Note that this is just a small sample of the 80-100 player notes you get each day as a subscriber.
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Chris Carpenter (SP-STL) - Safe to say the window to "buy low" on Carpenter is gone. Even then, if you were a Carpenter owner during his early May struggles, are you really doing to take less than what he's worth instead of relying on his track record? Not I. Carpenter allowed just two runs over nine solid innings Sunday in a no-decision versus the Cubs that went 10 innings (thanks for the walk-off Albert). Carpenter is slowly whittling down a bloated BABIP (.343 prior to Sunday), so the ERA should continue to drop, as his K/9 rate(7.2) is his highest since 2006 and his walks remain in their normal 2.3 BB/9 range. Still a very good bet to have a typically strong year.
Ryan Vogelsong (SP-SF) - It's one of the better stories of the year, as the 33 year-old Vogelsong is making injured ex-Cy Young winner Barry Zito an afterthought. Sunday, Vogelsong was brilliant yet again, allowing just one run in four hits with a 7:1 K:BB over eight innings against the Rockies. The one run came on a Chris Iannetta home run, right after Vogelsong thought he had Iannetta struck out on the previous pitch. After pitching in relief in his first two appearances, Vogelsong has now made eight starts with the following number of earned runs in each: 2, 5, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1. Not bad. That all equates to a 1.68 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Zito is thought to be about two weeks away from a return from a foot injury, but as of today, there's no place for Zito other than the bullpen.
Brandon Wood (SS-PIT) - This isn't rocket science. The Pirates are an up-and-coming young team, but they still have the #1 overall pick in Monday's draft for a reason. That reason: they are still a team with plenty of holes. With Wood's background (ok, DISTANT background) as a top prospect, why not plug him in at shortstop and see what he can do over an extended trial? Wood was 2-for-4 Sunday, a day after hitting his first home run of the season, so maybe the Pirates feel the same way I do. For the year, Wood is still batting an ugly .211/.273/.310, but Ronny Cedeno has zero upside and is not a part of the team's future, so maybe we'll see what Wood can do. I'd grab him in NL-only leagues just in case.
Drew Stubbs (OF-CIN) - Stubbs had been rather quiet lately, but Sunday Stubbs was 2-for-5 with a walk, home run, and stolen base against the Dodgers. It was Stubbs' eighth homer, but first since May 11. The steal was number 17, and Stubbs is now batting .263/.333/.413. With a whopping 78 strikeouts in 60 games and a mediocre resulting 68.4% CT%, Stubbs is probably miscast as a leadoff man, but Dusty Baker probably likes the steals and the fact that he doesn't clog the bases in front of Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. Stubbs is probably always going to be a .250ish hitter due to his long, looping swing, but 20 homers and 40 steals seems likely.
Jason Bourgeois (OF-HOU) - Bourgeois was activated from the DL by the Astros on Saturday and though there is no obvious starting spot available, Bourgeois should be owned in NL-only leagues simply on the basis of his speed. Prior to the oblique injury, Bourgeois was batting .407 with 12 steals in just 54 at-bats, and the team had given him a look at second base just before the injury. With only Jeff Keppinger and Angel Sanchez as "competition" at that position, Bourgeois could quickly earn time there if he can show even average defense. He won't offer much in the way of power, but if you just need him for his legs, then who cares about the lack of pop?
