3 Up, 3 Down

     So how are we looking a month into the season?  Are your guys playing up to their standards or are you just seething about “wasting” a top draft pick?  I’m sure you owners of guys like David Wright and Mark Teixeira are glad April’s finally over as both seem to be getting back into form here in May.  Hopefully some of the other guys will follow suit.  Yes, Lance Berkman and B.J. Upton, I’m looking at you guys!

     But how are some of your lower picks turning out?  Are those sleepers turning into the fantasy gems that you hoped or are you already cutting bait and trying to pick up the new flavor of the week from your waiver wire?  If you’re like my good friend Gene, you’re picking up and dropping guys faster than a fat kid on a box of Ho-Ho’s.  So if that’s the case, here’s who’s looking good for now, and here’s who ain’t…

3 UP

Alberto Callaspo, 2B  KC –  The Alex Gordon injury has done wonders in helping Callaspo blossom as a player.  He’s not a big superstar, but more one of those guys you can plug into your lineup and not worry about him killing your numbers.  His hot start (.379-16-2-11-0) has been great for the few people that own him, and his play will certainly be enough even when Gordon comes back in late June.  There’s no way the club goes with Mark Teahen over this kid.

Tommy Hanson, SP  ATL –  The uber-prospect is making it awfully hard for the Braves to not call him up.  Come on.  Jo Jo Reyes?  Puh-leeze!  Hanson has 48 K’s in just 32 2/3 innings in the minors right now and has allowed only 6 earned runs.  Another bad start or two from the Braves back end of the rotation and we could be looking at a call-up soon.  If you have the bench to stash him, pick him up before it gets too late.

Brendan Harris, SS/2B  MIN –  The Twins have finally had enough of Alexi Casilla and his outrageously horrible start to 2009.  They’ve sent him down to the minors which opens up plenty more PT for Harris.  He was decent as a fill-in last season for the Twins, but if you look at his ’07 numbers in Tampa when he played regularly, he was rock solid.  He’s got the potential to hit around .280 with 12 to 15 home runs.

3 Down

Augie Ojeda, 2B/SS  ARI –  It’s hard to be down on a guy who has filled in so admirably for the injured Stephen Drew, but all good things must come to an end.  Drew should be returning in the next few days which will put Ojeda and his .340 batting average back on the bench.  If that’s the case, you can cut him loose.  I would, however, wait to hear more about Felipe Lopez’ ankle before doing so.  If he needs a trip to the DL, then Ojeda has new life.

Brandon Wood, 3B  LAA –  Up and down, up and down.  We should be calling Wood the Anaheim Yo-Yo by now.  After giving him a whopping 9 at bats, the Angels have sent him down again.  It looks like the only way the kid is going to get any big league PT is if the Angels’ infield ends up like their rotation.  Maybe at some point, the Halos will consider trading him to someone that will give him a chance. 

Jordan Schafer, OF  ATL –  Like I said, all good things must come to an end.  And that’s exactly what’s happened to the Braves center fielder.  After starting the season white-hot, Schafer has cooled dramatically.  He ‘s hitting only .238 these days and leads the NL with 34 strikeouts.  He’s also currently mired in a 5 for 28 slump and has turned to Chipper Jones for some hitting instruction.  Unless Chipper can right the ship, we might be seeing a lot less of this kid.