N.L. FAAB Log 6/25/07

Brandon Watson $15. Other bids: $2, $1, $1
He's not a prospect, his BB/SO ratio at Columbus (11/27 in 233 AB) and his mediocre minor league track record reinforce this. However, it's not like Nook Logan is Tim Raines, and Watson could ride a well-timed hot streak into a platoon job, at least. All you need to know is that Watson's sole value to us is his speed; he had 12 SB in AAA this year and now has 183 in his minor league career. $15 is a silly bid, but I could see bidding a little over the minimum. N.L. only players would be wise to remember my posts on Joey Gathright ($25) and Jerry Owens ($8) in the A.L. Paying top dollar for FAAB speed is sometimes a terrible risk play.

Chris Burke $12. Other bid $1
With interleague play mercifully over, I cannot comprehend this bid. Burke is on the wrong side of a right field platoon with Luke Scott, and he doesn't have enough range to play SS in place of the injured Adam Everett on more than an emergency basis. He's 27 years old; his window as a late-blooming prospect is gone.

Mike Maroth $11. Other bids $4, $1, $1, $1
The $11 bid probably assumes that Dave Duncan is going to take Maroth and turn his career around. Knowing Duncan's track record with subpar veterans, I wouldn't put it past him, but I don't think this is a gamble that will pay off this year. Given that he's given up 15 HR and has a 28/33 K/BB in 78 1/3 IP, Maroth is damn lucky that he's sporting an ERA as low as 5.06. Run away.

Jack Wilson $1. Other bid $1
Jack Wilson is one of the reasons I hate playing Rotisserie League Baseball. I hate explaining to my friends who are baseball fans but not fanatics that Wilson has a place in our game. He's a sub-700 OPS shortstop who makes $5.4 million this year. Wilson's career year back in 2004 is fading from memory, and even then he had to hit .308 and smack 41 doubles to make up for his ghastly 26 walks in 652 AB. I hate telling people that Jack Wilson is an acceptable third middle infielder at a buck, that he can drive in a few runs, won't kill your batting average, and will steal the odd base. Jack Wilson is worthy of an N.L. only roster spot, but he makes me want to join an eight-team mixed Yahoo! league instead.

Ryan Franklin $1
There are some experts who will tell you that Ryan Franklin is a nice pitcher to have, since his ERA and WHIP are lights out and he'll probably close if Jason Isringhausen gets hurt. I say run like the wind, catch your breath, and run like the wind again. Franklin is an accident waiting to happen. His BABIP is .231, and that simply doesn't match his previous career numbers. Worse yet, Franklin's 3.09 K/9 is far worse than his career norms, as is his low HR/9 rate. Franklin's going to hit a stretch at some point this year where he starts getting hit. You don't want to be there when that time comes.

Carlos Villanueva $1
Villanueva might have been dropped by a frustrated owner who saw the clinic that Yovani Gallardo put on today, but Villanueva still has quite a bit of value as a middle reliever. His walks are down considerably since I wrote about him last, and he's picked up five wins this season. The Brewers have faded somewhat, so 10 wins might be asking a lot from a middle reliever, but Villanueva is as good a vulture candidate as any pitcher on the market.

Wilfredo Ledezma $1
I like Ledezma better in the long-term as a starter. If I were a manager, I wouldn't want a flyball pitcher coming into a close game with men on base. The Braves, though, are committed to leaving Wilfredo in the bullpen this season, so I believe his value is quite limited in this role. Pass.