Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market - AL

August 19, 2010 @ 15:45:00

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Tim Heaney

Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market - NL

Fantasy baseball waivers and the acquisition of fantasy baseball free agents can make or break your season. Your fantasy baseball cheat sheets won't help you after spring training. If your team remains the same after opening day, you will have trouble competing in your rotisserie baseball league.

Do you need to replace your fantasy baseball busts? Which fantasy baseball players can you ignore? KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market gives you fantasy baseball tips and insight to sort through the masses quickly.

Key

Acquire	Add player (in most circumstances)
Consider	Add for speculation or because of need
Watch	Track player, consider if trend continues
Pass	Do not add player (in most circumstances)

Catchers

John Buck, C, Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays optioned J.P. Arencibia to the minors on Wednesday, a sure sign that Buck (thumb) will return from the DL on Friday. He has been an outstanding roto commodity, but he's also the type many people dump when injured.

Does Pronk have pop left?

Buck is 3-for-8 on his rehab assignment; he belted two ding dongs in his first game for Double-A New Hampshire. It looks like he's ready to pick up right where he left off (.277-14-49 in 285 at-bats).

Shallow mixed: Consider

Deep mixed: Acquire

AL-only: Acquire

Middle infielders

Ramon Santiago, 2B/SS, Detroit Tigers

Carlos Guillen (knee) went right back on the DL. Santiago, displaced at short for the most part and not in the lineup consistently since, figures to benefit for now. The Tigers called up Will Rhymes, who performed OK but didn't put his modest base-stealing ability to use earlier this summer.

Santiago is hitting .273 with two homers, 33 runs and a steal in 264 at-bats. He drilled seven round-trippers in about the same number of ABs last season. The switch hitter offers little in the counting cats but has been a decent fill-in for Jim Leyland. He can be in fantasy baseball, too - barely.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

AL-only: Acquire

Designated hitters

Travis Hafner, DH, Cleveland Indians

Hafner returned this past weekend from his DL stint for a dead shoulder. It wasn't unlikely, but manager Manny Acta reassured fantasy owners indirectly that the (former?) slugger's PT was safe. He'll play about four or five days a week - basically, against right-handers.

Hafner is hitting .271 with 10 homers and 37 RBIs in 277 at-bats. He remains a pretty patient hitter, making him a greater commodity in OBP leagues. He has been adequate in slugging percentage leagues. Consistent power is probably a thing of the past. Limited eligibility is a handicap.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Consider

AL-only: Acquire

Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market - NL

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Nicholas Minnix

KFFL's baseball editor plays in LABR and Tout Wars and won the FSWA Baseball Industry Insiders League in 2010.

The University of Delaware alum is a regular guest on Sirius/XM Fantasy Sports Radio and Baltimore's WNST AM 1570. Follow him on Twitter.

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