Projo Fantasy Sports Blog

By David Ferris

Every day is deadline day in the fantasy world, as player values are constantly fluctuating, and it's important to be one step ahead of your rivals. Here's a peek at our clipboard as we bone up for the final third of the season.

Pitchers

BUY

Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Rockies: He's pounding the strike zone and keeping the ball in the park of late, two big keys with the young righty. Throw in improved command and smoother mechanics and you understand why Jimenez has been so effective over his last 10 starts (six wins, 2.07 ERA, .595 OPS against). Don't let the home park throw you here; Jimenez is a viable option even in mixed leagues for the final third of the season.

Chris Volstad, SP, Marlins: He's had one outstanding turn and two good ones since he joined the Florida rotation two weeks ago, and the Fish don't have any intention of putting the highly regarded 21-year-old on the sidelines now. Volstad should strike out just enough batters to be relevant for 5x5 owners, and the roomy-park environment of the NL East (save for Philadelphia) is another feather in his cap. Florida made a direct hit when they tabbed the big righty with the 16th overall pick in the 2005 draft.

SELL

Tim Hudson, SP, Braves: He's done for the year and probably headed for elbow surgery, which kills his keeper value for 2009. Anytime you see a pitcher consulting with noted Dr. James Andrews in Alabama, you know bad news is on the doorstep. It's been a lost summer in Atlanta, too, given how things played out with John Smoltz, Jeff Francoeur, and now, with Chipper Jones.

Tyler Yates, RP, Pirates: His control problems are a terrible fit for the ninth inning, but he got a save this week and stands atop the closer committee in Pittsburgh, so maybe you can flip Yates to a team desperate for one category. Keep in mind Matt Capps might be back in the mix before the end of August.

HOLD

Jonathan Broxton, RP, Dodgers: He's always had the stuff to close, and the moxie; he just needed an opportunity. Broxton has run with the job since Takashi Saito went down, converting five straight save chances and making radar guns pop all over the West Coast. The Dodgers were wise to not chase a ninth-inning option at the deadline; Broxton is more than capable of being the game-over stopper every contending club wants for the final three outs.

Batters

BUY

Jeff Baker, 2B, Rockies: His sizzling bat (.325 with nine homers since June 1) has kept him in the game even with Troy Tulowitzki back -- Clint Hurdle pushed Clint Barmes to the bench. Baker carries three positions of eligibility in many leagues, and batting No. 2 in a lineup that gets half of its games in Colorado, that's a fantasy bonanza.

SELL

Andruw Jones, OF, Dodgers: He was relegated to the fourth-outfield slot earlier in the week, and that was before LA added Manny Ramirez at the end of the trading window. Say this for the Dodgers, they apparently understand the concept of a "sunk cost." Declining bat speed and a chunky physique have officially torpedoed Jones for 2008.

Rickie Weeks, 2B, Brewers: The club has accepted his .223 average for most of the year, but Weeks' shaky glove might be the thing that forces him into a time-share with the newly-acquired Ray Durham. If nothing else, Durham will be playing at least once or twice a week, and that essentially kills Weeks as a mixed-league play, no matter how much he's running or contributing in other areas.

HOLD

Casey Blake, 3B, Dodgers: He's going to play every day, so his counting numbers will be fine, but there's nothing terribly exciting about a corner infielder with a career line of .266/.336/.447. The Dodgers knew Blake DeWitt wasn't a long-term fix at third, and Andy LaRoche is finally out of the picture, getting the change-of-organization he so desperately needed.

 Tags  Andruw Jones baseball Casey Blake Chris Volstad David Ferris Jeff Baker Jonathan Broxton Manny Ramirez NL Stock Watch Ricky Weeks Tim Hudson Tyler Yates Ubaldo Jimenez

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