N.L. FAAB Log: July 16, 2012

Ben Sheets $23.  Other bids: $23, $20, $16, $12, $10, $10, $9.

Sheets, as we all know, is a tease.  Not from a talent perspective, but just from his ability to stay on the mound.  If he can stay healthy for the second half of the year, he could provide a significant boost to your fantasy squad.  Signs from his first start were encouraging – a fastball in the 89-91 range and five strikeouts.  Full disclosure: I made the winning $23 FAAB bid, which put me right up against the cap.  I had $41 in FAAB left, and I would have bid all of it if I could have.

Justin Turner $11.

It shocks me no one else put in a bid on Justin Turner.  Turner is probably not a starter in the major leagues, but he is a decent substitute, and with Ronny Cedeno and Ruben Tejada on the shelf, he should be seeing more at-bats.  To borrow a phrase, he moves the chains.  $11 is probably a very aggressive bid in even deep NL-only leagues, but certainly something in the $3-$6 range would be appropriate.  Of course, Josh Rutledge might have been a better flier.

Josh Rutledge $10.  Other bids: $7, $3, $3, $0.

John Sickels ranked Rutledge as a C+/B- prospect coming in to the year after putting up a .348 average and 16 stolen bases in A ball last year.  He more than held his own in Tulsa (AA), putting up 13 home runs, 14 stolen bases and a .304 average in 87 games.  He is a college hitter (Alabama), so his ceiling is relatively low, but if he gets the chance to play in Colorado, he can put up some numbers.  He is a very good flier to take right now, particularly if Marco Scutaro is traded (possible trades being something we should all be looking at closely this time of year).

Ryan Roberts $9.  Other bids: $5, $2, $2, $0.

Roberts is in the middle of a very disappointing season.  We know the power is there, but he has not shown it this year, and his speed is down as well.  This year looks like 2009 without the average, and that is very little contribution.  A contender waived Roberts, and another contender picked him up here, so we will see if Roberts makes a huge fantasy difference.

Jeff Bianchi $2.

Bianchi is a bench bat with a little pop and a little speed.  He does not figure to see much time and should have minimal fantasy value.  If you had a spot open and bid on Bianchi but not Rutledge, you are being too cute.

Tyler Thornburg $1.

Thornburg got a start against the Blue Jays a few weeks back and looked like a minor league pitcher.  He does have quality stuff, however, bringing an 88-91 mph fastball, a very good change up and an erratic curveball to the table.  He is significantly stronger coming out of the pen, topping out at 98 mph, and he will likely be pitching out of the pen in the short term.  His fantasy value is very limited right now.

Matt Downs $0.

It is not a platoon if one of you is red hot and the other is not playing.  Until Scott Moore cools down, Downs is a non-factor.

Mike Fontenot $0.

To say Mike Fontenot is better than Michael Martinez is a back-handed compliment.  Some compliments are better than none.

J.A. Happ $0.

Jeremy Horst $0.

The hope here is Horst is simply not infected with whatever illness ails the Phillies pen.  He is over a strikeout per inning right now, and pitched well down in AAA, so if you need a bullpen arm, you could do worse.  He has no significant fantasy value.

Travis Ishikawa $0.

Lyle Overbay $0.

Overbay has seven at-bats in the last 21 days…a fantasy non-factor.