Baltimore Orioles signed OF Tike Redman to a minor league contract.
Analysis: Redman was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk to take the place of injured outfielder Jon Knott on their roster. Redman last appeared in the major leagues back in 2005 with the Pirates.

Cincinnati Reds optioned LHP Bobby Livingston and INF Jeff Keppinger to Triple-A Louisville.
Analysis: With an off day on May 17, the Reds will not need a fifth starter until around May 23 so Livingston wasn’t needed. He allowed ten hits and four earned runs in 5-1/3 innings against the Dodgers on Sunday. Keppinger had one hit in four at-bats since being called up on May 10.

Florida Marlins returned OF Jeremy Hermida from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque and activated him from the 15-day disabled list.
Analysis: Hermida will be the Marlins primary right fielder and should have some value in mixed leagues the rest of the way. The 23-year-old was a disappointment in 2006, but let us not forget that he batted .293 with 18 homers, 63 RBI and 23 stolen bases in 386 at-bats for Double-A Carolina in 2005. This is still a guy with a lot of potential.

Texas Rangers activated RHP Kevin Millwood from the disabled list and optioned RHP Mike Wood to Triple-A Oklahoma.
Analysis: Wood was 0-1 with a 7.02 ERA in 16-2/3 innings.

Toronto Blue Jays purchased the contract of RHP Jesse Litsch from Double-A New Hampshire and designated INF Jason Smith for assignment.
Analysis: Litsch was 5-1 with a 0.96 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 37-2/3 innings for Double-A New Hampshire this season. The 22-year-old is expected to remain in the rotation until Roy Halladay returns. He’s worth a shot in AL-only leagues. Smith batted .212 with no homers and four RBI in 52 at-bats as a utilityman. If Smith clears waivers, the Blue Jays must offer him back to the Chicago Cubs for $25,000 since he was a Rule V draft pick. If the Cubs refuse him, the Jays will then be able to designate him for a minor league assignment.

Washington Nationals reinstated RHP Chad Cordero from the Bereavement List and placed RHP Shawn Hill on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 12, with a left shoulder strain; Optioned OF Kory Casto to Triple-A Columbus.
Analysis: Cordero will pitch a couple of outings in middle relief before returning to the closer role. The key piece of news for Hill is that an MRI performed on his right elbow showed no structural damage. Since the injury is to his non-throwing shoulder, the Nationals expect that Hill could be ready to go out on a rehab assignment before the end of the month. In two stints with Washington this season, Casto is batting .130 with no homers and three RBI in 54 at-bats.       

5/15/07

Atlanta Braves activated RHP Bob Wickman from the 15-day disabled list and optioned RHP Kevin Barry to Triple-A Richmond.
Analysis: Wickman will resume his duties as closer. Barry allowed five earned runs over two innings in his only appearance since being recalled back on May 2.

Chicago Cubs selected INF Mike Fontenot from Triple-A Iowa and optioned RHP Rocky Cherry to Triple-A; Transferred RHP Kerry Wood from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.
Analysis: Fontenot was batting .364 with six homers and 27 RBI in 129 at-bats for Triple-A Iowa this season. The 26-year-old will serve as insurance for Mark Derosa who could wind up on the disabled list with a finger injury he suffered in Monday’s game. Cherry pitched pretty well out of the bullpen for the Cubs as he posted a 1-1 record with a 2.89 ERA in 9-1/3 innings. He figures to return at some point this summer. There is still no timetable for Wood’s return.

Cincinnati Reds recalled RHP Marcus McBeth from Triple-A Louisville and selected the contract of C Chad Moeller from Louisville.
Analysis: McBeth, 26, is a solid prospect as a reliever who could eventually be a setup man for the Reds. He will most likely start out in middle relief though and go from there. The right-hander was 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 9 saves in 10 chances at the Triple-A level this season. Moeller will serve as the team’s third catcher which allows Javier Valentin to be used more freely as a pinch-hitter. Neither player has any fantasy value.

Colorado Rockies activated RHP Ramon Ramirez from the 15-day disabled list.
Analysis: Ramirez will reprise his role of setup man.

Los Angeles Angels activated INF Maicer Izturis from the 15-day disabled list; optioned INF Matt Brown to Triple-A Salt Lake.
Analysis: Izturis will play second base until Howie Kendrick returns. Brown only received one at-bat in his six days in the majors.

Los Angeles Dodgers recalled LHP Hong-Chih Kuo from Triple-A Las Vegas; designated INF Wilson Valdez for assignment.
Analysis: NL-only leaguers may want to go ahead and pick up Kuo on the chance that he eventually moves from middle relief into the starting rotation. Valdez is a very light hitting reserve infielder.

Minnesota Twins recalled 1B Garrett Jones from Triple-A Rochester.
Analysis: Jones should provide some left-handed pop for the Twins, but it will most likely come with a weak batting average. The 25-year-old has averaged 23 homers per season at the Triple-A level over the past two seasons with a .241 batting average.

New York Mets recalled RHP Ambiorix Burgos from Triple-A New Orleans and optioned RHP Lino Urdaneta to New Orleans; Acquired Minor League infielder Jake Gautreau from the Indians for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Analysis: Burgos posted a 4.11 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 15-1/3 innings with the Mets prior to his demotion ten days ago. He’ll resume a middle relief role. Urdaneta allowed two hits and a run in one inning of work. Gautreau batted .198 with seven homers and 29 RBI in 248 at-bats for Triple-A Buffalo last season.

New York Yankees purchased the contract of LHP Ron Villone from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; Optioned LHP Sean Henn to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; Transferred RHP Jose Veras from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.
Analysis: Villone will again serve as a middle reliever for the Yankees. Henn was 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 17-1/3 innings out of the Yankee bullpen. Veras is a reliever still recovering from elbow surgery performed in March and could return around by the end of July.

Oakland Athletics placed RHP Huston Street on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 13, with an irritation in his right ulnar nerve and selected RHP Connor Robertson from Triple-A Sacramento.
Analysis: The Athletics are hopeful that Street will be able to return in about two weeks, but the possibility remains that surgery could be required. If surgery is needed, Street could miss as much as three months. Justin Duchscherer will handle closer duties in Street’s stead once he gets over a sore hip. Robertson was 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 18-2/3 innings for Triple-A Sacramento. He will not have any fantasy value while pitching in middle relief.

Seattle Mariners activated RHP Felix Hernandez from the 15-day disabled list; Optioned RHP Sean Green and LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith to Triple-A Tacoma.
Analysis: Hernandez has been out since April 19 with an elbow strain. Green and Rowland-Smith are middle relievers.

St. Louis Cardinals claimed RHP Todd Wellemeyer off waivers from the Royals.
Analysis: Wellemeyer, 28, was 0-1 with a 10.34 ERA and 2.30 WHIP in 15-2/3 innings for the Royals this season. He has always struggled with his control, but if he can get that straightened out, he could be a useful middle reliever. He won’t have any fantasy value.

Texas Rangers placed RHP Kevin Millwood (left hamstring strain) on the 15-day disabled list; Placed LHP Ron Mahay (right rib cage strain) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 12; Recalled RHP Scott Feldman and LHP A.J. Murray from Triple-A Oklahoma.
Analysis: Millwood reaggravated the same hamstring injury that had kept him out for the previous two weeks. The Rangers will probably try to give him a little extra time to heal so as to hopefully avoid another recurrence of the injury. A starting pitcher will likely be recalled from Triple-A in time to take Millwood’s turn in the rotation on Saturday. Bruce Chen would seem to be a leading candidate. Feldman and Murray are middle relievers highly unlikely to have any fantasy value.

Washington Nationals activated RHP Jerome Williams from the 15-day disabled list.
Analysis: Williams is not even an option for the most desperate of NL-only owners at this point.