We have almost one-tenth of the season in the books but those fractions now begin accelerating quickly. You don't want to be stuck in June with a bunch of dregs you could have traded up for if you weren't overly patient. To paraphrase David St. Hubbins, there's a fine line between stupid and clever. Let's try to toe it.
Upgrade
Edwin Jackson, P, Tigers: I've seen enough to be a buyer in all deeper formats, even mixed ones. He was throwing 98 mph in the eighth inning last weekend in Seattle. The slider has bite. He's still only 25. Guys
like Roy Halladay were a mess before that age. Curt Schilling did nothing before then, either. I'm not predicting greatness for Jackson, but I'm not rejecting it, either. The talent is undeniable.
Victor Martinez, C, Indians: The key here is that he's playing first base half the time, too. That's allowed him to play all of Cleveland's 14 games while not suffering usual catcher wear and tear. By next year, he'll be playing first base all the time while retaining catcher eligibility and, like this year, hitting like a premium first baseman.
Expect .310 with 28 homers and 115 RBIs in '09 with about 95 runs.
Jarrod Washburn, P, Mariners: I'm kicking myself for having no shares even in very deep formats. The Mariners have the best outfield defense in the sport, which helps the fly-ball oriented Washburn. The strikeouts are probably a fluke, but he was hitting 91 mph Tuesday. Let's ride him now while he's hot.
Brandon Morrow, P, Mariners: Average fastball velocity was 96.5 mph. He's healthy and will dominate in a Jonathan Papelbon-way as long that continues.
Julio Lugo, SS, Red Sox: He's cheap speed on the waiver wire everywhere as he rehabs for another week or so and then replaces Jed Lowrie, out a couple of months after wrist surgery.
A's bullpen: Cross Joey Devine (elbow surgery) off your 2009 list. But there's a lot to like here and still enough uncertainty to gamble on in deep formats. Of course, Brad Ziegler is the guy to own. But I can't believe in closers who throw an 83-mph fastball. Santiago
Casilla is rumored to be next in line and fits the profile better (93.8 mph on average). Russ Springer is always great now, but age 40. My deep sleeper for saves is Andrew Bailey, who was a starting pitcher prospect who has thrived in the shorter, easier role since being moved there. I like Bailey's fastball (92 mph), cutter, curve combo.
No change
Brandon Wood, SS, Angels: He finally gets called up but Macier Izturis is called on to DH? Izturis? What's Mike Scioscia have against Wood? Yes, he's a unique player in that he can play the middle infield (even though he's likely going to be a third baseman now), while being a three-outcomes kind of guy (walk, strikeout or homer). It doesn't matter what we think of a player's potential when the manager refuses to use him.
Downgrade
Troy Percival, P, Rays: He's done. Remember, he retired about four years ago. The circus has left town now but Percival is still hanging around the empty lot. The Rays seem to have no good options at closer now, clearing the path for Jason Isringhausen, quickly rounding into
shape after forearm surgery in Double-A.
Alexei Ramirez, SS, White Sox: He was overbought everywhere in March. Although I must designate him as a downgrade, I note he's been extremely unlucky on balls in play (.194, average is .300). I don't like the increase in strikeout rate (up from about 12 to 18 percent). But duly
note the doubling of his walk rate to a still subpar 6 percent. Ramirez is a hacker and there's nothing wrong with that when you are a contact guy. I think someone is in his ear about taking pitches and
they should shut up.
Brett Gardner, OF, Yankees: He's getting a free pass despite being as bad as I forecast back in March. And for the same reasons, too. He can't slug and pitchers do not
walk punch-and-judy hitters. Thus his pathetic OPS of .595 is in line with last year's .582 and not likely to move up much. He has a .288 on-base percentage, and that is unacceptable. Highly touted prospect Austin Jackson
is hitting .400 in Triple-A and is a better defender and Gardner's equal on the bases.
Hideki Matsui, OF, Yankees: He's like Joe Namath now getting his knee drained with about as much frequency as he's hitting homers. With Xavier Nady now slated to come back in about a month and Nick Swisher proving to be capable, Matsui's playing time prospects after Memorial
Day are in question unless he finds some magic elixir for his wheels and stick. I'd move him now off a decent week and a homer on Thursday, too.
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