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
Rod Barajas, Tor
.300 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 5 R
Though he was bounced out of Texas and Philly the last two years, Barajas seems to have a found a home up north. He put together this week while battling back spasms and if he stays healthy, Gregg Zaun should be spending more time in the bullpen warming up relievers.
First Base
Ryan Garko, Cle
.500 BA, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 8 R
Maybe the call-up of prospect Michael Aubrey was coincidental to Garko starting his hottest streak of the season. Then again, maybe not. Either way, his owners have to be pleased to see this run, during which he has raised his average 38 points this week alone and hope it continues.
Second Base
Alexi Casilla, Min
.357 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB, 7 R
Listen, I know it is getting repetitive, but a three-week stretch in this column in the “Fire” section is relatively unheard-of. If you nabbed Casilla, you are to be commended. If he remains on the waiver wire in your league, you had better be in first place.
Shortstop
Maicer Izturis, LAA
.500 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Cesar’s little brother is putting together a nice hot streak as one of the few constants in an injury-plagued season for the Angels middle infield. Izturis has 13 hits in his last six games, raising his season batting average 50 points. Ride him while hot, but don’t hesitate to dump later.
Third Base
Russell Branyan, Mil
.400 BA, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 5 R
Who said you can never return home again? Since rejoining the Brewers from Triple-A, where he was tearing the cover off the ball, Branyan has continued to hit. So what if he has 13 strikeouts in 31 at-bats? Grab him for a quick bump in power and unload him like a hot potato when the inevitable slump hits. In his favor, Branyan should be getting ample at-bats with Bill Hall’s meltdown.
Outfield
Adam Jones, Bal
.333 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 1 SB, 3 R
Hopes were high coming into the season for the centerpiece of the Eric Bedard trade with Seattle. Six weeks into the season, he had just two home runs, 11 RBI and a .223 batting average, leading to him being dropped in many mixed leagues. He now has 10 RBI in his last seven games and home runs in consecutive games. A real hot stretch may be in the offing.
David Dellucci, Cle
.286 BA, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
If only the former Ranger could play his old club everyday, he could really accumulate decent stats. Of course, what player wouldn’t like to face Texas’ staff regularly – with or without Sidney Ponson? Fact is, despite the good week, Dellucci isn’t sure to see enough at-bats to be of use outside AL-only leagues. I hope you knew that already, but just making sure.
Jason Michaels, Pit
.500 BA, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 3 R
A former Cleveland outfielder himself, Michaels has positioned himself as a nice fourth outfielder for the Bucs and accumulated these stats in just eight at-bats. But it would take an injury to Jason Bay or Xavier Nady for Michaels to even have a shot to matter in mixed leagues.
Starters
Josh Banks, SD
1 W, 15 IP, 0.60 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 8 K
Maybe the rookie has been sitting attentively at the knee of the Perfesser, Greg Maddux. Certainly something more than unfamiliarity by the hitters has transformed a pitcher with a 6.80 ERA in two Triple-A stops this season into one with a 0.39 ERA over his first four games in the bigs.
Paul Maholm, Pit
2 W, 14.2 IP, 1.84 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 6 K
Maybe the lefty is starting to figure it out. His strikeouts are down a bit, but his walks even more so. His season ERA (4.48) and WHIP (1.39) would be his best season yet, but wait a bit longer for more consistency before getting in.
Brian Moehler, Hou
1 W, 12 IP, 2.25 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 11 K
After not starting a game since 2006, the 36-year-old veteran has earned a spot in the beleaguered Houston rotation. The former long-time Tigers starter hasn’t posted a WHIP as low as his current 1.30 since 1998 and his 3.76 ERA would be a career best. At his age, consider that unlikely to happen.
Reliever
Salomon Torres, Mil
2 SV, 0 BS, 1-0 W-L, 1.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 1 K
All Torres has done since taking over for Eric Gagne is go 5-for-5 in save opportunities. The bigger problem is that Milwaukee hasn’t had one since Monday.
Ice
Catcher
Russell Martin, LAD
.067 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Martin was given a breather Friday after going four consecutive games without a hit, something he had only done once before, over two years ago. Though his average has dropped 20 points, he’s still over .300 on the season, so keep him in there.
First Base
Derrek Lee, ChC
.160 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
After getting out of the gates strongly in April, DLee has quieted down considerably. He hit .371 with eight homers in April, .234 with five long balls in May and is the midst of a 3-for-20 slump opening June. Might be a good time to make an offer for him.
Second Base
Felipe Lopez, Was
.167 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
I saw Lopez play three games this week and can attest that he is off, both with the bat as well as with the glove. With Ronnie Belliard ready to start a rehab assignment, Lopez needs to step up or risk losing his job again.
Shortstop
Edgar Renteria, Det
.056 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
It was a bad week for shortstops overall, as I could have just as easily iced Jimmy Rollins or Miguel Tejada. While Renteria is in a mini-slump, this happens from time to time. If you are in a daily transaction league, sit him. Otherwise, stand pat.
Third Base
Alex Gordon, KC
.077 BA, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Like his youthful partner, the now-Omaha playing Billy Butler, the third-place hitter for the slumping Royals is in the dumps. Gordon has just one extra-base hit in his last seven games and hasn’t hit a home run in four weeks. His SLG has dropped under .400 on the season.
Outfield
Carlos Lee, Hou
.130 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
When El Caballo, Miguel Tejada and Lance Berkman all cooled off, it is not surprising that the Astros began losing at a greater rate. Lee’s power numbers are adequate, but his .255 average is about 50 points under last season and 70 behind his 2006 rate.
Vladimir Guerrero, LAA
.273 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
Vlad missed two days this week to get an MRI on his ailing right knee. While surgery is not required, it looks like his problems may linger for the rest of the season. His batting average is 70 points under his career norm and his slugging is 150 points below his career average. At this point, in you own Guerrero, what can you do but hold on and hope, since you’ll never get value in trade?
Juan Pierre, LAD
.259 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
The Dodgers outfielder is going to have weeks like this when he offers your team nothing at all. Still, manager Joe Torre likes Pierre and is continuing to run him out there. Even though he contributes little in any other categories, Pierre has 21 stolen bases in 53 games, which isn’t a bad return.
Starters
C.C. Sabathia, Cle
0 W, 14 IP, 5.14 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 12 K
For a normal pitcher, this kind of week would not attract “Ice” mention, but we aren’t talking about anyone here. The Tribe’s ace is not pitching like one. C.C. hasn’t won in 3 ½ weeks and limps into this weekend with a 3-8 record and 4.81 ERA. Make a trade offer for the 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner if you think a rebound is in order. Traditionally, he has been a better second-half pitcher and there is no place to go but up.
Joe Blanton, Oak
0 W, 13 IP, 5.54 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3 K
Mostly these numbers are due to a single bad outing in Texas, which can happen to any starter. Still, Blanton has just one win to his credit since April and like the A’s, you might get better value trying to trade him.
Braden Looper, StL
1 W, 11.2 IP, 3.86 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 8 K
The failed Mets closer, converted Cardinals starter does have seven wins on the season and rarely gets blown out. As a result, he may quietly sit on your active roster, all the while torpedoing your WHIP. Looper simply allows too many baserunners (season WHIP=1.53) to be trusted in your line-up.
Reliever
Ryan Franklin, StL
2 SV, 0 BS, 0-0, 1.1 IP, 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 1 K
Iced for the second consecutive week here, looking at Franklin’s results since taken over for fallen closer Jason Isringhausen makes one wonder why they didn’t just keep sending Izzy out there. Franklin’s ERA and WHIP may be worse than his.
Brian Walton’s work can also be found daily at stlcardinals.scout.com.