Cardinals Activate INF Albert Pujols from the 15-day DL.

Pujols will probably be the DH during interleague play, but that is of no concern to you.  He is 100% and that is all that matters.

Nationals Place RHP Shawn Hill on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 25, with a right forearm strain; Reinstate LHP Odalis Perez from the 15-day DL; Transferred 1B Nick Johnson from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL.

Once again Shawn Hill finds himself on the DL.  The good news is that it looks like it is just a little bit of soreness.  He will rest and come back up.  Perez received a little extra rest due to a paperwork snafu.  The move from the 15 to the 60 game DL for Johnson opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for the Nationals.  Johnson is done for the year (again).

Tigers Place C/INF Brandon Inge on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 23, with a pulled oblique; Purchase the contract of C Dane Sardinha from Triple-A Toledo.

Inge is having a poor year for his standards, even if you use him for his catcher eligibility.  Sardinha almost made the team out of spring training.  Dontrelle Willis liked him and wanted him as his personal catcher.  His bat is really lacking -- hitting only .206 in Triple-A.  That is four points better than his numbers last year.  At best, he'll get one or two games a week.

Tigers Acquire RHP Kyle Pearson from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Denny Bautista.

This is a salary dump for the Tigers.  Pearson is 1-1 with a 6.85 ERA splitting between Single and Double-A.  He's only 23 and a fourth-round pick of the Pirates in 2003.  Bautista has been around and was no longer needed once Joel Zumaya came off the DL.  He'll pitch middle relief for the Pirates.

Marlins Recall RHP Eulogio De La Cruz from Triple-A Albuquerque.

And he proceeds to give up five earned runs without making an out...

Dodgers Place RHP Scott Proctor on the 15-day DL with right elbow tendinitis.

The rubber armed Proctor hasn't been the same this year.  Normally a reliable bullpen guy who will give you more strikeouts than innings pitched, Proctor sports a 6.82 ERA.

Diamondbacks Activate OF Eric Byrnes from the 15-day DL and Option OF Alex Romero to Triple-A Tucson.

After a great year last year when he gave you a .286 BA with 21 HR, 57 SB and 103 runs, Byrnes has been a huge disappointment this year.  The hammy problems certainly don't help.  He's looked a little rusty since coming off the DL, so if you can keep him on your bench or on the DL an extra week, I'd recommend you do so until he warms up.

Cubs Recall LHP Sean Marshall from Triple-A Iowa; Activate INF Daryle Ward from the 15-day DL; Place OF Reed Johnson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 18, with lower back spasms; and Option INF Micah Hoffpauir to Triple-A Iowa.

Marshall joins the rotation while Carlos Zambrano is on the DL.  He's first start wasn't great, but the 7 SO in 4.7 IP was nice.  Johnson is expected to miss the minimum.  Hoffpauir was no longer needed as Ward is back, so he'll go to Triple-A to get at-bats.

Tigers Reinstate OF Gary Sheffield from the 15-day DL.

Sheffield has 5 hits in 9 IP since returning from the DL.  He says that he's 100% and the numbers confirm that.  Activate him.

Marlins Reinstate OF Josh Willingham from the DL; Option C Mike Rabelo and RHP Matt Lindstrom to Triple-A Albuquerque; and Recall C Paul Hoover from Triple-A Albuquerque.

Willingham has promised to do the exercises he was given to strengthen his back.  The Marlins are likely to rest him regularly, so don't consider him a full-time player.    It will be more like 90% of the time, so bid accordingly.  Rabelo has neither hit or fielded well lately, so he'll go to Triple-A and try to get back on track.  The same thing goes for Matt Lindstrom who is widely viewed as the closer of the future.  Hoover is a veteran backup catcher who will get a start or two a week.  Matt Treanor becomes a full-time catcher if you are looking for someone to hit about .240 with no power or steals.

Astros Place INF Kazuo Matsui on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring; and Purchase the contract of INF David Newhan from Triple-A Round Rock.

Matsui is expected to return immediately after the All-Star break.  Mark Loretta takes over full-time at second in the meantime.

Royals Claim RHP Robinson Tejeda off waivers from the Texas Rangers.

The Royals see a veteran player sitting in the minors with a 2.18 ERA.  I see someone not good enough to play for the Rangers.

Twins Activate INF Nick Punto from the 15-day DL.

Punto will battle with Brendan Harris for playing time at shortstop.  It is a battle to see who is the evil of two lessers.

Mets Designate RHP Claudio Vargas for assignment and Recall RHP Carlos Muniz from Triple-A New Orleans.

The Mets would like Vargas to clear waivers and report to Triple-A.  He lost his position in the rotation and had little value as it was in middle-relief.

Reds Reinstate INF Jeff Keppinger from the 15-day disabled list.

Keppinger is playing with a brace on his knee as he is not quite 100%, but the Reds have no other options.  He's the starting shortstop.

Brewers Option OF Hernan Iribarren to Triple-A Nashville and Activate 2B Rickie Weeks from the 15-day DL.

Will Weeks ever hit like the stud he was supposed to be?  You've got me.  How about that for analysis?  He does seem healthy now and his defense has improved.  He was hot last year when he came off the DL, so he is worth a flier.

Red Sox Activate RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka from the 15-day disabled list; and Place RHP Mike Timlin on the 15-day DL with left knee tendinitis.

Dice-K's first start (1 IP, 7 ER) is a classic example of why you shouldn't activate a pitcher right away if you can.  He did not report of any issues after that mess and he's expected to make his next start without issue, so why don't you keep him on the DL until he shows that he's ready. 

Cubs Place RHP Carlos Zambrano on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 19, with a minor strain in his right shoulder.

He has already started playing catch, so he is likely to miss only the minimum.

Rangers Place C Gerald Laird on the 15-day DL with a strained right hamstring; and Recall C Max Ramirez from Double-A Frisco.

Laird's strain was classified as severe and he's expected to miss four-to-six weeks.  In the meantime, Jarrod Saltalamacchia (I hate tying his name) will take over as the full-time catcher.  Ramirez is an interesting prospect.  The 23 year-old is hitting .363 with 17 HR in 237 Double-A at-bats.  The question is how much playing time will he get?  If he gets real playing time, he is certainly an interesting prospect especially in deeper keeper leagues.

Rockies Activate INF Troy Tulowitzki from 15-day DL.

Tool Time continues to suffer from one of the worst sophomore slumps in the history of the game.  He is pushing himself to hard.  Baseball is a game where you have to relax.  From a keeper perspective, obviously, you keep him.  I'd bench him in regular play keeping in mind the monstrous second half he had last year.  Yes, I know you spent over $20 to get him, but your backup is hitting better than he is right now.

Tigers Activate RHP Joel Zumaya from the 15-day DL.

Zumaya is a bit rusty, but the velocity is there.  I think he'll be the closer before the season is done.

Dodgers Place Hiroki Kuroda on the 15-day DL with right shoulder soreness and Recall RHP Ramon Troncoso from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Kuroda is expected to miss just the minimum despite some setbacks.  Troncoso is just a middle reliever and not worth your time.

Pirates Recall OF Nyjer Morgan from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Purely a stolen bases play, excecp he's just the #4 outfielder, so playing time is limited.

Tout Wars Update

I've had another good week in a row.  It started Week 10 when I came in 7th for the period.  I have been 5th, 2nd and 1st that past three weeks.  As I was so far behind from my April and May, it doesn't mean much in the standings, but I've made great headway.

I continue to receive trade offers as teams ask for some of my best players (Corey Hart, Mark Teixeira and Dan Haren), but I refuse to be a kingmaker.  I tell them that I won't do two or three to one trades from players off their bench.  I supose it doesn't hurt for them to try.  As I've been doing better the past couple of months, there is still time for me to catch up.  I'm not out of it yet.