Crooked Pitch

A little slow this week with the All-Star game and no injuries or call-ups, but I wanted to get a list up this week. You can find my daily updates at RotoSavants.com. As always I will try to supply one from each of the following positions at my weekly review here on Crooked Pitch (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP) I will include there current availability which may have changed since my initial review.

C - Gerald Laird - I have reviewed him before and he is a quality backup or injury fill in and Texas prefers to use him behind the plate when healthy. I expect him to get right back to work when he gets of the DL.

He is owned in 12% of CBS leagues

CI - Chad Tracy- I was shocked to see him only at 23% ownership as he is worth owning in mixed leagues and can play 1B or 3B. His flexibility and 20 homer potential are must adds. He won’t likely reach the 27 homers he did 2005, but he is a great backup for his flexibility.

He is only owned in 23% of CBS leagues.

MI - Jed Lowrie - He might not give this up this season and starting in Boston he should get enough R and RBI opportunities batting even at the back of the order. Being a SS makes him that more valuable and any league playing MI he should be owned. I would play him over someone like Betancourt.

He is only owned in 12% of CBS leagues.

OF - Cody Ross - Something about those Marlins they find the talent to compete every year. It’s a shame they don’t play in a big market to get a better fan base, but then they probably wouldn’t play these young guys. Ross is on a tare and in his age 27 year is having a huge season. All of his ratios look good and even his BABIP is a bit low at .270.

He is only owned in 60% of CBS leagues.

SP - Anibal Sanchez - His ownership will shoot up once people see he is almost back and his name will carry value for his no hitter. I don’t see him as the pitcher with an ERA under 3 he had that year, but he is surely able to help your team. Plus as well as the Marlins are hitting he should have a good opportunity to get some wins.

He is owned in 4% of leagues.

RP - Octavio Dotel - I suggested him back when Gagne was pulled for ineffectiveness, but now I am suggesting him more as a ratio helper as the season wears down. If you are doing well in wins then he is a good help in K, ERA and WHIP. Plus he is getting the odd save to only increas his value. His K/9 stands at 12.76!

He is only owned in 18% as of this morning on CBS.

Here is a review of this weeks best pickups as reviewed on Roto Savants. It’s been an extra week since my last article so I am going to try to get back on track for weekly updates. I will still have one of each of the following (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP). I will include their current availability that may have changed since my initial review. The reviews are how I view the player today.

C - Kelly Shoppach- He will never replace Victor when healthy, but he is a good stopgap at the catcher position. I would use him as an injury fill in/ backup in mixed leagues. He has good power, but lacking in the average and OBP categories.

He is currently owned in 30% of leagues.

CI – Billy Butler - He was discussed on The True Guru show last week along with later suggestion Adam Jones. I think he has turned it around and with enough AB’s he will be a usable player. Don’t expect more than 10 homers in the second half, but a good pickup for a breakout second half.

He is only owned in 35% of CBS leagues.

MI – Nomar Garciaparra - Kind of a cheat here, but at 4 games played at SS he should be eligible by Friday for MI. Could be a surprise second half player if healthy with SS eligibility. He has shown some power since coming back and may help for those with a week SS/MI option.

He is only owned in 22% of CBS leagues.

OF – Adam Jones - A slow first half has dropped his ownership and made him a good pickup for a strong second half. The average is up over .280 now although the power is still lacking. I could still see a 15/15 season, which would make for a good pickup.

He is only owned in 39% of CBS leagues.

SP – Ian Snell - I was going to suggest Buchholz, but since my recommendation he has crossed my threshold of 60% ownership. Snell though is still available in many leagues and hopefully a DL stop has helped fix what was bothering him. His bad season has been based largely on luck factors and a dropped K/9. If he ups the K/9 to last years rate he should be a plus. He still won’t get wins in Pittsburgh though.

He is owned in 29% of leagues.

RP – Joel Zumaya - I still like him to close, but there have been rumblings of making him into a starter next year. I don’t think this will factor in this year and any need for a closer will be filled by Zumaya, but keeper leagues should keep him in mind as a possible back end starter for next year.

He is only owned in 27% as of this morning on CBS.

We start to enter trade talk time so keeping an eye on guys changing leagues or getting full time spots will be my target now. As always I will try to supply one from each of the following positions at my weekly review here on Crooked Pitch (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP) I will include their current availability, which may have changed, since my initial review.

C – Jarrod Saltalamacchia – He is in for starting duties while Laird is out and if he can start to put things together he may keep them whether it is C or DH he should continue from this point to play 5-6 days a week.

He is owned in 50% of CBS leagues.

CI – Chris Davis- This falls under possible trade or call up moves.  He is not up yet, but pushing hard and playing well.  He has 30 homer potential so keep a close eye for openings in Texas.

He is only owned in 4% of CBS leagues.

MI – Jeff Keppinger – He is back from his injury and is a must add if you are in need of BA help in mixed leagues.  He lacks in power and the OBP will drop due to a lack in BB’s, but he should hit over .300 and get enough runs and RBI’s to be of use at SS or MI.

He is only owned in 33% of CBS leagues.

OF – David Dejesus – Another one trick pony in OBP, but has enough runs and RBI’s to be useful.  The surprise here is the added power this season.  He is on pace for 17 homers this year which would be a career high and give him bench status on most rosters.  He is a good fill in and can steal around 10 bases too.

He is only owned in 48% of CBS leagues.

SP – Gil Meche – I am surprised to see him dropped so much as he was never an ace even last year.  He will have an ERA around 4 to end the year and a few wins, although limited in KC.  I would carry him as my 4th or 5th starter.

He is owned in 33% of leagues.

For everyone who reads my weekly post here at Crooked Pitch I have moved to a new domain. You can find my daily updates at RotoSavants.com. As always I will try to supply one from each of the following positions at my weekly review here on Crooked Pitch (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP) I will include there current availability which may have changed since my initial review.

C - Jeff Clement - I hope he gets full time at bats, because he has top 5 potential at the catcher position. I don’t think he will take to much time from Kenji, but he could get more at DH to get maybe 4-5 days a week. He is owned in 20% of CBS leagues

CI - Andy LaRoche- How long have we been waiting for this. He still isn’t getting full time at bats, but DeWitt doesn’t have his power and should be back in the minors soon enough. He is also getting starts at 1B which will be helpful with multiple eligibility. He is only owned in 18% of CBS leagues.

MI - Mike Aviles - He is slugging way to much right now, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have good pop. Being a SS and MI should get him owned in most deep leagues. For those still playing a Betancourt type SS for average you should get Aviles as his average is good and he has more pop. He is only owned in 25% of CBS leagues.

OF - Chase Headley - I’m not expecting him to start of like a Jay Bruce and his ownership will likely stay low for a week or so. He is not OF eligible yet, but he is starting there and should have eligibility soon. He will help in most leagues, but at about 300+ AB’s possible remaining this season he will likely hit about 10 homers for the remainder of the season. He is only owned in 47% of CBS leagues.

SP - Charlie Morton - Before AAA he had never pitched like this, but he had thrown 79 innings of great pitching. He then had a good start against the Angels. I would expect several hiccups in his work, but pitching in Atlanta he couls be worth a shot as they know pitching. He is owned in 26% of leagues.

RP - Mike Gonzalez - I know I recommended him last week, but since then he has been activated and hinted that he will close full time. He has already proved his health in his rehab starts so don’t worry about that. He should still strikeout enough batters to be an above average closer. He is only owned in 23% as of this morning on CBS.

This was a slow week for great pickups. Most of the players moving up in percent owned are not worth pickups or minor leaguers with a possible call-up. As always I will try to supply one from each of the following positions at my weekly review here on Crooked Pitch (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP) I will include there current availability which may have changed since my initial review.

C - None - I suggested Ryan Doumit this week, but his ownership is at 73% now so he is likely gone by now. If he is still available he is a great backup and good enough to be a starter. If you have a 2 catcher league then he is a must own. My guess he is rostered now in most active leagues though. He also has OF eligibility, but he is not a great play there.

CI - Eric Chavez - As I said when I reviewed him: Just don’t expect him to last very long. He seems to be able to come back from these injuries OK and has been playing well since his return. That included his first homer on Friday. If you need a fill in or some power out of your 3B you can use Chavez until he surely gets hurt again. He is the Mark Prior of 3B.

He is only owned in 35% of CBS leagues.

MI - Yuniesky Betancourt - Unlike my previous MI pickups Betancourt has little pop and little speed. He will get a few homers and a few steals, but never enough to be a full time fantasy player. His average is strong though and he and get a few counting stats so he is a good backup in leagues with a larger bench.

He is only owned in 43% of CBS leagues.

OF - Alexei Ramirez - He is still working toward a full time roll, but the starts are coming. He has shown 20 homer potential in Cuba. If he can control the starting job he is a must pickup and I would put in a claim now. He has 2B, SS and OF eligibility so you can work him all around your lineup as you need him.

He is only owned in 36% of CBS leagues.

SP - Manny Parra - He had another good game since my review which gives him 4 out of 5. He is starting to look like the pitcher many expected this season. He is not quite the talent of a Gallardo, but should getting picked up for most leagues. He should at the least get strong K numbers for you.

He is owned in 52% of leagues.

RP - Mike Gonzalez - How fluid is the closer position. I could write a reliever pickup almost every week for Atlanta alone. Gonzalez is on his minor league rehab and showing no problems so far. Soriano is already taking days off for his elbow. The team can not seem to find the problem with Soriano and will be quick o move to Gonzalez if he can prove his health. He is a K per inning pitcher so expect him to do well again.

He is only owned in 5% as of this morning on CBS.

Here is a review of this weeks best pickups as reviewed on Daily Roto Pickups. I will supply one from each of the following positions at my weekly review here on Crooked Pitch (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP). I will include their current availability that may have changed since my initial review. The reviews are how I view the player today. We have also added some players reviews, injury reviews, Pitcher F/X and prospect reviews at Daily Roto Pickups, so check it out.

C – Chris Coste- Another season and the Phillies have trouble with a starting catcher hitting. Now they are counting on career minor leaguer Chris Coste who has actually played quite well as a fill in for the Phillies the past 2 seasons. If he continues to bat well he could gain enough at bats to be of use in 2 catcher leagues. I would not drop anything for him, but an injury move to DL that opens a spot could be a good move.

He is currently owned in 11% of leagues.

CI – Chad Tracy - Seems like so long ago when Tracy was ready to top 30 homers in 2006 after a great year in 2005. Although he had more at bats he dropped back to 20 homers and then has not been healthy since. He appears healthy now and he seems to have his power swing with 2 homers so far. For now with injuries he has full time at bats and is worth using. He also has eligibility at 1B, 3B and will have OF very soon.

He is only owned in 14% of CBS leagues.

MI – Ian Stewart - In my keeper league I had Chase Utley from 2004-2007 once he got the full time job. I think in three years I would be holding Stewart the same way if he keeps 2B eligibility. The problem here is that Stewart can’t keep playing there year round as his defense is not good enough. I believe he is now worth a pickup in all leagues as a 2B for this year and keeper leagues should hope he gets those 20 games for next year.

He is only owned in 33% of CBS leagues.

OF – Andre Ethier - What a mess the dodgers are in the OF. They have signed two of the worst OF’s the past 2 years and continue to play them over better talent. Ethier has had 2 very good years and then gets to split time with Pierre. Thankfully Jones has been put on the DL and Ethier is starting. He is a good fill in or 4th or 5th OF.

He is only owned in 48% of CBS leagues.

SP – Kevin Slowey - He wasn’t quiet as dominant last night as his last start, but I still think he will be a positive asset to your team. He has very good control and pitches more to contact. His stats before last night were a bit ahead of what you should expect, but he is worth owning in mixed leagues.

He is owned in 51% of leagues.

RP – Dan Wheeler - Another week another closer change. This is why spending high picks on more than one closer in most leagues is not a good strategy. If he is available you should pick him up. Also this is good timing if you had Acosta or Soriano. I wouldn’t drop Soriano yet as Smoltz is changing his arm angle to deal with pain. That is never good, so bench him if you can and get Wheeler.

They are only owned in 36% as of this morning on CBS.

Here is a review of this weeks best pickups as reviewed on Daily Roto Pickups. I will try to supply one from each of the following positions at my weekly review here on Crooked Pitch (C, CI, MI, OF, SP and RP). I will include their current availability that may have changed since my initial review. The reviews are how I view the player today.

C: Miguel Olivo- He is currently on a nice run and getting extra AB’s. He won’t be able to keep the spot all year unless the Royals decided to give up on John Buck this year. None of his numbers or past performance shows he can keep this up, but if he can earn the full time job he is worth owning as a #2 catcher in mixed leagues.

He is currently owned in 15% of leagues.

CI: Adam LaRoche - The annual slow start is turning around and he still is available in half of leagues so if you have struggles at 1B or CI he is ready to be owned. He is batting around .286 in May and should be around that for the rest of the year. He should also have 25 homeruns, but playing in Pittsburgh will limit the RBI chances.

He is only owned in 50% of CBS leagues.

MI: Mark Ellis - Take a look at Ellis as he has now added steals this year and is going largely on the waiver due to his average. He has pop and enough steals to make him a good 2B or MI. He has a good K rate though and his BABIP is .252 which is low enough to expect a rise in his average.

He is only owned in 42% of CBS leagues.

OF: Jack Cust - In my league he holds great value due to his ability to get on base since we use OBP instead of average. In regular leagues he is limited by his average and needs a Ichiro type average to even him out. His power is undeniable though so he should be rostered if you need HR’s or RBI’s.

He is only owned in 39% of CBS leagues.

SP: Ubaldo Jimenez - Another early season struggle by a young player. Some of his stats show he should be better than this and has had some bad luck so far. As long as they keep him out there he should pitch more like this last game against San Fran. The last number of concern is his high BB/9 which if he can improve he will be pitching like he did late last year.

He is owned in 39% of leagues.

RP: Eddie Guardado - Everyday Eddie he is not anymore, but he still has that mindset. If CJ Wilson has a few more poor outings we could see Eddie real soon. As long as they are in the playoff race they will be much more likely to go to Eddie. If they fall to far behind they will probably stick with Wilson or try some younger options like Frank Francisco

They are only owned in 9% as of this morning on CBS.