Waiver Wire: AL
by Rob McQuownJuly 17, 2009
Erick Aybar | Los Angeles | SS
YTD: .292/.333/.407
True Talent: .275/.317/.377
Next Week Forecast: 0.2 HR, 2 Runs, 2 RBI, .278 BA, 0.4 SB
Maicer Izturis is avoiding injuries by resting against LHP. That's great news for their other slick-fielding shortstop who doesn't play other positions, Erick Aybar. Aybar is a winning ballplayer in the mold of Orlando Cabrera (.273/.321/.396 career). With the injuries, Scioscia doesn't have to bench one of his three middle infielders, as Kendrick can DH. Aybar is adequate “filler” in mixed leagues until Vlad and Torii return, when his PT should again be reduced to 70% and his lack of HR or SB really hurt.
Brian Bannister | Kansas City | SP
YTD: 5.7 K/9, 1.9 K/BB, 3.66 ERA
True Talent: 5.3 K/9, 1.8 K/BB, 4.61 ERA
Next Week Forecast: 5.2 IP, 0.3 W, 3 K, 4.83 ERA
Bannister won lots of Internet fans a couple years ago by using BABIP in a sentence, and people were wondering if he'd figured out a way to suppress his below that of a typical pitcher with his mediocre peripherals. He's at it again in 2009, but we think that he's due for some rough times. His career second-half stats are awful (5.37 ERA, .285/.341/.491 against), he doesn't strike out many, and he has the Royals popgun barrage “supporting” him. Consider him only for one-day pickups against A's and M's.
Clay Buchholz | Boston | SP
YTD: 8.1 K/9, 3.0 K/BB, 2.36 ERA (AAA)
True Talent: n/a
Next Week Forecast: n/a
Supposedly only called up for one start, Buchholz is arguably the third-best option for the Red Sox right now. His strikeout rate is down a little from almost 9 K/IP between majors and minors last year, but he's inducing over 53% ground balls, and basically proving that he's far too good for AAA. For now, he's a high-risk/high-reward pickup in any format. He's an excellent SP waiting for Smoltz or Penny to falter.
Jeff Clement | Seattle | C?
YTD: n/a
True Talent: n/a
Next Week Forecast: n/a
You have to respect new GM Jack Zduriencik for being uncompromising about defense like an “Old School” guy, while using every latest piece of data (and the tools to analyze them) to the fullest. But at some point, enough is enough! In case nobody noticed, the M's are still in the race this year. This despite hitting an anemic .261/.313/.396 against RHP. Catchers have hit .217/.261/.332, DH .236/.330/.389. So, maybe Clement isn't a great defender, and not a top-tier hitter. But he's hit .292/.378/.496 against RHP in his minor-league career and even in the unlikely case that he's awful like 2008 again (.227/.295/.360 in 224 PA), even that's an improvement for the M's. A good preemptive pickup in AL Leagues, if allowed.
Alex Gordon | Kansas City | 3B
YTD: .095/.269/.238
True Talent: n/a
Next Week Forecast: n/a
Seemingly everyone wrote a “who to get” article about players who would do well in the second half. Well, here's the guy. If he's on a roster, don't hesitate to trade for him. The ugly stat line (in just 26 PA) is friendly for a good trade price. With Inge, Rolen, Crede, and Teahen playing over their heads, 3B doesn't seem like a shallow position, but Lowell is dinged, Beltre out, and DeRosa gone. The aforementioned overperformers should decline, and Gordon could vie for fifth-best behind Longoria, A-Rod, Figgins, and Young.
Shaun Marcum | Toronto | SP
YTD: Injured
True Talent: n/a
Next Week Forecast: n/a
Another high-risk pitching possibility, the Blue Jays could have some good news for a change this season, as he's due back soon. Marcum is a strike-thrower (99 BB in 310 IP in 07/08) who allows too many home runs to be a truly top-notch starter. Don't expect much ERA help, and the IP should be low as he's coming off an injury, but he could be a nice boost for WHIP in any format and pick up a few wins.
Gary Matthews | Los Angeles | OF
YTD: .226/.290/.321
True Talent: .254/.324/.386
Next Week Forecast: 0.7 HR, 4 Runs 4 RBI, .257 BA, 0.5 SB
Time for a round of, “How desperate are you?” Seemingly in another lifetime, GM Jr. hit .313 for the Rangers, earning a sweet contract from the desperate Angels. He even helped fantasy owners somewhat the following year, with 18 HR and 18 SB. Normally, we'd say the extra playing time boost he's getting due to the Hunter injury just makes him more damaging to rate stats. Yet, for an AL-only team that needs a miracle to catch up, an owner can encourage himself with the Shandler-ism, “once a player shows a skill, he owns it,” and desperately clutch for Matthews.
Magglio Ordonez | Detroit | OF
YTD: .260/.330/.343
True Talent: .294/.359/.449
Next Week Forecast: 0.3 HR, 2 Runs 2 RBI, .292 BA, 0.1 SB
Fans have collectively “forgotten” what typical aging curves look like thanks to PED's, and Maggs is of an age when many in the past have collapsed. But ... we're guessing the manipulative Jim Leyland is tearing him down and platooning him to “inspire” him. He's an exceptional “buy-low” candidate now, though obviously high-risk. He has a career Ct% of almost 88%, giving him one of the better combinations of contact and power in the game.
True Talent and Next Week Forecasts courtesy of Heater Magazine.
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