This and the N.L. FAAB log I'll do later are the last of the FAAB logs for 2009. I hope you had as much fun reading them as I did writing them.
Daniel Hudson $10.
John Sickels tabbed Hudson as a "major sleeper" heading into 2009, and boy did Hudson deliver, ripping through four minor league levels and arriving in the majors at the tender age of 22. He put in a solid start today against the Tigers (albeit with a number of free passes), and will draw them again this week to close out the season. I'm wary of rookies facing a team the second time around, but Hudson throws enough gas (Fangraphs has him at 93.7 MPH this year) that he could be OK, particularly in 5x5 leagues. Long term, Hudson might not be worth this price, but he's certainly worth a flier at about half this.
Alexi Casilla $9.
Casilla had a hot week and change somewhere back there in August or September, but has been buried on the Twins bench in favor of Matt Tolbert, Brendan Harris, and Nick Punto. The owner who made this bid is playing for 2010, but I think Casilla probably is going to need a change of scenery, and even with said change is probably going to be a back-up or AAA 2B next year.
Ricky Romero $9. Other bid $5.
I saw a good chunk of Romero's last start against the Mariners, and he looked like a pitcher whose mechanics are all out of whack. He was dragging his leg across the mound and not raising his arm high enough on his pitches. I'm not sure if he's tired or hurt, but I wouldn't want any part of Romero's last start of the season at Fenway. Even Romero's body language makes him look like a pitcher who just wants to go home and be done with it.
Chad Gaudin $6. Other bid $5.
There aren't many two-start pitchers floating around in the A.L, but Gaudin is one of them. He gets the Royals at home and then closes out at the Rays. This is mostly a wins play on the hitting-rich Yankees, though keep in mind that the Yanks have clinched the A.L. East and will rest some regulars this week. If you can activate Gaudin for his start against the Royals only, I highly recommend this option.
David Huff $4.
Huff's overall numbers are terrible, but he has a 2.84 ERA in September and - much more importantly - is keeping the ball in the ballpark; he hasn't allowed a HR in his last five starts. He draws the Red Sox at Fenway, but is a better play than Romero right now. I expect the Sox to throw a B-line-up out there and Huff is an OK albeit risky streamer if you need to roll the dice for a win.
UPDATE: ESPN doesn't have Huff listed as a probable this week, and there's a good chance he will not start. He might be available in relief, but Huff is no longer a good option for this week if you're playing for this year.
John McDonald $1.
With Marco Scutaro unofficially finished for 2009, McDonald has been playing every day at SS for the Blue Jays. He really stinks with the bat, but he's a move-the-chains kind of guy who you hope gets 3-4 RBI this week and doesn't completely kill your batting average.
Shawn Camp $1.
Camp is one of those relievers who have quietly put up a solid year (3.16 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) in a middle relief role. He's mostly a middle of the game guy, so wins and saves are scarce with him. But he's a good play if you're simply looking to protect your ERA/WHIP.
Matt Tolbert. Claimed by 11th place team.
Tolbert's an organizational filler guy who is being pressed into way too much playing time right now during the Twins stretch run. He's got a little speed, so if you're desperate for steals there are worse plays out there at middle or corner. Beware if your average is at risk.
Jeremy Bonderman. Claimed by 10th place team.
Bonderman is nothing but a speculative next-year play; based on his performance this year (or lack thereof) it's impossible to offer any kind of informed comment. Watch him in Spring Training.
Mark Teahen. Claimed by 8th place team.
Teahen's had a variety of minor injuries and is worn down, but a 606 OPS Post All-Star is still unacceptable. He might not play that much this week due to said injuries, but if he's out on your free agent pool chances are he's one of the stronger options out there, as he's got a little pop and a little speed.
Josh Reddick. Claimed by 7th place team.
Reddick is a Roto paradox: a young player who is probably a better pick-up this week for a contender than a team playing for 2010. He should get some playing time this week if/when the Red Sox clinch the Wild Card, but he's probably going to start 2010 in AAA and won't be worth keeping at this league's $10 keeper price. Reddick has legitimate power but doesn't make enough contact right now to stick on the Sox even if they were inclined to give him the shot next year.
Aaron Laffey. Claimed by 6th place team.
Laffey is a two-start pitcher this week: home against the White Sox and then at Boston. He's incredibly unpredictable, in part because he's prone to an incredible amount of luck. His starts against the Rangers on September 8 and the Tigers on September 22 looked very similar, but the Rangers managed to get some balls through the infield while the Tigers didn't. If Laffey were walking under three per nine like he did in 2008 I might say take the risk, but when he 's walking over four per nine I say walk away.
Alex Rios. Claimed by 4th place and 3rd place teams.
Rios is available because he was on the last year of a Rotisserie contract, his owner was frustrated with him, and his owner needed to compete in batting average. His 689 OPS is simply terrible, but Rios is obviously a guy you should race to pick up if you have a weak OF/DH option on year team, as a big week could always be just around the corner.
Gabe Kapler. Claimed by 3rd place team.
Kapler could pick up a couple of starts in the last week, but it's more likely that he'll mostly pinch hit and come in as a defensive replacement. His value in that role is next to nothing.
Joba Chamberlain. Claimed by 2nd place team.
A quality start against a strong Boston line-up probably offered many encouragement on Joba, but he's got a 7.71 ERA in August/September combined. Even against the Royals this week, he's a tough guy to recommend since it's unclear how long the Yankees will let him go before they pull him due to pitch counts. I'd avoid unless you're desperate for wins and can take the ERA/WHIP hit.
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