Tagged: Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Fantasy Baseball 2nd Chance Stars: Alvarez, Karstens, Fowler, McDonald, and Salty

 

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Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pirates

The fantasty season is not over for one of the biggest busts in the league Pedro Alvarez.  The second overall pick of the 2008 draft, we expected big things out of the Vanderbilt alumnus, but instead, his average sits at just .211 with two home runs and 10 RBI.  After an extended stay on the disabled list and then a month’s worth of at bats in the Minor Leagues, Alvarez is back.  He will bat in the middle of the Pirates lineup and will have ever chance to succeed once again.  The third base position is pretty shallow this season with talent, making fantasy managers quick to forgive players like Alvarez.

 

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Red Sox

The man traded for Mark Teixeira a few years back is finally an everyday player in the Big Leagues.  Just 26 years old, Salty is having his best season to date.  His eight home runs are just one shy of his career-high and the same can be said of his 12 doubles.  He is not the best defensive catcher in baseball, but he has been adequate and his respectable on base percentage with some pop makes him a dangerous bat in the Red Sox lineup.

 

Jeff Karstens, SP, Pirates

This former Yankees prospect is not just having a good season, he is having a Cy Young caliber season!  At 28 years old, the right-handed finesse hurler boasts a 2.28 ERA with a stellar 1.04 WHIP.  His lack of strikeouts may frustrate some fantasy managers, but Karstens has surrendered just 11 earned runs over his last 10 starts.

 

Dexter Fowler, OF, Rockies

You have to wonder how many chances this guy will get but because of injuries and the struggles of his peers, Dexter Fowler is getting another shot to leadoff for the Rockies.  Fowler is batting .342 since the All-Star break with 10 runs in 11 games with three steals.  Just 25 years old, Fowler is too young to turn the page on for now.

 

James McDonald, SP, Pirates

There is no question about it, of all of the Pirates hurlers, James McDonald has the best stuff.  Sure, he has some control issues, but his 92 strikeouts, seven wins, and 3.95 ERA will get your attention.  A former top prospect with the Dodgers, McDonald has gone 11-9 with a 3.79 ERA in 31 starts.  At 26 years old, McDonald should still have his best years ahead of him.

 

Three Fantasy Sleepers, and An Injury Report on Jeter, Santana, and Zimmerman

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Red Sox

After a slow start to the season Jarrod Saltalamacchia is red-hot for the Red Sox.  He is batting .400 this month with a home run, two doubles, and a triple.  His season average is now a respectable .252 with five home runs.  Remember, as bad as he was early in the season, Salty was once a mega prospect who was traded for Mark Teixiera.  He may never reach that potential, but if he can hit .280 with 15 home runs in Boston, the run production will pile up.  My only warning is that his defense is still not very good, so it will remain a platoon with Jason Varitek. 

 

Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies

Lost in the rookie rush a few days ago was the call-up of Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon.  A former second round pick out of Georgia Tech, the 24-year old has the highly sought combination of power and speed.  He was hitting .337 in Colorado Springs with 10 home runs and 12 steals.  With Dexter Fowler injured, Blackmon will enjoy a shot at playing everyday.  If he contributes, look for him to become an everyday player, which means tons of fantasy value. 

 

Carlos Carrasco, SP, Indians

Before the season began we asked Jay Levine from LetsgoTribe.com who was the top hurler on the staff and he surprised us with Carlos Carrasco.  At first we questioned his call since Carrasco was just 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA through six starts into the season, but since then, Carrasco has gone 5-1 while lowering his ERA to 4.09.  He has not allowed a run in either of his two starts while fanning season highs six and then seven batters.  What was most impressive about his last win was that it came in Yankee Stadium against the hot-hotting Bombers.  At just 24 years old, Carrasco is a great long-term investment. 

 

Injuries-

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Nationals

After more than a month on the DL, Ryan Zimmerman will be activated to play tonight.  Zimmerman was batting .357 through eight games when he got hurt.  His presence should help the entire lineup that has struggled to replace their third baseman as well as their injured first baseman Adam LaRoche. 

 

Johan Santana, SP, Mets

The idea was for the Mets to simply be competitive for the next few weeks until David Wright, Ike Davis, and Johan Santana returned.  Well it looks like Johan is not on the path to recovery as fast as we all thought.  He has been dealing with soreness and now at the earliest, the Mets ace will not make it back until August.  By then, a lot of his teammates could be traded. 

 

Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees

What does it mean that Derek Jeter is nearing 3,000 hits.  Sure, he’s an all-time great, but he is also really old at 36-years old.  Well age may have gotten the better of him this week as he strained his calf.  This makes the guessing game even harder to play about when he will hit number 3,000.  My guess is that because of his age the Yankees will be conservative and place him on the DL, though this could end up being just a day-to-day issue.  My guess is that the New York media will keep you updated on his status.