AL ONLYHank Conger C, Angels (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)
Conger was one of my favorite American League rookies prior to the start of spring training, primarily because I saw
Jeff Mathis and
Bobby Wilson as completely unappealing offensively. It looks like Angels manager Mike Scioscia is beginning to see the light. The 23-year-old backstop has started four of the last six games and is swinging the bat well early in the season, batting .333 (8-for-24) with two homers, one double and seven RBI. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come.
Conor Jackson OF, Athletics (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Jackson isn't going to be an everyday player in Oakland, but Athletics manager Bob Geren is giving him some starts against left-handed pitching. While the 28-year-old has struggled to stay healthy over the past couple of seasons, he still owns a .276/.359/.419 batting line in the major leagues and a .295 batting average and .856 OPS against southpaws. He's not a bad option if you don't mind platooning.
J.P. Howell RP, Rays (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Howell is just about ready to go out on a minor league rehab assignment as he works his way back from shoulder surgery. The southpaw should make around 10 appearances in the minors, so assuming all goes well, he should be back with the Rays in mid-May.
Kyle Farnsworth has been pretty solid in the ninth inning so far, but Howell could be worth a stash in the event that his success is short-lived. Remember, Howell saved 17 games with the Rays back in 2009.
Tyson Ross SP/RP, Athletics (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Dallas Braden was placed on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis earlier this week, so Ross will take his spot in the starting rotation for now. The young right-hander posted a 5.49 ERA over 39 1/3 innings last season and was shaky in two spot starts, but he nearly won a rotation spot out of spring training. Ross has promising stuff, including a low-to-mid 90s fastball and an above-average slider, so I'm willing to take a chance on him Friday night against a Mariners team that is dead last in the league in batting average.
NL ONLYDaniel Murphy 1B/2B/OF, Mets (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
The Mets cut ties with
Brad Emaus this week, mostly because they didn't see him as a long-term option at second base. Murphy probably isn't either, but he figures to be on the strong side of a platoon with
Justin Turner moving forward. The 26-year-old is still learning the second base position, so there will be some growing pains over there, but don't forget that he has a .276/.332/.439 batting line over 741 major league plate appearances. He's worth an immediate stash where available.
Kameron Loe RP, Brewers (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)
John Axford was one of the better closer finds in fantasy last season, going 24-for-27 in save opportunities while winning eight games and posting a 2.48 ERA and 76/27 K/BB ratio over 58 innings. This year? It's quite a different story. He has blown two out of his first five save opportunities while his control problems have resurfaced in a big way. He probably has a little leash left, but I'd give Loe a look if you're willing to speculate. The 29-year-old right-hander doesn't throw hard, but has good control and gets plenty of ground balls. He's the best alternative here since
Takashi Saito is still on the disabled list with a hamstring strain.
Jerry Sands OF, Dodgers (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 3.1 percent)
Say hello to the newest waiver wire sensation. The 23-year-old Sands got the call from the minors earlier this week after batting .400 with five homers and 17 RBI over his first 45 plate appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque. The Dodgers are in desperate need of offense right now, so Sands should be the regular left fielder unless he falls flat on his face. He might even see some time at first base over
James Loney against tough left-handed pitchers. I wouldn't go nuts in shallow mixed leagues, but Sands has enough power potential to be owned in all NL-only leagues.
Dillon Gee SP, Mets (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Chris Young hit the disabled list with biceps tendinitis last weekend, prompting the Mets to call up
Dillon Gee from Triple-A Buffalo. The 24-year-old right-hander did just fine against the Braves on Sunday, allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking a pair. Gee probably pitched over his head last September (2.18 ERA over five starts) and can be a little homer-prone at times, but he'll be less of a liability calling Citi Field home. Give him a look against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.
It's at times like this where I wonder how
Mike Leake would handle himself in a fantasy league.
And I'm not talking about as a pitcher, but as a fantasy owner. I tend to think he'd be someone who would constantly vulture players off the waiver wire, like six at a time in some cases. That would normally be pretty annoying for the rest of the league, but the thing is, he'd only claim truly undesirable players like
Rick Ankiel and
Joe Saunders. It's ultimately a pretty dumb strategy, but he wouldn't really hurt anybody besides himself.
Let's move on to the good stuff.
MIXED LEAGUESJed Lowrie 2B/SS, Red Sox (Yahoo: 51 percent owned, ESPN: 40.4 percent)
I'm going to start with Lowrie since his ownership numbers are still pretty modest under the circumstances, but let's be honest, if you're in a competitive league, he's probably already gone. The 27-year-old is batting .462 with three homers, two doubles and 11 RBI over his first 39 at-bats this season, proving that his second-half surge last year was no fluke. The Red Sox need to get serious about winning some baseball games here, so I don't see Lowrie sitting down anytime soon. Play him while he's hot and worry about
Marco Scutaro later.
Danny Espinosa 2B, Nationals (Yahoo: 15 percent owned, ESPN: 11.9 percent)
While he had four hits during Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, Espinosa's stock has been up with me since being put into the leadoff spot by Jim Riggleman last Friday night. Sure, he's unlikely to maintain his current .288 batting average for the long haul, but he's a solid bet for double-digit homers and steals and should collect plenty of runs scored batting in front of
Jayson Werth and (eventually)
Ryan Zimmerman. There's sneaky value here in mixed leagues.
Mitchell Boggs RP, Cardinals (Yahoo: 27 percent owned, ESPN: 4.8 percent)
Ryan Franklin was finally removed from the closer role earlier this week and while Tony La Russa hasn't officially named a replacement for the ninth inning, Boggs closed out a 5-3 win over the Nationals on Wednesday night. Good enough for me. The 27-year-old right-hander touches the mid-90s on his fastball and also has a plus-slider, giving him a more traditional closer-like arsenal than his predecessor. His command has been a bit of an issue in the past, but Boggs has an encouraging 13/3 K/BB ratio over his first 10 innings this season. He should be owned in all formats right now.
Peter Bourjos OF, Angels (Yahoo: 17 percent owned, ESPN: 2 percent)
Let Bourjos serve as a reminder of how one big series early in the season can change perception on the spin of a dime. The speedy young center fielder entered this week's series against the Rangers with a lowly .224 batting average, but thanks to going 7-for-12 over the past three games, he's now checks in at .295 for the young season. Of course, the biggest problem with Bourjos is his penchant for the strikeout (20 whiffs over 61 at-bats this season), so there's no batting crown in his immediate future, but he has enough speed and power to be worthy of your attention in deeper mixed formats.
Travis Hafner UT, Indians (Yahoo: 49 perent owned, ESPN: 29.4 percent)
It's hard to believe, but Hafner has found his way back into fantasy relevancy. Pronk had two more hits Wednesday against the Royals, giving him a .351 batting average (20-for-57) to go along with four homers and 10 RBI to begin the year. His batting average on balls in play is ridiculously high at the moment, but the good news is that he is hitting line drives at a frantic pace. I'd suggest adding him where you can, but keep in mind that he's strictly a UT option in most formats.
Bud Norris SP, Astros (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 4.4 percent)
Norris wasn't able to close the deal Wednesday night against the Mets, giving up a game-tying homer in the sixth inning, but I like what I've seen from him so far this season. The 26-year-old right-hander has always been useful for strikeouts (238 strikeouts over 231 1/3 major league innings), but he's made some nice strides with his control this season, walking just seven batters over his first 22 innings. He has the Cardinals on tap for next week, a team he has owned in the past, so why not give him a spin in mixed leagues?
Alex Avila C, Tigers (Yahoo: 32 percent owned, ESPN: 13.2 percent)
DL-stints for
Joe Mauer and
Victor Martinez have naturally sent many fantasy owners scrambling for catchers for the past week.
Nick Hundley has already been snatched up in many leagues (Yahoo: 58 percent owned, ESPN: 48.2 percent), and rightly so, but I'm also intrigued by Avila, who is batting .267 (12-for-45) with three homers, 10 RBI and an .851 OPS so far this season. The 24-year-old still strikes out a little too much, which likely caps his batting average, but I like his power more than, say,
Carlos Ruiz, who is owned in more leagues right now. Not a bad short-term fill-in.
Coco Crisp OF, Athletics (Yahoo: 37 percent owned, ESPN: 41.3 percent)
Crisp was drafted in many standard 12-team mixed leagues, but his ownership levels have dropped significantly following a slow start. It might be time to reconsider. Crisp has hit safely in each of his last four games, including a leadoff homer in Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox. He probably won't touch his ridiculous output from the second half of last season, but his speed and surprising pop will prove valuable for as long as he can stay healthy.
Ty Wigginton 1B/2B/3B, Rockies (Yahoo: 18 percent owned, ESPN: 17.1 percent)
The Rockies sent the struggling
Ian Stewart to Triple-A Colorado Springs earlier this week, opening the door for Wigginton to draw most of the starts at third base for the time being. The veteran infielder homered and drove in four runs in Wednesday's win over the Giants, collecting his 1000th career hit in the process. Wiggy has a knack of finding playing time wherever he goes, so don't dismiss him as a fantasy option at Coors Field. With his pop and multi-position eligibility, he can be pretty useful in most formats.
Shopping at the five-and-dime:(Players owned in less than 10 percent of Y! and ESPN.com leagues)
Joe Blanton SP, Phillies (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 3.1 percent)
Seriously? Seriously. It's easy to get distracted by Blanton's ugly 7.27 ERA -- and his first two starts were admittedly awful -- but he gave up just two runs over seven innings against the Brewers on Monday and has the punchless Padres on tap this weekend. And at pitcher-friendly PETCO Park, no less. If you're looking for a streaming option, Blanton should be near of your list.
Matt Joyce OF, Rays (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 6.7 percent)
Jed Lowrie might be the hottest hitter on the planet right now, but Joyce is a close second. The 26-year-old outfielder started the season in a 1-for-20 slump, but is batting .485 (16-for-33) with six doubles, four RBI and two stolen bases over his last nine games. Joyce is markedly better against right-handed pitching as opposed to southpaws, so be careful when you use him, but his power potential makes him a solid option in deeper mixed formats, especially in five outfielder leagues.
AL ONLYHank Conger C, Angels (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)
Conger was one of my favorite American League rookies prior to the start of spring training, primarily because I saw
Jeff Mathis and
Bobby Wilson as completely unappealing offensively. It looks like Angels manager Mike Scioscia is beginning to see the light. The 23-year-old backstop has started four of the last six games and is swinging the bat well early in the season, batting .333 (8-for-24) with two homers, one double and seven RBI. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come.
Conor Jackson OF, Athletics (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Jackson isn't going to be an everyday player in Oakland, but Athletics manager Bob Geren is giving him some starts against left-handed pitching. While the 28-year-old has struggled to stay healthy over the past couple of seasons, he still owns a .276/.359/.419 batting line in the major leagues and a .295 batting average and .856 OPS against southpaws. He's not a bad option if you don't mind platooning.
J.P. Howell RP, Rays (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Howell is just about ready to go out on a minor league rehab assignment as he works his way back from shoulder surgery. The southpaw should make around 10 appearances in the minors, so assuming all goes well, he should be back with the Rays in mid-May.
Kyle Farnsworth has been pretty solid in the ninth inning so far, but Howell could be worth a stash in the event that his success is short-lived. Remember, Howell saved 17 games with the Rays back in 2009.
Tyson Ross SP/RP, Athletics (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Dallas Braden was placed on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis earlier this week, so Ross will take his spot in the starting rotation for now. The young right-hander posted a 5.49 ERA over 39 1/3 innings last season and was shaky in two spot starts, but he nearly won a rotation spot out of spring training. Ross has promising stuff, including a low-to-mid 90s fastball and an above-average slider, so I'm willing to take a chance on him Friday night against a Mariners team that is dead last in the league in batting average.
NL ONLYDaniel Murphy 1B/2B/OF, Mets (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
The Mets cut ties with
Brad Emaus this week, mostly because they didn't see him as a long-term option at second base. Murphy probably isn't either, but he figures to be on the strong side of a platoon with
Justin Turner moving forward. The 26-year-old is still learning the second base position, so there will be some growing pains over there, but don't forget that he has a .276/.332/.439 batting line over 741 major league plate appearances. He's worth an immediate stash where available.
Kameron Loe RP, Brewers (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)
John Axford was one of the better closer finds in fantasy last season, going 24-for-27 in save opportunities while winning eight games and posting a 2.48 ERA and 76/27 K/BB ratio over 58 innings. This year? It's quite a different story. He has blown two out of his first five save opportunities while his control problems have resurfaced in a big way. He probably has a little leash left, but I'd give Loe a look if you're willing to speculate. The 29-year-old right-hander doesn't throw hard, but has good control and gets plenty of ground balls. He's the best alternative here since
Takashi Saito is still on the disabled list with a hamstring strain.
Jerry Sands OF, Dodgers (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 3.1 percent)
Say hello to the newest waiver wire sensation. The 23-year-old Sands got the call from the minors earlier this week after batting .400 with five homers and 17 RBI over his first 45 plate appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque. The Dodgers are in desperate need of offense right now, so Sands should be the regular left fielder unless he falls flat on his face. He might even see some time at first base over
James Loney against tough left-handed pitchers. I wouldn't go nuts in shallow mixed leagues, but Sands has enough power potential to be owned in all NL-only leagues.
Dillon Gee SP, Mets (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)
Chris Young hit the disabled list with biceps tendinitis last weekend, prompting the Mets to call up
Dillon Gee from Triple-A Buffalo. The 24-year-old right-hander did just fine against the Braves on Sunday, allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking a pair. Gee probably pitched over his head last September (2.18 ERA over five starts) and can be a little homer-prone at times, but he'll be less of a liability calling Citi Field home. Give him a look against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.