2011 Fantasy Baseball Week 6 Waiver Wire: Has Frank Francisco Won the Job in Toronto?
Frank Francisco (RP, Blue Jays) – 50% owned. Just a few days after Jays manager John Farrell told reporters that Jon Rauch is his main closer, Rauch blows a save and Farrell changes his tune. Franky Franky apparently has better closer stuff and will be the saver of choice going forward. Owned in exactly half of Yahoo leagues, he should be at 90% ASAP.
Brandon Beachy (SP, Braves) – 49%. Though starting pitching is obscenely deep this year, Beachy looks like a keeper. After winning the 5th starter job in Spring Training, Beachy has shown the ability to strike out a batter per inning (15 in 15 IP last year, 45 in 42 IP this year), to go with a sparkling 2.98 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He only has one win, which may make him fly under the radar, but not for much longer.
Erick Aybar (SS, Angels) – 31%. At a position as shallow as shortstop, anyone with a pulse should be considered for playing time. Luckily for us, Aybar has both a pulse and serious wheels. After a poor 2010, it looked like 2009 was his career year, when he broke out with a .312 average, 70 runs, 58 RBI and 14 steals. He looks rejuvenated and hitting the ball well in 2011 – no power of which to speak, but as long as he’s hitting .356 with 8 runs, 9 RBI and 8 steals without being caught, Aybar is worth a look.
Domonic Brown (OF, Phillies) – 16%. The Phillies’ best position prospect was drafted in nearly every league this season, but hit the DL in spring training. Just recently activated, Brown finds himself in AAA, stuck behind the never-aging Raul Ibanez and the erstwhile Ben Francisco. He is, however, quickly becoming the kind of player with nothing left to do in the minors – since his return from the DL, he’s .409 with an OBP of .500 and two home runs and a steal in his first six games. A speculative pickup (you know how I like those) for sure, but fantasy baseball is littered with speculative owners being rewarded – Braun, Longoria, Lincecum, Posey, Hosmer…Brown?
Hong-Chih Kuo (RP, Dodgers) – 27%. Not currently the closer, but I have to believe that Vicente Padilla (seriously!?!?) will blow up at some point, and manager Don Mattingly will go with Kuo, who is clearly the better pitcher of the two. He is coming off an injury and has needed some time settle down, but if you can afford the roster spot, Kuo should end Kuosing games within a month.
AL Only Special – Jim Thome (DH, Twins) – 6%. On May 8, 2010, Jim Thome was hitting .238 with 5 homers and 15 RBI. On May 8, 2011, Jim Thome is hitting .214 with 2 homers and 7 RBI, and resides on the DL with a back muscle strain. The Twins, however, expect him back as soon as his DL stint ends now that they know it’s not an oblique strain, and that Thome can swing a bat. He hit 25 home runs in 276 at-bats last year…you could do worse than to stash him on your bench.
UPDATE: AL Only Special – Carlos Peguero (OF, Mariners). Just called up today after Milton Bradley was DFA'd, Peguero has a big swing and big power. And big strikeout potential. I can't imagine the M's would cut a starter (Bradley) to call up a rookie to sit on the bench, so I expect Peguero to play, and every day. He'll strike out, and won't hit for a high average, but if he can hit the longball as he did in the minors where he averaged a bomb every 21 at-bats (31 in 2009, 23 in 2010, 4 so far this year), he could hit 15-20 homers if he gets the playing time. He'll be gone by tonight…go get him!
NL Only Special – Greg Dobbs (3B, Marlins) – 2%. Continuing with last week’s third base theme, Dobbs seems to have won the third base job for the Fish. He’s hot now, but not this good, so ride him while you can. You know my adage – in a single league, at-bats are everything.
Written by Jesse Mendelson exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Find and follow Jesse on Facebook.
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(April 11, 2010 – Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images North America)