Russ Branyan $19. Other bids: $15, $14, $8, $7, $7.
We all know the deal with Branyan by now. He's either going to disappoint or hit a lot of home runs with a subpar or worse batting average. The Angels seem very committed in the short term to giving Branyan plenty of opportunities against right-handed pitching both at 1B and DH, so it's worth at least a double-digit bid to see if Branyan has anything left in the tank at Age 35. He has 56 HR combined between 2009-2010. If he plays and can keep his average above .220, the homers will come.
Andrew Oliver $18. Other bid $13.
The reviews are mixed on Oliver. The positives are that Oliver has Major League stuff, averages 93-94 MPH with his fastball, has a plus slider and proved in his short MLB stint in 2010 that he can strike hitters out. The downside is that his slider is inconsistent, some believe he needs a third pitch, and that his long-term future might be in the pen. Oliver's up right now for the Tigers for Phil Coke and while he could wind up back in the minors after another 2-3 starts some think he could be up for good in July. Oliver's OK, but I'm not nearly as high on him as the two bidders here are.
Josh Outman $9. Other bids $6, $2.
Outman was featured in Friday's Gearing Up.
Josh Reddick $8, $6, $6, $5.
Throughout Reddick's minor league career, the knock against him had been due to his poor plate discipline. Thus far in the minors this year, Reddick seems to have cured this flaw. That's great news for Reddick buyers, because the guy is a serious power prospect and is a J.D. Drew injury away from making an impact this year. Even if Drew stays healthy, Reddick might stick just because he's definitely an upgrade for the Sox over what Mike Cameron and Darnell McDonald have done thus far and the Sox have never been afraid to use young talents as role players if they believe it can help them win now.
In the pre-Fangraphs days, Moscoso's two wins last week would have led to several spirited bids in Rotisserie leagues across the country. Instead, it's entirely possible that many owners will simply leave him off of their lists. Moscoso has a good fastball that can hit 93-94 MPH, but it's his only consistent/plus pitch. His other offerings are OK, and this shows up in his K/IP in his two MLB starts thus far this year. Moscoso is a fill-in for Brandon McCarthy, and his future likely lies in the bullpen. Start him at your own risk.
Drew Sutton $5. Other bids $3, $3.
A 20-homer campaign at AA got Sutton noticed in 2008, but he hasn't done much since. The Red Sox have him up for his versatility, and it's possible that this will keep Sutton in the Majors even after the Sox are completely healthy. Don't overbid, though. Sutton's best asset for Roto is his positional eligibility, which is never a great thing. He's got a little pop and a little speed, but needs to play every day to parlay this into decent value.
Anthony Swarzak $2.
Swarzak was described by Rotoworld as a "hittable" pitcher so of course he went out and dazzled the Angels for eight innings on Saturday, flirting with a no-hitter for 7 1/3 innings. There is nothing in his profile to suggest he's that good; of course, this is what makes many of us love baseball so. Swarzak is a former top prospect whose career stalled at AA and then stalled again at AAA. He's not that old, so maybe he discovered something this year at AAA. I doubt it, though, and think it's more likely that Swarzak's true ceiling is as a #4-5 starter.
Chris Dickerson $1.
Dickerson's a free-swinging Quad-A outfielder whose speed and athleticism will get him shots in the bigs from time to time as a back up. If he ever got a regular job, a 10/20 season wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, but his limitations as a hitter will probably prevent this from ever happening. He's barely worth owning as a 5th outfielder on the Yankees.
For the players below, see Friday's Gearing Up.
Alexi Amarista. Claimed by 12th, 5th and 3rd place teams.
The Angels acquisition of Branyan pushes Amarista into an even more reduced role.
Andy LaRoche. Claimed by 6th and 3rd place teams.
Joaquin Benoit. Claimed by 4th place team.
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