Dodgersclub.com | Los Angeles Dodgers News, dodgers Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>Fantasy baseball waivers and the acquisition of fantasy baseball free agents can make or break a season. You may have adjusted your fantasy baseball cheat sheets over and over during spring training. If your team remains the same after Opening Day, though, you'll probably have trouble competing in your rotisserie baseball league.</div><p></p>Do you need to add players to replace your fantasy baseball busts? Which players can you ignore? KFFL.com's <i>Diamond Market </i>series gives you the fantasy baseball tips and advice you need to sort through the masses quickly.<p><h3>KEY</h3><p><b>Acquire</b> - Add player (in most circumstances)<br><b>Watch</b> - Track player; consider adding if trend continues<br><b>Pass</b> - Do not add player (in most circumstances)<p><h3>Third Basemen</h3><p><h4>Pedro Feliz, Philadelphia</h4><p>A seemingly forgotten member of Philadelphia's dangerous offense, Feliz enters the All-Star break riding a nice little hot streak. He has collected at least one hit in 10 of his 13 July contests and is a combined 15-for-46 (.326) with three home runs and six RBI this month. His .270-12-45 line for the season isn't quite enough to resonate in shallow leagues at a position like third base, but he'd make a quality corner infield option in deeper leagues for anyone looking to boost their power categories.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>NL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h3>Shortstops</h3><p><h4>Jed Lowrie, Boston</h4><p>Shortstop <b>Julio Lugo</b> (quadriceps) sustained a torn left quadriceps Friday, July 11, and is expected to be out four to six weeks with the injury. The team recalled Lowrie from Triple-A Pawtucket to take his spot. Lowrie hit .310 with a home run and seven RBI in a previous call-up that spanned 42 at-bats, and he should split time with infielder <b>Alex Cora </b>during Lugo's absence. Cora is a steady veteran, but Lowrie opened some eyes in his first stint with the Red Sox. For now, consider Lowrie merely an AL-only option.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h3>Designated Hitters</h3><p><h4>Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox</h4><p>After a disastrous start, Thome has bounced back to raise his average a full 46 points since May 31 to a modest .253 on the year. More importantly, Thome has hit eight home runs, driven in 23 and scored 26 times in his last 35 games. A guy with his powerful pedigree deserves ownership in all leagues.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h3>Starting Pitchers</h3><p><h4>Sean Gallagher, Oakland</h4><p>Gallagher made general manager Billy Beane look pretty smart during his first start with the A's, as the 22-year-old allowed just two runs on two hits while striking out seven in a seven-inning effort to nab a win against the Los Angeles Angels. Gallagher carries a 27-12 lifetime mark and 2.77 career ERA in the minors, and Oakland has a pretty good track record of finding talented arms to plug into their rotation. Add Gallagher in all deep mixed leagues and put him on your watch list in shallower versions.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Jarrod Washburn, Seattle</h4><p>Lost amid the seemingly endless losing going on in the Pacific Northwest, Washburn has been dealing over his last nine starts. During that time, he has allowed two earned runs or fewer seven times. Seattle's inability to provide run support leaves him with just two victories over that span, but Washburn sports a 3.02 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in his last 56 2/3 innings. He's worth owning in all AL-only formats and those in deeper mixed leagues can consider him if they're desperate for pitching help. However, he's probably better served as a spot starter for advantageous matchups in mixed formats.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Eric Milton, New York Yankees</h4><p>The Yankees inked Milton (elbow) to a minor league deal Friday, July 11, and immediately placed him on the disabled list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery last June. Milton went 14-6 with the Phillies back in 2004, but was a free-agent bust during his three seasons with the Reds, amassing a 16-27 record with a 5.83 ERA. He seems like a long shot to contribute much in 2008, but the fact that he signed with an offensive powerhouse like the Yankees makes him worth keeping an eye on in deeper AL-only leagues.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>AL-only</i>: Watch<p><h3>Relief Pitchers</h3><p><h4>Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers</h4><p>Closer<B> Takashi Saito </b>(elbow) has been experiencing elbow stiffness and is set to undergo an MRI Monday, July 14, to determine the severity of the injury. If Saito requires a trip to the disabled list, manager Joe Torre has indicated Broxton would take over the ninth-inning role. Broxton is already a decent option in all formats because of his high strikeout total (46 in 39 2/3 innings), but his value would spike with save opportunities. He's worth owning on his own merits in NL-only and deep mixed leagues, and he is a worthwhile speculative addition in shallow formats.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>NL-only</i>: Acquire<p></p>

Fantasy baseball waivers and the acquisition of fantasy baseball free agents can make or break a season. You may have adjusted your fantasy baseball cheat sheets over and over during spring training. If your team remains the same after Opening Day, though, you'll probably have trouble competing in your rotisserie baseball league.

Do you need to add players to replace your fantasy baseball busts? Which players can you ignore? KFFL.com's Diamond Market series gives you the fantasy baseball tips and advice you need to sort through the masses quickly.

KEY

Acquire - Add player (in most circumstances)
Watch - Track player; consider adding if trend continues
Pass - Do not add player (in most circumstances)

Third Basemen

Pedro Feliz, Philadelphia

A seemingly forgotten member of Philadelphia's dangerous offense, Feliz enters the All-Star break riding a nice little hot streak. He has collected at least one hit in 10 of his 13 July contests and is a combined 15-for-46 (.326) with three home runs and six RBI this month. His .270-12-45 line for the season isn't quite enough to resonate in shallow leagues at a position like third base, but he'd make a quality corner infield option in deeper leagues for anyone looking to boost their power categories.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Acquire
NL-only: Acquire

Shortstops

Jed Lowrie, Boston

Shortstop Julio Lugo (quadriceps) sustained a torn left quadriceps Friday, July 11, and is expected to be out four to six weeks with the injury. The team recalled Lowrie from Triple-A Pawtucket to take his spot. Lowrie hit .310 with a home run and seven RBI in a previous call-up that spanned 42 at-bats, and he should split time with infielder Alex Cora during Lugo's absence. Cora is a steady veteran, but Lowrie opened some eyes in his first stint with the Red Sox. For now, consider Lowrie merely an AL-only option.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
AL-only: Acquire

Designated Hitters

Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox

After a disastrous start, Thome has bounced back to raise his average a full 46 points since May 31 to a modest .253 on the year. More importantly, Thome has hit eight home runs, driven in 23 and scored 26 times in his last 35 games. A guy with his powerful pedigree deserves ownership in all leagues.

Shallow mixed: Acquire
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Starting Pitchers

Sean Gallagher, Oakland

Gallagher made general manager Billy Beane look pretty smart during his first start with the A's, as the 22-year-old allowed just two runs on two hits while striking out seven in a seven-inning effort to nab a win against the Los Angeles Angels. Gallagher carries a 27-12 lifetime mark and 2.77 career ERA in the minors, and Oakland has a pretty good track record of finding talented arms to plug into their rotation. Add Gallagher in all deep mixed leagues and put him on your watch list in shallower versions.

Shallow mixed: Watch
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Jarrod Washburn, Seattle

Lost amid the seemingly endless losing going on in the Pacific Northwest, Washburn has been dealing over his last nine starts. During that time, he has allowed two earned runs or fewer seven times. Seattle's inability to provide run support leaves him with just two victories over that span, but Washburn sports a 3.02 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in his last 56 2/3 innings. He's worth owning in all AL-only formats and those in deeper mixed leagues can consider him if they're desperate for pitching help. However, he's probably better served as a spot starter for advantageous matchups in mixed formats.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Watch
AL-only: Acquire

Eric Milton, New York Yankees

The Yankees inked Milton (elbow) to a minor league deal Friday, July 11, and immediately placed him on the disabled list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery last June. Milton went 14-6 with the Phillies back in 2004, but was a free-agent bust during his three seasons with the Reds, amassing a 16-27 record with a 5.83 ERA. He seems like a long shot to contribute much in 2008, but the fact that he signed with an offensive powerhouse like the Yankees makes him worth keeping an eye on in deeper AL-only leagues.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
AL-only: Watch

Relief Pitchers

Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer Takashi Saito (elbow) has been experiencing elbow stiffness and is set to undergo an MRI Monday, July 14, to determine the severity of the injury. If Saito requires a trip to the disabled list, manager Joe Torre has indicated Broxton would take over the ninth-inning role. Broxton is already a decent option in all formats because of his high strikeout total (46 in 39 2/3 innings), but his value would spike with save opportunities. He's worth owning on his own merits in NL-only and deep mixed leagues, and he is a worthwhile speculative addition in shallow formats.

Shallow mixed: Acquire
Deep mixed: Acquire
NL-only: Acquire