This AL Midweek Series Matchup column previews seven three-game series.

Playoff races are in full swing this week with the top two teams in the NL East and West facing off. This NL Midweek Series Matchups column will cover five three-game series and three four-game sets.

LAA has activated Scott Downs (LHP, LAA) from the 15-day DL after missing the minimum amount of time with a left shoulder strain. In a prior update, BaseballHQ.com's Brian Rudd surmised that Ernesto Frieri (RHP, LAA), who had been in a timeshare for save opportunities with Downs in July, would run away with the role during his absence.

Kris Medlen is looking good in a starter's uniform. Should he don your team's jersey? Read on.

[FREE] Last week's exercise was fun. Let's do it again.

Jon Rauch (RHP, NYM), among the few bright lights in a largely dim bullpen, might be emerging as his team's preferred saves option. Rauch has recorded NYM's two most recent saves, August 12 and 16. Each of those two saves were of the one-out variety, with Rauch summoned to preserve dwindling leads in games which did not present closing situations entering the 9th inning. The NYM closing situation remains murky, as both Bobby Parnell (RHP, NYM) and Frank Francisco (RHP, NYM) have also recorded saves this month.

The beginning of September is historically an exciting time. Kids are headed back to school and football season is starting. For baseball fans, September 1 is the time for roster expansion.

Gene McCaffrey of Wise Guy Baseball talks about learning from our mistakes...

Jaime Garcia will be back this weekend; who gets bumped from the rotation in STL? Plus a key cog in PIT could miss some time, the developing OF situation in SEA, and more ...

A month ago, I wrote about how we might be able to use Bill James' Plexiglass Principle in conjunction with an in-season Xtreme Regression Drafting (XRD) strategy. That is one of the tactical approaches that can be used in a monthly fantasy game. And that's exactly what I did for the 4-week draft I participated in that ended this past week. So let's see how I did.

Cabrera suspended for PEDs, James McDonald might head to the bullpen, and more...