As we near June, your league standing are almost important. A wise man once told me to wait to panic until June, so I am waiting, but the panic button is close by. Actually, my pathetic National Fantasy Baseball Championship team (the league with a $100,000.00 first prize) is improving, but the improvement has been slow and unsteady. With two weeks until the official start of panic season, I am looking at ways to improve (aren’t we all?).
With that in mind, here are a few thoughts about guys who might be available in your league.
Dmitri Young. This diabetic, portly, former slugger isn’t going to help much in the power categories, but he might very well hit .300 until he tweaks an ankle or something. With Nick Johnson making his annual visit to the disabled list, Young is in line to get a significant amount of playing time. Johnson could be sidelined anywhere from the announced four to six weeks, to the expected “it’s Nick Johnson, he won’t be back this season.”
Matt Stairs. Stairs is certainly not spectacular, but is solid. Stairs has averaged 18 home runs a year for the past five years, playing an average of just 124 games. Don’t project that out to a 150 game season for Matt, as he has never played that many games in a year in the majors. Stairs currently is on pace for 139 games and 23 home runs. Both numbers are a bit high, as Stairs will rest (voluntarily or involuntarily) some more over the summer. Nonetheless, he’ll be good for at least .270 the rest of the way, and double figures in home runs.
Blake DeWitt. I’ve been holding off on DeWitt, figuring that the Dodgers were only using him as a stop-gap until Nomar Garciapara or Andy LaRoche got healthy. Indeed, when the activated Nomar earlier in the season, the Dodgers sent DeWitt back to the minors. That isn’t going to happen again. DeWitt has established himself as the Dodgers’ third basemen for 2008. He’s not a power hitter, yet, but he will certainly out perform the oft-injured Nomar, and the still unproven LaRoche through the rest of the year.
Ryan Franklin. Yes, it’s a bit late, as Franklin is likely gone in your league. On the chance that he is still out there, jump on him. By the time you read this, Jason Isringhausen will be placed on the disabled list with a bad fastball. Seriously, they Cards will claim that it has something to do with his hip, but the reality is that Isringhausen has stunk this year, and needs time to work on his game. As he can’t be sent down, the DL is the Cards only option. That is, except, that they could just designate him for assignment. Stranger things have happened. Franklin isn’t any good, but he’s the best that St. Louis has right now. Expect a Todd Jones or Joe Borowski level of “success.”
Burke Badenhop. Badenhop, who came to Florida in the Dontrelle Willis heist, had a reasonably game (six innings, three earned runs, two strkeouts) at Cincinnati on Monday. He’ll remain in the rotation for now. The six foot, five inch Badenhop was the Tigers’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2006, averaged about two strikeouts for every three innings in the minors. He won’t strike out as many in the majors, but he might prove to be a serviceable fifth starter this year.
Luis Gonzalez. Yes, I know that he’s about fifty years old and those 57 home runs were seven years ago. I know that he has averaged just fifteen dingers for the past two years. I know, I know. I also know that he is likely available in your league, and that Josh Willingham is still hurt. Gonzo’s been OK thus far this year, and he should get a couple more weeks of full time play until Willingham ultimately returns.
Eric Chavez, Jason Schmidt and Chris Carpenter. Because hope always springs eternal.
Best of luck.
Buster