Fantasy

For those of you still contending in your fantasy baseball leagues, here are some batters you may want to pick up in a last ditch effort to win some cash in 2010.

Homeruns

Dan Johnson (1B TB) In only 22 at bats, Johnson has hit three homers, earned four runs and drove in seven. He seems to be getting every day at bats now for the Rays with 21 at bats in the last seven days. He should be a good source of power and earns fantasy value just being a part of the Tampa Bay line-up.

There has been a lot of news as of late regarding players being shut down for the rest of the season (and others who we aren’t quite sure about). 

Let’s take a look at a few of the names that influence fantasy owners.

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs

Shoulder surgery brought his renaissance campaign to a bitter conclusion as he hit .280 with 17 HRs, 53 RBI, and 47 runs on the year.

It’s hard to call Scott Sizemore anything but a disappointment in 2010.  Thought to be a sleeper second baseman entering the season, he lasted until mid-May before being sent back to Triple-A.

He was solid while there, hitting .298 with nine HR, 37 RBI, 49 R, and two SB.  With injuries piling up in Detroit, the Tigers ultimately brought him back to the majors, though they were still hesitant to depend on him.

It’s time to look at the potential two-start options for the upcoming fantasy week. If I have someone rated as a three, four or five-star option, they are someone I would definitely use.

A two-star option is someone who is borderline, but I’d strongly lean against it unless I have no other options. The one-star options are an absolutely not scenario.

So, with that said, let’s take a look at the players available to you this week:

Five-Star Options:

Rookies are streaky.  It’s just something fantasy owners generally have to deal with.  You take the good with the bad, and hopefully, by year’s end, you get significant value for your investment.

Take Mike Stanton, for instance.  Big things were expected from him, especially in the power department.  That’s what happens when you hit .313 with 21 HR in just 192 AB at Double-A.

Accountability and accuracy are the two of the most important aspects of a fantasy writer’s credibility.

With that in mind, and this being the final installment of By the Numbers for the 2010 season, we’ll be looking back at my pre-draft Target and Avoid series to see how well I did directing your draft selections.

The Nationals’ Mike Morse has become an intriguing source of power for fantasy owners.  With eligibility at first base and the outfield, his value is certainly diminished, given the depth of other options, but looking at the numbers there’s certainly a chance he is usable (statistics are through Monday):

213 AB, .296 AVG (63 Hits), 10 HR, 30 RBI, 29 Runs, 0 SB, .343 OBP, .502 SLG, .340 BABIP

Let’s take a look at a few of the potential pitch and ditch options from today’s games and determine if anyone is worth using:

Jason Hammel, Colorado Rockies

The Rockies are one of the hottest teams in baseball, and Hammel gets to take on a Padres offense that is not among the league’s best (21st in the league with 598 runs and 27th in average at .247).

The game is in Colorado, where Hammel is 7-1 with a 3.67 ERA. 

As your fantasy baseball marathons come down to the wire look to these players to help your team or keep them from hindering your team.  Rookies’ Starlin Castro and Ike Davis should have stellar weeks for your team.

Start ‘Em

Starlin Castro | Chicago Cubs | 81 percent

As fantasy leagues wind down and head into playoff mode, most owners generally have similar goals in mind at this juncture.

Some owners are right smack in the middle of a battle for playoff position while others are looking forward to next season and the opportunity to start over. What you can expect to find in this week’s edition is a smattering of young players trying to impress their club and hopefully cement a spot on next year’s big league team.