Waiver review: Claim Glaus, Olsen
Let's turn the page and get to the next month. The weather will be warmer, and maybe those bats will follow.
I turn my attention to the field for this week's waiver watch, starting in the Chicago outfield.
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Carlos Quentin of the White Sox is living up to his minor league hype. Remember, he was a top-notch power prospect in Arizona before being dealt to Ozzie Guillen's bunch. He hit .478 this week (11-for-23) with three doubles, two home runs and five RBI, showing exceptional discipline at the plate. He's suddenly become a mainstay in the Chicago lineup, hitting .312 with six home runs and 20 RBI.
Emil Brown had become a viable fantasy outfielder as a member of the Royals in 2005 and 2006. However, he slumped terribly last year before joining the A's this off-season. He's rediscovered his stroke in the Oakland lineup and ranks among the top RBI producers in the game, with 25. He's hit safely in 10 of his past 11 games, batting .326 (15-for-46) with 16 RBI. Ride him while he's hot.
Former Red Sox prospect David Murphy has found a home in Texas. He's currently tied for second on the team with 12 RBI and hit .333 this past week (8-for-24) with six RBI. He's hit only one home run, but has already slammed 11 doubles. That projects to a bigger home run total as the ball starts flying in Texas this summer.
Outfielder Adam Jones received his shot at an everyday job in Baltimore, and he's become a strong component to the first-place Orioles. He hit .296 (8-for-27) with four extra-base hits and three RBI this past week, demonstrating he's acclimating nicely to his full-time role. He's not crushing the big fly just yet, but his bat is starting to heat up. If nothing else, put him on the radar and watch his progress.
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| Troy Glaus has been hitting the ball hard, albeit not out of the park yet. (Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images) |
Owners hitting the wire to find insurance for the ailing Alex Rodriguez might take a look-see at Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus. He hasn't rediscovered his love of the longball yet, but he's rapping out doubles in buckets (11) and has already driven in 18 runs. He's not going to help in the batting average department. We know this, but there's some power production to be had.
Get out to the wire and claim Ryan Zimmerman. Fantasy owners are diving off the bandwagon in droves, giving opportunistic owners a chance to pounce on the wire. He's a slow starter, having performed miserably in each April as a member of the Nationals. He normally kicks into gear in May, so get onboard before his launch. He hit .236 in April of 2007 with one home run and eight RBI before kicking into gear, then hit .273 with 23 home runs and 83 RBI from May 1 onward.
Kansas City outfielder David DeJesus has had injury concerns through the years, but he's been a reasonably productive fantasy option when healthy. He's currently in a good spell, hitting safely in six of eight games while batting .333 (9-for-27) with one home run and six RBI.
Florida starter Scott Olsen has left his 2007 struggles in the dust, becoming one of the top young hurlers on the scene this year. He's allowed just a single earned run in his past 21 1/3 innings, striking out six hitters while walking seven. He's dropped his ERA by 2.5 runs during this three-game stretch. Although he isn't racking up strikeouts, the fact that he's allowing 5.92 hits per nine inning pitched will keep him in the win column and the good graces of fantasy owners.
I'm onboard Washington starter John Lannan bandwagon. The 6-foot-4 lefty's allowed just one earned run in his past 20 innings and carries a 19-inning scoreless streak into his next start. He struck out 18 batters against seven walks in his past three starts, surrendering just 12 hits.
Carlos Silva experienced tightness in his thigh during his past start, but he's expected to make his next start. He's been a solid find for the Mariners this season, allowing three or fewer earned runs in four of his five starts. In his past three starts, he allowed six earned runs in 21 innings (2.57 ERA) and won twice.
Nate Robertson's yet to find the win column for the Tigers, but he's pitched better of late. He remains a top-notch strikeout option, having fanned 24 batters against seven walks in 28 2/3 innings. He hasn't hit his stride yet, but he's worthy of a roster slot as you wait for the wins to follow.
Drop Candidates
Barry Zito has a bloated contract and ERA and will now take up residence in the San Francisco bullpen. I don't need to elaborate.
My man Ryan Garko's yet to find his power stroke in Cleveland. He's currently mired in a 1-for-24 funk, during which he's struck out six times with just a single RBI. I still believe he's going to turn things around and the ball will start jumping off of his bat, but it's not happening right now.
Philadelphia third baseman Pedro Feliz continues to struggle. He's homered once in his past 14 games with three RBI. He's hit just .186 (8-for-43) during this period, but it should be noted he's only struck out twice during this stretch. Perhaps some of the balls he's putting in play will eventually find holes.
Also in Philadelphia, Carlos Ruiz has been scuffling behind the plate. He's yet to homer in 64 at-bats, producing just three extra-base hits and a dismal .188 average. In fact, he's yet to record a multi-hit game. Take a look to the wire for Jeff Mathis if you gambled on Ruiz to join the power parade in Philadelphia. You'll be able to reacquire him at a later date.
Justin Germano was a popular pickup in the second week of the season following two stellar starts to open the year. However, he's struggled terribly in his past three starts, surrendering 24 hits and 19 earned runs in his past 15 1/3 innings (11.15 ERA).
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