Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market

Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Carlos Gomez, more

May 6, 2011 @ 12:50:10

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)

Corner infielders

Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals

Value up by default

Run. Faster. Faster! One of the game's top hitting prospects combines elite BA and on-base ability with 20-homer upside. Even if he disappoints, he probably won't hurt you. The Royals simply couldn't hold him down after he began the year at Triple-A Omaha with a .439/.525/.582 line, which includes three home runs and produced 15 RBIs, in 118 plate appearances.

Shallow mixed: Acquire

Deep mixed: Acquire

AL-only: Acquire

Mark DeRosa, San Francisco Giants

There's speculation that DeRosa (inflammation in wrist), once he's off the DL at the beginning of next week, will have a chance to play in place of Miguel Tejada at the hot corner while Pablo Sandoval (fractured hamate bone) is out. That's a reasonable prognostication - one fantasy owners should've had in the back of their minds when this scenario began playing out.

Tejada might be forced to contend with Mike Fontenot, who has been playing at short, for ABs, but that's not your concern. The Giants are desperate enough for offense that DeRosa may represent an upgrade. Lingering wrist issues aren't encouraging for the return of his power stroke, but he belted 44 homers in his last two nearly full seasons. He has middling batting average ability (could be anywhere from .250 to .285), but he's worth a shot.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Watch

NL-only: Acquire

Outfielders

Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers

Just as quickly as Nyjer Morgan came off the disabled list, he went back on it with a fractured finger. And just like that, Gomez lost the only clear threat to his playing time for as many as four weeks.

Gomez remains a potential BA liability because of his sub-par ability to make contact (strange approach for a speedster, obviously). There are occasional flashes that he's taking steps forward in the power department, however, and he's making the most of his times on base (.275 OBP, eight stolen bases in nine attempts). If he continues to run this frequently in 2011, he could end up with 35-plus stolen bases. Don't bank on it, but acknowledge the shot.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Consider

NL-only: Acquire

Pitchers

Josh Collmenter, Arizona Diamondbacks

There's reason to expect Collmenter, 25, to replace the demoted Barry Enright in the rotation. Could he parlay it into a long-term spot? He has allowed only two earned runs, while fanning nine and walking just one, in 12 1/3 frames in relief and his first taste of the bigs. The righty was a starter throughout his minor league career, posting at times double-digit K/9s and low earned run averages, but throwing in a few stinker stretches. Throughout, however, he limited walks, although his control rate may have taken some settling time once he jumped to a new level.

Will Collmenter continue his short-term MLB success? He doesn't throw very hard (high 80s, touches 90) but has a moving fastball and effective changeup. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder's over-the-top motion is probably a little unsettling for opposing hitters. Once they grow accustomed to it, will he adjust? He has prompted the opposition to keep the ball on the ground more than two-thirds of the time early on. In the minors, that kind of grounder aid, which would be useful at Chase Field, wasn't the case, so will it continue? It all remains TBD.

Kirk Gibson believes that in order for Collmenter to succeed as a starter, he needs to improve his breaking ball to complement his solid two-pitch combo. Sounds fair, since he has barely thrown the 2 to major leaguers. Time will tell. He has some upside, at least initially, and should get a reasonable trial. Zach Duke (broken hand) should be back sometime in June, at which time, Arizona may have more shuffling to do.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Watch

NL-only: Acquire