Tony Cingrani (SP-CIN) - If you want an underrated pitching prospect to stash for next year, Cingrani could be that guy. He got the call from Double-A on Sunday after putting up a sparkling 1.73 ERA and striking out 172 over 146 innings at High-A and Double-A this year. The lefty probably pitches out of the bullpen given the Reds' rotation is rather full, but long-term he's a starter. The 23 year-old is a former third round pick who has a mid-90s fastball. His slider is generally thought to be a work in process, but it sure isn't hurting him so far. We now get to see how that stuff fares against the tough competition in the world.
Stephen Strasburg (SP-WAS) - Strasburg rebounded from a tough outing in Miami last time out, holding the Cardinals to just two hits over six solid innings on Sunday. He walked one while striking out nine in lowering his ERA to 2.94. in 156.1 innings, Strasburg has 195 strikeouts for an elite 11.2 K/9. Strasburg may be the next guy to strike out 300 in a season, but is he going to have an innings limit (200?) next year as well? If the Nationals stick to their guns, Strasburg has at most two starts left, and I can't help but question the way they handled him this year. Why did they not give him the Kris Medlen treatment and have him start out in the bullpen? Why not skip a few starts here and there during the year? Either way, he's at or near the top of my SP draft board next year.
Yovani Gallardo (SP-MIL) - Gallardo ripped his first homer of the year Sunday against the Pirates, but he also GOT ripped, allowing seven runs on 11 hits and four walks over 4.2 innings. Combine that with four walks and two homers and it was beyond ugly for the occasionally-frustrating Gallardo. After allowing seven runs in an outing on July 26, Gallardo allowed a total of eight runs in his next six starts, but it all fell apart on Sunday as his ERA rose from 3.52 to 3.79. Gallardo has an impressive 9.0 K/9, but he's combined that with a less-than-elite 3.6 BB/9. At this point you have to consider him a #2 starter rather than the #1 we hoped he'd become.
Danny Espinosa (SS/2B - WAS) - Espinosa was 3-for-4 Sunday to raise his slash line to .253/.318/.409. He has now hit in four straight, but with his less-than-adequate contact skills, he's probably limited to a .250-.260 BA. In 553 PA's, Espinosa has racked up strikeouts in 154 of them for a near-28% K%. That's worse than last year's 25.2%, and his BB% is also down from 8.7% to 6.8%. Better luck on balls in play has allowed him to improve upon last year's .236 BA and he's stolen 17 bags while homering 15 times, so there's plenty of fantasy value here, particularly as a guy who will qualify at both MI positions in 2013.
Javier Lopez (RP-SF) - With lefty Brian LaHair due up with one out in the ninth, it was Lopez getting the call to shut the door. The Cubs sent up Joe Mather to pinch hit, and Lopez promptly served up a double play to end the game. It was the sixth save for Lopez, who is sharing time with Sergio Romo in save situations. For the year, Lopez now has six saves to go with a 2.18 ERA in 33 innings. His splits are severe, as lefties are batting just .182/.238/.286 against him, and right-handers entered Sundays' game hitting .413/.491/.478 against him. That alone will prevent him from ever being a regular closer capable of 40 saves, but he still has plenty of NL-only value.
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