Time to Find a Fantasy Sub for Renteria

August 3, 2007 @ 16:00:00

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

The Atlanta Braves have placed shortstop Edgar Renteria (ankle) on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right ankle. Renteria hurt the ankle Thursday, Aug. 2, when he tried to field an awkward grounder by Houston Astros third baseman Ty Wigginton. Renteria came up limping and had to be helped off the field. After the game, the team was hoping he would miss just a couple of days; however, it will be at least two weeks before he can return.

Renteria is hitting .336 with 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 74 runs and 11 stolen bases this year. He had been even better in July, hitting .365 with 13 RBI, 18 runs and four stolen bases. He would likely have only improved, as the recent acquisition of first baseman Mark Teixeira could have provided a boost to his run totals. Renteria will be tough to replace mainly in the runs and batting average categories, although he contributed across the board and is one of the more complete fantasy players in the National League.

Infielder Yunel Escobar will replace Renteria for the time being. In 46 games this season, Escobar is hitting .329 with one home run, 14 RBI, 24 runs and three stolen bases. He had been splitting time at second base with Kelly Johnson. The move means Johnson likely will now play second on a regular basis.

The question you will likely be asking, though, is what does this mean for your fantasy team? It is not known how long Renteria will be out for, but it would be best to keep him on your disabled list and pick up a player to replace him. There are a few decent replacements.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot would be a decent replacement for Renteria, as he has had a solid last month. Over that time, he is hitting .325 with 18 runs, two home runs, six RBI and five stolen bases. The RBI might not be there, but he could cover in every other category for Renteria. The Cubs have also been hot lately, which should only increase his value as the team around him hits. He is available in approximately 65 percent of leagues polled.

Washington Nationals shortstop Felipe Lopez is also another option. In the past month, he is hitting .286 (26-for-91) with 12 runs, three home runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases. You may take a hit in average, but he should contribute a bit in each of the other categories. He is available in about 75 percent of leagues polled.

Finally, consider Minnesota Twins shortstop Jason Bartlett. In the past month, he is hitting.273 (27-for-99) and has 17 runs, one home run, six RBI and four stolen bases. Again, you may take a hit in one category (average) but should adequate production in some of the others. He is available in approximately 97 percent of leagues polled.

Not much is known about the severity of Renteria's injury, so keep him stashed away on your disabled list or bench. Also, keep an eye on KFFL for any updates on his condition.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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