Starlin Castro (SS—Cubs) Just a little after 7PM ET, there was probably a mad dash by fantasy owners who jumped on their computers and frantically checked to see if Starlin Castro was available in their league. Chances are if you are in a keeper league with prospects, he has already been grabbed. But if you were fortunate enough to have Charie Bucket-like luck and grab the Wonka Golden Ticket of Starlin Castro, nice going. Castro slammed a home run in his first AB then later added a triple, collecting 6 RBI and in the process making Major League history. Whew—what a night. He's going to sleep really well. Castro appeared to infuse the Cubs lineup and why not? He batted .310 in four seasons in the minors and prior to being called up was batting .376 in Double A Tennessee. But don't get used to the home runs because Castro's is more about speed and good hitting and it appears that he has a developing feel for the strike zone with a minor league EYE of 0.61. But this may improve over time. If you're in dire need of a middle infielder, Castro is a good choice, but don't expect all nights to be like Friday. He will have his struggles as he is only 20 years old but he should be grabbed in long term leagues and worth a shot in other leagues with tempered expectations.
Jaime Moyer (SP—Phillies) The last time Jaime Moyer pitched a complete game shutout was back on June 2nd, 2006 when Moyer was just a youngster of 43. Ironically, it was a 2-hitter, just as it was Friday against the Braves. At 47, it would be difficult to recommend Moyer for a keeper league. For that matter, it's rather difficult to recommend him period. But he is setting a new precedence every time he takes the mound. It's hard to argue with the numbers he puts up as he has only failed in one outing to pitch into the 5th inning between 2009 and this current season. He is a model for consistency and is the poster child for the “Slow and Steady” campaign. He lowered his ERA to a palatable 4.38 and has a solid WHIP of 1.07 thanks to his trademark impeccable control as he has only allowed 5 walks through 39 innings this season. He biggest Achilles heel is that he has been susceptible to the long ball allowing 7 so far, but pitching in Philadelphia does little to help in that area. Moyer is still worth a pick up when the match ups are right and chances are the Phillies' offense will usually provide Moyer with a good opportunity for a win.
Ike Davis (1B—Mets) Ike Davis was obviously pretty happy to see the 6-game road trip to Philadelphia and Cincinnati come to an end. He hit just .176 in five games and saw his average drop from a pretty plump .355 to .292 entering Friday's game. Davis celebrated being back at the Home Run Palace known as CitiField (please note sarcasm) by hitting 2 solo home runs and adding a walk. Davis' arrival to the Major Leagues has been much ballyhooed by fans and the media alike and since his promotion, the Mets have gone 10-1 at home with Davis batting .382. Davis will sometimes sit down when a lefty is on the mound but so far in 10 AB's he is batting .700. No doubt there will be some growing pains in Davis' first season, but he appears to be a adjusting well to big league life. Davis should definitely be picked up in keeper leagues and is worthy of a corner spot in mixed leagues as he has been handed the first base job for now and in the present future.
Jonathan Sanchez (SP—Giants) Despite walking away with a no decision on Friday night against the Mets, Jonathan Sanchez battled through 7 innings of work allowing 4 ER. It was a night when he didn't appear to have his best stuff, striking out just 3 batters. Sanchez had been just nasty against lefties this season, not allowing a single hit going into tonight. But Ike Davis broke that streak with not just one, but two home runs off of Sanchez. Sanchez's ERA stands at a solid 3.00 and his WHIP is impressive at 1.19 with opponents batting just .188. Sanchez has been striking out better than a batter per inning and while walks are still an issue, he appears to be steadily maturing. Sanchez will be going against the Padres his next start and should be a fairly favorable match up. If he is still available in your league, don't overlook his potential as he has been putting together very solid numbers and is coming into his own.
Rod Barajas (C—Mets) If you are looking for a backstop with power, you don't need to look any further than Rod Barajas. Barajas slugged two home runs against the Giants on Friday and now has 9 on the season leading all catchers and tied for 2nd in the N.L. Barajas has been on a long-ball tear of late hitting 6 home runs in 6 games. And yes, even some at CitiField. But adding Barajas to your lineup is a little like eating one flavor of ice cream because all you're going to get with him is home runs and a few RBI sprinkled on top. If you are looking for different flavors that help with batting average, OBP, stolen bases, Barajas is not your guy. His career BA is just .238 and his OBP is .283. Still, Barajas is a proven source of power having hit 21 home runs in 2005 and 19 last year. He is definitely in the zone and worth adding in mixed leagues while he stays hot. Expect the hot streak to blow over but for now ride the wave while you can.
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