3 Up, 3 Down

Time to get off your butt and check out your waiver wire!

     Player movement, whether it’s via trade or injury, should be one of your main priorities right about now.  We’ve got plenty of big names on the DL, plenty coming off, and with the non-waiver trade deadline approaching, there’s going to be a bevy of changes made that will undoubtedly have an impact on the fantasy baseball world.  Most fantasy trade deadlines come around mid-August to allow the dust to settle from MLB’s deadlines, so you’re going to want to make sure that up to date on all the information before you start making those crunch-time moves.  You’ll need to know which players of yours will be affected, both positively and negatively, and which will withsatdn the heat and continue to produce.  We’ve already seen a little bit of a backlash, so let’s move forward and see what’s going on out there.

3 Up

Daric Barton, 1B  OAK — Here’s a name we’ve been looking at for a couple of years now and maybe…just maybe….his time has come.  With Jason Giambi hitting the DL, the A’s brought up Barton who just never seemed to stick with the big club.  I can’t blame the kid entirely as I’ve never liked the fact that the A’s, as crappy as they’ve been, haven’t just gone with the kid and given him full time at bats.  Well, maybe that time is now.  He’s got mid-level power and if he can just get on a bit of a streak, he could develop into a decent high-average gap hitter.  If you’re in need of another corner guy in an AL-only league, he coul dbe a nice asset.  Mixed leaguers may want to wait a little and see what he does.  He coul dbe back down in two weeks….you never know.

Jason Schmidt, SP  LAD — Despite more than a 2 year layoff from the majors and the rockiest of first innings last night, Schmidt made the Dodgers brain trust look ingenious for sticking with him.  Now I wasn’t expecting too much out of him last night, and watched as his fastball stayed in the mid-80′s, but for a preliminary start, it was pretty good.  He gave up all 3 runs in the first inning and finally settled down to go 5.  He had 2 K’s and 3 walks, but was good enough (with a little help fromt he bats) to get the win.  His command should improve with more time on the mound and he certainly should be considered a possible sleeper candidate for the second half. 

Ryan Hanigan, C  CIN –  Again, not someone who’s going to save your fantasy team, but if you’re in need of a second catcher, Hanigan might be a decent fill-in.  With Ramon Hernandez on the DL, Hanigan takes over full time duty behind the dish in Cincinnati.  He’s not a masher, but could be a decent batting average help and might throw in some decent RBI while the Reds heat up…if the Reds heat up.  Took a little scare last night when he got plunked in the head, but he stayed in the game and is good to go. 

3 Down

Craig Counsell, 2B/3B  MIL — We haven’t seen the full fallout from the Brewers acquiring 2B Felipe Lopez, but something tells me Counsell could end up on the short end of the playing stick.  And no, it wasn’t that ground ball through the legs we saw on ESPN last night.  With Lopez coming over from Arizona, the Brewers now have their full time second baseman and leadoff hitter.  That moves Counsell and Casey McGehee into a platoon over at the hot corner.  If you’re going to choose, and manager Ken Macha will have to eventually, McGehee looks like the better starter (more power, better average, decent glove) and Counsell the better option off the bench.  If you were using Counsell to fill a hole (and I was), you’re going to need another stop-gap. 

Frank Francisco, RP  TEX — I just don’t egt it with this guy.  Yet another trip to the DL?  Atleast it’s not the shoulder again, but this latest trip and bout with pneumonia could end up costing him his closer’s job.  Not only has C.J. Wilson performed admirably in Francisco’s absences this year, but now we’re getting closer to the time the Rangers want to give a shot to uber-prospect Neftali Feliz.  He’s supposed to be a starter eventually, but the Rangers will likely keep him in the pen for his call-up, much like the Rays did with David Price last season.  The kid consistently hits 98-99 on the gun and has been working single inning situations in the minors lately.  If you’re a Francisco owner, be ready to make a move.

Emilio Bonifacio, 3B FLA  — This one is a bit more specualtive, but the Marlins are showing me some serious handwriting on the wall.  With Andrew Miller on the DL, the Marlins brought up 1B Gaby Sanchez to take the roster spot.  We all remember Sanchez from the spring and he appears to be the first baseman of the future.  If the Marlins are going to give him time, then they’ll likely move Jorge Cantu across the diamond to replace Bonifacio at third.  If that happens, then his value takes a major hit.  The only thing working for him right now is that his bat is starting to heat up a little bit.  If the team wants to keep him inthe lineup, then they may try him out in left which pushes Chris Coghlan to the bench — not good for me, personally, but good for Bonifacio owners.  Nothing is set in stone riught now, but this is definitely a situation to monitor.