By Kevin Kleps, Fantasy Correspondent
Even injuries to Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford – and B.J. Upton’s constant baserunning gaffes - can’t stop the machine better known as the Tampa Bay Rays.
With a lineup of Akinori Iwamura, Upton, Carlos Pena, Cliff Floyd, Willy Aybar, Eric Hinske, Dioner Navarro, Gabe Gross and Jason Bartlett, the Rays improved to 8-2 in their last 10 games – and 15-4 in their last 19 – win a win Monday night over the Angels.
Crawford might miss the rest of the regular season after having surgery on his right hand, and Longoria, the American League’s top rookie, has a broken bone in his right wrist and likely won’t return until September at the earliest. Yet the Rays keep rolling.
If only your fantasy team was more like Tampa Bay. (You can include that with "Josh Hamilton, fantasy MVP," and "CC Sabathia, NL Cy Young,” in the Wait, What Just Happened? Category for 2008).
Let’s deal with the Rays’ injury issues and many others as we look ahead to September call-ups and the close of the fantasy regular season.
Willy who?
Since replacing Longoria as the Rays’ third baseman, Aybar is 14-for-40 (.350) with three home runs and seven RBI. His batting average has risen from .222 to .246. If you’re desperate: You still shouldn’t take a chance on him.
Remember him?
Eric Hinske is getting regular at-bats with Crawford on the disabled list, and the 2002 American League Rookie of the Year has seven hits, including three homers and five RBI, in his last 17 at-bats. If you’re desperate: Hinske is worth a roster spot. He’s got some pop (19 homers and 54 RBI).
Closer chronicles
The latest in the Season of the Waiver Wire Closer: Jensen Lewis isn’t half-bad, Chris Perez is a viable every-week candidate, Fernando Rodney is lights-out and Dan Wheeler is another Ray who picks up the slack. Let’s look at these case-by-case.
- Lewis: The Indians’ bullpen couldn’t get any worse, so the Tribe turned to Lewis, who was in Triple-A as recently as June. The results: Three saves in his last four appearances and no earned runs allowed in his last eight games. If you’re desperate: He’s an every-week starter in deeper category leagues, where saves and stolen bases have increased value.
- Perez: The Cardinals lead the NL with 27 blown saves, but Perez has four saves in five chances and has closed three games in the last nine days. Not wanting to jinx a good thing, the rookie, who had 35 saves in the minor leagues last season, hasn’t even officially been named St. Louis’ stopper. If you’re desperate: Insert him alongside Lewis in your starting lineup in category leagues.
- Rodney: After a Todd Jones-like start to his tenure as the Tigers’ closer, Rodney has thrown nine consecutive scoreless innings, striking out 13, and has four saves since Aug. 7. If you’re desperate: Don’t be. He’s worth a starting spot.
- Wheeler: Only the Rays could go from Percival, who was out of baseball last season, then saved 27 games before injuring his knee this season, to Wheeler, who has six saves and a 2.55 ERA. Percival expects to return from the DL when he’s eligible at the end of the month, which should remove Wheeler from any fantasy roster. If you’re desperate: Start Wheeler temporarily in deeper category leagues. And I emphasize the desperate part.
Other injury issues:
- The Brewers’ Ryan Braun says he’s fine, but a bad back for one of your top power hitters is never a good thing. If he’s in the lineup, start him, but begin to explore other alternatives in the outfield.
- The Rangers’ Ian Kinsler, an unlikely contender for top fantasy second baseman this season, might miss the rest of the season because of a sports hernia. Ramon Vazquez, who has made 58 starts at third base but only six at second, will replace Kinsler. If you can play Vazquez at second, go for it. He’s batting .309 with 44 runs, six homers and 39 RBI in 269 at-bats.
- Another Ranger, Hank Blalock, is expected to return from the DL as soon as Aug. 22, but when he does, it won’t be as a third baseman. Blalock’s shoulder injury will result in a move to first base. Regardless, with four homers and 15 RBI, he’s not worth a starting spot. His replacement at the hot corner, Chris Davis, is worth a look in AL-only leagues. The rookie has 11 homers and 32 RBI in 174 at-bats.
- Outfield help is arriving in New York, only it’s from a DH. Hideki Matsui is set to be activated from the DL, but a knee injury will limit him to designated-hitter duty. If he’s playing full-time, I’d play him in the outfield in the fake game, where his .323 batting average is more valuable.
- Adam Wainwright owners have to be past the patient point with their one-time No. 2 or 3 starter. He’s expected back in late August from a finger injury, but the Cardinals aren’t saying if he’ll be a starter or reliever. If it’s the latter, it might be time to give up on him for 2008.
Speaking of giving up:
Yankees phenom Joba Chamberlain, on the DL with rotator cuff tendinitis, is also the subject of bullpen-or-starter speculation. Like Wainwright, if he’s not a starter, he’s not a starter in the fake game, either.
Late-August flier:
Start Astros third baseman Ty Wigginton. He’s on a 15-game hitting streak in which he’s batted .491 with seven homers and 17 RBI. For the season, he’s hitting .307 with 16 homers and 43 RBI in just 283 at-bats.
