2010 has blessed Major League Baseball with a memorable rookie class.
Fantasy owners in Dynasty and Keeper leagues were quite familiar with this cast of characters long before they arrived in the show.
In commemoration of their foresight, let’s take a gander at the top 10 pitching keepers for 2011.
Welcome back for this week’s edition of the NL Wire.
Last week’s edition was focused mainly on a group of older, somewhat grizzled veterans, so for this week, I decided to return to the fountain of youth, so to speak.
This week’s selections are focused on a trio of youngsters, two of whom are returning for another go-around with their big league clubs, while the other is in the process of transforming himself from a top prospect into a solid rotation contributor.
Check ‘em out…
Homer Bailey, SP – CIN – Owned in 27 percent of CBS leagues
Homer (the pitcher, not the poet) has been on quite an odyssey thus far in his professional career. He’s been given the opportunity to stick in the Cincy rotation for four seasons, starting in 2007.
At one point, he was a highly touted prospect who began his tenure in the Reds’ system at 18 after being drafted seventh overall in 2004. Prior to the 2007 season, Bailey was named the top prospect in the Reds’ farm system by both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus.
Since then, very little has gone Homer’s way in the majors. His first shot came in June of ’07 after 12 starts for AAA Louisville, where he went 6-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. However, in only nine starts split between June/July and a September recall, he was 4-2 with a 5.78 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. Bailey surrendered 43 hits in 45 innings and had an underwhelming K:BB ratio of 28:28.
His fortunes did not turn around until the tail end of the ’09. He finished the season with a 4.53 ERA in 113 innings with 86 K’s while posting a record of 8-5. Subsequently, he made the Reds’ rotation out of spring training, but his good fortunes came to an end. Bailey was forced to the DL in May, and the Reds considered moving him to the bullpen during his rehab.
However, a few weeks ago he was summoned back to the big league club and given another shot at the rotation. In his two starts since returning, Bailey is 2-0 and has allowed one ER in 13 innings with 10 K’s and only two BBs. He managed to lower his ERA by one full run in only two starts.
We can only hope that Homer has finally found his way at the ripe old age of 24 and that he continues his hot streak. Bailey has always had the tools to succeed but never seemed to stay on track long enough. As a fresh arm for the playoff-contending Reds, Bailey’s value is on the rise for this season (already up 12 percent this week) and surely for next season in keeper leagues.
Eric Young, 2B – COL – Owned in 10 percent of CBS leagues
EY2 was summoned from AAA Colorado Springs on August 14 and has started every game since. He had a previous stint for the Rockies in ’09 that lasted 30 games, but he was in the starting lineup only 11 times. The speedster led all minor leaguers back in ’06 with 87 stolen bases, but at 25 he is hardly a top prospect.
Throughout his minor league career, Young’s batting average has hovered between .290 and .300 and his OBP between .359 and .407. In addition, he’s been a legit stolen base threat, compiling 303 SBs in five-plus seasons. He’s been a consistent run-producer, scoring over 100 runs twice and driving in as many as 63 runs. Needless to say, he’s a well-seasoned minor leaguer ready for an opportunity.
The Rockies would like to get a long look at Young through the rest of the season and give him that long-awaited opportunity. They are hoping he can be the spark plug and offensive catalyst teams look for in the leadoff spot.
In 10 games since his recall, Young has 12 hits, five stolen bases, and a .293 average. His on-base percentage is a respectable .341, and he has been crushing right-handed pitching with a .417 overall batting average in 19 total games this season.
Young is garnering attention in mixed leagues as well as NL-only leagues. His ownership will jump to 18 percent next week but is still low enough that he’s flying under the radar in most leagues. Whether you play in a rotisserie league or a H2H points league, Young can be a valuable contributor down the stretch. He will be firmly entrenched in the leadoff spot and will be playing his home games at Coors Field, where he’s hitting .333 on the season.
Bud Norris, SP – HOU – Owned in 22 percent of CBS leagues
David Norris, more commonly known as “Bud” in baseball circles, was previously considered the top pitching prospect for the Astros. He was drafted in the sixth round in 2006 and got his first taste of the majors in 2009. That audition lasted only 10 starts before he was shut down to prevent injury after logging 175 combined innings.
Bud did manage to garner national attention when he was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year after leading the league with a 2.63 ERA. In 19 starts he posted only four wins, but he had a 112:53 K:BB ratio in 120 innings to add to his league-leading ERA. His performance clearly earned him a shot at the Astros’ rotation to start the ’10 season.
Norris has had a rocky season thus far for the lowly Astros. In 18 starts he has only five wins and a 5.42 ERA to go along with his mediocre 1.50 WHIP. On the bright side, he has 108 K’s in 99.7 innings. Norris seems to struggle the second and third time against the opposing lineup, posting a 5.86 ERA versus 3.69 the first time through.
Norris appears to be turning the corner as of late, going at least six innings in seven straight starts. In his last three starts, he hasn’t allowed more than two runs and has thrown in a 14 K effort against the Pirates. Since the All-Star break, he is 4-1 with a 4.14 ERA and 43 K’s in 43 innings with an opponents’ batting average of .232.
It’s time to strike while the iron is hot and pick up Norris. He’s putting together a nice run of starts and has logged slightly less than 100 innings. He’s in no danger to be pulled from the rotation, as the Astros have very little left to play for this season. Norris should be a mainstay in the Astros’ rotation for years to come.
Honorable Mention
Joe Blanton, SP – PHI – Owned in 40 percent of CBS leagues
Blanton is 4-1 since the break with a 3.63 ERA. He has 44 K’s in 52 innings and is a solid starter for a playoff-contending team with a potent offense.
Randy Wolf, SP – SF – Owned in 50 percent of CBS leagues
Wolf is 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA in the month of August and a 20:6 K:BB ratio over that span. He seems to be finally finding his groove in Milwaukee.
Blake DeWitt, 2B – CHC – Owned in 13 percent of CBS leagues
DeWitt has been hitting leadoff for the Cubs recently and is batting .338 with three HRs in 22 games since his trade from LA. He’s batting .304 since the break—solid production from the 2B position.
Written by Rosti Satanovsky exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter @TheSportsFariah
Follow us on Twitter for more updates @TheFantasyFix.
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2010 has blessed Major League Baseball with a memorable rookie class.
Fantasy owners in Dynasty and Keeper leagues were quite familiar with this cast of characters long before they arrived in the show.
In commemoration of their foresight, let’s take a gander at the top ten positional keepers for 2011.
A look at last week’s least-owned, best performing sluggers and hurlers.
Coco Crisp is as fast as the Flash. Homer Bailey is stingy, allowing one run in 13 IP. Yuniesky Betancourt takes over against the White Sox. Can they keep it up the rest of the season?
Scott Baker has to be one of the most frustrating pitchers for any fantasy owner this year. When he is on, he is lights out (Sunday vs LAA 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4K), but there is another side to Baker that doesn’t exactly sit well with owners.
I personally dropped him in my league on June 11th, after a dismal outing against the Kansas City Royals where he gave up five runs in five innings. Of course, the next game Baker pitched his best outing of the season, giving up only two hits and striking out 12.
I kicked myself for a few days, but then happily smiled when he gave up 20 hits and 11 runs combined in his next two starts against the Brewers and the Mets.
It’s frustrating watching a guy like Scott with so much potential. Although he may end up with a second season of 15 wins, a 4.63 ERA is just too high considering the Twins’ ERA is 3.93 (without Baker they would have a 3.81 ERA) and the AL league average is 4.16.
In 2008 and 2009, Baker had similar WHIP (1.19) and BAA (.247), both being respectable numbers. This year, though, it is clear he has struggled with his control, raising his WHIP to 1.33 and a not-so-flattering .280 BAA.
Baker has been Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde in his wins vs losses.
In his 11 Wins, Baker has posted a 2.43 ERA, allowed 7.53 hits/9 and a very low 1.04 WHIP. In contrast, in nine losses he has a 8.41 ERA, 14.6 hits/9 and a very high 1.83 WHIP. Obviously numbers are always inflated in losses but the difference here is staggering.
On a positive note, Baker has put up impressive numbers in August, raking in four wins, 29 K, 3.08 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
Clearly, 2010 has been far from what owners expected when they drafted him at the beginning of the year. Maybe 2011 will hold what we’ve all been waiting for…an ALL-STAR!
Written by Evan Marx, exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Evan’s favorite movies are Goonies, Indiana Jones, and anything with the fat kid from Good Burger.
Follow us on Twitter@TheFantasyFix
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Lately a lot of the fresh faces in new places are making the most out of their change of scenery. This week it’s time for you to take advantage! Let’s stroll though and see who to sit and who to start.
Start ‘Em
Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals, 23 percent owned
As long as your league doesn’t count fielding percentage or errors, then Desmond is your man this week. He’s been hot after the break, hitting .304 with a .790 OPS since. All of his games next week are at home where he’s hit all but one of his home runs. Against his team’s two opponents next week (CHC, STL), Desmond’s hitting .500 through 20 at-bats this year.
Ryan Theriot, Chicago Cubs, 84 percent owned
You can expect this new acquisition to pay some major dividends this week for the Dodgers. First up, he plays in Milwaukee against the Brewers, where he has a career mark of .368 and a .451 OBP through 102 at-bats—great numbers with a large sample size.
He also has a .400-plus average against three of the five Brewers starters. His numbers against the Rockies and at Coors Field are great too. Lifetime he’s hitting .327 at Coors Field and .299 against the entire current staff.
Pat Burrell, San Francisco Giants, 18 percent owned
“The Bat” has been on fire since being acquired from the Rays. Five of the six pitchers that he faces this week are right-handed (40 points higher against righties, and 11 of 14 home runs). Against Cincinnati’s pitching, Burrell has a career mark of .333, in 33 at-bats, with great individual numbers against Arroyo (.333, two HR in 18 AB).
Sit ‘Em
Jason Kubel, Minnesota Twins, 94.8 percent owned
This week is going to be Jason Kubel’s gauntlet. He’s hitting .200 with a .290 OBP against lefties this year (a career-long weakness of his). Four of the seven starting pitchers that Kubel will face this week are left-handed. Included in those four are Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson.
Against both the Rangers pitchers and Mariners pitchers, Kubel has a combined career line of .206 in 102 AB and only one home run. This might be a career year for him, but this week showcases his career weakness.
Jorge Posada, New York Yankees, 92.6 percent owned
Posada’s numbers away this year are dismal and his numbers at both the Rogers Centre and Kaufman Stadium fall in line. In away games Posada is hitting .197, 101 points lower than at home. This year at both fields he’s a combined two for 19 (.105).
John Buck might be an affordable option to back-up since most teams only have one catcher on their roster and Buck is only owned in 12.2 percent of leagues. Over the last month he’s quietly hit .297.
Two-Start Pitchers To Use
Jake Westbrook, St. Louis Cardinals, 16 percent owned
Since being acquired from the Indians, Westbrook has thrown four consecutive quality starts. He has amassed 26 strikeouts in only 25 innings, while walking only four, and has posted a phenomenal 3.5 ground to fly-ball ratio. While he is not likely keep that rate up, this week shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for him to maintain those numbers.
PNC Park provides Westbrook with the fifth-worst place for home runs and the Pirates lineup is virgin to Westbrook, limiting their scouting of him. Washington doesn’t fare much better against Westbrook. While their park isn’t as good at containing the yardball, their lineup has only 22 hits in a career 97 at-bats against him.
Gio Gonzalez, Oakland A’s, 29.9 percent owned
Gio’s week from a distance may look like a bumpy one since they face the powerful Rangers. Yet with good, current-year numbers, Gio should make it through this week easily. So far this year Gio has pitched two shutouts against the Indians (13.2 innings total). As for the Rangers, in three starts he has maintained a 2.65 ERA and has kept the batters in check throughout his career (.227 average through 75 ABs, only two home runs).
Two-Start Pitchers To Avoid
Fausto Carmona, Cleveland Indians, 23.6 percent owned
This week a large sports website posted an article about using Carmona because of his two-starts. I’m here to tell you why you should do just the opposite. As a team, the A’s are hitting .344 against Carmona, with the bigger bats crushing him. Cust is hitting .500 against him with two home runs in 10 at bats. Carmona’s BAA post all-star game is a disgusting .335. He’s given up seven earned runs in 10 innings against Kansas City previously this year.
Huroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers, 86.7 percent owned
Unfortunately for Kuroda owners, he’s taking a trip to two of the top 10 homer-friendly parks in the bigs (third place for Coors Field and seventh for Miller), and his career numbers at both places are horrendous. His career ERA at Coors is 9.00 and his career ERA at Miller is 20.25!
Adding to his troubles are his career numbers against the players of both teams. Colorado players have a combined career .325 average against Kuroda through 83 at-bats. Milwaukee players are hitting .294, however in his defense, this is only through 17 at-bats.
All Statistical Information was obtained through ESPN.com
Written exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com by James Bryce. James is a grad student at UCSD and is currently in his 13th year of fantasy sports.
Follow us on Twitter@TheFantasyFix
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Whether you are fighting to make the playoffs or sitting atop the standings, it is always good to know a few quiet players making a little noise this year. These guys will help your team down the road and get you that extra stat here and there to bolster your starting lineup come playoff time. After each name is the player’s team, position, and percent owned in CBS Fantasy Baseball leagues to help you go right to the waiver wire and snatch these diamonds in the rough.
Jon Jay, OF, STL, 33% owned
J.J. the Jet Plane took over outfield duty after Ryan Ludwick was shipped to San Diego. He’s a high average run scorer with a great batter’s eye. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s hitting second in the order right in front of Albert Pujols too. In July, Jay raised his batting average from .318 to .383, and in August he is hitting .317 with 10 runs and four XBH in 11 games. He’s a safe, reliable outfielder that can help in all leagues.
Neil Walker,2B/3B, PIT, 54% owned
Jose Tabata, LF, PIT, 41% owned
Pedro Alvarez, 3B, PIT, 62% owned
Yo Ho, Ho, Ho, its a Pirate’s life for me! These three buccaneers have been crushing the ball lately. Although they might already be owned in deeper leagues, Walker, Tabata, and Alvarez are killing the ball and hugely contributing to the blossoming Pittsburgh offense.
Neil Walker—11 R, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 0 SB, .336 AVG
Jose Tabata—23 R, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 4 SB, .327 AVG
Pedro Alvarez—14 R, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 0 SB, .274 AVG
The lines above show their stats for the past 30 days. My advice is, if you need runs, speed, and average, go for Tabata. For power and the most well rounded player, Alvarez is the go to guy. If your team needs hits and a consistent infield bat, add Walker.
Chris Denorfia, CF, SD, 6% owned
One of my favorite sleepers for the rest of 2010. Denorfia, in 31 games through July and August, has 22 runs, eight HR, 21 RBI, four SB, and a .307 AVG. Even with San Diego’s crowded outfield, Denorfia seems to play everyday at all outfield positions. He shows no signs of stopping, and finds ways to continually be an offensive threat even in Petco Park. With San Diego in the heat of a playoff race, it only helps this Padres player the rest of the year.
Felix Pie, LF, BAL, 20% owned
It’s been a rough year for Baltimore, but Lord and Savior Buck Showalter seems to have turned not only the club around, but outfielder Pie as well. Felix has shown great signs of power, speed, and average since the Showalter Revolution.
Whether it’s a coincidence or not, it’s hard to ignore Pie’s recent numbers, hitting .328 in August with two HR, 10 RBI, and three SBs. Buyer beware though, Pie hits .177 lifetime against lefties. Depending on your league, Pie is a great pick up, but may be an even better spot starter when facing RHP.
To the skeptics out there who believe it’s a fluke, Pie is a career .288 hitter in August and September combined.
Omar Infante, 2B/3B/SS/OF, ATL, 47% owned
If you need a versatile bat in your lineup who can hit for average and swipe some bags, go get Infante while he’s still available. No matter what, the Braves always seem to find a place for him on the field each night. Infante hit .429 in July and is hitting .348 in August. Don’t expect power or RBI numbers though. Even with Martin Prado’s return from the DL and Atlanta’s Derrek Lee addition, Infante should continue to see playing time in a productive Braves lineup.
* Ryan Raburn, 2B/OF, DET, 16% owned
Before reading, notice the asterisk. Sure, Raburn is a sleeper, but I happen to think it’s somewhat fluky. If you have the room and the need for power, I say go ahead and grab him. Four HR in a five game span seems shaky though. Like I said, be careful, ride the streak and soak up Raburn’s surge, but the first sign of a power outage should send him to your bench or even back to free agency. Treat him as a Stash-and-Trash, or heck, trade him and sell high while he still has value.
Just snoozing—
Angel Sanchez, SS, HOU, 2% owned
Danny Valencia, 3B, MIN, 10% owned
Brooks Conrad, 2B/3B, ATL, 3% owned
Chris Snyder, C, PIT, 24% owned
You can follow Tyler Becker on Twitter at @fantasyprodigy for fantasy questions, advice, or just to say hello! He attends New York University for Sports Management… it’s the closest major they had to fantasy sports.
Who are you picking up off the wire for your run to the playoffs?
Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix
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From the sensational bat of Jason Kipnis to the absolute domination of Chris Archer—let’s take a quick tour of AA ball. Who will get the promotion to AAA and more importantly how long until they make it the big leagues?
BATTERS
Beau Mills, 1B Cleveland AA Line—.231, 8 HR, 61 RBI
The No. 13 overall selection in the 2007 draft has regressed badly in his second season at AA. Mills, 24, hit .293 with 21 homers and 90 RBI in at the same level in ’09, drastically ahead of his current pace. He’s hitting an inferior .189 in August, marking his third sub-.200 month. He also posted a .169 April and .162 June. The left-handed swinging Mills has faced significant struggles against southpaws, batting .203 with only seven extra base hits (one HR) and a 7:25 BB:K ratio. The above splits are staggering coming from a line drive hitter with a professional approach. Outside of a .320, five HR, 23 RBI July, he’s been downright disappointing.
Jason Kipnis, 2B Cleveland AA Line—339, 9 HR, 34 RBI
Mills’ teammate in Akron has confronted no such challenges. Kipnis has been nothing short of sensational since being promoted from the Advanced A Carolina League. His Eastern League numbers are dwarfing his CAR production, raising his batting average .39 points and OPS over .100 points. He’s batting .377 in August with three HR and 13 RBI. He’s an impossible out with runners in scoring position, hitting .417 with a 1.226 OPS. Kipnis has yet to display a weakness at the plate through two minor league seasons and continues to raise the bar at each level of competition. He’s on the fast track to the show, especially as his power continues to develop.
Devin Mesoraco, C Cincinnati AA Line—.294, 13 HR, 31 RBI
Mesoraco is the portrait of growth as a ball player in a short period of time. A year ago he was sputtering in the Florida State League, hitting .228 with limited pop. In 99 games between Advanced A and AA ball in 2010, he has quickly turned the corner. He’s batting .313 with 23 HR and 62 RBI, with an OPS .300 points higher than last season. Mesoraco is torturing left-handed pitching with a .365 BA and five HR in 52 plate appearances. His weaknesses have come with ducks on the pond, hitting just .204 with RISP, a figure that he will need to elevate with experience. It’s time to take notice that Mesoraco is a legitimate catching prospect.
Adam Loewen, OF Toronto AA Line—.254, 12 HR, 62 RBI
Questioning Loewen’s athletic prowess would be an exercise in futility. The former No. four pick in the 2002 draft had his pitching career ripped away by arm injuries, but his future as a position player appears filled with promise. In his second minor league campaign as a full-time outfielder, the 26-year-old has made massive strides, adding .18 points to his batting average, eight HR and 31 RBI from last season’s final totals in Advanced A. He’s been wearing out the gaps, hitting 22 doubles in ’09 and 27 this season. As expected, he’s still quite raw at the dish. His strike out total is an exorbitant 119 and his .237 BA against LHP is a work in progress. But Loewen’s batting eye and plate discipline give him a solid foundation to work with, already drawing 53 BB. Oh yeah, he’s got wheels too, swiping 14 bags. Can you say a more talented Rick Ankiel?
PITCHERS
Chris Archer, RH SP Chicago Cubs AA Line—7-1, 1.26, 49 K
And to think Archer’s numbers in the FSL looked impressive. Holy moly! His performance through nine AA starts has been, in a word, FREAKISH. Apparently the step up in class hasn’t rattled his cage. I know his ERA is tough to see, but it’s there somewhere. He’s allowed 32 hits in 50 innings of work for a .185 batting average against, and his groundout to air out ratio is 1.66. The one chink in his armor has been command, walking a whopping 32. When you’re that tough to square up, just throw strikes. Nevertheless, despite putting base runners on, he’s done a superb job pitching out of trouble. Archer was stuck on the lower levels for four years, but is still only 21 and it’s coming together fast. His fastball sits in the low-mid 90’s and his sharp curve is “the pitch”. The Cubs acquired Archer from the Indians as part of the package for Mark DeRosa in ’08.
Deolis Guerra, RH SP Minnesota AA Line—2-9, 5.99 ERA, 61 K
Guerra’s pitching line is not a misprint. The once highly-touted Mets farmhand, and centerpiece of the Johan Santana deal, has fallen on rough times. After a mediocre at best ’09 season in AA, the Twins moved him up to AAA for the start of ’10. He did not reward the team’s faith in him, getting hammered in four starts to the tune of a 6.84 ERA and .337 BAA. The demotion has not aided matters, as he seems flat out lost at sea right now. Opponents in AA are once again hitting over .300 against him and he’s surrendered 114 hits in 94 and two-third innings. His lack of confidence is readily apparent in RISP situations, where batters are hitting .364. Escaping trouble is not his forte. Unfortunately, the positive signs are few and far between. The best news of all is he’s only 21, but a young pitcher can only take so much battering.
Jeremy Jeffress, RH SP/RP Milwaukee AA Line —1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9 K
After serving a 100-game suspension for failing a second drug test, Jeffress is back pitching in the minors, and back with a bang. During his first stop in the Midwest League (A) he pitched eight hitless innings, striking out 14 in the process. He faced some adversity during his eight-game stretch in the FSL finishing with a 5.40 ERA, but once again whiffed 14 batters in 10 innings. Through nine innings of work in the Southern League he’s yet to surrender a run, allowing four hits and striking out nine. There was never any denying his talent or rare power arm (upwards of 100 MPH), but his head has always held him back. Has Jeffress turned the page, or is another blip waiting right around the corner? For baseball’s sake, let’s hope he’s focused on pitching. He’s a special one and can be a real quick riser.
Recent Promotions to AA: Danny Espinosa 2B Washington, Xavier Avery OF Baltimore, Julio Teheran SP Atlanta and Randall Delgado SP Atlanta.
Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Look for Adam’s weekly insight into A, AA, & AAA ball.
Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix
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Greetings fantasy baseballers, and welcome to another edition of the Wire.
Hopefully you heeded the past weeks’ advice and picked up Pat Burrell, Mike Minor, Daniel Hudson and others, before it was too late. This week is sort of a special edition with a look at a trio of closers—mostly of the present, and mostly with no future. Regardless, they have one thing in common—they will receive the lion’s share of save opportunities for their respective teams.
That translates to the potential to rack up some fantasy points all over the land. And the first contestant is…
Hisanori Takahashi, RP, NYM: Owned in 18 percent of CBS leagues
Mr. Takahashi has been somewhat of an enigma for the Metropolitans this season. He had success as a reliever early on, often times bailing out the starters by providing two or three innings of solid relief.
In fact, in his first 15 relief appearances for the Mets, he went two-plus innings seven times. Before being moved into the rotation on May 21, Takahashi put up three wins with a 3.12 ERA in 24.2 IP and a 33:14 K:BB ratio—not too shabby.
At that point, the Mets rotation started to fall apart and he was summoned to the rotation. In 12 starts, he did not fare nearly as well, posting a 4-4 record with a 5.01 ERA while surrendering 73 hits in 64.2 innings. In addition, opposing hitters batted a robust .291 against him in those starts.
Manuel had seen enough of Takahashi the starter and summoned Takashi the reliever, replacing him with Pat Misch in the rotation. Now, with the Francisco Rodriguez meltdown and subsequent thumb injury, Manuel has named Takahashi his closer. He brings a year of closing experience from his tenure in the Japanese league.
In his sole save opportunity, he closed out the Astros in a hitless inning this week.
You can ride Takahashi for as long as Manuel keeps him as the closer. Keep in mind that the Mets also have Bobby Parnell, who has pitched well as of late. Manual may throw some save chances his way to see how he performs in a late-inning role.
Hong-Chih Kuo, RP, LA:Owned in 13 percent of CBS leagues
The main difference between Kuo and Takahashi is that Kuo has been in a late inning relief role for his team, the Dodgers, the entire season. Furthermore, he has posted great stats thus far and has been the bridge that every team searches for to get the ball to the closer.
Unfortunately for Jonathan Broxton, the now-deposed closer, Kuo has pitched so well that he’s replacing Broxton, for the time being at least. If the Dodgers have any chance of making the playoffs, they cannot afford any more meltdowns by the usually-dominating Broxton. This was the main impetus behind Joe Torre’s decision to switch their roles in the pen.
Including Kuo’s first two save opportunities, he has put up an ERA of 1.48 on the season, which was inflated by more than half a run after his implosion against Atlanta. Torre summoned Kuo in the eighth inning, much like he used to with Mariano in his Yankee days. Kuo ran into trouble in the ninth and blew the save.
In 42.3 innings pitched this season, Kuo has a tremendous 52:14 K:BB ratio with a minuscule 0.85 WHIP along with three wins and four saves. Kuo has been nothing short of dominant this season and now stands to gain a boat-load of value in fantasy leagues. One would have to believe that as long as he’s successful in the closer’s role, Torre will leave him there.
The Dodgers also have Octavio Dotel to vulture a few saves, but for now Kuo is the closer in LA. He’s a must-add to fantasy rosters as CBS owners have demonstrated, making him the most added player in CBS fantasy leagues. His ownership will jump to 47 percent next week, which is still rather low. Grab him while you can.
Trevor Hoffman, RP, MIL:Owned in 27 percent of CBS leagues
Mr. Hoffman has had a rocky 2010 thus far. In the first half of the season, he was tagged for four losses and blew five of his 10 save opportunities.
He had an ERA of 8.33 heading into the All-Star break. In 27 innings, he gave up 25 runs on 34 hits along with an unimpressive 17:13 K:BB ratio. These are hardly the numbers expected from Hoffman, or any closer in the league for that matter.
Since the All-Star break, Hoffman has had a bit of a resurgence. In 12 appearances, his ERA is a more respectable 3.09 along with a 10:4 K:BB ratio. Opposing batters are hitting only .227 against him versus .306 before the break.
With Milwaukee out of the playoff race and not much else to play for, manager Ken Macha has decided to give Hoffman save opportunities once again. The Brewers would love for Hoffman to reach the 600 save mark and give them something to cheer about in the closing weeks of the season.
John Axford will presumably continue to get his chances as well, which makes Hoffman far from a sure thing to score significant points for your team. Regardless, Macha will give him every chance to add to his save total.
If you have the stomach for it, pick up Hoffman sooner rather than later and hope for the best, especially if you need to bolster your Save category.
Honorable Mention
Omar Infante, 2B, ATL: Owned in 34 percent of CBS leagues
Filled in admirably for Martin Prado at 2B and will get regular AB’s with Chipper out for the season. Hits righties and lefties well. Batting .361 since the break with a .862 OPS and has hit over .300 every month except for one this season.
Jose Guillen, OF, SF: Owned in 45 percent of CBS leagues
Guillen will get a decent amount of AB’s in SF. While he won’t hit for average, he surely has some pop left in his bat. Hitting .375 for the Giants since the trade and has 17 HRs on the season.
Chris Denorfia, CF, SD: Owned in four percent of CBS leagues
Denorfia is batting .321 since the break with a 1.039 OPS. He has six homers and 16 RBI plus four SBs in the second half. Solid pick up for deeper leagues.
Written by Rosti Satanovsky exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com . You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter @TheSportsFariah
Follow us on Twitter for more updates @TheFantasyFix.
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The second base position just got a whole lot beefier, as today three of the position’s top guns have been activated from the disabled list. Proud owners of Dustin Pedroia, Chase Utley, and Martin Prado have been forced to plug holes with stragglers like Adam Kennedy and Blake DeWitt. Now is your time to rejoice.
Dustin Pedroia returns to the Red Sox after breaking his left foot nearly two months ago on June 26. In his stead, Bill Hall received the majority of starts at 2B, with Eric Patterson and Jed Lowrie also seeing action. Hall hit 12 homers after Pedroia went down, providing decent numbers for fantasy owners. Hall will likely get significant starts in CF with Jacoby Ellsbury heading back to the DL after more pain in his slow healing fractured ribs. While Pedroia might not be 100 percent game ready, he is still a must start in all leagues. But be wary, he does tend to run in red-hot and ice-cold streaks. A slow start is a realistic expectation while he shakes off the rust. He was hitting .292 with 12 HR and 41 RBI prior to the injury, and had raised his average .38 points in June (from .254).
Right thumb surgery has sidelined Chase Utley since June 29. It had long been speculated that Utley was struggling with the thumb, forcing him to make adjustments to his swing. That could very well be the reason for his average production in the season’s first three months. His .277, 11 HR, 37 RBI stat line looks solid for most second baseman, but for Utley those figures are a disappointment. If Utley is pain free, expect a big final push from him once he settles in. His stroke is the epitome of ‘simple’ and it shouldn’t take him long to rediscover it. Placido Polanco will now shift back to third base full time, and Wilson Valdez will hit the bench. The 32-year-old Valdez did a more than admirable job being thrust into regular action, but was never a fantasy option.
A career utility man, Martin Prado’s fractured finger might have come at an ideal time (well, no injury is ideal). His batting average had plummeted .22 points from .337 to .315 in the month of July suggesting he needed a breather. Maybe sitting on the sidelines for a short while and re-energizing his body will be a positive in the long run. Unlike his 2B compatriots, he’s only been out since July 31 and could find his groove in a flash. All-star selection Omar Infante continued to rake in his absence putting up seven multi-hit games thus far in August. Infante possesses position eligibility all over the diamond, and should continue to see regular ABs at third base with Chipper Jones on the shelf for the year. Once again, Troy Glaus could be the big loser.
In other injury news, Charlie Manuel characterized first baseman Ryan Howard’s chances of returning to the lineup before Friday as “slim”. Howard has been out since August 2 with sprained ligaments in his ankle. He’s eligible to come off the DL today, but that’s obviously not happening. How exactly the Phillies plan to handle his rehabilitation remains unclear. Patience is the key my fantasy brethren, patience. Meanwhile, Mike Sweeney will continue to get the bulk of starts at 1B and is a realistic option in NL-only leagues until big number six returns.
Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Look for Adam’s weekly insight into MiLB & MLB ball.
Who will have the strongest return out of Pedroia, Utley or Prado?
Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix
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