Look out for Pat the Bat!
As I continue to try and get back into the swing of things after a mini-vacation (damn, that was some much needed time off), I decided to shelf the BABIP article until the weekend and go with some thoughts on some probable fantasy baseball free agents that are likely still sitting on your waiver wire. With most trade deadlines having passed, the waiver wire is now your only source to fill in the cracks of your lineup and build some solid depth for the stretch run. But with MLB’s waiver trade deadline still to come, you want to be careful that you don’t waste your waiver priority on some mediocre pitcher with a good matchup that you’re just going to drop a few days later. Your pick ups need to be smart as you never know who could go to a better situation or who may be involved in a cross-league deal, i.e. Jose Guillen to the Giants this morning which likely has several NL only leaguers buzzing. So here are a few names to chew on and we’ll see what happens from there.
3 Up
Pat Burrell, OF SF – Looks like Pat the Bat has finally made it back. The post-Philadelphia career was looking pretty bleak as his time in Tampa was a complete loss and his July with the Giants wasn’t looking much better. But August rfinally rolled around and suddenly Burrell is hitting like a champ. He’s currently on a 7 game hitting streak with 3 HR and 10 RBI in that span and has actually hit safely in all but one of the games he’s started this month. For the month, he’s hitting .389 with a .385 BABIP, and with the addition of Guillen to the lineup, he’ll have some decent protection to help him sustain his current run.
Travis Snider, OF/DH TOR – While the Blue Jays have almost zero shot at making the playoffs again, they still continue to mash. So when Snider returned from the 2 1/2 month DL stint with a wrist injury, it was either produce or go back to Triple-A. He went with Plan A. He’s hitting .286 for the month of August now and has 2 HR and 6 RBI. He’s hit safely in 6 of his last 9 games and has multi-hit performances in four of them. Snider is clearly still a work in progress, but he does have the potential to consistently hit for a decent average with plus power. If you’re looking for depth, he might be worth a look whil ehe’s playing.
Brayan Pena, C KC – While Pena’s numbers are atrocious, he still might be worth a look soon in leagues that require you to start 2 catchers. Maybe. The thing about it is, we’re being told that Pena will actually start seeing an increase in playing time and is being given a golden opportunity from manager Ned Yost. Supposedly, Yost wants Pena to start the majority of the team’s remaining day games and throw in a few starts here and there at night. Jason Kendall owners are bumming. But nothing is set in stone here and Pena will certainly have to contribute offensively if Yost is going to continue to use him. Pena does have decent power potential, so this one is for your radar.
3 Down
Josh Willingham, OF WAS – Conflicting reports always make me nervous, especially when it’s a major injury involved. Earlier reports said the Hammer was suffering from a torn meniscus which would likely wipe out almost the entire rest of the season, but then I read, from the Hammer himself, that there is no meniscus tear and he hopes to be back in the lineup shortly. Whichever the case may be, it obviously looks like Willingham will see a reduction in playing time. If there is a tear, then buh-bye. If not, the Nats will certainly rest him more often to keep his knee healthy. You’ll have to stay on top of injury reports throughout the weekend if you own him.
Felipe Lopez, 2B STL – Why in the world can this guy not live up to his potential? He’s got so much talent and yet he can’t seem to get himself going again. Another 0-5 yesterday puts him at 2 for his last 24 (.083) and it’s more than likely that Tony LaRussa is going to start sitting him in favor of Skip Schumaker. Not that Schumaker has Lopez’ defensive skills, but he’s definitely swinging a much hotter bat. LaRussa’s a match-up guy anyway, so expect to see a little less of Lopez until he starts to hit the ball again. You don’t warrant a fantasy roster spot based on position eligibility alone.
Marco Scutaro, SS BOS – Similar to Lopez, Scutaro is struggling mightily at the plate and is in danger of losing playing time to Jed Lowrie. He’s 0 for his last 20 and is only hitting .143 for the month of August right now. The Sox will want to keep him in the lineup, but if he’s not producing at the plate, then some change is necessary. It doesn’t look like Terry Francona is going to do anything right now in the way of benching him, but he will definitely get him some more rest if he thinks a game off here and there will help him. No need to drop just yet, but definitely keep an eye on the situation.
For the best in free fantasy baseball advice, tips, strategies, free agent waiver wire suggestions, and analysis, stick with The Fantasy Baseball Buzz and I’ll have you at the top of your standings in no time. And, as always, for all questions, thoughts and/or comments related to the baseball fantasy world or not, you can reach me through the comments section below or at rotobuzzguy@gmail.com.
Good luck and I”ll see you all in the money this year!
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