Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers’ slugging outfielder, underwent surgery to repair an ab muscle that was partially torn. The surgery took place in Philadelphia and was performed by Dr. William Meyers.

While fantasy baseball owners can’t be happy that Hamilton will be out up to six weeks, the Rangers are actually elated with this news. Initially, the team thought that Hamilton had suffered a hernia — an injury that could have had him out until September. Now, there’s a chance that Hamilton could be back around the 2009 MLB All-Star Game.

Hamilton, who on June 2nd went on the DL, is hitting .240 with six homers and 24 RBI. He also has 20 runs and three stolen bases.

For fantasy baseball owners, now would be a good time to buy low on Hamilton. Once he returns, he should be able to return to his All-Star form.

If Hamilton is already on your team, go ahead and keep him. The only reason why a trade would make sense is if your team is struggling and you simply cannot afford to wait.

Josh Hamilton Injury Update (Image: Zuma Press)

Earlier in the baseball season, Tom Glavine said he was close to retirement. The 43-year-old was struggling with his arm. But now he says he’s ready to pitch.

One problem — the Atlanta Braves released Glavine on Wednesday. In a written release, Braves general manager Frank Wren wasn’t very specific about why Glavine was released:

Said Wren: “We appreciate and respect everything Tom has done for and brought to the Atlanta Braves organization and our fans. His accomplishments for our club during his Hall of Fame career is a measure of his dedication that we will always respect and admire. We wish him nothing but the very best.”

The truth is that Glavine was due $1 million if he was added to Atlanta’s active roster. Considering that he had thrown 11 consecutive scoreless innings in his last two rehab starts, Glavine wanted to be called up to the big leagues.

But scouts for the Braves have indicated that they don’t think Glavine has enough velocity left to get major league hitters out. As a result, the Braves decided to cut him now rather than give him the $1 million.

Does Glavine have any fantasy baseball value? That’s unlikely. The Braves usually know what they are doing with pitchers. That said, expect for Glavine to sign with another team soon and be added to the starting rotation. If he performs well in his first few starts, it might be time to start considering the future Hall of Fame hurler for your fantasy team.

Tom Glavine Rumors (Image: Zuma Press)

Are you looking to make a fantasy baseball trade? If so, here are some 2009 buy low pitchers to target who could blossom later in this fantasy baseball season.

Tim Lincecum, Fantasy Baseball (Image: Newscom)

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
Coming into the 2009 fantasy baseball season, Tim Lincecum was considered as the best fantasy starting pitcher. Even though his stats are down a little bit, he looks primed for a dominant run. Get him now if you can.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
After helping Philadelphia win the 2008 World Series, Cole Hamels got off to a slow start this start. But now he’s turning it around and is value is sure to sky rocket over the next few weeks. Buying low would be a smart move.

Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox
This year, the Red Sox’s ace has either been really good or really bad. But his stuff looks solid and there’s a very good chance that he’ll be money during the stretch run. Send out trade offers now before he heats up.

Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks
If your fantasy baseball team is performing well, consider trading for Brandon Webb. Although he’s injured, he should return within six weeks and when he’s pitching there are few better fantasy baseball pitchers in the game.

While it’s still early in the 2009 fantasy baseball season, here are the top five fantasy baseball disappointments so far:

Jose Reyes, New York Mets
Although his numbers aren’t horrible, Reyes just hasn’t produced like a top five pick so far in the 2009 fantasy baseball sesaon. He’s hitting .284 with two homers, 15 RBI and 18 runs.

Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
Not only was a lot expected of Sizemore in the fantasy baseball world, many experts begged Sizemore as the likely AL MVP. So far, his .215 batting average is damaging his fantasy worth.

Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies
Rollins didn’t have a great season last year but most thought he’d bounce back with a stronger 2009 campaign. That hasn’t been the case to date.

B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays
After a strong postseason run last year, Upton was expected to burst upon the scene thsi year. Try again. He’s hitting .183 with only two homers and six RBI.

Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
The reigning AL MVP hasn’t lived up to the hype this year. Although he’s hitting .315, the rest of his numbers are down across the board.

Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (Image: Zuma Press)

Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors
In the much anticipated Monta Ellis return, Ellis looked very good. He had 20 points and showed that his athleticism remains intact following his moped accident. Just as important for fantasy basketball owners, Ellis started at point guard — which makes him even more valuable. Get him on your fantasy team if the price is right.

Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons
There is a lot of turmoil surrounding Richard Hamilton. He’s now coming off the bench to help balance out the Pistons’ starting lineup. While that may have soured a few Hamilton owners, he’s still a player that can help your fantasy team. Get him now before he fully adjusts to his role and his value increases.

Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
If there’s a time to get Amare Stoudemire for a reduced rate, now would be that time. He’s laid a few eggs recently and hasn’t looked nearly as good as usual. That said, the Suns will figure out a way to get him more involved and his fantasy value will again rise. Trade for him now if at all possible.

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose has hit the rookie wall — much like almost all rookies do. The good news is that many rookies are able to regroup and get over the wall. Rose should be one of those rookies so if you have a panicking Rose owner in your league, now is the time to pounce.

QB David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
To begin the 2008 fantasy football season, David Garrard was far from impressive. But the last couple of weeks, Garrard has really started to look like he did during the 2007 NFL season. Now is a good time to buy low and watch him blossom the rest of the season.

RB Michael Pittman, Denver Broncos
Selvin Young is out for Week 6 and Andre Hall isn’t 100%. With that in mind, Michael Pittman could become the lead back in Denver very soon. He already gets goal line carries and a lot of 3rd down action. Pretty soon he may become the lead back.

WR Chad Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals
Can Chad Ocho Cinco play any worse? The answer is likely no. With his status at an all-time low, now is a great time to go out and buy. If you can hold him on your bench for the time being, he could regain his mojo later in the year and be one of the best fantasy receivers.

TE Kellen Winslow, Jr., Cleveland Browns
The entire Cleveland Browns offense isn’t as strong as it was last year. Kellen Winslow, Jr. is feeling the effects of the downturn. The good news is that he’s still very talented and chances are very good that he’ll end the year as a top five tight end.

QB Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams
The Rams have switched coaches and Marc Bulger is now back in as the starting quarterback. While he’s had a horrible fantasy season so far, he has the weapons to turn it around quickly.

RB Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers
Slowed by injuries early on, Ryan Grant has been a bust so far in the 2008 fantasy football season. But his schedule gets easier and he seems to be healthy, so he should become halfway decent soon.

WR Randy Moss, New England Patriots
Many fantasy owners have written off Randy Moss after the loss of Tom Brady. While his value certainly has suffered, expect him to step it up in forthcoming weeks as Matt Cassel adjusts.

TE Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts
In Week 1, Dallas Clark got injured. Combine that with a bye week and it seems like the fantasy world has forgotten about Clark. However, as Peyton Manning gets healthier, expect Clark to produce.

Which players are underperforming right now but have a chance to finish the season strong? Here’s our list of sleepers in fantasy football as we head into Week 4 of the 2008 fantasy season.

QB Matt Cassel, New England Patriots
Not too long ago, fantasy football owners were rushing to get their hands on Matt Cassel after Tom Brady went down injured. Now his fantasy stock has plummeted. But give the guy time and remember, he still has Randy Moss on his side.

RB Ryan Torain, Denver Broncos
Currently, the Broncos are using a three-headed monster at running back with Selvin Young, Andre Hall and Michael Pittman. That could all change when Ryan Torain comes back if he’s able to impress the coaches again.

WR Chris Henry, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals offense looks dead in the water. Chad Ocho Cinco doesn’t play like he’s related to Chad Johnson. That said, once Chris Henry comes back for Cincinnati following his suspension, he could become a very important part of that offense.

TE Dustin Keller, New York Jets
Brett Favre typically loves to pass to his tight ends, especially close to the end zone. While Dustin Keller has started off too amazingly, the rookie tight end for the Jets is starting to show signs of life. Keep an eye on him.

K Matt Prater, Denver Broncos
Jason Elam was the kicker for the Broncos forever. However, Matt Prater has stepped in and already has Broncos fans forgetting all about Elam. Prater has a strong long and should get plenty of opportunities in Denver’s high powered offense.

D New York Jets
The Jets defense hasn’t been too impressive yet this season but with all their free agent signings, this is a team that was bound to get off to a relatively slow start. Once they begin to mesh together, expect the Jets to become much better — especially defensively.

Quarterback - Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
In Week 1, Carson Palmer went up against an amped Baltimore Ravens squad. He didn’t perform well but all hope isn’t lost. His schedule gets easier and he has two of the best wide receivers in the game in Chad Johnson (or Chad Ocho Cinco) and TJ Houshmandzadeh.

Running Back - Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Maurice Jones-Drew didn’t get many carries and didn’t do much in the carries he did get. But don’t think he’s in line for a poor season. MJD started off slow last year and ended up playing very well as the season wore on.

Wide Receiver - Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams
It’d be difficult for a wide receiver to be more invisible than Torry Holt was in Week 1. But Holt has a history of putting up numbers and should bounce back nicely. If you can buy him for a discounted cost, go get him.

Tight End - Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs
Even though Tony Gonzalez saved a man’s life this offseason, the fantasy football world is already starting to forget about him after the first week of the season. But with Damon Huard now the quarterback, Gonzalez should quickly ascend to the top of the tight end pack.

Photo: Newscom

Guest Blog By Fantasy Fanatics

We are at the point of the season when most coaches have settled on their rotations and most players have settled into their roles. As a result, there are not many players who are going to shock us with a dramatic change in their production level, unless an injury or trade plays a role. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at some of the movers and shakers of the fantasy basketball world.

On the Rise

Gilbert Arenas – Guard – Wizards – Word is that Arenas has started more extensive workouts in preparation of a return shortly after the All-Star break. This may be the time to see if you can grab him at a bargain from an owner that is getting impatient.

Kirk Hinrich – Guard – Bulls – Although the statistics did not show it, Hinrich was starting to get his stroke back some before missing some game is month with back spasms. He exploded for 38 points on Wednesday night against Indiana. With Luol Deng and Chris Duhon sidelined for a while, there should be more big nights on the way for Hinrich. A word of caution, though, back injuries scare me some because they tend to linger.

Wally Szczerbiak – Guard/Forward – Sonics – If you were like me, you did not give Szczerbiak a chance to have much of a fantasy impact this season. First, he was coming off of an injury-filled season in Boston. Second, he was traded to a team in full-blown rebuild mode at age 30. This month, he has definitely been worthy of fantasy consideration. Despite being marred in an 0 for 11 January, the Sonics are playing Szczerbiak over 25 minutes a game. In that time, he is averaging 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.7 three pointers. The downside is that he does not give you much else outside of great percentages.

Al Thornton – Forward – Clippers – Thornton was a sleeper pick for Rookie of the Year going into this season. He started out extremely slow, averaging only 6.3 points in November and 8.1 points in December. Not only was he having trouble getting acclimated to the league, he was also loosing the confidence of the coach. In January, he is gaining that confidence by posting 13 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.7 blocked shots per game. It is probably too little, too late to be in the running for the R.O.Y award. Still, if he can continue this type of production, he could make the first team of the All-Rookie Team, helping your fantasy team along the way.

On the Way Down

Larry Hughes – Guard – Cavaliers – What happened to this guy? He used to be a solid fantasy starter and borderline fantasy star. He is still young enough to be in the prime years of his basketball career at age 29. Regardless, his numbers have gotten progressively worse each of the past four seasons. His production has hit a concerning low in January. His 8.3 points, 2.3 assists, and 36% field goal percentage should have him nailed to your bench until, or even if, he finds his groove.

Yi Jianlian – Forward – Bucks – Yi is going to be good someday, many agree, but he is not quite ready to be counted on for consistent fantasy production yet. He can frustrate fantasy owners with games of 29 points and 10 rebounds and then have 8 points and 5 rebounds the very next game. Part of the problem is that Yi gets himself into early foul trouble too often. His 8 point, 5 rebound January averages do not merit a spot on your fantasy team right now.

Jamaal Tinsley – Point Guard – Pacers – Tinsley enjoying a re-birth of his fantasy value earlier this season. He has struggled so far in 2008 thanks to injuries and inconsistency with his jumper, shooting a woeful 34% from the field and an even worse 6% from three point range. The positive side here is that he is keeping up with his assist totals, despite his horrid shooting. He has some bounce back ability, but you may be better off trading the Pacers point guard to a team desperate for assists.

Martell Webster – Guard/Forward – Blazers – Webster has huge upside as an offensive player. His production has yet to match his potential in his first two and a half years in the league. Although his statistics are up this season from the previous two seasons, he is not showing enough consistency and is constantly getting lost in the shuffle of the young emerging talent in Portland. His seven single digit scoring games and eight games with five rebounds or less in eleven January games suggest that he is a long way from helping your fantasy squad. Still, Webster is worth watching closely, he is not that far away from being a fantasy force.

Skimming the Free Agent Pool

Maurice Evans – Guard/Forward – Magic – Evans has taken over for Keith Bogans as the starting shooting guard in Orlando. His numbers as a starter this season in nine games (eight with the Magic, one with the Lakers): 11 points, 3 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and a three pointer per game on over 50% from the field. The numbers do not blow you away by any means, but he could help if you are hurting for points and three pointers.

Linas Kleiza – Guard/Forward – Nuggets – Kleiza is an offensive force. His problem is that he plays on a team with two other offensive forces in Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. However, Kleiza has proven when given an opportunity he can light up the scoreboard. His 41 point performance against Utah was a display of what this guy can do. He filled in for an injured Anthony the past two games and averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 three pointers in those games. Anthony is not expected to be out an extended period of time. However, Kleiza has proven that he can still be produce in limited opportunities, just not as consistently.

Kendrick Perkins – Center – Celtics – You have to love Perkins, the forgotten man on the Celtics starting five. His job is to rebound, play defense, and stay out of the way on offense. Nevertheless, Perk does have some ability to put the ball in the hole. He does not have many plays called for him. Instead, he has to rely on put-backs and passes from double-teamed teammates. There seems to be more of those opportunities lately as he is averaging: 7.4 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 59% shooting from the field in January. The warning here is that he shoots under 60% from the line for the year. Perkins is worthy of a pick up if you need short term help at the center position.

Luke Ridnour – Point Guard – Sonics – Ridnour has struggled through an injury plagued season in Seattle. He is back in action and playing pretty well in limited minutes off the bench. In his last six games, he is averaging 8 points and 6.2 assists despite not playing over 28 minutes in any of those games. His production is still under that of starter Earl Watson, but you may see the Sonics go to Ridnour more often to showcase for a trade.

The Deep End:

Nenad Krstic – Forward/Center – Nets – Krstic may be back from his prolonged rehab in a week or so. He has a couple of battles ahead of him: the injured knee and the fine play of youngsters, Josh Boone and Sean Williams. If Krstic is healthy, which is yet to be determined, when he returns, he is at the very least worth a reserve spot. The payoff could be huge. Remember, he was averaging 17 points and 7 boards on 52% shooting before going down with the injury last season.

FantasyFanatics.com is a premier fantasy sports community. Need help deciding who to sit and who to start? What about help with a big trade? Chat with the fantasy basketball experts on FantasyFanatics.com.