With Carlos Quentin likely out for the season, this homer is in no mood for cutesy intros. If only it were as easy for the White Sox to add a player to their roster as it is for you to add one of the below players to yours.
American League1. Shaun Marcum - SP - TOR - Halfway through June, Marcum was sporting a nifty 2.65 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. An elbow injury slowed him, though, and he struggled after coming off the disabled list. The Blue Jays sent him back to the minors for ten days, where he allowed four runs and struck out 15 in 13 innings. He faces Tampa Bay, Chicago, Baltimore, Boston and then Baltimore to end the season, and the upside of a return to his first-half self makes him worth gambling on.
Receommandation: Should be owned in mixed leagues.
2. Shin-Soo Choo - OF - CLE - Since the beginning of August, Choo is hitting .344 with five homers and 19 RBI in 83 at-bats. He got off to a slow start after returning from Tommy John surgery, but he's living up to the "second half sleeper" tag he got in our draft guide. He's been mentioned in this space before, and should be owned.
Recommendation: Should be owned in mixed leagues.
3. Daric Barton - 1B - OAK - Barton came back from the disabled list on August 1, and got off to a terrible start. He managed just 8 hits in his first 68 at-bats, dropping his average all the way to .203 on August 21. Since then, he's gone 17-for-44 (.386) with four homers and 11 RBI in that short span. It seems that the 23-year-old is finally starting to get over his injury and flash some of the potential that the A's were hoping to see realized earlier this season.
Recommendation: Worth grabbing in mixed leagues.
4.Anthony Reyes - SP - CLE - Since joining the Indians, Anthony Reyes has posted a very solid 2.01 ERA and notched two wins in five starts. It's impressive, but one must keep in mind his meager 14/11 K/BB ratio and the fact that he's faced a ridiculously soft schedule. He should still make a solid innings eater while facing KC, Baltimore, Minnesota, Detroit and Chicago to finish off the season.
Recommendation: Should be owned in AL-only leagues.
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5. Brandon Morrow - SP - SEA - After posting a 1.47 ERA and 0.90 WHIP out of Seattle's bullpen, Morrow was sent to Triple-A where he was stretched into a starter. He posted a 3.38 ERA with a 23/8 K/BB ratio in five starts before being recalled. To end the season, he faces New York, Los Angeles, Kansas City, and then Oakland twice. It's a schedule that starts out tough, but could pay dividends during the fantasy playoffs if Morrow proves successful in the Mariners' rotation.
Recommendation: Worth a flier in mixed leagues.
6. Dustin Nippert - SP - TEX - Nippert has made two starts since joining Texas' rotation. He was two outs short of a quality start in his appearance against the Angels and he blanked the Mariners for seven innings on Wednesday. That's nice and all, but Nippert is still sporting a 6.59 ERA on the season. Still, he is scheduled to face the same hapless Mariners again on Tuesday and then the Athletics on Sunday making him a decent option for the bold next week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in AL-only leagues next week.
7. Kila Ka'aihue - 1B/DH - KC - Ka'aihue and Ryan Shealy are poised to split time at first base for the rest of the season, making both intriguing AL-only options. Ka'aihue is a lefty, so he figures to see slightly more playing time, and the 24-year-old will try to make his .314/.456/.628 line from the minors translate to the bigs. He's a fun flier to grab for the rest of the season.
Recommendation: Worth a flier in AL-only leagues.
1. Todd Wellemeyer - SP - STL - Wellemeyer is this week's obvious choice: he's owned in about half of all fantasy leagues. After an up-and-down July that may have been hurt by elbow soreness, Wellemeyer bounced back in August, going 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA. He's 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA on the season, and his 109/50 K/BB ratio indicates that he's made strides while working with Dave Duncan.
Recommendation: Should be owned in mixed leagues.
2. Johnny Cueto - SP - CIN - Cueto certainly looked strong before having his last start skipped due to elbow soreness: he had managed a 2.77 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 26 innings during August. The injury has him available in more than half of fantasy leagues, so make sure he's owned in yours. He probably shouldn't be active against the Cubs, but he makes a fine play against Arizona, St. Louis, Houston and then St. Louis again.
Recommendation: Should be owned in mixed leagues.
3. Chris Dickerson - SP - CIN - Dickerson has been red hot since joining the Reds, hitting .320 with a 1.120 OPS in 75 at-bats since his promotion in August. The solid average and 30-homer pace won't last, although did Dickerson has shown decent pop since being promoted to Triple-A. What he should continue to provide is a fair amount of speed: he's notched five steals so far in the majors after tallying 46 swipes in 655 Triple-A at-bats.
Recommendation: Worth a flier in mixed leagues.
4. John Baker - C - FLA - Baker struggled in July - his first month in the majors - but he has hit .351 with two homers and 11 RBI in 74 at-bats since. He's getting regular playing time, and should be a fine addition for teams looking for a Torrealba replacement.
Recommendation: Should be owned in NL-only leagues.
5. Chris Volstad - SP - FLA - Volstad's strikeout rate isn't overly impressive, and his WHIP isn't going to help fantasy teams, either. Volstad's solid ERA could also suffer due to his tough upcoming schedule: after facing the Phillies on Tuesday, he'll face Houston, Philly again, and then the Mets. That makes him a more attractive keeper league addition.
Recommendaiton: Should be owned in NL-only leagues.
6. Josh Anderson - OF - ATL - In 54 at-bats for the Braves this season, Josh Anderson is hitting .296/.367/.426. He's not going to provide any power, but the man has phenomenal speed that should help fantasy teams if he can stay in Atlanta's lineup: he's averaged almost a steal every ten at-bats in his minor league career, a pace he's matched (albeit in a very limited sample) in the major leagues.
Receommendation: Should be owned in NL-only leagues.
7. Ryan Spilborghs - OF - COL - Spilborghs is part of Colorado's crowded outfield, and the team recently promoted Dexter Fowler, making the situation even more complicated. After missing about seven weeks due to a strained left oblique, Spilborghs will try to sustain the .307 average that goes with six homers and seven steals in 192 at-bats this season. If the Rockies continue to play him, he should once again be fantasy relevant.
Recommendation: Worth a flier in NL-only leagues.
