Three top fantasy outfielders in the pre-season, who have missed significant time this season, all returned to active duty this week.  Josh Willingham missed almost two full months, but returned on Tuesday and hit fourth for the Marlins.  Eric Byrnes came back Monday from hamstring injuries, and has hit leadoff in his past two games.  Gary Sheffield returned to to DH duties on Tuesday and made an auspicious return, hitting a home run.

All three were considering great fantasy options before the season started, but injuries have caused them to be widely available in many

I have a firm belief that fantasy baseball players are the most knowledgable baseball fans.  The average fan only follows his team, and maybe the teams in his division.  He knows of the Yankees and Red Sox, and maybe some big names like Albert Pujols, but that is the extent of his knowledge.  Fantasy players not only follow every star on every team, we follow the prospects on every team, and all of the potential bullpen guys who could be in line for saves.  Who else, other than a St. Louis Cardinals fan, would know who Ryan Franklin was while Jason Isringhausen was blowing

 

Eight starts, eight wins.  Might as well hand over the National League Cy Young over to Brandon Webb right now.  The Arizona right-hander threw a complete game against the Phillies giving up just three earned runs while striking out four.  He’s the first pitcher in the NL to win his first eight starts since Pedro Martinez did it back in 1997.  Backed by an excellent offense and bullpen, Webb is the best pitcher in fantasy. 

I hope all you fantasy owners weren't sitting and watching recently called-up Max Scherzer mow down Astro after Astro. Instead, I hope you were running to your computers and putting in claims for him in all your fantasy leagues (which is exactly what I did in everyone of my leagues). If for some reason he's still available, snap him up immediately. He's clearly worth any top waiver priority.

I've already gone over just how ridiculous Scherzer's minor league stats have been so far this season, and he showed that his stuff will play just fine in the

No sooner had I speculated about some top prospects that could help both their real and fantasy teams immediately two of them received the call to the majors.

- Max Scherzer, who has been utterly dominant so far this season, was brought up to bolster the Arizona bullpen.  No, he won't be taking over the closer role from Brandon Lyon or even the set-up role from Tony Pena.  And it also appears he won't be starting either.&

Plenty of teams with dreams of reaching the playoffs are already in need of a boost.  Good thing help is literally only a phone call away.  There are plenty of top prospects thriving down on the farm that could change the fortunes of both their major league and your fantasy teams. 

Max Scherzer, P, ARI:  Groomed previously as a reliever, Scherzer has been spectacular as a starter this season.  The PCL is known so much as a hitter’s league that the Dodgers tend to avoid placing

NLCS
Rockies in 6

I think Colorado is just too hot right now, and won't be stopped by the D-Backs. Both teams have young talented position players, but I like the Rockies hitters better. Matt Holliday is the best hitter in this series, and his team has more overall depth throughout the lineup (more power too). Outside of Brandon Webb, I don't think any of Arizona's starters can shutdown the opposing lineup, and if Webb doesn't win both of his starts the D-Backs have no shot.

The four teams with the best records in baseball all play in the American League (Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, and Indians). This has led many to dismiss the quality of play in the Senior Circuit, but as evidenced by the World Series a year ago, that would be a big mistake. While there was no dominant team in the National League this year, through the first two games of the playoffs there was clearly one dominant division: the NL West.

Matt Holliday is having a MVP season