FAAB Log Supplemental: June 1, 2009

This week's supplemental FAAB log features three players that even not-so-serious fantasy players are aware of. So instead of rehashing scouting reports that you've probably read elsewhere, I'm going to focus on bidding strategy and tactics for each player.

National League
Fernando Martinez
I've watched a fair amount of Mets games this week, and don't doubt that Martinez could be a top-flight force to be reckoned with long-term. As a FAAB bidder, my question is "will he stay with the Mets after Ryan Church comes off of the DL?" My answer is "I'm not sure." It's possible that Martinez could force the issue with a strong start, but it seems to me that the Mets are going to go with some combination of Daniel Murphy, Gary Sheffield, and Church at the corners after Church comes back. Even if Carlos Delgado is out for the rest of the year, I think the Mets are going to try to make a trade and get a truly big bat. If you're in a keeper league, bid $17 just in case. If not, keep your bid down to $7. I like Martinez a lot, but hesitate to recommend a high bid if you're in a one-and-done league.

American League
David Price
For leagues that bid last Monday, Price is long gone. We got to see the good in his most recent start against the Twins and the ugly in his maiden 2009 voyage against the Cleveland Indians. Control is going to be the only issue with Price; his fastball actually looked better than advertised, and his slider has looked nasty. I'm less concerned about Price losing his job if he performs than I am about Martinez. If Scott Kazmir returns healthy, I think Jeff Niemann or Andy Sonnanstine gets bumped. The temptation is to bid the limit for Price, but I'd stop at $50 if you're simply trying to price enforce, $60 if you need starting pitching badly. I'd rate him somewhere between lesser pitching prospects who come up mid-year (think Ricky Romero this year or Kevin Slowey in 2007) and a CC Sabathia-type for whom you must break the bank.

Matt Wieters
We've all heard the jokes about Wieters by now. He's going to hit .500 for his major league career while hitting a home run for a sick kid in the hospital every night he's in the bigs. He's going to make nachos at the ballpark taste better while making sure everyone gets a choice parking spot. I could go on, but you've probably heard them all. Of the three players listed here, Wieters is the most likely to stick; the Orioles didn't bring him up so they could sit him. If you want him, you'll probably have to go to at least $75 to get him. If Wieters hits .275 with decent pop (15 HR or so) at catcher, he could potentially have more impact than any other FAAB buy in the A.L. all year. You can't break the bank because he might not, but Wieters is the best American League prospect to hit the majors since Evan Longoria, and must be treated as such.