Monday, May 19, 2008

N.L. FAAB Log: May 19, 2008

Paul Janish $8. Other bid $1.
He's off to a fast start in his five AB for the Reds, and his limited 2008 minor league sample (4/20/2/.293 in 123 AB) makes Janish look like he could be a passable MLB shortstop. However, his numbers prior to this year profile Janish as a great field, no hit middle infielder. He could keep it up, and should probably be owned in very deep leagues while Jeff Keppinger and Alex Gonzalez are out. But temper your expectations.

Greg Reynolds $2. Other bids $1, $1.
The second overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft (behind Luke Hochevar), Reynolds was considered a reach at that slot but still considered a talented pitcher. He was limited to 50 2/3 IP after a sore shoulder and exploratory surgery ended his season. As a result, it's hard to make an educated guess about what Reynolds will do if he sticks. His minor league K/IP are extremely low, though, and that makes it hard to recommend him for this year, as he looks like he needs at least a full year in AAA.

Aaron Boone $1. Other bid $1.
With Nick Johnson hurt for the 6,342nd time and Dmitri Young just coming off the DL, Boone has been getting the lion's share of the playing time at first base. He's not going to return to the form he showed in his prime, but this could be a nice, cheap bid for someone who might get two or three starts a week even when Young is 100% and ready to go.

Doug Mientkiewicz $1.
Mientkiewicz has now started four games in a row for the Pirates. He has to play every day, though, for him to have any kind of value, so don't leave him in there if he winds up back on the bench. The best thing that can be said about Mientkiewicz is that he'll deliver a trickle of RBI and won't hurt your BA.

Damion Easley $1.
Luis Castillo went from day-to-day to starting both games against the Yankees this weekend, so Easley should only be picked up if you can stash him on reserve. He does have some pop, so keep an eye on Castillo's sore quad and be ready to make a move if Castillo hits the DL.

Claudio Vargas $1. Other bid $1.
Vargas is a back-of-the-rotation Major League pitcher who the Mets brought up last week. He had a solid outing against the Nationals, but will probably have tougher sledding against the Braves tomorrow. He's a little more valuable in 5x5 leagues, as he'll strike out a decent amount of hitters, but that's offset by a propensity to give up a ton of HR. Hopefully, you can do better but, as we all know, we don't often have that luxury.

Chris Burke $1. Other bids $1, $1.
Burke shouldn't play that much with an N.L. schedule on tap this week (not that the D-Backs were on the road anyway). He's not even doing that well in his limited role; the nicest thing that can be said about him is that he's walking a decent amount.

John Grabow $1.
A big part of the Pirates hot streak recently has been their pen. Grabow, Damaso Marte, and Matt Capps have all been great. For Grabow, this means that he hasn't received the vulture opportunities he might have otherwise, with Marte gobbling up three wins. That doesn't mean you should avoid Grabow, but be aware.

Taylor Buchholz $1.
Like Grabow, Buchholz isn't a candidate for saves, with Brian Fuentes in the role and the Rockies hoping that Manny Corpas rallies and takes the job back. But Buchholz has been lights out this year as a set-up, and will probably continue to pitch well.

Mike Rabelo $1.
Pass. Matt Treanor's getting most of the AB, and Rabelo isn't doing much with the playing time he's getting. He's stretched as a starter.

No comments: