Fantasy News and Views: Pedro risk outweighs reward

News:Pedro heads to Philly

Views: Ignore the ESPN "OMG he's on the DL!" alarmism. Pedro is only on the disabled list so he can get some minor league starts without taking up a 25-man roster spot. He'll be joining the team July 30, and Pedro will almost surely be in the starting rotation by mid-August. Obviously, no one should be expecting vintage Pedro, but even when his stuff was dwindling two and three seasons ago, he was still effective because of few pitchers have a better feel for keeping hitters off-balance. But unfortunately, he's probably a five- or six-inning pitcher now, and Citizens Bank Park is not a good fit because of his flyball tendencies over the past five seasons. Don't put any stock into his six strong innings during the glorified spring training exhibition tournament known as the World Baseball Classic. Of course, we'll know more after he throws some innings in the minors, but he's a huge risk and the reward doesn't seem to match the name recognition.

Verdict: He really doesn't belong on any rosters in shallow leagues, but NL-only leaguers with some bench space might as well take a flier. And if you've been stashing Pedro, this wouldn't be a bad time to trade him. His stock might never be higher than it is right now.

News:Broxton toe injury likely to linger

Views: These things happen when a big toe has to push 290 pounds of Broxton. He has, quite simply, been terrible over his last two appearances, allowing five runs, walking four, and striking out just one over his last two appearances. It's a good sign that the Dodgers didn't feel the need to place him on the DL (yet), but Broxton's stock falls from the elite class to the middle of the pack among closers. If he ends up DLed, Ramon Troncoso would step in as the closer.

Verdict: Broxton owners should explore flipping him in a package for someone in the Nathan/Papbelbon class, but there's no need to panic. If Troncoso is still available in your league, go get him as insurance.

News:Peavy's prospects getting better

Views: The walking boot has been taken off his injured right ankle, undoubtedly a good sign. It looks like Peavy will be healthy enough to pitch in September, but the question is, will the Padres let him? Conventional wisdom says that, since Peavy will be back on the trading block this winter, they shouldn't risk further injury. The Padres should also be trying to get a look at as many of their young arms as possible. But keep in mind: Peavy's problem isn't with his arm, which takes a whole chunk of risk out of the equation. His strained tendon is far less serious than the torn ACL Yovani Gallardo suffered last spring, and he's had no problem bouncing back. In the end, San Diego would most benefit from Peavy throwing five decent starts to finish the season, calming the fears of any potential trade partners. And, let's face it, the Padres haven't had an exciting pitching prospect in their system since, well, Jake Peavy.

Verdict: Unless he suffers a setback, expect an effective Peavy back in the rotation come September. He's obviously worth stashing in all leagues.

News:Cubs sign B.J. Ryan to minor league deal

Views: How far the briefly mighty have fallen. At the very least, 2009 will be a lost season for Ryan. He had been effective in 2008 (though nowhere near as dominant as he was from 2004-06), and an offseason to get past some injury woes could work wonders. Even in a best-case scenario, he'd join the Cubs in a few weeks as a lefty specialist.

Verdict: Ryan owners can abandon all hope. He can safely be dropped in all re-draft formats.