Every Monday we'll take a look at the Fantasy Baseball gainers and decliners in our Fantasy Stockwatch.
If you hate a little "Told you so," don't read this. If you hate how we hype players you are targeting and led someone else in your league to scoop you on a player off waivers ... and then feel inclined to whine to us about it, don't read this.
Many people like to tell this writer how wrong he is, on many levels. Wrong, certainly. Everyone is wrong in this business -- some more often than others.
But we don't expect to see one e-mail of respect for nailing all five June 1 call-up guarantees.
Not one. Haven't yet. Doubt we will.
We said Lock up this high five right now on May 16. Now, every one of those minor leaguers are worthy of starting in Fantasy Week 10 (June 2-8). And now all five of them (actually, all six) appear on the right side of things below ...
We had to pat ourselves on the back, because you are too stubborn to. Not that we need it really. We know you're drinking the HaterAide.
If you want to send more hate for yours truly to read -- especially this awfully arrogant introduction to this week's Stockwatch -- bring it on. The e-mail address is below.
Just be careful: Everything you say can -- and may -- be held against you. (Just like when we write something as bold and cocky as this.) Grin.
For those of you who stopped to read this, we appreciate it and just know you had intended to give us an e-mail high-five for nailing the High-Five. Double grin.
This week's potential 'Buy Guys'
|
SP Homer Bailey, CIN Bailey wasn't going to be on regular rest for a start Thursday at Philadelphia, but he left his start in Triple-A early Sunday and was told he was coming out to get him ready for a call-up. Expect it to come. The problem is he will be starting in Philly, a terrible matchup. His start there last year was a disaster, giving up six hits, six earned runs, three walks and a homer to Ryan Howard in less than two innings. Expect inconsistency from Bailey, but his great arm could make him a nice consolation prize for Fantasy owners that wish they had Dominican Dandys Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto ... or Clayton Kershaw/Joba Chamberlain. |
|
SP David Price, TB We get e-mails from dumb readers all the time, but the ones saying we are hurting them by hyping Price are hilariously stupid. Basically they suggest: Stop doing your job! "Everyone in my league is going to take an early flier on Price." Oh well, we apologize you play on the best Fantasy Baseball site on the web. And, um, go take that early flier on Price before someone else in your league does. |
|
C Chris Coste, PHI The 35-year-old hasn't yet been named the Phillies' everyday starting catcher, but he sure is slugging his way into that role. Coste can mash for a backstop and that is a great hitter's park and lineup to do that in. Yours truly has him starting in a 12-team Rotisserie league and he now looks like a must-start in all Rotisserie leagues. When he plays, he hits. And a big part of two-catcher Rotisserie leagues is merely finding someone that won't hurt you at that position. Until he is a full-timer, most Head-to-Head points-league owners will be frustrated by his time-share with struggling sophomore Carlos Ruiz. Hopefully that will change soon, too. |
|
RP Salomon Torres, MIL He won't ever get the attention Eric Gagne got as the Brewers' closer, but he certainly warrants it. It is no closer-by-committee in Milwaukee right now as Torres has taken the job and run with it. Consider him a solid option to close for the next few weeks and we like his ability to hold the job the rest of the year. The Brewers are not the contender we thought they could be, but they are at least due for a long hot stretch that could make Torres one of the best in-season closer pick-ups this season. |
|
OF Jay Bruce, CIN We try to avoid the obvious ones, so that is why this .591-hitting phenom is this low on this list. The next Larry Walker is putting up slow-pitch softball numbers right now. We don't have to tell you he will cool off, that's guaranteed, but we will say you cannot expect a 21-year-old to perform on an elite level among Fantasy outfielders. He won't finish the year with Ryan Braun's '07 numbers. Own and start Bruce in all leagues right now, but he can be a sell-high candidate as much as anyone at this point. Long term, next year and beyond, absolute superstar. |
Some more 'Buy Guys' we couldn't fit in: RP Joel Zumaya, DET; RP Dan Wheeler, TB; SP Justin Masterson, BOS; SP Bartolo Colon, BOS; OF Carlos Gonzalez, OAK; SP Clayton Kershaw, LAD; SP Kyle Davies, KC; SP Barry Zito, OAK; SP Jorge Campillo, ATL; SP Pedro Martinez, NYM; 2B Howie Kendrick, LAA; 3B (soon 2B) Ian Stewart, COL; RP Taylor Buchholz, COL; RP John Smoltz, ATL; RP Brandon Morrow, SEA; 3B Eric Chavez, OAK; SP Joba Chamberlain, NYY; RP Mike Gonzalez, ATL; OF Marcus Thames, DET; 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD.
This week's potential 'Goodbye Guys'
|
RP Rafael Soriano, ATL Soriano was supposed to be a suberb first-time closer, saving 30 games and becoming an annual star at the position in Fantasy. Nope. Now, he returns from the DL and does it with a blown save just days before John Smoltz is returning from his own rehab stint and DL stay. Soriano could still get save chances from time to time, but a situational closer is just not worth waiting on when you will have to deal with him competing for save chances with a future Hall of Famer. Smoltz was not removed from being the Braves' ace to be merely a setup man. That is now Soriano's role -- and he might even have to share that with rookie Manny Acosta and Tommy John survivor Mike Gonzalez soon. Wow, that could be a great Braves bullpen. |
|
SP Clay Buchholz, BOS Like Soriano, here is another personal favorite we have to say good bye to for the time being. It is painful, because Buchholz could be every bit as good as Jon Lester, or Colon and Masterson ... this season. But Buchholz is the odd man out of a very deep Red Sox rotation right now. He will have to bide his time in Triple-A and by the time he is completely straightened out, Daisuke Matsuzaka (shoulder) could be well off the DL and up to 12 victories and Curt Schilling (shoulder) could be nearly ready to return himself. |
|
OF Chris Duncan, STL Proof, we don't merely pat ourselves on the back. Yours truly thought this streaky 27-year-old was going to develop into a .300-30-100-100 player. He still could, but we are pretty sure you won't care if he reaches those levels back down in Triple-A. The Cardinals have too many outfielders -- especially ones that swing from the left side. So, Duncan and highly regarded, but equally disappointing, Triple-A teammate Colby Rasmus toil in the minors while the likes of journeymen Ryan Ludwick and Skip Schumaker hold down their positions in St. Louis. |
|
3B Chone Figgins, LAA A basestealer without a healthy hamstring is like a Fantasy writer without a slice of pizza. There is just no way he can do his thing without it. Let's be honest, you don't own Figgins because he can slap his way to .300 (actually a ridiculous .330 last year). Figgins is Fantasy-worthy because he can steal 40-50 bases. Not only will he fail to do that on the DL, but hamstrings are a notoriously tricky injury to come back from. You can think you're healthy and then ... pop! goes the weasel. We are not calling Figgins a weasel, per se, but you shouldn't count on him at this point. His best asset(s), his legs, are what hold him back. |
|
SP Adam Miller, CLE Miller was throwing 100 mph in the Indians system before Joba Chamberlain was even drafted by the Yankees -- and he was supposed to be Chamberlain down the stretch last year for the Indians before the Joba Rules were even being written. We could have been talking about the Miller Mantra or something. Instead, Miller needs another surgery on his finger, which will keep him out of Fantasy minds for the rest of 2008 -- well, the Fantasy season at least. Miller could be healthy enough to appear in September, but it will be far too late for an impact this year. Rev up that hype machine again next spring. |
Some more 'Goodbye Guys' we couldn't fit in: DH Billy Butler, KC; SP Claudio Vargas, NYM; 3B Hank Blalock, TEX; RP Troy Percival, TB; DH Travis Hafner, CLE; SP Chris R. Young, SD; DH Gary Sheffield, DET; SP Armando Galarraga, DET; SP Mark Prior, SD.
Stock advisor
Chris: Which one will have the best rest of the year: Prince Fielder or Mark Teixeira?
Emack: We would have said Fielder, but now things have changed. The Brewers are far less the elite offense we thought they could be and the Braves are clearly looking like a great supporting cast for Big Tex. Teixeira is notoriously a better player in the second half and is already getting over another slow start. Also, Teixeira is playing for a huge free-agent contract this winter. Scott Boras is his agent. The numbers have to come before this winter, and they will. At least more than we think they will with the vegetarian bust, Fielder.
Jamie: I was offered Chase Utley, Carlos Delgado and Melvin Mora for Adrian Gonzalez and Miguel Cabrera. What do you think?
Emack: While Utley looks like the best player in baseball and more dominant at his position than any other player in Fantasy, you are getting two pieces of Fantasy dung with him. We like the Gonzalez-Cabrera side better and would prefer to keep them. Miggy will get hot along with the rest of the Tigers this summer. Sluggers traditionally do 50 percent of their damage in 25 percent of the season. Miggy's 50 percent damage could come in the next quarter of the season.
Roger: I am in a 10-team Head-to-Head league. I picked up Jay Bruce when you said he was the next big thing. However, I really don't need him and have been offered Josh Beckett and Evan Longoria for David Wright and Jay Bruce. Is this a deal that you would do? If not, what about Johan Santana, Beckett and Longoria for Wright, Bruce and Jeremy Bonderman? Please respond to this message because I listened to you on Bruce and Longoria and now I'm hoping it can pay big dividends for me with your help! Please post!
Emack: In your small league, only the biggest stars in baseball are valuable and, often, elite starting pitching has exponentially more value than other formats. There are just a lot of guys available on the waiver wire in those formats. We would not do the first deal and certainly would do the second one, if the other owner goes for it. We don't think they will. And, we have to retract our claim in the introduction we never get praise. Triple grin.
You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball Stockwatch questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Stockwatch in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.








