Projo Fantasy Sports Blog

By David Ferris

I don't know about you, but I really wanted to see J.D. Drew and David Wright pitch Tuesday night. I'm also jonesing for some real baseball to watch and talk about, so let's rip open the notebook and take note of some movement in the stock market.

Pitchers

BUY

Jonathan Broxton, RP, Dodgers: He's got the power package you look for in a closer (mid-90s heat, hard sinker, good slider, better than one strikeout per inning), and the Dodgers will cede him the ninth inning now that Takashi Saito (elbow) is on the shelf for at least six weeks. Does Broxton have the guile to get by when the stakes are highest? We're about to find out, but I wouldn't bet against him.

Chris Volstad, SP, Marlins: His electric first start in LA caught everyone's eye (8.2 innings, five hits, one run, one walk, six strikeouts), and while young pitching is far from the most reliable stock, Volstad does have a pedigree to take note of (he was the 16th overall pick three years ago). Let's see what the 6-7 righty can do working in Florida's spacious home park.

SELL

Jon Rauch, RP, Nationals: He's been super as Washington's ninth-inning man, a fact that hasn't been lost on the rest of the league; the Nats are getting daily calls about the 6-7 reliever. There's probably a better than 50-50 shot that Rauch will be pitching in middle relief for a contender by the beginning of next month.

HOLD

Mike Pelfrey, SP, Mets: The light bulb has gone on over the last two months (6-0, 2.26 E.R.A.), as the young righty is keeping the ball on the ground and in the park (no homers), and even kicking in a few more strikeouts. Working in a big park with a surging club behind you.... Sounds like a good setup to us.

Hitters

BUY

Shane Victorino, OF, Phillies: He's offering a little bit of everything this month (.315, three homers, two steals), and keep in mind he's most often sandwiched between Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley in the dangerous Philadelphia lineup. Yahtzee. Victorino is one of the most underrated outfielders in the fantasy game right now, a five-category contributor who's for some reason under the radar.

SELL

Dan Uggla, 2B, Marlins: Obviously his New York experience was a train wreck (three errors, three strikeouts, six LOB), and his last 32 games that count haven't been all that special either (.237/.336/.466, 43 strikeouts). Does Uggla have the short memory required to get back on track here? You might want to think about selling after his next homer or two.

Skip Schumaker, OF, Cardinals: He's in a .226 rut this month and lineup-jockeying Tony LaRussa hasn't been using him every day. That equals a sell ticket in mixed leagues; you need someone in the mix each and every night.

HOLD

Lance Berkman, OF, Astros: It's hard to expect him to keep that ridiculous .347/.443/.653 line cooking all season, but even if some of the hits stop falling in, Berkman should be a treat to fantasy owners. He's decided to become aggressive on the bases at age 32, picking up 15 bags in 17 attempts, and with 56 walks against 61 strikeouts, the batting average doesn't look like a fluke at all. Don't write off Berkman as a Minute Maid Myth, either -- he's carrying a 1.019 OPS and 11 homers on the road.

 Tags  baseball Chris Volstad Dan Uggla David Ferris Jon Rauch Jonathan Broxton Lance Berkman Mike Pelfrey NL Stock Watch Shane Victorino Skip Schumaker

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