Ok, so here's the deal.
Maybe I'm the only person who's just figured this out now, but fantasy baseball is incredibly addicting. So addicting, in fact, that it seems to be the only subject that I discuss with my friends, and consequently, any joke or metaphor made among us these days invariably has some link to the world of fantasy. So....in case anyone out there needs some tips on their players, Dr. Levos is in.
Four up:
Casey McGehee, 3B Milwaukee Brewers
Let me just offer my sincere thanks to this man, for he single handedly has saved my team to this point in the season. He's batting a solid .323 with 7 homers and 32 RBI (2nd in the National League). To be honest, I had never even heard of McGehee before this season, and he was drafted thanks to the auto-pick option while I was scooping myself some ice cream. God be thanked for chance. He's started all 32 games this season, and will stay there for the foreseeable future. If you're lucky enough to have him available, get him.
Marlon Byrd, OF Chicago Cubs
Someone's been swimming in the fountain of youth. Though 32 years old, Byrd is shaping up to have the best season of his career, both at the plate and in the field. He's hitting a monstrous .341 with 6 round trippers and 24 RBI, along with 6 stolen bases. Also look up his fantastic (though perhaps inadvertent) catch from last week against Pittsburgh. Talk about skills.
Jeff Niemann, SP Tampa Bay Rays
There's no feeling quite like the pure joy that comes from finding a middle of the rotation starter who dominates. I found Niemann very late in the draft, and thank goodness I did. The 27-year-old Texan is 3-0 with a 2.27 ERA (7th in the AL) and a 1.01 WHIP (6th). Even though naysayers will tell you that Niemann has no strikeout potential (a paltry 28 in 4 starts), the lack thereof shouldn't worry you; his control and durability makes him a great pickup.
Roy Oswalt, SP Houston Astros
Fine, call me a homer (no pun intended). But really, Oswalt's 2-4 record shouldn't deter anyone. He has a stellar 2.63 ERA with 45 strikeouts. Having watched the Wizard for many years, he's obviously primed for a career year, as long as the Astros don't trade him. He may not rack up the wins, thanks to Houston's dismal run production, but Oswalt will make any fantasy owner happy with a low ERA and WHIP, and a whole bunch of strikeouts.
Four down:
Scott Kazmir, SP Los Angeles Angels
Ignore the superstar name. Kazmir has had a ton of trouble on the mound this year, sporting a 2-3 record with a 6.82 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. Don't think he's a strikeout machine either, as Kazmir posted only 24 K in 6 starts. True, he was injured to start the season and may need some recovery time to get his act together, but I wouldn't chance it. Bottom line, Kazmir is not the star that he used to be.
Ben Sheets, SP Oakland Athletics
I'm really tempted to copy and paste the paragraph about Kazmir right here, because even the stats are nearly identical. Sheets also has a 2-3 record on the year, with a 6.38 ERA and 1.77 WHIP. He also had a stretch of two starts where he allowed 17 earned runs. Yes, you read that correctly. 17. Looks like taking that year off was a bad idea.
Chone Figgins, 2B Seattle Mariners
Considered a fantasy essential coming into the season, Figgins has been a major disappointment to me and probably every other fantasy owner in the country. Hitting just a measly .190 with no home runs and 9 RBI. With only 6 stolen bases, you can't even make the case that he redeems himself on the basepaths, simply because he almost never gets there.
Nyjer Morgan, OF Washington Nationals
Ditto Figgins. Let's just say that every fantasy guy/gal out there can be sure that this is not the Morgan who had a career year last season, when he hit .307 with 39 RBI and 42 stolen bases. No, sadly he is only at .258 with 7 RBI and 8 swipes. A turnaround in the near future? Perhaps. But with a lot of above average outfielders available in most markets, don't test your patience.
And there you have it. My knowledge is now yours. However, you might want to realize that in the fantasy and the journalistic world, it is never smart to trust a rookie.
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