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Written by Dan Snyder   
Wednesday, 02 May 2012 06:28

 

Longoria - ICON SMI

 

Evan Longoria is out for 6-8 weeks with a partially torn hammy. Here are some 3B-eligible players to fill the void that's been left (it gets ugly quick).

 

Only players owned in less than 50% of leagues were considered.

 

Chris Davis, BAL (41.6% ESPN, 40% Yahoo!) - If it feels like this guy's been around forever it's because he has, getting at least 100 major league at-bats each year since 2008. But the guy's still only 26. And the guy's on fire. In his last seven games he's gone 7-for-21 with 9 R, 4 HR, 9 RBI and (most importantly) only 3 K. On the season he's striking out in 23.1% of his at-bats; while that's 5% above league average, it's one of the best strikeout rates Davis has ever had, at any level (his career big league mark is 30.9% in 1160 plate appearances). He is sporting a .377 BABIP right now, but there are over 20 major leaguers with a higher mark, and Davis' career mark is .338 so his current .310 AVG isn't too far from legit … as long as he keeps the strikeouts down.

 

Matt Carpenter, STL (7.9% ESPN, 10% Yahoo!) - Though he played all but one minor league at third base, Carpenter has primarily played first base in place of Lance Berkman the last couple weeks. Berkman is eligible to come off the DL on Friday, but it will probably be sometime next week before he's activated. Allen Craig returned from the DL yesterday and got the start at first, so Carpenter's playing time may very well be limited until another injury Freese up some room (see what I did there?). Carpenter doesn't offer much in the way of power or speed, but he was a career .300 hitter in the minors (with a .408 OBP).

 

Pedro Alvarez, PIT (3.1% ESPN, 10% Yahoo!) - More or less the Chris Davis of the National League: sky-high power potential and a sky-high strikeout rate. Alvarez is succumbing to the K at a 36.4% rate this season, and though he's been hotter than hot this last week - 5 R, 4 HR, 4 2B, 8 RBI - the strikeouts are still coming (8 in 28 PA, a 28.6% rate). The Pirates have two more games to play in St. Louis before returning to Pittsburgh for a nine-game homestand (CIN, WAS, HOU); Alvarez is as streaky as they come, and now's the time to roster him.

 

Danny Valencia, MIN (2.5% ESPN, 9% Yahoo!) - He's hitting .375 in the last seven days, and though the Twins will play three games in SAFECO after finishing their series @ LAA, on Monday My 7th they begin a nine-game homestand. Valencia's been a big homer in his career, batting .299 at Target Field and .237 on the road.

 

Chris Johnson, HOU (2.1% ESPN, 4% Yahoo!) - Houston hasn't cracked the Top 25 in terms of runs scored since 2008, but right now they're the 8th ranked offense in the league. Jose Altuve is leading the charge with 33 hits (trailing only Jeter, Kemp, Ortiz and Hamilton for the league lead) but Johnson has 24 hits of his own and is batting .310 in his last eight games.

 

Alex Liddi, SEA (2.0% ESPN, 4% Yahoo!) - He went 6 for 14 in the Mariners' series @ DET last week but has gone just 3 for 18 since. With Justin Smoak now back in the swing of things, Liddi's playing time will be limited to third base, which is fine as long as Chone Figgins continues playing LF and CF. In that regard, Franklin Gutierrez is still a couple weeks from returning to CF duty (the torn pectoral is near fully recovered, but now he's dealing with plantar fasciitis) but Mike Carp is back from the DL and could push Figgins back to the infield a few nights a week. The M's would be wise to give Liddi and his power (30 HR last year with Triple-A Tacoma) and chance to stick at the major league level.

 

Placido Polanco, PHI (1.7% ESPN, 7% Yahoo!) - When the Phils wrapped up a series in San Diego in 4/21, Polanco was hitting just .192, but he crossed the Mendoza Line in his next game and hasn't looked back. He's 8 for his last 20 (.400 AVG) and is entrenched in the #2 spot in the Phillies lineup, Utley- and Howard-less though it may be.

 

Scott Rolen, CIN (1.5% ESPN, 5% Yahoo!) - Rolen homered in back-to-back games last week (his first two bombs of the year) and may be ready to break out of the early season slump that's left him with a .186 AVG thus far. A speculative add, to be sure.

 

Wilson Betemit, BAL (0.0% ESPN, 1% Yahoo!) - He's picked up a hit in seven straight games, batting .320 in that time with 4 R, 2 HR and 6 RBI. Mark Reynolds and his .143 AVG (thanks to a 41.1% strikeout rate) are going to see fewer and fewer starts while Betemit continues to hit.

 


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Last Updated on Friday, 04 May 2012 09:32