NL Waiver Wire Gems

John Buck, C, Florida Marlins (34% owned Yahoo, 6.5% ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .234/38/16/52/0

Buck has been quite hot the last two weeks, collecting 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, and a .294 average. He is quietly on pace for 20/65 and, while the average sucks, you expect that from your backstop. Power is in short supply this year across the board, and Buck could prove to be a positive addition down the stretch if you are hurting for a catcher with some pop.

My Projection (all rest of season): .250/12/5/17/0

Logan Morrison, OF, Florida Marlins (29% Yahoo, 42.7% ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .248/42/18/61/2

Mr. Immature is back! While I think the Marlins overreacted to Morrison’s shenanigan’s, maybe the send down will light a fire under him for the rest of the season, as he was not the same player the last few months that he was in April and May. He is only 3 for 16 since his return, but he does have a HR among those three hits; for him to be owned in less than 30% of leagues (a product of the demotion no doubt) is just plain wrong. Really, yahoo players, you own Pedro Alvarez (31%), Ty Wigginton (34%), and out for the season Stephen Drew (41%) more than this guy? Even accounting for those who have abandoned their teams, Mr. Morrison’s number should be higher.

My Projection: .270/15/5/17/2

James Loney, 1b, LA Dodgers (20% Yahoo, 20.1% ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .274/36/8/44/3

Talk about coming out of the woodwork of irrelevance. Loney has channeled 2007 the last two weeks, going 18/40, with 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, and 9 runs. Jump on him while he’s hot if you are banged up at 1b, or need some utility help. It probably won’t last long, but his prowess could make your fantasy season next week if you are on the bubble for the playoffs.

My Projection: .285/15/4/18/1

Orlando Hudson, 2b, San Diego Padres (17% Yahoo, 33.1% ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .257/42/4/37/17

Huddy has had his best stolen base production of his career with the run and gun Pods this year, and should break 20 fairly easily going forward. He also has been hitting for some serious average of late (.349 the last two weeks). I know, he is on the offensively challenges Friars, but if you are desperate for middle infield help and steals, I think he is a better option than Yuniesky Betancourt (33%), Rafael Furcal (35%), and Aaron Hill (47%)*

*Really, I don’t get the continued love for Hill. If you think he is going to return to his power charged 2009 ways in Arizona as compared to Toronto, I got an official Hurricane Irene ‘Go’ bag to sell ya – and you thought you were going to read something not referencing the storm this weekend.

My Projection: .270/15/1/12/5

J.D. Martinez, OF, Houston Astros (11% Yahoo, 18.1% ESPN)

Current Stat Line:  .296/14/5/24/0

Mining another woeful offense, Martinez has been prolific with the bat of late: 17/51 with a HR and ten RBIs in the last two weeks. Martinez is young and unpolished, but he will get plenty of chances to impress down the stretch for the historically bad ‘Stros. Deep league OF help, thy name is J.D.

My projection: .275/12/3/15/1

Weekly Minor League Recap

AAA:

–Jesus Montero, NYY, C, Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees (#3): Montero is still mouldering away at SWB, mainly because the Yankees do not have a regular place for him to play every day, except for possibly DH.  They don’t want to have the kid start his career just batting, and so we must wait (Insert Second Coming joke here).  His average has dropped to .315, but he is showing more power of late, hitting 2 HR and 3 doubles in his last ten.  His walk/k ratio still sucks though (8/31).

–Brett Lawrie, TOR, 2b/3b, Vegas 51s (#40): Lawrie is back to hitting for average to go along with his prodigious power.  He is at .375/.490/.800 with 4 HRs, 13 RBIs, 9 BBs, and 7 Ks over his last ten.  He already has more HRs this year (11) than last year (8) in 92 fewer games.  But blah blah blah his glove is nonexistent blah blah blah.

–Adrian Cardenas, OAK, DH/2b, Sacramento River Cats (unranked): The beat goes on for Cardenas average wise, as he hit .411 over his last ten.  He also showed some power, slugging .618 (though just one hit went over the fence).  Still getting on base over 40% of the time.

–Brandon Guyer, TB, OF, Durham Bulls (unranked): Guyer is at .176/.300/.206 over his past ten.  Looking more and more like the HR in his major league debut was a giant fluke

-Yonder Alonso, CIN, OF, Louisville Bats (#73): Alonso is rolling along at .375/.468/.550 in his last ten.  More importantly, he had 7 walks to 4 strikeouts; patience increases call up potential IMO.

2011 Fantasy Baseball Bust: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is an 11-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion, five-time Gold Glover, four-time Silver Slugger and the 2000 World Series MVP.

No doubt about it, Derek Jeter is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the greatest Yankee shortstop of all time. Jeter will continue to hit at the top of the Yankee lineup.

So, what has the Yankee captain done for me to consider him a bust?

Derek Jeter easily had the worst season of his career in 2010 at age 36. He suffered career lows in batting average (.270), BABIP (.307), ISO (.100), OPS (.710) and wOBA (.320).

When looking at his GB rate of 65.7 percent (highest in MLB), you can see he had all kinds of trouble keeping the ball off the ground. 

His GB percent is troublesome because of his declining speed. His LD rate (16.1 percent) and FB rate (18.2 percent) are both career-lows. He will not be banging out too many infield hits and he isn’t getting any lift on the ball.

I don’t think Derek Jeter will have a horrible fantasy season and shortstop is very shallow, but Derek Jeter’s ADP is 48. He is being taken before Justin Morneau, Adam Dunn, Jose Bautista, Jayson Werth, Ian Kinsler and all but six starting pitchers.

If he outperforms all of these guys in the 2011 fantasy season, I will walk into a McDonald’s with my pants down and post it on YouTube.

Wait 50 picks and draft Alexei Ramirez or wait 75 picks and draft Stephen Drew. They both could put up better numbers than Jeter this year. Hell, I bet Ian Desmond 150 picks later could put up comparable numbers to Jeter.

If you miss out on a top-tier SS, don’t think Derek Jeter is the answer to your problems.

Projection: .295 AVG, 9 HR, 59 RBI, 101 R, 14 SB