Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Ryan Spilborghs went 4-for-5 with two homers, a double, a walk and four runs scored as the Rockies’ leadoff hitter on Friday. Spilborghs got the start in center tonight, as the Rockies are still hesitant to sit Brad Hawpe versus lefties. Hawpe ended up 0-for-5. Spilborghs should be playing against every southpaw, but it doesn’t need to happen at Willy Taveras’ expense. Taveras is at least as good of a hitter as Hawpe versus lefties, and Colorado’s defense is a whole lot better with him in center. (Rotoworld)

In a game in which his team scored 10 runs, Andruw Jones went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts Friday in his return from the disabled list. Same old Andruw. He has 49 strikeouts and just seven RBI in 138 at-bats this season. Jones actually made his batting average drop with the performance, which is pretty hard to do when it already sits below .160. He still has some power potential, but he looks finished as a hitter. Jones missed about six weeks of action with a knee injury that required surgery and returns after going 4-for-8 in three minor league rehab games. He’ll resume starting in center field, with Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier flanking him in the corners. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Shane Victorino delivered a game-winning single off Duaner Sanchez in the bottom of the ninth as the Phillies edged the Mets 3-2 on Friday. The Phillies moved 5 1/2 games ahead of the third-place Mets in the NL East. Victorino’s hit tonight made a winner of Brad Lidge and handed Sanchez his first loss. Victorino hasn’t really been any good over the last month, but with Geoff Jenkins and Jayson Werth also struggling, he hasn’t been in danger of losing any playing time. (Rotoworld)

Josh Johnson (elbow) threw eight scoreless innings Friday in his rehab start for Double-A Carolina. That should be good enough to get him back into Florida’s rotation next week. Ryan Tucker is the favorite to be replaced, though Mark Hendrickson is also vulnerable. (Rotoworld)

Padres 3B Chase Headley extended his hitting streak Friday night at Arizona to 10 games, which is the longest this season by a National League rookie. Headley (10-for-39) has exactly one hit in every game. Headley is an elite young talent and is definitely a sleeper in deeper Fantasy leagues. We’d like to see more multi-hit games from him, but that’s sure to come down the line. (CBS Sports)

Mets SS Jose Reyes didn’t contribute any hits in Friday’s loss to the Phillies. He did contribute just about every other way, however. Reyes went 0-for-3 but drove in a run, walked and stole his 29th base of the season. A Fantasy Rotisserie league maven, Reyes has hits in six of his last eight games, though this was his first steal in that span. Reyes’ average is .292 and we expect those numbers to get better and better. Continue to start the stud shortstop in all Fantasy formats. (CBS Sports)

The Washington Nationals didn’t fare so well on our nation’s Independence Day, and neither did starter Jason Bergmann against the Reds. Bergmann dropped to 1-6 on the season as he went six innings and gave up six hits and three runs — two earned — striking out five and walking three. It must be tough to pitch for the Nationals, as Bergmann has gone at least six in his last four starts and has given up two runs or less in each. Still, he has nothing to show for it and that trend should continue. He next pitches Thursday against Arizona and Dan Haren. That’s not a favorable matchup for the Nats or Bergmann and he should be a candidate to sit in all but the deepest of mixed leagues. (CBS Sports)

Brewers reliever Carlos Villanueva picked up a rare three-inning save Friday against Pittsburgh. Villanueva came on for Ben Sheets and pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up just one hit and one walk, while striking out three. This is only the second time in his last eight appearances that Villanueva has avoided giving up a run. Still, it was a pretty impressive outing for his first save of the season and the second of his career. Originally supposed to be a starter, Villanueva probably won’t find himself in the Brewers rotation anytime soon so he’s just an NL-only relief option for the time being. (CBS Sports)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  44.0    39.0     83.0  -1.0 0.0
 2   The Pi Train        30.0    32.0     62.0  3.0  21.0
 3   X-Men               22.0    39.0     61.0  3.5  22.0
 4   Shoeless Jews       24.0    33.0     57.0  -1.0 26.0
 5   Goodfellas          32.5    21.0     53.5  0.5  29.5
 6   Stanimals           33.5    19.0     52.5  -2.0 30.5
 7   Uncle Lester        12.0    39.0     51.0  0.0  32.0
 8   Misogynistic Padres 26.0    21.0     47.0  -2.5 36.0
 9   Get Off Kong!       28.0    17.0     45.0  -2.5 38.0
 10  Cover Zero          23.0    15.0     38.0  2.0  45.0

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (7/4/08)
Player                       BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------ ------ -- - --- ----
Blanco, Gregor M. OF ATL 0.0000  0 1   0    1
Bowker, John OF SF       0.2500  0 0   0    0
Coste, Chris C PHI       0.0000  0 0   0    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL   0.4000  0 1   1    0
Gerut, Jody RF SD        0.5000  0 1   0    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL    0.2500  0 1   1    0
Headley, Chase 3B SD     0.2500  0 0   0    0
Iannetta, Chris C COL    0.4000  1 1   4    0
Jones, Chipper 3B ATL    0.5000  0 1   1    0
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN 0.0000  0 0   0    0
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM    0.0000  0 0   1    1
Teixeira, Mark 1B ATL    1.0000  0 2   0    0
Theriot, Ryan SS CHC     0.2500  0 0   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI  0.2500  0 0   1    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (7/4/08)
Player                      ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------ ------ -- - --- ----
Gonzalez, Mike RP ATL      0.00  2 0   0 0.00
Wilson, Brian RP SF        9.00  1 0   0 1.00