N.L. FAAB Log Supplemental: June 16, 2008

It's a quiet week for farm call-ups in the A.L. but a busy one in the N.L. So without further ado.

Tyler Clippard
Clippard is one of those pitchers who doesn't look like anything special but has been pretty damn solid so far in the minors. He has an average fastball (88-91 MPH), average curve, and an average change, at least when John Sickels wrote about him in his 2006 book. Nothing has really changed. Clippard is the example of a guy who "knows how to pitch." He hasn't been as successful in the majors, because Clippard's stuff leaves next to no margin for error and MLB hitters tend to succeed against guys like this more often than not. The one encouraging number in Clippard's limited MLB tenure is that his K/IP has been pretty solid. That means he can still fool some guys and maybe put together a career. I'd still not bid for now, as Clippard looks like a temporary fill-in until Odalis Perez comes back late this month.

Brandon Jones
Jones got a B+ from Sickels in his 2007 book, but this seems high to me, and based primarily on one big season last year. Jones has gone back to struggling to hit for power and not running well despite the speed he has. That's a bad combination for Roto, and doesn't make me think Jones is going to get much of an opportunity in Atlanta. I'd bid $4, but Jones is another player I'm not hopped up on so much.

Andy LaRoche
He was called up by the Dodgers last Tuesday and he still hasn't started. For those of you in A.L.-only leagues, the comp is Brandon Wood - a gifted prospect whose stock has fallen somewhat but probably should either get an opportunity to play, go down to AAA, or get traded to another organization for something useful. In non-keeper leagues stop at $3, but in keeper leagues you'll probably want to go $15, if only to prevent another owner from getting a freeze next year.

Eric Patterson
Patterson was putting up some pretty crooked numbers at AAA before his call up. It sounds like the Cubbies are going to use Patterson primarily as a back-up, though, meaning his value for this year is tied into his speed. Bid: $3.