Waiver review: Add Wood, Lester and Gordon
Seriously, after reviewing mountains of data during the past three months, ranking and re-ranking players and watching countless hours of spring training video, we finally celebrated opening day. An early wake-up call wasn't going to deter me!
Here's the brief recap for those of you who hit the "snooze" button or had to roll into the office early this morning.
Daisuke Matsuzaka was uncharacteristically wild, walking five hitters in his five innings of work. Happily, he allowed only two hits, so owners didn't start the year with a bloated WHIP. Manny was Manny, as Ramirez rapped two two-run doubles to propel the Red Sox to victory. Jason Varitek and Huston Street receive blank stares for their performances. Varitek went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Street allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk in his 1 2/3 innings pitched. The game ended with the dynamic duo out of the Boston pen reprising their roles from 2007. Hideko Okajima pitched a scoreless ninth inning, and Jonathan Papelbon (though he scuffled with three hits, a walk and an earned run) recorded the save.
In any event, sound the horns and signal the true beginning of spring for baseball fans across the globe.
There will still be spring training games played in the next few days, and the final roster moves by major league clubs will be anxiously watched by fans and fantasy owners. Some will create waiver wire opportunities in leagues, so I'm turning my eye toward the wire for players who may have slipped under the radar in your league. I'll forego the "Drops" portion of this weekly report until we get regular season data to work with for 2008.
Obviously, owners in leagues where their colleagues are divesting themselves of players such as Josh Fields, Evan Longoria and Colby Rasmus need to be circling like sharks. This trio will be back and ready to mash before long. Additionally, I've been banging the Johnny Cueto (now the No. 3 in Cincinnati) drum for some time, so I'll skip the analysis of his prospects here.
Let's work the waiver wire for the final week of spring training, starting with the mad dash in Chicago. I'll forego the "Drops" portion of this weekly report until we get regular season data to work with for 2008.
Adds
Obviously, owners scrambled to the waiver wire to find new Cubs closer Kerry Wood. It's not his first time at the dance, so fantasy owners stayed away on draft day until Lou Piniella made the final decision. Wood's dominance this spring could not be denied, as he allowed only one earned run in his last nine outings. He's hitting the upper-90s on the radar gun, but the back spasms experienced earlier this spring do raise a red flag. Make your bid to add Wood, as the Cubs should win their share of game, but be sure to back the pick-up with the addition of strikeout meister Carlos Marmol.
If you act quickly (and your league isn't on weekly transactions), you can snag a start from Red Sox starter Jon Lester, who will get the nod in the second game of the Red Sox-A's series in Japan. Lester posted a perfect record of 4-0 with 50 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched upon returning to the Red Sox last year. He struck out 10 hitters in 12 innings of spring work, although I am slightly concerned about his high walk rate (seven this spring).
Let's flip back to Chicago for a moment. Former Cubs closer Ryan Dempster will open the season in the No. 3 slot in the rotation. We've witnessed Dempster's ability to strike out hitters in bunches in the past. However, he does sometimes struggle with his control. Dempster struck out 18 hitters in 20 2/3 spring innings. Put him on the backburner for now and watch his first couple starts. I just wanted to put him on the radar.
If you're looking for a roll of the dice at the back of your fantasy rotation, you may look to Cleveland for Cliff Lee, who won the final spot for the Tribe. Remember, Lee had won 46 games during the three-year period from 2004-06 with two 200-inning campaigns. So, wins can be had behind the high-powered Cleveland offense. Owners certainly need to approach with caution, as Lee owns a sizable 1.38 career WHIP.
I'm bringing it back. There was a time that Tom Gordon went by the name "Flash." Sing the Queen-penned theme song from the movie. Go ahead. And, if you want, I'll find the baseball card that renamed him. In any event, Gordon will begin the season in the closer role for Philadelphia as Brad Lidge recovers from a knee injury. You'll get at least a week of action, as Lidge isn't eligible to come off of the disabled list until April 5.
Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz is a player poised for a breakout season in 2008. Ruiz clubbed 37 extra-base hits in 115 games last season and posted nearly an equal number of walks and strikeouts. He also stole six bases for good measure. I'm most intrigued by his huge doubles total (29), which could translate into a spike in home run production this year. Ruiz will make for a great option for those owners who waited to fill their catcher slot in 2008.
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| Rick Ankiel had a storied return in 2007 and has looked good at the plate this spring. (J. Meric / Getty Images) |
One of the great stories from 2007 was the return to the big leagues by Rick Ankiel of the Cardinals. Ankiel hit 11 home runs and drove in 39 home runs in the outfield, and he'll be counted upon to provide major power in 2008. I'm encouraged by the fact that his strikeout rate dipped markedly this spring (seven in 68 plate appearances) after last season's struggles. Ankiel's .369 spring batting average with four home runs and 11 RBI is something to note.
Those seeking a cheap source of speed late in drafts should cast an eye in the direction of Houston speedster Michael Bourn. He swiped 18 bases in limited action for the Phillies in 2007 and will be counted on to jumpstart the Houston offense at the top of the order.
Owners have been reticent to acquire newly-named Baltimore closer George Sherrill. He excelled in the set-up role for the Mariners last year, striking out 11.04 hitters per nine innings pitched. Sherrill has the stuff to close out games, now it's just a question of Jeremy Guthrie and company to get him the ball.
I've been hyping the speed of San Francisco infielder Eugenio Velez frequently this spring after watching him in Scottsdale. Velez has been impressive on the basepaths, swiping 13 bases while batting .296 this spring. His bid for playing time improved on Monday when Kevin Frandsen sustained an Achilles' tendon on Monday. The San Francisco middle infield has been beset by a number of injuries, so this speedster might just get a chance to fly.
Another speed option flying under the radar (wow, that was witty) is Carlos Gomez of the Twins. Gomez was expected to compete for a role in the Minnesota outfield rotation following his acquisition in the Johan Santana deal. He's now the starting center fielder, and could be a great source of speed late. Gomez stole 12 bases in 58 games for the Mets last season and has already swiped 10 this spring.
Completing this speedy trifecta is Kansas City outfielder Joey Gathright, who vies for playing time once again. Gathright played well in limited action for the Royals in 2007 (.307 with nine steals in 17 attempts) and has been active on the basepaths this spring (10 thefts).
Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda is finding his stride as spring training rolls to a finish. Kuroda allowed one run and three hits in his five innings of work against the Marlins over the weekend. He's not getting the same hype afforded Matsuzaka in 2007, and fantasy owners may find a gem on the wire.
My colleague Gerrit Ritt patted himself on the back for his selection of Jack Cust at the end of our recent draft on FOXSports.com, and I have to say, I'll give him a quick nod of approval. Do I anticipate a huge run across the board from Cust in 2008? No, his huge strikeout total is going to decimate his batting average efforts, but he will be a source of great power at the end of drafts (45 extra-base hits in 395 at-bats last year).
Finally, the Rays have put together an intriguing squad for 2008. Led by James Shields and Scott Kazmir (when healthy), the pitching rotation should receive solid run support from a good, young lineup. As such, I'm looking squarely at Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine as potential breakthrough players. Garza has pitched to a 3.05 ERA this spring, and Sonnanstine closed out the season with a 5-2 record during the final six weeks of 2007 with huge strikeout potential. Those owners seeking potential spot start wins to close out the Week 2 scoring period might turn their way. The Rays play a Baltimore squad that is expected to struggle.
Good luck finding those last gems on the waiver wire as you tinker with your newly-drafted squads. It's time to take a nap in advance of the second game from Japan.
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