2012 Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Advice & Analysis
The FantasyFix.com is proud to present our final fantasy baseball roundtable of the 2010 Major League Baseball season. We asked eight prominent voices in the fantasy sports industry the following question: As the conclusion of the 2010 Major League Baseball regular season approaches, identify one batter that you are keeping close tabs on, in anticipation of the 2011 season. Briefly describe their 2010, why you are keeping tabs, and what you expect from them in the 2011 season.  Alexi Casilla | 2B/SS | Minnesota Twins Two seasons ago Casilla looked like a budding star at the second base position. He was a switch-hitter with speed, surprising extra base pop and a master manipulator of the strike zone. Not an easy commodity to find. He finished 2008 with a .281 BA, seven HR and 50 RBI before a thumb injury ended his season in July. Attitude concerns buried him deep in the doghouse in 2009, and his performance on the field took a nose- dive. He barely scraped above the Mendoza Line at .202. Most organizations would have cut ties with a troubled 26-year old, but the Twins never gave up on his potential (even when he was out of options). Injuries in the middle infield presented him with another opportunity to showcase his skills, and he ran with it. In 20 starts between July 24th and August 24th he posted very useful stats: .297 (22-74), 13 runs, 11 RBI, six doubles, 2 triples and four stolen bases. He has yet to flash the 50 SB potential he displayed in the minors, but the wheels are there. With Orlando Hudson signed to a one year deal, Casilla could be the Twins starting second baseman and number two hitter in 2011. Likely to be available at a bargain basement price, this risk/reward proposition is quite an attractive one. Adam Ganeles is a senior writer for TheFantasyFix.com. Additionally, Adam contributes to the famed NBADraft.net.Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamGaneles  Pablo Sandoval | 3B | San Francisco Giants Coming into the year, Sandoval was going off the board as a top-30 option in many drafts. At this point, he isn't even a top-30 infield option in the National League. At the same time, I think his down season this year leaves him as a player who will make a great bargain next season. After all, Pablo still owns a 3-year average of about .310-20-85-80 with a .850 OPS per 162 games played, and those numbers will play in any league. So why the struggles this season? His walk rate is slightly down, as is his K-rate, and the resulting 0.59 K/BB mark is virtually identical to his 0.63 mark from last season. Pablo also is sporting a 1.20 GB/FB mark that is right in line with his 1.25 career rate, so the type of ball he has hit hasn't changed much at all. The real issue this season has been an erosion of his line drive rate which has led to a .050 point drop in his BABIP mark. A little bit better luck next season, and a few more line drives, should allow him to once again hit over .300. The biggest issue for the Kung Fu Panda though might be his willingness to take care of his body. Only 24 years old, Sandoval reminds me of a 34 year old Mo Vaughn – and that's not a fattering, I mean flattering, comparison. If Pablo dedicates himself to an offseason regimen to get his body in shape, he'll be primed to be a solid bargain on draft day in 2011.  Ray Flowers is Managing Editor for Fanball.com Owners Edge and RotoTimes.com. You can also hear Ray’s thoughts at the Fanball.com Sirius XM Homepage (Ray is the co-host of a daily radio show on XM 147 and Sirius 211 satellite radio). Follow Ray on Twitter @BaseballGuys  Domonic Brown | OF | Philadelphia Phillies Domonic Brown is that special someone atop my watch list. I often find myself saying, “Sit on my face” in robotic voices when day dreaming about the Phillies Outfielder. Domonic, which I prefer to pronounce as Demonic, may very well be the main character in a J.P. Alex created video game and anyone who doesn’t want a piece of him in 2011 should be labeled as a Grandma’s Boy. The power/speed threat was the Phillies No.1 ranked prospect coming into this season and he should slide into an everyday role when Jayson Werth and his beard hit the free agent market this coming off season. Domonic has all the tools to become a superb fantasy option and the Philadelphia lineup/ballpark is a great environment to find big time production. Brown has power, speed and a good eye at the plate. He also has a track record of producing an above average BABIP, so if his strikeout rate is hovering near 30%, he should still be able to produce a respectable Batting Average. Splitting 93 minor league games between AA and AAA this season, Brown hit 20 HR and stole 17 bases before being promoted to the big leagues. He hit .318 in AA (65 games) and .346 in AAA (28 games). Brown has struggled a bit since his promotion, but he is far too talented to worry about the small sample size. He is getting his feet wet (he only played 28 games in AAA) and the poor numbers (.229 AVG, 2 HR, SB) only helps us get him at a cheaper price in 2011. Listen to my main man Dante, if you don’t draft the Brown Bomber, you may end up shitting your pants.  By Andrew Holm aka Million Dollar Sleeper. Read more of his rants at www.milliondollarsleeper.com and follow him on Twitter@Andrewakamds  Chris Carter | 1B/OF | Oakland Athletics 0-for-19. When Oakland A's prospect Chris Carter tells his grandchildren the story of his major league career, he'll probably look back and chuckle. But living through the worst possible way it could start isn't so easy. After being among the minor league leaders in home runs, Carter was promoted from Class AAA Sacramento to make his big-league debut at age 23 … and in his first six games with the A's, he never collected a single hit. Then Conor Jackson and Travis Buck returned and Carter went back to the minors without so much as a souvenir from his time in The Show. But that horrible start doesn't make Carter any less interesting for 2011. He'll most certainly get another chance with the A's when rosters are expanded on Wednesday. And there's a lot to like about the 6-5, 230-pound slugger. First of all there's the raw power, which is something Oakland needs badly. (The A's are dead last in the majors in home runs.) Carter had 27 homers and 89 RBI when he was called up Aug. 9 -- and since he was sent back to Triple-A he's added four more dingers. His manager at Sacramento, Tony DeFrancesco, told ESPN.com earlier this year that Carter has "the most power I have seen from a young player coming up." That's high praise from someone who's spent 16 years as a minor league skipper. Sure, Carter amassed those gaudy numbers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but when you put up an ISO of .271 in any league, people will take notice. In six minor league seasons, Carter's already hit 149 homers. In fact, he has been such an intriguing prospect since he was taken out of high school in the 15th round of the 2005 draft that he's been involved in not one, but two high-profile trades. The White Sox dealt him to Arizona in 2007 for Carlos Quentin. Less than two weeks later, he was a key component in the blockbuster deal the Diamondbacks made with Oakland for Dan Haren. What makes Carter even more intriguing for 2011 is that he's become a more versatile player in the field. A first baseman throughout his pro career, Carter was moved to the outfield this season to help facilitate his path to the majors. That transition is still a work in progress, but with 25-year-old Daric Barton establishing himself as the A's everyday first baseman, Carter stands a better chance finding a starting spot in the outfield. Like most young power hitters, Carter does tend to rack up the strikeouts -- 138 of them in 465 minor-league at-bats this season -- so that will be his biggest challenge facing major league pitchers. (He did whiff nine times in those 19 at-bats with the A's.) To make an impression in 2011, Carter will need to improve his plate discipline. That will be one thing worth watching with the A's in September and in the Arizona Fall League. If he can improve in that area, his 0-for-19 start in the majors will be a distant memory.  Steve Gardner has been with USA TODAY in one form or another since 1993. He started at USATODAY.com in 1996, taking over as the website's baseball editor in 1999. See Steve's Fantasy Windup Here! Follow him on Twitter @SGardnerUSAT  Matt Wieters | C | Baltimore Orioles In 2009, keeper league owners drafted Matt Wieters hoping he would be the next Joe Mauer, or at the very least, a consistent top three fantasy catcher. Thanks to a .356 BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play), Wieters posted a .288 average in his first 96 games of big league action with nine home runs. To be sure, Wieters’ 2009 campaign did not impress quite like Buster Posey has in 2010, but it was a respectable debut that seemed likely to be improved upon. Unfortunately, Wieters has taken a step back in his sophomore season. His 2010 BABIP is a more reasonable .280, and as a result, his batting average has tumbled all the way down to .244. On the bright side, his home run, runs scored and RBI totals are almost identical to what they were last season, and he is striking out less while walking more. So, is Wieters an elite fantasy catcher just taking a little longer than expected to adjust to the big leagues, or was he an overrated prospect that is destined to be an average major league player? Only time will tell. Written by Brett Talley exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Be sure to follow Brett on Twitter @TheRealTal  Gordon Beckham | 2B/3B | Chicago White Sox Beckham burned many a fantasy "expert" this season, including me. His woeful .216 batting average and horrific .581 OPS before the All-star break saw him dropped in all but the deepest of fantasy leagues. The fantasy world expected better of him after his solid major league debut in 2009, during which he put up a respectable .808 OPS with 14 homers and 7 steals in just 103 games. Fantasy owners couldn't help but salivate over a potential .300 hitting, 20/20 middle infielder (with position flexibility at both 2B and 3B). Hindsight is always 20/20, but we shouldn't have been surprised to see Beckham experience growing pains in 2010. He did play college ball at Georgia, but had only played 59 games in the minor leagues before his major league debut in 2009. Entering 2010, Beckham had played just 162 professional games in total. Every young player not named Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun or Evan Longoria faces adversity in the big leagues at some point, and has to make adjustments as the league adjusts to them. It may have been a lost season, but all hope is not lost. In July, Beckham hit .354 with 3 home runs and a .949 OPS, and had continued success in August. Beckham has yet to turn 24, and has the pedigree (8th overall draft pick in 2008, set the Georgia school record with 59 career homers). He's still a great keeper option, and next year I expect him to put up at least a .280/20/10 season. Maybe that's all he will ever be (and that ain't bad), but he may yet develop into a .300-hitting, 30 HR, middle of the order bat.  Written by Alex Shear. Follow Alex on Twitter @RotoSleeperz.  Mike Moustakas | 3B | Kansas City Royals Looking for an odds on favorite for the American League Rookie of the Year in 2011? Look no further than Kansas City's Mike Moustakas. Finally living up to the potential the Royals saw from him when they took him out of Chatsworth High School with the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, Moustakas has had an all world 2010 season. Combined between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha, the Moose is hitting an eye popping .323 with 38 Doubles, 30 Home Runs, and 107 RBI. Most impressive is that he's struck out just 63 times in in 443 at bats this season. Having seen Moustakas in person at both Double-A and Triple-A this season, I would label him as one of the top 5 most advanced young hitters in either the Texas or Pacific Coast League this year. While there may be a bit of an adjustment at the big league level, as there is for most young hitters, it would not surprise me at all to see a .280, 25HR, 80RBI season from Moustakas who should break camp as the Royals opening day third baseman in 2011.  Written by Ben Nicholson of TopProspectAlet.com. TopProsepctAlert.com is the premiere source for updates on Minor League Baseball. Follow Ben on Twitter @MinorLeagueBlog  Pedro Alvarez | 3B | Pittsburgh Pirates The Pirates' Pedro Alvarez has the makings of a star. Sweet-swinging third baseman, college stud, 2nd overall pick in last year's draft, and tons of power. He has shown the ability to hit at every level of the minors, where he hit a combined .284 with 40 home runs and an OPS of .908 in A, AA, and AAA over 192 games (40 homers in a season and a third is pretty darn good), plus 10 more in just over 2 months in the majors. Pedro does, however, have three knocks against him - 1) he strikes out A LOT (197 K's in those 192 games, plus 87 more in his first 65 major league games); 2) he makes way too many errors (36 in the minors, 10 in two months the majors); 3) he's a Pirate, and the Pirates haven't had a top prospect pan out since Aramis Ramirez...and that was many years and a couple shoulder surgeries ago. If you're not in a keeper league, Alvarez isn't worth owning right now but is definitely someone to have on your radar for next year. He could become Ryan Zimmerman...or Alex Gordon. If you're in a keeper league, he should be (and probably already is) owned, but if not - GO GET HIM NOW. He's your classic stud prospect, and needs to at least in the keeper discussion next year. Jesse Mendelson, Partner and Senior Writer for www,fantasybaseball101.com,has been playing fantasy baseball almost as long as Ron Shandler with a long history of both tremendous successes and spectacular flameouts. You can contact him at fantasy_baseball101@yahoo.com, and be sure to follow Jesse's writing on www.fantasybaseball101.com and on Twitter @fb101. Stay tuned for Part II of the roundtable scheduled to be published Wednesday, where pitchers are discussed... Leave a comment and let us know what you think, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Alexi Casilla, Minnesota Twins, Orlando Hudson, NBADraft.net, Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants, Ray Flowers, Fanball.com, Sirius XM, Domonic Brown, Philadelphia Phillies, Jayson Werth, Andrew Holm, Million Dollar Sleeper, Chris Carter, Oakland Athletics, Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles, Gordon Beckham, Chicago White Sox 1 Comment 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 pitching keepers for 2011.  1. Mat Latos*, SP San Diego Padres Latos turned ace potential into ace performance in one off-season. His arm strength was never in doubt, but his secondary pitches and command are much crisper in 2010. His 0.98 WHIP and .192 batting average against are sick. He's not simply a product of PETCO Park either, as proven by his 9-3 record and 2.41 ERA away from home. His innings are being monitored, but Latos is showing no signs of slowing down in the home stretch: Through 58 innings in June and July he's allowed 39 hits, struck out 66 and pitching, to the tune of a 1.40 ERA. He had minor elbow discomfort earlier in the season, but it’s not a major concern at this point. *missed MLB rookie threshold by 2/3 of an inning, so he can’t win ROY, but he tops our list regardless 2. Neftali Feliz, CL Texas Rangers Once upon a time Feliz was envisioned as a front of the rotation starter, but he's found his true calling finishing games. He's converted 32 of 35 save opportunities, storming through June and July without blowing a game. His control, once gazed upon as an area of weakness, is now a virtue. He's walked 16 batters in 56 innings. His easy heat is a sight to behold, looking like he's playing soft toss, but hitting 101 on the radar gun. Most importantly, Feliz appears unphased by the pressures of a pennant race and is blessed with a rare 'extra gear'. Top three closer (minimum). 3. Jhoulys Chacin, SP Colorado Rockies The 22-year old Chacin has filthy stuff and is capable of utter dominance. He's allowed 82 hits and struck out 109 in just 102 innings. He's a nightmare on right-handed hitters (.178) with his boring sinker, late breaking slider and change. He's carried over his ground ball mastery from the minor leagues, posting a 1.31 GO/AO ratio in the Bigs. He has all the tools in his toolbox, but needs to hone his command and find a consistent arm slot. 4. Jaime Garcia, SP St. Louis Cardinals Garcia is a Tommy John Surgery success story, undergoing the procedure following the 2008 season. He came from out of nowhere to win a rotation spot in spring training and has put together a remarkable campaign. He's posted a 2.33 ERA and has been an absolute ground ball machine (1.93 GO/AO). He's allowed seven HR all season and only one to a left-handed batter. His critics popped up after a rough June, but he's responded with a 2.68 ERA since the All Star Break. His major flaw has been length, averaging under six innings per start. 5. Brian Matusz, SP Baltimore Orioles Matusz is far from overpowering, but his pitches are refined and his mound intelligence is outstanding. He's still learning on the job at 23, so it's hard to put much credence in his 6-12 mark. Matusz has been devastating against left-handed hitters, striking out 40 in 31 innings of work. He has a tendency to leave pitches up in the zone and simply doesn't possess the stuff to overcome lack of pitch precision. His 0.79 GO/AO ratio must improve. 6. Daniel Hudson, SP Arizona Diamondbacks Hudson has been on a tear since being traded to the National League. He's pitched at least seven innings and allowed no more than three ER in all six starts. He appears to be on the verge of harnessing the command issues that have prevented his breakthrough (eight BB in 43 2/3 innings). Hudson has natural movement and late life on his pitches that make him a real difficult at bat. It looks like the White Sox gave up on his front line potential too early. 7. Wade Davis, SP Tampa Bay Rays Davis is the quintessential bulldog on the mound, with a power arm to back it up. He uses his fastball relentlessly and challenges opposing hitters. The problem is his secondary offerings have been erratic at best. He's struck out only 82 batters in 126 2/3 innings, a figure hard to fathom with his repertoire. He gets ahead, but can't put the finishing touches on hitters. In spite of a low strikeout total and inducing predominantly fly ball outs, Davis has managed to accumulate ten victories (5-0 last seven). He had a 15-day DL stint with shoulder soreness. 8. Jeremy Hellickson, SP Tampa Bay Rays Indeed, back to back Rays. After toying with AAA (finalist for MiLB POY), Hellickson burst onto the major league scene going 3-0 in his first four starts, going at least six innings in each. At 6'1 185 he's not a big man, but features a sneaky fastball and power breaking stuff. He uses a deliberate windup, but jumps towards the batter at release making him tough to center up. His 25:4 K:BB ratio is sparkling. Hellickson is not a lock for the Rays 2011 rotation, likely facing a spring training battle with Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann for the 5th spot. Widely considered the top high-level pitching prospect, he's a prized keeper. 9. Madison Bumgarner, SP San Francisco Giants Much like he did in AAA, Bumgarner continues to get it done with mirrors. Despite allowing 83 hits and ten HR in 73 innings pitched, he's won five games with an ERA below four. How? He doesn't issue many free passes (19) and gets the ground ball when he needs it. He won't 'wow' you, but he's a winner. Bumgarner just turned 21 years of age and will be a fixture in the Giants rotation. Ace projections might have been a tad strong, but he can be a solid two-three. 10. Drew Storen, RP/CL Washington Nationals Nationals manager Jim Riggleman calls Storen the "closer of the future". Whether it's closing or setting up, he's been impressive. In 43 innings of work he's surrendered 34 hits (1.19 WHIP) and just a single HR. He's closed three of four save opportunities and has ten holds. There's no question he's equipped to handle late game pressure, but needs the experience. Young closers are tough to come across, making Storen a cherished keeper asset. He's far and away the Nationals top option in 2011. * Stephen Strasburg, SP Washington Nationals The exploits of Mr. Strasburg have been well documented, from his lights out curveball to his 92:17 K:BB ratio. Unfortunately, after being labeled the savior of the Nationals organization, Tommy John will sideline him for at least a year. Full recovery from the procedure has become the expected outcome, so use your DL spot wisely and stash the Stras (I'm sure you needed me to tell you that). Honorable Mention: Mike Minor, ATL/ Andrew Cashner, CHC/ Jonny Venters, ATL Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's insight into Major & Minor League Baseball. Anyone else you think should have made the top ten list? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Mat Latos, Neftali Feliz, Jhoulys Chacin, Jaime Garcia, Brian Matusz, Daniel Hudson, Wade Davis, Jeremy Hellickson, Madison Bumgarner, Drew Storen, Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres Forecasting for the upcoming week brings relief to your infield. Three of the must-start players for the upcoming week can be had on the cheap and play some of the most vital positions and hardest to come by. Pitching help this week will come in the form of two new faces to baseball and will rely on their dominance against lefties and their ability to keep runners off the bags.  Neil Walker Start ‘Em Neil Walker | Pittsburgh Pirates | 25.1% - Four of the six pitchers that Walker will be facing this week are right-handed pitchers. Against righties Walker’s hitting .303 with a .346 OBP and .777 OPS. Against both the Cubs and Nationals, Walker has gone eight for 25 this year. His last seven games have yielded seven RBI and a .280 avg. as well. Erick Aybar | Los Angeles Angels | 78.1% - All of Aybar’s games this week come away from home where he’s hitting .303 (78 points higher than at home) on the year. His stats against both the Mariners and Athletics on the year are a combined .318 average, .358 OBP with 37% of his RBIs on the year. With an increased probability to get on base Aybar is increasing his stolen base potential as well. Chase Headley | San Diego Padres | 90.8% - Chase has the stars aligning for him in this week’s matchups. First up are the Diamondbacks at Chase Field where, ironically, Chase Headley is hitting .301 for his career (33 points above his career average) and is hitting .356 against the current pitching staff. Second, Chase will face the Rockies at home. This year Chase has hit .314 with a.386 OBP against the Rockies. He wont provide much power (his ISO is a horrible .125) but he will rake in some hits this week. Sit ‘Em Dexter Fowler | Colorado Rockies | 32.1% - Coming into this week Fowler has been heating up, hitting .305 in the last seven games. Look for this to change to a cooling trend. With the exception of a make-up game against the Phillies, all of his games will be coming on the road this week where he hits 96 points lower away from Coors Field. He’ll be facing the Padres for three of the seven games this week which is more bad news for Fowler. They put the “K” in “Keep Dexter Fowler on the bench.” Through 43 at-bats this year against the Padres, Fowler has only five hits and has struck out 21 times (nearly 50% of his ABs against the Padres). James Loney | Los Angeles Dodgers | 95.8% - Loney is facing the gauntlet of pitchers this week. He faces both Halladay and Oswalt of the Phillies and Zito, Cain and Sanchez of the Giants. Collectively throughout his career against all of the starting pitchers that he will face this week, Loney is hitting .260 in 104 at-bats (he is two for 26 lifetime against Zito!). Another disturbing fact for Loney, he’s hitting .197 during the second-half of the season.  Brian Duensing Two-Start Pitchers To Use Brian Duensing | Minnesota Twins | 39% - Duensing has been a dominating force against lefties this season. He is taking the bat out of their hands holding them to a .138 average. This should help neutralize the threats he faces this week against the Tigers and Rangers. The Ranger’s key player, Josh Hamilton, bats lefty while nearly half of Detroit’s lineup is left-handed. Both games are coming at home at Target Field for Duensing, where he has 1.36 ERA this year. Strengthening his case to start is Target Field’s weak HR-factor of .580 (worst in the majors). Travis Wood | Cincinnati Reds | 23.3% - Travis Wood is facing two strong opponents this week in Milwaukee and St. Louis. His stats show that he can likely overpower these teams though. His BAA for lefties is even stronger then Duensing’s previously mentioned .138 (Wood’s is .109!). This neutralizes Fielder’s big bat. Right-handed bats aren’t fairing much better, hitting only .209 against Wood. By keeping runners off the bases Wood has been able to afford the occasional long-ball. His WHIP is a stellar 0.98. Two-Start Pitchers To Avoid Phil Hughes | New York Yankees | 100% - Hughes has been more of himself in the second-half of this year. He’s posted a 5.19 ERA since the all-star game. Look for him to continue his bad second-half pace this week against Oakland and Toronto. Both games come at home in the most HR-happy place in baseball, Yankee Stadium. Toronto is the number one team for homeruns too. Hughes has also pitched bad numbers against Toronto in three previous starts this year. He has 6.60 ERA through 15 innings, giving up four homeruns, good if your fantasy position players are on Toronto. Jair Jurrjens | Atlanta Braves | 77.1% - Jurrjens has been fairly decent lately, a trend that you can expect to meet a speed bump with this week. Jurrjens has been Jekyll and Hyde this season in home and away starts. At home his ERA is a phenomenal 1.81. However, away, his ERA is 6.62. Collectively Florida is hitting .347 against him in 72 at-bats. Use caution when deploying Jurrjens this week. All Statistical Information was obtained through ESPN.com Did you start Ian Desmond last week like James suggested? Which of this week's suggested infielders were available in your league? Leave us a comment, or let us know on Twitter @TheFantasyFix 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 James on Twitter @BoltLife4Me Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Sports Blog, Two-Start Pitchers, MLB, James Bryce, Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves, Phil Hughes, New York Yankees, Travis Wood, Brian Duensing, James Loney, Dexter Fowler, Chase Headley, Erick Aybar, Neil Walker, Week 22 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 group of 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 club, while the other is in the process of transforming himself from a top prospect to 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 ten K’s and only two BB’s. He managed to lower his ERA by one full point 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% 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 which 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 is hardly a top prospect. Throughout his minor league career, Young’s batting average has hovered between .290 - .300 and his OBP between .359 - .407. In addition, he’s been a legit stolen base threat compiling 303 SB’s in 5+ 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 ten 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% 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 6th round in 2006 and got his first taste of the majors in 2009. That audition lasted only ten 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 HR’s 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 Who are your NL waiver wire gems of the week? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on Twitter@TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Baseball Blog, Fantasy Sports Blog, The NL Wire, Waiver Wire, Homer Bailey, Eric Young, Bud Norris, Joe Blanton, Randy Wolf, Blake DeWitt, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs 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.  1. Buster Posey, Catcher, San Francisco Giants Posey is a line drive hitting machine (22.3%) batting .342 in his real taste of big league action. The overwhelming majority ofhis extra base hits are directed towards right field and right-center. As he learns to pull the ball, his power numbers will escalate (nine HR). His natural opposite field approach is tailor made for RISP situations, as evidenced by his .366 batting average in those spots. His pitch selection and discipline (18 BB) will only improve with experience. The feeble catching position only buttresses his case as the top keeper.  2. Jason Heyward, Outfield, Atlanta Braves Not many can hit the ball harder than Heyward. His talent level is extraordinary, but his performance has taken a notable dip in the past three months. Over his last 58 games he's hit just four HR and driven in 19 runs. It should be noted that a trip to the DL with a groin injury in late June halted his progress. Pitchers better take advantage of him while he's down because it won't be for long. Heyward hit ten HR with 38 RBI in his first two months in the majors, look for him to maintain that form in 2011.  3. Starlin Castro, Shortstop, Chicago Cubs Castro served blatant notice driving in six in his major league debut, but not many expected a .316 batting average through 95 games. At 20 years of age, his quick on the job study has been remarkable. On June 24th his BA was down to .255, but it's safe to say he's made the necessary adjustments. The HR pop is not there yet, but he's only just beginning to grow into his 6'0 frame. Castro has the potential to be number one on this list.  4. Domonic Brown, Outfield, Philadelphia Phillies Brown's 1:15 BB:K ratio is ugly, but not quite as bad as it looks. He's seeing 4.33 pitches per plate appearance meaning he's not opposed to working counts. As he settles in, he'll finish those AB's with walks rather than chasing and getting himself out. He's knocked in 11 of his 12 runs in ten starts. The big picture is a clear one: he WILL be a fixture in the Phillies outfield in 2011 and years to come. The 22-year old has all the tools, he just needs time to show them off.  5. Carlos Santana, Catcher, Cleveland Indians Santana posted a sick 37:29 BB:K ratio in 150 big league at bats prior to injury, an unheard of figure for a first year player. When he got his pitch, he did damage with 13 doubles, six homers and 22 RBI. His .152 BA with RISP and .146 as a right-handed hitter are worrisome. Santana should be good to go for spring training barring a setback to his surgically repaired knee. He'll turn 25 just after opening day '11.  6. Mike Stanton, Outfield, Florida Marlins Stanton possesses inhuman power. After smashing 21 HR in 53 AA games, he's hit 14 in 63 games for the Fish. Fantasy players will trade power for strikeouts, but his 80 K's are exorbitant. He'll never hit for a reasonable average unless he changes his two-strike approach, and shortens up. Stanton is an excellent athlete and it's not out of the question that he could steal 15-20 bases.  7. Tyler Colvin, Outfield, Chicago Cubs A .468 18 RBI spring landed Colvin a spot on the Cubs opening day roster. Despite rookie peaks and valleys, he hasn't disappointed. He's flashed his easy lefty power stroke, mashing 18 homers with a .502 SLG %. He needs to be more selective at the dish (.302 OBP) and prove he can be a reliable middle of the lineup run producer (.200 RISP).  8. Austin Jackson, Outfield, Detroit Tigers Jackson is still a raw product offensively, which makes his .307 BA even more intriguing. If he can close some holes in his swing (9% swinging strike), and shave a few dozen strikeouts off his 130 total, he'll be a force. He has a solid idea the plate, putting all sections of the diamond to work for him. With 28 doubles and seven triples, double digits HR's should be in his future. 30 stolen bases is a reasonable expectation as well.  9. Pedro Alvarez, Third Base, Pittsburgh Pirates After a miserable June, Alvarez has put the pieces together since, hitting .265 with ten HR and 30 RBI in 44 games. He strikes out far too frequently (78) but lack of patience is not a concern. He uses left field adroitly, but is too occupied with pulling for power. Alvarez is likely to become a true fantasy bopper at the hot corner, but can he keep his BA above respectability?  10. Ike Davis, First Base, New York Mets The ball explodes off Davis' bat, but he has rarely found the sweet spot as of late. He was far more under control upon first arrival to the bigs, using the whole field. He has only two extra base hits (both doubles) and four RBI in August. Much like Alvarez, Davis has sensational power, but needs to the find the balance between swinging from his heels and poking the ball the opposite way. Honorable Mention: Chris Carter (OAK), Chris Johnson, Jon Jay, Brennan Boesch, Gaby Sanchez Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's insight into Major & Minor League Baseball. Anyone else you think should have made the top ten list? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants, Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves, Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs, Domonic Brown, Philadelphia Phillies, Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians, Mike Stanton, Florida Marlins, Tyler Colvin, Chicago Cubs, Austin Jackson, Detroit Tigers, Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ike Davis, New York Mets, Chris Carter, Oakland Athletics, Chris Johnson, Houston Astros, Jon Jay, St. Louis Cardinals, Brennan Boesch, Gaby Sanchez  SLUGGERS Coco Crisp, OAK, 52 percent owned 8 R / 1 HR / 4 RBI / 5 SB / .323 AVG The Fantasy Gods commend any courageous Coco Crisp owner. His speed paid off with eight runs and five stolen bases last week, possibly single-handedly winning you stolen bases. It would be hard to keep this pace up, but looks nice as of now. Lyle Overbay, TOR, 27 percent owned 7 R / 3 HR / 11 RBI / .273 AVG Streaky hitter who had no more than 1 hit in 17 straight games, but blasted three home runs in two games this past week. His power is recharged and could help out the next few weeks. Bats in the middle of a potent Toronto offense too. Yuniesky Betancourt, KC, 32 percent owned 3 R / 3 HR / 10 RBI / .296 AVG Gearing for one of his best seasons yet, this guy is hitting .358 in August with six home runs and 15 runs batted in. Among the top five home run hitting short stops, ownership percentage should rise by next week. Don Kelly, DET, 0 percent owned 4 R / 2 HR / 6 RBI / .381 AVG Seems to have taken over as the main utility man in Detroit. As manager Jim Leyland mix-and-matches his starting roster, Kelly has found time to play almost every game at different positions. He’s a versatile utility man who has sprung to life and emerged as a hitting threat to opposing pitchers. HURLERS Homer Bailey, CIN, 34 percent owned 13 IP, 2 W, 10 K, 0.69 ERA, 0.69 WHIP What a return for Bailey. Allowing one run in 13 innings helped his team win two games. He missed most of the season but is back and already making an impact on the Reds. He is one of Cincinnati’s top starting pitchers and deserves to have the ball each week. Jonathon Niese, NYM, 68 percent owned 12 IP, 1 W, 10 K, 1.50 ERA, 1.08 WHIP Niese got the win in a rain-shortened match against Pittsburgh last week. Besides his good fortune from Mother Nature, his last four starts before this one were all one-earned run/seven innings pitched gems. Alex Sanabia, FLA, 2 percent owned 7.2 IP, 1 W, 5 K, 1.17 ERA, 0.52 WHIP This Triple-A stud was recalled again from the Marlins, and continued to dominate. In four of his five Marlins starts, he has allowed one or no runs. Last week he got to the eighth inning allowing one run, striking out five, and walking no one. Armando Galarraga, DET, 13 percent owned 12 IP, 1 W, 13 K, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP In round two of Galarraga vs. Cleveland, the Detroit pitcher took a perfect game into the 5th, and ended the day scoreless through seven innings of three hit ball. In his first start last week, Galarraga had five strikeouts in five innings, and ended the week with a 9.75 K/9 ratio. Written by Tyler Becker exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Look for Tyler’s weekly insight into MLB, NFL, & NHL. You can follow Tyler on Twitter @FantasyProdigy Who do you think is a Must from this list? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Coco Crisp, Lyle Overbay, Yuniesky Betancourt, Don Kelly, Homer Bailey, Jonathon Niese, Alex Sanabia, Armando Galarraga, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Florida Marlins  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 www.thefantasyfix.com. Evan's favorite movies are Goonies, Indiana Jones, and anything with the fat kid from Good Burger. Do you think Baker will finish the season strong? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Scott Baker, Minnesota Twins  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, Los Angeles Dodgers, 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+ 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 HR. 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% 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 HR). 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 HR in ten AB. Carmona’s BAA post all-star game is a disgusting .335. He’s given up seven ER in ten 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 ten HR-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. Who will you be sitting this week? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, sit-em start-em, 2-start pitchers, Ian Desmond, Ryan Theriot, Pat Burrell, Jason Kubel, Jorge Posada, Jake Westbrook, John Buck, Gio Gonzalez, Fausto Carmona, Huroki Kuroda, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers  Chris Johnson Chris Johnson | HOU | 52 percent owned LAST MONTHS STATS: 12 R / 4 HR / 20 RBI / .375 AVG Johnson has been the lone bright spot on the dismal Astros since getting the everyday job June 22nd. Next year Houston fans will have a little more to look forward to with the one-two punch of Johnson and Brett Wallace at first. Believe it or not, Johnson is the lone Astro with a batting average above .300 and is 48 points above Felipe Paulino at .292! Chase Headley | SD | 55 percent owned LAST MONTHS STATS: 12 R / 2 HR / 18 RBI / .303 AVG Headley started out the season like a man possessed, and was certainly a huge component to getting the Padres to first place in the NL West. He didn't exactly fit the role of clean-up and hit a major slump in May and June, but has turned it around since. With the addition of Ryan Ludwick, a huge weight has been taken off Headley's shoulders and you can look for a solid finish to the season. Omar Infante | ATL | 39 percent owned LAST MONTHS STATS: 13 R / 2 HR / 5 RBI / 3 SB / .375 AVG Infante did an amazing job filling in for the injured Martin Prado. Fear not, even with Prado's return, Atlanta found room for the super utility man by shifting Prado to third to take over for Chipper Jones. Omar has 13 multi-game hits in the last 21 and his .375 OBP is among the NL's best. Bill Hall | BOS | 10 percent owned LAST MONTHS STATS: 10 R / 8 HR / 13 RBI / .275 AVG With injuries to Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury, Hall will continue to see playing time. He has been on a green-monster tear as of late with eight homers in the past 65 at-bats. Looking to fill A-Rod's power? Hall may be your man, assuming you can overlook your hatred for the Sox. Danny Valencia | MIN | 4 percent owned LAST MONTHS STATS: 10 R / 1 HR / 14 RBI / .350 AVG "The Franchise" is making a good case to be the Twins 3B of the future. Although there is not a ton of power here, you will get a well disciplined batter. At every level, Valencia has hit for a high average. He is currently on a seven-game hitting streak. Who will you be picking up while A-Rod is on the DL? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on Twitter @TheFantasyFix Written by Evan Marx, exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Evan calls creditors and harasses them for money... just for fun. Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Sports Blog, Waiver Wire, Alex Rodriguez, DL, Calf, New York Yankees, Chris Johnson, Bill Hall, Omar Infante, Danny Valencia, Chase Headley, Evan Marx Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: The Playoff Push 08/20/2010
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 STL, OF, 33% owned JJ 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. Doesn’t hurt that he’s hitting 2nd 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 ten R and 4 XBH in 11 games. He’s a safe, reliable outfielder that can help in all leagues.  Neil Walker, PIT, 2B/3B, 54% owned Jose Tabata, PIT, LF, 41% owned Pedro Alvarez, PIT, 3B, 62% owned Yo Ho, Ho, Ho, 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, SD, CF, 6% owned One of my favorite sleepers for the rest of 2010. Denorfia, in 31 games through July and August, has 22 R, eight HR, 21 RBI, four SB, .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, BAL, LF, 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, ten RBI, and 3 SB. 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, ATL, 2B/3B/SS/OF, 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, DET, 2B/OF, 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, HOU, SS, 2% owned Danny Valencia, MIN, 3B, 10% owned Brooks Conrad, ATL, 2B/3B, 3% owned Chris Snyder, PIT, C, 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 Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Minor League Baseball, Double-A, AA, Fantasy Baseball, Jon Jay, Ryan Ludwick, Albert Pujols, Neil Walker, Jose Tabata, Pedro Alvarez, Chris Denorfia, Felix Pie, Buck Showalter, Omar Infante, Derrek Lee, Marin Prado, Ryan Raburn, Angel Sanchez, Danny Valencia, Brooks Conrad, Chris Snyder, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals | CategoriesAll NJ SEO Company
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