Fantasy Sports 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

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

Alexei Ramirez | OF | Chicago White Sox | AL

• Ramirez is finally getting regular playing time and is certainly making the most of it. The biggest appeal may be his eligibility as he fits in at 2b, ss, and OF in most leagues. Jump on him now; he’s an awesome utility guy for your stretch run.. -FFToolbox.com
• One of the few White Sox players/staff who doesn’t have Ozzie Guillen tire marks imprinted on his back. The Cuban Missile, a favorite Noise sleeper back in March, has reached DEFCON levels with Juan Uribe slowly recuperating from a strained hamstring. -Yahoo! Sports

With the Todd Jones era on life support
in Detroit, Joel Zumaya could be closing
games by August.

Joel Zumaya | RP | Detroit Tigers | AL

• Someone might already be stashing him on the DL, but if not, definitely do it. He’s even worth stashing in leagues with five or more bench spots. There’s a decent chance he’ll be saving games by the last week of July. -The Hardball Times
• Zumaya made his first rehab stint with Class A Lakeland Tuesday and literally blew away everyone in attendance. Zumaya touched 100 mph on the radar gun, this coming after having major surgery on his pitching shoulder. If Zumaya maintains velocity in the high 90s, we should see him in the closer’s role later this summer. CBS Sports

Salomon Torres | RP | Milwaukee Brewers | NL

• While Gagne sits on the 15-day DL with shoulder problems, Torres is blowing away hitters and making skipper Ned Yost very happy. Yost said Tuesday that he is open to the idea of keeping Torres as the closer, even when Gagne returns from the disabled list. -CBS Sports
• Torres could stick at closer even when Gagne and his 6.98 ERA and 2.02 WHIP are activated. Saves are saves wherever you can get them, so make room for Torres if he’s still available in your league. -Yahoo! Sports

Alexi Casilla | 2B | Minnesota Twins | AL

• This power isn’t for real, though Casilla does have a lot of speed. He takes a good amount of walks and has spent a lot of time in the #2 spot of late, so he could score some runs as well. -The Hardball Times
• Casilla is the twelfth-ranked second baseman in Y! leagues over the past month, ahead of position monoliths Brian Roberts, Yunel Escobar and Robinson Cano. During that stretch, the scrappy two-bagger has laced a hit in 14 of 15 contests, including six multi-hit games. The Caribbean import doesn’t possess double-digit power but his significant strides in plate patience (10.3 BB%) coupled with his 25-plus steals speed and runs upside makes him a lucrative wire buy in 12-team and deeper mixed leagues. -Yahoo! Sports

Ryan Garko | 1B | Cleveland Indians | AL

• Garko is as hot as he’s been all season, raising his AVG 30 points in the first 8 days of June. However, his ownership is about the lowest it’s been all season, dipping down to about 50%. He was highly talked about 27 year old breakout candidate to start the season, so maybe this is when it starts. -FFToolbox.com
• Since being benched three times late in May due to his inadequacies versus righties (.247 BA), Garko appears to have turned a corner. In his past four contests, he’s collected 11 hits and scored six runs operating out of the cleanup spot. -Yahoo! Sports

Josh Banks | SP | San Diego Padres | NL

• In two starts this year, Banks has posted two TQS “Good” starts. Not bad at all. He has good control, but he doesn’t strike a ton of batters out or induce many ground balls. -The Hardball Times
• Banks has become San Diego’s premiere pitching sleeper. Plucked off waivers by the Padres on April 23, the former mediocre Blue Jay prospect has sparkled in his first four appearances. In his first start of the season May 31, the 25-year-old righty tossed nine brilliant innings (9 IP, 0 ER, 5:0 K:BB). -Yahoo! Sports

Mike Mussina | 1B | New York Yankees | AL

• Mike Mussina is seeing some pickups, and they aren’t completely unwarranted. He’s striking out batters at a rate lower than league average, but his excellent control is keeping his ERA respectable. -The Hardball Times
• Moose has been added to fantasy rosters largely on the strength of his nine wins, including eight in his past nine starts. -Yahoo! Sports

Chris Coste | C | Philadelphia Phillies | NL

• Coste is getting some playing time, and his skills are pretty good. A batting average above .300 is a pretty good bet, and for a catcher that is fantastic. We’re not dealing with very large sample sizes here, but given what we have, 20-25 home runs over 500 at-bats would be a good guess. -The Hardball Times
• Coste clearly seems to have the hot bat among the Philadelphia catchers. He has three homers in his last six games and is hitting .317 on the season. However, Philadelphia isn’t ready to name Coste a full-time starter. -CBS Sports

Every week, a bunch of different websites recommend a list of players from the waiver wire you should consider picking up. At SportsOverdose, we’re making it even easier for you, compiling only the common players from those lists, all of whom could be considered the best of the waiver wire picks.

Need back of the rotation help? Grab Baker and his 7.9 K/9 IP before he comes off the DL

Jesse Litsch | SP | Toronto Blue Jays | AL

• Litsch finished the month of May with a 4-0 record and a 2.08 ERA. At only 23, there will be growing pains and he’s not a dominant pitcher as evidenced by his paltry 5.3 K/9 ratio. However he’s had many impressive outings so far including a complete game shutout against the Royals on May 24th. -FFToolbox.com
• Litsch had a personal 38.2-inning streak without a walk issued end Saturday, but it also happened to be the first complete-game shutout of his career. In nine starts on the season (55.0 IP), Litsch has a 3.44 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. -Yahoo! Sports

Wandy Rodriguez | SP | Houston Astros | NL

• His first three starts of 2008 were very effective as he posted a 24/5 K/BB ratio before going on the DL. Grab him now and start him in a few weeks (especially in all home starts). -FFToolbox.com
• Wandy looked very good before getting injured this year, turning in a 9.3 K/9 and 1.93 BB/9 to go with two TQS “good” starts and another that was only “above average” because he went just five innings. -The Hardball Times

Scott Baker | SP | Minnesota Twins | AL

• Baker could be returning to the Twins rotation this week. We’ve talked about him a few times before, and if he was dropped in your league, it’s time to snatch him up. He has good control and should post a strikeout rate of at least league average, if not better. -The Hardball Times
• Baker returns from the disabled list next week and is a good pickup for AL-only leagues. He has 29 strikeouts in 33 innings (7.9 K/9 ratio) while only walking five this season. -Yahoo! Sports

Jason Bergmann | SP | Washington Nationals | NL

• Bergmann hasn’t allowed a run since being recalled from the minors, a span of 19 2/3 innings. He also has an outstanding 22 strikeouts in that time (10.1 K/9). He’s worth a flyer in mixed leagues at this point, although he has failed to be consistent in the past. -Yahoo! Sports
• Bergmann is one of the lone (true) bright spots for the Nationals’ pitching staff this year. His 9.56 K/9 and 2.25 BB/9 are very good. The Hardball Times

Bartolo Colon | SP | Boston Red Sox | AL

• A 10 win campaign is a distinct possibilty if Colon can avoid the buffet lines and the DL. Filling in for an injured Clay Buckholtz, Colon has won both of his starts and has a 2.25 ERA with an 8/3 K/BB ratio. -FFToolbox.com
• Colon was great in 2005, but has been dealing with injuries for most of the past two seasons. He’s looked sharp and his velocity is back up from where it was in 2006-07, so he deserves a look. -Yahoo! Sports

Pedro Martinez | SP | New York Mets | NL

• There’s certainly a lot of risk with Pedro, but he has the potential to be a very good fantasy starter who will help in all categories. He’ll be coming off the DL on Tuesday, and now is the time to pick him up if he’s still available. -The Hardball Times
• Martinez will return from the disabled list Tuesday. Mike Pelfrey or Claudio Vargas will lose their spot in the rotation. Martinez struck out six in six innings of a rehab assignment in Class A ball this week. -Yahoo! Sports

And lastly, one of our lead writers is a big-time Yankees fan and thought this was a pretty cool concept from Upper Deck. It’s a Yankee Stadium Legacy set that has a card for every game played at Yankee Stadium. Check it out. It is pretty cool if you are a Yankees fan or like baseball history.

Every week, a bunch of different websites recommend a list of players from the waiver wire you should consider picking up. At SportsOverdose, we’re making it even easier for you, compiling only the common players from those lists, all of whom could be considered the best of the waiver wire picks.

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Will this rookie end up being one of the
AL’s top fantasy catchers?

Jeff Clement | C | Seattle Mariners | AL

• If Clement can get enough work behind the plate to become eligible at the position (already is C eligible in CBS leagues), he has a chance to end up as one of the AL’s top fantasy catchers. -FFToolbox.com
• Clement absolutely tore apart Triple-A this year. It was his third time around and it was in a sample of just 78 at-bats, but they were 78 marvelous ones. -The Hardball Times

Jonathan Sanchez | SP | San Francisco Giants | NL

• His strikeout totals are dominant and despite being a fly ball pitcher, AT&T Park should help limit the amount of long balls he gives up. -FFToolbox.com
• He’s still not where he needs to be in terms of control, but he’s in a pitcher’s park and clearly has dominating stuff – the ratios are likely to come a bit closer to average, but you can’t complain about elite K/9 off of waivers. -Yahoo! Sports

John Lannan | SP | Washington Nationals | NL

• The Nationals’ minor league pitcher of the year in ‘07 boasts a slick-moving 90-91 mph fastball, sinking two-seamer, change and developing curve. -Yahoo! Sports
• His 4.28 BB/9 is also bad, although it was better in the minors. Not a guy you should be rushing to get. I would probably take Lieber over him. -The Hardball Times
• Anyone that can outduel John Smoltz for a win is worthy of mentioning and that’s exactly what Lannan did during Tuesday’s 6-0 win. -CBS Sports

Emil Brown | OF | Oakland Athletics | AL

• He’s currently hitting .417 with runners on and .480 with runners in scoring position. The RBIs will come down as those regress. -The Hardball Times
• Thus far in 2008, Brown is recording a RBI every 4.00 plate appearances. The A’s aren’t expecting him to slow down, but can Brown become a breakout Fantasy star at 33? -CBS Sports
• Brown has been added to fantasy rosters for one reason – he’s driven in 18 runs over the past 14 games, and his 25 on the season are good for second in the league. -Yahoo! Sports

Jair Jurrjens | SP | Atlanta Braves | NL

• The walks (3.7/9) are a concern, but his current opponent line is just .214/.292/.316 thanks in large part to a high ground-ball rate (53%). -Yahoo! Sports
• Jurrjens really should be in the minors another year. He isn’t though, so he has some fantasy value. -The Hardball Times

Ryan Doumit | C | Pittsburgh Pirates | NL

• With Adam LaRoche struggling (it’s April, after all) Doumit has been batting cleanup recently, so he’s in a pretty good position to succeed, even if it is the Pirates’ lineup. -Yahoo! Sports
• A .280-.285 average with 20-25 homers over 500 at-bats is completely within reason. -The Hardball Times

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Fausto Carmona got how much for how many years? Adam Miller hopes to be this year’s
Indian’s pitching phenomenon.

Every season there are some guys called up from the minors who end up having a major impact. In 2007 there was Ryan Braun, the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year, and Joba Chamberlain to name two. Who will it be in 2008? Here is the list that we at SportsOverdose believe have the best chance of making a major impact this season. From a fantasy standpoint these can be some of the most important pickups you make. Anyone can look on the waiver wire and see what numbers guys have been putting up, but if you manage to grab the next big impact player fresh off his call-up from the minors, then you can really add some quality depth to your roster.

Homer Bailey | SP | Cincinnati Reds | NL
Bailey appears to be on the fast track to the majors after two consecutive stellar outings for Triple-A Louisville. Considered one of the top pitching prospects in the game for a couple years now, Bailey had a chance to make the Reds rotation out of spring training. He had a disappointing spring so the Reds decided to give him a little more seasoning in the minors. Don’t be scared off by Bailey’s disappointing numbers in his 9 major league starts in 2007. Bailey has great stuff and it is only a matter of time until that translates to success in the big leagues.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia | C, 1B | Texas Rangers | AL
Expect Saltalamacchia to be called up to the majors at some point this summer. And when he does get called up you can bet he will be in the lineup everyday as the Rangers will not want to harm his development by making him a backup. Gerald Laird is currently standing in his way but Laird could be on the trade block. In 308ABs in the majors last year Saltalamacchia had 39R, 11HR and 33RBI, all very productive numbers for a catcher and unless you drafted a top notch backstop chances are Saltalamacchia will be able to help your team when he arrives in the majors.

Jay Bruce | OF | Cincinnati Reds | NL
Bruce had great numbers (521AB, 87R, 26HR, 89RBI, .319AVG) over 3 minor league levels in 2007. He did not stick with the big league club after spring training but all that is standing in his way is a declining Corey Patterson. The 21 year old OF could be called up by the Reds by mid-May if Patterson falters and/or Bruce continues his 2007 pace at the Triple-A level in 2008. Bruce has the type of talent to be a solid fantasy contributor in 2008 and provide you with a boost in your power numbers in the second half of the season.

Chase Headley | 3B, OF | San Diego Padres | NL
Headley had a great spring, but with Kevin Kouzmanoff firmly entrenched at 3B for the Padres, Headley is now learning how to play left field in the minors. As soon as he is comfortable enough in the field he should get called up to the majors. Steve Henson from Yahoo! Sports called him a dark horse candidate for ROY, so he is someone who is certainly receiving his share of hype. Headley figures to be productive when he gets the call and is basically a lock to get his chance at some point this year.

Colby Rasmus | OF | St. Louis Cardinals | NL
Rasmus is the 8th ranked prospect for 2008 by Baseball Prospectus. He has good power and decent speed (29HR and 18SB in 556AB in 2007). Keep him on your watch list as he should get an opportunity at some point this season, although the Cardinals have a good outfield so he might need an injury before this happens.

Cameron Maybin | OF | Florida Marlins | NL
Maybin is the best prospect in the Marlins system and one of the best prospects in all of baseball. He is off to a quick start at Double-A Carolina so far in 2008. It might take him a while to see the majors this year if he does at all. But with Maybin’s potential he is someone to put on your watch list in case he does get the call at some point this season.

Luke Hochevar | SP | Kansas City Royals | AL
The first overall pick of the 2006 draft started the season at Triple-A Omaha. In his last outing he went 6 innings giving up 2 hits and 6 strikeouts. Kansas City has an improved staff this year with Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke but there still figures to be room for Hochevar to get called up by the Royals at some point in the later part of the summer if he has good results at Triple-A.

Adam Miller | SP | Cleveland Indians | AL
Many expected Miller to get called up in 2007. That didn’t quite work out, mostly due in part to the emergence of Fausto Carmona, but Miller is finally healthy after being plagued by a blister problem this spring. His stuff is electric with a fastball in the upper 90s and a slider and sinker to match. He will be behind the other Indians pitchers this season but after a couple months in the minors and after he gets his pitch count up Miller is as good a candidate as any to be called up and have a significant impact on the Indians staff.

Brandon Wood | SS | Los Angeles Angels | AL
Wood struggled in his cup of coffee with the Angels in 2007 and is off to a slow start so far this season at Triple-A Salt Lake. Wood has talent, however, so expect him to turn things around at some point in 2008 and get Angels fans excited about seeing one of their best prospects in the majors at some point this season.