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
Kelly Shoppach, Cle
.389 BA, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 4 R
Who knows? Maybe when V-Mart returns from the disabled list, the Tribe will again consider playing him at first or designated hitter just to keep Shoppach’s hot bat in the line-up.
First Base
Ross Gload, KC
.476 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 8 R
Apparently, the former White Sox likes interleague play. With Billy Butler just back from Triple-A, Gload's time as a so-so AL-only fill-in may be over, after a .292 average and a modest five RBI this month.
Second Base
Aaron Miles, StL
.464 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 2 R
The Tony La Russa favorite was actually non-tendered in the off-season before being brought back to St. Louis for his third season. The switch hitter has claimed the number two spot in the Cards’ order, just ahead of Mr. Pujols. Miles’ runs scored should pick up and his average has remained around .300 all season long.
Shortstop
Mike Aviles, KC
.320 BA, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB, 3 R
If you didn’t act when Aviles appeared here last week, maybe you still have time – at least if you are in an AL-only league and need short-term help in the middle infield.
Third Base
Brian Buscher, Min
.409 BA, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 6 R
You are to be congratulated if you saw this coming. Liar. The former Giants’ third-rounder isn’t going to keep hitting .375, but he may do well enough to hammer in one more nail into San Francisco GM Brian Sabean’s coffin. (Buscher was taken by the Minnesotans in the 2006 Rule 5 draft.) As if Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser and Joe Nathan for A.J. Pierzynski shouldn’t have been enough on its own…
Outfield
Jim Edmonds, ChC
.278 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 7 R
Which general manager do you suppose feels worse – St. Louis’s rookie John Mozeliak, for trading Edmonds and paying the Padres a couple of million to take him or San Diego’s Kevin Towers, who is covering almost all of the rest of Edmonds’ $8 million salary to win games for the Cubs this season?
Eric Patterson, ChC
.318 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 5 R
Remember Alfonso Soriano? The Cubs continue to roll without the talented outfielder. The latest contributor is Corey’s little brother. In his third trip up this season, Patterson has been seeing time in the leadoff spot for Lou Piniella, which gives him short-term value.
Willie Harris, Was
.286 BA, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 4 R
It is that time of year again. Time for the annual Willie Harris sighting. He shows up, steals a few bases and returns to obscurity. In D.C. however, he only has to beat out the slumping pair of Ronnie Belliard and Felipe Lopez to get more time at second base for the Nats.
Starters
Jarrod Washburn, Sea
1 W, 13.1 IP, 2.02 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 10 K
Yes, he has a 1.54 WHIP on the season with an ERA over five. On the other hand, Washburn has yielded only six runs over his last four starts and has shaved almost two runs off his ERA in the last month.
Dana Eveland, Oak
1 W, 13.1 IP, 1.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 6 K
The lefty, a former Milwaukee Brewer, has been one of the quietest mound success stories of the first half. Eveland has six wins and a 3.34 ERA. He has been consistent, yielding three earned runs or less in 14 of his 16 starts. One concern is a high walk rate that may further inflate his 1.35 WHIP, though.
Chan Ho Park, LAD
1 W, 11 IP, 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 16 K
Park, who turns 35 years of age on Monday, must have made a deal with the devil. Since stepping in for injured Brad Penny, Park has been nails, with just one run allowed in two starts. Don’t expect that deal to have a long shelf life, however.
Reliever
Brandon Morrow, Sea
1 SV, 0 BS, 0-0 W-L, 2.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1 K
Morrow has quietly been as effective in his short time covering for injured J.J. Putz as Putz was in 2007. 31 strikeouts, only seven walks, an ERA under one and 3-for-3 in saves is a nice combination.
Ice
Catcher
Jason Varitek, Bos
.158 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
OK, so he is the emotional leader and the captain of the World Champions. I got it. The fact is that ‘Tek is no longer a decent fantasy catcher. The 35-year-old is coming off an 0-for-33 stretch and is batting just .233 on the season. Look for alternatives that won’t kill your BA.
First Base
Ryan Howard, Phi
.160 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
You may not care that the big guy is on pace to shatter his own Major League record for strikeouts in a season. Yet a by-product is an ever-dropping batting average, which is now .214. That is 100 points below his mark in 2006 and 64 points under his career average, which includes 2008.
Second Base
Jeff Kent, LAD
.214 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
On the season, the Dodgers’ second sacker has eight home runs and a .253 average. An optimist might note that Kent hasn’t batted below .250 since 1992. The pessimist (and realist) could counter with the fact that Kent is now 40 years of age.
Shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki, Col
.158 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
Fresh off the disabled list, the Rockies’ shortstop picked up right where he left off. Unfortunately, he was hitting .152 when sidelined at the end of April. Since his return, Tulo is 3-for-23 (.130). Who said consistency is good?
Third Base
Blake DeWitt, LAD
.111 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 R
It was a great story – a relative unknown from Double-A getting his shot to start in the bigs when the three players ahead of him were all injured – two on the same day. Yet the bloom is off DeWitt’s rose as he is hitting .188 on the month with no home runs and two RBI. Playing time is starting to erode.
Outfield
Manny Ramirez, Bos
.182 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
Being slowed by sore hamstrings can help explain part of it, but Manny isn’t producing. With Big Papi on the disabled list, the margin for error for the Sox is smaller than usual. While the power has been relatively consistent, since May 1, the career .312 hitter is batting just .253.
Adam Dunn, Cin
.190 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 2 R
Dunn is suffering through a dreadful June, with a .154 average, four home runs and eight RBI. Is there any wonder the Reds are in last place in the National League Central?
Eric Byrnes, Ari
.118 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 R
Byrnesie is back from his stint on the DL, saying his hamstrings are ok and he is able to steal bases again. The only problem is that he can’t get on base, having gone 2-for-17 since his re-activation.
Starters
Ryan Dempster, ChC
1 W, 10.1 IP, 7.84 ERA, 2.03 WHIP, 5 K
The former closer was hammered by the White Sox this week, further bloating his terrible road record, 0-3 with a 4.19 ERA in seven starts. So, it is pretty simple. Only play him at Wrigley.
Pedro Martinez, NYM
0 W, 10 IP, 10.80 ERA, 2.10 WHIP, 9 K
Pedro was spanked by the Rockies and Yankees this past week, bloating his season ERA to 7.12. At this point, who cares if his hamstring is ok or not? He can’t be trusted to be in your lineup.
Jose Contreras, CWS
1 W, 9.1 IP, 11.57 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 4 K
Contreras is in a serious funk, having allowed 21 runs in his last four starts, including three long balls in each of his last two appearances. This has increased his ERA from well under three to right at four. Bench him until he rights his ship.
Reliever
Salomon Torres, Mil
0 SV, 0 BS, 0-0, 2.2 IP, 6.75 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 1 K
Torres has yet to blow a save since taking over for the deposed Eric Gagne, but if he keeps allowing this many baserunners, trouble is sure to ensue. His job is not in jeopardy at this point.
Brian Walton’s work can also be found daily at stlcardinals.scout.com.