New champions have been crowned in both the NBA and NHL, thereby setting the sporting world into full-on baseball mode.
Sure, fans will continue to ponder lawyer-speak and hold vigils, as they await the announcement of a new NFL labor agreement. Others will spend their time watching NASCAR, golf (the U.S. Open is underway) or any number of athletic endeavors. Some will just start working on tailgating recipes in anticipation of the NCAA Football season.
Fantasy owners will begin playing the role of “day trader” in their hopes of stealing a point or two in key categories. There’s always the opportunity to churn starting pitchers and chase wins, thereby leaving the ERA and WHIP categories exposed for collapse. Others will jump on managerial shifts in philosopher to snag the closer of the day or to ride out one-category wonders to boost their team’s stolen base total.
Do you have a steady closer (there are few) or a plethora of thieves on your roster? If not, it’s time to get to work.
Shifting Bullpens
Andrew Bailey, Oakland
Bailey finally returned to the A’s during Memorial Day weekend. Fantasy owners have been reticent to climb aboard his bandwagon given his extensive injury issues. Frankly, the fact that the A’s rarely get into the late innings with a lead doesn’t help, either.
Still, Bailey has pitched well in his six appearances since returning to the team. He’s allowed a single earned run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Bailey earned saves against the White Sox and Royals in his past two outings. Brian Fuentes remains a factor out of the bullpen, but Bailey has reclaimed his role.
Now, I just wish he could hit, too.
Mark Melancon, Houston
Brandon Lyon made a brief return to the mound and struggled terribly in three appearances before right biceps tendinitis sent him back to the disabled list. Lyon allowed eight earned runs on six hits and two walks (three home runs) in two innings pitched.
Melancon has been fantastic as both a set-up man and closer this season. He’s pitched to a dominant 1.62 ERA with 29 strikeouts against nine walks. Melancon has also converted 6-of-8 save opportunities. Melancon returns to the closer role in Lyon’s absence. He’s available in the vast majority of FOXSports.com leagues.
Frank Francisco, Toronto
Jon Rauch blew his third save in 10 opportunities on Thursday against the Orioles. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and failed to record an out. Rauch had been dealing with a back injury earlier in the week and saw Casey Janssen pick up a save. Frank Francisco got the call in place of a fatigued Rauch on Wednesday night for his sixth save.
Francisco was acquired to assume the closer role, but started the year on the disabled list and struggled with his control following his return to the mound. Fantasy owners returned him to the waiver wire accordingly. Rauch’s recent struggles warrant a second speculative look.
Johnny Venters, Atlanta
Do you remember the talk of a shared closer role in Atlanta prior to the season? That scenario has finally emerged on some level. Venters earned two saves last week and lowered his season ERA to a ridiculously low mark of 0.44. He’s been unhittable for long stretches this season, surrendering just 4.2 hits per nine innings. Venters has also struck out nearly four batters per walk issued (43-to-11). He’s also vultured four victories.
Venters’ tag-team partner, Craig Kimbrel, has experienced some difficulties in the role this season. Kimbrel has allowed multiple earned runs in four appearances and has blown five of his 23 save opportunities. Kimbrel’s hit and walk rates (7.4 and 4.6, respectively) are much higher than those posted by Venters, thereby opening the door for a workload shift.
He may not take on the closer title with the capital “C,” but the overall numbers are staggering.
Work the Basepaths
Dustin Ackley, 2B, Seattle
News of the long-awaited call-up of the sweet-swinging second baseman by the Mariners came on Wednesday night. Ackley dominated college baseball, garnering many accolades while piling up hits for North Carolina.
He’ll use all of the spacious confines of Safeco Field to rap out a high doubles count. Ackley will also work the basepaths on occasion. He swiped 10 bases between two minor-league levels last season. He’s stolen bases in 10 attempts at Triple-A Tacoma while batting .303 with 17 doubles, nine home runs and 35 RBI.
As we tuck hockey and basketball away for a while, it’s time to turn our attention to the seemingly daily call-ups of new would-be heroes.
Charlie Blackmon, OF, Colorado
The Rockies’ second-round selection in the 2008 draft (the third time he’d been drafted) has hit safely in seven of nine games since being called up. Blackmon has generated four multi-hit games in his past five appearances to raise his batting average to .343 (12-for-35) and has stolen a base in five straight games. Granted, he’s recorded only one extra-base hit since joining the Rockies (a double), but he’s demonstrated decent power in the minor leagues.
Blackmon was batting .337 with 19 doubles, four triples and 10 home runs (12 stolen bases) for Triple-A Colorado Springs at the time of his promotion.
Ian Desmond, SS, Washington
Despite his lofty stolen base total of 18, fantasy owners have not welcomed Desmond into their lineups. He entered Thursday’s action with a nine-game hitting streak to raise his batting average 13 points. Granted, Desmond isn’t lighting the scoreboard aflame and owns only a .235 mark with three home runs and 19 RBI. However, he’s already surpassed his season total of 2009 (17) in 92 fewer games.
Desmond did hit 10 home runs last season, so there is some moderate power contribution to be had when all is said and done.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, 2B, Minnesota
Nishioka returned from the disabled list (broken leg) for Thursday afternoon’s series finale against the Twins. He demonstrated great lateral movement and dove after ground ball in the hole early in the game, so he’s clearly put the injury behind him.
Nishioka only appeared in six games prior to sustaining the injury. He batted .208 (5-for-24) and had stolen one base. Fantasy owners may take a second look at their struggling middle infielders and scan Nishioka’s availability. He’d stolen at least 18 bases in six consecutive seasons in Japan prior to joining the Twins this offseason with a high batting average (.346 in 2010) and moderate pop (double-digit home run count in three consecutive seasons).
Rajai Davis, OF, Toronto
Davis makes his obligatory return to this space. The fleet-footed Toronto outfielder offers little in the other standard categories. He’s a .247 batter with one home run and 17 RBI. Davis will score runs (26 entering Thursday), but his lone true fantasy contribution is his stolen-base count. He’s successfully stolen 18 bases in 26 attempts.
Brian Roberts, 2B, Baltimore
I include Roberts as a long-term “watch” option for stolen-base help. He’s been sidelined since mid-May with post-concussion symptoms and will see a specialist early next week.
Roberts had stolen six bases in seven attempts during his 39-game return to the field. The 33-year-old second baseman obviously represents a considerable injury risk, but he still gets the green light when healthy. Roberts stole 12 bases in 59 games in 2010 and had stolen 30 or more bases in four consecutive seasons prior to last year’s injury-shortened campaign. We’ll keep you apprised of his progress.
