Alex Cobb (2% owned last week, 5% owned this week)
Cobb is a good prospect who would get more attention if he were in a weaker farm system and didn't have studs like Matt Moore and Chris Archer ranked ahead of him. That doesn't mean Cobb isn't solid. John Sickels says that Cobb throws 88-93 MPH with his fastball, and has a strong curve and good change. The ceiling on Cobb seems to be as a #3-4 starter, though the Rays have done a nice job developing their pitchers and seeing them exceed expectations. Cobb's next scheduled start is TBD; the Rays put Andy Sonnanstine into Cobb's slot for tonight's start to set up their rotation against the Red Sox, but I still don't know what this means for Cobb. At the very least, Cobb is worth a future flier. My prediction is that he'll be starting at some point. He should be owned in A.L.-only leagues.
Felipe Paulino (0% owned last week, 3% owned this week)
Paulino's Major League numbers to date look awful, but his career xFIP indicates that at the very least he's a serviceable pitcher and his raw stuff might lead to much, much better things down the line. He throws one of the hardest fastballs in the game and his slider is a solid pitch as well. I don't know if that's enough or if Paulino's future is as a starter or a reliever, but he probably does have a Major League future. In 5x5, he's a must own in deep leagues if he's starting, since he strikes out almost a batter an inning. He's definitely a high risk/high reward play. Don't grab him if you're worried about your ERA/WHIP or can't afford to take chances.
Back from the Minors/DL
Bobby Jenks (biceps tendinitis)
Jenks had a terrible April before hitting the DL and has probably lost what little chance he had for vulture saves with Jon Papelbon and Dan Bard both pitching well. Rotoworld did report that Jenks was hitting in the mid-90s on the gun during his rehab assignment.
Brian Matusz (intercostal strain)
The Orioles took it easy on Matusz, limiting him to 84 pitches in his first start off of the DL. The results were solid, but the diminished velocity on Matusz's fastball makes me think that he's not quite there yet. He's a two-start pitcher this week against the A's and Rays, but I might wait another week before activating him.
Luke Hughes, Ben Revere (minors)
With both Jim Thome and Jason Kubel hurt, the Twins needed bodies. Revere is likely to be the bigger beneficiary of the two. If he's playing every day, he has enough speed that he might even be attractive in mixed leagues. Keep in mind that he does almost nothing else, though. Hughes is less likely to contribute. Even with the detritus that the Twins have at middle infield, he seems like more of a placeholder/insurance policy than anything else.
Waiver Wire
That 7.17 BB/9 just leaps off of the page. I'm surprised that Cruz is still hanging in there for the Rays.
Everett finally picked up his first RBI of the season on June 1. No, I'm not kidding. He has picked up two starts in the last week. Don't be fooled; he's not worth rostering.
Gentry's speed makes him slightly enticing as long as Julio Borbon's on the DL. However, he's on the wrong side of a platoon with Endy Chavez, and Chavez's white hot play isn't going to tempt Ron Washington into letting Gentry play any more than 1-2 times a week.
Brandon Inge just went on the DL with mono. In the short-term, this should open up an opportunity for playing time for Santiago; he'll probably compete for infield at-bats with Danny Worth while Inge recovers or unless the Tigers call someone else up from AAA. Bryan Pounds is the guy in AAA who jumps out at me. He isn't any kind of prospect, but he's tearing it up at Toledo and can play third base. If Santiago does get regular playing time, his middle infield eligibility makes him attractive in A.L.-only.
Grant Balfour has been solid filling in for Brian Fuentes, and I imagine that Andrew Bailey is about a week or two away from closing again, so Wuertz and Ziegler probably aren't in line for an opportunity to close. Both have been rock solid, though, and deserve to be owned in deep leagues, even in deep 5x5 leagues.
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