We’re getting to the point in the season when we can actually kinda start to believe in some of these players who are having hot starts. And, thankfully, we’re just about past the point where the hottest pickups are all closers. As you look at your roster for who to drop, which hot starters are worth adding to your team at this point? Well, that fully depends on who you’re thinking about dropping but let’s take a look to see who is worth a damn at least…
Good Pickups
Nolan Reimold (OF, BAL) – I was pretty pumped about Reimold back in January and he hasn’t disappointed thus far. Like I said back then, a 25 HR season with 10 SB is not out of the question and is actually pretty realistic. Go grab him off your waivers now if he’s still available!
Kyle Drabek (SP, TOR) – Drabek had a pretty nice minor league career and has long been a top prospect but he really stunk it up in 2011 both in the majors and minors (6.06 ERA and 7.44 ERA respectively). Through two starts this year, he seems to be more aligned with his minor league numbers. He has the chance to be a 3.75-ish ERA pitcher with decent strikeout totals. There’s definitely room for someone like that on your roster in deeper leagues so he’s worth stashing away.
Luke Scott (OF, BAL) – We’ve never doubted Luke Scott’s power numbers and he seems to be showing t hat this year. Instead of hitting solo HR’s for the hapless Orioles, he’s now on a team where he might actually get more Run and RBI opportunities. For those looking to add a little power to their teams, he’s a very nice option.
Bryan LaHair (OF, CHC) – LaHair has been stuck at the AAA level since 2006 with the exception of 150 MLB plate appearances a few years back. In the past three AAA seasons, he hit 89 HR with a .309 AVG. The only reason he likely hasn’t gotten a shot yet is because he’s not a young pup but he’s responding well in his first shot this year with 2 HR already. In a deeper league, it’s definitely worth taking a shot on LaHair to see if really can deliver a 30 HR season in the bigs because he certainly has the potential for it.
Others I’ve Written About Recently – Lance Lynn, Danny Duffy, Adam LaRoche
Could Be Good Pickups
Cody Ross (OF, BOS) – In Cody’s best season, he hit 24 HR with a .270 AVG and that would certainly be handy if he’s on pace to replicate that after his hot start. However, I expect a slight power decrease in Fenway for him and his average has seemingly dipped a bit each year. So if we’re playing the expectations game then let’s say a .255 AVG, 20 HR, some bat flips and a dose of swagger would be what to expect in a full season of Cody Ross. It’s ownable in deep leagues but now in smaller leagues.
Matt Carpenter (3B, STL) – He won’t give you power and he won’t give you speed but he can hit for a good average so there’s some value to that. He’s filling in at the hot corner while Lance Berkman is injured and he can be helpful for teams looking for a bit of an AVG boost. However, if you pick him up expecting more than that then you might be hoping for too much.
Santiago Casilla (RP, SF) – Is he better than Sergio Romo? No, but it seems like he’ll be getting the bulk of the save opportunities in San Francisco. He’s a decent closer but nothing to write home about. However, you can’t get too picky when it comes to getting saves for your roto team so make sure he’s picked up.
Others I’ve Written About Recently – Fernando Rodney
Let Someone Else Pick Them Up
Nobody really jumps out in this category for this week but check the write-ups below for why you should avoid the temptation to go after Barry Zito or Jordan Schafer.
Others I’ve Written About Recently – Jordan Schafer, Barry Zito
