If you're an Indians fan, you probably like the idea of Jose Lopez remaining in the starting lineup at third base.

Lopez provides some much-needed pop from the right side for the Tribe's lefty-leaning lineup. In 50 at-bats, he is batting .280 with two home runs, nine RBI and an .833 OPS.

If you play fantasy, you likely are hoping the Indians continue to play Lopez, who is a better option in our fake world than Jack Hannahan, who hasn't played since May 13 because of a back injury.

Hannahan, to his credit, is hitting .287 with three homers, 18 RBI and an .801 OPS in 101 at-bats. But you can't rely on him to help you much at the hot corner in fantasy, considering he's a .236 career hitter who has never had more than nine homers and 47 RBI in a season.

Lopez, however, does have a positive track record.

Yes, he was brutal last season with the Rockies and Marlins (a combined .216 average in 231 at-bats), and he wasn't much better in 2010 (.239 average, 10 homers and 58 RBI in 593 at-bats with the Mariners). In 2008 and '09, though, he averaged 21 homers and 93 RBI with Seattle. In 2008, he batted a career-best .297. The following season, he had career bests of 25 homers and 96 RBI.

If you compete in a daily AL-only league, I would continue to play Lopez until it's announced Hannahan is set to return. In weekly leagues, you can't make the move unless you know Hannahan will be out (say a trip to the disabled list).

In his last five games through Tuesday, Lopez has six RBI. He is riding an eight-game hitting streak in which he is batting .357.

It would seem to make sense for him to stay in the lineup. That likely won't be in left field, since Lopez has played the infield throughout his nine-year career.

The majority of Lopez's at-bats will have to come at third base, with some starts mixed in at first, second and DH.

Maybe the Tribe will figure out a way to play him five days a week. If they do, you should, too.

Chone Figgins and Jose Lopez switched positions to start the season.

What we didn't know at the time was they wouldn't be any better than Jason Donald and Jhonny Peralta.

Figgins is playing second base after signing with Seattle, and he's been so bad he's been dropped in almost 8 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com.

I wouldn't make that move yet, but I certainly wouldn't start him unless I was desperate for stolen bases, since Figgins is doing nothing else.

Entering Thursday night's game against the Red Sox, Figgins had scored only 40 runs in 94 games. He was batting .230 with a .597 OPS, no homers, 22 RBI and 25 steals.

After playing decently in June (.271 average, 13 steals), he's been awful in July (.221, seven runs, three RBI and two steals in 68 at-bats).

Lopez, meanwhile, has been even worse.

Since shifting from second to third base to make room for Figgins, Lopez is batting .238 with a .268 on-base percentage, .606 OPS, 29 runs, six homers and 39 RBI.

A player who averaged 21 homers and 93 RBI in 2008 and '09 batted .226 in April, .240 in May, .264 in June and .211 in July.

His ESPN ownership percentage is down to 55, and it's difficult to argue with any owner who has given up on Lopez.

I wouldn't do the same with Figgins.

In category leagues, he has some value. In points leagues, he's on par with Peralta.

Next week, we're going to start concentrating heavily on football, but first we need to empty the baseball notebook.

-- Not so fast: Fausto Carmona, who was banished to the bottom of the Tribe's minor-league system in June, has a 2.45 ERA in two starts since returning to the Indians. Look a little further, though, and you see these stats: Carmona has four more strikeouts (seven) than walks (three) in 11 innings, and he's thrown 197 pitches (17.9 per inning) with a WHIP of 1.55 in that span.

The latter numbers are reminiscent of his prior struggles -- a two-year run in which Carmona has 21 more walks (118) than strikeouts (97) since winning 19 games in 2007. He's still owned in 53 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com, but I wouldn't rush to put him in my lineup.

-- Not so fast II: Friday's trade of Carl Pavano to Minnesota does make the right-hander slightly more intriguing from a fantasy perspective. Pavano led the Tribe in wins and is going to a team that is contending in a Central Division that's weaker than the ailing Grady Sizemore's throws from center field.

Then there's this: Since finishing 5-1 in May, Pavano has started 10 games. In that span, he's 4-4 with a 5.46 ERA. He's allowed 77 hits in 62 2/3 innings, with a WHIP of 1.39. Pavano has struck out four batters or fewer in seven of the 10 starts.

He's owned in only 6.2 percent of the ESPN leagues, a number that should rise after the trade. But, like Carmona, I wouldn't start him.

Start 'em

-- Roy Oswalt, SP, Astros: Assuming he returns Monday or Tuesday from a back injury that has sidelined him since July 28, I would reinsert him into my lineup. Since June 24, Oswalt is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. He's allowed only 29 hits in that span, a seven-game run in which he has yet to yield more than three runs.

-- Jose Lopez, 2B, Mariners: He's owned in more than 83 percent of the ESPN leagues, but he's often used as backup. If you need power from your second baseman and aren't worried about OPS, runs scored or steals, Lopez is your guy.

In his last eight games prior to Friday, he had three home runs and 13 RBI in 31 at-bats. For the season, he's batting .278 with 15 homers and 65 RBI. The negative: His on-base percentage (.306), steals (two) and runs (45), all of which are very low for his position. Power or speed? You make the call.

-- Gavin Floyd, SP, White Sox: I've seen some goofy ESPN ownership percentages this season, but Floyd's might be Manny Ramirez on the bizarre scale. How is a 26-year-old who won 17 games last season and has been great since June owned in only 48.2 percent of the ESPN.com leagues?

If that's the case in your league, acquire Floyd and start him. Since June 1, he's 6-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 12 starts. He's averaged more than seven innings per start, and he's struck out 71 in 84 2/3 innings and has an outstanding 0.96 WHIP.

Sit 'em

-- Francisco Liriano, SP, Twins: This has nothing to do with the addition of Pavano and everything to do with the former wonderkid's spiraling stats. Liriano is in danger of losing his spot in the Twins' rotation, has been bothered by a forearm injury and will have his next start skipped as he attends to a family matter. When he does return, I'd keep him and his 4-11 record and 5.63 ERA on my bench. Since winning two straight starts at the end of June, Liriano is 0-3 with a 5.65 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in five starts.

-- Brad Penny, SP, Red Sox: John Smoltz was cut by Boston on Friday, securing Penny's spot in the rotation for the time being. Still, since beginning the season 5-1, Penny has been brutal. In his last 12 starts, he is 2-5 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.