The trade deadline has come and gone, so how did the players changing location fair in their first days with their new team?  Who else shined and who struggled?  Let’s take a look at all the news and notes from yesterday’s games:

1. Ernesto Frieri – Los Angeles Angels – Relief Pitcher – The Rangers and Angels had a wild game, combining for 21 runs (including 7 in the tenth inning).  There are no surprises offensively, but the Angels bullpen appears to be falling apart.  Ernesto Frieri, who had long been perfect, allowed 4 R (3 earned) on 3 H and 1 BB, striking out 0, in his inning of work to blow the save.  He also allowed a pair of home runs.  After having a 0.71 ERA on July 8 he is now up to 2.05 thanks to 7 ER over his past 6.0 innings.  I wouldn’t say that he is getting pulled out of the closer’s spot, as it is just his first blown save of the year, but seeing him slip should not be surprising.  As it is (and it is a small sample size as a relief pitcher) he was still benefitting from a .237 BABIP and 87.5% strand rate while showing awful control (5.32 BB/9).  In other words, the regression may not be over.  If it’s not too late, despite the strikeouts, try to sell high.
2. Dustin Ackley – Seattle Mariners – Second Baseman – I mentioned him a few days ago and it may appear that he truly has turned a corner.  He went 2-4 with 1 RBI and 1 R yesterday, extending his hitting streak to 4 games and giving him hits 6 of his past 7.  Over the current streak he’s gone 5-17 with 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R and 1 SB.  Is it a lot?  Absolutely not, but it definitely is a step in the right direction.  The key is that he has reduced the strikeouts (5 K vs. 5 BB in his past 10 games), showing signs that he can get going.  He’s never going to be what you had hoped for this season, but if you need to take a gamble on someone over the final two months, he’s a good bet.  He should hit for a good average and provide some runs scored.

More Quick Thoughts:

• When you are spotted an 11-1 lead, it is tough to draw conclusions from your performance.  Phil Hughes allowed 1 ER on 9 H and 2 BB, striking out 2, over 6.0 IP.  In general it was not an impressive outing, but he also did his job by letting the Orioles put the ball in play and let the defense do its work.  I wouldn’t be concerned by the higher than desired WHIP.
• Scott Diamond lost to Jake Peavy (8.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 8 K, W), but it was an impressive outing just the same.  Diamond allowed 3 ER on 8 H and 0 BB, striking out 3, over 7.1 innings of work.  He now hasn’t walked a batter in his last two starts (16.1 innings) and has not walked more than 2 in any start this season.  He had a 2.84 BB/9 in the minor leagues, so he has good control but this is a little out of control.  If he can maintain it he is going to be a tremendous source of WHIP, though I would be skeptical.  Enjoy it while you can.
• In a losing effort Brett Wallace impressed, going 3-4 with 2 HR, 3 RBI and 2 R.  He had 16 HR in 310 AB at Triple-A (Pacific Coast League) and has long been talked about as a high-upside player.  He needs to limit the K (had 87 at Triple-A and 4 in the two games prior to this one) to succeed, but in deeper formats he has potential.
• Rickie Weeks went 3-3 with 1 HR, 2 RBI and 2 R and is now 13-27 with 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R and 1 SB in his past 8 games.  It’s a definite step in the right direction, so don’t give up on him now.
• Not only did Gaby Sanchez start as the Pirates first baseman, but he was their cleanup hitter.  He went 0-2 before being lifted for Garrett Jones, who went 2-2 with 3 RBI and 1 R.  This is clearly a straight platoon, at least for now, making it a tough situation for fantasy owners.
• Starling Marte went 1-5 with 1 HR, 1 RBI and 1 R, but struck out twice and is now hitting .250.  He has struck out 8 times in 32 AB, so that has been a problem as expected.  He is going to give some power and speed, but the average will likely hurt you.
• In his first game with the Dodgers Shane Victorino was batting leadoff (followed by Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez).  He went 0-4, but it’s an envious spot to be hitting in.  The numbers should be there the rest of the way.
• Recalled before the game, Patrick Corbin flourished in his return to the Diamondbacks.  He stymied the Dodgers for 6.0 innings, allowing 0 ER on 2 H and 2 BB, striking out 5.  He had been pitching well at Triple-A prior to being recalled, with a 3.44 ERA, 55 K and 15 BB over 52.1 IP. With a minor league career K/9 of 8.44 and BB/9 of 2.32 he is worth adding in all deeper formats.  He has more than enough upside, especially with two starts on the schedule for next week.
• Jarrod Parker allowed 3 ER on 8 H and 3 BB, striking out 2, over 6.0 innings of work.  In his last five starts he has allowed 3 ER or more four times (and 4 ER or more three times), working more than 6.0 innings just once.  It’s not a surprise that he’s regressed, so hopefully you sold high while you could.
• Not surprisingly, Nate Schierholtz looked good in his first game for the Phillies.  He went 2-5 with 1 HR, 1 RBI and 1 R, continuing to show that if he is away from AT&T Park, the guy can hit for power (he was hitting .281 there this season).  If you are in a five-outfielder format and he is still available, I wouldn’t hesitate to grab him.
• Aaron Cook was tagged for 6 ER on 9 H and 0 BB over 4.2 innings, but the more pressing number for fantasy owners was that he had 0 strikeouts.  In fact, in his 44.2 innings of work for the Red Sox he has 4 K (and those came in 3 of his 8 starts).  His ERA is 5.24, so it really doesn’t matter, but even if he was pitching decently the strikeout numbers (or should I say lack thereof) make him a non-factor in all formats.
• Jose Reyes was still in the third spot of the order for the Marlins yesterday, going 2-4.  He is hitting .350 with 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R and 2 SB in 5 games from that spot this season, though we have seen the Mets experiment with this same thing in the past without success.  Once Mike Stanton is healthy the lower spot in the order shouldn’t have an effect on his runs scored and he obviously is going to be able to run.  Throw in additional RBI opportunities and this is going to be a good thing for fantasy owners.  Time will tell, however.
• It has been the Ryan Ludwick show in Cincinnati of late.  He went 3-4 with 1 HR, 4 RBI and 1 R giving him home runs in back-to-back games (2 HR, 8 RBI), 4 HR in his past 4 games, a 5 game RBI streak (13 RBI) and a 6 game hitting streak (11-22 with 4 HR, 13 RBI and 6 R).  Obviously we wouldn’t expect him to maintain this type of production, but you need to ride him while he’s hot.
• Greg Holland got his first save opportunity for the Royals, throwing a perfect inning.  If you are chasing saves he’s a must add (though you are probably already too late).
• Alcides Escobar is now on a 5-game hitting streak after going 1-3 with 2 R and 1 SB yesterday.  Over the streak he has gone 8-20 with 7 RBI, 4 R and 3 SB.  Obviously I wouldn’t consider him a good source of RBI, but he is hitting .307, offers speed and has settled into the second spot in the order.  Generally I would say his .365 BABIP is probably unsustainable, but with his speed and a good line drive rate (23.3%) it’s not impossible.  He’s definitely worth using as a middle infielder in all deeper formats.
• Matt Holliday clearly had fun being back in Coors Field, going 3-4 with 2 HR, 5 RBI and 3 R.  In the past two games he’s combined to go 5-9 with 3 HR, 9 RBI and 5 R as he continues to scorch the baseball.
• Anyone remember the struggles of Albert Pujols anymore?  He went 2-6 with 2 HR, 4 RBI and 2 R, giving him 4 HR in his past two games and putting him at .284 with 22 HR and 71 RBI.  It’s just Albert being Albert.
• Jonathan Niese allowed 1 ER on 3 H and 2 BB, striking out 5, over 7.0 innings to defeat the Giants.  He has long had potential, the question is if he can stay healthy for the entire season and deliver consistency.  The latter is the real question right now, having allowed 6+ ER in two of his previous four starts.  That said, he has a 3.72 ERA and 1.17 WHIP and is well worth owning in all formats.