The likes of Robinson Cano, Dan Uggla, Rickie Weeks, Ty Wigginton, Kelly Johnson, Juan Uribe, Martin Prado and Howie Kendrick have made up for the fact that three of the preseason top five players at second base have suffered major injuries.

Twelve players who are eligible at second base in many leagues have hit at least nine home runs this season, 14 have compiled 35 RBI or more, and 11 have scored at least 42 runs.

This week, however, was not one for feel-good stories, puppies and long walks on the beach.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is on the disabled list with a broken left foot. The injury won't require surgery, but the 2008 American League MVP likely will miss about six weeks. That leaves his return in the Aug. 7 range -- the end of Week 18 of the regular season.

The Phillies' Chase Utley joined Pedroia on the DL on Tuesday, and Thursday it was disclosed Utley has a broken thumb that could sideline him for eight weeks. That might mean Utley will be out of your lineup through Week 21.

Then there's the case of Baltimore's Brian Roberts, whose infrequent injury updates get more gloomy each time. At best, he'll be back in August, but I wouldn't plan on Roberts helping you the rest of the season.

If you're among the affected, the players mentioned in the first paragraph were drafted or are long-gone waiver-wire acquisitions.

That leaves you searching for a bargain. Here are 10 players who could be decent starters in deeper mixed and AL- and NL-only leagues. All stats are through Wednesday:

1. Sean Rodriguez, Rays (owned in 22 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com): The third-year player earned regular at-bats by hitting .289 with four homers, 15 RBI, 12 runs, five steals and an .828 OPS in June.

2. Carlos Guillen, Tigers (40.7 percent): He moved to second base upon returning from the DL on May 28. The switch made Guillen relevant in fantasy again, as he batted .293 with three homers, 12 RBI and an .803 OPS in June. He's no longer a stolen-base threat, but Guillen can help you in batting average, homers and RBI.

3. Clint Barmes, Rockies (19 percent): He's playing shorstop in Troy Tulowitzki's absence, and he's a powerful option no matter which middle-infield spot you select. Barmes had 23 homers and 76 RBI in 2009, and he hit .313 with 14 RBI and an .858 OPS in 80 June at-bats. For the season, he has six homers and 38 RBI, but beware his batting average (.247).

4. Gordon Beckham, White Sox (37.7 percent): He's been a bust thus far -- .207 average, two homers, 20 RBI and 29 runs in 246 at-bats. In 2009, Beckham batted .270 with 14 homers, 63 RBI, 58 runs and seven steals in 378 at-bats. He seems to regaining that form of late. Beckham is 6-for-18 (.333) with five runs scored, one homer, two doubles, a triple and four RBI in his last six contests.

5. Mike Aviles, Royals (29.1 percent): He will be a boost to your batting average and runs scored, but not much else. Aviles, a career .300 hitter, batted .317 in May and .333 in June. But he hasn't homered since May 9 and has 12 RBI and two steals in 180 at-bats.

6. Freddy Sanchez, Giants (19.8 percent): A .299 career hitter, Sanchez has similar assets as Aviles. Since he was activated from the DL on May 19, he is hitting .291 with 18 runs, one homer, 19 RBI and zero steals in 141 at-bats.

7. Cristian Guzman, Nationals (29.4 percent): He's also eligible at shortstop, and was surprisingly productive in 2008 and '09 (combined averages of .301, eight homers, 54 RBI, 75 runs and five steals). Guzman struggled in June (.236) and has only one homer and 21 RBI on the season.

8. Felipe Lopez, Cardinals (3.5 percent): Since he is filling in for an injured David Freese at third base, Lopez likely would be a temporary aid. In his last four games, he is 7-for-16 (.438) with four runs. In 2009, Lopez batted .310 with nine homers, 57 RBI and 88 runs with Milwaukee and Arizona.

9. David Eckstein, Padres (4.6 percent): This would strictly be a desperation move. Eckstein is a decent hitter (.281) and might steal 10 to 15 bases (he has five this season).

One really long shot

Tribe shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hasn't played second base since 2009, but he is eligible there in some leagues and his broken forearm caused many owners to drop him. He's available in more than 73 percent of the ESPN leagues.

He could return in late July -- just in time to help you for a month until Utley comes back.

For fantasy updates, follow Kevin Kleps on Twitter.

The Jhonny Peralta bashers are well aware the Tribe traded Kevin Kouzmanoff -- who could have been the third baseman of the future -- and pitcher Andrew Brown to San Diego for Josh Barfield prior to the 2007 season.

Said haters might not be aware Barfield -- after batting .245 in 473 at-bats over three seasons with the Indians -- is currently toiling in Triple-A with the Portland Beavers, an affiliate of the Padres.

They likely are aware, however, that Kouzmanoff is on track to have his best season in 2010. It's been so good, in fact, he leads our list of five batters to acquire on the waiver wire (I'm sure he's thrilled). The following players are available in more than 60 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com and should be starting candidates in deeper mixed leagues and AL- and NL-only formats.

Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, Athletics (owned in 35.5 percent of the ESPN.com leagues): Through Thursday, the former Lake County Captain is hitting .290 with six homers, 35 RBI and 29 runs scored. Kouzmanoff had his 15-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday, but he is hitting .448 with three homers, eight runs, 10 RBI and a 1.131 OPS in 58 at-bats this month.

From 2007-09, when Barfield totaled three homers and 45 RBI with the Tribe, Kouzmanoff averaged 20 homers and 82 RBI. He's a career .265 hitter who likely won't continue to be above .290, but his run production is suitable for a regular corner infielder in deeper leagues.

Jeff Francoeur, OF, Mets (owned in 32 percent of the ESPN leagues): Prior to Thursday's game against the Tribe, he was batting .275 with seven homers, 36 RBI, 30 runs and six steals in 218 at-bats. Francoeur has had at least a hit in 18 of his last 19 games, and he entered Thursday batting .453 with two homers, 11 RBI and eight runs in 53 at-bats since May 29.

The move to the Big Apple has been good for Francoeur, who had been awful in 2008 (.239, 11 homers, 71 RBI) and 2009 (.250, five homers, 35 RBI in 304 at-bats) with Atlanta. In 507 at-bats since being traded to the Mets last season, he is hitting .296 with 70 runs, 17 homers, 77 RBI and seven steals.

He might never again be the player who averaged 24 homers and 104 RBI with the Braves in 2006 and '07, but he's a decent source of power in deep leagues.

Freddy Sanchez, 2B, Giants (19.6 percent): Spring training is overrated in Sanchez's case. Since being activated from the disabled list following offseason shoulder surgery, the veteran is hitting .343 with 14 runs, 14 RBI and an .818 OPS in 99 at-bats. In 54 at-bats this month, he's hitting .352 with seven RBI.

Sanchez has always hit -- his career average is .301 -- and you know if you play him you're sacrificing power (38 homers in 2,831 career at-bats) and steals (10 in his career). But if you need help in batting average and runs scored, he's a quality choice.

Carlos Guillen, 2B, Tigers (14.0 percent): The move to second base has made Guillen relevant again. He's hitting .305 with 17 runs, four homers, 20 RBI and an .851 OPS in 128 at-bats.

In 52 at-bats this month, the former outfielder/designated hitter is hitting .346 with two homers, 11 RBI and eight runs. The player who was so prolific in 2006 and '07 (a .308 batting average with averages of 20 homers, 94 RBI, 93 runs and 17 steals) is no longer a five-category threat, but he's a good hitter who can help you in the power department in the middle of the infield.

Gaby Sanchez, 1B, Marlins (5.4 percent): Prior to Thursday's game, Sanchez's numbers in his first full major-league season were a .284 average, seven homers, 28 RBI, 32 runs and an .813 OPS in 222 at-bats.

The 26-year-old is hitting .347 with three homers, seven RBI, a 1.013 OPS and two more walks than strikeouts (7-5) in 49 at-bats in June.

Sanchez's minor-league statistics show it's not a fluke. In 1,749 at-bats (roughly three full seasons) down on the farm, he batted .302 with 62 homers, 308 RBI, 305 runs and an .878 OPS. He also stole 45 bases (he has two this season) and walked three more times than he struck out (246-243).

For more fantasy sports updates, follow Kevin Kleps on Twitter.

Carlos Guillen is the perfect example of eligibility rules gone haywire, which makes his availability in roughly half of the leagues on ESPN.com even more surprising.

Guillen started 89 games at third base and 24 for the Tigers at first in 2008. Because of that, he is eligible at first, third and the outfield in many ESPN leagues, and Yahoo lists him as a third baseman and outfielder.

The catch: Guillen, who returned Friday from nearly a three-month absence because of a shoulder injury, has only played left field and been Detroit's designated hitter this season.

So why would a .225 hitting 33-year-old with one home run and a bad wing make any impact this late in the season?

The answer is more simple than a SportsTime Ohio poll segment. Third base has been awful from a fantasy standpoint this season -- so much so that Russell "Don't Call Me Dave Kingman" Branyan might be among the top 10 at the position, even though he's currently the Mariners' starting first baseman.

If you can play Guillen at third, even if he's yet to play there this year, that makes his value much more appealing than his current numbers would suggest.

Before you dismiss the move, consider this: In 2006 and '07, Guillen had a combined 40 homers, 187 RBI, 186 runs scored, 33 stolen bases, a .308 batting average and 76 doubles. His OPS in the two seasons: .919 and .859, respectively.

Guillen was far from a fantasy stud last season, but he still batted .286 with 68 runs, 54 RBI, nine steals and 29 doubles in 420 at-bats.

In three games since returning from the disabled list, Guillen is 5-for-12 with a homer (his first of the season) and three RBI.

He is strictly a designated hitter for now, but that doesn't mean you have to limit him to that role.

If you can play him at third and your other options at the position are Branyan-esque, consider Guillen.

You don't make the rules, but you can certainly benefit from them.

More Tigers: Guillen's comeback could further lessen the value of Magglio Ordonez, who is batting .261 with just five homers, 32 RBI and a .686 OPS. With Guillen getting the majority of the at-bats at designated hitter, Ordonez, who has started 20 games at DH, might only play four times a week instead of five.

Detroit's regular DH, Marcus Thames (10 homers in 154 at-bats), should be the Tigers' left fielder.

Take a seat: In six starts since being activated by Boston, John Smoltz is 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA. The only positive number is the 42-year-old's 28 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. I wouldn't give up on Smoltz if you have the roster space, but he's definitely not a fantasy starter in 10- and 12-team leagues.

No thanks: While we're on the subject of aging pitchers, if you're among the few waiting on Pedro Martinez to make his Phillies debut, treat the possibility as if it's another live "SportsCenter" segment from Brett Favre's lawn in Mississippi. Change the channel, click on another free-agent pitcher ... you get the idea.

Free agent of the week: A Phillies pitcher I would strongly consider acquiring -- Joe Blanton. He's owned in just 13.8 percent of the ESPN leagues, despite going 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA in four starts this month.

The most surprising stat from Blanton is his total of 102 strikeouts in 118 1/3 innings. It took him 230 innings to register a career-high 140 K's with the Athletics in 2007.

He's never been much of a strikeout pitcher, but he does win. From 2005-07, Blanton was 42-34 with the Athletics.

He was terrible at the start of 2008 before getting traded to Philadelphia. In 32 starts with the Phillies, his ERA is above 4.00, but he's 11-4.

Blanton's next start is Friday against the Giants, who rank 20th in the majors in batting average (.257), 27th in runs scored (391 in 98 games) and 29th in home runs (64).