Welcome back to our exclusive weekly player hot and cold feature. I recommend you use the information in this column like I do to identify players who might be worth picking up this week, as well as ones to consider benching or moving, perhaps.

Consider this the ultimate in short-term gratification. We’re not looking at histories of contact rates or command or anything other than what has occurred over the last week in the ten standard fantasy scoring categories, whether good or bad.

I will be calling out names that may have eluded your notice that either could still be available on your waiver wire in a mixed league or perhaps stashed on someone’s bench in an AL or NL-only league. I will pick anyone who is on ice, as that information can help guide your line-up selection choices.

Fire

Catcher
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Tex
.333 BA, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Though sharing the catching responsibility with Gerald Laird, hitting grand slams as Salty did on Friday against Cleveland will get attention. Don’t go crazy though, as he is still batting just .229 on the season and hasn’t been given full-time at-bats.

First Base
Chris Shelton, Tex
.357 BA, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
The former Detroit Tiger is likely in line to become a victim of the 25-man numbers game. With former third baseman Hank Blalock being tried at first base to cut down on injury, Shelton looks to soon be out of work. What have you done for me lately, Chris?

Second Base
Alexi Casilla, Min
.316 BA, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 5 R
No, he didn’t do much of anything at all when called upon previously. Yet with every other breathing middle infielder on the Twins roster on the disabled list, Casilla is going to get the at-bats in the #2 spot in the Minnesota lineup. He went for $25 FAAB in AL Tout Wars on Friday.

Shortstop
Aaron Miles, StL
.529 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Only in an NL league would Miles warrant consideration. Yet, with 2007 disappointment Adam Kennedy falling back into his ineffective ways, Tony La Russa is basically splitting the time at second base between them and Miles has quietly produced a decent batting average and a few runs scored.

Third Base
Jose Castillo, SF
.300 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 5 R
The former Marlin has swung a consistently sweet stick this month with a .322 average and ten RBI. May, 2006 was the last time he batted over .300 in any month, so don’t expect it to continue, though.

Outfield
Ben Francisco, Cle
.391 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 3 R
The former top prospect has not only been given ten starts in a row, but has been inserted in the important cleanup spot. Grab him now if he is still available in your league. Trust me on this one.

Ryan Sweeney, Oak
.333 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
The former Chicago White Sox outfielder has been a quiet contributor for the A’s all season long in his first extended opportunity to start as a major leaguer.

Marlon Byrd, Tex
.368 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Though several veterans have been sent packing by the Rangers this season, Byrd has not been among them. Don’t assume it still can’t happen though, as overall, he is batting just .216 in 51 at-bats this season.

Starters
Brian Burres, Bal
1 W, 14.1 IP, 1.88 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 8 K
The lefty has yielded more than three runs in just two of his nine starts to date this season. Burres has just four wins despite a 3.16 ERA. Such is life pitching for Baltimore.

Brandon Backe, Hou
2 W, 13.2 IP, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 11 K
Many wrote Backe off after he missed major parts of both 2006 and 2007 due to injury and surgery. Even when the above is included, Backe’s WHIP this season is 1.51 due to a high walk rate, so be careful here.

Shawn Estes, SD
0 W, 12.1 IP, 2.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 7 K
Listen, I find it hard to believe, too. Estes hadn’t appeared in the majors for over two years due to questionable effectiveness and Tommy John surgery, yet the lefty is back at the ripe old age of 35 and doing well – in a small sample size, at least.

Reliever
Chris Perez, StL
0 SV, 0 BS, 1-0 W-L, 2.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.37 WHIP, 1 K
Though he has yet to collect his first major league save, the Cardinals “closer of the future” has arrived on the scene. In his first four outings, Perez has yet to allow a hit. If that continues, Ryan Franklin’s interim closer job could slip away.

Ice

Catcher
Kenji Johjima, Sea
.067 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
After having shown some recent signs of life, the Mariners’ re-signed backstop is back to his non-hitting ways. The latest news is this manager John McLaren is going to give back-up Jamie Burke the start behind the plate each time Eric Bedard takes the mound. It could get worse as Johjima is batting just .217 on the season.

First Base
Travis Hafner, Cle
.133 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Hafner is struggling mightily, still batting only .219 in 2008. His power production is trending downward too, with just one home run and six RBI in May. The Tribe continue to call up promising youngsters such as Ben Francisco and Michael Aubrey to take at-bats away from the veterans. Yet, one has to expect Hafner will right his ship.

Second Base
Felipe Lopez, Was
.192 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Washington’s second sacker is batting a very quiet .247 this month and has not contributed a single stolen base. The fact Lopez has shortstop and outfield eligibility in many leagues is of no value when he is not contributing.

Shortstop
Hanley Ramirez, Fla
.118 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
The good news? Six years, $70 million. The bad news? A pedestrian .254 average with just one home run and five RBI this month coming off a .333/8/18 April. He’ll be back.

Third Base
Edwin Encarnacion, Cin
.188 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Slowed by the flu, Encarnacion struggled this past week. On the season, he’s delivered decent power and 24 runs scored, but his .247 batting average is a hindrance. It’s 25 points below his career mark, so expect improvement.

Outfield
Nick Markakis, Bal
.208 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Markakis has been whiffing at an alarming, unprecedented (for him) rate – 47 times in his first 170 at-bats. He’s batting just .211 in May and until he gets rolling again, consider reserving him.

Manny Ramirez, Bos
.115 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
With an anemic .195/.303/.312 line in May, right now with the bat, Manny is being Manny – Delcarmen, that is. Stuck on eight May RBI is virtually unprecedented, as Manny hasn’t had fewer than 12 runs batted in during any month since at least 2002 and perhaps longer.

Raul Ibanez, Sea
.111 BA, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
Consider it a small bump in the road as Ibanez still leads the M’s in RBI this season with 31 and has been relatively consistent this season.

Starters
Eric Bedard, Sea
1 W, 12.1 IP, 8.03 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 4 K
It took awhile, but it seems the losing environment in Seattle is finally getting to the former Orioles ace. After being spanked by the Rangers and Yankees in two of his last three starts, Bedard’s 2008 ERA has swelled to 4.70.

Roy Oswalt, Hou
0 W, 12 IP, 8.25 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 5 K
Those of us who ignored the warning signs of declining stats each year since 2004 have been burned by the Astros’ ace this season. After a short period of improvement, Oswalt suffered a hip injury and regressed.

Brian Bannister, KC
0 W, 11.2 IP, 10.03 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 9 K
The former Mets hurler’s ERA on the season is pushing five, over a full run higher than last season. That very well may be what to expect from the soft-tosser.

Reliever
Brian Wilson, SF
2 SV, 0 BS, 0-0, 2.2 IP, 20.27 ERA, 3.37 WHIP, 4 K
I will not make a cheesy Beach Boys reference. I will not make a cheesy Beach Boys reference. Surf’s down! There, I did it. In reality, Wilson has just one loss and two blown saves on the season, so don’t panic.

Brian Walton’s work can also be found daily at stlcardinals.scout.com.