reason Andrew Cashner has scuffled lately has been ineffectiveness versus lefty swingers. A full-on Reds stack isnt wise, bu

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The World Series champion Royals are stuck in no-mans land, close enough to contention to keep fighting yet far enough behind the race that going all-in at the trade deadline would be a fools gambit.The Royals entered the All-Star break at 45-43, seven games out of first place in the AL Central. They are also on the outside for the final wild-card spot, leaving general manager Dayton Moore and manager Ned Yost in the unenviable position of deciding what direction they should guide the franchise.It hasnt been early for a while, Yost said, dismissing the overused cliche of its still early.But again, you have to stay focused on today, he said. You have to forget about yesterday. Thats the hard part about this game. But weve been doing it for so long, thats how we approach it.The Royals season so far has been one of wild mood swings, soaring through a five-game win streak, then scuffling through eight straight losses, only to reel off five more wins in quick succession.The net result is their current position, stuck squarely between contender and pretender, unsure whether to unload players in the jumpstart of a rebuild or acquire the few pieces lacking from a title team.Things were much more defined a year ago.Kansas City was rolling through the hot summer months to a comfortable lead in the division, and it was apparent by mid-July that a postseason run was approaching. Moore began dealing away coveted prospects to get pitcher Johnny Cueto, second baseman Ben Zobrist and other pieces to round out his team.Both those guys were crucial to Kansas City beating the New York Mets to win the World Series.The Royals certainly have places that need shoring up, starting with a pitching rotation that has already seen Chris Young shuttled off to the bullpen. The Royals likely need at least one front-of-the-rotation starter if they plan to contend, even though Yost is confident there are sufficient in-house candidates.Injuries have also left Kansas City depleted across the lineup.Left fielder Alex Gordon missed a big chunk of the season with a wrist injury and has struggled since his return. Third baseman Mike Moustakas is done for the season with an ACL injury. Center fielder Lorenzo Cain is also on the disabled list after straining his hamstring trying to leg out a single.Finding someone who could play multiple positions -- Zobrist, anyone? -- would be ideal.Then again, the Royals have so far cobbled together a lineup with young call-ups such as Whit Merrifield and Brett Eibner that has allowed them to hang around. Merrifield was hitting over .300 for much of the season while Eibner has flashed some of the power that Kansas City has lacked for years.I wouldnt say theres urgency, said Merrifield, whose fine play at second base allowed the Royals to jettison underperforming veteran Omar Infante. Theres a lot of baseball left. A lot of stuff can happen between now and September and October. A lot of games to be played, a lot of ups and downs.The second half begins with three games in Detroit, then comes a crucial nine-game homestand against the Indians, Rangers and Angels that will ultimately decide whether the Royals will contend in August.If they go into another prolonged slump, the Royals could begin to replenish their depleted farm system -- especially with pitching prospects -- with an eye toward contending in a couple more years.Not that the Royals are thinking that way, even if the front office must consider it. They firmly believe they have the talent to reach the playoffs for a third straight year, or even make it to the World Series for a third straight year, and that one big run is enough for them to climb back into the race.Time is running out to put that run together.Akiem Hicks Jersey . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Walter Payton Womens Jersey . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. http://www.chicagobearfootballauthentic.com/authentic-akiem-hicks-bears-jersey/ . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. Khalil Mack Womens Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Devin Hester Womens Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday.Todays pitching rankings are Exhibit A on why win-loss records are way down the list of factors for gauging a pitchers expected performance. The highest-ranked pitcher has 16 losses, the 10th-ranked pitcher has 16 wins, and the 21st-ranked pitcher has 15 wins. Skills and matchups are the key. Youll get that and more in Wednesdays Daily Notes.PitchingEliteYou know, a pitcher actually has to be pretty good to have 16 losses in mid-August. Think about it: If he werent good, hed have been removed from the rotation by now. The Tampa Bay Rays have no reason to remove Chris Archer, who has obviously pitched better than his 6-16 record and 4.39 ERA suggest. A 3.42 xFIP and 17 percent home run per fly ball (HR/FB) mark point toward some bad luck, though Archers lack of command has been a big contributing factor, too. Archer is in a great spot for a rare win, with the San Diego Padres continuing an interleague set in Tropicana Field. In fact, with a 25 percent whiff rate versus righties, the Padres offer Archer and his 10.6 K/9 a platform for a huge game.Cleveland Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco bounced back nicely after taking a beating from the Minnesota Twins a couple of starts ago. In his ensuing outings, Carrasco has a pair of seven-inning efforts with a total of 17 strikeouts and just two walks. Next up for Carrasco is a home date with the weak Chicago White Sox. The strikeout upside isnt nearly as high here as it is with Archer, but the floor is higher, so consider Carrasco the top ace for DFS cash play, with Archer checking in as the top GPP option for those inclined to pay up for pitching.That Stephen Strasburg still lands in the elite tier despite having a start in Coors Field on the docket is a pretty strong indication of how well he has pitched. That said, the Colorado Rockies sent Nationals teammate Max Scherzer to the showers in the fourth inning Monday night. This doesnt mean Strasburg cant have a solid game, but its a risk. Strasburg isnt a consideration for cash games, but hes in play for tournaments as the altitude will keep his ownership close to sea level.SolidJon Lesters back on track, striking out 21 with just three walks over his last three outings, spanning 19 frames. The Chicago Cubs entertain the Milwaukee Brewers in Wrigley Field, and while this might seem like a cake matchup for Lester, the visitors handle southpaws to the tune of a productive .340 weighted on-base average (wOBA). They also whiff at a 24 percent clip with a lefty on the hill, however, making Lester a nice GPP play.Lets give Yu Darvish a pass for his return from the disabled list against the Cubs in early July. In five ensuing efforts, Darvish, who returned this season after Tommy John surgery, has tossed 32 innings with a 2.53 ERA and 0.94 WHIP, supported by 39 strikeouts. With the Oakland Athletics visiting Arlington for an AL West encounter, the strikeouts might be harder to come by, but Darvishs floor is high enough for him to be deployed by DFS cash grinders.David Price and Archer have had similar campaigns. The difference is that Price is backed by the leagues top-scoring offense, though the Boston Red Sox have scored two runs or fewer in nine of his 25 starts. Price looks to win two games in a row for the first time since a three-game streak in late May. To pull it off, Price needs to keep the Baltimore Orioles in check at Camden Yards. The home team checks in with the third-lowest wOBA versus lefties in the league. Not for nothing, but thats nuts. It also puts Price in play for DFS GPP action.Add Carlos Martinez to the list of solid hurlers looking good for tournament play as the St. Louis Cardinals visit Minute Maid Park for a tussle with the Houston Astros. The hosts continue to fan at an elevated clip. Dont be concerned about the venue. Minute Maid Park might elevate homers, but it plays neutral for runs. In a season where it seems everyone is carrying an HR/9 north of 1.0, Martinezs is an impressive 0.72.Ill be honest, J.A. Happ was on my avoid list in March. Granted, the veteran lefty had a solid second half last season between Seattle and Pittsburgh, but the move to a hitters venue was troublesome. On the surface, his 16-3 record with a 2.96 ERA says that was a mistake, but a 4.01 xFIP suggests the concerns were warranted. Of immediate concern is a date in Yankee Stadium against the new-look men in Pinstripes. Happ might have the platoon edge over the table setters, but the Yankees three recent call-ups are all right-handed batter. With so many new faces, team numbers to this point are rendered moot. However, Happs experience will help facing Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Tyler Austin, so expect another solid effort. Hes best suited for cash play, because its hard to pay up for strikeout potential when you arent sure it exists.Well wrap up a busy solid tier with Scott Kazmir taking the hill in Citizens Bank Park as the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Philadelphia Phillies. The home team has struggled all season with a lefty on the bump, as evidenced by a 0.289 wOBA and 23 percent strikeout rate in this scennario.dddddddddddd Feel free to deploy Kazmir in all DFS formats.StreamersDespite a quality solid tier, 16 scheduled starters land in the streaming tier as defined by their projected Game Score falling between 46 and 52. The better options for a spot-start will be covered, with the focus on those owned in fewer than 50 percent of ESPN leagues. If a name is skipped and you want some analysis, please use the comment section below or send a tweet to @ToddZola if the response can be handled in fewer than 140 characters.August has not been kind to Twins righty?Kyle Gibson, who has allowed 13 earned runs in only 14? innings, covering three outings. The fourth time looks like the charm for Gibson in an interleague affair with the Atlanta Braves in Turner Field. Gibson isnt apt to rack up the whiffs, but hell support ratios and is available in 97 percent of ESPN leagues.Inconsistency should be expected from those returning from Tommy John surgery. Homer Baileys first effort following the procedure was decent, he was hit hard in the second and threw a gem last time. After three road outings, Bailey makes his Great American Ballpark debut against the Miami Marlins, still reeling from the news Giancarlo is out for the season. It appears most are taking the wait-and-see approach with Bailey, whos available in 81 percent of ESPN leagues. A repeat of his 11-strikeout performance last time against the Brewers is optimistic, but he should be fine to stream versus the Fish.Zack Godley went back to the bullpen when Zack Greinke returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks rotation, but with Patrick Corbin struggling, Godley has assumed his spot. Despite making some moves to fortify their lineup, the New York Mets tote the worst wOBA in the league versus righties over the last month. Godley is only owned in 1 percent of ESPN leagues, and with Jon Niese toiling for the guests, heres a great shot at picking up a mid-week win.With Wei-Yin Chen and Adam Conley on the shelf, the Miami Marlins are counting on Andrew Cashner to return to the form he exhibited coming out of the break. The Cincinnati Reds are swinging the bats better lately but are still far from a powerhouse, so Cashner is in play if youre willing to take on a little risk.The Pittsburgh Pirates playoff chances are rapidly fading, in large part because of their recent woes against right-handed pitching. There are better options than Matt Cain on the card, but if you feel you need a little boost, the tilt will be at AT&T Field. On the other side, the San Francisco Giants hitters take on Ivan Nova, who has pitched well since being dealt to the NL. Like Cain, Nova doesnt sport an appealing record, but hes also in play.AvoidJimmy Nelson is in a tough spot facing the Cubs in Wrigley Field as is Niese, who squares off with the D-backs in the desert. There are some close calls, but well stick with that duo as being too risky for the limited reward.HittingAs a team, the Diamondbacks are crushing southpaws to the tune of a 0.358 wOBA. Thats not good news for Niese, who takes Logan Verretts spot in the New York Mets rotation. The Snakes like to platoon, so look for Phil Gosselin, Rickie Weeks Jr., Chris Owings and Brandon Drury to join staples Jean Segura and Paul Goldschmidt all enjoying the platoon edge in Chase Field.Lefty swingers continue to give Brewers righty Jimmy Nelson fits. Unfortunately for Nelson, the Chicago Cubs have some good ones, led by Anthony Rizzo and the switch-hitting Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist. The disappointing Jason Heyward along with Chris Coghlan are in the mix as well.All 14 of the homers Athletics southpaw?Sean Manaea has surrendered have come off right-handed sticks. Manaea will have the platoon edge over several formidable Texas Rangers bats but still has to contend with the likes of Adrian Beltre, Jonathan Lucroy, Ian Desmond and Carlos Beltran, all of whom are capable of sending one out of Globe Life Park.The primary reason Andrew Cashner has scuffled lately has been ineffectiveness versus lefty swingers. A full-on Reds stack isnt wise, but pairing Joey Votto and Scott Schebler is a nice DFS mini-stack.Braves righty?Mike Foltynewicz is another righty who is being lit up by left-handers. Foltynewicz is saddled with keeping the Minnesota Twins in check, something not many have done recently. Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario and Robbie Grossman make up a stealth stack with Joe Mauer in the picture, too.Most likely to go yard: Adrian BeltreManaea has allowed a homer in four straight outings, with a fifth very likely. All of the aforementioned Rangers are strong candidates, but in the spirit of laying it on the line, lets go with Beltre. Ill stop short of predicting it will be from one knee, though.Most likely to swipe a bag: Dexter FowlerTwo of the worst at holding runners match up in Wrigley Field. Since you need to reach first in order to steal and Lester is better than Nelson, lets call on Fowler to coax a walk and do the honors. ' ' '