Daimond market: Closers falling by wayside
by Tim Heaney, KFFL
KFFL: Over a dozen expert league championships — a proven source of player news and fantasy content.
Key
Stash - Hold player if roster space is available; consider dropping if trend continues
Hold - Do not drop player (in most circumstances)
Catchers
Kurt Suzuki, Oakland
Apparently, a recent five-game hit streak wasn't enough for owners to hang onto Suzuki, who has four RBI in his last 10 games. He's hitless in his last 16 at-bats, and his average has dropped 33 points to .255 since the calendar flipped to May. He's hit leadoff for the majority of the season, but has recorded a .209 clip in 86 at-bats from that spot. He isn't displaying the power he showed with just seven home runs in 213 at-bats last season. Shallow leaguers can forget about waiting for that outburst and cut him for a catcher with more offensive promise.
Shallow mixed: Discard
Deep mixed: Stash
AL-only: Hold
Third Basemen
Chone Figgins, Los Angeles Angels
The Angels put an end to the waiting and placed Figgins (hamstring) on the disabled list Sunday, because of his lingering hamstring injury. He hadn't suited up since leaving the Angels' contest May 3, when he aggravated a strain that reportedly had been bothering him since April 11. Even though his leg had been hampering him, he'd stolen a base in each of his four games before hitting the sidelines. He's been dropped in many shallow leagues - an unsound strategy given how much he helps in the stolen base and average categories. He was placed on the DL retroactive to May 4, so depending on how he heals, he could return within the next week. Use a DL spot on the speedy stud.
Shallow mixed: Hold
Deep mixed: Hold
AL-only: Hold
Shortstops
Jed Lowrie, Boston
Not even a .310 average and seven RBI in 42 at-bats could keep Lowrie from being sent back to Triple-A Pawtucket upon the return of infielder Alex Cora from the DL. The unknown health of Julio Lugo (concussion) forced the Sox to hold him on a roster spot, making Lowrie expendable. He was mired in a 0-for-10 stretch before going 3-for-4 with his first career home run May 10. He had some legitimate value in AL-only leagues as a middle infielder, and he wasn't really on the watch list in any other formats.
Shallow mixed: Discard
Deep mixed: Discard
AL-only: Stash
Outfielders
Vernon Wells, Toronto
Wells (wrist) fractured his left wrist while attempting to make a catch in center field and is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks. He's been one of the few steady parts of the Jays offense, as he was riding an eight-game hit streak before his injury. He's been performing well while trying to rebound from a disappointing 2007 campaign, clubbing five homers with 24 RBI. This is another case of hanging onto a star, but shallow leaguers are jettisoning him. He has 30-homer potential when healthy, so this trend is a bit rash.
Shallow mixed: Hold
Deep mixed: Hold
AL-only: Hold
Gary Matthews Jr., Los Angeles Angels
After starting May with four RBI in his first three games, Matthews hasn't plated a run in his last six games and is currently hitting .213. He already has 36 strikeouts, with nine strikeouts already this month. Since holding a .266 average April 24, he's been on a near freefall to his current .213 stat. For his career, he's hit .236 in April and .275 in May, so he could wake up a bit in the coming months. However, until he shows signs of life, he probably doesn't have much place in shallow leagues at this point unless you're extremely thin in the outfield.
Shallow mixed: Stash
Deep mixed: Stash
AL-only: Hold
Eric Hinske, Tampa Bay
The return of designated hitter/outfielder Cliff Floyd from the disabled list prompted Hinske to be cut loose en masse by fantasy owners, but it looks like the Rays will be making an effort to keep him in the lineup. He'll likely man right field almost full time now that Floyd's expected to be exclusively used as a designated hitter. A solo home run May 6 has been the only tally Hinske's plated this month. That's not a strong case for owning him, though. However, deep league managers could use someone with outfield and first base eligibility who, for the most part, has hit in the middle of a maturing lineup. Keep him around if you need his versatility.
Shallow mixed: Discard
Deep mixed: Stash
AL-only: Hold
Starting Pitchers
Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox
Some owners dropped Floyd after his May 11 outing in which he allowed five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the offensively challenged Mariners. True, three of his last four outings have seen him allow at least three runs (including two five-run disasters), and his ratio of 19 strikeouts to 20 walks for the season doesn't scream dominance. He's walked at least three batters in four of his seven outings on the year. Still, his latest slip-ups have tempered his ERA to a whopping 3.32 and his WHIP to 1.13, and he's allowed more than five hits in an outing twice this year. We don't expect him to repeat his pace at the beginning of the season, but it's too soon to completely give up on the former Phillies prospect. He can still round out shallow squads, so don't be too quick to give up on him.
Shallow mixed: Hold
Deep mixed: Hold
AL-only: Hold
Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati
Formerly a hot pickup early in the season, Cueto's penned another volume for the "What have you done for me lately?" series. After allowing two earned runs or less in three of his first four starts, the 22-year-old's been knocked back to Earth by allowing a combined 20 earned runs in his last 19 1/3 innings (four starts), including a six-run fiasco against the Mets on May 11. He's shown his inexperience by allowing nine home runs in just 45 2/3 innings this season. He has a 9.16 ERA away from Great American Ball Park, with his two six-run efforts coming on the road. At this rate, you might want to treat him like the 2007 version of Ervin Santana. Pitch him with more confidence at home and be selective for his road outings. Shallow leaguers could justifiably drop him given his penchant for gopher balls.
Shallow mixed: Stash
Deep mixed: Hold
NL-only: Hold
Jonathan Sanchez, San Francisco
Sanchez has tumbled in three starts since his eight-inning, 10-strikeout performance April 25. Since then, he's pitched just 14 1/3 innings in three starts while combining for 10 strikeouts and a ghastly 13 walks. Fantasy owners shouldn't dismiss the 12 earned runs he's allowed during that time. His poison has mostly come from the free passes as opponents are hitting just .234 against him. He's too erratic at this point to hang onto in shallow formats, but he's flashed signs of brilliance with two double-digit strikeout performances. You might not get him back if you drop him, so proceed wisely.
Shallow mixed: Discard
Deep mixed: Stash
NL-only: Hold
Sidney Ponson, Texas
Ponson was heavily discarded after his May 11 outing in which he gave up six earned runs and walked five in 5 1/3 innings. This stinker quickly erased memories of his three consecutive outings where he allowed one earned run in each. He didn't factor into the decision, but it might be time to jump off his fantasy train before he wrecks your ratios. A career 4.91 ERA doesn't exude much confidence in the right-hander. It's time to find a more reliable option in mixed setups.
Shallow mixed: Discard
Deep mixed: Discard
AL-only: Stash
Relief Pitchers
Eric Gagne, Milwaukee
The wheels finally came off after a postgame meltdown from Gagne prompted manager Ned Yost to make a change allowing the unstable right-hander a breather. A loss in a non-save situation May 10 was the final straw, and even Gagne himself said he didn't deserve to hold the ninth-inning role. This time, overuse wasn't the problem for him, as he's allowed four earned runs in his last two innings. A league-high five blown saves took the luster out of his nine conversions. Yost will turn to a closer-by-committee setup that includes relievers Salomon Torres, David Riske and Guillermo Mota. However, dropping Gagne in any league would be risky unless your team is comfortable in saves. The erratic Canadian could return to the role later on in the season, so the best thing to do is tuck him away for the time being until he regains confidence in late-inning work.
Shallow mixed: Hold
Deep mixed: Hold
NL-only: Hold
Jason Isringhausen, St. Louis
Before Gagne's much anticipated dismissal, Izzy was given the hook in order to rectify his struggles. He'd blown four save attempts in his last seven opportunities while giving up a combined eight earned runs. La Russa said right-hander Ryan Franklin will be the main guy with Russ Springer and Randy Flores mixed in. Like Gagne, Isringhausen shouldn't be discarded, because those three have little experience closing. If you have the room, grab Franklin while still hanging onto the displaced Isringhausen in order to handcuff this situation.
Shallow mixed: Hold
Deep mixed: Hold
NL-only: Hold
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