2012 Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Advice & Analysis
If you’re scouring the waiver wire in your NL-only league, there may be a few hidden gems that some of the other owners have not stumbled upon or reacted quickly enough to add to their squad. The following is an eclectic mix of top-rated prospects and some others who snuck in the back door to earn enough playing time to be relevant…  Domonic Brown Domonic Brown (OF) – PHI – Owned in 33% of CBS leagues The Phillies’ No. 1 rated, prized prospect will finally get a chance to show his wares at the Major League level after tearing it up in Triple-A Lehigh. At 23 years of age, Brown was hitting at a .392 clip in 51 AB with a gaudy 1.101 OPS. Previous to that, Brown hit .317 in 236 AB for Double-A Reading, with a slightly more modest OPS of .993. In addition, he has 14 SB’s combined this year and has posted double-digit steals in every season of his minor league career. Brown will get the opportunity to play every day since Shane Victorino was placed on the DL with an abdominal strain. If Brown hits like he is capable of hitting, it will be difficult for the Phillies to remove him from the lineup even when Victorino returns. His promotion and impending success also makes the trade of Jayson Werth an inevitability. With a suddenly aging Raul Ibanez hitting a paltry .259/8 HR/48 RBI on the season (.754 OPS good for 45th amongst all NL outfielders, according to MLB.com), their best chance to make the playoffs may be with Brown in the starting lineup regardless.  Josh Thole Josh Thole (C) – NYM - Owned in 2% of CBS leagues Thole has shown enough in capably handling the Mets staff thus far. In addition, he has provided decent offense as a starter and late inning pinch-hitter (.455 BA as a PH). With his performance to date, Thole was able to convince Jerry Manuel to fight to keep him on the roster even though the Mets already had Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco active. Now with the injury to Barajas, he has been thrust into almost full-time starting duty for the Metropolitans. He will handle receiving duties for every pitcher not named Johan Santana or Mike Pelfrey. Thole has never been known to swing a mighty stick, but has posted a .351 BA in 37 AB’s so far this season and an OPS of .975. In his five year minor league career, Thole’s batting average has progressively increased to a high of .328 last year (.817 OPS). His power numbers, or lack thereof, leave a little to be desired but the Mets will surely accept a .300 BA in the bottom third of the lineup. With a lack of any other suitable options, it looks like Thole will get a decent chance to prove that he belongs on regular basis. He may not have to do all that much considering Barajas’s average has dipped to a cool .227 on the season (.186 in July and .150 since the All-Star break).  Logan Morrison Logan Morrison (1B/OF) – FLA – Owned in 11% of CBS leagues Morrison was called up after the shaving cream pie incident gone wrong involving Chris Coghlan. He will immediately step into the LF starting role for the Fish and bat second, according to CBS Sportsline. Morrison posted very nice numbers in Triple-A New Orleans this season – .324 BA and .945 OPS, and has shown excellent plate discipline with a 36:27 BB:K ratio (minors career – 226:280). This sort of control seems to be his calling card since he’s only tallied 52 HR’s in 1581 minor league AB’s (1 HR/30 AB’s). Due to Coghlan’s injury, Morrison will get a nice long look from the club. Also, with Cody Ross likely to be moved at the impending trade deadline, Florida will be left short on capable OF’s.  Neil Walker Honorable Mention: Neil Walker (2B) – PIT - Owned in 18% of CBS leagues .310 BA/.812 OPS – Everyday second base for Pittsburgh showing he can handle the bat and the glove (four errors/.980 fielding % according to MLB.com) Tyler Colvin (OF) – CHC – Owned in 26% of CBS leagues .265 BA/.867 OPS/16 HR’s in only 230 AB’s – playing every day now that Kosuke Fukudome has been phased out and readied for a trade. Chris Johnson (3B) – HOU – Owned in 11% of CBS leagues .327 BA/ .843 OPS/ .347 BA in July and .432 since the All-Star break with an 11 game hitting streak. Joel Hanrahan (RP) – PIT – Owned in 5% of CBS leagues 3.50 ERA/1.03 WHIP/59:14 K:BB ratio in 43.7 IP – 1.64 ERA in July with six straight scoreless appearances (6 IP/0 ER/7 K) – PIT’s closer in waiting once Octavio Dotel is traded at the deadline. *Written by Rosti Satanovsky exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter@TheSportsFariah Got any other NL wire picks? 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, NL only, The NL Wire, Domonic Brown, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, Josh Thole, Rod Barajas, Jerry Manuel, Henry Blanco, Mike Pelfrey, Johan Santana, Logan Morrison, Chris Coghlan, Cody Ross, Neil Walker, Tyler Colvin, Chris Johnson, Joel Hanrahan, Octavio Dotel, Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies 1 Comment  Domonic Brown The time has come again as yet another phenom is set to introduce himself to the baseball world. Outfield super-prospect Domonic Brown will finally get his long awaited opportunity to shine in the City of Brotherly Love. His promotion to the big club does not yet signal a changing of the guard, but rather a move necessitated by injury. Starting center fielder Shane Victorino landed on the 15-day DL earlier today with an abdominal strain. Despite getting the call, the injury to Victorino could easily be viewed as detrimental for Brown. The trading of outfielder Jayson Werth is now a near impossibility, which in turn means Brown's major league stint is likely to be short-lived. When Victorino returns, the same trio of experienced outfielders will be blocking his path to regular at bats. Raul Ibanez has picked up the slack in July hitting .325 with 12 RBI, and despite hitting only .241 since June 1st, Shane Victorino and bench will never be synonymous. But let's not overlook one all-important possibility: Domonic Brown blowing away the Phillies brass with his exceptional talent and dynamic play on the field. If he hits .400 with a couple of bombs, steals some bags and re-energizes the club, sending him back to Lehigh Valley sure won't be easy. GM Ruben Amaro would be put in an unenviable spot with that decision on his hands, and it’s not implausible to think he’ll have to face that decision head on. Brown, the number one rated prospect according to Baseball America, was originally the 607th selection in the 20th round of the 2006 amateur draft. The Phillies took a flyer on Brown's raw potential, and are about to be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams back in '06. You reap what you sow, and the Phils earned it with great scouting work. The definition of a tools player, Brown can impact the game and fantasy lineups, in a multitude of ways. He can hit for average, batting at least .291 in his last four minor league seasons. He's taken it up a notch in AAA, batting .346 in 28 games. He gets on base, having drawing 37 BB in 2010 for a .391 OBP. He can run, stealing 22 bases in '08, 23 in '09 and 17 thus far in '10. At 6'5, he continues to grow into his frame and develop his power stroke. Prior to this year his previous season high for HR was 14. Through 93 games in '10, he's hit 20. His previous season high for RBI was 64. He’s already knocked in 68 runs in ‘10. Dynasty league owners know that the “Total Package” has long since been stashed away. But Brown is still available in a decent number of straight keeper leagues, and owned in less than 50% of re-draft leagues. While his major league timetable in 2010 is a relative unknown, the risk is certainly worth the reward. Worst case scenario: two weeks of an ultra-talented player in a loaded lineup. Best case scenario: he tears the cover off the ball and forces the Phillies hand. While the latter is an unlikely outcome, when talking about a skilled athlete like Brown, nothing is out of the question. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Adam writes like most people breathe... effortlessly. The Fantasy Fix salutes him! Think Domonic Brown will force the Phils hand? 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, Injury, Domonic Brown, Philadelphia Phillies, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, Ruben Amaro, Baseball America, 15-day DL  Logan Morrison Just when you thought you've seen it all. BAM! The latest injury: a torn meniscus during the now common celebratory pie to the face. That is the unfortunate fate suffered by the pie giver, Marlins OF Chris Coghlan. There is no question this ranks amongst the most bizarre/embarrassing injuries of all time, but how does it impact fantasy circles? After a red hot .377 and 30 R June, Coghlan reverted back to his April form in July hitting .209 with one RBI. He'll miss six to eight weeks, but regardless, his deficient production and wild inconsistency made him a nearly unreliable fantasy option in thinner leagues. The Marlins have promoted sterling prospect Logan Morrison to the big club to replace Coghlan on the active roster. A 1st baseman by trade, Morrison's 2010 call up had been thwarted to this point by the excellent play of Gaby Sanchez. At one time trading Sanchez to clear the path for Morrison seemed like a viable option for the Marlins, but that seems farfetched now with his .301, 11 HR, 45 RBI stat line. Sanchez played some third base in the minors, and a return to the hot corner could be entertained — but not mid-season. Morrison is expected to split time in left field with Emilio Bonifacio in the immediate future. If Jorge Cantu is dealt prior to the 31st deadline, Bonifiacio could be moved to 3B and open regular playing time in the outfield. Morrison played 7 games in the OF for AAA New Orleans prior to Coghlan's injury, so expect the Marlins to be wheelers and dealers this week. Morrison is an excellent athlete for his size (6'3, 235), but it's unclear whether he can hold his own defensively in the OF. One thing that is abundantly clear is his mastery in the batter's box. Morrison was hitting .307 with six HR and 45 RBI in the PCL prior to getting the call. He injured his shoulder (collision) in May and has played in just 68 games. He's incredibly seasoned for a 22-year old, drawing 48 walks against only 35 strikeouts. A left-handed stick, he hit .314 in 70 AB against left-handed pitching. If the numbers are any indication, Morrison should make a swift adjustment to big league pitching. Bottom Line: 1. Coghlan is not in danger of losing a starting job when healthy. Despite his on/off play in '10, he possesses excellent bat control and provides versatility defensively. He can see time at 2B/3B and LF. However, none of these qualities help the fantasy owner. 2. If Morrison hits, he's going to play. Bonifacio was wallowing in the minors for good reason. He provides a speed element, but his plate discipline, or lack thereof, will be exposed over the course of regular AB's. He has yet to draw a BB in '10. The Fish didn't call up Morrison to sit and disrupt his maturation. 3. Who bats leadoff when Bonifacio sits? Does Hanley occupy that spot? If so, this injury could have a confounding effect on his fantasy value and run production. 4. Roster assembly issues likely won't come into play until 2011. The aftermath of the trade deadline could change matters, but it's a good bet Sanchez will be taking grounders at third base come spring training. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Adam is the epitome of awesome and anyone who doubts it can take it up with him personally on any street corner at any time. Think Logan Morrison can make it in the BIGS? 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, Injury, Pie to the Face, Chris Coghlan, Logan Morrison, Jorge Cantu, Gaby Sanchez, Emilio Bonifacio, Florida Marlins 2010 Sirius XM Fantasy Football Draft Recap 07/23/2010
SIRIUS XM 2010 CELEBRITY FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT Hard Rock Cafe, Times Square NYC by James Weston In the first of many, Sirius/XM Fantasy Sports Radio held their inaugural Fantasy Football draft live in front of 200 fans at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and broadcast live on their new station. If you have a chance to check it out next year, I would highly recommend going. It has the feel of a real draft with pick by pick analysis by Rich Gannon and a rowdy crowd ready to let you know how they felt about each pick. The league is made up of Sirius/XM hosts Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo, Gary Dell'Abate, Scott Ferrall, Jay Thomas, Jeremy Roenick, Steve Phillips, Maurice Jones-Drew, a team consisting of all hosts from the Morning Mashup Show, as well as four experts in John Hansen, Kyle Elfrink, Scott Engel, and Chris Liss. The odds makers would expect the money to be put on the experts, but it became obvious early that there were some experienced managers in the field and it wasn't going to be an easy league to win.  Gannon, Schein, MJD(credit: SIRIUS XM) Coming into the draft, it was obvious that the most intriguing story line would be the selection of Maurice Jones-Drew, who owned the eighth pick. There was a sense from the pre-draft interviews that owner of the first pick, Gary Dell'Abate was well aware that he could use Jones-Drew as bait to add more value later. However, Dell'Abate used the first ever pick in the Sirius/XM Fantasy Sports Radio Football Draft to select Chris Johnson. Jeremy Roenick used the second pick wisely and locked up Adrian Peterson to anchor his team, unfortunately for the eighteen year NHL vet, it was all down hill from here. Jones-Drew was finally selected by Jay Thomas at number three, Jones-Drew, who had hinted at moving up to the fourth pick pre-draft, immediately started the trade talks. The draft continued to move on while Thomas and Jones-Drew negotiated their deal and with the 4th pick was made by Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo. Mad Dog stayed local and took NY product, Ray Rice with the fourth pick. And the fifth selection went to the John Hansen, the first expert to select, who took Michael Turner. Frank Gore was taken next by expert Kyle Elfrink at number six and The Morning Mashup crew then took the first quarterback off the board when they selected Drew Brees.  Phillips, MJD, Roenick, Russo(credit: SIRIUS XM) In the final terms of the trade between Jay Thomas and Maurice Jones-Drew, Jones-Drew would send his eighth, sixteenth, and 41st picks for himself and the 22nd pick. With six running backs and one quarterback off the board, it appeared that Andre Johnson had the most value on the board. But Thomas would stick with a running back and make Steven Jackson the next player selected. Sports talk host Scott Ferrall was next up at number nine and he also passed on the top Wide Receiver on the board when he selected De'Angelo Williams. Pouncing on his competitors old school picks, the third expert in the field, Scott Engel gladly accepted his early birthday present and made Andre Johnson the tenth pick of the draft. The funniest moment of the first round took place next when Steve Phillips, former Mets General Manager, took Mo Vaughn eleventh. All kidding aside, Phillips took Randy Moss and drew a mixed reaction boos and laughter from the crowd. You could hear boos from the Jets fans and laughs from the Mets fans who felt the Moss pick was a bad one. Then with only one pick left in the first round, the fourth and final expert in the draft, Chris Liss, selected Rashard Mendenhall. Overall the first round was pretty straight forward with the first six picks being top tier running backs and all six managers should feel pretty comfortable with their picks. Andre Johnson stood out as the best available for picks seven through ten, so the best value pick would have to go to Scott Engel at ten. It's hard to go wrong in the first round, but if I had to choose the worst pick of the first round, it would have to go to The Morning Mashup crew. They really showed their inexperience by selecting Brees seventh and it would haunt them through out the rest of the draft when they would not have the same depth they would have had if they sat on a quarterback till the second round at least. My favorite and some interesting picks of the draft Second Round: Jonathan Stewart went seventh to Elfrink who called for a 2000 yard season. Calvin Johnson twelfth to Dell'Abate. Megatron offers a ton of value at 24th overall. Third Round: Roddy White was taken sixth and the twelfth overall Wide Receiver. Another great pick by Elfrink, who was pleasantly surprised to have White waiting for him at his pick. Fourth Round: Steve Smith of the Giants third to Engel was huge when you consider that ten more picks would go by before another wide receiver was taken. Matt Schaub twelfth to Dell'Abate appeared at the time to be an excellent pick and made Dell'Abate's team appear very strong going into the firth round. But after this pick he would stray from value picks and may have taken too many shots on players when there were other more obvious picks on the board. Fifth Round: Somehow Michael Crabtree fell to sixth of the fifth round and 54th overall. Elfrink quickly snatched him up. LeSean McCoy ninth to Ferrall could have saved his team. Sixth Round: Brett Favre third is more interesting than I like it. Engel probably could have waited, but Favre's question marks mean less and less every year. Matt Forte sixth to Jones-Drew is a shock. Forte is the guy in Chicago and he was a top five selection in most drafts last year. Lots of value to MJD Seventh Round: Jeremy Maclin sixth may be more upside than value, another Elfrink pick. Brett Celek eighth and the eighth tight end selected. Big drop off after Celek at his position and MJD recognized that. Eighth Round: Marion Barber ninth to the Mad Dog was interesting. How much do we take away from Barber because of his offense and the competition he has? Considering Felix Jones went in the fifth, Barber in the eighth is a steal. Dez Bryant tenth by Jay Thomas is another interesting upside pick. A little early, but there wasn't a WR with more talent left. Ninth Round: Ben Tate tenth by Scott Engel makes sense. The Texans took Tate 58th overall this spring and will get a chance to win the starting job out of camp. If he does win the job, he'll prove to be one of the best picks in the draft. Tenth Round: Montario Hardesty eighth was another rookie coming into camp with a shot at winning the starting job this summer. John Hansen may have saved this pick for the tenth round, but you can't expect him to go this high in a normal draft. I sense this pick had more to do with getting Montario's name on people's radar and this was the last round broadcasted on the radio. View the full draft at http://www.fanball.com/siriusdraft/ To read about the pre-draft experience, read part one... TAGS: Fantasy Football Draft, Sirius XM, Hard Rock Cafe, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jeremy Roenick, Jay Thomas, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, Steve Phillips, Scott Ferrel, Fantasy Advice, NFL, Howard Stern Wrap-Up Show, John Hein, Gary Dell'Abate, Boba Booye  Marc Krauss Player notes from Advanced Class A & A Ball - From the seasoned arm of Randall Delgado to the slumping bat of Derek Norris. POSITION PLAYERS: Marc Krauss, OF Arizona Advanced A Line -- .326, 17 HR, 66 RBI The former Ohio University standout has been on an offensive tear. In 24 games since the minor league ASB he's batting .423 (44 for 104) with 20 runs, ten HR and 28 RBI. He's raised his BA 39 points in that stretch. However, as his BA continues to rise, his walks are on a steep decline. Since June 1st, his BB:K ratio is an ugly 11:42. Krauss is hitting .330 with RISP and .339 in 121 AB against LHP. Rated amongst the top prospects in the Diamondbacks organization, his bat is not far off. Lack of agility in the OF could hold him back. Francisco Peguero, OF San Francisco Advanced A Line -- .300, 4 HR, 46 RBI The 22-year old Peguero was selected to play in the Futures Game during All Star Weekend (1-2). He's followed up a strong 2009 campaign (.353 between NOR & SAL) with an impressive 2010 in the CAL. In his 5th minor league season, he's already matched his high water mark for RBI in a season with 46, and shattered his previous highs in triples (11) and stolen bases (33). Peguero is not exactly a picture of patience at the plate, drawing just eight BB in '09 and 12 in 77 games in '10. He's batting .359 in 92 AB since the break with 15 RBI. He can rake and he can run, but can he get on base enough to be a top of the order fixture. Derek Norris, C Washington Advanced A Line -- .230, 5 HR, 26 RBI After a .317 May, Norris' average has taken a monumental nosedive. He hit .220 in June, and through 14 July games is hitting a putrid .175. Worse yet, the power he displayed in 2009 in the SAL with 23 HR and 30 doubles has disappeared. He's slugging .370 with five HR and eight doubles in 2010. However, as disconcerting as those figures may be, he's maintained his tremendous batting eye and plate discipline. Norris has drawn 47 BB against 46 K, and amazingly is sporting a .407 OBP. With his refined approach, it's hard to imagine that this is more than a blip on the radar — but his fast track progress will be halted some. Nick Franklin, SS Seattle A Ball Line -- .289, 17 HR, 43 RBI In his first full season of pro ball, Franklin is showing the full repertoire. Not projected as a power stick, the switch-hitting shortstop is slugging .528 with 36 XBH. He's also flashing speed his six triples and 18 stolen bases. Not too shabby for a player scouts describe as "lacking tools". He accepted just two free passes in 63 AB between the Rookie League and NOR in '09, but his OBP is on the improve. He's already drawn eight walks in 13 July games, matching his high for any month. The Mariners have two other top prospects at SS (Gabriel Noriega and Carlos Triunfel), which means a move to 2B could be in the cards. Henry Rodriguez, 2B Cincinnati A Ball Line — .288, 9 HR, 55 RBI Weighing in at 160 pounds, Rodriguez had compiled five HR and 69 RBI in three prior minor league seasons. Through 86 games in 2010, he's already jacked nine bombs and driven in 55 runs. He's also ripped 28 doubles, obliterating his previous career high of 14. This upgrade in pop has really come from out of nowhere. The switch- hitting Rodriguez is definitely more comfortable from the left side, hitting .305 with seven HR, 23 doubles and 42 RBI. He's batting .233 from the right side, but has struck out only five times in 86 AB. Rodriguez has swiped 17 bags in 23 attempts. Only 20 years of age, he could make for a very interesting fantasy package as he continues to develop. PITCHERS: Randall Delgado, RH SP Atlanta Advanced A Line -- 4-6, 2.85 ERA, 111 K What do you know? Another young arm in the lower ranks of the Braves system. In his fourth minor league season, Delgado is a polished 20. He's surrendered 85 knocks in 110 1/3 innings, with opposing batters hitting a meager .213 against him. Right-handed hitters are below the Mendoza line at .198. His command has been sharp, issuing only 31 BB. Even in the face of massive strikeout numbers (2nd in the CAL), he continues to throw ground balls at a proficient rate with a 1.41 GO/AO. Delgado features a sinking fastball in the low 90's, a "now you see it, now you don't" change-up and 12-6 curveball. Somewhat limited ceiling, but on the fast track. Brad Hand, LH SP Florida Advanced A Line -- 5-5, 3.19 ERA, 97 K Hand has gone through phases of absolute domination this season. He's thrown two complete game shutouts, and posted a 1.14 ERA in five June starts. But in his other 11 GS, he's been touched up a bit. He's allowed 101 hits in 98 2/3 innings, with lefties hitting a too comfortable .258 against him. Command has been a bugaboo at lower levels, and that continues to be the case in the FSL where he's walked 34 batters. His fastball is not overpowering (sits at 93) but he has a live arm action and sneaky gas up in the zone. Hand's secondary offerings need work. Nick Barnese, RH SP Tampa Bay Advanced A Line -- 7-4, 2.83 ERA, 87 K Barnese has been one tough cookie to square up. In 74 2/3 innings in the SAL last season he allowed just 56 hits, and in 98 2/3 innings this season he's allowed 91 base knocks. LHH are hitting .206 against him. He's been nearly impossible to take out of the park, yielding a ludicrous seven HR in 275 2/3 minor league innings. His GO/AO ratios have been stellar (2.09, 1.32, 1.44, 1.27) but he's still giving up his fair share of fly outs—just not with authority. His control has been excellent, issuing 20 walks (under two per nine innings). His out pitch is a slurve with good late break. From all accounts, Barnese is a bulldog on the mound. Jarred Cosart, RH SP Philadelphia A Ball Line -- 7-3, 3.79 ERA, 77 K A 38th round pick in the 2008 amateur draft out of HS as a two-way player. Cosart has been downright filthy on the mound. In 71 1/3 innings he's allowed only 60 hits and struck out 77. He's holding opposing hitters to a .224 BA. He's been a ground ball machine with a 1.93 GO/AO ratio and a staggering 6.25 ratio against LHH. He's exhibited terrific command of the strike zone, walking just 16. As you can see, it's difficult to find a weakness in the stats... so how is his ERA 3.79? Quite simply, he hasn't learned how to work his way out of trouble. The opposition is hitting .314 against him with RISP. His curveball and change-up are well-seasoned offerings to go along with a low 90's heater. Cosart is currently on the DL with an elbow strain. Matt Hobgood, RH SP Baltimore A Ball Line -- 3-7, 4.68 ERA, 48 K The number five overall selection in the 2009 draft, Hobgood is an absolute ox at 6'4 245. He throws a four-seam fastball that boars in on RHH and a two-seamer that runs away from LHH. His 2.00 GO/AO ratio is very encouraging. He's given up 72 hits in 75 innings and only five long balls. With that said, his control has been shaky with 34 walks, and he doesn't miss bats (48 K). His curveball is touted as a devastating breaker, but hasn't acted as one, yet. Before O's fans hit the panic switch, he won't turn 20 until August. Notable Promotions to AA: Eric Hosmer 1B-KC, Drew Cumberland SS-SD, Alexi Amarista 2B-LAA, J.D. Martinez OF-HOU, Michael Main SP-SF, Chris Dwyer SP-KC, Chris Archer SP-CHC. ... And the Whiff: Everett Williams (SD) and Max Stassi (OAK) are on earth shattering strikeout paces in the Midwest League. Williams has K'd 94 times in 65 games (253 AB) and Stassi 98 times in 73 games (282 AB). Article by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's excellent fantasy insight and analysis. We'd love to hear your thoughts on A and Advanced A Ball. We'd love to hear your thoughts on A and Advanced A ball. Hit us up on Twitter. Twitter.com/thefantasyfix Tags: MiLB, Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Baseball Blog, The Fantasy Fix, Featured Blog, Minor League Baseball, A, AA, AAA, The Farm Report MLB, NL, AL, Marc Krauss, Arizona Diamondbacks, Francisco Peguero, San Francisco Giants, Derek Norris, Washington Nationals, Nick Franklin, Seattle Mariners, Henry Rodriguez, Cincinnati Reds, Randall Delgado, Atlanta Braves, Brad Hand, Florida Marlins, Nick Barnese, Tampa Bay Rays, Jarred Cosart, Philadelphia Phillies, Matt Hobgood, Baltimore Orioles, Eric Hosmer, Drew Cumberland, Alexi Amarista, J.D. Martinez, Michael Main, Chris Dwyer, Chris Archer, Everett Williams, Max Stassi Closer Carousel: National League Report 07/20/2010
 John Axford Brewers Raise your hand if you predicted that John Axford would be leading the Brewers in saves this year... That's what I thought... Trevor Hoffman may be the all time leader in saves, but the hot hand is John Axford and he's rewarded anyone that took a shot with him early enough. At 50% owned in Y! leagues, there may be a chance he's available in your league and if so, pick him up. Axford has closed 10 games without a blown save and owns a 5-1 record to go along with a 32 Ks in 26 IP. His ERA and WHIP statistics stand at a very respectable 3.12 and 1.27 respectively, so it doesn't appear that he's going to slow down any time soon. Phillies Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you. Injuries have been the storyline in Philadelphia this year, but they're starting to get healthy. There have been five pitchers to record a save for the Phillies this year. Brad Lidge leading the way with seven and Ryan Madson has four saves to his credit. Combined those two have only seen action in 32 games so far due to injury. Even with the limited action this year, the two closers in Philadelphia have combined for six blown saves. Although they've been ineffective at times, there will be plenty of opportunities for the rest of the season. If you want to take a shot at some saves and can sacrifice ERA, take a look at Lidge and Madson who are 57% owned and 21% owned respectively in Y! Leagues. Nationals With the trading deadline looming, the Nationals find themselves 13 games out and their closer Matt Capps figures to be a target of many teams looking to add bullpen depth. If Capps is traded he will end up being someone's setup man and lose most of his Fantasy relevance. After a trade, expect the Nationals to continue grooming their closer of the future, Drew Storen. Last years #10 pick Storen blew through the minor leagues quicker than his first round counter part Steven Strasburg. Only 5% owned in Y! leagues, Storen could stand to see a fair share of save opportunities before the year is out. Diamondbacks The bullpen in Arizona has been pretty bad this year. Considering that their opening day closer has an ERA north of eight and the only pitcher with a WHIP below 1.29 is a kid they picked up in a trade recently. Chad Qualls (48% owned) was the closer for most of the season, but the new management team in Arizona will probably go in a different direction and today it appears that Juan Gutierrez (2% owned) is the latest to get a chance at the end of games. So far so good, as Gutierrez has earned two saves as of late. But his high ERA, 6.96, and 1.515 WHIP suggest he'll struggle just like those that have come before him. Sam Demel (1% owned) is the one bright spot with the 1.154 WHIP, but it doesn't appear that the Diamondbacks will be offering up enough chances anyway and we should probably stay away from any member of the D’backs bullpen. Trade Bait... the next six guys are known to be good closers and should be your trade targets if you're looking to trade for saves. Rockies Watch out now, but the Rockies have another chance to get hot and roll through the NL West. For the end of their games, they're very committed to Huston Street, as they should. He's already closed out six saves since returning from the disabled list in June. While Street was on the shelf, most saves went to Manny Corpas and a few went to Franklin Morales, but that's all in the past now. With 135 career saves at 26 years of age, Street is a fantastic option in all formats with career stats of 1.023 WHIP, 2.89 ERA, and a strike out per inning. Dodgers Jonathan Broxton may be the best closer in the National League, but strangely, the Dodgers have only presented Broxton with 21 save chances. Broxton has saved 19 of these chances and posted 55 Ks, a 2.11 ERA, and a 1.18 WHIP in 39.2 IP. The 26-year old righty got off to a slow start this year, but it was due to a lack of opportunities not a lack of production. The Dodgers are still in the NL West mix and should offer plenty of save chances through the end of the season, making Broxton a must own. If you're looking to trade for saves, consider his lack of chances so far this year as a chip for buying low. Reds Tied for the league lead in saves with 25 is Francisco Cordero, even though he's performing well off of his career statistics. The slightly elevated numbers (4.10 ERA compared to a career 3.24 and 1.549 WHIP compared to 1.368) could just be a bump in the road and an excellent 2nd half would bring him right back to his career line. With the Reds leading the NL Central, they have banked the end of their games with Cordero. Going forward, there are zero signs of a change, the Reds will live and die by Cordero in their tight games. Padres Everyone was very confident that Heath Bell would be one of the league leaders in saves, but most thought that by this time it would be for a contender loading up their bullpen. Instead, he's closing out games for the NL West leading Padres. The 32-year old Bell is having a spectacular year and is owned in every format, but if you're trading for saves, this is the guy to turn to. Marlins When Matt Lindstrom went to the DL in June of the 2009 season, the Marlins turned to 25-year old Leo Nunez who they acquired from the Royals. Nunez has saved 46 games while blowing 12 in just over a year of service. He is showing improved WHIP and ERA statistics this year and is on pace to set a career high in strikeouts. Even if there were someone else performing for the Marlins, there are no reasons to think that they would look anywhere else at the end of games. Under team control through the 2012 season, expect the Marlins to focus on other parts of their team and allow Nunez to continue closing games out. Astros So much for the drama many anticipated taking place in the Astros bullpen this season. This spring it was uncertain if Matt Lindstrom would hold onto the closers role all year, but he has turned it up and closed out 22 of his 26 save chances. For someone that throws in the triple digits, Lindstrom hasn't provided the K rate you might expect with 31 Ks in 36 IP. Plus his WHIP is high at 1.486, however he's getting saves and that's what we're looking for. Looking at next year.... Braves There are some special things going on in Atlanta. The division leaders at the All-Star Break will most likely have to part ways with their closer, manager, and maybe even their captain next year. Currently though, Billy Wagner, is having a career year at the age of 38 with five wins to zero losses, 21 saves, and 59 strikeouts in 39 innings! Setting up Wagner has been a mix of Takashi Saito and the 25-year old Jonny Venters. Venters has some upside and could expect to close games out for the Braves in 2011. Cubs It's amazing to think that Carlos Marmol has not locked down the closer role for the Cubs when you consider that he's averaging a ridiculous 17 K/9. But that is the case, because of outings like this past Saturday, where Marmol walked five, gave up 1 hit, and allowed four runners to score in a one run game. Marmol has only blown four saves this year, but the fact that he has given up more walks (33) than hits (24) shows that there is reason for concern in Chicago. Lying in waiting behind Marmol is the closer of the future in Andrew Cashner, he needs more time in the big leagues and is still a long ways from being ready to close big league games. Consider Marmol to have his job on lockdown for the remainder of the year, but going into next year that may not be the case. Giants The Giants made Brian Wilson their full time closer in 2008 and haven't had to look back since. Wilson is tied for the league lead in saves this year and could approach 50 saves by seasons end. Rumors though, have spread this past off-season about the Giants moving Wilson eventually, because of his contract. It's still not clear who will inherit the job. The younger guys in the bullpen, Sergio Romo and Dan Runzler, have been impressive, but not enough to predict a successor. Pirates The Pirates may only have 30 wins to date, however they have offered up 20 saves. Free agent pick up, Octavio Dotel has been able to lock up 19 of the 20 games. But the most interesting story from the Pirates bullpen this year has been the emergence of 27-year old Evan Meek. The former Rule 5 draftee, Meek, has put up a 1.07 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 48Ks in 50.2 IP, good enough to earn himself a spot in the All-Star game. If the Pirates were to trade Dotel, Meek should be next in line, but he'll need to calm the butterflies down before becoming very relevant in our Fantasy world. Meek has blown 5 saves in 6 chances, however he has still maintained the impressive statistics. It would appear that Meek has had a difficult time getting outs when inheriting runners, luckily the closer role doesn't require him to do that often. But wait, there is more.... Mets The Mets have invested heavily in Francisco Rodriguez and he has returned 21 saves for them this year. At 28, Rodriguez has posted a 2.68 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP through 47 IP this year. This high number has put K-Rod on pace for his most innings since becoming a full time closer. Beyond K-Rod, no one holds a very significant role in the bullpen. Elmer Dessens and Bobby Parnell have been effective as of late and could lock up a bigger role if they continue to get outs. Cardinals Throw out an epic loss at Colorado on July 6th and Ryan Franklin has a 2.11 ERA and a WHIP under one through 34.1 IP. Outside of this one historic appearance, Franklin has been extremely dependable with 16 saves in 17 chances. When Franklin has been unavailable, the Cards have turned to Jason Motte on three occasions of which he's closed out 2 (the blown save came the night after the Rockies 12-9 victory over the Cards). Franklin's age, 37, could be a concern for owners carrying him into next year, but for 2010, he continues to be a spectacular option. Written by James Weston for TheFantasyFix.com. Look for James’ weekly insight covering all aspects of Fantasy Baseball. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRealJamesA Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Baseball Blog, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Baseball Advice, National League, Closer Carousel, Closers, John Axford, Ryan Franklin, Billy Wagner, Francisco Rodriguez, Ryan Franklin, Octavio Dotel, Brian Wilson, Evan Meek, Carlos Marmol, Matt Lindstrom, Leo Nunez, Heath Bell, Francisco Cordero, Chad Qualls, Huston Street, Manuel Corpas, Jonathan Broxton, Matt Capps, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, James, Weston Easy Steals and Cheap Thrills 07/18/2010
 Chris Perez While “punting” categories can be successful in Head-to-Head leagues, what are the rest of us rotisserie guys supposed to do? Finding a player who can bring you fortune in one category can help pay the bills at the end of the season. While stolen bases can be found just about anywhere on the waiver wire, finding saves can be like winning the out-of-state lottery. First up, let’s take a look at some base stealers who could score you some easy points during the second half, followed by some relievers who could find you some cheap saves and have in their possession high strikeout totals. All percentage of ownership numbers are from Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball leagues. Easy Steals Nyjer Morgan - OF, WSH (35% owned) - Despite having an on-base percentage (OBP) of just .313 this season, Morgan is currently second in the NL with 21 swipes. Now certainly reaching base is an issue for Morgan and the rest of the Nationals lineup, but when he does reach - he’s a lock for a stolen base or two. Juan Pierre - OF, CWS (41% owned) - After slumping in April and May, in which Pierre had a combined OBP of .304, one thing stayed steady - his stolen base numbers (19). For the season, Juan leads all of baseball with 32 steals, and with the White Sox playing red-hot right now, Pierre is a steady figure atop the lineup. Since June 24th, Pierre is hitting at a .333 clip with an OBP of .415. Sound like a guy who could steal his way into your heart during the second half? Andres Torres - OF, SF (20% owned) - This switch-hitting speedster has found a nice home atop the Giants’ lineup during the past month. He missed a few games with a groin injury, but seems to be healthy again. Torres has 17 swipes this season and is hitting over .300 during the month of July so far. Certainly not a “power” guy, Torres already has 4 homers this month, and while he may be done in the home run department this month, his steals and runs scored categories should continue to see production. Speedsters to monitor: Corey Patterson - OF, BAL (11% owned) - can Felix Pie stay healthy the rest of the year? Fred Lewis - OF, TOR (5% owned) - a nice AL only option but doesn’t, but is usually omitted from the lineup against left-handed pitching) Cheap Thrills Chris Perez - RP, CLE (23% owned) - With fellow Tribe reliever Kerry Wood hitting the DL this weekend, Perez becomes the number one closer on the depth chart. Now we’re still talking about the Indians here, so save chances may be few and far between, but that’s why this is called “cheap thrills”. The strikeout per nine-innings ratio (K/9) for Perez is way down this season (4.7 K/9) compared to his 10.7 K/9 ratio from last season. Either way, your waiver wire is probably scarce with closers, so pick him up if you can. Mike Gonzalez - RP, BAL (20% owned) - Gonzo hasn’t been able to find much luck this season, pitching in only two innings, acquiring zero saves, and posting a WHIP of 4.50 before hitting disabled list. On the bright side, he did have three strikeouts in those two innings. He’s still on rehab assignment, but it appears he could be back sometime within the next week or two. Now along with Perez of the Indians, the Orioles find their closers few save opportunities. The rehab assignments have been somewhat encouraging if you are looking at Gonzalez on the waiver wire, as he’s posted 10.8 K/9 ratio and has only walked two batters in 11 2/3 innings. The other good sign is that his velocity is in the 92-94 MPH range, which has been an issue all season long. The Orioles certainly won’t give Gonzo the ninth-inning spot right away when he returns because of Alfredo Simon’s limited success, but you don’t pay a guy $12 million over two years to be a setup man (unless you are the Houston Astros). Juan Gutierrez - RP, ARI (2% owned) - The Arizona bullpen is a disaster and who can blame interim manager Kirk Gibson for keeping the closer role an open audition. Chad Qualls has been a disaster and the Aaron Heilman experiment lasted for a few days, so who or what’s next? Come on down, Mr. Gutierrez. In two games prior to the All Star break, he’s pitched two innings, while allowing zero hits and walks, and has struck out one batter. The K/9 ratio sits right at 7.5 for the season, but Gutierrez has a lively fastball and slide-piece that could see his strikeout numbers increase as we march down the homestretch. Another reliever from Arizona who should be on your radar if things continue to be a downward spiral in Arizona is rookie Sam Demel (1% owned). Demel has pitched 12 innings this season, while striking out 11 and walking just two. Relievers to monitor: Brandon League - RP, SEA (2% owned) Manny Corpas - RP & Franklin Morales - RP, COL (17 % and 3% owned) - Morales is at Triple-A right now working on his mechanics, but has allowed one earned run, walked six, and struck out four batters in six innings.  Written by Reggie Yinger exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Reggie Yinger is a programmer in the IT field and also writes for Baseball Press.com. He previously worked for a Minor League Baseball team and hopes to return to baseball full-time in some fashion. You can follow him on Twitter @sacksjacked. Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Sports Blog, Reggie Yinger, Nyjer Morgan, Washington Nationals, Juan Pierre, Chicago White Sox, Andres Torres, San Francisco Giants, Corey Patterson, Baltimore Orioles, Fred Lewis, Toronto Blue Jays, Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians, Mike Gonzalez, Juan Gutierrez, Arizona Diamondbacks, Brandon League, Seattle Mariners, Manuel Corpas, Franklin Morales, Colorado Rockies, Kerry Wood, Kirk Gibson It's the All-Star Break and the Awards just can't wait til seasons end. The Fantasy Fix and some of the top fantasy experts out there have made their choices. Take a look to see the first half MVP, Cy Young, Surprises, Busts and more!  Miguel Cabrera AL MVP Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers Cabrera possesses the full package of MVP qualities. He stands at or near the top in nearly all significant offensive categories: 1st in BA at .346, 2nd in HR with 22, 1st in RBI with 76, 3rd in R with 64, 3rd in doubles with 26, 2nd in OBP at .423, 1st in SLG % at .650 and 1st in OPS at 1.073. He's been a picture of consistency from month to month: April - .344 5 HR 25 RBI May - .344 9 HR 23 RBI June - .323 6 HR 20 RBI An underrated, yet critical element of an MVP candidate is their ability to perform in the clutch. On a team that's hitting .252 with RISP, Cabrera is hitting .358. According to STATS LLC., he has 7 HR and 20 RBI in AB's in the 7th inning+ “with the batting team ahead by one run, tied, or with the tying run on base, batting or on deck”.* Even with Cabrera’s dynamic offensive resume, the Tigers are still a middle of the pack offensive club, currently 8th in runs scored and 9th in HR. Where would they be without him? Very far from 9 games above .500 and first place in the AL Central. His protection in the lineup comes from Magglio Ordonez, who the entire baseball world thought was washed up in 2009, and Brennan Boesch, a 25 year old Rookie who never had a ML AB entering this season. While all the credit in the world goes to Ordonez and Boesch, there is no question Cabrera's presence has had a marked impact on their success in 2010. To review: Massive numbers... check. Clutch ability... check. Direct impact on the performance of teammates... check. Invaluable to the survival of his team... check. M-V-P. Vladimir Guerrero and Josh Hamilton of the Rangers are both more than worthy of consideration, but they neutralize each other's exploits. Robinson Cano of the Yankees is also quite deserving, but with the Yanks pitching prowess, they'd be winning games regardless. * http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jioHEhf0de-VxhB-HapWzIWL5OLwD9GR4C6O0 Written by Adam Ganeles for TheFantasyFix.com. Make sure to check out Adam’s weekly MiLB Farm Report covering A, AA & AAA ball! _________________________________________________________________________  Albert Pujols NL MVP Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals About 14 weeks ago, the first pick of your draft was Albert Pujols, because he had the most value. If you redrafted today and had the first pick, Pujols would still be the player offering you the most value. Albert Pujols is the definition of value to Fantasy Baseball owners by offering consistent production in the statistics which matter most. So far this year he's scored 54 runs, hit 22 home runs, and driven in 64 RBIs. Add a .307 batting average and 9 stolen bases to boot – he's given his owners the corner stone to a team which resides at the top of their standings. Written by James Weston for TheFantasyFix.com. Look for James’ weekly insight covering all aspects of Fantasy Baseball. Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix _________________________________________________________________________  Cliff Lee AL CY YOUNG Cliff Lee, SP, Texas Rangers There certainly is a great crop of AL pitchers to choose from for this award. David Price is having a breakout year, Jered Weaver is looking at better numbers than his stellar 2009 performance and batters can barely touch Jon Lester. But one player is on his way to breaking an amazing MLB record, Cliff Lee. One key statistic puts Lee on top of the rest – strikeout to walk ratio (K/BB). Cliff has only surrendered six walks so far this season. That's right folks - SIX! His K/BB ratio right now is 15/1. The highest amount through a full season in history is Bret Saberhagen with 11/1 in 1994. In fact Roy Halladay who has only given up 19 walks himself is only averaging 6.73. Josh Johnson is at 4.39 and "All -the-Craze Jimenez" is averaging a lowly 2.45 K/BB. Lee is the man for the moment, but no one can look past what David Price has done in the first half. Leading the league in ERA and Wins, Price may be all the rave by years end. Written by Evan Marx for TheFantasyFix.com. Evan is co-owner of The Fantasy Fix and reaches into your brain to pick his topics each week. And yes, he knows exactly what you are thinking right now. Shame on you! Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix _________________________________________________________________________  Josh Johnson NL CY YOUNG Josh Johnson, SP, Florida Marlins While Ubaldo Jimenez was the one getting most of the early season headlines, it was Josh Johnson that went out and consistently dominated the opposition. To this point Johnson is 9-3 with a 1.70 ERA and 0.96 WHIP and his peripherals are rock solid. Johnson is ninth in baseball with a 9.07 K/9 and eighth in baseball with a 4.39 K/BB rate (min 90 IP). He has the third best whiff rate among Major League pitchers (26.1 percent), just barely behind Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw. Added on top of all that, he has a good ground ball rate (48 percent) and a line drive rate against that is below league average (18 percent). Those last two factors have helped keep his BABIP against a low .278. As long as he continues to keep limiting line drives and keeping the ball on the ground, his BABIP should remain low all season. Want one more nugget of advanced statistics? Johnson hasn't exactly been walking down easy street. The batters he has faced this season have a combined VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) of 49.8, which is the highest combined VORP that any pitcher has faced this season (min 80 IP). Needless to say, Josh Johnson has been beyond impressive over the first half of the 2010 season. Written by Charlie Saponara. Charlie is owner/author of fantasybaseball365.com, featured columnist on bleacherreport.com and a contributor for projectprospect.com _________________________________________________________________________  Brennan Boesch AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - The Offensive Perspective Brennan Boesch, OF, Detroit Tigers Outfielder Brennan Boesch didn't make the Detroit Tigers' opening day roster, but he did get a quick call-up in late April when Carlos Guillen went on the disabled list. And all he's done since then is hit the daylights out of the ball. The reason so few people know about Boesch, even though his .342 average is among the American League's highest, is because he hasn't had enough plate appearances to qualify among the league leaders...until now. He finally reached the minimum on Sunday. But he will in just a matter of days. Boesch is hitting the ball with authority -- with 12 homers, 49RBI, a .397 on-base percentage and a .990 OPS. To put that in perspective, only four players in the majors have a higher OPS: Miguel Cabrera, Justin Morneau, Josh Hamilton, Joey Votto and Albert Pujols. That's some pretty select company. The 25-year-old Boesch got his feet wet playing against mostly right-handed pitchers, but he became an everyday player for the Tigers once manager Jim Leyland started giving him a chance against lefties. He hasn't just held his own against lefties, he's thrived. The lefty-swinging Boesch is hitting an amazing .459 (28-for-61) against southpaws -- tops in the majors for players with more than 20 at-bats -- with three homers and a 1.307 OPS. At the midpoint of the 2010 season, he's the clear choice as AL Rookie of the Year. Written by Steve Gardner. Steve is one of the elite fantasy baseball analysts and the voice behind USA Today’s Fantasy Windup. You can also find Steve on Twitter @SGardnerUSAT. _________________________________________________________________________  Neftali Feliz AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - The Pitching Perspective Neftali Feliz, RP, Texas Rangers Neftali Feliz of the Texas Rangers needs to get serious consideration for the American League Rookie of the Year at the halfway point. Feliz is the 21 year-old flamethrower and one of the essential pieces sent to the Rangers from the Atlanta Braves in the Mark Teixeira deal in 2007. He saw some live action with the big boys in 2009, but failed to accumulate 50 innings pitched, which allows him to be eligible for 2010 ROY consideration. After Frank Francisco blew two saves to start the season for the Rangers, Feliz was appointed to the closer position, and hasn’t looked back since. In 36 total appearances in the first half of 2010, Feliz is 1-2 with a 3.82 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and is striking out 10.04 batters per nine innings. Additionally, batters are hitting just .203 against Feliz and he is stranding more than 70% of base runners. He has saved 23 games in 25 chances for the first place Texas Rangers. Neftali's 23 saves ties him for second best in the AL with Rafael Soriano of the Rays and they sit just two saves behind the league leader, Joakim Soria of the Royals who has 25. Feliz will need to calm his “Wild Thing” tendencies and reduce his current 3.11 BB/9 if he is to remain effective at the closer position. However, as the season progresses, Neftali should continue to mature on the hill in the pressure situations and gain greater control of his 96 mph fastball. Despite the incredible season Brennan Boesch is having offensively, I believe the young closer on the first place team earns the nod for AL ROY. Written by Alan Harrison for TheFantasyFix.com. Alan is the founder and co-owner of TheFantasyFix.com. Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix _________________________________________________________________________  Gaby Sanchez NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - The Offensive Perspective Gaby Sanchez, 1B, Florida Marlins Crazy right? Maybe two months ago it would've been, but not now. I suppose Stephen Strasburg might have a case, especially if he continues to pitch like he has, but he'll also be shut down the first week of September. Are we really prepared to hand the award to a starting pitcher who's only played half the season? Never mind the fact that he might not lead a single major category among rookies by the time Labor Day rolls around. Jason Heyward was everybody's favorite until a thumb injury sent his season into a tailspin two months ago. Of course, he still has plenty of time to grab back the lead in the race for this season's top rookie, but if his thumb injury lingers, his slump could very well last into September. Who's left? Jaime Garcia? There's no doubt he's impressed and he might give Gaby a run for his money if the Cardinals don't impose an innings cap -- Garcia threw just 52.2 frames in 2009 after undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2008 season -- but then again, he's been pitching over his head all season. At least that's what his fielder independent ERAs tell us (3.30 FIP, 3.76 xFIP). Even if he finishes the year with an ERA around 3.00, it means he'll have posted an ERA closer to 4.00 in the second half. Throw in a league-average strikeout rate and you have a solid rookie campaign, not an award-winner (unless voters give him the award based on win totals, in which case, he's probably a shoe-in). That leaves Gaby, who currently ranks first in batting average, second in runs scored, fourth in RBI, and fifth in homers among all rookies heading into the All-Star break. Sabermetrically speaking, Sanchez is first among all rookies in WAR (2.1 Wins Above Replacement), wOBA (.367 Weighted On-Base Average), and wRAA (Sanchez's 12.1 Runs Above Average is 13th among ALL MLBers). He hasn't just done it with his bat, either. His glovework's been just as solid (he ranks third among all rookies -- behind Heyward and Austin Jackson -- in both UZR and UZR/150). Obviously, Sanchez needs to hit at least as well as he did in the first half to keep his name in the conversation. But based on the adjustments he's made and how much he's improved month-to-month, I have little doubt he'll be able to do so. Written By Paul Bourdett of FanHouse. Paul Bourdett's weekly waiver wire column, "The Pickup Artist" can be found each Thursday at AOL FanHouse..You can also catch Paul on Twitter: @PaulMBourdett _________________________________________________________________________  Jaime Garcia NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - The Pitching Perspective Jaime Garcia, SP, St. Louis Cardinals 99.2 Innings Pitched, 8-4 Record, 2.17 ERA, 80 Ks Now I know that this may not be a popular choice for many because he is not an everyday player, but his number are too staggering to ignore. There is not a great rookie pool to choose from in the NL this season, so it made this decision very difficult. There have been some great first halves from Jason Heyward, Gaby Sanchez, Ike Davis, and Drew Stubbs. Yet it is the consistency of Garcia that raises him above the rest. All 4 of the position players have slowed down of late after very fast starts to their careers. This is typical of rookies as the rest of the league begins to put together scouting reports on them. Dave Duncan, Pitching Coach for the Cards, is the X Factor for Jamie because he is widely considered the best pitching coach in the game for his ability to develop young arms. You can look for similar results from him in the second half of the season as he locks up the NL full season award. Written by Dan Pollak for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Dan's excellent fantasy baseball analysis and projections. You can follow Dan on Twitter: @FantasyFix_FM _________________________________________________________________________  Colby Lewis AL 1st HALF SURPRISE Colby Lewis, SP, Texas Rangers Some say Colby Lewis spent his offseasons at a remote Japanese Zen Buddhist temple and meditated to achieve pitching enlightenment. But whatever he did during his two years in Japan, it's working. When he left the MLB after the 2007 season, he had the worst ERA in history among pitchers with 200 major league innings, and had been released by five Major League teams. Fast forward to 2010, where he is in the top 10 in the AL in WHIP and strikeouts, and has been the best starter for the first-place Texas Rangers. The biggest change for Lewis has been a much higher strikeout rate, due to more reliance on his improved slider. Overall he's throwing 29% sliders, as opposed to 12.6% back in 2007 (and just 2.4% in 2003). Lewis is throwing more sliders in every count, including 32% sliders when he's behind 2-0 and 40% sliders when he's behind 2-1. Lewis is even throwing 24% first pitch sliders, and has an above-average 63.4% first strike percentage. Lewis has been a bit lucky so far, but should still finish with an ERA under 4, a WHIP around 1.20, and close to a K per inning. The addition of Cliff Lee allows Lewis to slot in as a solid #2 starter on a World Series contender. Written by Alex Shear. Follow Alex on Twitter @RotoSleeperz and view his rarely updated blog at http://rotosleeperz.blogspot.com _________________________________________________________________________  Aubrey Huff NL 1st HALF SURPRISE Aubrey Huff, 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants As of this writing, can you tell me which NL West first basemen has these numbers? .295-17-54-53-3 Did you guess Adrian Gonzalez? If you did you would be wrong. Those numbers actually belong to AUBREY HUFF. In fact, the Giants 1B/OF has actually performed nearly identically to the slugger from San Diego. Honest. A. Huff: .295-17-54-53-3 with a .929 OPS Gonzalez:.301-18-56-49-0 with a .927 OPS Given that you could have taken Huff probably 150 selections after Gonzalez on draft day, and that Huff qualifies at two positions, he has clearly been a bargain of monumental proportions. Written by Ray Flowers. Ray is the Managing Editor of Fanball.com and the CEO of BaseballGuys.com. Ray also co-hosts the Fanball Fantasy Drive on XM 147/Sirius 211 Radio. Follow Ray on Twitter @BaseballGuys _________________________________________________________________________  Matt Wieters AL 1st HALF BUST Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles Drafted on average in the 7th round, Wieters is easily the biggest non-injury bust in the AL this season. You can never count on injuries, so I'm not counting guys like Jacoby Ellsbury, Kendry Morales, Brian Roberts, et al, but the man whose nickname is God and was the subject of a highly flattering Sports Illustrated piece in spring training has fallen to 59% ownership in ESPN leagues. And it makes sense – as we near the All-Star Break, Wieters is the 21st best catcher in baseball according to ESPN's Player Rater, and has rewarded those who drafted him with a .243 batting average, six homers, 22 runs and 29 RBIs. For comparison's sake, Yankees part-time backstop Francisco Cervelli has more RBI and is hitting 30 points higher; Mariners' offensively challenged Rob Johnson – who is hitting .200 and is owned by 0% of people playing fantasy baseball – has more runs; Diamondbacks backup Chris Snyder has more homers; and no fewer than twenty full-time catchers have a higher batting average. There may be hope, however. He is still hugely talented, and has been hitting better of late – over .300 in July with a few runs scored. But for owners who had high hopes of him being, well, exactly what Buster Posey's been so far, have been sorely disappointed. Hopefully mixed leaguers have found a replacement. I know I have. Kurt Suzuki, welcome to my team. Written by Jesse Mendelson. Jesse is 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. _________________________________________________________________________  Chase Utley NL 1st HALF BUST Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies Drafted in the middle of the first round, Utley has traditionally been as sure of a bet as anyone in the league. But at the time of the injury (that will keep him out until Labor Day), seven second basemen had more runs, nine had more homers, twelve had more RBIs, eighteen had more steals, and twenty had higher batting averages. For a mid-first rounder, this is just unacceptable. And although you can't count on injuries, his recent sprained thumb means that his owners can expect virtually no production from him all year. At a prime position, no less. My Dad always told me not to slide headfirst... Written by Jesse Mendelson. See above for his street creds. _________________________________________________________________________  Michael Pineda AL MiLB PLAYER TO MAKE BIGGEST POST ASB IMPACT Michael Pineda, SP, Seattle Mariners It was a bit difficult coming up with an AL prospect who would have the greatest impact in the 2nd half of the season, because most of the talent is already up. Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings, and Jesus Montero are higher rated prospects but their path to the majors is currently blocked. That leaves two pitchers – Dan Hudson from the White Sox and Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners. I chose Pineda before Jake Peavy went down for the year, but I am still sticking with him and here is why. Pineda should be called up very soon after the Lee trade and he is already at 100 innings. I can see him getting another 50-60 innings in a very pitchers friendly ballpark the rest of the way. Pineda will be a guy who should get strong K’s, ERA & WHIP, but may not make an impact in the Wins category since he will only be going 5-6 innings per start. Hudson is too much of a fly ball pitcher in a hitters friendly ballpark to make me want to own him in 2010. Pineda stands tall at 6’ 5” and is only 21 years old. While the GB% is in the high 40s and I would like it to be a tad higher, the ballpark and division more than outweigh it. Pineda has a fastball that hits 95-96 at its peak, change up is his 2nd pitch, along with a slider. The secondary stuff is above average. He has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in the minors and his control is solid with a K/BB at 4.00. He has spent most of his time at AA with a recent call up to AAA that until July 9th was looking even better. Long term, I do have some concerns about the elbow injury from 2009 and his delivery. As much of a Pineda fan as any – I do wonder if he ends up in the pen after a couple years if the elbow strain is too much. That being said Pineda should provide a mid 3.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 50 K’s, and 4-5 Wins in the 2nd half of 2010. Written by Michael Rathburn. Follow Michael on www.aroundthecooler.com or www.midwestsportsfans.com or on Twitter @Cooler_Guy _________________________________________________________________________  Domonic Brown NL MiLB PLAYER TO MAKE BIGGEST POST ASB IMPACT Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies Domonic Brown was drafted in the 20th round of the 2006 draft. 606 players were taken ahead of him when the Phillies selected him out of a small Georgia high school. In four short years, Brown has made Phillies scout Chip Lawrence look like a genius, and has worked his way into becoming the best overall prospect in baseball who has yet to break onto the major league scene. The 22 year old is currently a man among boys at the highest levels of the minor leagues. Starting the season at Double-A Reading, Brown hammered Eastern League pitching, batting .318 with 16 doubles, 3 triples, 15 HR, 47 RBI, and 12 SB in 65 Games. He was rewarded in June with a promotion to Triple A, at Lehigh Valley where he has been even better, hitting .364 with 3 doubles, 4 HR, and 12 RBI. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. quoted last week as saying he has no plans to bring Brown to the big leagues until he can play everyday. However with the Phillies falling further behind the Braves and Mets in the NL East with Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Ben Francisco all hitting below .255 and Jayson Werth becoming a real fan favorite in Philly (I joke), it's very reasonable to believe Brown's time will come sooner than later. When it does, you need to be ready from a fantasy standpoint by adding Brown to your roster now. Like Buster Posey was in the first half of the season, Domonic Brown will be the NL's best Rookie Debut fantasy play in the second half of 2010 and produce immediate results for your team. Written by Ben Lipson. Follow Ben on www.topprospectalert.com or Twitter @MinorLeagueBlog _________________________________________________________________________ Do you agree with the experts picks? Who would you have chosen? Leave a comment, or reply to us on Twitter Twitter.com/thefantasyfix Tags: Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Baseball Blog, Fantasy Sports Blog, All-Star Game, All-Star Picks, All-Star Balloting, Roto, MLB, NL, AL, MiLB, Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Brennan Boesch, Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Bret Saberhagen, Josh Johnson, David Price, Ubaldo Jimenez, Tim Lincecum, Jim Leyland, Justin Morneau, Joey Votto, Colby Lewis, Aubrey Huff, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Wieters, Jacoby Ellsbury, Kendry Morales, Brian Roberts, Francisco Cervelli, Rob Johnson, Chris Snyder, Buster Posey, Chase Utley, Michael Pineda, Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings, Jesus Montero, Domonic Brown, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Ben Francisco, Jayson Werth, Neftali Feliz, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Anaheim Angels, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners  Chris Marrero Let The Fantasy Fix take you on a trip through AA's Eastern, Southern and Texas Leagues... including the no-hit arm of Kyle Drabek and the toiling of $ grabber Aaron Crow. Also a look at Chris Marrero... Adam Dunn's possible replacement if he gets traded. BATTERS Chris Marrero, 1B Washington Nationals AA Line – .289, 11 HR, 43 RBI The Nationals 2006 first round pick is slowly working his way through the system, playing in 356 games at the AA level over parts of 4 seasons. While Marrero is lauded for his incredible power, he hit .359 in June with 27 singles, ten doubles and three HR. His recognition of the strike zone is still a work in progress (25:65 BB to K), but he should fall well short of his 115 K in '09. Marrero was shifted from the OF to 1B as a result of well below average foot speed (despite a strong arm). If the Nats have plans to move Dunn at the deadline, the 22 year old could be next in line. Matt Dominguez, 3B Florida Marlins AA Line – .239, 9 HR, 41 RBI The 20 year-old Dominguez is still adjusting to Southern League ball. He hit .186 in 31 games at the end of '09, and is stuck at .239 this season. He shows a willingness to work counts and draw walks, but it's not helping his BA. He finished June at .262, his strongest month, but drew a season low (for a month) six base on balls. He drew 13 BB in 20 April games, but hit just .239. Go figure... Dominguez should grow into a doubles machine, compiling 32 in '09 and 20 thus far in '10. A right hander hitter, his .211 BA against LHP is puzzling. Carlos Triunfel, SS Seattle Mariners AA Line – .280, 5 HR, 30 RBI Triunfel broke his leg last April, forcing him to miss almost the entire 2009 campaign. Following the injury, his speed and/or willingness to run has vanished. He stole 30 bags in A ball in '08, and has attempted only eight SB in '10, being caught in six of them. Triunfel is a free swinger, walking 11 times (hasn't drawn a BB in his last ten games) and K'ing only 36. He's crushed LHP to the tune of .320 in 103 AB. He’s displayed some decent pop for a shortstop, slugging.406 with 20 2B and eight HR in 2008, and has five bombs so far this year. The Mariners have a black hole at SS on the major league level, but Triunfel is only 20 and still working his way back from a serious injury. Austin Romine, C New York Yankees AA Line – .285, 6 HR, 44 RBI The other Yankees catcher, Romine took the Eastern League by storm, batting .354 in April and .305 in May. June was a reality check, as he hit just .227 for the month. Nevertheless, despite his struggles with the stick, he still drew 16 BB, scored 15 runs and knocked in 12. He's already drawn more walks in 2010 than he did in any of his first three minor league stops. Romine is another strong gap hitter, with 24 doubles in '09, 28 in '09 and 21 thus far in 2010. He flashed some speed in '09 with 11 SB in 16 attempts, but has stolen just one base in one attempt this season. The Yankees love his glove behind the plate, so he should be on the fast track. Posada is a free agent in 2012, and at 38 should be subjected to DH duties in the near future. James Darnell, 3B San Diego Padres AA Line – .226, 4 HR, 13 RBI Darnell started 2010 in the Midwest League (A) where he hit .360 with a HR and eight RBI in seven games. Coming off the heels of a .311 20 HR 81 RBI season in '09, he was quickly promoted to AA. The Texas League has not been as kind to the former SC Gamecock. Darnell is hitting .226 overall, .211 against RHP and .222 with RISP. He also missed significant time with a finger injury. He's struck out 31 times in 43 games, but his plate discipline is improving. In 12 June games, he drew seven BB against six K. The line drive hitter has crushed the ball at every level, there's no reason to think he won't make the necessary adjustments here. But at 23, the clock is ticking. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF New York Mets AA Line – .286, 12 HR, 44 RBI When Nieuwenhuis puts bat on ball, good things usually happen. He has 22 doubles, 12 homers and a .505 SLG%. In 72 at bats with RISP he's batting .333 with 36 of his 46 RBI. A left handed hitter, he's hitting .303 in 66 AB against LHP. Unfortunately, contact is not made enough. He has 70 K in 68 games this season, and had a 6:31 BB to K ratio in the month of May. Nieuwenhuis stole 17 bases in '09 and has 12 in 2010. He missed the second half of June with a strained shoulder. PITCHERS Kyle Drabek, RH SP Toronto Blue Jays AA Line – 8-8, 3.20 ERA, 80 K The second marquee prospect in the Roy Halladay deal, Drabek threw a no-hitter on July 4th, recording 13 outs via ground ball and walking only two. He's been tough to square up all season. He's allowed 86 hits in 107 innings of work, and opposing batters are hitting .219 against him. His GO/AO ratio is 1.53, and 2.36 against LHH. However, the base on ball has cost him. He's walked 45, many of which have crossed the plate. Despite a BAA of .223 in June, he went winless in 5 starts, in large part the result of his 16 BB in 30 1/3. The Blue Jays have a strong stable of young arms, but he's not far off from harnessing his stuff. Casey Kelly, RH SP Boston Red Sox AA Line – 1-3, 5.05 ERA, 55 K Drafted out of high school as a SS, Kelly is now an esteemed pitching prospect. In his first minor league season on the hill in '09, accumulating 17 starts between A & AA, he pitched to a 2.08 ERA, yielding only 65 hits in 95 innings. Just as impressive, he issued only 16 BB. He's already walked 25 in 2010 in 62 1/3 innings, and he's getting hit hard. Kelly's allowed 78 hits in 62 1/3, and opposing hitters are roughing him up the tune of a .307 BAA. On a positive note, he's still inducing ground balls at a significant rate (1.33). His stuff is not overpowering, but at 20 years of age he's extremely polished on the mound. Jordan Lyles, RH SP Houston Astros AA Line – 6-5, 2.60 ERA, 85 K Lyles' strikeouts are down from A ball (167 in 144 2/3) as expected, but his K:BB ratio of 85 to 22 is excellent. He uses his two-seam fastball adroitly against LHH, holding them to a .227 BA. Despite his low ground ball rate and a tendency to pitch up in the zone, he's allowed only seven HR (one every 13 innings). As Lyles continues to move up the ranks, he will need to be more proficient with his location and keep balls out of the air. He's a quick riser, but needs seasoning on his secondary offerings. Aaron Crow, RH SP Kansas City Royals AA Line – 5-6, 6.11 ERA, 63 K Crow was originally drafted by the Nationals at #9 overall in '08, but did not sign. He throws hard sinking fastballs in the low to mid 90's. He's been a ground ball machine in his first season of pro ball, with a 3.08 GO/AO ratio. On the opposite end of the spectrum, he's walked 44 in 91 1/3 innings and struck out just 63. All batters are hitting .292 against him, and left handed batters are hitting .335. He finished June with an 8.72 ERA in 5 starts. Crow played independent ball in '09, but has clearly fallen behind the curve. Christian Friedrich, LH SP Colorado Rockies AA Line – 1-5, 5.34 ERA, 57 K The Rockies first round pick in 2008, Friedrich is having no fun in the Texas League. He's allowed 72 hits in 64 innings, working to a 0.88 GO/AO ratio and LHH are hitting .342 against him. This after mowing through A ball in '09 with a 2.41 ERA and 159 K in 119 2/3 innings. Friedrich possesses a low 90's fastball, 12-6 curve and hard, cutter-like slider. The changeup is a new offering for him. NOTES Michael Pineda, SP Seattle Mariners – Pineda was promoted to AAA after an 8-1 mark and 2.22 ERA in the Southern League. In three starts since his promotion, he's 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA, struck out 26 in 19 innings, and his BAA is .164. He's flown under the radar big time. Mike Montgomery, SP Kansas City Royals – Montgomery has been shut down since June 15th with elbow soreness. Apparently it's just a precautionary measure and he should be fine. He's 5-1 with a 2.01 ERA between two AA stops in 2010, and is a high ceiling left-handed arm. We'd love to hear your thoughts on AA Ball. Leave a comment at the top or reply to us on twitter! Article by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's excellent fantasy insight and analysis. Tags: MiLB, Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Baseball Blog, The Fantasy Fix, Featured Blog, Minor League Baseball, A, AA, AAA, The Farm Report MLB, NL, AL, Chris Marrero, Washington Nationals, Matt Dominguez, Florida Marlins, Carlos Triunfel, Seattle Mariners, Austin Romine, New York Yankees, James Darnell, San Diego Padres, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, New York Mets, Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays, Casey Kelly, Boston Red Sox, Jordan Lyles, Houston Astros, Aaron Crow, Kansas City Royals, Christian Friedrich, Colorado Rockies MLB Closer Carousel: American League Report 07/03/2010
 Daniel Bard What to watch for... Blue Jays - Either Kevin Gregg beat out Jason Frasor or Frasor lost the job to Gregg... No matter how you slice it, the Blue Jays should have a few save opportunities each week. Gregg has all the experience of a closer that has lost a job before, will they go back to Frasor if Gregg falters? Scott Downs or Shawn Camp could get looks at the end of games, but by the time that happens the Jays would be out of contention this year and could look elsewhere. But I could be getting ahead of myself, there are a lot of reasons to think Gregg is going to continue to get the job done. Gregg is 18 for 21 so far this year, his ERA could be a concern, but if you're looking for saves...he's got them. Mariners - The Mariners last save was earned by Brandon League, who converted his 2nd save of the year. David Aardsma had pitched the previous two days, so there isn't much to read into the save chance for League. But then Aardsma went on to blow the Mariners next save opportunity. Aardsma has now blown more saves than he did all of 2009. At 3% owned in Y! leagues, League will be presented with more chances this summer and now is the time to take a shot. Angels - There is nothing more frustrating than being an Angles fan with the lead in the 9th inning. Brian Fuentes has made for great baseball drama, but he still closes games out and continues to get the chances for the Angles. In waiting is Fernando Rodney(38% owned in Y! leagues), who has done well when given the chance. Rodney recently blew his second save chance on the 25th, but if the Angles look to move past Fuentes, Rodney will be their guy. The move has to be coming soon. Fuentes is so good at blowing saves, he blew a save without even giving up a hit! And to top it all off.... the front office could dictate a move since Fuentes owns a contract clause which forces the Angles to pay him $3.25 million next year if he gets 59 appearances(He's made 25 so far this year). Red Sox - Get to know Daniel Bard (23% owned), who is leading the Red Sox bullpen in Appearances, Innings, ERA, Ks, and WHIP. But the closer is Jonathan Papelbon today and he'll be the closer tomorrow. However if a window of opportunity comes up Bard is next in line. White Sox - The White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks has been on the bereavement list this week and the team just kept rolling on. Jenks has only blown one save this year, so his job isn't in jeopardy. If he is to slip up, the Sox can turn to Matt Thorton(57% owned) or a rejuvenated J.J. Putz(13%). Nothing to see here...... Orioles - There is not much to be said about the situation in Baltimore. The team doesn't win often and unfortunately, your team needs to win the game in order to qualify for a save. Alfredo Simon has saved 10 games so far, but he's only seen 19 innings of action this year. And when he's seen playing time, he hasn't put up the strikeouts and statistics that are important to us. Indians - The Indians sit in the cellar of the AL Central, therefore there just aren't that many save opportunities to go around. Kerry Wood is getting the rare save chances today of which he's converted 8 saves. Chris Perez was doing the closing earlier in the year and he managed to get 7. The Indians could go back to Perez, but the team won't offer up enough save situations to give either pitcher much value. Even though they're riding a hot streak, the team figures to trade veterans this month and make moves with their future in mind. Therefore we shouldn't expect the hot streak to continue. The Closer role is on lock down... Yankees - Death, Taxes, and Mariano Rivera....the three guarantees in life. Rays - Reminds me of taking a kicker from a good team, you know you'll do good enough. Rafael Soranio just has to stay healthy to continue closing. If he did get hurt, someone could be inline for saves and the Rays have a few solid arms. Look for Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler to back up Soranio if he gets hurt. Twins - The Twins haven't missed a beat since Joe Nathan was put on the shelf this spring. Jon Rauch has settled in nicely to the closer role and it doesn't appear that anyone is threatening his role. Tigers - His antics on the field aren't the classiest, but Jose Valverde's results are top notch. So far this year he's locked up 18 saves and posted a miniscule 0.53 ERA. Valverde is supported by one of the best bullpens in baseball, but they just lost Joel Zumaya to a fractured elbow and this could impact Valverde's opportunities. Still, he's one of the best at what he does and the Tigers win games. Royals - A good really effective closer on a bad team can be a good thing. Joakim Soria has managed to accumulate 108 saves in his 4 years of service with the Royals. There aren't any indicators to think that he won't keep racking up saves for the rest of the year, with 21 so far. Look for Soria to top 40 saves this year and flirt with 50 if the Royals can put together some wins. Rangers - The Rangers close out their games with one of the hardest throwers in baseball, 22 year old Neftali Feliz. Feliz has saved 21 games this year and he didn't even have the job out of Spring Training, Frank Francisco won the job out of camp. But since taking over, Feliz has been dominant striking out 38 in just over 35 innings. Feliz is a must own and if you're looking for saves he should be a buy high target given the Rangers hot streak and weak division. Athletics - The 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, Andrew Bailey has saved 16 games so far this year and posted a 1.64 ERA. He's blown three chances, but all things considered, it is safe to say that Bailey has faded the sophomore jinx. Even if he struggles, the Athletics will stand behind Bailey and give him time to work things out. Which of these closers will be the first to lose their job? Leave a comment at the top or reply to us on twitter! Article by James Weston exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for James' excellent fantasy insight and analysis. |
