Brett Tomko $15. Other bid $2.
Tomko has been a serviceable pitcher for the A's, putting up a 3.90 ERA in five starts. A closer look, however, reveals someone who is due for a pretty hard fall. His strand rate is too high, his BABIP is too low, and his HR/IP suggests that he's not always going to be as lucky as he's been in those five starts and keep allowing dingers with the bases empty. He's a two-start starter this week - so I'm sure that he was picked up for the wins play - but he's at Texas and home versus the Indians. I must admit that I considered him as I'm trying to protect a wins lead but passed entirely. I recommend that you do the same.
Robinson Tejeda $11. Other bid $10.
Fangraphs did a write-up on Tejeda last week, and I'll point my readers in that direction for a more thorough analysis. I agree that Tejeda's got tremendous potential, but we've all been down this sad road before. That isn't to say that Tejeda can't be useful the rest of the way, or that he won't ultimately turn the corner. His stuff is electric and on his best days is very hard to hit. Just remember that Tejeda has had starts in the past that had convinced us that he had finally arrived. He's a two-start pitcher this week - at Detroit and the White Sox - and comes more highly recommended in the short-term than Tomko.
Eric Patterson $4.
I'm not sure how or if Patterson fits into the A's long-term plans, but he probably will get some AB down the stretch for Oakland and always has that tantalizing speed that has made him worth watching for Roto enthusiasts. He's a better play as a future speculation than as someone to rely on down the stretch this year, though.
Tony Sipp $4.
Sipp has quietly put up some tremendous numbers down the stretch for the sad sack Indians; the numbers that jump out are the 23 whiffs in 17 1/3 IP since August 1. He's also allowed 1 ER in that time with eleven baserunners. With Kerry Wood likely remaining in the fold next year, Sipp is a long shot to contribute at this league's $10 keeper price, but is a name worth remembering for your 2010 auctions as a $1-2 middle relief end game play.
Gil Meche $2.
Meche is all but done for 2009, but was picked up by an owner playing for 2010. If he's healthy, he could be worth $10, but there's still the possibility that some kind of surgery may be required and Meche won't be worth it. This still isn't a bad way to play around with your remaining FAAB in the waning days of the season.
Carlos Torres $2.
Torres is an organizational filler type who was pressed into starting duty by the White Sox due to injuries, trades and a lack of stud prospects to look at at the higher levels. He throws strikes but doesn't have overwhelming stuff. He gets the Mariners this week, so if you're playing match-ups - particularly in a 5x5 league - Torres might be worth the gamble. Remember, though, that sometimes the gamble doesn't pay off with Quad-A guys like this.
Jason Berken $1.
Orioles fans probably hope that Berken's a guy they look back on five years from now as a footnote from those dark days before Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz, and Chris Tillman all became aces. Berken is one of those pitchers whose peripherals have always been better than his actual numbers, but whose lack of great stuff caught up with him in the majors, particularly in the brutal A.L. East. It's great that his FIP is about a run lower than his ERA, but when your ERA is a cool 6.02, it doesn't really make that much of a difference. He's a two-start pitcher this week but gets the Rays and Red Sox in HR-happy Baltimore. Run away! Run away!
Randy Choate $1.
Don't worry, A.L.-onlies...you didn't miss an announcement from Joe Maddon that Choate was taking over as closer. This pick-up was made by an owner looking to protect his ERA/WHIP. Choate moves the ERA/WHIP chains very slowly but doesn't look like a saves candidate at this time.
Ivan Rodriguez. Claimed by 11th, 5th (tie), 4th, and 2nd place teams.
Pudge was waived last week by a non-contending team who would rather look at a $10 Tyler Flowers this winter. I'm not sure either Pudge or Flowers are $10 keeps in 2010, but it seems to me that Pudge has a better chance at being a $10 inflation keep. The 11th place team that claimed him thought so as well. As far as contenders go, Pudge obviously has some value even for teams playing for this year (the 5th place team tried to waive Dioner Navarro while the 4th place team attempted to waive Varitek). I find it a little odd that the 1st place team - who has Raul Chavez in his 2nd catching slot - didn't take a stab at Pudge.
Ty Wigginton. Claimed by 10th and 2nd place teams.
Wigginton's still getting playing time for the non-contending Orioles. He's been incredibly hot at the plate, but this has only translated into a great batting average with absolutely no power and very few RBI. He's worth grabbing if you need or want a player who starts - and is extremely versatile in leagues with low games played requirements - but as I always say this time of year, if you're in contention in a dumping league, here's hoping you've already done better.
John Buck. Claimed by 7th place (tie) team.
I had a conversation with the owner who waived Buck last week and asked him why he cut bait. Then I looked at Buck's numbers and realized that even Buck's extremely modest reputation exceeds the reality. His batting average is so bad that it almost entirely negates his power numbers. He's at a cheap waiver price for the owner who grabbed him, but I suspect that Buck's days as a starting catcher are done.
Luke Hochevar. Claimed by 7th place (tie) team.
I wouldn't touch Hochevar with a 10-foot-pole if I were playing for 2009. But he's an interesting play for 2010 depending on your league's waiver/minimum FA price. The peripherals are somewhat more encouraging than the actual ERA/WHIP, and I'm particularly impressed by the fact that Hochevar has whiffed nearly seven batters an inning this year. I want more consistency - and worry that the reason I'm not seeing it is because there's an arm injury in the offing - but Hochevar is a name to file away in the sleeper bin for 2010, particularly if you can stash him on a reserve list to start the year.
Gabe Gross. Claimed by 2nd place team.
Gross is playing due to the myriad injuries the slumping Rays have suffered, but he certainly hasn't taken advantage. His average has dipped, and his HR/SB numbers are pedestrian enough that Gross needs to hit about .270-.280 to make those contributions worthwhile.
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