Bigger potential 2011 collapse: The European Union, or the Boston Red Sox? Discuss.

Thanks to Brandon McCarthy for making his final "smart play" appearance of the season a solid, respectable outing. The record is up to 107-64; today's picks are here.

On to the news, which is full of "Player X has been shut down for the season" notes:

FANTASTIC
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performances over the last 10
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• As expected, the Giants have shut down closer Brian Wilson now that they're out of playoff contention; Santiago Casilla got last night's save. 1B Aubrey Huff and OF Cody Ross aren't expected to play this week, either.
• Cardinals SS Rafael Furcal probably won't play tonight or tomorrow due to a hamstring injury.
• Angels 1B Mark Trumbo is done for the season due to a stress fracture in his foot.
• After getting beaned on Sunday, OF Justin Upton was held out last night by the Diamondbacks as a precaution. Upton was in the team's original lineup last night, and he's fine, so figure that he'll play tonight.
• With the Braves fighting for the NL wildcard, 3B Chipper Jones will keep playing despite a sore knee.
• Will Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez return to the lineup tonight? Uh, maybe.
• We've noted this before, but look for Reds' flamethrower Aroldis Chapman to be a starter in 2012.
• Royals OF Melky Cabrera, who passed the 200-hit plateau last night, is done playing for the season.
• Mets OF Jason Bay sat out again last night with a sinus infection. It's hard to predict when or if Bay will be back, and you should keep him on the fantasy bench until you know he's in the lineup.
• The A's are hoping to get SS Cliff Pennington (oblique) and OF David DeJesus (hip) back in their lineup tonight, but make sure to confirm their inclusion before starting them. Since the A's play a West Coast game, you might need to bench both players to be safe. Yes, I know that 90 percent of you are saying, "Who the %$#@! would start those guys?", but there are deep leagues out there.
• Zack Greinke might get some work - but not a full start - for the Brewers on Wednesday.
• “I work in this job for money. I don’t work for nothing. Money. That’s it. The ring? [Bleep] the ring. I don’t even wear my [bleeping] rings. I don’t.’’ Enjoy Miami, Ozzie Guillen. The Chicago media will surely miss you.
• As of noon ET on Tuesday, five teams have "TBD" listed as their starter for Wednesday: Yankees, Phillies, Pirates, Brewers and A's. The Yankees have said they'll go with a bullpen day, also known as "laying down so the Red Sox get eliminated." OK, that's a joke, but don't expect starters on any of those teams to pitch five innings and get a win. It might happen, but don't count on it.
• The potential Thursday one-game playoffs are Red Sox-Rays and Braves-Cardinals. We'll get into specifics about those games tomorrow - if it's still applicable to the National League game, anyway.

I'll be back here Wednesday morning with the final baseball blog entry of the season.

Last night's Redskins-Cowboys game was interesting. Aside from Tony Romo delivering the most heroic performance in the history of heroism (or so you'd think from listening to the analysis) by leading his team to six field goals, one of my fantasy teams held a narrow lead over an opponent that had the Cowboys defense ... right until the sack-fumble of Rex Grossman with 28 seconds left. My team is now 0-3, and I HATE fantasy football.

And now, on to the fantasy football news:

FANTASTIC
Check out the greatest fantasy
performances over the last 10
years.
• Eagles QB Michael Vick's bruised right hand has him iffy for this week's game against the 49ers. Vick's owners should be relieved that earlier reports of a broken hand were incorrect, but it sounds like we're in for another week of waiting on the QB's status. Eagles head coach isn't making it easy to pick up a replacement for Vick, as he won't say if Vince Young or rookie Mike Kafka will start if Vick can't play.
• Titans WR Kenny Britt is done for the season with torn ligaments in his knee. Nate Washington, who is currently owned in just 11.1 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, becomes the Titans' lead wideout, and while he's not as good as Britt, he should see plenty of targets moving forward. Washington already has 21 receptions for 258 yards and a touchdowns, so it's not like he hasn't been busy already.
• 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that RB Frank Gore (ankle) will be "good to go" this week against the Eagles. I know that Gore has struggled and his line hasn't been good, but I see him as a great buy-low target right now.
• The Texans seem to think that RB Arian Foster (hamstring) will return to action this week. Just don't expect him to carry the full load right away - Ben Tate has been too good.
• Bengals RB Cedric Benson will appeal his three-game suspension today. I'm guessing the commissioner is going to win this one, giving Bernard Scott some fantasy value for a few weeks.
• There were some reports that Cowboys RB Felix Jones re-injured his shoulder in last night's game, but I haven't seen any news on it this morning. Stay tuned.
• Colts owner Jim Irsay waffled yesterday on whether or not Peyton Manning is out for the season. You don't still own Manning, do you?
• Rams QB Sam Bradford has a sprained toe, but doesn't seem to be in danger of missing any time.
• Chargers TE Antonio Gates will see a foot specialist today, and this story reports that his prognosis could range from returning this week to missing at least a handful more games. Good grief.
• Cardinals RB Beanie Wells (hamstring) says he's sure that he'll be back in action this week after missing Sunday's game against the Seahawks.
• Ravens PK Billy Cundiff bruised his knee on Sunday, but there hasn't been any word on his status yet. We should know more today.
• It sounds like Peyton Hillis will be fully recovered from his case of strep throat before this week's game, but don't expect Montario Hardesty to just disappear. Hardesty was going to get more involved during Week 3 anyway, so let's see how this one develops. Don't panic, Hillis owners.
• Look for Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno to be back on the field this week. Moreno was active in Week 3, but the team planned to use him only in case of emergency. It would have been nice if they told us that when activating him. Inconsiderate jerks.
• The Giants are hoping, and probably expecting, WR Mario Manningham to be cleared to practice this week after missing Sunday's game with a concussion.
• Packers RB Ryan Grant suffered a bruised kidney against the Bears on Sunday, and his status for Week 4 is TBD.
• The Colts aren't sure if Curtis Painter or Kerry Collins (possible concussion) will start against the Bucs on Monday. The choice probably won't affect the receivers much either way.
• Wait a minute - the Vikings think Donovan McNabb has been inaccurate? NO WAY!
• The Raiders hope to get WR Jacoby Ford (hamstring) back this week. Ford could be pretty good, folks. If you're looking for a free-agent wide receiver to help you down the road, he's not a bad choice.
• Redskins TE Chris Cooley showed last night that he hasn't been buried, with four catches for 41 yards and a couple of short-yardage carries. If he's going to get some handoffs every game, it'll make him more interesting. Let's see if it happens again before getting too excited, though.
• Joel Beall will be in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 3 p.m. ET, and I'll make my regular appearance on Thursday at the same time. Come on by with your questions, OK?
• Need a question answered elsewhere this week by yours truly? Post it on my Facebook page. You have to like me first, though.

See you back here later this morning with a baseball post, and again on Friday with a football entry.

Here are injuries with fantasy impact owners should be monitoring leading up to Week 4:

QB

Michael Vick - hand
Kerry Collins - concussion
Peyton Manning - neck

RB

Arian Foster - hamstring
Beanie Wells - hamstring
Felix Jones - shoulder (MNF)

WR

Kenny Britt - knee
Mario Manningham - concussion
Miles Austin - hamstring
Jeremy Maclin - hamstring
Lee Evans - ankle
Eddie Royal - groin

TE

Aaron Hernandez - knee
Antonio Gates - foot

DEF -

Antonio Cromartie - ribs
Osi Umenyiora - knee
Brandon Flowers - knee

Too bad the Red Sox won the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader with the Yankees, because I was really looking forward to some Boston-based hysteria this morning. This nice stuff about Jacoby Ellsbury's MVP candidacy isn't really doing anything for me.

This weekend, we got another strong outing from R.A. Dickey, a similar effort from Jerome Williams, and a so-so finale from Josh Luebke. The 2-1 weekend leaves the "smart plays" record at 106-64; today's picks are here.

On to the news:

FANTASTIC
Check out the greatest fantasy
performances over the last 10
years.
• Diamondbacks OF Justin Upton left Sunday's game shortly after getting hit in the head by a Tim Lincecum pitch. Upton appears to be fine, and will have a follow-up neurological test today. He's day-to-day, and I wonder if the D-backs will sit him tonight even if everything is OK. Daily leaguers should confirm Arizona's lineup before starting Upton tonight.
• Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez might be limited to pinch-hitting duties this week due to a strained right quad. He won't play tonight, anyway.
• See you next season, Grady Sizemore.
• Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (wrist) probably won't play again this season, so stop waiting for him.
• Clay Buchholz might pitch a relief inning for the Red Sox on Wednesday. Then again, he might not. Thanks to Buchholz and his bad back for trashing so many fantasy seasons. Yes, I'm bitter.
• Angels 1B Mark Trumbo is playing with a nagging ankle injury. If the Angels get eliminated from the AL wildcard race - which could happen as soon as tonight - Trumbo might get shut down. Let's revisit this one tomorrow.
• A's OF David DeJesus won't play tonight due to a bruised right hip, while it sounds like teammate Cliff Pennington might not play this week due to an oblique injury.
• Remember: If you have starting pitchers who started on Saturday or Sunday AND aren't possibilities to pitch in a one-game playoff this week, feel free to waive them in redraft leagues. Felix Hernandez, for example, is done for 2011. Tim Lincecum, too.
• The Nationals will have Stephen Strasburg on an innings limit next season. If the Nats could announce the number of innings before I compile my initial 2012 rankings next month, I'd really appreciate it.
• Blue Jays SS Yunel Escobar (elbow) is done for the season, while teammate Jose Bautista might miss tonight's game due to a bruised left leg.
• C.J. Wilson is scheduled to start tonight for the Rangers, but he'll be limited to about 45 pitches. Unless you're looking for a little ERA/WHIP help, this start won't do much for you.
• Tim Stauffer won't pitch again for the Padres this season. Stauffer slumped late in the season, but could be a nice under-the-radar option in 2012.
• "Ryan Howard's feet only hurt when he runs," according to Philly.com. Unless Howard hurts things worse - or unless the Braves' wildcard chances get decided before the final game - odds are that Howard will play in Atlanta this week.
• Phil Hughes has been moved to the Yankee bullpen. I have a hunch that he won't be among my top 30 starters again next season. %$#@!
• Bobby Parnell might be back in the Mets' closer mix because he learned a knuckle-curve from Jason Isringhausen? Good grief.
• This story says that Mets outfielders Angel Pagan and Lucas Duda might be done for the season. Jason Bay's sinus infection might finish him off as well. If you show up at CitiField with a baseball glove by 4 p.m., there's a decent chance that you'll play right field and bat sixth for the Mets tonight.
• Royals outfielders Alex Gordon and Jeff Francoeur probably won't play this week, and there's a chance that Melky Cabrera could sit out the series as well. If you need AL-only speed, grab Lorenzo Cain or Jarrod Dyson, who will get at bats in place of the aforementioned players. 
• If Chris Iannetta plays again for the Rockies this season, it'll be at first base.
• If the Braves clinch the NL wildcard berth before Wednesday, then Tommy Hanson might start their season finale. Hanson hasn't pitched in a major league game since August 6, so it's hard to count on him. But, if you're desperate ...

See you back here tomorrow morning with a doubleheader of football and baseball posts.

Here are the injuries we are monitoring for Week 3 of the fantasy football season:

QB

Tony Romo
Michael Vick (active)

RB

Arian Foster (out)
Steven Jackson (active)
Knowshon Moreno (active)
Felix Jones (questionable)
Cadillac Williams (questionable)
Beanie Wells (reported out)
Marion Barber (questionable)
Peyton Hillis (out)

WR

Dez Bryant (questionable)
Malcom Floyd (active)
Brandon Lloyd (active)
Mario Manningham (out)
Miles Austin (out)
Jacoby Jones (questionable)
Kevin Walter (questionable)
Sidney Rice (questionable)
Eddie Royal (out)
Lee Evans (out)
Braylon Edwards (out)
Danny Amendola (doubtful)
Michael Crabtree (active)

TE

Antonio Gates (reportedly OUT)
Dallas Clark (questionable)
Aaron Hernandez (out)
Marcedes Lewis (active)

DEF

Patrick Chung (out)
Albert Haynesworth (out)
Osi Umenyiora (out)

Scheduling note: I'll post entries here on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, and add some brief notes on Thursday if there happens to be a one-game playoff somewhere. Also, the final edition of "Free-agent frenzy" will appear on FOXSports.com later today.

Can we agree that Philip Humber wasn't a good "smart play" choice last night? The record is now 104-63; today's picks are here.

On to the news:

FANTASTIC
Check out the greatest fantasy
performances over the last 10
years.
• Unless your redraft league gives credit for performance in the bullpen, you can cut CC Sabathia now. In order to be on full rest for Game 1 of the ALDS, the Yankee ace will throw 45-50 pitches in a simulated game on Sunday, and won't make any more regular-season starts. Sorry, CC owners.
• The Phillies' plan for Ryan Howard (ankle) is to get him back in the lineup tonight, rest him tomorrow, and then start him in the season's final four games. That sounds fine ... unless the injury starts bothering Howard again. In that case, health for the postseason will trump any desire to get him into a rhythm at the plate. Track Howard's progress every day if you have him.
• Howard's teammate, Hunter Pence, is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday. He missed a few games with a knee injury.
• After blowing the Yankees away with 11 strikeouts in five innings on Thursday, I wonder if rookie southpaw Matt Moore will get another start next week for the Rays. If the Rays get eliminated, they might give him a chance to replace one of the other rotation members.
• Still no word from the Royals on the status of closer Joakim Soria (hamstring), who threw off flat ground Wednesday but still needs to do more before appearing in a game. Soria could be done for the season, making Greg Holland a last-ditch saves pickup.
• As expected, the Astros have shut down SP Bud Norris due to biceps tendinitis.
• Marlins closer Leo Nunez is done for the season after returning home to the Dominican Republic to clear up an immigration issue. It seems that Nunez's real name is Juan Carlos Oviedo, and he's really 29 instead of 28. Make sure you draft the right guy in 2012, OK? The Marlins' website says that Edwin Mujica and Clay Hensley are the likely closing options in Nunez's absence, but the folks at Closer News suggest Steve Cishek. With Cishek's strong strikeout and ground-ball rates, that makes sense.
• If tonight's game doesn't get postponed due to rain, the Nationals will start Stephen Strasburg tonight and again next Wednesday.
• The Blue Jays still don't know if SS Yunel Escobar (elbow) will play again this season. With six days left, don't wait for him.
• Mariners OF Casper Wells will miss the rest of the season due to vertigo issues. If Wells gets this straightened out - get it? - he could be a deep league sleeper next season.
• Bobby Parnell got the Mets' save last night. Didn't they say a couple of days ago he was out of the mix for 2012? $%#@!
• The Rockies still don't know if OF Carlos Gonzalez (wrist) will play again this season. At this point, don't expect him to.

See you back here Monday morning.

Looking for fantasy assistance? Here's what we've got available for the weekend:

• Tweet the FOXSports.com fantasy team. I'm at @jhalpin37, and you can also contact Ryan Fowler (@FOXSportsFowler), Joel Beall (@FOXSportsBeall) and Mike Harmon (@SwollenDome).
• Post a message on the Facebook pages for Harmon, Fowler and me.
• Listen to FOX Fantasy Freaks Harmon, Peter Burns and Nate Lundy on FOX Sports Radio Sunday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. ET. You can also tweet those guys (@FantasyFreaks).
• Chat with Fowler, Beall and me on FOXSports.com Sunday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

FANTASTIC

Check out the greatest fantasy
performances over the last 10
years.

Got all that? Great - on to the news:

• The Cowboys are banged up this week, and because they have a Monday night game, you need to have a reasonable level of certainty about the status of their injured players before starting them. QB Tony Romo (ribs) missed practice again on Thursday, and is day-to-day. He's apparently been sleeping in a chair and can't laugh without causing himself pain. The Cowboys will do what they can to get Romo on the field, but if there isn't more clarity on his situation by Sunday morning, you'll probably need to have Monday opponent Rex Grossman or Dallas backup Jon Kitna on your roster in order to avoid benching Romo. You might want to do it anyway if you have a solid backup.
• The Cowboys are calling WRs Miles Austin (hamstring) and Dez Bryant (thigh) day-to-day. It sounds like Austin is unlikely to play, with Bryant having a better chance. Kevin Ogletree would start if one or both of these guys can't go, and can be grabbed off the wire if you want to make a last-minute decision. I don't know that I'd start Ogletree otherwise, though.
• Cowboys RB Felix Jones (shoulder) didn't practice Thursday, but sounds more likely to play than his injured teammates.
• Texans RB Arian Foster (hamstring) was limited in Thursday's practice, and while head coach Gary Kubiak said Foster was progressing "very nicely" per the Houston Chronicle, his status is uncertain. Even if Foster plays, expect Ben Tate to carry most of the rushing load.
• Eagles QB Michael Vick (concussion) was cleared to return to practice on Thursday. Barring something unexpected, he'll play against the Giants. And probably destroy them, since their pass defense is terrible.
• Rams RB Steven Jackson (thigh) practiced a little bit Thursday, but his chances to play Sunday appear to be on the short side of 50-50. With Cadillac Williams also hurting, the Rams may be forced to use a Jerious Norwood/Quinn Porter tandem against the Ravens. You'd need to be pretty desperate to start one of those guys.
• Kenny Britt's hamstring was bothering him again earlier this week, but he's on track to play against the Broncos, who probably won't have Pro Bowl CB Champ Bailey.
• Let's wait until next week to worry about Cedric Benson's reported three-game suspension, since it's not expected to start until Tuesday. I did already pick up Bernard Scott in one league, though. And speaking of Bengals, WR Jerome Simpson ... wow. I'm not a pot smoker, but if you want to do that in Ohio, do you really have to get it shipped from California?
• Remember that Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (knee) isn't expected back for at least a couple of weeks.
• Keep an eye on the status of Cardinals RB Beanie Wells, who injured his hamstring during Thursday's practice. Chester Taylor is Wells' backup.
• Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno, who missed Week 2 due to a hamstring injury, says he'll be ready to go on Sunday. Even if that's true, he may have already lost his lead back role to Willis McGahee. WR Brandon Lloyd is expected to play.
• Giants WR Mario Manningham (concussion) still hasn't been cleared to play this week. Stay tuned.
• The Seahawks might get their first look at WR Sidney Rice this week.
• Don't worry about Stevie Johnson's groin - he seems ready to go.
• Bears WR Roy Williams (groin) should be back in action this week.
• Halpin sleeper candidate Mohammed Massaquoi was limited in Thursday's practice due to an ankle injury, but it doesn't sound serious.
• Lions TE Brandon Pettigrew missed Thursday's practice due to a shoulder injury. Have a backup ready if you own him.
• This article about the Chiefs' running backs notes that they don't want to overwork 170-pound Dexter McCluster. McCluster is explosive, but don't expect too much. Thomas Jones figures to offer the most backfield production for the Chiefs.
• Look for Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis to return to action this week. Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert needs a security blanket, right?
• Raiders WR Jacoby Ford (hamstring) isn't practicing, and probably won't play again this week. Don't forget about him, though. Does Ford's absence mean that rookie Denarius Moore will be this week's primary guest on Revis Island? If you picked up Moore, keep that possibility in mind before you start him.
• A bunch of Charger receivers missed practice on Thursday, but Malcom Floyd (groin) is the one that seems unlikely to play.
• WR Braylon Edwards (knee) is expected to miss three weeks for the 49ers, and Michael Crabtree is back this week. Is anyone excited? Hello?

See you back here later this morning with a new baseball post. Good luck in Week 2!

Fans did their best to digest the legalese and squawking this offseason. They returned en masse to track the hundreds of free agent moves and long, protracted contract negotiations played out in the media.

Four running backs have dominated the dollar-and-cents chatter since the NFL got back to work.

The two players who cashed huge checks, Chris Johnson and DeAngelo Williams, can't fall forward. Matt Forte and Fred Jackson are still chirping while posting massive numbers.

-----------------------

Paid

Johnson carried the ball 24 times for 53 yards against Baltimore. He's averaged 2.3 yards per carry through two weeks, although his nine receptions offer some support to those in PPR leagues.

Williams has amassed just 22 touches in two weeks (72 total yards) while watching Cam Newton light up the sky. Teammate Jonathan Stewart has been a bigger threat in the passing game.

----------------------

Motivated

Forte has tallied 324 total yards (15 receptions for 207 yards and a receiving touchdown). He stands as the lone option in Mike Martz's offense.

Jackson is one of very few players to be leaned on enough to top the 100-yard mark in back-to-back receivers. He's amassed 257 total yards on 38 touches with two touchdowns thus far.

--------------------------

Don't press the panic button on Johnson yet. He'll get his legs under him and start producing, perhaps as early as this week against Denver.

Williams' place is a little more concerning. OC Rob Chudzinski has yet to lean on his running game (Jeff Otah has been sidelined) while Cam Newton got tongues wagging with his aerial assault. That isn't likely to change in Week 3 against the Jaguars, a solid run defense that is chock-full of holes in the secondary.

Stay hungry.

The fans at Fenway Park are booing the Red Sox. This makes me happy.

One run in seven innings last night for Brandon McCarthy - it's too bad he only has one more start. The "smart plays" are up to 104-62 for the season; today's picks are here.

On to the news:

FANTASTIC
Check out the greatest fantasy
performances over the last 10
years.
• Come on, seriously? Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie fractured his right middle finger while taking pregame infield practice yesterday, and won't play again this season. Lawrie has been terrific, and will be a top-10 fantasy third baseman on draft day in 2012. This is a tough break for his owners.
• The Phillies hope to get 1B Ryan Howard (ankle) and OF Hunter Pence (knee) back in the lineup sometime this weekend. Remember: The Phillies have clinched, so while they want these guys to play before the season ends, they need them to be healthy before that happens. Manager Charlie Manuel said he wants his full lineup in for four games before the playoffs, but if Howard is limping around on Sunday, he ain't playing.
• Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki played five innings yesterday, and shouldn't be expected to play every day the rest of the way. They're being careful with his hip issues.
• Angels SP Dan Haren got hit in the left arm with a line drive last night, but expects to make his final start of the season on Monday.
• Wait a minute - now Davey Johnson wants Stephen Strasburg to make two more starts? Yesterday, the report was that Strasburg wouldn't pitch after Friday. Make up your mind!
• Clay Buchholz (back) might make a relief appearance in the Red Sox' regular-season finale. My AL keeper league team is not impressed.
• Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera appears to have recovered quickly from the back strain he suffered on Tuesday, and could be in the lineup tonight.
• Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez is out until at least Friday due to a strained right quad.
• Reds 3B Scott Rolen (shoulder) is not coming back this season.
• The Astros haven't officially ruled Bud Norris out of his final start of the season, but you can expect them to do so as soon as today.
• This story about dominant Dodgers' setup man Kenley Jansen is interesting. Maybe they should make him the closer next season so fantasy owners can enjoy his dominance? Just think about it, Donnie Baseball.
• Mets OF Lucas Duda left last night's game due to dizziness. Stay tuned.
• As expected, the Giants benched Pablo Sandoval against a lefty last night because his shoulder hurts too much for him to bat right-handed. The Giants are still 5.5 games behind the Diamondbacks, and when they get eliminated, Sandoval will probably stop playing. Teammate Carlos Beltran hopes to play today after bruising his foot last night.
• Chase Headley returned to the Padres' lineup last night for the first time since breaking his finger on August 6. A handful of games is better than none, right?
• Rookie lefty Matt Moore will make his first big-league start tonight against the Yankees. Watch him if you can.
• The Nats hope to get OF Jayson Werth (bruised elbow) back in the lineup on Friday.
• Attention, keeper leaguers: OF Alejandro De Aza might be the White Sox' leadoff hitter next season.
• I'll be in the FOXSports.com fantasy football chat room today at 3 p.m. ET, as usual. Check it out if you're not just here for baseball.

See you back here tomorrow with a blog doubleheader of football and baseball posts.

Congratulations to Clayton Kershaw on earning his 20th win of the season. I didn't get many of my preseason awards predictions right, but I'm gonna get this one. Enjoy the first of your handful of Cy Young Awards, Clayton.

Cory Luebke, who is the fantasy baseball gift that keeps on giving, had another excellent game on Monday, while Jason Vargas was just good enough to be a decent fantasy start last night. The "smart plays" are 103-62 for the season; today's picks are here.

On to the news:

FANTASTIC
Check out the greatest fantasy
performances over the last 10
years.
• Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki pinch-hit last night, and Denver Post beat writer Troy Renck tweeted that Tulowitzki told him he "expects to start" today, but isn't sure if he can play a full game. The Rockies' website quotes manager Jim Tracy as saying Tulowitzki will be used "sparingly" over the final week of the season even if he does return. I like Tulo as much as the next guy, but you can't count on him to help you right now. Get a replacement.
• There are a handful of afternoon games today, with the Rays and Yankees adding a doubleheader to the mix. Set your lineups accordingly.
• The Cardinals hope to have OF Matt Holliday (finger) back this weekend, but so far all he's been cleared to do is hit off a tee. Stay tuned, and don't put all your eggs in Holliday's basket.
• Pablo Sandoval's injured left shoulder has left him unable to hit righthanded, and he didn't play last night. He probably won't start tonight against southpaw Dana Eveland, either. The Giants are down by five-and-a-half games in the NL West, and as soon as they're officially eliminated, look for them to shut down Sandoval.
• The Phillies are planning to move Vance Worley to the bullpen for the playoffs, and will begin his transition after tonight's start.
• Speaking of teams getting their staffs ready for the playoffs, the Tigers will have Doug Fister pitch in relief tonight behind Max Scherzer. Thanks a lot, Jim Leyland. It's not like Fister is one of baseball's hottest starters or anything. Anyway, the Detroit Free Press also reports that 1B Miguel Cabrera will get tonight off.
• Nationals SP Stephen Strasburg will probably make his final start of the season on Friday. Nats beat writer Mark Zuckerman noted earlier this week that Strasburg has faced 50 batters since being activated, and not walked a single one. Please, God, let this guy pitch a full season in 2012.
• Mariners rookie Michael Pineda will make his final start of the season tonight.
• Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera left last night's game after suffering a lower back strain. Stay tuned, but don't wait long to replace Cabrera.
• The status of Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth (forearm) is still a mystery. Farnsworth threw 65 pitches on Tuesday, but not off a mound, and is "optimistic" that he'll return before the end of the regular season, according to the team's website. Ugh.
• The Rays' site also reports that heralded rookie southpaw Matt Moore is being considered for a start on Saturday. I saw Moore pitch in Triple A this season, and he's fun to watch.
• The Reds have officially shut down SP Johnny Cueto for the season due to a torn lat muscle. I feel like we're going to be looking at the probable starters for the next eight days with puzzled expressions, and saying things like, "Who's THAT guy?"
• My bet for the next shutdown announcement is Houston's Bud Norris, who left his Tuesday start due to shoulder discomfort.
• It sounds like Paul Goldschmidt will be the Diamondbacks' regular first baseman the rest of the way.
• Braves SS Alex Gonzalez will probably miss a couple of games due to a strained right calf.
• Orioles 2B Ryan Adams might be done for the season due to a sports hernia.
• It doesn't sound like Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis will be coming back from his sports hernia in the next day or two. Ditch Youkilis now for someone who's playing.
• Royals closer Joakim Soria (hamstring) isn't sure if he'll return before the end of the season. If you're saves-hunting, Greg Holland is the Royals' likeliest closing option during Soria's absence.
• Wait a minute - there's some good news from Minnesota? Maybe. OF Denard Span hopes to return to the lineup today after missing more than a month due to migraine issues.
• Phil Hughes may or may not start the first game of today's doubleheader for the Yankees due to back spasms.
• The Padres hope to get OF Will Venable (back) back in the lineup sometime this weekend.
• Blue Jays SS Yunel Escobar (elbow) won't be back until Monday at the earliest.

See you back here tomorrow morning.