Salutations as we approach the final turn and stretch run to the 2008 fantasy baseball season, and, I apologize for the late posting of the weekly hotpage. All I can claim is things do get kind of crazy this time of year, with football looming, baseball intensifying, and life continuing. That said, it is time to weigh the crap shoots presented as we anticipate September call-ups.
Jumping right into it, Baltimore's Jim Johnson is the new closer with George Sherrill on the DL. Of course it is the time of the year where fantasy teams in contention are scrambling for whatever they can get and that means you simply have to look at Johnson. On the plus side, he is the closer, but he can be wild (27 walks to 37 strikeouts). A former starter, Johnson generally whiffed a hitter an inning between 2001-05, and he also had high walk totals, but allowed less hits than IP. Since 2006 the strikeouts and walks have been down, but Johnson has also allowed more hits than he has pitched innings. He will get the save opps for now, and Johnson could also blow up in your face.
The pale hose brought back pitcher Lance Broadway, their 24-year old first round pick of 2005. Broadway has a nice opportunity playing on a contending team, and similarly playing during September call-ups, but, like Johnson, Broadway is not overpowering (515 minor league innings, 554 hits allowed, 384 strikeouts, and 183 walks). If you need a pitcher who can get innings and might cop some wins, Broadway can possibly help, but he will probably not be a boon to your whiffs, ratio, and ERA.
The Angels advanced pitcher Jason Bulger, 29, a first round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2001. Bulger's big league experience over the years has been poor at best (3-0, 6.08) but, he was the closer at AAA Salt Lake this year (4-0, 15 saves) with steller numbers that he has built upon over the past couple of years. Bulger hurled 41 AAA innings this year, allowing 25 hits, striking out 72, and walking 20 for an ERA of 0.66 and a WHIP of 1.10. He obviously will not close in Anaheim, but Bulger could get some nice relief work and help protect your numbers if you need to wind down and still get some innings in.
Call it a man-love thing, but a flier I like in the AL or a mixed format Carl Pavano is getting another chance with the Yankees. Pavano, with really just one (2004) above average season to his credit. But, his potential looks so tantalizing, and after four fruitless years with the Yankees after signing a huge deal coming off that solid '04, Pavano could tease us again. The Yankees tend to play their best ball this time of the year, and Pavano's tenure with them is serious motivation. If you need to take a flier on a starter who could even get some whiffs and ideally even help your ratio, Pavano is not a bad bet. I mean, the Yanks could help Sidney Ponson.
Tom Gorzelanny is back with the Bucs after spending time in AAA. The demotion was called for as Gorzellany was just awful (6-8, 6.82, with 17 homers allowed in 96 innings) in the majors this year, but the 25-year old is obviously too good to languish in Indianapolis as his 3-1, 2.06 stats indicate. Gorzellany struck out 33 and walked just four. If you own him, be cautious activating Gorz, depending upon your stats and needs. But, like Pavano, if you need to take a chance in an NL format, he is not a bad bet.
If you are desperate to get something going with your fantasy team, think of the Padres, who advanced Dirk Hayhurst to start for them Saturday. Hayhurst is not a player you want to consider for your team, but do keep his background (Hayhurst has been a reliever for the past two years) in mind. As well as the three runs he allowed in his four innings Saturday, with five hits and two walks to two whiffs). Never make an act out of desparation. Well, ok, it is fantasy baseball, so once in a while. But, don't blow the chance on Hayhurst.
If Hayhurst has an AL counterpart this week, look no further than Boston's 27-year old Chris Smith. At 1-4, 3.20 at Pawtucket this year, Smith is a stop gap filler on a pretty good team. He has a 1-0 mark over nine games and ten innings, but a 5.06 ERA to complement. Pass on all fronts.
The Giants are simply searching for some power at a power spot, and last Friday Travis Ishikawa whacked his second homer as he tries to win the first base gig at ATT Park. The 24-year old has two homers over 30 at-bats this year, while in 2006 he was up 24 times and did not homer at all. He also hit for 60 points higher in average, though. He has improved his power totals (24 homers this year split between AA and AAA) as well as his eye, striking out 81 times while walking this year in the minors as opposed to 36 walks to 126 whiffs last year with 16 total homers. Ishikawa will likely get the bulk of the season to show what he can do, and is a good gamble in an NL format.
Across the diamond, and the Giants have been really pathetic with respect to power totals, Pablo Sandoval, a catching prospect, has been manning the hot corner the last week. Sandoval displayed a quick bat on Friday and the 21-year old looks like a great pickup especially if you can freeze him. As minor leaguer the Venzuelan has hit .303-35-273 over 452 games, with a .342 OBP. Sandoval has never played above AA till now, and if you are going to look for a prospect, Sandoval shows all the things you want.
Finally, 24-year old Martin Prado, another good looking Venezuelan prospect, is probably gone in a deeper NL format, but he has all those numbers that make him look like a solid potential middle infielder. Good discipline (15 whiffs to ten walks this year over 121 at-bats, and a .339 average with a .393 OBP are numbers you cannot ignore right now. With call-ups looming, those numbers will probably stay around the same. Pick Prado up if you can.