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.

July 20th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, The Wire Troll, Tim McLeod . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 3 Comments

It’s that time again, as the mid-summer classic brings a much-needed break before we head into the second half of the season. It is always nice at this time to take a quick look at some of the first half accomplishments of the masses. Today, we’ll take a gander at some of my personal favourites from the first half around the National League, followed by the American League on Thursday.

MVP

Chase Utley, Philadelphia, 2B: The best in the business at second base has continued his offensive prowess this year and has certainly fulfilled that pre-season top ten ranking. Utley is currently on pace to establish new highs in virtually all offensive categories. Is a 40-homer, 20-stolen base year in the works for 2008?

Hanley Ramirez, Florida, SS: Well, it looks like the shoulder healed just fine this past offseason. A .311 BA with 23 homers, 23 stolen bases and an NL-leading 80 runs scored certainly justifies that top three pick status heading into this year. The Marlins are currently five games over .500 and Ramirez is a big reason for that success.

Ryan Howard, Philadephia, 1B: Okay, the guy can’t hit for average but when you are leading the league in both home runs and RBI, it is certainly something that we can tolerate. Howard has amassed 28 dingers and 84 RBI at the break, demonstrating why he is one of the most feared pure power hitters in the game today.

Lance Berkman, Houston, 1B: The power potential was obvious, but where did those 15 stolen bases come from? Berkman’s previous high was nine, way back in 2004. A .347 BA, 22 homers, 73 RBI and a OPS of 1096 with those surprising thefts, leaves Berkman in a class with very few others this year.

Jose Reyes, New York Mets, SS: The stir that straws the drink for the Mets, Reyes is enjoying a very solid 2008. The power that was missing in 2007 has returned with ten homers to date, and those 32 thefts currently have him sitting in third spot in the NL. The Mets are in a virtual tie for first place in their division, and one of the biggest reasons is the resurgence of a well-rounded Reyes.

CY YOUNG

Brandon Webb, Arizona, SP: Ranked as one of the top starting pitchers in baseball heading into this year, Webb has done nothing to disappoint in the first half. He is currently the NL leader in wins with 13 at the break. Toss in the fact that he’s also in the top 10 with a 3.23 ERA and 112 strikeouts and you have an elite starting pitcher. If the Diamondbacks are going to be at the top of the heap come October they are going to need more of the same from Webb in the second half.

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco, SP: The kid is for real beyond any shadow of a doubt. Lincecum is currently leading the NL with 135 strikeouts, second with a 2.57 ERA and those 11 wins represent 28 per cent of the total Giant wins this season. For those who believed, the rewards have been huge.

Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati, SP: Volquez was acquired this past off-season for none other than Josh Hamilton. Talk about a win-win trade situation. Volquez broke camp as the fifth starter for the Reds, and has been nothing short of phenomenal this year. Currently, he is sitting with 12 wins, tied for third with 126 strikeouts and leads the NL with a 2.29 ERA. Not too shabby for a guy that went undrafted in most formats this past spring. If you were smart enough to grab him early, I take off my hat to you.

Ben Sheets, Milwaukee, SP: Sheets had a stellar first half. Those ten wins to go along with a 2.85 ERA and 108 strikeouts earned him the start in this year’s All-Star game. Sheets’ skills have never been in question, just the ability to stay healthy long enough to display them. Other than the one scare with triceps tightness in April, Sheets has stayed injury free and is on pace to produce at levels we haven’t seen since 2004. Will this be the year that we actually see 200 innings pitched out of Sheets?

Johan Santana, New York Mets, SP: The only chink in the armor to date has been the rather disappointing lack of wins. Heading into the break with a 2.84 ERA to go along with 114 strikeouts, Santana has adapted to his new league very well. Now if he can get a bit of run support in the second half, both the Mets and your fantasy team will be in very good shape.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta, SP: This 22-year-old righthander has been a very pleasant surprise for the struggling Braves. Other than one rough patch at the end of May, Jurrjens has been a very consistent force in the Atlanta rotation. Heading into the break with nine wins, a 3.00 ERA, and 81 strikeouts, Jurrjens has established himself as a solid number two starter on the Braves.

Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles, SP: The former starter from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp has fit in very nicely on the west coast. A lack of run support has limited him to just five wins, but his 3.43 ERA and 1.20 WHIP have been very solid. Kuroda bounced back after a two-week stint on the DL because of sore shoulder with that stellar one-hitter on July 7. With a bit of run support, Kuroda could be a big asset down the stretch for the Dodgers.

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs, C: Soto has followed up that Pacific Coast League MVP season with a stellar rookie campaign. Currently, he is batting .288 with 16 home runs and 56 RBI and is the front runner in the rookie of the year battle. Manager Lou Pinella has shown an amazing level of confidence in this rookie, going so far as to have him hit in the cleanup slot for the Cubbies.

Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago Cubs, OF: There is always concern when looking at the offensive potential of Japanese players coming to MLB. Fukudome has delivered pretty much as promised for the Cubs. He has batted virtually everywhere in Chicago lineup, but seems to have settled in nicely at the top of the order. His offense has been steady with seven homers, 36 RBI and 59 runs scored in the first half. Toss in the eight stolen bases and the stellar defense and the Cubs have to be very happy with their free-agent acquisition this season.

Joey Votto, Cincinnati, 1B: Thank goodness someone in Cincinnati, namely Dusty Baker, realized that Scott Hatteberg wasn’t the answer. Votto has been very solid with 13 homers and 40 RBI in the first half. The one area of concern to date would be in the area of stolen bases where he only has four this season. With 40 thefts over the past two seasons in the minors, you had every right to expect a bit more. So hopefully Votto posts stolen base totals more in line with his history as he settles into the Red lineup in the second half.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis, OF: While it’s hard to say he’s a Comeback Player of the Year candidate (which, by it’s very nature suggests this player was once good), Ludwick certainly deserves a nod as a major surprise. Coming off a solid second half last year, he has built on that momentum with the Cardinals in 2008. With 21 homers and 65 RBI at the midway point, Ludwick has already established career highs. A June slump saw the Cardinals move him into the two slot and he broke out with homers in five out of the seven games leading up to the break. For those that gambled on Ludwick as an end play this spring, the rewards have been huge.

Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs, SP: Last year at this time, Dempster was struggling in his role as the closer for the Cubs. Shifted back into the rotation this season, it’s been a fantastic transition as Dempster has ten wins, a 3.25 ERA and 104 strikeouts so far this year. Where are those strikeouts coming from, not to mention the improved hit rates? He has only allowed 97 hits in 124 2/3 innings pitched this season. Dempster hasn’t posted numbers like we’re currently seeing since that solid 2000 season. The decision to move this Canuck into the rotation and shift Kerry Wood into the closer role has been a huge factor in the Cubs surge to first place this season.

Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs, RP: Has Wood finally found his niche in life? The oft-injured starter has moved into the bullpen and half way through the year is not only healthy (which is amazing in and of itself), but is also currently just one save behind the NL leader with 24. Heading into the season, the Cub bullpen was a huge question mark, with multiple closing options, but Wood has been a most effective solution.

Ricky Nolasco, Florida, SP: Hopes were very high heading into the 2007 season for Nolasco after a very solid rookie campaign. The inflamed elbow injury cost him virtually all of the last year, but he has rebounded with a great start to 2008. Currently sitting at ten wins with a 3.70 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, Nolasco has become a very solid contributer for an overachieving Marlins team in 2008.

Jason Bay, Pittsburgh, OF: Kudos to the slugging Canuck and those that believed he’s bounce back this season. It would appear that 2007 was an aberration and with 19 HR and 53 RBI to go along with a .287 BA at the break, Bay has rebounded with a vengeance. In 2007, Bay drew 59 walks in 538 at bats. This year, he’s already at 56 walks in only 341 at bats. Rediscovering the strike zone has put Bay on pace for a virtually identical year to his stellar 2006 campaign.

BUST OF THE YEAR

Brett Myers, Philadelphia, SP: At least he’s coming off a quality start heading into the break; too bad it was for Double-A Reading. When you allow 24 homers at the break, it will have a tendency to translate into disappointing numbers. The conversion back to the rotation has not gone well at all, but if Myers can find a way to get the long ball under control, he could be a decent second half option.

Andruw Jones, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF: Jones was signed this past offseason to a two-year deal worth $36.2 million. It’s hard to believe that he is less than two years removed from a 41-homer, 129-RBI season. When you report to camp at a rumoured 240 pounds and follow that up with a .164 BA-, two-homer and ten-RBI first half, one would have to question whether Jones has the motivation to continue playing the game. It would appear that new hitting coach Don Mattingly is going to have his hands full in Los Angeles.

Aaron Harang, Cincinnati, SP: A consensus top 15 starting pitcher heading into the season, Harang has stumbled badly in the first half. A 4.76 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP to go along with that ugly 3-11 record is definitely not what we’d call “ace†calibre numbers. Harang was placed on the DL just prior to the break with a strained forearm and let’s hope the rest allows him to bounce back in the second half.

Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado, SS: For those that invested in Tulowitzki following his tremendous 2007 rookie campaign, odds are pretty good you’re not at the top of your league standings this year. When the stat line reads three homers and 16 RBI combined with a .166 BA, it just doesn’t get much worse.

Chris Young, Arizona, OF: Let’s face it, none of us were really counting on a .300 batting average, but five stolen bases in the first half? When you bat near the Mendoza line you better deliver in those other categories, and so far he simply hasn’t.

July 16th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, RotoRob Awards, Tim McLeod . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 10 Comments

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.

June 29th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, The Wire Troll, Tim McLeod . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 2 Comments

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.

June 22nd, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, The Wire Troll, Tim McLeod . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 2 Comments

Joel Zumaya, Detroit, RP: Assuming Zumaya can stay away from both stacking boxes in attics and sharpening his chops on Guitar Hero, he should be returning to the Tiger bullpen as early as next week. He’s coming off a very strong outing for the High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, pitching two scoreless innings and hitting triple digits on the radar gun twice. Anyone that can reach 100 mph can’t be all that far away from a return to the active roster. The Tigers need the heir apparent to 40-year-old Todd Jones active in what has been a very shaky bullpen so far this year. Zumaya is a solid acquisition in AL-only leagues and deep keeper formats at this time.

Scott Linebrink, Chicago White Sox, RP: Linebrink has very quietly been putting up great numbers for the White Sox this year. He’s racked up 14 holds and owns a nifty 1.38 ERA with a very strong 0.92 WHIP pitching in a set-up capacity for Bobby Jenks. With Jenks, seemingly about two cheeseburgers away from a massive coronary and the always volatile Ozzie Guillen at the helm, Linebrink should definitely be on the radar. He is a great pickup at this time for leagues counting holds and all AL-only formats.

Jose Arredondo, Los Angeles Angels, RP: The injury to Scot Shields has opened the door and Jose Arredondo has walked through big time. Since getting promoted on May 13, he has allowed only one run in 11 2/3 innings pitched, and has moved into the set-up role for Francisco Rodriguez. The 24-year-old converted starter is a solid candidate for holds over the balance of the season. Remember, that K-Rod is heading into free agency this offseason, so I’d suggest keeping Arredondo on the radar in deep keeper formats. For now, he is a good choice in AL-only leagues and all formats counting holds.

Homer Bailey, Cincinnati, SP: The 22-year-old top-tier prospect was promoted from Triple-A Louisville this past week. In his first start, Bailey allowed two earned runs against the hot-hitting Phillies. Those 32 walks in 69 1/3 IP at Louisville indicates that there will likely be some struggles this year at the major league level. Until Bailey can demonstrate that he has mastered his control problems, he probably will have limited value in standard 12-team mixed formats. At this time I would recommend Bailey for NL-only leagues, and all deep keeper formats.

Josh Banks, San Diego, SP: Banks was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays in April, and found himself inserted into the rotation with the injury to Chris Young. He is off to a great start and has allowed only one earned run in three starts. The 0.39 ERA and 1.04 WHIP are most certainly not sustainable over the long haul, but in NL-only leagues, grab him off the waiver wire and ride him while he’s hot.

Rod Barajas, Toronto, C: For a guy that couldn’t make up his mind two years ago, Barajas seems to be enjoying his time in Toronto these days. The elbow strain suffered by Gregg Zaun at the end of May created an opportunity and Barajas has responded very well. Over the past couple of weeks, he is batting .333 with two homers and nine RBI. Currently owned by only 12 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues, Barajas would be a solid add in AL-only leagues and mixed formats requiring two catchers.

Scott Downs, Toronto, RP: In his past two appearances, both resulting in blown saves and subsequent losses, B.J. Ryan has been rocked to the tune of five earned runs. This should bring the name of Scott Downs into the picture. With Jeremy Accardo currently on the DL with a forearm strain, Downs would be the logical choice to step into the closer’s role for the Jays should Ryan continue to struggle. Downs is currently sporting a 1.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, to go along with the five saves earned while Ryan was on restricted duty earlier in the year. He’s a solid pick in AL-only leagues and someone that should be watched very closely in all formats, depending of course on the health status of Ryan.

Cody Ross, Florida, OF: Ross falls into the category of a very one-dimensional player. If one is looking for a cheap source of homers, he could be an asset. With the walk-off homer this past Saturday, Ross has now hit 11 jacks on the year in only 119 at bats. Now, for the bad news: he also is currently sporting a .227 batting average. It seems as if the injury to Josh Willingham is going to be of a long-term nature, thereby providing an opportunity for Ross. However, unless the batting average improves, Ross is limited to being a decent acquistion in only NL-only formats.

Miguel Olivo, Kansas City, C: Olivo found himself in just a bit of a bind this past offseason and, with few takers lining up, he signed on with the Kansas City Royals for the 2008 campaign. He’s been sporting a very hot bat lately and is currently batting .291 with seven homers and 23 RBI. Trey Hillman is currently playing Olivo at both catcher, over the always batting average challenged John Buck, and at DH. As long as Olivo is hitting, the offensively challenged Royals will be taking advantage of it, making him a great grab in both AL-only leagues and all formats requiring two catchers.

Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado, SS: What I find very surprising here is that Tulowitzki is currently owned by only 36 per cent of all teams in CBS leagues. We are talking about the same kid that is coming off a 24-homer, 99-RBI rookie campaign, aren’t we? The torn quadriceps injury that sent him to the DL at the end of April is reportedly healing ahead of schedule, and he could possibly be returning to the active roster some time in the next several weeks. Last year at this time Tulowitzki had only three homers, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could very easily vault himself into the top tier of all shortstops in the second half. If he is a free agent in your league, avoid the scramble to pick him up once he is activated and grab him now.

June 8th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, The Wire Troll, Tim McLeod, Uncategorized . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 1 Comment