TransAction Monday, Plus Bonus Feature: TransAction Monday of Last Week

While most fantasy players are taking a rest over the next three days, your Blog Content Providers are hard at work pounding out insightful and witty columns, for those TransActions never ever stop. Until the money runs out...

Like for those poor Jackanapes, who are down to their last eight fantasy bucks after spending $1 on Edgar Renteria, dumping the injured and bitterly disappointing Billie Hall. As previously noted in this space, Renteria so far has put up a surprising .319/.384/.484 line (with 10 HRs and 45 RBIs). But before the Jackanapes get too excited about his Second Half Prospects, it might be useful to note that Renteria, over the span of 12 seasons, has averaged 11 HRs a season. So, in other words, unless he's having a career-year power breakout at age 31, we're looking at a big-time Second Half Slowdown.

Last week, the Jackanapes picked up Carlos Marmol for $1 while letting go of the mostly useless Alan Embree. In 28 IP this year, Marmol has 40 K: 10 BB and an ERA of 0.96. Meanwhile, Bobby Howry is getting save opportunities in the Absence of Dempster. Question for Lou Pinella: What are you DOING?!

Last week, the Not So Fragile Flowers picked up James Loney Loney (Hey Motherfucker: get laid, get fucked) for $1. (And not Corey Hart as some may have lead you to believe.) Loney is a highly-rated Dodgers prospect that some have compared to a young -- take your pick -- Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Morneau, or Aramis Ramirez. For a keeper league like ours, Loney should have been rostered long ago, especially since he's providing some nice current value too at the MLB level: .385/.442/.603. Bravo, NSFF.

Back to this week, though, and the Slipstream Starlings. Former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon was dropped for Kevin Millwood ($1), who once finished as high as 3rd in the Cy Young voting. In 1999. Millwood has spent a good chunk on the DL this season, but this past week he posted 40 points in 2 starts. It might not be enough to earn him any Cy Young votes this season, but it reduced his ERA from 7.06 to 6.16.

Circling the Drain bought Phil Hughes ($1) at a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge discount from his last posted price of $11 (4/26/07). Will Phil take the hill still or will he continue to provide nill? Only the Yankees know fersure. As it stands, not a bad snipe by CtD, especially when the only price paid (besides the $1) was Kevin Kouzmanoff's roster slot.

And the Savage Sickos scavenged Chuck James ($2) from the recently-dropped list, dropping Josh Johnson to the recently-dropped list himself. James has been up and down this year, as illustrated by the chart below I ripped off from Sportsline:

15		21		12		12		10		27		10		7		37		15		1		21		21		13
1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		12		13		14		15		16		17		18		19		20		21		22		23		24		25		26

Speaking of Sportsline, they help put this acquisition in perspective: "The Braves have just three games during Fantasy Week 15 (July 9-15), but James is a candidate to start one of those games."

Enjoy the break!