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

Tim Lincecum allowed just two runs in eight innings to lead the Giants past the Braves on Wednesday afternoon. Lincecum allowed just five hits while striking out eight, although he did issue four walks on the afternoon. Still, he picked up his first win since July 13 and lowered his ERA to 2.68 on the season. He’ll pitch in Houston in his next outing. The Braves got their two runs against Lincecum off a pair of RBI groundouts in the fifth and sixth. Lincecum improved to 12-3 this season and is 11-2 in 19 starts following a Giants’ loss. It was only his second in his past six starts. In his three previous outings, the San Francisco ace right-hander had a loss and two no-decisions. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in four of his last five starts. The second-year hurler remains a must-start Fantasy SP, and we expect for years to come as well. He is on track to be a two-start pitcher Fantasy Week 20 (Aug. 11-17) with his second start coming against the Braves. Both starts are on the road where Lincecum is 8-1 with a 2.04 ERA.(Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Dodgers 3B Casey Blake notched three hits in four at bats on Wednesday against the Cardinals in a losing effort. Blake doubled twice and singled, driving in one run. He’s batting .299 on the season. Blake has been hot and looks like a solid option in all Fantasy leagues right now, especially because he has versatility in most formats. Get him active for Fantasy Week 20 (Aug. 11-17). (CBS Sports)

Giants RP Brian Wilson pitched a perfect ninth inning during Wednesday’s 3-2 win against the Braves for his NL-leading 32nd save in 34 chances. He retired all three hitters on infield grounders for his seventh save since July 22. Wilson has managed to keep opponents off the scoreboard in his last seven outings — allowing just four hits in that span. His ERA has dropped from 4.93 to 4.17. Wilson continues to be a better than expected Fantasy option in 2008 and worth starting in most formats. (CBS Sports)

Cubs SP Jason Marquis (7-7) got plenty of offensive help Wednesday as he evened his record up in a 11-4 win over the Astros. Marquis, whose last victory came on June 21, allowed four runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Coming into Wednesday, Marquis had allowed three runs or less in four of his last five starts but had no wins to show for it, so it was about time he got some offensive help. In Fantasy Week 20 (Aug. 11-17), Marquis will get one start against his former team, the Braves, in Atlanta. He is just too unreliable to use outside of NL-only leagues right now, so continue to ignore him in mixed formats. (CBS Sports)

Jody Gerut went 1-for-5 with a home run in Wednesday’s win over the Mets. Gerut connected on Pedro Martinez’s first pitch for a solo homer, his ninth of the season and fifth in his last 16 games. He’s hitting .351 over that span to go along with five homers and 10 RBI. Unfortunately, he’s still in an outfield platoon, which limits his value mostly to NL-only leagues. (Rotowire)

Los Angeles Angels 1B Mark Teixeira had one of his better games in an Angels uniform Wednesday against the Orioles. Big Tex went 2-for-3 with a double and scored three times in L.A.’s win. He’s batting .284. Teixeira went 4-for-10 in the series against the Orioles, a team who is interested in signing him after the season. The thumping first baseman is an immediate game-changer in AL-only leagues who remains a must-start in Fantasy. (CBS Sports)

Chase Headley hit a solo home run as the Padres topped the Mets on Wednesday night. The homer was his only hit in four at-bats, and it was his first since July 13. He was hitting .302 on that day, but he’s since gone just 12-for-59, bringing his line down to .244/.293/.423 in 156 at-bats this season. Jody Gerut and Brian Giles also hit solo homers for San Diego. (Rotoworld)

Ryan Theriot left Wednesday’s game after six innings with an apparent foot injury. Theriot fouled a ball off his foot and was replaced by Ronny Cedeno in an 11-4 game. We’re guessing he won’t miss any additional time. (Rotoworld)

Phillies C Chris Coste had one hit, his 15th double, and one run in three at-bats Wednesday against the Marlins. Coste has just two hits in his last 16 at-bats. Coste was hitting as high as .330 when June began, but his average has since dropped to .278. Coste has definitely worn down at the plate. He loses some starts to Carlos Ruiz and is at best a No. 2 Fantasy catcher. (CBS Sports)

The Mets were so encouraged by the bullpen sessions Maine (strained right rotator cuff) threw Sunday and Monday that he is slated to throw a simulated game Friday at Shea, the NY Daily News reports. This would keep Maine on schedule to pitch Wednesday at Washington and seemingly lessen the need to add another starting pitcher, such as the rehabbing Freddy Garcia. (Rotowire)

3B Chipper Jones (strained left hamstring), who went on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 24, hopes to return when first eligible Aug. 8. Track Jones’ progress through the weekend before considering him for Fantasy Week 20 (Aug. 11-17) at this point. When healthy, he is a must-start third baseman in all leagues. You will have to deal with week-to-week and day-to-day injury risk as always, though. (CBS Sports)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  43.5    37.0     80.5  -1.0 0.0
 2   X-Men               23.5    39.0     62.5  1.5  18.0
 3   Shoeless Jews       26.0    34.0     60.0  -1.0 20.5
 4   Stanimals           27.0    32.0     59.0  -1.0 21.5
 5   The Pi Train        28.5    28.0     56.5  -1.0 24.0
 6   Goodfellas          36.0    18.0     54.0  0.0  26.5
 7   Uncle Lester        13.0    38.0     51.0  0.0  29.5
 8   Misogynistic Padres 27.0    18.0     45.0  2.0  35.5
 9   Cover Zero          24.5    18.0     42.5  0.0  38.0
 10  Get Off Kong!       26.0    13.0     39.0  0.5  41.5

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (8/6/08) F
Player                        BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Blake, Casey 3B LA        0.7500  0 0   1    0
Blanco, Gregor M. OF ATL  0.0000  0 0   0    0
Coste, Chris C PHI        0.3333  0 1   0    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL    0.2000  0 0   0    0
Gerut, Jody RF SD         0.2000  1 1   1    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL     0.5000  0 1   0    1
Iannetta, Chris C COL     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Moss, Brandon OF PIT      0.0000  0 0   0    0
Pearce, Steve RF PIT      0.0000  0 0   0    0
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN  0.3333  0 0   0    0
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM     0.2000  0 1   0    1
Teixeira, Mark 1B ANA     0.6667  0 3   0    0
Theriot, Ryan SS CHC      0.2500  0 1   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI   0.0000  0 1   0    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (8/6/08) F
Player                       ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Lincecum, Tim SP SF         2.25  8 0   1 1.12
Wilson, Brian RP SF         0.00  0 1   0 0.00