Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market

Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Jordan Schafer, Greg Halman

June 3, 2011 @ 16:16:14

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)

Outfielders

Jordan Schafer, Atlanta Braves

Volquez is right back up

Since his call-up, Schafer has gone 8-for-32 (.250), with seven walks (.385 OBP), five runs and a stolen base - while playing outstanding defense. He continues to do the work of a leadoff hitter and stay within his ability, something he'd gotten away from for a couple of years, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has started all contests since his promotion, which came about because of the injury to Nate McLouth. Jason Heyward (shoulder soreness) isn't close to returning, either.

The Braves wouldn't push someone returning from an oblique strain, anyway, but Schafer's play has made it easy to forget McLouth's .238/.336/.431 slash line. If Schafer continues to perform, Atlanta will be faced with a choice. A week ago, the 24-year-old former top prospect was a good speculative pickup. Now, he's an even better one.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Consider

NL-only: Acquire

Greg Halman, Seattle Mariners

The Mariners optioned Michael Saunders to Triple-A Tacoma and called up Halman, another prospect - sort of. Halman's star has dimmed quite a bit since Seattle's realization that his embarrassing strikeout percentage was not part of a recipe for success. He has plenty of power (33 homers, a career-high mark, in 2010, when he batted .243), though.

The M's made the move primarily to give Saunders the chance to play every day and work on his stick skills. Carlos Peguero will remain the primary left fielder and may yield to Halman in late innings just as he did to Saunders. Halman, according The Seattle Times' Geoff Baker, was recovering from a wrist injury at Tacoma. He hit .258 with a homer and struck out a mere 22.6 percent of the time.

Halman can play center field, a necessity for the club's fourth outfielder given Franklin Gutierrez's situation. If Peguero continues to struggle, Halman, 23, could see more time. However, the M's also wanted to give Peguero a chance to gain a stranglehold on the left-field job, and if he doesn't, power-hitting Mike Carp is waiting at Tacoma.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Pass

AL-only: Consider

Pitchers

Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati Reds

Did the Volquez owner in your league hold after his demotion? Dusty Baker said that the wild right-hander's next outing is likely to come in a Reds uni. The Dominican pitcher appears to have begun to acquit himself following his sentence to Triple-A Louisville. Keep this in mind: The move might be in part because of necessity.

In his first start, Volquez threw 69 of his 109 pitches for strikes, but he gave up two hits and a run in the first inning. Sound familiar? He didn't give up another hit until the seventh, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay, however; he struck out five, walked two and yielded a total of two runs. In his second, on Thursday, he gave up only one run, in the third stanza, but walked four and fanned just two.

The efforts may be encouraging, specifically to the Reds, who wanted to see specific things from him. Perhaps they did. Still, approach him with caution - pick him up, but consider benching - since this is a club that has been forced to go with Chad Reineke in the rotation. Mike Leake holds down the spot of Homer Bailey (shoulder issues).

Shallow mixed: Consider

Deep mixed: Acquire

NL-only: Acquire

Rubby De La Rosa, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are expected to place Jon Garland (shoulder inflammation) on the disabled list. De La Rosa, the club's top pitching prospect, is already on the roster as well as the confirmed replacement in that case.

All eight of De La Rosa's appearances (40 innings) for Double-A Chattanooga came as a starter. He posted a 2.93 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP, a 11.70 K/9 and a 4.28 BB/9. He has been incredibly tough to homer against (0.20 HR/9) in the minors. In his five MLB innings, all as a reliever, he has struck out five, walked one and given up one run.

De La Rosa's second-to-last start for the Lookouts lasted only 3 2/3 innings because he walked seven and yielded seven runs (five earned). He was pulled from his last start, on May 21, after two innings; he finished with one hit, no walks, five strikeouts and no runs allowed. Without clarification, the move could've been with his future call-up in mind.

Regardless, De La Rosa, 22, will certainly be limited in his first start, at least. That combined with his control problems as he advanced will make it difficult to get deep into a game for a couple of starts. However, the pure stuff he possesses and the uncertainty surrounding Garland's injury make him worth a speculative addition.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Consider

NL-only: Acquire