Welcome back to our exclusive weekly player hot and cold feature. I recommend you use the information in this column like I do to identify players who might be worth picking up this week, as well as ones to consider benching or moving, perhaps.
Consider this the ultimate in short-term gratification. We’re not looking at histories of contact rates or command or anything other than what has occurred over the last week in the ten standard fantasy scoring categories, whether good or bad.
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
Chris Snyder, Ari
.500 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Nothing like a little competition to get the juices flowing. With Miguel Montero back from the disabled list and threatening to start siphoning away at-bats, Snyder nailed him to the pines by stepping up with a 10-for-20 hot streak last week. Take that, Miggy!
First Base
Rich Aurilia, SF
.350 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
You are not going to win a championship because of this veteran. Yet, with his eligibility at all six fantasy infield positions, you have a decent fill-in in National League leagues in Aurilia. Now and then, he will even remind us of that 37 home run, 97 RBI 2001 season. Never more will he actually deliver it, however.
Second Base
Augie Ojeda, Ari
.450 BA, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
We are talking just a short-term fix here, unless you are in a very deep NL only league. Yet, just like in 2007, when Orlando Hudson went down, Ojeda is there to step in with impressive results.
Shortstop
Cristian Guzman, Was
.429 BA, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 9 R
Guzman has scored 26 runs on the season and is batting .310. He has also knocked in 16. His manager, Manny Acta, is attributing it to Lasik surgery two years ago. Only a cynic might note that then-ugly four-year contract the Nats gave the former Twin in late 2004 ends after this season…
Third Base
Blake DeWitt, LAD
.471 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Anyone know who the Dodgers’ third baseman really is? Could it be the always injured Nomar? The promising, but sporadic Tony Abreu? The phenom Andy LaRoche? The answer is none of the above, at least at this point. DeWitt, who wasn’t even on the roster this spring, is playing like he wants to hold the job.
Outfield
Mark Kotsay, Atl
.333 BA, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB, 7 R
Listen, I am as surprised as you probably are. I wrote him off with back woes last season, looking at a man who played older than his age of 32. Yet, Kotsay has been getting it done for the Braves for the last month and as such, is deserving of some mixed league respect, at least for now.
Gabe Gross, TB
.313 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
Having been traded from Milwaukee to Tampa Bay seemed to open up a regular job for the former Toronto prospect. Yet, with the return of Cliff Floyd from the DL and the strong play of Eric Hinske, Gross should be heading back to the Rays’ bench.
Wladimir Balentien, Sea
.261 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
While the talented youngster is long gone in AL-only leagues, Balentien might still be out on your mixed league waiver wire. After a slow start, he has five hits in his last five games, three for extra bases. Take a look.
Starters
Jon Garland, LAA
1 W, 16 IP, 0.56 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 3 K
One can’t dispute the numbers, put up against Baltimore and Tampa Bay. Yet, note the three strikeouts and four walks and assume the good fortune won’t continue. Still, after posting an ERA just a shade under six in April, this has to look pretty good, even in such a small dose.
Jose Contreras, CWS
1 W, 15 IP, 3.00 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 9 K
No, I don’t know how old Contreras really is, either. But, I do note an interesting pattern in his numbers this season. Jose has four starts during which he allowed four earned runs each time out, but yielded just one run in each of his other three starts. Unpredictable inconsistency is not good for one’s fantasy numbers. Feeling lucky? Well, do you, punk?
Jesse Litsch, Tor
1 W, 14.1 IP, 3.14 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 5 K
After four starts, the 23-year-old righty was sitting on a 6.16 ERA. Since then, he has embarked on a three-game stretch with an ERA of just 2.35. Maybe the fact it was Kansas City, Chicago and Tampa helped, so be careful with Minnesota and especially Philadelphia coming up.
Reliever
Ryan Franklin, StL
1 SV, 0 BS, 0-0 W-L, 3 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2 K
The veteran starter, cast off by Seattle, Philly and Cincinnati, found a home in St. Louis setting up Jason Isringhausen. With Izzy currently in a major funk, it remains to be seen if the 35-year-old Franklin has what it takes to close out games, though it looks as though we may soon find out.
Ice
Catcher
J.R. Towles, Hou
.000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
Good thing Towles’ only competition is sub-Mendoza line-hitting Brad Ausmus or he might be out of a job. On the season, the highly-touted rookie is batting just .164 and is losing playing time. He was 0-for-12 this past week. After all, Ausmus is all the way “up” to .194. Yawn.
First Base
Miguel Cabrera, Det
.148 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Those who drafted Cabrera in the first round, I feel for you. We have here the poster child for underachieving players on underachieving teams. Cabrera has exactly one two-hit-or-better game since April 18. Still, you paid the price, so you have to play him.
Second Base
Ty Wigginton, Hou
.222 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 SB, 1 R
Since returning from the disabled list after having missed four full weeks, Wigginton has gone just 5-for-22 and contributed just the lone RBI. Wait until he heats up to get him back in there if you have other breathing alternatives.
Shortstop
Orlando Cabrera, ChW
.125 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
In his first season with the Sox, Cabrera has been underwhelming with the bat, hitting just .209 to date. Unfortunately, there is nothing in his splits that hold promise. The Colombian has struggled equally at home and on the road, against lefties and righties and during the day and at night. Sorry about that.
Third Base
Troy Glaus, StL
.063 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
The former American Leaguer is in a 1-for-27 slump and was struck by a pitch during Friday night’s game that may interrupt his "run". While Glaus was among the league leaders in April doubles, he has just one home run and is batting only .223. Sit him down.
Outfield
Nick Swisher, ChW
.130 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Unfortunately, with a .200 average on the season, Nick is hitting more like Dad Steve, who posted a career line of .216/.279/.303 in nine seasons as an MLB player. At least Dad was a catcher. Now Nick is a former leadoff man, still struggling with just eight RBI on the season.
Ken Griffey, Jr., Cin
.227 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Junior is fine health-wise, but his current .244 mark would represent a career low in his two decades in the major leagues. What is even more telling is that he never slugged below .420, even in the bad, injury-plagued times. In 2008, his SLG is .378. New Reds GM Walt Jocketty might be wise to send Junior back home to Seattle and grab a prospect or two in return.
Eric Byrnes, Ari
.125 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB, 2 R
To be called out a second week in a row here is never a good thing. Byrnes says his hammy is fine and he is ready to run, but another 50 steals season seems most unlikely at this point as he sits at five. At least it would be nice if he could raise his current .225 batting average up to his .265 career mark.
Starters
Brett Myers, Phi
0 W, 12 IP, 6.00 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 15 K
The strikeouts are still there, as you can see. But so are the hits and walks, coming at an unprecedented rate this season. Rumors of decreased velocity in 2008 may be affecting him. Who would have thought that just .3 of a run would separate Myers’ ERA from that of Adam Eaton (5.33 vs. 5.63). Not a good sign.
Felix Hernandez, Sea
0 W, 10.2 IP, 8.44 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 8 K
Hernandez has been struggling with his command as well as with his emotions in recent outings. Though he’s allowed 14 runs in his last three outings, his ERA prior that was 1.67 after his first five starts. If you don’t own the King, now would be the time to make a trade offer.
Kyle Lohse, StL
0 W, 10 IP, 13.50 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 4 K
The honeymoon under the arch has seemingly worn off and Lohse has returned to being, well, Lohse. The only way his owners can avoid undoing that surprising 2.36 ERA after six April starts is to bench him.
Reliever
Jason Isringhausen, StL
2 SV, 2 BS, 0-2, 3 IP, 9.00 ERA, 2.67 WHIP, 1 K
The Cardinals closer has already blown five saves, but also has converted 11. The 35-year-old who formerly had hip surgery seems overworked and is likely to be given a chance to work out his problems on the side long before formally losing his job. As noted above, Ryan Franklin should be next in line for saves, but if you are into speculation and have the roster space, consider rookie Kyle McClellan.
Brian Walton’s work can also be found daily at stlcardinals.scout.com.