot, however, are when you need to ...

Fantasy baseball is in full swing this season as Week 3 is upon us.Waiver-wire adds and drops during this time are crucial in building a team that is bound to keep you—and your wallet—happy come September. This is also a time in the fantasy season that feels to me like a sort of limbo. Some perennial stars are experiencing early-season slumps, and young guys are coming out of nowhere and filling in for those slumping studs. These four young studs are going to be broken down bit by bit in this article in order to assess their value now, and their value come crunch time in August and September.Begin Slideshow