Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market - Falling

July 10, 2009 @ 01:01:03

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Tim Heaney

Also see: Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market - Rising

Fantasy baseball waivers and discarded fantasy baseball players can make or break a season. You may have adjusted your fantasy baseball cheat sheets over and over during spring training. If your team remains the same after opening day, though, you will probably have trouble competing in your rotisserie baseball league.

When is it time to give up on your fantasy baseball sleepers? Which players are worth retaining? KFFL.com's Diamond Market series gives you the fantasy baseball tips and advice you need to sort through the masses quickly.

Key

Discard - Drop player (in most circumstances)

Stash - Hold player if roster space is available; consider dropping if trend continues

Hold - Do not drop player (in most circumstances)

Catchers

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs placed the disappointing fantasy backstop on the disabled list Friday, and he could miss a month. Manager Lou Piniella said he wasn't exactly sure how serious it was and that Soto's down time could be a little less. Soto (oblique) strained the muscle in batting practice Wednesday. He's a talented hitter, no question, but he was overvalued in fantasy drafts. He has second-half upside, and there's dearth of quality options at the position. In one-catcher formats, if your DL and bench are already pretty tight, you may have little choice, though.

Shallow mixed: Stash

Deep mixed: Hold

NL-only: Hold

Outfielders

Magglio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers

We explored the depths of Maggs' fall from grace about a month ago. Now, it appears his lack of impact production (.260-4-28, with three steals) is relegating him to a part-time role. Manager Jim Leyland plans to platoon the 35-year-old with Clete Thomas in right field. Ordonez, as the right-handed bat in this duo, may actually be on the short end of this stick. Maggs may have lost it, but understandably, some will be reluctant to drop the ax.

Shallow mixed: Discard

Deep mixed: Stash

AL-only: Hold

Relief pitchers

Jason Frasor, Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays activated Scott Downs (toe) from the disabled list Wednesday. General manager J.P. Ricciardi emphasized that he'll return to the closer's role ... as if it needed clarification. Frasor has been effective: He has five wins, three saves, a 2.56 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. He was shaky a few times while filling in for Downs, but he has been ratio booster and win vulture. The Jays' lefty closer isn't really injury prone.

Shallow mixed: Stash

Deep mixed: Stash

AL-only: Hold

B.J. Ryan, Free Agent

Toronto released the maligned southpaw Wednesday to make room for Downs. Ryan's velocity still seems to be an issue, and his control (7.40) is impossible to stomach. They're big reasons why he has struggled both before (seven earned runs allowed in 5 2/3 innings) and after (eight earned runs given up in 15 innings) his stint on the disabled list.

This divorce was an inevitability, but it might be rash. Ryan said he felt like the club wasn't showing confidence in him, and his inconsistent workload (only three appearances since June 20) made it hard for him to work things out. Some team will take a chance on him because the Jays are paying his hefty salary through next year. It may not have fantasy implications this year, though.

Shallow mixed: Discard

Deep mixed: Discard

AL-only: Stash

Also see: Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market - Rising

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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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