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The Wire Troll: LaHair and the Tortoise?

Gio Gonzalez, Oakland, SP: The recent trade of Joe Blanton to the Phillies has opened up a spot in the Oakland rotation and it looks like Gio Gonzalez is the current frontrunner for the vacancy. Gonzalez is coming off a great run for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. In his last four starts, he has allowed only three earned runs while striking out 34 in just 28 1/3 IP. Included in this run were back-to-back one-hitters. The 22-year-old southpaw looks like he’s ready for the Show, so if Gonzalez is a free agent in your league, grab him quick before he’s gone.

Maicer Izturis, Los Angeles Angels, 2B/SS: Izturis is owned by a scant 15 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues. Since July 7, he has batted .429, bringing his season average up to .275 with nine stolen bases. The middle infield position is rather thin, making Izturis worthy of a waiver-wire grab in AL-only formats.

Fernando Tatis, New York Mets, OF: The Met outfield has been truly decimated by injuries this year. Currently, Moises Alou, Ryan Church, Angel Pagan, and the recently acquired Trot Nixon are all on the DL. Tatis has been playing in a full-time capacity since July 6, and has amassed an impressive .366 BA, with four homers and 11 RBI. He’s currently the hot hand in New York, so the Mets will keep trotting him out there until either he cools off, or they can find a better solution. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to roll the dice on Tatis in both NL-only and H2H formats for the coming week.

Juan Rivera, Los Angeles Angels, OF: It has been a long road to recovery for Rivera from that broken leg he suffered playing winter ball way back in 2006. The knee injury to Gary Matthews Jr. has provided Rivera with a recent increase in playing time and he’s responded with a .379 BA, three homers and eight RBI since the beginning of July. Rivera is a solid acquisition in AL-only leagues and should be on the radar in deeper mixed formats.

Jamie Moyer, Philadelphia, SP: Moyer, at 45 years of age, just keeps on chugging along. The ageless wonder is currently tied with Cole Hamels for the team lead in wins, with nine. His ERA (3.90 ERA) hasn’t been this low since his days as a Mariner, way back in 2003. Moyer, in his last eight starts going back to June 6, has not allowed more than three earned runs and is on pace for yet another season of 200 plus innings pitched. He’s a solid option in all formats heading into the second half of ‘08.

Nomar Garciaparra, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B/SS/3B: Since coming off the DL(again) on July 4, Garciaparra is batting a solid .316, with three homers and ten RBI. In the absence of the injured Rafael Furcal, Garciaparra has recently been back playing his original postion of shortstop. That has to leave Dodger groundball pitchers like Derek Lowe feeling absolutely ecstatic. Garciaparra is a decent option in NL-only leagues and deeper formats that use middle infielders, assuming he’s still healthy by the time RotoRob drags his sorry ass out of bed and edits this.

Grant Balfour, Tampa Bay, RP: Troy Percival went on the DL July 2 with a left hamstring strain. The Rays promptly announced that they were going with the dreaded closer-by-committee approach, with Dan Wheeler being the frontrunner for saves during Percy’s absence. Moving forward a couple of weeks, Balfour has three saves. So much for the-closer-by-committee approach. The former Twin, coming off Tommy John surgery and a rebuild on both his labrum and rotator cuff, has been very solid. In 23 2/3 innings pitched, he has allowed only ten hits and has struck out 36. Percival is tentatively scheduled to return this week, which will push Balfour back into a set-up role, but he remains a solid acquisition in all leagues counting holds and as the go-to-guy if Percival has any future health issues (which is a strong possibility).

Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers, RP: The injury to Takashi Saito (a sprained ligament in his right elbow) will leave the Dodger closer sidelined until at least September. The 24-year-old Broxton has been the closer-in-waiting seemingly forever and now he finally has that opportunity to close. He recorded his first save Friday and with 48 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings pitched, has all the tools to be successful. In CBS leagues, he has gone from 38 to 76 per cent ownership. The 24 per cent that don’t believe, should; roster Broxton immediately.

Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland, 2B: The Cleveland Indians recalled the 22-year-old Cabrera from the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons this past week. It is currently time for the Indians to start evaluating players for 2009, and Jamey Carroll is obviously not the long-term solution at second base. Cabrera had a solid .326 BA in the minors and has the potential to garner some thefts over the balance of the season. He did manage 23 thefts for Double-A Akron in 2007. Cabrera is a solid addition in AL-only leagues.

Fausto Carmona, Cleveland, SP: I happened to be scanning the current player ownership trends, as I do on a regular basis, and the name of Fausto Carmona leapt out at me. In CBS leagues, he is currently owned to the tune of only 48 per cent in all formats. There has to be a lot of H2H leagues or leagues with a very short bench using CBS as a stat provider this year. The 24-year-old, currently sidelined with a hip strain, is scheduled to be coming off the DL in the next several weeks. If, by chance, he is available in your league, grab him now before the memories of that 19-win season in 2007 are splashed all over the ‘Net.

Bryan LaHair, Seattle, 1B: The release of Richie Sexson has opened the door for LaHair, who was recalled July 18 from Triple-A Tacoma. LaHair has mashed 12 dingers and driven in 53 runs for Tacoma and is currently expected to handle the strong side of the platoon at 1B, batting against righthanders. The Mariners are a mess and it is definitely time to start looking at some of the kids on the farm. Jose Vidro is not the solution and could quite possibly be the next to go in the Mariner purge. LaHair is a solid grab in AL-only formats and, depending on the direction the Mariners head in over the next several weeks, the 25-year-old could have value in deeper mixed formats.

Denard Span, Minnesota, OF: Span was recalled from Triple-A Rochester June 29 to fill the vacancy created by the Michael Cuddyer injury. The 24-year-old is currently batting .316 with five stolen bases, so he’s a solid play while Cuddyer is on the mend. It’s possible upon the return of Cuddyer that Span ends up stealing at bats from the slumping Carlos Gomez, making him a very solid grab in AL-only leagues and someone who should be on the radar in deeper mixed-formats, if you need a late-season push in the stolen base category.

Anibal Sanchez, Florida, SP: Do you remember this guy? If you don’t, think back to 2006 and that no-hitter that he threw in only his 13th big league start; or maybe you recall his fine rookie campaign of ten wins and solid 2.83 ERA. The torn labrum that cost him the 2007 season looks to be healing just fine. In Sanchez’s last rehab start for Double-A Carolina on Friday, he went six innings, allowing only two earned runs while striking out five. If all goes well in his final rehab start this coming week, he could be back in the Marlin rotation and a possible two-start pitcher in the last week of July. Sanchez is a solid add in NL-only, H2H, and all keeper formats.

 

The Wire Troll: The Butler Did It

With Tim McLeod off at a family funeral (our condolences to his family), RotoRob takes over the Troll again this week.

Damaso Marte, Pittsburgh, RP: This week’s top candidate in the revolving door we have come to know as the “closer†comes from the Steel City. Although his K rate has slipped since 2007, the 33-year-old southpaw has still been fairly dominant, with 44 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings this year. Marte’s ERA is currently at 3.54 and he’s issued just 11 free passes. The injury to closer Matt Capps that has opened the door for Marte is bursitis and internal rotation deficit in his right shoulder. We’re looking at a two month minimum and may possibly have seen the end of Capps this season, so Marte has been among the week’s most popular plucks.

Reid Brignac, Tampa Bay, SS: Brignac, our 29th-ranked prospect heading into the season, was enjoying a fairly solid debut season at Triple-A, batting .265 BA with seven homers and 38 RBI. His 69 strikeouts to 21 walks and an OPS of just 743, however, suggests to me that Brignac may still require some seasoning. Maybe he’s really ready, but either way an injury to Jason Bartlett is providing this 22-year-old with an opportunity. While Brignac looked to be on the fast track two seasons ago, he’s slipped a bit as he’s gotten closer to the finish line. We obviously still really like this kid’s chances of blossoming into a stud SS in time, so keeper league owners need to pay attention. But as for those looking for help today, just deep AL-only league owners need pay attention at this time, especially since the Rays also recalled Ben Zobrist, who looks like he’ll share PT with the youngster.

Masahide Kobayashi, Cleveland, RP: Way back in mid-May, we mentioned Kobayashi for the first time and made the observation that Manager Eric Wedge would be returning Joe Borowski to the closer role upon his return from the DL. But the larger question was for how long? How about until July 3 to be exact? Borowski simply could not get the job done and the Indians have decided to cut him and move forward. Kobayashi certainly has the background to handle the job, with seven consecutive years with 20 or more saves in Japan before heading to North America this year. Grab him in all formats, but keep an eye on the Rafaels: Perez and Betancourt.

Billy Butler, Kansas City, 1B: Demoted at the end of May, Butler didn’t exactly go down to Triple-A Omaha and pout, batting .337 with six doubles, five homers and 14 walks in 26 games. Brought back up last weekend, Butler has been inconsistence since then, going 6-for-21, but with a couple of big games thrown in there. Still just 22, Butler will rake over the long haul, I’m confident. I’d recommend him in all formats at this time, with a particular emphasis in keeper and AL-only leagues.

J.A. Happ, Philadelphia, SP: Happ, who first gained prominence when he was named a Rising Star in the AFL in 2006, has been recalled from the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs to replace the struggling Brett Myers, sent down until he learns to keep the ball in the park. Happ, a 25-year-old lefty, had shown tremendous progress at Triple-A this year, going 5-6 with a 3.54 ERA, with a much improved groundball rate. In 101 2/3 IP, he’s giving up just 91 hits (11 homers), while fanning a very impressive 104. In his first start against the Mets, the 2004 third round pick allowed just three hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings, but he walked four. He is guaranteed at least one more start prior to the All Star break, and is someone to definitely consider in NL-only leagues and obviously in keeper formats.

J.R. Towles, Houston, C: Well, we dissed him when he was down, so it’s only fair to send some kudos his way as Towles turned things around at Triple-A Round Rock (.279 in 19 games and 61 at bats, with 15 runs, five homers, 11 RBI and an impressive .380 OBP). This recovery prompted the ‘Stros to give the kid another shot (he flopped at the beginning of the year, you’ll recall) when Humberto Quintero went down with an injury last week. Towles has recorded hits in two of the three games since his recall, including a double and two RBI. Baby steps, for sure, but this 24-year-old has tremendous offensive potential so he needs to be picked up in NL-only and definitely in keeper leagues.

Brett Gardner, New York Yankees, OF: Gardner was originally called up originally to replace Hideki Matsui (knee), but with Johnny Damon also banged up, there’s a chance for him to get some decent PT with the Yankees. Okay, he’s really struggled since his recall (1-for-16), but this 24-year-old has taken huge strides forward at Triple-A this year and has true top-of-the-order skills, so is someone worth considering in keeper formats or for AL-only league owners seeking some speed. In 80 games at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, Gardner has scored 59 runs, has 11 doubles, 10 triples, 61 walks, 34 steals and an 841 OPS. Like I said, he’s a burner, and has already shown flashes of it with a couple of steals for the Yanks.

Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins, SP: If you’re seeking some under-the-radar pitching help, take a peek at Johnson. He tossed eight scoreless innings in his last rehab start Friday for Double-A Carolina and is expected to come off the DL and perhaps start Friday for the Fish. The 24-year-old southpaw is coming off Tommy John surgery that cost him virtually the entire 2007 season, but let’s not forget those numbers from his very solid 2006 season: a 3.10 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP and 133 Ks in 157 IP. Johnson is a solid grab in NL-only leagues and should be added to rosters in deep NL-only leagues. Do remember, of course, that he’s coming off TJS so temper your expectations, but at the very least, do yourself a favour and consider him as an option.

 

The Wire Troll: The Return of Royalty

Sidney Ponson, New York Yankees, SP: When the Yankees signed Ponson, recently cut by the Texas Rangers, it further illustrated the serious shortage of quality pitching facing most major league ball clubs. Having worn out his welcome at every stop, the 31-year-old Ponson finds himself getting yet another opportunity. In his first start Friday, Ponson held the Mets scoreless over six innings en route to his first victory for the Pinstripers. Will he last? Probably not, but pitching for the Yankees, he has the potential in AL-only formats to be a decent acquisition until the ultimate implosion.

Kurt Suzuki, Oakland, C: Heading into the 2008 season, Suzuki was on many sleeper lists and is starting to demonstrate why. Over his last ten games, he has hit two HR, produced ten RBI and is hitting to the tune of a .432 batting average. The beginning of a trend upwards for the 24-year-old backstop? I believe that to be the case and with Suzuki still sitting on waiver wires in 40 per cent of all CBS leagues at this time, I recommend adding him to your fantasy roster in all formats.

Casey Blake, Cleveland, 1B/3B: Now here’s a nice little bonus I found this past week: Blake, who qualifies at both first and third base, is currently owned by only 50 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues. In his last ten games, he’s hitting .378 and for the season is on pace for a career-high 90 RBI. For those looking to add some power at the corners, Blake is a solid acquisition in all formats.

Eric Stults, Los Angeles Dodgers, SP: Since his promotion June 17 from Triple-A Las Vegas, Eric Stults has been virtually flawless. He’s won both his starts and the key to his success has been his ability to limit the base-on-balls to a total of one in each of his two starts. The Dodgers are apparently going to run with a six-man rotation through to the All-Star break to give the 28-year-old Stults further opportunity to show his stuff. Coming off a complete game, four-hit shutout of the White Sox in his last start,he is a fine option in NL-only leagues and deeper mixed formats.

Chris Davis, Texas, 1B: If I’m not mistaken, didn’t I mention that Hank Blalock, despite the injury woes, would be a fine addition heading into this past week? Well, the woes have continued and it looks like the most recent setback suffered by Blalock (badly bruising his injured wrist diving for a ball) has delayed his return for at least a couple of weeks. The Rangers have decided to give 22-year-old Davis an opportunity to at least temporarily show his stuff. Davis has had a great year at both Double-A and Triple-A , amassing combined stats of 23 homers, 73 RBI, seven steals, and a .333 BA. He will hit for power and in all probability strike out way too often, but with the window of opportunity now open, Davis is a solid grab in AL-only leagues and deep keeper formats.

David Bush, Milwaukee, SP: Bush was thought by many to be a great sleeper pick heading into the 2007 season, and over the the past month or so appears to be finally waking up. A terrible 2007 and start to this year pushed Bush to the bench and waiver wire, but with five quality starts in six tries and only six walks over that same period, Bush is emerging as a viable option in both NL-only and mixed formats. In his past two starts, he has pitched a four-hitter over seven innings and an eight inning, two-hit gem. It looks like the ship has been righted and we might finally be witnessing some of that potential that Bush demonstrated prior to 2007.

Braden Looper, St. Louis, SP: Very quietly, Looper has been putting together a very nice year for the surprising St. Louis Cardinals. The former Mets closer has now amassed nine wins to go along with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Looper is coming off a run of four out of five quality starts and by limiting the free passes is putting himself in position to be successful. Currently owned in 52 per cent of all CBS leagues, Looper is a solid add in NL-only and deeper mixed formats.

J.P. Howell, Tampa Bay, SP/RP: This 25-year-old southpaw is enjoying a very solid year in middle relief for the upstart Rays. In 50 2/3 innings pitched, Howell is currently sporting a 3.02 ERA and 1.34 WHIP to go along with six wins. For those of us playing in leagues that count holds, Howell is a solid addition to our fantasy bullpen.

Jim Edmonds, Chicago Cubs, OF: After being released by San Diego, the Cubbies gambled on Edmonds and to date have been rewarded very nicely. Thought to have lost his bat speed after the disaster on the West coast, Edmonds is currently enjoying a renaissance patrolling centrefield in Chicago. He was signed by the Cubs May 15 and is sporting a very nice .293 BA, to go along with seven home runs and 22 RBI since, with five of those long-balls being hit in the past week. Edmonds is a solid acquisition in both NL-only and deep mixed formats.

 

The Wire Troll: Ricky Don’t Lose Those Numbers

Well I survived my travels south this past week and it’s now time to get back into the swing of things. Thanks to RotoRob for picking up the slack last week while I was enjoying some quality time with my auction league mates. We had tickets for a game last Saturday in Springfield, MO., home of the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate, and we lucked into a double-header that had both Mark Mulder and Matt Clement starting. Mulder actually looked fairly decent, managing to get his fastball into the low 90s with decent control. Clement, on the other hand, is still a long way from those glory days with the Cubbies. Maxing out at 86 mph, and consistently pitching in the low 80s just isn’t going to get the job done. Anyhow, enough of my adventures in the south, let’s move forward and take a look at some potential wire pickups for this week.

Mike Gonzalez, Atlanta, RP: Now here’s one that totally has me stumped. Currently, Gonzalez is owned in only 36 per cent of all CBS leagues. I realize the Braves’ bullpen has been a mess, but he did come off the DL this past week and straight into the closer’s role didn’t he? Gonzalez picked up his first save this past week and is a must own in all formats.

Ricky Nolasco, Florida, SP: After a rather rough start to the season, with 11 earned runs in his first two starts, Nolasco has managed to reel off a string of ten quality starts in 12 opportunities. Against the hot Tampa Rays, he actually managed 12 punchouts. Currently sporting a rather strong seven wins and a 4.31 ERA, Nolasco is a solid choice in NL-only and deeper mixed formats.

Jason Kubel, Minnesota, OF: Kubel is another player that has seen his stock rising lately. In his past ten games, he’s sporting a .368 BA with four HR and nine RBI. We’ve certainly seen those immense talents in short bursts from him before, so there’s definitely reason to be cautious. Hopefully this is the beginning of a more consistent Jason Kubel. He’s a must own in AL-only leagues and in deeper mixed formats where you have the available bench space.

Elijah Dukes, Washington, OF: Okay folks, this one is just way too easy a target, so I’m going to try to demonstrate some tact. The injury to Austin “(lack of) Powers” Kearns opened the window of opportunity and lately the 23-year-old Dukes is demonstrating the skills that have had scouts drooling for years. He’s managed to get the batting average up into the .270 range with Saturday’s 5-for-6 performance. He still has some work to do on the “other†side of his game, but take advantage of his current streak and get him on your roster in NL-only formats.

Aubrey Huff, Baltimore, 1B/3B: Huff is beginning to bring back memories of the player we all salivated over when he a member of the D-Rays. He’s been tearing the cover off the ball recently, batting .390 with five home runs in his past ten games. Thanks to the sudden burst from his recent hot streak, Huff is currently on pace for a 30-homer, 100-RBI year. If you happen to be playing in a league where he is still available, add him to your roster quick before he is gone.

Jeff Baker, Colorado, 1B/2B/OF: Talk about being on fire, take a look at Baker over the past week. With homers in four of his past five games, it just doesn’t get much better. The 27-year-old has always had the power potential, but this might be a case of too little, too late, with Clint Barmes scheduled to be come off the DL this coming week. The ability to qualify at multiple positions and the current hot streak certainly makes Baker a solid gamble in NL-only leagues.

Daryl Thompson, Cincinnati, SP: This former Expo eighth round pick in 2003 has had a rather rapid ascent to the bigs. Originally a part of the Felipe Lopez/Kearns deal in 2006, at this time last year, Thompson was pitching in the Florida State League. He was called up to replace the ineffective Homer Bailey, and in his debut against the Yankees certainly held his own, allowing four hits and four walks in five scoreless innings. He’s young and with only 14 starts above Single-A, is going to be prone to those growing pains associated with all young pitchers. Thompson is a solid add in NL-only formats at this time.

Kelly Shoppach, Cleveland, C: Shoppach has the gig for at least the next couple of months with the injury to Victor Martinez. Since being inserted into the lineup, Shoppach has managed three homers, but is still struggling with his strike zone judgment, striking out far to often. He should provide a decent source of power, but just be wary that until he finds a way to cut down on the strikeouts he will be a liability in the batting average category. Shoppach is a decent add at this time in AL-only leagues and all deeper formats requiring two catchers.

Hank Blalock, Texas, 3B: Despite the constant injury woes, this is one potential pickup that I really like. Blalock is expected to come off the DL this coming Tuesday and slide into the first base role for the Rangers. The year before the hamstring and carpal tunnel woes, he managed to show that he still has power potential. In the high-powered Texas offense, Blalock should be in line for some very good RBI opportunities, making him a must-own in AL-only formats and someone who should be on the radar in all mixed formats.

 

The Wire Troll: A Summer Carroll

With Tim McLeod off doing some male bonding (no, that doesn’t involve face paint and animal chants – at least, I hope not), the task of compiling this week’s Wire Troll falls to your faithful editor. Not to worry, though – the ever-diligent Tim sent me some suggestions for the week to help put this puppy together.

Jamey Carroll, Cleveland, 2B: It’s a revolving door at the keystone corner in Cleveland these days. Asdrubal Cabrera’s struggles finally got him farmed out, opening the door for Josh Barfield to try to resurrect his career. That lasted all of two days before Barfield wound up on the DL. Now, it’s Carroll’s turn and, so far, he’s been raking, going 11-for-14 over a four-game stretch before taking an 0-fer Saturday. Recall that two years ago, given a steady gig, Carroll was moderately useful. Expect the same and target him in AL-only leagues if you need middle infield help. You should note that in some leagues, he may also qualify at third base or even in the outfield, versatility that should come in handy.

Craig Counsell, IF, MIL: With Rickie Weeks landing on the DL and J.J. Hardy also hurting, Counsell has been playing every game recently. Because of his speed, Counsell is always intriguing, but the fact that he stroked four hits – two of them for extra bases – and scored four runs over a three-game stretch (and then had an RBI single Saturday) suggests that he’ll be a good short-term option for NL-only leagues for the next little while. Counsell has been spending some time in the two-hole this week, and that’s going to translate into more runs.

Mike Aviles, Kansas City, SS: With Tony Pena Jr. unable to hit his way out of a wet paper bag, and Esteban German not much better, the Royals shortstop gig has fallen to Aviles, and so far he’s delivered in a big way with the stick. Saturday, Aviles capped a sweet week with four hits – including two doubles and a dinger – and four runs, to help lead an offensive explosion for the Royals, the likes of which have been a long time in the coming. What’s this? A spark for the moribund KC attack? Think he’s not going to have a chance to run with the job for some time as a result? Grab Aviles right away in AL-only leagues, and consider him in a deeper mixed league.

Charlie Morton, Atlanta, SP: With the Braves’ rotation in tatters, Morton was summoned to make his major league debut Saturday. He responded with a strong six-inning effort to bag the W, so chances are he’ll stick around. In an NL-only league, I’d suggest taking a peek at Morton if you need pitching help. His Triple-A numbers were solid, so it’s likely his fine first start was no fluke.

Brandon Morrow, Seattle, RP: Long-thought to be a closer of the future, Morrow gets his chance now with J.J. Putz suffering another injury. On Wednesday, Morrow tossed a perfect inning with two Ks for the save. The save was definitely new – it was the first of his career. But the goose egg inning is becoming quite commonplace for him. In fact, it’s been over a month since Morrow was touched up for an earned run. With 25 Ks in 18 IP, you know he has the kind of dominating stuff that top-drawer closers generally need. Regardless of your format, Morrow needs to be picked up, if he’s still available.

Chris Duncan, St. Louis, 1B: With Albert Pujols landing on the DL, Duncan has been summoned from Triple-A and is playing every day. Since bursting onto the scene in 2006, Duncan hasn’t been the same player, so I have my doubts about this one. But given a steady job, he’s at least worth watching.

Edgar Gonzalez, San Diego, 2B: With Tad Iguchi landing on the DL last weekend, Gonzalez has had a chance to play every day, and the early returns are inspiring. How about five straight multi-hit games, with five runs, three doubles and a homer in the mix? Jump on Gonzalez in NL-only leagues, as he’s likely to get at least three more weeks worth of starts before Iguchi’s separated shoulder heals.

Brandon Jones, Atlanta, OF: Matt Diaz’s injury has opened the door for the recently promoted Jones, one of the Braves’ top prospects. He enjoyed a big weekend, going 5-for-8, with four runs, two RBI, a double, a home run and a walk. Obviously, I’m not expecting him to sustain anything near that level of production, but he’s a decent gamble in an NL-only league for the time being.

 


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