Welcome to the final 2007 installment of 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
J.R. Towles, Hou
.421 BA, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB, 6 R
Against the woeful Cardinals this Thursday, Towles set a franchise record with eight RBIs. Not bad for a guy who began the season in Single-A. To put Towles’ week into perspective, regular catcher Brad Ausmus had only one month all season with 11 RBI.
First Base
Dan Johnson, Oak
.286 BA, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 5 R
It is about the first solid period since May for Johnson. Overall, 2007 has been another disappointing season for the former Nebraska Cornhusker star. Johnson is batting just .199 since the break and .234 on the year, identical to his 2006 mark. The power numbers aren’t good enough to overcome this.
Second Base
Kevin Frandsen, SF
.500 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 7 R
Perhaps the 25-year-old can see meaningful playing time if the 2008 Giants finally realize it is time to rebuild. Still, don’t use a keeper spot on Frandsen unless you are really a gambler.
Shortstop
Cody Ransom, Hou
.500 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 8 R
Don’t expect this kind of sustained results from the journeyman. But, hey, Ransom deserves his 15 minutes of fame for his cool name, if nothing else.
Third Base
Josh Fields, CWS
.526 BA, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB, 10 R
The Sox’ first-round pick from 2004 looks like he will hold onto the hot corner for years to come. Fields has come on nicely with 16 home runs and 47 RBI in the second half and seems poised for a standout 2008.
Outfield
Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos
.364 BA, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 3 SB, 6 R
Since being recalled from Triple-A at the start of the month, Ellsbury has hit safely in 17 of 18 games. Has anyone noticed Manny Ramirez being out of the lineup? OK, maybe so, but the Sox are going to have to find a place to play Ellsbury next season.
Josh Anderson, Hou
.485 BA, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 5 R
One should never get too excited over September call-ups, but the fact remains that Anderson is hitting .439 since joining the club. Houston is ripe for good, young players to join Hunter Pence in a necessary rebuilding effort.
Nyjer Morgan, Pit
.346 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 4 SB, 5 R
It remains to be seen if Morgan can sustain his nice September start or if he can even hold down a 2008 starting role. However, if you need runs and steals for the last week of the season, take a shot.
Starters
Zack Greinke, KC
1 W, 13.1 IP, 0.68 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 13 K
Granted, Greinke cannot make a different first impression. But, two years after his 17-loss season, he is back in the rotation, certainly older and wiser. Since returning to starting, he has a 25:8 strikeout to walk ratio in 29 innings.
Carlos Villanueva, Mil
1 W, 13 IP, 0.69 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8 K
Since rejoining the rotation this month, Villanueva has allowed just four runs in four starts. He has solidified his role in the Brewers rotation and might look good as a cheap 2008 keeper.
Franklin Morales, Col
1 W, 12 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 11 K
Just 21 years old, Morales has only seven starts, but has pitched well in five of them, posting a 3.15 ERA overall. He has fanned 22 but walked 14 in 34 1/3 innings in his promising debut.
Reliever
Manny Corpas, Col
2 SV, 1 BS, 0-0 W-L, 5.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 2 K
Remember Brian Fuentes? He may have become the Wally Pipp of Colorado closers. All Corpas has done is convert his first 16 save opportunities before finally blowing one on Friday night.
Ice
Catcher
A.J. Pierzynski, CWS
.111 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
A.J. has just five RBI this month, but did add his first stolen base this season and second in four years. Pierzynski is in line to post his lowest home run total as a member of the White Sox and his fewest RBIs since becoming a Major League regular in 2001.
First Base
Justin Morneau, Min
.053 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
Last year’s American League Most Valuable Player isn’t going to repeat. While his home run totals are comparable, his .273 average is almost 50 points lower than last season. Dealing with back problems, Morneau is hitting under .250 with just six home runs in the second-half.
Second Base
Craig Biggio, Hou
.158 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
It has been a fine career for the 3000-hit club member. But, the reality is that Biggio’s time as a valuable fantasy player has been past for some time. He shouldn’t be on your roster at this point, but thanks for the memories, Craig.
Shortstop
Stephen Drew, Ari
.176 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 1 R
Though dealing with back spasms, Drew has continued to play. However, his average, nothing to be proud of anyway, has dropped to .228. That is its lowest point since mid-May.
Third Base
Alex Rodriguez, NYY
.125 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 1 R
What are you going to do? The only questions on A-Rod are where will he play next season and how much will he be paid to do so? Wherever it may be, it will be a new record.
Outfield
Grady Sizemore, Cle
.143 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
While Sizemore has put together a fine season, his numbers have dropped off as the year has gone on. With the Tribe heading into the post-season, they have to be concerned. Sizemore is hitting just .217 with no home runs and four RBI in September. In fact, all his second-half stats are down.
Johnny Damon, NYY
.136 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Damon turns 34 in a month or so and it is an old 34, as injuries continue to slow him. Though he has over 500 at-bats this season, Damon hasn’t done much with them. He will post his lowest RBI count since 2001 and fewest runs scored since 1997.
Jason Bay, Pit
.118 BA, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Bay has been slowed by some knee tendinitis, but there is no doubt his entire 2007 campaign has been a disappointment with a .249 average, 21 home runs and 84 RBI. All numbers are significantly lower than his 2005 and 2006 stats.
Starters
Matt Belisle, Cin
0 W, 11.1 IP, 7.15 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, 12 K
The strikeouts might look tempting, but the reality is that Belisle simply allows too many baserunners to be trusted in your fantasy line-up. In addition, his numbers have slipped in the second half.
Jason Marquis, ChC
1 W, 9 IP, 8.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 5 K
Just when Marquis began to look like he could be counted upon, he laid an egg against Pittsburgh on Friday, when he was charged with seven runs and couldn’t get out of the third inning.
Estaban Loaiza, LAD
0 W, 8.2 IP, 9.35 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 3 K
It looked like the Dodgers made a brilliant move, picking up Loaiza for his remaining salary to bolster them down the stretch. But, after Loaiza had a solid first start against the Cubs, he took three straight losses, allowing 15 runs in just 12 innings pitched.
Reliever
Joaquin Benoit, Tex
2 SV, 2 BS, 0-1, 4 IP, 6.75 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 5 K
A 6.00 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in September is not exactly eliciting confidence from his owners, hoping to get a cheap closer for 2008. Two blown saves and runs allowed in three straight outings marked Benoit’s rough week.
Brian Walton’s work can also be found daily at stlcardinals.scout.com.