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Fantasy Baseball Stock Watch – Jennings, Matsui, Willingham

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Desmond Jennings, OF, TB – Jennings is a much-ballyhooed prospect and a lot is expected from the youngster, just not this fast. Jennings has burst onto the scene with a .354 batting average, 3 homers, 10 RBI, 9 runs scored and 5 stolen bases in only 48 at-bats. No, he won’t keep up this pace for the rest of the season, but he will produce for your team. If you are in a keeper league and this guy is somehow still available, pounce now.

Hideki Matsui, DH, OAK – Matsui is on a tear. Godzilla is hitting .500/2/10/11 over the last two weeks and is a must have for his current hot streak. His position eligibility is tricky, but you likely don’t have a designated hitter/utility player hitting this well right now, so a pickup is warranted.

Josh Willingham, OF, OAK – Willingham was the subject of a lot of trade deadline rumors as an inexpensive and able-bodied outfielder. He’s playing a lot better than able-bodied right now, posting a .292/2/14/10 line over the last two weeks. If you need help in the outfield, this guy can surely get you what you need.

Jesus Guzman, 1B, SD – Guzman is not the player most thought would be manning first base for San Diego. But with Anthony Rizzo’s struggles and Kyle Blanks banishment to left field, Guzman has taken over and is fitting in quite well. Hitting .361/2/7/9/2 over the last two weeks makes him a guy worth considering if you need to grab a hot bat to help you with your playoff drive.

Rick Ankiel, OF, WAS – Ankiel has power, but he is also very streaky. He’s in the middle of one of his hot streaks, so now is your chance. Over the last two weeks, Ankiel has hit .308/3/10/9 so ride out the hot streak while the getting is good, but always be ready to cut bait quickly with Ankiel as the hot streak will come to a screeching halt.

Mike Carp, OF, SEA – Another prospect with hype, Carp has a bright future. But the future isn’t now and this hot streak will not last. You can enjoy the hot streak that he produced .348/2/13/6 over the last two weeks, but just know that it will likely end soon.

 
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Pedro Alvarez, 3B, PIT – Alvarez came into 2011 with much anticipation that this would be his breakthrough season. After struggling at the plate and with injuries, this is mostly a lost season for the future star. The last two weeks have been a lot of the same for Alvarez’s season, hitting .222/3/1/4. Third base is a very thin position, but this guy isn’t your answer right now.

Aaron Hill, 2B, TOR – Hill’s 2010 was a washout due to injuries and many were expecting the power and average to return. Instead, he has flashed speed unseen in his big league career, but little else of quality from a likely early-to-mid round draft pick. The last two weeks have been very trying for Hill owners as he has gone .231/1/1/4/0. Owners can live with the putrid average as long as he’s producing in the other categories, but that isn’t the case right now. It may be time to look for a replacement.

Bobby Abreu, OF, LAA – Abreu is showing his age as the bat is slowing down. His last two weeks have produced .150/1/4/5/1 and the season hasn’t been a heck of a lot better. Though he has had a strong career, the sun is setting and he’s probably not worth a roster spot in the future.

Gordon Beckham, 2B, CWS – Like most of the White Sox team, Beckham has struggled all season. The last two weeks have been especially disappointing as he has hit .200/1/1/2. This guy has a lot of talent and plays a thin position, but he just hasn’t produced.

Fantasy Baseball Stock Watch – Cozart, Betemit, Willis, Hughes

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As the baseball season nears the trading deadline, let’s look back at what is trending with the moves that have already been made and recent callups. Several players have newfound playing time while others find their playing time squeezed. This isn’t as much about who the best players are, but who is the best players are right now, which can be the difference between lowering your ratios a few extra points or grabbing a few extra strikeouts now since they might be hard to come by in September.

 
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Zack Cozart, SS, CIN – The much-ballyhooed prospect finally got his shot. Of course, it helps that Edgar Renteria and Paul Janish have sucked so bad that the Reds are willing to give the kid all the rope he needs. In his first nine games in the bigs Cozart is hitting .333 with a homer and 2 RBI. He’s not going to be a huge offensive force, but is definitely worth owning if you need middle infield help.

Wilson Betemit, 3B, DET – With Brandon Inge sucking, the Tigers needed a hitter for their playoff run. They traded for a solid hitter in Betemit, who was quickly losing at-bats to uber-prospect Mike Moustakas. You won’t get a lot from Betemit, but he is a very solid player who won’t hurt your batting average and will provide some runs and ribbies. With the thin state at the hot corner, Betemit is more than a capable replacement.

Dontrelle Willis, SP, CIN – Willis has found his way back to the majors and is looking good early. With two starts under his belt, Dontrelle has an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 1.31. His FIP is 2.68 and his xFIP is 3.12, meaning he is actually pitching better than his 3.38 ERA suggests. Don’t look for the D-Train of his early Marlin years, but a solid starter with a good offense backing him should result in a benefit to your team.

Phil Hughes, SP, NYY – Hughes is back up and looks healthy. His average fastball is back up over 90 MPH and his new curveball is giving him more confidence. He may not ever live up to the hype of his days as a prospect, but he is a solid starter for the time being and remember that he has the Yankees offense backing him up.

Brandon Belt, 1B/OF, SF – Belt is back in San Francisco and with Aubrey Huff struggling at the plate and with injuries, Belt will get the chance to show he’s ready to stay. He may not be ready for the breakthrough to stardom, but Belt is ready to give you solid production.

Kyle Blanks, 1B/OF, SD – Blanks is being called up after Anthony Rizzo flopped. Blanks raked at triple-A Tuscon to the tune of .351/11/35. He missed most of 2010 while recovering from an injury, but hit 10 homers and nine doubles in only 148 at-bats with the Padres in 2009. The man has power, though your average might suffer as the batting average seems very unsustainable. If you need a power surge, this is might be your man.

 
Stock Down

Jeff Keppinger, 2B, SF – The move to San Francisco brings a lot of question marks to the remainder of Keppinger’s 2011 season. There isn’t a full time position open to him, so he may be a super-utility player. Also, the Giants offense is less productive than the Houston offense and his new home park is less hitter friendly than his old Houston home. In the end, he probably found himself in a worse situation from a fantasy standpoint.

Jose Altuve, 2B, HOU – With the Keppinger trade, the Houston 2B position was opened for Altuve, a guy with a good batting eye and a little speed. He will likely struggle as he only has 36 games above the single-A level, but he might be useful down the road if you have a spot on your bench of your dynasty team for a few years.

Cody Ransom, SS, ARI – The main beneficiary of Stephen Drew’s broken ankle, Ransom will finally get a chance to start at the Major League level. There’s a reason that a 35 year old hasn’t had a chance to start full time and that’s because he’s not very good. Yes, he mashed triple-A, but this ain’t the Pacific Coast League. Don’t go here unless you are truly desperate for a warm body.

Brandon Inge, 3B, DET – What more do you need to know other than Inge was sent down to triple-A even though he has 10-and-5 rights. He wants to be a Tiger lifer, even if it means little to no MLB at-bats. Cut bait.

Fantasy Baseball Stock Watch – Francoeur, Bay, Sandoval, Cuddyer

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Jeff Francoeur, OF, KC – Jeff Francoeur made an appearance here earlier in the season and his renaissance season continues. No, he’s not putting up big numbers like he did in his first few seasons in the league, but he’s earning his pay. Over the last two weeks Frenchy is hitting .318 with three home runs, and 12 RBI while scoring 10 runs and even stealing four bases. There is no way he will continue at this level, but if he can contribute in all five categories, he’s well worth rostering to start the second half.

Jason Bay, OF, NYM – Ever since signing his mega-deal with the Mets, Bay has been a bust with underwhelming play mixed in with a lot of time off due to injuries. Over the last two weeks, he’s put up .326/3/13/8/2. There’s no telling how long this will continue, so enjoy the ride.

Pablo Sandoval, 1B/3B, SF – Sandoval got off to a quick start to his career with a nice splash in 2008 and a big rookie campaign in 2009, but he struggled mightily in 2010 and was often benched during last season’s playoffs since his bat was allergic to baseballs. Panda is a streaky player and he is in the middle of one of those hot streaks right now (.351/3/12/8/1), so grab him and go with it.

Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL – Freeman isn’t supposed to have a lot of homer power, so the five dingers over the last two weeks is a bit of a surprise. Still, that kind of hot streak is something worth a look to see if it can help your fantasy team before he comes back down to reality.

Danny Valencia, 3B, MIN – Valencia is more of a glove-man at the hot corner than a big stick, but with all the injuries you might be stuck with a try at anyone available. A solid average with no power is the expectation here, but the three homers and 12 RBI over the last two weeks are a great boost to your team. See if this can continue past the break if you are in need of help.

Michael Cuddyer, 1B/2B/3B/OF, MIN – The Twins as a team have been hot, so it is not surprising to see another player on this list. Cuddyer’s position flexibility is reason enough to roster him, but the hot streak is reason to start him anywhere you have an opening. Over the last two weeks, Cuddyer has posted .316/3/10/8 and this is the kind of help that can get you through the tough injuries or cold streaks during a long season.

Dan Uggla, 2B, ATL – Uggla’s average is ugly, but this guy’s game is power. His average may never be what you want, but he’s hit four homers and 10 ribbies over the last two weeks, so ride the power surge as he looks to be figuring it out right now.

 
Stock Down

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, WAS – Zimmerman missed more than two months due to injury and still doesn’t seem to be back to full strength. He’s hitting .229/2/7/3 over the last two weeks, so sit him if you have a better option and hope for better results after some rest during the All Star Break.

Kevin Youkilis, 1B/3B, BOS – Youkilis is also struggling right now to the tune of .258/1/5/4 despite the rest of the Red Sox crushing it. In the middle of a high powered offense like the BoSox, he’s likely to catch the fever too, so hang on to him and play him unless you have a much better option to start until Youk gets hot again.

Adam Dunn, 1B, CWS – If you haven’t already done so, cut bait on Dunn. His bat has been awful and doesn’t look to recover.

Derek Jeter, SS, NYY – The excitement of watching just the 23rd player in baseball history get to 3,000 hits is big stuff, but watching Jeter get there is painful. First we had to wait through the injury, now the anemic performances. He’s just 3-for-13 since his return and hopefully you’ve got someone else to play until after the break.

Rickie Weeks, 2B, MIL – Weeks is currently struggling (.170/1/2/8/0) and has been wrangled into the Home Run Derby during the All Star festivities. This event is usually detrimental to a player’s game swing for some time after the event, so finding a place on your bench for Weeks over the next few weeks might be a good decision.