Pick-Up Lines: week of 8/11/05

by Brandon Wilson
August 11, 2005

Each week, we publish this article which highlights the players that are probably free agents in your league, but should be considered as pick-up targets. We try to offer some shallow league targets as well as some deep league targets so that different types of leagues will be covered. As always, feel free to e-mail questions to me and they will be addressed here or on the message boards.

Shallow Leagues (Mixed Leagues)
Jose Valverde, CL, ARI (1-4, 2.89 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3 Saves)
The Brian Bruney run appears to have come to a close for the time being. Bruney has been used in the 6th and 7th innings his last two times out. Meanwhile, Valverde recorded his 3rd save of the season last Thursday and he has a 0.60 ERA and 0.90 WHIP since June 30th while striking out 24 batters in 16.2 innings. Those numbers are reminiscent of 2003 when he had 10 saves, a 2.15 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 50+ innings. Brandon Lyon could be back by the weekend, but don’t expect him to reclaim his closer duties right away, especially if Valverde keeps pitching as he has been.

Joey Gathright, OF, TB (.286, 0 HR, 17 R, 9 SB)
Possibly the fastest man in baseball, Gathright is playing regularly in center field for the Devil Rays. Over the last two weeks he is hitting .323 with a pair of triples and four stolen bases. His nine steals have come in just 98 AB and he should get 100-120 more at bats between now and the end of the season. If steals are what you are looking for, very few players have a chance to get as many in such a short time. The way he is swinging the bat now, he could help in batting average, too.

Deep Leagues (AL or NL Only)
Willie Bloomquist, 2B, SEA (.272, 0 HR, 20 R, 10 SB)
Bloomquist has been playing 2B regularly for the M’s since the Boone trade and is hitting .314 since the end of June with seven steals (covering 105 AB). Overall, he has been caught just once against ten steals, a ratio that is bound to earn him the green light. He is not going to walk much and he obviously has no power to speak of, but he can help in batting average and stolen bases, exactly what you may be looking for in the middle infield. He is only owned in 70-80% of AL-Only ESPN leagues, check to see if he’s available in yours. He might also qualify at 1B, 2B, SS an OF in your league.

Jae Seo, SP, NYM (3-1, 1.42 ERA, 0.71 WHIP)
Seo has pitched at least seven innings and allowed zero runs in his last two big league starts, but they were three months apart. He was sent down after pitching 7.1 scoreless innings on May 4th. At Triple-A, he was 7-4 with a 4.29 ERA, but his peripheral numbers are better than the ERA might indicate. He struck out 111 in just under 122 innings and walked 30 while maintaining a 1.28 WHIP. He did allow more hits than innings pitched and 13 HR over that time, so all is not perfect. Three of the four runs he has allowed for the Mets this season have come on solo home runs (all on April 29th against WAS), but if he can maintain his control and strikeouts he can be successful like he was in 2003 when he had a 3.82 ERA.

Extreme Leagues (Ultra Leagues)
Nate McLouth, OF, PIT (currently with Triple-A Indianapolis)
Voted by International League managers as the best baserunner and player with the best strike zone judgement in the league, the 23-year old McLouth could get called up by the Pirates before September. He was ranked the Pirates 10th best prospect overall by Baseball America before the season and the rated the best hitter for average in their system. After hitting .322 at Double-A Altoona last season, McLouth is hitting .296 with 34 steals at Indianapolis this season. Not much pop, but his .364 OBP and good speed give him a shot to hit at the top of the order. If Chris Duffy continues to have hamstring problems, McLouth could get the next call.

Billy Butler, OF, LAA (currently with Double-A Wichita)
Drafted out of high school in 2004, Butler began this season at High-A and hit .348 with 25 HR and 91 RBI in 379 AB. Promoted to Double-A over the weekend, Butler is 6 for 12 with 3 RBI in his first three games. Rated as the Royals best prospect by Baseball America, the knock on him was his defense at 3B. He has been playing mostly left field recently, but some scouts think he may be limited to DH eventually. If he keeps hitting like this, the Royals will find a place for him, but it will probably be next year before he sees time in the Majors.

Brandon Wilson is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and can be reached by e-mail at brandon@athomeplate.com. You can read more of Brandon’s work at his website www.baseballmuse.com