Andy Marte (3B - Indians) - The Indians recalled hot-hitting Andy Marte on Tuesday and he will likely get plenty of ABs right away. The 25-year-old Marte has been on radar screens for a little bit, but it wasn't until this year that he really broke-out offensively in Triple-A. Before being called-up, Marte was hitting .327 with a .966 OPS, 0.82 FPI, 16.7 AB/HR, and 66 RBI in 300 AB and 82 games. He has power and production potential and is worth the claim if he can immediately translate his abilities from the minors to the majors. Third base may be on of the positions that keeps his fantasy ownership low until he can prove himself, so you probably have a little wiggle room to sit back and watch before you make a move.
Jim Thome (DH - White Sox) - Thome was out of the lineup on Tuesday night and will likely miss time on Wednesday due to a sore back (facing lefty Francisco Liriano probably doesn't help either). Despite stiffness and soreness injuries from time to time, the ageless Jim Thome continues to put up decent numbers that are fantasy worthy in most mixed leagues. At 38 yers old, Thome has 17 HR for a AB/HR rate of 14.8, he is in the top-10 in walks in the league with 61 leading to an OBP of .395, and his overall FPI to date is a very respectable 0.69. The obvious limiting factor for Thome is his DH-only eligibility. If you can afford to occupy your utility spot with Thome, he is certainly worthy of the spot.
Elvis Andrus (SS - Rangers) - Members of the fantasy baseball community tend to equate potential with immediate return on your investment. Heading into the 2009 season, Andrus received lots of hype and fantasy consideration in drafts. The 20-year-old Rangers SS hasn't paid dividends immediately, but certainly shows signs of the kind of player he could be a year or two down the road. For the season, Andrus is hitting .263 with a .323 OBP, 0.693 OPS, and an FPI of 0.61. He has flashed his speed with 20 SB in 22 attempts and already has 4 since the all-star break. Since the break, he is also red-hot, hitting .333 (11-for-33) with a HR and 3 doubles. With a few months under his belt, we could see an improvement in the 2nd half for Andrus. If you're empty at SS, Andrus could be a decent risk for the next couple of months. For keepers, its a no-brainer for the long-term.
Brian Fuentes (Closer - Angels) - The boo-birds are back in Anaheim. Fuentes left the game on Monday without recording an out, giving up 4 ER and 2 HR, handing him the loss and his 4th blown save of the season. It was his first official blown save since May 30th, which also happened to be the last time he gave up an earned run. Last night gave us another meltdown by Fuentes. Another out-less outing for Fuentes who gave up 2 ER and 2 BB. He left the game with the bases loaded and reliever Jason Bulger saved him from getting his 5th blown save. Manager Mike Scioscia speculates that Fuentes is a little tired, but we've seen a string of meltdowns from Fuentes over the years when he was with the Rockies (remember when he was replaced by Manny Corpas in Colorado?) Another couple of outings could lead to some closer question marks in Anaheim.
Matt Wieters (C - Orioles) - Wieters had his first 4-hit game of the year last night, going 4-for-5 (all singles) with an RBI, raising his season average to .273. After the incredible media-hype machine that crowned Wieters as the next Johnny Bench before he even flashed a sign behind the plate, Wieters has simply been ok. He has a 0.51 FPI, a respectable average, a .711 OPS, and 3 HR for an AB/HR rate of 46.3. Of course, we need to cut the rookie a break and give him a little time to let the dust settle and give him a chance to acclimate to big league pitching. Wieters will continue to be the starting catcher in Baltimore and could be one of the few catchers in the league who will actually have fresh legs in September. I wouldn't be shocked to see him end the season strong. Stay patient with the youngster for 2009.
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