Fantasy Baseball 2008

This week’s most recommended Waiver Wire pickups from the best fantasy sources on the web.

UTsports.com/Elizabeth Olivier

San Diego’s version of Jay Bruce is ready
for your fantasy team.

Chase Headley | OF | San Diego Padres | NL

• His contact rates have been around 75 percent, but he has put up some high BABIPs and hits a lot of line drives. He’s got decent power and should be a help to a lot of owners. Just don’t expect him to dominate right away, especially if he bats at the bottom of the order. -The Hardball Times
• Blessed with lightning quick hands, prodigious 30-homer power and a sweet stroke, the 24-year-old switch-hitter could take the NL West, and fantasy leagues, by storm. In 259 at-bats with the Beavers, the uber-confident rookie notched a .305 BA with 13 HR (HR per 19.9 at-bats), 40 RBI and 34 extra-base hits. Yahoo! Sports

Charlie Morton | SP | Atlanta Braves | NL

• Morton will be filling in for Tom Glavine, who will be out until the All-Star break, and he is a very intriguing guy. He put up a 8.2 K/9 and a 3.1 BB/9 to go with a 58 percent ground ball rate in Triple-A this year. -The Hardball Times
• One of the Braves’ top prospects, Morton has never pitched in the majors, but he has dominated with Triple-A Richmond this year. In 12 starts, Morton compiled a 5-2 record while limiting opposing hitters to a .181 batting average . He posted a very impressive 2.05 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 79 innings. -FFToolbox.com

Brandon Morrow | RP | Seattle Mariners | AL

• With J.J. Putz hitting the DL, Morrow becomes the closer in his place. Morrow has had control troubles in the past, but he’s walking just 3.5 batters per nine in 18 innings this year and striking out 12.5. Morrow needs to be owned until Putz returns and can even be owned in certain leagues after that with all the struggles Putz has had this year. -The Hardball Times
• We don’t have another source for Morrow but if he is still available in your league you need to own Morrow immediately. He will provide you saves in the short term while Putz is on the shelf and maybe longer and there is always the chance Putz continues to struggle and the Mariners keep Morrow in the closer role. He is similar to Joba Chamberlain in that the Mariners view Morrow as a future starter so there is also the chance he gets moved the rotation later in the year. Either way Morrow is someone with too much upside to not be on a roster right now and you can follow all the Putz injury news and Morrow status information on our Mariners page.

Manny Parra | SP | Milwaukee Brewers | NL

• In his last seven games, Parra has posted a 7.65 K/9 and a 3.38 BB/9. A lot of rookies do better in the second half of their rookie years, and it looks as though Parra could be coming on. -The Hardball Times
• The left-hander is on the verge of living up to his potential. In five of his last seven starts, he has allowed three or fewer earned runs. In four of those starts it has been one or zero runs. He does his best work at home — where he will have two starts in Fantasy Week 12 (June 16-22). Parra is 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA in seven home starts in 2008. -CBS Sports

Jeff Keppinger | SS/3B | Cincinatti Reds | NL

• Keppinger could return at the end of this week, and he definitely has value for a lot teams. He doesn’t have a whole lot of power or speed, but he will hit over .300 and could score runs if he gets a chance to hit second as replacement Paul Janish has the past five games. -The Hardball Times
• If his sparkling trends collected over his first 148 at-bats – 93.4 CT%, 19.1 LD% and 55.3 GB% – are rekindled upon his return, the Reds shortstop will undoubtedly tally a .300-plus batting average. Toss in low double-digit power and the ability to steal 5-10 bases and Keppinger suddenly looks like a poor man’s version of Michael Young. -Yahoo! Sports