Free Agent Trends – Week 2
doubledown@fantasybaseballgeeks.com
Catcher
Most Added: Brandon Inge has gotten off to a great start smoking 3 HR’s already. Inge could qualify at C, 3B, and OF depending on your rules, so he does have versatility going for him. DD is not a fan of players that can negatively impact a category and with a career .236 BA Inge will decimate you in that space. He might hit 20 bombs, but it will not be on any of my teams. Pass on him.
Most Dropped: Joe Mauer is really frustrating owners with his latest DL stint due to lower back inflammation. If you are on the outside looking in it is advisable to buy low on Mauer if you can stash him for a couple of weeks. Mauer is the Anti-Inge with a career .317 BA.
Koji Uehara - Icon SMI
First Base
Most Added: Travis Ishikawa is a 25-year-old first baseman for the Giants. Ishikawa put together a solid campaign in the minors last year providing improved power and a solid batting average. He might lose at bats against left handed pitching, but he is worth a roster spot in NL only or in very deep mixed leagues.
Most Dropped: Nick Swisher has seen a drop in ownership recently due to his lack of playing time. This is a mistake that savvy owners should pounce on. Swish is motivated to get more PT, so his 3 for 5 performance on 4/9 with a HR and 5 RBI should pressure the Yankees to get him more at bats. Stash him on your bench and reap the rewards that are imminent.
Second Base
Most Added: Emilio Bonifacio is the talk of the fantasy world these days. He might only qualify at 2B, MI, or DH despite the fact that he is the starting 3B for the Fish, so check your leagues eligibility rule. Bonifacio is not going to keep this kind of production up forever, but a homer, 4 RBI, and 4 SB’s in 3 games is a tremendous start. His speed will be the major asset for owners, so if he can continue to find ways to get on base he is going to have a lot of value for his runs and steals. He has stolen more than 50 bases in the minors on 3 occasions, so he is no joke. If someone offers you a player with a proven track record for him DD would not hesitate to pull the trigger and sell high.
Most Dropped: Clint Barmes is a scrappy player that is going to lose playing time if his bat does not cooperate. Ian Stewart is a much more prodigious offensive threat and has already notched a start over him. Barmes only has minimal appeal in NL only formats anyway, so you can avoid him if he is playing everyday or not.
Shortstop
Most Added: Emmanuel Burriss is playing 2B for the Giants, but he also qualifies at SS. This is another excellent speed threat and could easily swipe 30 if he can get on base consistently. Burriss a great player to plug into your MI slot and relish the SB’s.
Most Dropped: Brandon Wood has paid his dues and deserves a chance to be a full time player in the big leagues, but apparently the Angels do not see it that way just yet. Wood was shipped back to the minors and will thrash AAA pitching for a few weeks before getting the call when an injury or slump arises in LA. It might be in his best interest to get traded to allow his plus power to shine. He is still a must in keeper leagues, but he is only a bench player for most formats.
Third Base
Most Added: Scott Rolen looks solid to start the season belting a HR and hitting .363 over his first 11 AB’s. I have a hard time recommending him as anything other than bench fodder because of his injury risk track record. If you use him as a back-up player or stream him once in a while that is fine, but it is not “if” there will be a DL trip it is “when”.
Most Dropped: Alex Rodriguez has seen an amazing drop in fantasy ownership despite the fact that he is ahead of schedule in his rehab following hip surgery. Even if he is out for another month there is no fathomable way that a player of this elite caliber should be sitting on any waiver wire. People who drop him must be taking crazy pills.
Outfield
Most Added: Adam Lind was mentioned several times in my recent columns as an underrated breakout candidate that people are not paying nearly enough attention to; even proclaiming that I would be writing about him in this very most added section. Well guess what; Lind is raking with 2 HR and 7 RBI. Many people fell in love with the potential of Travis Snider, but forgot about the more experienced and polished Lind. Don’t be that guy. Adam Jones has had a nice start for the Orioles and despite this recent uptick in fantasy ownership he is still somewhat underrated. Jones is only going to get better and 20/20 is not out of the question this season. Ryan Spilborghs is another player that is going to have a big season for fantasy, but is still sitting on many a waiver wire. He has been either hitting leadoff or in the 3 hole, so the opportunity is there for a golden speed/power combo that we all love so much. Franklin Gutierrez is only owned in a fraction of leagues, but that could change in a hurry. He is a nice value in AL only as I expect double digit HR and SB’s with room for more.
Most Dropped: Elijah Dukes is currently not in prison or the starting lineup for the Nationals, but he has a chance to be in both at a moments notice. He is very talented and should earn additional playing time, so I would recommend stashing him if someone punts. Delmon Young is an astonishing case as his talent has not delivered good results. DY is in a fight for playing time in the crowded Twins outfield and going 0-7 is not going to help his cause. There is too much potential for him to not turn things around. Keeper leagues must still maintain their faith.
Starting Pitcher
Most Added: Koji Uehara stifled the stiff Yankees lineup earning a win this week while going 5 strong innings. This is a promising start, so you have to consider Uehara a sleeper especially in AL only. Kevin Millwood bedazzled the potent Indians lineup on 4/6 going 7 innings while striking out 5 and earning the W. If owners are interested in demolishing their WHIP and ERA then this is the guy to do it in the weeks ahead. Chris Volstad is another one of the Marlins giants standing at 6’7”. He has plenty of upside and if he can improve his K/9 he could be a great fantasy find. Kyle Davies has always been a pitcher that I thought would be better than what he has ended up being. On 4/9 he fleeced the White Sox going 7 innings while striking out 8. DD is not completely sold yet, but you have to start watching him and stream him in the right situation.
Most Dropped: Scott Olsen is a player I had high hopes for this season, but he was simply shredded this week giving up 8 runs and 8 hits in 3 innings. The velocity was down, so this is very much a cause for concern. Start him at your own risk. Stop sending me hate mail on last weeks FT2SP, Ian Snell. The Cards lambasted Snell for 6 ER and 9 hits over 4 IP. He is better than this and hopefully he rebounds over the weekend, but I apologize for the miscue.
Relief Pitcher
Most Added: Heath Bell is very underrated as the newly anointed Closer for the Padres. He has 2 saves already and should be added in all formats. Fernando Rodney is apparently going to close for the Tigers and had a successful non-save inning of work this week. He is worth a pick up, but there is a great chance he will not finish the season as the Closer.
Most Dropped: Brandon Lyon lost the Closer role in Detroit and then promptly proved them right by giving up 3 runs in an inning of work. Unless the Tigers have a change of heart he has minimal value because his stuff is just not that good. DD is all set with guys that “pitch to contact”.
Flip That Two Start Pitcher
The rules are simple: Find SP’s with two starts in the upcoming scoring period that are generally available in 50% or more leagues. Our goal is to maximize value for the coming week and then dump him for next week’s choice. Flips can be a risky proposition and should only be completed with the assistance of Double Down or under close supervision of another Fantasy Baseball Geek.
This will be a FT2SP Easter Special. Jamie Moyer will duel with Daniel Cabrera on 4/13 at the Nats. Cabrera alone makes this a veritable lock for me. Moyer was filthy against the Nationals last season going 3-0 against them with a 2.54 ERA. Two of those starts came at Nationals Park where Moyer was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Wait a minute DD; this is a different team because the Nats have Adam Dunn now. Dunn is 0-2 in his career against Moyer and we all love a lefty vs. lefty match-up. Start #2 will be against the pathetic San Diego Padres and Walter Silva. Gonzo has had success against Moyer, but the rest of this team does not scare me. After last weeks let down this looks to be a much safer pick with some backing stats to pad our case file. All of the evidence presented to you should tell you to get back on the Double Down bandwagon and Flip That Two-Start Pitcher.
Whether you love me or hate me I am usually right. Keep the emails coming: doubledown@fantasybaseballgeeks.com
