A quick look at last week’s Fantasy Baseball top performing and least owned players on the waiver wire. Jonathan Niese and Ted Lilly throw a 1 hitter. Aubrey Huff and Gaby Sanchez hit two dingers each. Can they really keep it up for another week? Check out who’s a Must or a Bust.
BATTERS
Sean Rodriguez – 9% of Y! Leagues
5 R / 2 HRS / 5 RBI / .478 BA
I really like what we’re seeing from this kid. Riding a 14 game hitting streak, he’s boosted his average from a measly .245 to respectable .288. He even had a nine game tear of one run per game. We’ll see exactly how good Rodriguez is in the next few weeks, but if he’s gonna do it anywhere it will be on the hard hitting Rays.
Gaby Sanchez – 7% of Y! Leagues
5 R / 3 HRS / 7 RBI / .409 BA
A big guy who can hit for power that is owned in under 10 percent of leagues? Slightly larger than Cody Ross, we may have a winner on our hands.
Ryan Spilborghs – 1% of Y! Leagues
5 R / 3 HRS / 3 RBI / .625 BA
Well we all know that playing in Colorado always produces big numbers, but not for a part-time player. He’s got real competition in the OF with CarGo and Hawpe but if Smith doesn’t produce Spillborghs could see increased time. Good numbers for the week but let’s not get crazy here.
Brennan Boesch – 36% of Y! Leagues
5 R / 3 HRS / 5 RBI / 1 SB / .360 BA
A fantastic start for a fantastic rookie. The average, homers and RBIs are all there. Only category that is low is the runs, but they will come.
Aubrey Huff – 30% of Y! Leagues
5 R / 3 HRS / 7 RBI / .348 BA
Huff is starting to heat up and must I remind you that we are only one year removed from 32 homers? Six of his 10 dingers have come in the last month. The potential is absolutely there.
Erick Aybar – 46% of Y! Leagues
6 R / 3 RBI / 2 SB / .419 BA
Switching to the leadoff spot has turned things around for Aybar. Aybar won’t ever get you homers or RBIs but if you lack runs and stolen bases he’s your guy. Aybar already has 11 stolen bases—he had 14 in twice as many at bats in ’09. Twelve multi-hit games in the past month too.
Garrett Jones – 55% of Y! Leagues
4 R / 2 HRS / 4 RBI / 2 SB / .333 BA
Jones grabbed everyone’s attention last year with monster numbers in half a season. The beginning of this year hasn’t been all-star worthy but he’s started to heat up again. In the past 12 games, Jones has seven multi-hit games and five homers. He’s also raised his average 39 points in the last month.
PITCHERS
Ted Lilly – 51% of Y! Leagues
16 IP / 1 W / 11 K / 0.56 ERA / 0.38 WHIP
What a week for Lilly! First a four hitter, one run game against Milwaukee, and then a shutout, one hitter against the White Sox. The wins have been few and far between but can you really blame a pitcher with a sub-3.00 ERA? Eight quality starts out 10. He is a MUST in all leagues right now.
Jason Hammel – 9% of Y! Leagues
15.1 IP / 2 W / 9 K / 0.00 ERA / 0.98 WHIP
Hammel is on a lot of people’s watch lists as a break through for 2010. He has put the groin injury behind him and dominated the past two starts, giving up zero runs and only three runs in the past four. (for more detailed numbers see Tommy Landry’s take—The Fantasy Fix Roundtable: Post All-Star Break Targets).
Jonathon Niese – 9% of Y! Leagues
9 IP / 1 W / 6 K / 0.00 ERA / 0.11 WHIP
Santana seriously needed the backup after getting absolutely nothing from Perez and Maine, so Niese and Pelfrey have stepped it up. A one hitter against San Diego has him on everyone’s watch list…is another dominant game in order against the lowly Indians? Couldn’t pick a better team to follow up against!
Justin Masterson – 7% of Y! Leagues
9 IP / 1 W / 6 K / 0.00 ERA / 0.44 WHIP
The potential is certainly there and his last game against his former team sure was magical (CG, two hits). My only concern is that Masterson has only pitched over seven innings twice this year. Batters are hitting .287 against him and he has a crazy high WHIP (1.64). I won’t say his last game was a fluke but I will need a bunch more quality starts to get on this train.
Wade LeBlanc – 11% of Y! Leagues
13IP / 2 W / 6 K / 0.69 ERA / 1.15 WHIP
After four straight losses, Wad has turned it around the last two only giving up one run in 13 innings. The Padres pitching this year has been outstanding, and LeBlanc is right there in the mix. A high WHIP but a low ERA, keeps me with a watchful eye.
Joel Piñeiro – 25% of Y! Leagues
9 IP / 1 W / 7 K / 1.00 ERA / 0.67 WHIP
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Pineiro is a ROLLERCOASTER! He pitches one good game he gives up six runs the next. He pitches two great games, he give up nine the next. I don’t have the stomach for him. As many weeks that he will win for you, he will single-handedly lose the rest. Someday, Joel, someday.
Gavin Floyd – 51% of Y! Leagues
14 IP / 1 W / 17 K / 1.29 ERA / 1.00 WHIP
2008 may be the best we will ever get from Floyd, but there is a reason why he was the Phillies first round pick. He has amazing control and can win a game without dominating the batters. Two solid starts in row hopefully has Floyd back on track. Higher owned, but still worth taking a peek to see if he’s out there.
Is Niese the real deal? Will Lilly keep it up?
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