Week 5 Fantasy Hitting Planner

The Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every weekend, we provide you with favorable and unfavorable matchups as well as lineup changes for each team.

Weather planner: Taking into account all games with at least a 50 percent chance of precipitation according to Weather.com, the following games could potentially get rained out: Houston at Washington (70 percent chance) on Monday, Milwaukee at Pittsburgh (60 percent) on Monday and Boston at N.Y. Yankees (60 percent) on Tuesday. This week's news and notes for each team:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: @LAD2, @SD2, WAS3
Heating Up: Justin Upton, who was hitting so poorly early this season that he looked like he might have to go to the minor leagues, has begun living up to his potential, batting .387 (12-for-31) with three home runs during a nine-game hitting streak.
Cooling Off: Eric Byrnes has played more often lately, but he's batting .056 (1-for-18) over his last six games. Leave him for NL-only leagues. Chris B. Young and Conor Jackson still haven't done anything useful, batting .188 and .213 respectively.
Injury Concerns: Stephen Drew, on the DL with a strained hamstring, has a chance of returning this weekend. He won't give you enough production in one day to justify activating him, though.
Platoon Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face three left-handed pitchers this week. Chad A. Tracy will likely sit for those games, with either Eric Byrnes or Tony Clark starting in his place.
Lineup Changes: The Diamondbacks recently dropped the slumping Jackson to sixth in the lineup, batting Tracy, Mark Reynolds and Upton third, fourth and fifth. You never like to see one of your Fantasy players drop in the order, but if the change helps Jackson snap out of his funk, it's obviously for the best.

Atlanta Braves
Schedule: NYM2, @FLA2, @PHI3
Heating Up: Yunel Escobar isn't exactly in contention for NL Player of the Week, but he's hitting .333 (9-for-27) with a home run over his last seven games.
Cooling Off: Kelly Johnson and Jordan Schafer were both hitting under .200 this past week, but the Braves flipped them in the batting order Saturday and both responded with two hits.
Injury Concerns: McCann has ditched contact lenses as he tries to correct a vision problem that forced him to the DL and will attempt to return wearing glasses. He won't be eligible to return until the weekend, though, and he could very well decide the glasses don't work either. You should probably keep him reserved for one more week. Same goes for his replacement, David Ross.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face three left-handed pitchers this week, which means Johnson might lose two or three starts to red-hot Omar Infante. Also, Brandon Jones has begun stealing at-bats from Matt Diaz against right-handed pitchers, making Diaz not worth using except in deeper NL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: For the first time this season, the Braves let Schafer hit leadoff Saturday, dropping Johnson to seventh. Since the switch yielded two hits for each player, the Braves will probably stick with it for now. It only hurts Johnson's already declining Fantasy value, though.

Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: @TB2, MIN2, NYY3
Heating Up: You've probably gotten used to Adam Jones' hot hitting by now, but he has taken it to a whole new level lately, batting .405 (17-for-42) with three home runs and three stolen bases during a nine-game hitting streak. Start him.
Cooling Off: Luke Scott is batting .182 (4-for-22) over his last seven games, though facing three left-handed pitchers over that span might have had something to do with it. He remains just a matchups type in Fantasy.
Injury Concerns: Ryan P. Freel might return from a head injury this week, but he doesn't get full-time at-bats and doesn't matter outside of AL-only Rotisserie leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face two left-handed pitchers this week, so Ty Wigginton might not play more than those two games. Leave him for AL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: The Orioles have grown tired Felix Pie's poor hitting and will likely sit him in the immediate future for Lou Montanez, who will platoon with Wigginton. Prospect Nolan Reimold could eventually take over, though, if he continues to tear up Triple-A. Give him a look now in AL-only leagues, and the same goes for Montanez in deeper formats.

Boston Red Sox
Schedule: @NYY2, CLE2, TB3
Heating Up: Mike Lowell has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, batting .373 (25-for-67) during that stretch. He's normally a first-half player, so now is the time to use him.
Cooling Off: Kevin Youkilis is still batting over .400 on the season, but he has only four hits in his last five games, batting .250 (4-for-16). Jason Bay is only 1-for-12 over his last four games.
Injury Concerns: Bay left Saturday's game with a left ankle bruise. He likely won't miss more than Sunday's game -- if even that -- so keep him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face two left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any clear platoon players. Jeff Bailey might start in place of J.D. Drew against Scott Kazmir on Saturday.
Lineup Changes: Julio Lugo has come off the DL and returned to the lineup after missing the beginning of the season while recovering from knee surgery. The Red Sox have alternated him and Nick Green, though, making neither player a viable Fantasy option.

Chicago Cubs
Schedule: SF2, @HOU2, @MIL3
Heating Up: Mike Fontenot, who has played mostly third base with Aramis Ramirez sidelined by a calf injury, has three home runs over his last six games. He's batting .300 (6-for-20) during that stretch.
Cooling Off: Has Kosuke Fukudome finally run out of steam? He has only one hit in his last 11 at-bats.
Injury Concerns: After some deliberation, the Cubs have decided Ramirez won't have to go on the DL, indicating he'll likely return soon. You should probably get him active in all but the shallowest of leagues. Manager Lou Piniella told the Chicago Tribune that Ramirez will be ready to play "way, way before" May 10, which would have been the soonest he could return if he went on the DL.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face two left-handers this week, meaning Fukudome will likely make only five starts. If you want to pull him for a hotter player, feel free.
Lineup Changes: Ryan Theriot has homered in back-to-back games while batting second, but he'll probably drop back to the lower third of the lineup once Ramirez returns.

Chicago White Sox
Schedule: @KC2, DET2, TEX3
Heating Up: A.J. Pierzynski homered for the second time in three games Saturday and is batting .500 (6-for-12) during that stretch. He's due for a hot streak and is a low-end No. 1 Fantasy catcher when playing at his best.
Cooing Off: After a brief hot stretch, Alexei Ramirez has cooled off again, batting .200 (3-for-15) over his last five games. You don't have much choice but to stick with him, though.
Injury Concerns: Jermaine Dye had to leave Saturday's game after getting hit on the right hand -- an injury the Chicago Tribune called a "bruise." He seemed in obvious pain, though, so you'll want to check for an update Sunday before deciding whether or not to start him. He's an obvious must-start when healthy.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox face one left-handed pitcher this week. Jim Thome and Chris Getz will likely sit for that game, with Wilson Betemit and Brent Lillibridge starting instead.
Lineup Changes: Brian N. Anderson had to go on the DL this week because of a strained oblique. With Dewayne Wise already on the DL, the White Sox have had to turn to Scott Podsednik as their starting center fielder, batting him ninth. He can still steal a few bases, but you shouldn't expect much of anything else from him.

Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: @FLA2, MIL2, STL3
Heating Up: Brandon Phillips still isn't quite playing up to his capabilities, but he's making some progress, batting .273 (6-for-22) with two home runs over his last six games.
Cooling Off: After a recent hot streak, emerging superstar Jay Bruce has gone cold again, batting .150 (3-for-20) over his last five games. His upside makes him hard to sit, though.
Injury Concerns: Edwin Encarnacion went on the DL this week with a chipped bone in his left wrist. Adam Rosales has started in his absence. He has some pop, but not enough to matter outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Reds will face only one left-handed pitcher in their seven games this week, so Chris Dickerson will likely play most often of the team's left fielders. Laynce Nix has started to cut into his at-bats, though, making both players useless outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: None

Cleveland Indians
Schedule: @TOR2, @BOS2, DET3
Heating Up: Asdrubal Cabrera has emerged as a viable mixed-league option, batting .387 (12-for-31) over his last eight games. Victor Martinez has an 11-game hitting streak during which he's batting .439 (18-for-41)
Cooling Off: Jhonny Peralta finally hit his first home run of the season Friday, but he's still batting just .091 (4-for-44) over his last 11 games.
Injury Concerns: Travis Hafner had to go on the DL with a recurrence of the shoulder soreness that ruined him last year. The Indians have no timetable for his return, and considering the surgery and an offseason of rest didn't eliminate the problem, you have to wonder if he'll make a Fantasy impact again this season. To counteract the loss, the Indians called up prospect Matt LaPorta, who has enough upside to make an impact in mixed leagues right away.
Platoon Possibilities: The Indians face two left-handed pitchers at the beginning of this week, meaning LaPorta should get into the lineup right away. David Dellucci will surely sit those two games but has a chance to start the other five, splitting at-bats in left field and at DH with LaPorta and Ben Francisco.
Lineup Changes: Shin-Soo Choo has taken over as the cleanup hitter with Hafner sidelined, followed by Mark DeRosa and Jhonny Peralta. Choo shouldn't have any trouble scoring or driving in runs.

Colorado Rockies
Schedule: @SD2, SF2, FLA3
Heating Up: Ryan Spilborghs hit two home runs and stole two bases Saturday and is now batting .375 (9-for-24) over his last six games, renewing his appeal in mixed leagues. Same goes for Todd Helton, who's batting .500 (10-for-20) over his last five games, collecting two hits in each game. Chris Iannetta homered in each of his last two games and is batting .400 (4-for-10) over his last three. He's a must-start, but he still loses a few too many at-bats to Yorvit Torrealba.
Cooling Off: Ian Stewart now qualifies at second base as well as at third base and in the outfield, but he's batting .091 (2-for-22) over his last nine games. Reserve him for now, but you don't want to cut him.
Injury Concerns: Jeff Baker had to go on the DL with a sprained left wrist Wednesday. He has above-average power for a player who qualifies at second base, but he wasn't playing often enough to matter in Fantasy.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rockies face only one left-handed pitcher this week, so they don't have any incentive to sit Stewart other than his cold streak.
Lineup Changes: None

Detroit Tigers
Schedule: MIN2, @CHW2, @CLE3
Heating Up: Curtis Granderson homered for the second time in three games Saturday and is 5-for-12 over that stretch, snapping out of a cold spell.
Cooling Off: Magglio Ordonez has only four hits in his last 34 at-bats, lowering his batting average from .321 to .241. You obviously wouldn't sit him, though.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers face three left-handed pitchers this week, so Josh Anderson might have to sit for those games in favor of Ryan Raburn. Anderson's lack of pop already makes him not worth using outside of deeper Rotisserie leagues.
Lineup Changes: None

Florida Marlins
Schedule: CIN2, ATL2, @COL3
Heating Up: Jorge Cantu, who kept bouncing in and out of the lineup because of a wrist injury, returned for good this week and has already made up for lost time. He's hitting .367 (11-for-30) with five home runs over his last eight games.
Cooling Off: Jeremy Hermida has only two hits over his last eight games, batting .080 (2-for-25) during that stretch. But he's still walking plenty and has favorable matchups this week. As backward as it sounds, you might want to get him active.
Injury Concerns: Hanley Ramirez returned to the lineup Saturday after missing four games with a hand injury. He went 0-for-4 and said he still feels a pinch when he swings, but you have to start him in Fantasy.
Platoon Possibilities: The Marlins face only one left-handed pitcher this week, so John Baker should play plenty and maybe even have a rebound week.
Lineup Changes: None

Houston Astros
Schedule: @WAS2, CHC2, SD3
Heating Up: Michael Bourn is batting .314 (11-for-35) over his last nine games and has actually walked enough to have a respectable on-base percentage. The potential 40-steal man has renewed appeal in Rotisserie leagues.
Cooling Off: Lance Berkman still can't hit anything but homers and has actually gotten worse over the last nine games, batting .091 (3-for-33). He'll come around eventually, though, so you don't want to risk realizing your losses by benching him.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face two left-handed pitchers this week, which only affects Geoff Blum and Jeff Keppinger -- two NL-only players. Blum has the better half of that platoon.
Lineup Changes: None

Kansas City Royals
Schedule: CHW2, SEA2, @LAA3
Heating Up: In a week when the Royals faced four left-handed pitchers, Billy Butler came alive, batting .389 (7-for-18) with two home runs over his last four games. A couple of utility players, Alberto Callaspo and Willie Bloomquist, have excelled with regular at-bats. Callaspo is batting .400 (12-for-30) over his last eight games, and Bloomquist is batting .500 (7-for-14) over his last four.
Cooling Off: Mike Jacobs, who hit four quick home runs with his new team, has hit safely in only one of his last eight games. He's batting .071 (2-for-28) during that stretch.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Royals face only two left-handed pitchers this week, though they've messed with their lineup so much recently that nobody stands out as a clear platoon player. Bloomquist, who steals occasional at-bats from everybody, might steal some from David DeJesus or Jacobs in those games.
Lineup Changes: Too many to count. Just know that the presence of Bloomquist has made DeJesus and Jacobs risky options in mixed leagues.

L.A. Angels
Schedule: @OAK2, TOR2, KC3
Heating Up: Howie Kendrick, a former minor-league batting champion, has recovered from a slow start to hit .361 (13-for-36) over his last nine games. He also has two home runs during that stretch, putting him on pace for 22 on the season. Time to bank on his potential again. The always-streaky Mike Napoli is batting .435 (10-for-23) over his last seven games with two home runs and two stolen bases.
Cooling Off: Chone Figgins' cold streak continues. He's batting .185 (5-for-27) over his last seven games. Don't bother with the base stealer outside of Rotisserie leagues.
Injury Concerns: Bobby Abreu, who left Friday's game with tightness in his lower back, got a day off Saturday, but manager Mike Scioscia said he was available. He's batting .356 with 11 stolen bases, so you want him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face two left-handers this week, but none of their players figures to sit against them.
Lineup Changes: Scioscia has rotated Gary Matthews into the lineup with Vladimir Guerrero on the DL, mostly subbing him for Juan L. Rivera, Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar. Since none of these players gets consistent at-bats, you should ignore them all outside of AL-only leagues.

L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: ARI2, WAS2, SF3
Heating Up: Rafael Furcal is beginning to show some consistency after missing most of last season with a back injury. He has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games and is batting .333 (6-for-18) over his last four. If you own him, though, you're still waiting for the big payoff.
Cooling Off: After a ridiculous start, Matt Kemp is teetering on the edge of free fall, batting .171 (6-for-35) over his last 10 games. You have to expect some streakiness from the 24-year-old, but his combination of power and speed makes him too valuable to sit.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers face three left-handers this week, but they don't have any platoon players.
Lineup Changes: None

Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: @PIT2, @CIN2, CHC3
Heating Up: Rickie Weeks looks like he might actually be making progress, batting .302 (13-for-43) with three home runs over his last 10 games. Bill Hall is batting .379 (11-for-29) with two home runs during an eight-game hitting streak. He strikes out too much to sustain that pace, but he can suffice if you need a third baseman in the short term.
Cooling Off: Another week, another bunch of nothing for J.J. Hardy. He's now batting .053 (1-for-19) over his last six games. As soon as you bench him, though, you know he'll have a four-homer week.
Injury Concerns: Ryan J. Braun sat out Saturday after his back tightened up on him Friday. If he doesn't return Sunday, you have to wonder about his availability for the first half of Fantasy Week 5 (May 4-10), but this injury sounds like just a day-to-day matter.
Platoon Possibilities: The Brewers face two left-handed pitchers this week, but none of their players figures to sit against them.
Lineup Changes: None

Minnesota Twins
Schedule: @DET2, @BAL2, SEA3
Heating Up: Joe Mauer has played only two games this season after beginning the year on the DL with back soreness, but he's certainly made the most of them. He homered in his first at-bat Friday and went 4-for-6 Saturday. You should obviously get him active.
Cooling Off: Jason Kubel, who was recently on a tear, hitting for the cycle in one game and two homers in another, is batting .143 (3-for-21) over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Kubel didn't start Saturday because of an illness. He managed to pinch hit, though, so he has a good chance of returning Sunday. If he doesn't, you might just opt to bench him given his recent struggles.
Platoon Possibilities: The Twins face two left-handed pitchers this week, but because Kubel has pretty much become a full-time starter, nobody figures to lose at-bats against the them.
Lineup Changes: Delmon Young has distanced himself from Carlos Gomez in the battle for the third outfield spot, batting .421 (8-for-19) over his last six games. The two will continue to split at-bats, though. The Twins have reverted back to Alexi Casilla over Brendan Harris at second base, but you don't have much reason to care with Casilla hitting .160.

N.Y. Mets
Schedule: @ATL2, PHI2, PIT3
Heating Up: Carlos Beltran has a 14-game hitting streak during which he's batting .426 (23-for-54). Fernando Tatis, in the lineup because of injuries, is batting .400 (10-for-25) over his last seven games.
Cooling Off: Jose B. Reyes hasn't played up to his capabilities all season, but especially lately. He's batting .048 (1-for-21) over his last five games, but he remains too valuable to sit.
Injury Concerns: Carlos Delgado has missed much of the week with a hip injury that might bother him all season long. The Mets don't see the point of putting him on the disabled list, but if he doesn't return to the lineup Sunday, you should probably keep him reserved in mixed leagues. He wasn't hitting well anyway. Tatis has gotten increased at-bats in his absence. Brian Schneider (back, calf) will likely come off the DL early this week, but he doesn't matter outside of NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mets face two left-handers this week, so Daniel Murphy and Ryan Church should at least get five starts each. Tatis' hot streak pretty much assures they won't get any more, though.
Lineup Changes: None

N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: BOS2, TB2, @BAL3
Heating Up: Just as quickly as he cooled off, Nick Swisher heated back up, going 5-for-10 with three home runs over his last four games. He looks like a must-start, especially with the Yankees playing four games at home this week. Hideki Matsui has put his knee problems behind him, batting .370 (17-for-46) during a 12-game hitting streak to reemerge as a viable Fantasy option.
Cooling Off: Mark Teixeira is off to his usual slow start, batting .074 (2-for-27) over his last eight games. You can't bench a stud like him, though.
Injury Concerns: Alex Rodriguez played the field Saturday for the first time in his minor-league rehabilitation assignment. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he would like to see Rodriguez play two days in a row before the team activates him. Rodriguez thinks he can return over the weekend, but the Yankees might play it safe and wait until the following Monday. If you play in a deep AL-only league and don't really have an alternative for A-Rod, you might as well activate him. In all other leagues, wait another week. Swisher, who got hit by a pitch on his right elbow Friday, didn't play Saturday, but the Yankees think he can return Sunday. After the kind of week he just had, you'll want him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Yankees face only one left-hander in their seven games this week, but nobody figures to lose at-bats against him now that Melky Cabrera has displaced Brett Gardner as the starting center fielder.
Lineup Changes: Cabrera's hot streak has made him an everyday player for now. He's batting .370 (10-for-27) over his last seven games and has enough upside to deserve a look in mixed leagues. Just don't expect big power numbers.

Oakland Athletics
Schedule: LAA2, TEX2, TOR3
Heating Up: Matt Holliday has finally heated up, batting .300 (6-for-20) with two home runs over his last five games. He remains a must-start. Kurt Suzuki went 0-for-4 Saturday, snapping an eight-game hitting streak. He hit .500 (14-for-28) during the streak, though, emerging as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy C.
Cooling Off: Jack Cust is on the wrong side of streaky right now, batting .167 (3-for-18) over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Mark Ellis had to go on the DL with a calf injury, joining Eric Chavez (elbow) and Nomar Garciaparra (calf) in depleting the Athletics' infield depth. Bobby Crosby will likely start in Chavez's absence, making him viable again in AL-only leagues. Ellis' replacement is unclear at this point, with Eric Patterson and Gregorio Petit both candidates for at-bats. Petit is likely the frontrunner after getting three hits Saturday.
Platoon Possibilities: The Athletics face two left-handed pitchers this week -- both at the end of the week. Rajai Davis is the leading candidate to start those games, with Travis Buck starting the other four. Ignore both players outside of deeper AL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: Aside from the replacements for the injured infielders, the A's batting order remains more or less intact.

Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: @STL2, @NYM2, ATL3
Heating Up: Pick a player. Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard and Pedro Feliz are all batting well over .300 over the last week. Even Jimmy Rollins has come around, batting .318 (7-for-22) over his last five games.
Cooling Off: Jayson Werth, who has only two home runs and two stolen bases after going 20-20 last year, is batting .111 (2-for-18) over his last five games.
Injury Concerns: The Phillies activated Carlos Ruiz (oblique) from the DL on Saturday, but he doesn't hit well enough to matter in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Phillies face two left-handers this week, but nobody stands to lose at-bats against them.
Lineup Changes: Chase Utley got a day off Saturday, causing the Phillies to move Jimmy Rollins to the middle of the order and bat Shane Victorino leadoff. Consider it just a one-time maneuver.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: MIL2, @STL2, @NYM3
Heating Up: Adam LaRoche, normally a second-half player, is having perhaps the best start of his career. He's batting .333 (7-for-21) with two home runs over his last six games, but his inconsistency makes him just a low-end option in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Andy LaRoche has cooled off after an 11-game hitting streak, going 1-for-12 over his last four games.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Pirates face just one left-handed pitcher this week, so Craig Monroe will get at least one start. Really, though, he, Brandon Moss and Eric Hinske all get time in left field against right-handers, making all of them useless outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Lineup Changes: None

San Diego Padres
Schedule: COL2, ARI2, @HOU3
Heating Up: Adrian Gonzalez is the only Padres hitter close to hot, and even he has slowed down a bit. He's batting .333 (5-for-15) with two home runs over his last four games.
Cooling Off: Other than Brian Giles, Kevin Kouzmanoff has probably disappointed the most among Padres hitters. He's batting .111 (3-for-27) over his last seven games and doesn't deserve to start in any mixed leagues right now.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face only two left-handed pitchers this week, meaning lefty killer Scott Hairston should probably stay reserved even in NL-only leagues. Giles will likely sit those two games, though Jody Gerut or Chase Headley could also.
Lineup Changes: The Padres recently tried Giles in the leadoff spot to see if they could get him going, dropping Gerut to third. They've played nothing but left-handers since, giving no indication whether the experiment will continue. Neither Gerut nor Giles matters in mixed leagues, though.

San Francisco Giants
Schedule: @CHC2, @COL2, @LAD3
Heating Up: Pablo Sandoval didn't need long to get his batting average over .300, where it will likely stay for the majority of the season. He's batting .500 (11-for-22) with two home runs during a six-game hitting streak. Get him active.
Cooling Off: Bengie Molina is batting .176 (3-for-17) over his last five games. You shouldn't consider benching him, though.
Injury Concerns: Randy Winn left Saturday's game with a cramp in his side -- an injury that doesn't sound serious. Unless something changes, use him as you normally would in Fantasy. He has low-end appeal in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Giants face two left-handers this week, so Rich Aurilia will start for Travis Ishikawa those two games. Neither player has any mixed-league appeal right now.
Lineup Changes: Winn has gone back to hitting leadoff, with Sandoval hitting third and Fred Lewis hitting sixth. These moves help everyone but Lewis, who has the least Fantasy value anyway.

Seattle Mariners
Schedule: TEX2, @KC2, @MIN3
Heating Up: If Russell Branyan plans on slowing down, he's showing no signs of it yet. He's batting .344 with six home runs on the season and .500 (8-for-16) with two home runs over his last four games.
Cooling Off: Endy Chavez, a career reserve finally getting a chance to play every day for the Mariners, has come back down to earth a bit, batting .143 (3-for-21) over his last six games without a stolen base. He can make an impact in Rotisserie leagues because of his steals, but he should probably go unowned in Head-to-Head mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Ronny Cedeno remains day to day with a hamstring injury, but he's just a part-time player anyway.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mariners face only one left-hander this week, but they don't have any players in a strict platoon anyway. You probably shouldn't expect many at-bats for Wladimir Balentien.
Lineup Changes: Kenji Johjima came off the disabled list Friday and started right away, but he then sat for Rob Johnson on Sunday. Both of these players are just low-end options in AL-only leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: PHI2, PIT2, @CIN3
Heating Up: Albert Pujols is 7-for-12 with two home runs over his last three games, but he pretty much always plays that way.
Cooling Off: Ryan Ludwick is no stranger to streakiness, but after a hot start, he's batting .087 (2-for-23) over his last seven games. His power makes him too valuable to sit, though.
Injury Concerns: Khalil Greene has missed four games with a strained forearm, but he did pinch hit Saturday. Considering he's hitting only .215, you shouldn't bother with him right now in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cardinals face two left-handed pitchers this week, so you shouldn't expect more than five starts for Skip Schumaker.
Lineup Changes: None

Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: BAL2, @NYY2, @BOS3
Heating Up: Carlos Pena homered both Friday and Saturday to give him a league-leading 11. He's batting .323 (10-for-31) with five home runs over his last eight games. The always streaky Pat Burrell is showing early signs of a hot streak, batting .353 (6-for-17) over his last three games.
Cooling Off: B.J. Upton went hitless Saturday and is still batting just .174. He missed most of spring training, so this slump isn't a total shock. If you have viable alternatives on your bench, you should consider sitting him for now in shallower mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays face three left-handed pitchers this week, so Gabe Kapler will probably start all three of those games. Gabe Gross will likely start the other four, though Ben Zobrist could steal a start or two.
Lineup Changes: None

Texas Rangers
Schedule: @SEA2, @OAK2, @CHW3
Heating Up: Hank Blalock is batting .345 (10-for-29) with four home runs over his last seven games, making a statement after missing much of the last two years with injuries. The Rangers play all seven games on the road, though, making him hard to recommend in mixed leagues. (Just check out his career splits.)
Cooling Off: Nelson R. Cruz, who made a big splash with his power numbers early, has fallen into his first slump of the season. He's batting .174 (4-for-23) over his last seven games and is a candidate to bench in mixed leagues, especially since the Rangers play all seven games on the road.
Injury Concerns: Jarrod Saltalamacchia returned to the lineup Saturday after missing one game with a vision problem. He's hitting well enough to start in all Fantasy leagues. Josh Hamilton had to go on the DL earlier this week with a strained rib cage muscle. The Rangers have platooned David Murphy and Andruw Jones in his absence, but Jones has hit better so far this season and will likely end up with more at-bats than Murphy.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face three left-handed pitchers this week, but Blalock might just get to start against them thanks to the injury to Hamilton. Jones will start at least those three games, filling in for either Blalock or Murphy.
Lineup Changes: None

Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: CLE2, @LAA2, @OAK3
Heating Up: Nobody can stop Aaron Hill. He has four multi-hit games in his last five, batting .455 (10-for-22) with a home run during that stretch. No reason not to start him now.
Cooling Off: Lyle Overbay and Travis Snider both cooled off over the last six games, batting .050 (1-for-20) and .125 (3-for-24) respectively. Think of both as AL-only options, though Snider has the upside for more.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Blue Jays face three left-handed pitchers this week -- all at the end of the week. As a result, you shouldn't expect Snider or Overbay to break out this week. Kevin Millar and Jose A. Bautista will likely start in their places against the lefties.
Lineup Changes: None

Washington Nationals
Schedule: HOU2, @LAD2, @ARI3
Heating Up: Ryan Zimmerman, who has had merely above-average numbers so far in his career, looks on the verge of a breakout this year. He's batting .326 (29-for-89) during a 21-game hitting streak and has three home runs in his last six games.
Cooling Off: After a quick start helped him reclaim a starting job, Elijah Dukes is batting only .194 (6-for-31) over his last nine games.
Injury Concerns: None
Platoon Possibilities: The Nationals face three left-handed pitchers this week, but none of their players sits specifically against left-handers. Adam Dunn might not play at his best week, though.
Lineup Changes: Willie Harris got back-to-back starts this weekend, but probably just because he homered in the first game. He doesn't figure to get regular at-bats going forward.

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