Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market

Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Mike Morse, more

May 23, 2011 @ 13:45:50

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

Juan Miranda, Arizona Diamondbacks

Last week, the Snakes released Russell Branyan, which obviously opens the door for the left-handed hitter Miranda at first base. He seems intent on making Kirk Gibson look smart; he has gone 9-for-18 with a homer and five RBIs in his past five games, all starts have come in the team's last five contests. Few places can even contend with Chase Field as home bases for lefty-swinging power hitters.

Shallow mixed: Watch

Deep mixed: Consider

NL-only: Acquire

Mike Morse, Washington Nationals

Reimold refitted in B-more

It sounds more and more like Adam LaRoche (partial tear in shoulder labrum) is headed for the disabled list. That'd likely result in Morse's relocation to first base, at least initially. The right-handed batter has been playing in about every other game and is starting to pick up the pace after a slow start, and he still packs that above-average power.

Laynce Nix would gain a little more security, especially since he has seemingly supplanted Morse in left field. The Roger Bernadina experiment in center remains a go, in pencil.

Shallow mixed: Watch

Deep mixed: Consider

NL-only: Acquire

Middle infielders

Jamey Carroll, Los Angeles Dodgers

Carroll filled in for Rafael Furcal (broken thumb) more than adequately and will assuredly remain a regular now that Juan Uribe (strained hip flexor) is on the shelf. Carroll has hit .316 with five stolen bases in 192 plate appearances this season and .347 with a theft in 81 plate appearances this month. He should be eligible at second and short, at least, in your league, with third base and the outfield a possibility.

The counting stuff beyond some runs and a few steals won't be there, but considering the state of the fantasy baseball player pool, steadiness and health are underappreciated. In shallow leagues, Carroll is nothing more than short-term duct tape, however.

Shallow mixed: Consider

Deep mixed: Acquire

NL-only: Acquire

Brandon Wood, Pittsburgh Pirates

Pedro Alvarez (quadriceps) is on the disabled list, mercifully, and Wood figures to see the majority of time in the young slugger's place at the hot corner. The former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim prospect has batted .217 with no homers or steals in 46 at-bats since joining the Bucs. He has struck out a little less often with the 'Burgh so far, but there aren't nearly enough signs here to expect long-term dividends. Wood is eligible at shortstop and still boasts big-time power, though, in case you're throwing out Hail Marys.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Watch

NL-only: Consider

Outfielders

Nolan Reimold, Baltimore Orioles

The O's called up Reimold this past weekend to patch up one of its several holes on an injury-ridden offense. As a possible platoon partner in left field, Reimold wouldn't seem to be in an advantageous position. With a .237/.329/.410 slash line, highlighted by his six homers and two steals, he wouldn't seem to worthy of playing when he is in there, either.

Reimold, 27, had a fantastic spring after a disappointing campaign that was undoubtedly off on the wrong foot following late 2009 Achilles' surgery. He felt like he was just getting his swing back on the farm again when B-more recalled him.

You might look at an investment in Reimold as a shot in the dark. It is. But he's largely the same player who posted that .279-15-45 stretch in 358 at-bats in 2009. Luke Scott is dealing with a partial tear in his shoulder labrum, an injury that has had an adverse effect on Adam LaRoche's performance thus far, so the Orioles may not be finished searching for fill-ins. Reimold is 2-for-5 with a homer in the bigs this year, so far.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Watch

AL-only: Acquire

Reed Johnson, Chicago Cubs

The dull but dutiful Johnson figures to be easily the biggest short-term beneficiary now that Marlon Byrd (blown-up eye socket) is out indefinitely.

Byrd said that he hopes to play again this season. Hmmm. That's encouraging. It's difficult to see (no pun intended) how long it'll take him to recover. Johnson's mediocre production (you can bet it's coming, after his .370-2-15 start in 54 at-bats) can get the Cubs by for a bit. He may swipe a few bases and hit a couple more ding dongs.

Long-term planners are interested in case Byrd's injury creates a lengthy gap in the outfield, time-wise, for the Cubs. It's a good bet that Tyler Colvin will be back up, unless he's laboring at Triple-A Iowa. Brett Jackson is a distant possibility, too, but don't bank on that.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

NL-only: Acquire

Joe Mather, Atlanta Braves

The Bravos placed Jason Heyward (shoulder soreness) on the DL because the uber-talented outfielder has been dealing with the issue since spring training. Mather, 28, is for now the beneficiary.

The perhaps future journeyman is hitting .394 with a .606 slugging percentage in 33 at-bats with Atlanta this season. A 4-for-6 day, with a homer and four RBIs, does that in a hurry for your numbers. He's still a .257 hitter with a .307 OBP in nearly 250 MLB plate appearances. Mather has 15- to 20-homer power and might steal a base or three, but this seems like an unlikely solution for the Braves for very long.

Going in the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder's favor is that Nate McLouth (oblique issue) may also need to hit the DL. Eric Hinske can still play some right field, though, and may actually end up the winner in this uncertain scene.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

NL-only: Acquire