Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove - AL

January 17, 2011 @ 03:58:56

By Tim Heaney
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

KFFL delivers the fantasy baseball spin on each Major League Baseball Hot Stove deal that matters in your fantasy baseball league. Check back for frequent updates to the Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove!

Middle infielders

Adam Kennedy, Seattle Mariners (signed)

Brendan Ryan isn't a lock to keep second base warm for Dustin Ackley. Kennedy, inked to a flier farm deal, failed to build on his career season in 2009. There's no excitement here, but with playing time he could help Junior Circuit swipe scroungers.

Designated hitters

Jim Thome, Minnesota Twins (re-signed)

Bailey has some company

Thome will piece together at-bats even if Justin Morneau comes back completely from post-concussion recovery. Thome succeeded when pressed into regular duty last year, and his growth in BB/K could keep his average around .280 again, even if he has to face lefties. His work isn't steady, but at least he could be a decent plug-in for ALs.

Pitchers

Kyle Farnsworth, Tampa Bay Rays (signed)

Though they declined, Farnsie's K/9 and grounder rate remained useful last year. But his control improved - product of a rotation trial, perhaps? He might have an opp to close if Tampa doesn't add someone else. The heat-seeking vet registered 16 saves combined in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers. This sitch is mixed league poison, but he's worth a flier if you're scraping the barrel bottom.

Rafael Soriano, New York Yankees (signed)

He's Mariano Rivera's understudy, no matter your opinion of his contract. His fly-ball rate won't thank Yankee Stadium, but that effect isn't as prominent for relievers. Can he stay healthy again? He's ownable in mixed leagues, but draftable? How deep is your league? Even with Rivera's age, it isn't a priority speculation.

Jeff Francis, Kansas City Royals (signed)

A low-risk move for a rotation that needed ... something. Francis incurred more shoulder injuries last year, but in between he regained velocity, kept his pristine control and took his ground-ball aptitude to another level. He's in line for a strand rate rebound and now has a great home park. Francis' low K/9 and hittability limits his payoff, but there's some profit potential here, and he might have use at times in mixed formats if he can stay healthy.

Brian Fuentes, Oakland Athletics (signed)

He lands in setup duty, but he isn't a given to be the backup for saves; Michael Wuertz did that job well. Without save chances, Fuentes is merely AL-only depth.

Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics (signed)

Balfour's giant control rebound helped counteract his dipping average fastball velocity and more hittable stuff. Rent him off your waiver wire.

Bruce Chen, Kansas City Royals (signed)

Chen is Francis without the control or ground balls, which makes him less enticing and undraftable, despite what his long stretch of AL usefulness last year says.

Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove - NL

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Tim Heaney

Since the Boston University alum joined KFFL in 2006, his work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly and Yahoo! Sports, among numerous publications.

Tim competes in Tout Wars and LABR and appears every Wednesday on 1570 AM WNST in Baltimore, as well as frequently on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio.

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