Phil Coke $3. Other bid $1.
Coke continues to have an incredible year in the traditional Roto categories while also having great luck with his HR/IP. In other words, his xFIP says you should expect some serious regression. With Jose Valverde day-to-day with a deep abdominal strain, Coke could vulture a save or two this week. He shouldn't be counted on long-term, though, unless the news changes on Valverde.
Julio Lugo $1.
If you put your ear to the ground and listen closely, you can almost hear Julio Lugo's baseball relevance dwindling away. He's been a virtual zero everywhere in Roto except for steals, and his 5/6 SB/CB ratio makes him a liability in reality and someone who might get a red light if he hasn't gotten that stop sign already. Brian Roberts was supposed to rest periodically down the stretch, but Lugo only started once this week and probably can't be counted on for fantasy relevance even in A.L.-only leagues.
Steve Tolleson $1.
Tolleson isn't much of a prospect, though his skills are intriguing enough from a Major League standpoint that he could probably carve out a long-term role in the bigs, either as a marginal starter somewhere or - more likely - a useful reserve. Tolleson can play multiple positions, has a little pop, a little speed, and has a strong minor league track record against LHP. I'm not sure he has enough pop or enough of a track record vs. RHP to get a shot as a starter, but he's certainly earned himself a look. For Roto purposes, he's a weak back-up and probably not a keep at $10 in 2011.
Brian Bullington $1. Other bid $1.
Remember Brian Bullington? The former #1 pick for the Pirates faded into obscurity and seemed destined for a career as a minor league yeoman before the Royals gave him the call. After a so-so start against the Angels, Bullington absolutely dominated the Yankees today, making them look silly against his fairly ordinary stuff. He gets the White Sox next week. It's hard to recommend a 29-year-old faded prospect, but chances are if you want to take the ride with Bullington you're going to have to do it this week. I don't like his chances long term, but stranger things have certainly happened...
Scott Linebrink $1.
Linebrink is a serviceable middle reliever for the White Sox who gives up too many HR to be relied upon. He's OK in A.L.-only leagues, but it's unlikely he's going to get anywhere near a save in Chicago.
Brandon Boggs $1.
Boggs was putting up a solid season in AAA, but the 27-year-old outfielder is probably going to be a back-up in Texas unless an injury opens up playing time. Boggs does indeed fit the profile of a reserve OF: not quite enough power or speed to start but has his uses on a Major League roster. His on base percentage jumps out, as Boggs is skilled at drawing a walk.
UPDATE (8/16, 4:21 p.m. EDT): With Cruz hitting the DL, Boggs could get a decent amount of playing time in the Texas outfield. He's still not a great pick-up, but he's probably a decent one in A.L.-only pools if the AB are there.
Willy Aybar Claimed by 12th, 11th, 8th (tie) and 5th place teams.
Aybar's still good for the odd dinger, but he hasn't provided the power he did in 2008-2009 for the Rays as a role player. The good news right now is that Aybar's playing while Carlos Pena recovers, but Pena should be back this week. It wouldn't surprise me to see Dan Johnson pick up some playing time at Aybar's expense when Pena returns. Aybar certainly has his uses in A.L.-only but his value has definitely dropped in 2010.
Alfredo Simon Claimed by 8th, 8th, and 8th place teams.
That's not a typo. Three teams were tied for 8th in my A.L. and thanks to our fun, elaborate tiebreak system it was "easy" to figure out which team got Simon. Anyway, Simon looks like he's lost the closer's job in Baltimore due to a streak of poor performances. Simon has seen his ERA jump from 3.41 to 4.67 over his last seven outings, and it's hard to blame Buck Showalter if he's wary with Simon. This looks like a flyer by a team playing for 2011, but even so I have a hard time seeing Simon in the job on Opening Day.
Kevin Millwood. Claimed by 8th place team.
Millwood is now coming off of decent back-to-back starts, but he's nearly impossible to recommend due to his terrible numbers thus far. He's a two-start pitcher this week, getting the Mariners and Rangers at home. I'd avoid Millwood even if you're desperate for lightning in a bottle.
Luis Valbuena. Claimed by 8th, 6th and 5th place teams.
Valbuena's still getting fairly regular playing time, but he's done absolutely nothing with the opportunity. At his best, Valbuena has 10-15 HR pop and won't drag down your batting average too much, but a sub-500 OPS is simply unacceptable for a Major League batter. I'd avoid Valbuena for now unless there's nothing else out there - a possibility in deep leagues.
Darnell McDonald. Claimed by 5th place team.
After a strong start, McDonald has cooled off significantly this year. He hit his first HR Post All-Star ( a span of 19 games) today. With Jacoby Ellsbury back on the shelf, McDonald definitely has some short-term value that should be explored if he's sitting in your free agent pool.
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