Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Jon Rauch, Eduardo Nunez, Jeanmar Gomez

July 11, 2011 @ 15:02:27

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

Eduardo Nunez, New York Yankees

Chase saves ... we guess

Alex Rodriguez opted for surgery to repair his partially torn meniscus, which gives Nunez a stretch of a month or more at the hot corner for the Bronx Bombers. The fantasy depth at the position and shortstop will probably have the biggest effect on your desire to acquire Nunez.

In 133 plate appearances this season, the 24-year-old has batted .279, with a .318 OBP, three home runs, 14 RBIs, 14 runs and 10 stolen bases. He proved to be a capable fill-in during the three-week absence of the newest member of the 3,000-hit club. He's been a little aggressive on the base paths, and the lineup is, of course, a nice bonus, so don't overlook the scrawny infielder.

Shallow mixed: Watch

Deep mixed: Consider

AL-only: Acquire

Pitchers

Jon Rauch, Toronto Blue Jays

Here we go. So, the Jays are giving Frank Francisco another temp break from ninth-inning duties. It may take him only a few consecutive appearances to get back in John Farrell's good graces, but this isn't the first time in his career - or this season - that the right-hander has been relieved of closing responsibilities for what was supposed to be a short period. He sports a 5.92 ERA thanks largely to a grotesque 5.18 BB/9 and the opposition's efficiency in the homer department (1.48 HR/9, 16.0 percent HR/FB, despite a notably decreased fly-ball rate).

Anyway ... Rauch (4.34 ERA, 6.03 K/9) hasn't exactly been - and will never be - Mariano Rivera. It was clear when they traded for him that the Blue Jays think somewhat highly of Francisco, so this is more than likely just another Rauch respite. But, hey, if you need saves, you're welcome to go get him.

Shallow mixed: Consider

Deep mixed: Consider

AL-only: Acquire

Jeanmar Gomez, Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Dennis Madaloff reported that the Indians appear likely to promote Gomez to the big club and its rotation to begin the second half. Gomez was scratched from the Triple-A All-Star contest, which is a sign that the move is coming.

Gomez, 23, hasn't had a pretty start to his major league career (4.74 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 5.09 K/9, 3.20 BB/9 in 76 innings spread across this season and last). He doesn't throw hard and doesn't offer the promise of strikeouts. Gomez has displayed notable improvement in his control rate and has had a solid season at Triple-A Columbus (9-3, 2.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 7.21 K/9, 2.79 BB/9). Those marks were likely due for a little correction, but he's replacing only the venerable Mitch Talbot, and he should do a bit better.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

AL-only: Consider

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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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