Fantasy baseball is a game of relative value, especially when it comes to finding sleepers. Take Travis Hafner and Yuniesky Betancourt, two guys that are basically good for 15 home runs per year if healthy. If you’re grabbing them on a hot streak and riding it as long as you can, that’s fine. If you’re expecting Travis Hafner to match his 2006 home run total or Betancourt to outdo anything he’s ever done you’re asking for disappointment. Let’s take a look at a few guys worth taking a chance on and some who have overstayed their welcome in fantasy relevance.
Buy:
Dayan Viciedo: Strong Buy. I continue to include him in just about every article because Viciedo is arguably the most under-owned hitter in fantasy right now. Fully recovered from his earlier injury, Viciedo now has a .288 BA, four home runs, and 11 runs batted in through 19 games with two of those homers coming in his last two games. This guy hits home runs and will likely match his 25 homers from last year, there’s no reason to leave a 24-year-old power hitting outfielder out there for the competition.
Lorenzo Cain: Solid Buy. Everyone was hoping for big things from Cain this season and he’s gotten it going, adding six runs batted in, two steals, and four runs in his last four games. On the season he is batting a very good looking .323 with 22 RBI, 21 R, and six steals. While he only has one home run he looks like a good candidate to help in each of the other four categories.
Kenley Jansen: Speculative Buy. While it’s not official, the inevitable return to the closer role for Jansen seems likely with Brandon League struggling. Jansen is not simply a good pickup because he’s likely sliding into the closer role, he puts up crazy numbers every season. His 2.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 12.2 K/9 are right along his career average of 2.21 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 14.3 K/9. He’s going to be an Aroldis Chapman-like help in every category, not just saves.
Ubaldo Jimenez: Cautious Buy. The last time I stupidly wrote it might be worth taking a shot at Ubaldo he gave up seven runs in back-to-back games. I’m stupidly writing it again but with just three runs allowed vs. 16 strikeouts over his last two games it’s hard not to wonder what he can do over a full season. Taking away the 14 runs he gave up in early April to the Yanks and Boston, he’s only given up eight runs in 29 innings while putting up a very strong 8.8 K/9. Even with those starts, his WHIP is a passable 1.20 as he’s only giving up 6.6 H/9. It’s dangerous but he may be worth taking a shot on.
Jorge De La Rosa: Solid Buy. Jorge continues to perform and with seven strikeouts in a scoreless outing against the Cards he becomes an even more intriguing pickup. The strikeouts likely won’t return to his career average of 7.8/9 (currently 5.6/9) but he hasn’t given up a single run in four of his eight starts this season and has given up more than three runs just twice. He’s keeping the ball in the park and giving up very few baserunners when at his best. While picking up Ubaldo is risky, De La Rosa is a low-4.00 ERA pitcher at worst so there’s plenty upside to little downside.
Sell:
Phil Hughes/Ryan Vogelsong: If you added their ERAs, you’d be pretty close to 14.00. With both pitchers giving up about 2 HR/9 and about 12 H/9, there just isn’t enough potential reward in keeping either of them. Vogelsong is liable to lose his job and Hughes would be too if the Yankees had anyone else remotely worth plugging in. Just cut your losses and pick up Jorge De La Rosa.
Yuniesky Betancourt: He was picked up in most leagues after posting a .279 BA, seven home runs, and 22 RBI in his first 25 games. In 12 games since, he is batting just .156 with one home run and two runs batted in. He’s a 15 home run guy at best and with eight in the books he simply has a diminished value the rest of the season.
Scott Kazmir: He had a nice little stretch, giving up two runs or less to Kansas City, Minnesota, and Oakland but count me off the Kazmir bandwagon. While I appreciate a 9.9 K/9 rate as much as the next guy, the injuries and lack of a sub-4.90 ERA since 2008 simply don’t make for a reliable fantasy pickup. If you really need strikeouts that badly I guess he’s an option but expect your ERA (5.33 on the season) and WHIP (1.46 on the season, 1.41 over his career) to suffer.
Travis Hafner: This is what we call the normalization period for Travis Hafner. Even Hafner at his best could not sustain his six home runs and .309 BA through 19 games pace. Since April 27, Hafner is batting just .195 with no home runs and four RBI. As a guy who hasn’t hit more than 16 home runs since 2007, I don’t see how he will top that number in 2013.
Junichi Tazawa: Tazawa has not fit into the closer job well, giving up a run in each of his last two games and being tagged with the loss last Saturday. He hasn’t pitched since and with Andrew Bailey slated to return by Monday you may as well just drop him and clear a roster spot.
