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2008 Sample Article: Monday Tip Sheet
Published: 6/16/08
By Greg Shea
Staff Writer, FantasyGuru.com

Rebuilding is in full motion in San Diego as the Padres will call up Chase Headley early this week. Headley was hitting .305 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 65 games for Triple-A Portland. He’ll play the outfield for the Padres and take playing time away from Jody Gerut and Paul McAnulty.

Rising

Alex Rodriguez (3B, NYY) – Rodriguez hit a three-run home run Sunday and now has five home runs and 16 RBI in the first 15 games of June.

Jacoby Ellsbury (OF, Bos) – Ellsbury’s two steals Sunday gave him 33 on the year. He has 25 of his steals since May 1.

Ryan Howard (1B, Phi) – Howard drove in four runs Sunday and has 46 RBIs since May 1. However, his average is still at .217. There’s room for growth with his batting average, but it isn’t affecting his ability to drive in runs.

Jason Isringhausen (RP, StL) – Isringhausen was activated from the disabled list Saturday and will initially pitch in middle relief. He could supplant Ryan Franklin as the team’s closer, but don’t expect that to happen in the short-term.

Darrell Rasner (SP, NYY) – Rasner is a control pitcher with a few good matchups coming up. He faces San Diego and Cincinnati this week at home, which bodes well for his success this week. He’s not a long-term pickup, but he could provide a short-term boost. Rasner has great control and has only walked six this year in 42 innings (1.3 BB/9). He has also struck out 27 for a K/9 ratio of 5.8. That’s not a great strikeout ratio, so his success long-term will be difficult.

Trot Nixon (OF, NYM) – When’s the last time you saw Trot Nixon’s name in a fantasy baseball article? After Saturday’s trade of Nixon from Arizona’s Triple-A team to the Mets, he’s suddenly a viable outfield candidate in NL-only leagues. On Sunday, he immediately paid dividends for the Mets by going 2-for-3 with two walks. Can Nixon provide any short-term value? His stats at Triple-A say yes. Nixon hit .309 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 181 at-bats at Triple-A. He’s a short-term pickup in NL-only leagues since he hasn’t hit more than 20 home runs in the majors since 2003.

Grady Sizemore (OF, Cle) – Sizemore has nine home runs in his last 16 games and 14 since May 1. Sizemore’s power is heating up in time for summer.

Hank Blalock (3B, Tex) – Blalock will begin a rehab assignment and could return to the Rangers later this week. If you’ve stashed him away on a DL spot on your roster, as I have, begin preparations to bring him back and plan on the player you may need to drop.

Falling

Micah Owings (SP, Ari) – Owings gave up seven runs in 5 1/3 innings Sunday. He’s allowed 21 earned runs in his last four starts (9.95 ERA). The sudden downfall of his year could mean an injury. For now, bench Owings if you can afford to still keep him on your team.

Roy Oswalt (SP, Hou) – Oswalt is no longer the stable stud fantasy pitcher that he always has been. He gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings Sunday to run his ERA to 5.04. Oswalt has averaged more than 200 innings per year over his eight-year career, and all those innings could be taking a toll on his effectiveness.

Jay Bruce (OF, Cin) – Bruce is now 5-for-30 in his last eight games. You’d be wise to sit him for a week until he adjusts to how pitchers are pitching him.

Brad Penny (SP, LAD) – Penny has shoulder soreness and will miss his next start and will likely head to the disabled list. If he does land on the DL, it may be time to cut him loose from your roster for the year.

Raul Ibanez (OF, Sea) – Ibanez is hitting .242 with only three home runs since May 1. He’ll also be available in a trade the closer the Mariners get to the deadline. If he’s traded, will it be for a full-time job? It’s possible that he’ll a part-time player as a fourth outfielder on a contending team. The Cubs had interest in him in the offseason, but could never work out a deal with the Mariners.

Alex Gordon (3B, KC) – Gordon is hitting .222 in June and only .248 since May 1. With only seven home runs and 30 RBIs on the year, his potential is waning and he’s become barely AL-only material at this point.

Prospecting

Charlie Morton (SP, Atl) – Morton gave up three runs in six innings of his major league debut Saturday to pick up his first win. At Triple-A this year, Morton struck out 72 in 79 innings to go with a 2.05 ERA. He’s a must pickup in NL-only leagues, but there should be some trepidation because of his season at Double-A last year, when he struggled with his control and had a 4.32 ERA. Still, he has been dominant in the minors this year and figures to be in the Atlanta rotation for at least a month while the Braves try to replace the injured John Smoltz and Tom Glavine.

Francisco Liriano (SP, Min) – Nick Blackburn had muscle soreness in his arm and may be headed to the disabled list, opening a door for Liriano’s return to the majors. Liriano struck out five and allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings Sunday for a win at Triple-A. He is ready for a return to the Twins.

Jerry Owens (OF, ChiW) – With Paul Konerko potentially heading to the disabled list, Owens could get the call this week. The White Sox may move Nick Swisher to first base and call up Owens for help in the outfield. He won’t be an everyday player in the outfield, though, and he’s probably only worth a flier in keeper leagues. At Triple-A, he’s hitting .263 with a home run, 15 RBIs and 17 steals. The 17 steals and potential speed make him worth a look if you’re desperate for an outfielder and desperate for steals.

Joel Zumaya (RP, Det) – Zumaya could come off the disabled list later this week. He still throws in the mid- to upper-90s. Todd Jones is still the closer in Detroit, but Zumaya is next in line and still might have value as a setup man.

Keep an eye on …

Ken Griffey Jr. (OF, Cin) – Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman reported that Griffey was monitoring Tampa Bay as a possible destination for a trade and stated that Griffey would waive his no-trade clause for the Rays. However, the reality is that Tampa Bay may decide that Griffey might not be worth the price. In all likelihood, he’d have to DH for the Rays.

Trade

Edinson Volquez (SP, Cin) – Volquez’s out-of-nowhere emergence has been the story of the season so far. Yet, there may be signs that he is starting to fade. The innings (88 so far) could start to catch up to him in the next month. Volquez threw 178 2/3 innings last year, 154 innings in 2006 and 138 innings in 2005. As Volquez nears the 150-inning mark, expect some bumps in the road. However, don’t be crazy if you are in a keeper league.

Trade for

Billy Wagner (RP, NYM) – Wagner saved his first game in nearly two weeks Sunday and broke a streak of three straight games with a blown save. He has five blown saves on the year. Despite the troubles over the last two weeks, Wagner still has a great strikeout ratio with 34 strikeouts in 28 innings. His ERA is still 2.25 and there aren’t better options in the Met bullpen.

Greg Shea has been playing fantasy baseball since his high school years in the late-80s. A previous FantasyGuru.com contributor earlier this decade, Shea was one of the first fantasy baseball columnists on ESPN.com. His column "Tip Sheet" debuted on that site, and now continues here at FantasyGuru.com. Shea pitched for St. Francis High School in Athol Springs, NY. He had a good curveball, but couldn't hit one to save his life, which is just one of the reasons he appreciates the game.

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