The Doctor is inside! Here is my weekly sample of players who are likely available in your league and could be of value to your team.
Pickguard
Chase Headley: 3B, San Diego Padres
Headley was called up to the majors on Tuesday and was 3-for-8 in his first two games. On Wednesday, he hit his first career home run at Yankee Stadium off Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth (under). In case Headley is a new name for you, he’s a highly hyped prospect who hit. 330 at Double-A last season, earning Texas League Player of the Year honors. Before the call, he was hitting .305 with 14 HRs and 40 RBIs at AAA.
Fantasy Diagnosis: If you play in a goalkeeping league, I guarantee that it is their property. In regular leagues, there is a chance that it is still available. Just don’t expect him to become Ryan Braun in the league. He’s also played left field, which increases his value if he gains positional eligibility there.
Jason Kubel: OF / DH, Minnesota Twins
He has as many home runs as Justin Morneau (10), including 4 this month. His June average (.326) and OBP (.423) are helped by the fact that he has 8 walks, after having 10 in April and May combined.
Fantasy Diagnosis: Yes, he’s hitting alone. 254. However, he has some power and drives in runs (37), which makes him a viable option as a fourth outfielder.
Mike Aviles: SS, Kansas City Royals
While most of you have heard of Headley, many of you have probably not heard of Avilés. Since being called up from AAA on May 29, Aviles is 15-for-49 (.306) with 3 HR, 6 RBI, 12 R and 1 SB. He has 4 multi-hit games and an OBP of .333. He’s hitting lefties (.455), but he’s hitting .263 against righties.
Fantasy Diagnosis: He just turned 26, was drafted in 2003 and spent the previous two seasons at AAA-Omaha. The Royals were patient with him as they had Tony Peña Jr. playing SS, and now he is making the most of his first chance to play in the majors on a daily basis. His weight is 5’9 “, 185 pounds, which makes it difficult to take him seriously as a fantasy threat. I see him more as a David Eckstein type player, whose value in real life exceeds his fantasy value. His A good start is guaranteed yet has a place on your watch list.
Mark Ellis: 2B, Oakland Athletics
Please don’t confuse him with Marc Ellis from New Zealand, the rugby player who won M2 magazine’s Man of the Year award. At .261, Mark’s average is the highest of all days of the entire season. His June numbers (.326 / 4/12) are already better than any full month he’s had this year. RBIs are a bit skewed as he had 2 games with 4 of them this month, but the average is not. He has had 7 multi-hitters this month and has scored 28 runs this season.
Fantasy Diagnosis: It’s easy to forget that Ellis hit. 276 with 19 HRs and 76 RBIs last year, when he had the best season of his career in more than 5 years. After the top level of second base, those are pretty solid numbers. Expect a similar production again this year.
PITCHERS
Mike Gonzalez: PR, Atlanta Braves
Rafael Soriano is on track to make more visits to the disabled list this year than Lindsey Lohan to rehab. Manny A-cost-a-win-again has imploded (0-3, 2 missed saves, 12.00 ERA this month). John Smoltz is no longer in the picture. Bobby Cox turned to form the closer for the Gonzalez Pirates, who returned from his own season on the disabled list and got the save Wednesday, making him the seventh Braves reliever to get a save this season.
Fantasy Diagnosis: Gonzalez had 24 saves in 2006 and is the only legitimate game-closing option for Atlanta right now. If they haven’t picked it up yet and you need to save it, go get it right now.
Mark Buehrle: SP, Chicago White Sox
The man with the biggest truck I’ve ever seen has finally won the paycheck that that six-ton monster bought again. In four starts in June, he pitched 30 innings, allowed 7 runs, walked 6 and struck out 18. All four have been quality starts that have reduced his ERA to 4.28 and his WHIP to 1.36.
Fantasy Diagnosis: His June ERA (.210) and WHIP (1.03) deserve your attention. It has once again been worthy of a place on the fantasy charts. His 2.04 K / BB is not very good, but as long as he produces quality outputs, he will be in line to win. However, if it starts to unravel again, don’t be patient with it.
Heath Bell: PR, San Diego Padres
True Story: A friend of mine used to work at a concession stand at one of the minor league parks where Bell played. They called Bell “Snacks” since he was always eating candy or something and would come to the stand by the bullpen and help work the grill when he got bored during the game (yes, I mean it). A little late (he’s 30), Bell’s career has really taken off in the last two seasons. In 93.2 innings last season, he had a 2.02 ERA and struck out 102. This season, he is 4-3 with a 2.02 ERA and 33 Ks.
Fantasy Diagnosis: He has blown 3 saves, but has only allowed one run in his last 14 appearances. There aren’t many middle relievers that prove to be of value in fantasy, but Bell is one of them. He has earned relief victories, strikes out batters and is next in line to close out if anything happens to Trevor Hoffman.
Aaron Laffey: SP, Cleveland Indians
His 4-4 record isn’t striking, but maybe this one does. Eight of his ten starts have been quality starts. He has a 2.98 ERA in 63.1 innings. In half of his starts, he has allowed one run or less.
Fantasy Diagnosis: Your Numbers Say It All. He doesn’t strike out many (29), but he doesn’t walk many (16). He looks a lot like his teammate Paul Byrd, only a lot more handsome.
KEEP MONITORING
Andrew Miller: SP, Florida Marlins
The Marlins wanted him from Detroit in the Cabrera and D (criticized) -Train deal for a reason. It has major league stuff. He’s shown flashes of potential all season, but he’s been horribly inconsistent. Now, in his last two starts, he has allowed 2 combined runs and has 3.00 K / BB. Not worth picking up yet.
Jeff Baker: 2B / 1B, Colorado Rockies
He is 12-30 (.400) in June with his first 3 HRs of the season. His average, OBP and SLG have increased dramatically this month. However, Clint Barmes will return next week, putting Baker, who has been playing designated hitter during interleague play, back to playing part-time.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK
Elijah Dukes: OF, Washington Nationals
Perhaps no baseball player made as much news off the field as Dukes did last season. Sorry, but there are no fantasy points for getting into fights with teammates, arguing with coaches, threatening to kill your wife, and throwing a bottle of Gatorade at a 17-year-old girl he hooked on. Now if Fantasy Thuggery existed, he and PacMan Jones would have been the final co-MVP season. Still, Dukes has been a model citizen this season and after hitting .167 in May, he’s hitting .311 in June, along with his first HR of the season and 9 RBIs. He hit 10 HRs in 52 games last year, so we know he has power. It is good to see his hot month as he is a talented young player.