Welcome to our exclusive weekly player hot and cold feature. I recommend you use this like I do to identify players who might be worth picking up this week, as well as ones to consider benching or moving, perhaps.
I will be calling out names that may have eluded your notice that either could still be available on your waiver wire in a mixed league or perhaps stashed on someone’s bench in an AL- or NL-only league. I will pick anyone who is on ice, as that information can help guide your line-up selection choices.
Fire
Catcher
Gregg Zaun, Tor
.294 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 6 R
The veteran catcher did not play from April 25 through June 7 but when he returned from the disabled list, early returns were favorable. Zaun hit .289 with two home runs and 11 RBI in June. He slowed in early July before picking it up again last week.
First Base
Mike Jacobs, Fla
.333 BA, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Some players seemed to have forgotten about the former Mets propsect when he missed six weeks of play from mid-May to late June due to injury. Jacobs is hitting .316 with three home runs and nine RBI since the break and is available in many mixed leagues.
Second Base
Mark Grudzielanek, KC
.462 BA, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
Sensing a pattern here yet? Grudz is back here for a second week in a row after coming back strong following a stint on the disabled list that ended on July 6. Since then, all he has done is hit .433 (29-for-67) with 15 runs scored in 16 games. Grudz will likely be available on your free agent wire.
Shortstop
Ryan Theriot, ChC
.318 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 3 R
With Cesar Izturis dispatched to Pittsburgh and Mike Fontenot returning to Earth, Theriot should be seeing ample at-bats ahead with the surging Cubs. After losing most of his playing time earlier, Theriot was dropped in many leagues.
Third Base
Josh Fields, ChW
.379 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1 SB, 5 R
After being called up in early June, the Sox third sacker started slowly, but in July, Fields has been a dream. (Sorry, but I had to do that!) This month, Fields is making Chicagoans forget Joe Crede by hitting six home runs and driving in 18 runs in 25 games.
Outfield
Ryan Raburn, Det
.412 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1 SB, 5 R
Now 26 years of age, Raburn had a cup of big league coffee in 2004 and wasn’t been heard from since – until Gary Sheffield had to miss some time. Raburn played well, making it difficult to send him down again so quickly. On the other hand, playing time may be hard to come by.
Lastings Milledge, NYM
.458 BA, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 6 R
With all the injuries in the Mets outfield, Milledge has stepped up nicely. Yet, without a trade, Shawn Green has a hold on right and the impending return of Moises Alou will fill another starting role.
Willie Harris, Atl
.345 BA, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 5 R
Believe it or not, the Braves’ left fielder was waived in one of my leagues today. I have to admit that prior to this season, I was in the vast majority who thought Harris meant “journeyman”, but even so, a half-season later, I am becoming a believer.
Starters
Jeff Weaver, Sea
0 W, 15.1 IP, 2.35 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 7 K
Weaver seems to be one of the few members of the Mariners who isn’t slumping, yet as a result he collected no wins last week due to lack of support. After two months of double-digit ERAs, Weaver had a great June (1.81), but his 3.51 July hasn’t been bad, either.
Woody Williams, Hou
1 W, 14 IP, 3.21 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 7 K
The Astros starter turns 41 in three weeks and has pitched like he is 81 for much of the season. While his 2-2, 3.89 ERA July is nothing to write home about, for Williams, it was a huge improvement over his 3-10, 5.58 record coming in.
Mike Bacsik, Was
2 W, 13.2 IP, 1.32 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 1 K
I really wanted to ignore Bacsik, but ultimately decided he deserved his 15 minutes of fame. There, I did it. The journeyman has 21 strikeouts and 19 walks in 74 2/3 innings this season, so expect more lumps than lauds.
Reliever
Jamie Walker, Bal
2 SV, 0 BS, 0-0 W-L, 4 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 2 K
Regular closer Chris Ray is sidelined with elbow problems. The former Tiger stepped in with a pair of saves before pitching the seventh inning and then the eighth in the next two games. Nothing is set in Baltimore, so don’t overpay.
Ice
Catcher
Kenji Johjima, Sea
.154 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Seattle’s backstop missed one game earlier this month due to a hand injury and has endured a rough July overall, hitting .173/.205/.280. Since the All-Star break, he’s been even worse.
First Base
Carlos Delgado, NYM
.250 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
While the former slugger’s batting average is down 30 points from his career average this season, what is far more troubling is his drop in power. Delgado is slugging just .436 this season compared to his lifetime mark of .551. That, my friends, is significant.
Second Base
Rickie Weeks, Mil
.222 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
It could easily have been the third week in a row here for Weeks. I am hoping you may have gotten the hint by now, but if you are still playing Weeks, stop it already! Results would say that his hand is not right - .206 in June and .140 here in July. His last home run was in April.
Shortstop
Julio Lugo, Bos
.192 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Lugo came into the month hitting just .190 on the season, meaning he probably joined Jorge Cantu and other middle infield disappointments on your waiver wire. After a .333 July, Lugo has his season mark all the way “up” to .222. Whoopee!
Third Base
Eric Chavez, Oak
.100 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Chavvy isn’t exactly Wavy Gravy. The A’s call his back problems “recurring”, but I call them “chronic”. He is hitting .160 since the break with three RBI. Park him on the bench until further notice.
Outfield
Alfonso Soriano, ChC
.160 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
The Cubs are surging in spite of Soriano, not because of him. The Cubs’ left fielder is hitting just .245 this month and .200 since the All-Star break. It shouldn’t last long, however. (Note: Soriano had a pair of home runs and five RBI on Saturday!)
Carl Crawford, TB
.222 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 SB, 0 R
As has his struggling Rays team, Crawford has been in the midst of a dreadful stretch. Lately, the talented outfielder has been slowed by a sore ankle. Oddly, he has a season-high 12 stolen bases this month, but no home runs and just five RBI, both season lows.
Andruw Jones, Atl
.179 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
The Braves multi-talented, soon-to-be free agent outfielder has put together a season to forget. Yet, here and how, Jones had his best power month in July (seven home runs and 20 RBI) and restored his season batting average to a still- ugly .216.
Starters
Nate Robertson, Det
0 W, 11.2 IP, 9.26 ERA, 2.06 WHIP, 11 K
While the strikeouts were nice, the overall results themselves were not. Robertson missed much of June due to injury and May was the last time he pitched well for any stretch. Bench if you can afford, dump if not.
Cliff Lee, Cle
0 W, 10.2 IP, 11.81 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, 6 K
Amazingly, after signing a three-year contract last off-season, Lee has gone into the tank. In fact, it has been so bad that he was optioned to the minor leagues last week. Forget about him until he re-earns our trust.
Braden Looper, StL
1 W, 9.2 IP, 7.45 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 6 K
Looper actually had one decent start last week, but overall, his ERA since a surprising initial six weeks has been 7.01. Part of it may have been due to shoulder stiffness, but part may also have been due to the career reliever pitching an unprecedented-high workload. If so, that isn’t going to get better.
Reliever
Francisco Cordero, Mil
2 SV, 1 BS, 0-1, 3.1 IP, 5.40 ERA, 2.10 WHIP, 2 K
One loss and one blown save were logged prior to his defeat against the Cardinals on Saturday. Fact is, Cordero has been looking mortal on the road for the last couple of months, where all his losses and blown saves have occurred this season. Overall, his 2007 home ERA is 0.33, but 7.20 away from Miller Park.
Brian Walton’s work can also be found daily at stlcardinals.scout.com.