Monday, May 04, 2009

A.L. FAAB Log: May 4, 2009

Scott Podsednik $15. Other bids $11, $6, $4, $4, $3.
Podsednik should get most of the AB in center field until DeWayne Wise or Brian Anderson returns, but it's quite possible that he keeps the starting job here even after Wise and Anderson come back. Podsednik is what he always has been: a poor MLB option in CF who has the potential to steal 40-50 bases if he gets 550 AB. Rotoworld wasted some time tonight wishcasting about the ChiSox moving Alexei Ramirez to CF and letting Jayson Nix play 2B, but I think Pods is going to play unless the Sox make a trade or unless Pods falls off the map. He might not work out at this price, but why not pay $15 for a potential big time SB play?

Brett Cecil $14. Other bids $11, $10, $7.
Despite Cecil's extremely poor start at Las Vegas, the Jays decided to try and see if Cecil's potential can catch up to his results and called him up for Tuesday's start against the Indians. Cecil's a groundball pitcher who has also racked up a lot of strikeouts in the minors. However, he's struggled in his short time in AAA (dating back to last year) and probably needs more seasoning. This is a move to make if you really need to gamble, but otherwise I'd stay away at the moment, even though Cecil's a two-start pitcher this week (home against Cleveland and at Oakland on Sunday).

Eric Patterson $8. Other bids $3, $3, $2, $1.
Patterson is up again with the A's after Mark Ellis' injury put him on the shelf for a while. Patterson's a steals play at the moment, but he was tearing it up at AAA, stealing nine bases in 70 AB and posting a 983 OPS. Patterson's big problem is his defense. Gregorio Petit is better with the glove, and as much as Patterson's offensive potential is exciting, Petit started the last two days and will probably at least split time with Patterson unless Patterson's bat gets incredibly hot.

Max Ramirez $6. Other bid $1.
Ramirez certainly didn't earn his recent promotion to Texas; he had a 603 OPS in 64 AB and - perhaps more importantly - had put up a whopping one strikeout per 2.56 AB. With Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden ahead of him in Texas, Ramirez definitely would benefit from a chance of scenery. He's still got long-term power potential and could serve some team well as a C/DH type.
UPDATE - Sent down this morning by the Rangers.

Brandon McCarthy $3.
He's been around for so long that it's easy to forget that McCarthy is only 25 years old. He missed almost all of last year with inflammation in his right forearm and as a result slipped under the radar in most auctions. He's 3-0 so far this year, but the peripherals show that he's pretty much the same pitcher he's always been: a guy without a dominating out pitch who is a severe flyball pitcher in Texas. I generally shy away from flyball guys, and when it comes to flyball pitchers in Texas I sprint in the other direction. McCarthy's in Oakland this week, so if you want to play the match up in the short term it's probably OK.

David Dellucci $3.
As far as his potential value goes, Dellucci couldn't have come off of the DL at a better time. The Indians are struggling and they made a major shake-up in terms of personnel moves. That's left Dellucci in the position where he's getting a few starts in the short-term. Down the road, he might wind up in a platoon with Ben Francisco if Travis Hafner misses significant time and if the team is serious about keeping Matt LaPorta up. Dellucci isn't a terrible option if he's playing. He offers some power (he has a 440 career SLG percentage) but can be a BA drain. I suspect that he'll be more of a 4th OF when Hafner comes back.

Gregorio Petit $2.
Multiple injuries to the A's infield led to a call-up for Petit, despite a terrible start at AAA Sacramento. He started two games in a row over the weekend, and could get the majority of the starts at 2B over Eric Patterson if the A's go for defense over offense. Petit has little Roto value; he hasn't run in the minors since he was at A-ball in 2006 and has little to no power.

Josh Barfield $1.
A solid rookie campaign in 2006 led to a lot of excitement about Barfield's prospects when he came over to the Indians in 2007, but he was a huge bust and his career has done nothing but go on the downward spiral since then. Now he's back with the big club but in nothing more than the utility role that Tony Graffanino was filling. At 26, Barfield isn't ancient and perhaps could offer a little power and a little speed if given the chance, but he's buried in Cleveland and has virtually no Roto value at the moment.

Jeff Bailey $1.
Bailey is a 30-year-old career minor leaguer who has had a couple of cups of coffee with the Red Sox, including 50 AB last year. He's shown prodigious power the last couple of years, including 562 SLG and 25 HR for AAA Pawtucket last year. He only offers depth for the Sox right now, though, and could be sent back to AAA when Rocco Baldelli returns from the DL. Bailey's one of those guys who could get lucky and break through on the older side, but he's in the wrong organization to do so.

Joe Nelson $1.
Nelson's a great story: a minor league journeyman reliever who finally made it big for the Marlins last year as a 34-year-old middle reliever. He probably won't get a shot at closing for the Rays this year, but has been solid thus far in a middle relief role and should continue putting up decent ERA/WHIP.

Brandon League $1.
Two bad games in mid-April make League's numbers look so-so, but he's been lights out for most of the year and hasn't been scored upon in 7 2/3 IP. League is probably behind both Scott Downs and Jason Frasor in the pecking order for saves, so his value is limited at the moment. He might be the Jays closer of the future, but I'm always wary on making FAAB investments for that reason alone.

Jack Hannahan $1.
Hannahan has always been a good glove 3B who doesn't offer much with the bat, save for the odd HR. Injuries to most of the A's infield have given Hannahan a brief window of opportunity yet again, but right now Bobby Crosby's been getting the majority of the playing time at third.

Willie Bloomquist. Claimed by 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th, 6th, and 2nd place teams.
Bloomquist had a big week last week, hitting an atypical HR and stealing three bases. He's still a utility guy, but is a useful play if you really need the steals and hope he can stay hot on the basepaths.

Mike Sweeney. Claimed by 7th (tie), 6th, and 3rd place teams.
Sweeney's bat has heated up since I checked on him last, as he popped his first HR of the year. He's been in a virtually straight platoon at DH with Ken Griffey Jr. and has picked up the occasional start at 1B to spell Russ Branyan. If healthy, Sweeney has some value in A.L.-only leagues but don't expect too much.

No comments: