N.L. FAAB Log: July 6, 2008

Damaso Marte $30. Other bids $27, $25, $24, $22, $17, $9, $8.
Tyler Yates $4. Other bids $2, $1.
The bids assume that Marte will be the closer for the Pirates with Matt Capps out. Tyler Yates has also been mentioned as a possible closer, but I'd agree that Marte is the short-term favorite to take the job. He is a trade risk at the deadline if the Pirates do decide to sell, so you might be buying only a couple of weeks worth of saves here. But Marte should be bid on aggressively in any event. I'd favor him over Yates as well at the moment, though I might have bid a little more aggressively on Yates than this league did.

Mark Loretta $3. Other bids $2, $1, $1.
Loretta should be the fill-in starter at 2B for the Astros with Kaz Matsui down. Loretta doesn't offer much in the way of power or speed, but should provide an OK average and is a fine addition in deep N.L. only leagues to fill a dead middle infield slot.

Yusmeiro Petit $2. Other bid $1.
Petit did well in a spot start against Milwaukee last week, and could stick for a little while in the Diamondbacks rotation. He could be a two-start SP this week, but if you can start him against the Nationals and then bench him against the Phillies later in the week, that would be your best play. Petit is a homer prone pitcher, and the match-up in CBP could really damage him, especially given his severe G/F ratios as a major leaguer.

Micah Owings $1.
Owings is the guy who Petit spelled, and it's possible that the D-backs might simply leave Owings in the bullpen so he can work out his issues. He might be back in the rotation sooner rather than later. His K/IP is solid, and I think a few mechanical tweaks could help. In shallower leagues you can drop Owings, but he has to be kept in all N.L.-only leagues. His back is still an issue, so he could wind up on the DL at some point.

Chris Burke $1. Other bid $1.
Emilo Bonifacio $1.
Burke's provided virtually zero value this year for Roto teams, and I don't see that trend reversing in the near future. He might get a few starts in the outfield with Eric Byrnes on the D.L., but with both Chad Tracy and Conor Jackson on the roster, he won't be an everyday player. Bonifacio is in the same boat, but his speed makes him a slightly more intriguing option. He offers little else, but could steal a handful of bases even in a limited role.

Mike Rivera $1.
Jason Kendall's back-up is smoking the ball when he plays, but won't play much. He's good for about one start a week, and probably isn't worth owning, even with his long ball potential.

Collin Balester $1.
Balester's a guy who the scouts say has good stuff, but it hasn't been seen in the results yet. His ERA at AAA Columbus was an OK 4.00, but his other numbers don't support it, including 14 HR allowed in 78 2/3 IP. He's only 22, and will take his lumps if the Nats leave him up for a prolonged period of time. I don't recommend him right now.

Jason Perry $1.
Perry's not a prospect, but he was destroying minor league pitching this year with 18 HR and a 1025 OPS in 243 AB between AA and AAA and will get some time in right field for the Braves. He's definitely worth a bid if you need power, but keep in mind that Perry's 27 years old and hadn't performed this well in the minors in the past. He could succeed, but the odds of success for guys like Perry in the majors are very long.

Endy Chavez $1.
With Moises Alou on the DL, Chavez should see a good amount of AB for the Mets against right-handed pitchers. He doesn't run as much as he used to, and most of value is tied in to his defense in real baseball. That doesn't help us much. He's a guy who will move the chains very slowly, and the best thing you can say about Chavez at this point is that he shouldn't hurt your average.

Omar Quintanilla $1.
With Troy Tulowitzki on the shelf again, Quintanilla will get some AB at SS, though the Rockies might give Clint Barmes some starts there as well. Quintanilla is an ex-prospect who doesn't provide much Roto value. His 301 OBP makes him a poor bet for a look at an expanded role.

Jason Bergmann $1.
Throw out Bergmann's disastrous April, and he's actually put up some decent numbers for the Nats. He's run up four quality starts in a row and is worth riding as long as he's got the hot hand. He is an extreme flyball pitcher, so be warned that when he's not on, he could put up a stinker of a performance. I still like Bergmann, though, and think he's worth more than a $1 bid if he's available in your league.

Odalis Perez $1.
Perez has had two decent starts since coming back off the DL late last month. He's still a fairly pedestrian option even in N.L.-only leagues, and his poor WHIP is a probable sign that his ERA is due for a correction in the wrong direction.