I profiled Carrera in Friday's Gearing Up. The top two bids here were from contenders aggressively looking to replace an inferior or injured player, while the $10 bid was from a non-contender looking for a freeze. While Carrera should probably be starting everyday, the Tribe has stuck him into a quasi-platoon and he hasn't seen a lot of regular action in the last few days. He's still a nice spec play for steals in A.L.-only, but he doesn't look quite as desirable as he did a few days ago.
Nate McLouth $2
No, you didn't accidentally click on an old link for a Roto Think Tank page from 2008. McLouth was signed by the Orioles in June to serve as insurance in AAA, and with Jim Thome's neck injury the O's needed to cash in on their middling policy. McLouth potentially offers power/speed, but he wasn't exactly lighting up the minors and hasn't produced discernible MLB value since 2009. Maybe you'll catch lightning in a bottle here, but it's more likely you're going to get a couple of steals, kill your average, and be very sad that the sand continues to slowly slip through the hourglass of your finite and all too short life.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka $1
Nishioka was called up to play second base for the Twins while Trevor Plouffe nursed a thumb injury. He has been getting some regular at bats, but is 0-for-12 and looks overmatched both at the plate and in the field. Plouffe should be back early this week, and Nishioka is the guy who will probably get sent back to the minors. Don't bid (the owner who bid here needed a shortstop to complete a trade).
Kevin Jepsen $1
Jepsen has been pretty solid since he was called up from the minors in early July. He has allowed one run in his last 12 innings and has been seeing plenty of use in middle relief. His FIP says he can't keep this up, but Jepsen is a solid add in A.L.-only.
Moises Sierra $1
Sierra wasn't viewed as a terrific prospect coming into this season, but a second solid season in a row in the high minors led to a well-earned promotion. Sierra is a tools prospect that might have a chance to translate those tools into skills. The speed/power combination is enticing, though he's going to need to work on his plate discipline if he's going to succeed in the long term. Sierra's listed on the depth chart as a fourth outfielder, but he has been working his way into quasi-regular time. I'm not sure if Sierra is going to stick, but he's worth grabbing as a speculative add, particularly in a keeper format.
Scott Podsednik $1
Podsednik is back in the American League after the oddity of him getting traded to the Diamondbacks, refusing a minor league assignment, and then getting re-signed by the Red Sox. We all know the drill here. Pods is a source of cheap speed - even as a back up - and little else. If you're desperate for speed - and have a dead spot - Pods is an OK play.
Brayan Pena. Claimed by 12th and 8th place teams.
Pena is only worthwhile if he's playing everyday - and even then barely so - but Salvador Perez's presence makes Pena a filler option in A.L.-only...if that.
Philip Humber. Claimed by 10th place team.
Humber might eventually work out someday as a fourth or fifth starter, but for now he's an absolute mess and can't be touched in Roto. This is a claim by a non-contender, so there's no harm in this play for this team. Don't touch Humber if you're contending.
Ubaldo Jimenez. Claimed by 9th place team.
There is a pro-Jimenez crowd that has been defending him and his ability for the last year and a half, but I think even they're about ready to move on. He showed a glimmer of hope in June, but the wheels fell off in July and this year has to be viewed as a lost cause for U-Ball. He's not even striking out the 8+ per nine that he used to strike out pre-2012, so he's not even worthy of grabbing if you're desperate for whiffs. Pass.
Sean Rodriguez. Claimed by 8th and 6th place teams.
Rodriguez has a decent amount of power/speed, but the poor average/OBP make him a subpar real life option, even for a middle infielder. There are rumblings that the Rays are going to send S-Rod down in a few days, but even if he was going to stick with the team, he's not worth adding with the Rays playing Ben Zobrist at SS as of late.
Brayan Villarreal. Claimed by 6th place team.
Villarreal had been a strong middle relief option - albeit with a high amount of walks - but he has struggled his last three outings and might be hitting a wall. If there's a better option in your free agent pool, you might want to grab it.
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