Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Blake DeWitt, Zach Stewart

June 15, 2011 @ 13:33:10

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Tim Heaney

Your fantasy baseball cheat sheets are no longer of use. KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market series gives you tips on fantasy baseball players available as free agents, on waivers or for your FAAB dollars in your rotisserie or head-to-head baseball league. It's time to replace your fantasy baseball busts.

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)

 

Middle infielders

Blake DeWitt, Chicago Cubs

DeWitt aggressive but boring

It's a good thing Jeff Baker just returned from the disabled list, because the Cubs have to place Darwin Barney (strained PCL in right knee) on it. DeWitt, the left-handed hitter in a possible platoon, has hit .275 with a homer in 102 at-bats this season.

In prior seasons, DeWitt displayed solid BA indicators. So far, the only thing that looks advantageous for him has been an 89.2 percent contact rate. He has drawn a mere two walks and isn't hitting the ball particularly hard. He's a solid part-timer stuck in more of a utility role because of Barney's emergence. His more aggressive approach may help him to yield deep-league contributions because of increased PT. If he starts chasing because the opposition catches on, Baker will look more attractive to Mike Quade.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

AL-only: Acquire

Pitchers

Zach Stewart, Toronto Blue Jays

The right-hander called up to replace demoted Kyle Drabek has been shuffled between starting and relief roles as a professional. Stewart has strikeout stuff but has only generated high rates of strikeouts per nine frames as a reliever.

This season, in 12 starts at Double-A New Hampshire, the 24-year-old has gone 4-3 with a 4.39 ERA, a 1.42 WHIP, a 6.33 K/9, a 2.71 BB/9 and a 0.65 HR/9. The hit rate against is well above .300, but that isn't unusual, per his Fangraphs stat sheet.

The improvement in free passes issued is a good sign. The Jays often keep their bright pitching prospects at the Class AA level because Triple-A Las Vegas is a slaughtering ground for hurlers, so his station isn't reason to condemn him. It's still uncertain that he'll maintain all the goods needed to stick in a rotation, and he's a likely casualty here once Drabek is deemed ready to return to the bigs. Fantasy owners will find things to like but reasons to be cautious. This exposure comes in the AL East.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

AL-only: Acquire

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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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