FANTASY BASEBALL: Who's Hurt, Who's Hot & Who's Not - Week 21 Recap
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Sep 1 2010, 3:09 PM
So much went down last week on the fantasy baseball scene,
courtesy of TheFantasyGeek.com.
This is an excerpt from The Geekly Update. To read the whole column, click here...
KEEPIN’ IT ON THE D.L.
Ian Stewart strained the ol’ oblique and he’s on the shelf until mid-September. Melvin Mora and Clint Barmes will get more playing time in his absence.
Edwin Encarnacion is out of the Blue Jays lineup with a bum wrist. Jose Bautista will be shifting to 3B while he’s out.
Jerry Hairston has halted his ultra-utilityman act due to a sore elbow. The Padres recalled Everth Cabrera to help out.
INKED & AXED
Here’s our take on the players fantasy owners are adding and
dropping the most. (Change in Ownership Percentages via CBS Sports
leagues)
Hot Commodities
Carlos Zambrano (up 12%): I had a feeling he’d be worth something eventually
this season. In a recent chat, I recommended grabbing Zambrano, with
the caveat that his WHIP won’t be pretty. He’s walking batters left and
right, but managing to get out of jams.
Koji Uehara (up 12%): Move over Alfredo Simon, there’s a new closer du jour in Bal’more. I actually like Koji more than anyone else who’s been in the role this season. Buck Showalter may opt to use Mike Gonzalez in lefty-heavy situations though.
Hey, Koji: Uehara really good pick up right now.
Ivan Nova (up 11%): In Spanish, his
name translates to “doesn’t go,” but after a couple of strong outings,
Ivan gets a green light. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a lot more
valuable than AJ Burnett the rest of the way.
Cold Product
Edinson Volquez (down 21%): Too soon. Volquez is
still a good pitcher, but he needs more time to rebound from his
surgery. Just look how long it took Francisco Liriano to come all the way back. So the Reds are moving Ed to the bullpen for now. And owners are moving on.
Stephen Strasburg (down 18%): One-year leaguers are
obviously dropping the kid. Keeper leaguers should too. dynasty leaguers
are the only ones who should even consider holding Strasburg. But 12-18
months is looooong time to wait.
Pat Burrell (down 7%): Shocker. Everyone who grabbed
him during his recent power surge was let down after his 3-for-18 week.
Couldn’t have seen that coming.
BIG SURPRISES
Guys who stepped up over the past week:
Stephen Drew (.500 BA, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 10 R) – Whoa. He finally awoke from his year-and-a-half-long fantasy coma.
Marcus Thames (.470 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI) – Thames is
earning steady at bats with all that pop and a is a nice play right now
in really deep leagues and in AL-Only.
Rick Porcello (14 IP, 6 H+BB, 0 ER, 8 K, 2 W) – First, Max Scherzer
got sent down to the minors and then came back with a vengeance. Now
Porcello is making the Tigers brass look like a bunch of geniuses for
making timely demotions.
SUDDEN DEMISES
Stars who stumbled:
Jose Reyes (.083, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R) – Throw in an oblique injury and it was a very forgetful week for Reyes.
Mike Stanton (.000 BA, 0 HR, 0 R, 0 RBI, 8 K) – The rookie took a goose egg at the plate and has proven to be extremely streaky.
AJ Burnett (3.1 IP, 11 H+BB, 8 ER, L) – Anyone still
starting Burnett probably wants to burn him at the stake. Deactivate
him in ALL leagues.
STAT THAT LOOKS LIKE A TYPO…BUT ISN’T
17
That’s how many earned runs the formerly reliable Jeff Niemann
has coughed up in two starts (8.1 IP) since coming off the DL. I guess
it’s safe to say everything’s still not alright with his arm.
HARDBALL HELP
Ray Ray: I am thinking of benching Lincecum. Not worth starting?
The Fantasy Geek: Ray
Ray, I feel ya. I’m in the same boat. He’s been awful, yielding 4 or
more runs in his past 4 starts. Tough to sit a guy who’s supposed to be
your ace, but I wouldn’t blame you. I might sit him, but I’m not playing
for anything this week, so it’s not a big decision for me. He’s up
against Ubaldo, which may inspire him to rebound. I see him giving up
2-3 runs, but not getting a win. Let’s hope he ends the year heading in
the right direction.
WHERE AMAZING POLLS HAPPEN
Who gets your Fantasy Cy Young vote?
NEXT
I don’t need to remind you why it’s primetime for fantasy sports
right now. Come on by throughout the week and get in on the action:
ALL THE TIME – Look for our tweets with player updates as well as quick posts
FRIDAY – Simon Says with more fantasy spin from Si
SATURDAY – The GeekSpeak Fantasy Football Preview Show podcast with Si, The Geek and Sammy.
SUNDAY – Hustle Points with hot free agents, day-to-dayers and double-start pitchers
MONDAY @ 3ET/12PT – Hardball Help Live Chat with The Geek.
WEDNESDAY – The Geekly Update
And coming up on Saturday 9/4 at 12 ET/9 PT, we’ll be doing our GeekSpeak Fantasy Football Preview Show Podcast.
For more, visit TheFantasyGeek.comAnd for more updates, follow The Geek on Twitter
So much went down last week on the fantasy baseball scene, courtesy of TheFantasyGeek.com. This is an excerpt from The Geekly Update. To read the whole column, click here...KEEPIN’ IT ON THE D.L.
Ian Stewart strained the ol’ oblique and he’s on the shelf until mid-September. Melvin Mora and Clint Barmes will get more playing time in his absence.
Edwin Encarnacion is out of the Blue Jays lineup with a bum wrist. Jose Bautista will be shifting to 3B while he’s out.
Jerry Hairston has halted his ultra-utilityman act due to a sore elbow. The Padres recalled Everth Cabrera to help out.
INKED & AXED
Here’s our take on the players fantasy owners are adding and dropping the most. (Change in Ownership Percentages via CBS Sports leagues)
Hot Commodities
Carlos Zambrano (up 12%): I had a feeling he’d be worth something eventually this season. In a recent chat, I recommended grabbing Zambrano, with the caveat that his WHIP won’t be pretty. He’s walking batters left and right, but managing to get out of jams.
Koji Uehara (up 12%): Move over Alfredo Simon, there’s a new closer du jour in Bal’more. I actually like Koji more than anyone else who’s been in the role this season. Buck Showalter may opt to use Mike Gonzalez in lefty-heavy situations though.
Hey, Koji: Uehara really good pick up right now.
Ivan Nova (up 11%): In Spanish, his name translates to “doesn’t go,” but after a couple of strong outings, Ivan gets a green light. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a lot more valuable than AJ Burnett the rest of the way.
Cold Product
Edinson Volquez (down 21%): Too soon. Volquez is still a good pitcher, but he needs more time to rebound from his surgery. Just look how long it took Francisco Liriano to come all the way back. So the Reds are moving Ed to the bullpen for now. And owners are moving on.
Stephen Strasburg (down 18%): One-year leaguers are obviously dropping the kid. Keeper leaguers should too. dynasty leaguers are the only ones who should even consider holding Strasburg. But 12-18 months is looooong time to wait.
Pat Burrell (down 7%): Shocker. Everyone who grabbed him during his recent power surge was let down after his 3-for-18 week. Couldn’t have seen that coming.
BIG SURPRISES
Guys who stepped up over the past week:
Stephen Drew (.500 BA, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 10 R) – Whoa. He finally awoke from his year-and-a-half-long fantasy coma.
Marcus Thames (.470 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI) – Thames is earning steady at bats with all that pop and a is a nice play right now in really deep leagues and in AL-Only.
Rick Porcello (14 IP, 6 H+BB, 0 ER, 8 K, 2 W) – First, Max Scherzer got sent down to the minors and then came back with a vengeance. Now Porcello is making the Tigers brass look like a bunch of geniuses for making timely demotions.
SUDDEN DEMISES
Stars who stumbled:
Jose Reyes (.083, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R) – Throw in an oblique injury and it was a very forgetful week for Reyes.
Mike Stanton (.000 BA, 0 HR, 0 R, 0 RBI, 8 K) – The rookie took a goose egg at the plate and has proven to be extremely streaky.
AJ Burnett (3.1 IP, 11 H+BB, 8 ER, L) – Anyone still starting Burnett probably wants to burn him at the stake. Deactivate him in ALL leagues.
STAT THAT LOOKS LIKE A TYPO…BUT ISN’T
17
That’s how many earned runs the formerly reliable Jeff Niemann has coughed up in two starts (8.1 IP) since coming off the DL. I guess it’s safe to say everything’s still not alright with his arm.
HARDBALL HELP
Ray Ray: I am thinking of benching Lincecum. Not worth starting?
The Fantasy Geek: Ray Ray, I feel ya. I’m in the same boat. He’s been awful, yielding 4 or more runs in his past 4 starts. Tough to sit a guy who’s supposed to be your ace, but I wouldn’t blame you. I might sit him, but I’m not playing for anything this week, so it’s not a big decision for me. He’s up against Ubaldo, which may inspire him to rebound. I see him giving up 2-3 runs, but not getting a win. Let’s hope he ends the year heading in the right direction.
WHERE AMAZING POLLS HAPPEN
Who gets your Fantasy Cy Young vote?
NEXT
I don’t need to remind you why it’s primetime for fantasy sports right now. Come on by throughout the week and get in on the action:
ALL THE TIME – Look for our tweets with player updates as well as quick posts
FRIDAY – Simon Says with more fantasy spin from Si
SATURDAY – The GeekSpeak Fantasy Football Preview Show podcast with Si, The Geek and Sammy.
SUNDAY – Hustle Points with hot free agents, day-to-dayers and double-start pitchers
MONDAY @ 3ET/12PT – Hardball Help Live Chat with The Geek.
WEDNESDAY – The Geekly Update
And coming up on Saturday 9/4 at 12 ET/9 PT, we’ll be doing our GeekSpeak Fantasy Football Preview Show Podcast.
For more, visit TheFantasyGeek.comAnd for more updates, follow The Geek on Twitter
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