At this point in the season while we approach the playoffs you pretty much have an idea of how your season is going to conclude. If you’ve read these articles all year you’re probably at the top of your league and each move you make is in preparation for your championship run. If you’re on the bubble you may need to fix a few holes to give yourself the best chance of winning in the end. And if its a lost season you may be preparing for the consolation bracket to get yourself the first pick in next year’s draft. Either way there is still room to take a look at some good pickups. The mindset on these guys has shifted away from thinking of what they will do over the long haul, but instead its about what they will do for you over the next two months, especially during the playoffs. You still need to have patience with some of these guys if your in the position to. If you’re fighting for a playoff spot you can’t afford to wait. With all of that being said, here are some guys you may want to look at picking up. Not all of these guys will fit every team. It depends on where you are in the standings and what you’re trying to do for the rest of this season.
Mike Napoli (C TEX)– He is killing the ball right now and is finally playing every day. If he is still available I would grab him right now and count on him for the rest of the year. Obviously he won’t hit at the same pace he is right now but he will still be productive. He has huge power in that hitter friendly park. He is an upgrade right now to a lot of catchers.
Justin Morneau (1B MIN)– I know he hasn’t produced for over a year now, but he still has plenty of upside. If you have the chance to wait on a guy like this and are looking to really stack your offense with another high quality power hitting bat that can platoon your utility spot or come off your bench then this is your guy. Stash him on your bench if you must and give him up until the time your playoffs start to hit. If he starts producing by then you’ve got yourself lightning in a bottle. If he doesn’t then let him go. But for now he is low risk high reward.
Chris Davis (1B/3B BAL)– Yeah I said it. I’ve always been high on this guy. He needs a chance to play everyday in a place where he can get his confidence back and Baltimore is the place for that to happen. This guy has massive 40 HR caliber power and he’s starting to hit with a little more consistency. He’s already blasted one HR for the birds and he’s putting together some nice extra base hits. He will hurt your average but he could put up a nice number of HR’s down the stretch.
Paul Goldschmidt (1B ARI)– A big time 1B prospect with nice power. As most rookies do, he will have plenty of struggles. But this guy was major league ready and I believe he can produce right now. He doesn’t have as much upside as a guy like Hosmer in the future, but I think he can produce as much as Hosmer has this year. Him entering right into a pennant race will be a positive influence on him and his numbers.
Daniel Murphy (1B/2B/3B/OF NYM)– He hits the ball every single day and does a little bit of everything. He hits for average, gets a nice hits total, plays multiple positions, can hit some HR’s, can steal bases, and even walks on water. This is a great utility guy to have and should continue to produce for the rest of this year.
Danny Espinosa (2B WAS)– He is a very streaky hitter. He has been cold for awhile but that coldness could have been thawed out last night. Espy finally made good contact and came away with 2 hits. The next step is multiple HR’s over a short span. If he is out there and you want to catch a guy before a hot streak he is your best chance. The average may hurt you a little though.
Dustin Ackley (2B/OF SEA)– He is officially a stud and should be owned. He produced right away and will continue to do so.
Jemile Weeks (2B OAK)– Little Jimmy Weeks is a good source of steals. He is hitting average for now as well. I expect the average to fall off some, but he’s quick.
Jason Kipnis (2B CLE)– Another good rookie who has found success right away. A guy like Ackley has more upside than a guy like Kipnis, so don’t expect this to keep up until the end. Kipnis will get cold so he is risky to have. He is still an upgrade to a good bit of starting 2B’s though.
Jose Altuve (2B HOU)– The rookie 2B’ just don’t stop. Altuve would be good to have in a league where hits is a category. He will continue to do fine there. For now he won’t offer a whole lot more and his average will start to fall.
Chase Headley (3B SD)– He is hot right now. He just peaked last night with a grandslam, but he should stay hot for a little while longer. He has actually been pretty consistent on the season as well. He is hitting for average, and for an average much higher than anyone else on his team, he is starting to show more power, and he has a decent number of steals on the year.
Ian Desmond (SS WAS)– I’m not a big fan. But he did change something in his swing and is currently on a hot streak. over the next week or so he could get you plenty of hits, maybe a HR or two, and can steal lots of bases.
Mike Aviles (2b/3B/SS BOS)– I talked in my last article about how this guy would eventually earn a starting role and then take off. I still think that can happen.
Rafael Furcal (SS STL)– Of course he’s succeeding in St. Louis. He still has some left in the tank and as long as he’s leading off for a powerful playoff hunting offense he will be worthy of a roster spot. Expect a decent average, hits, and some steals.
Cameron Maybin (OF SD)– He steals bases almost every day. If you need speed then get him. He is finally starting to break out, is hitting for a decent average that won’t kill you, and can win you steals by himself. This is a good one to have for the rest of this year. Next year he is going to be pretty high on a lot of people’s draft boards for his speed.
Corey Hart (OF MIL)– Lots of power right now. After a slow start he is finally killing the ball. If he is out there snatch him up right now and add would could be a dozen more HR to your team for the rest of the year.
Jayson Werth (OF WAS)– If he’s been cut he is worth adding again. He’s been hotter as of late and should be his normal self for the rest of the season and for the rest of his career.
Jon Jay (OF STL)– He can do a little bit of everything. Once Rasmus was traded it opened up a spot for Jay to finally play everyday. He has struggled the last few days and is currently cold, but hopefully that changes soon. Once his slump is over he should be contributing to your team in some way each day.
Denard Span (OF MIN)– He is back from a concussion and ready to hit for average for your team. He doesn’t bring any power and only mediocre speed, but he will score runs and get hits.
Desmond Jennings (OF TB)– He has a ton of upside. A Carl Crawford like player who can do everything. Right now he is starting to heat up so this is a good time to get him. He should have his ups and downs, but overall he will be pretty solid the rest of the way.
Kyle Blanks (OF SD)– I think he has a ton of potential and will eventually be a superstar. He had the rare outfielder Tommy John surgery and has been out for a long time. He finally just returned and has taken a little while to get used to big league pitching again. Before the end of the year I think he will start to put up some decent numbers. He is a huge guy with a lot of power, but is also a good base runner. He also just hit his first HR of the season last night.
Cory Luebke (SP SD)– He started out pitching pretty well but has hit some bumps in the road here recently. The good news is that his bumps haven’t been very bad and he really hasn’t been hit hard yet. Because of the park he pitches in he will put up a nice number of quality starts the rest of the way. The only downside will be the lack of wins.
Doug Fister (SP DET)– A pretty good season with no run support. Now that he was traded to Detroit he will get plenty of run support. That makes him a good pickup if he is still there.
Jeff Niemann (SP TB)– Good numbers his last 7 starts. He is a pretty good pitcher so expect pretty good numbers all the way. Right now he is hot so the numbers won’t be quite this good, but still serviceable.
Kyle Kendrick (SP PHI)– Its starting to turn into one of those situations that no matter who pitches for this team does well. Kendrick has not only gotten his run support but he has pitched well too. Its hard to pass on anyone who pitches for a team this good.
Ivan Nova (SP NYY)– He’s been evolving into a quality pitcher. I think he is here to stay as a decent arm and will help the Yankees tremendously down the stretch and into the post season.
Blake Beavan (SP SEA)– He was supposed to be a temporary rotation filler, but that changed after Bedard was traded. Each of his outings have been pretty good and the youngster looks polished. I think he can continue to pitch well consistently.
Rick Pocello (SP DET)– I doubt he’s still available but if he is get him. He has been lights out over the last month and has the talent to back it up. Long term he is Detroits 2nd best pitcher behind Verlander.
Ross Detwiler (SP WAS)– I’ve always liked this guy. He was a high first round pick who really hasn’t ever been given the chance to start consistently. His career numbers as a starter are very good as a posts a ERA under 4. He has been pretty successful in both of his starts this year and should stay in the rotation until the end of the year now.
Tommy Hunter (SP BAL)– It’s been awhile since he’s been in a rotation so it’s going to take him awhile to get used to it again. Once he is settled in he should be a quality pitcher. He won 14 games last year and pitched in the World Series so he has experience to be a decent starter again.
Charlie Furbush (SP SEA)– Everyone who pitches in Seattle does well. No exception here. The young rookie has looked good in all of his starts. He will get hit hard eventually, but for now all his outings are good.
Stephen Strasburg (SP WAS)– He will be back for 3-5 starts this year baring setbacks. His innings will be limited and he probably won’t pitch very deep into games, but he can put up huge K totals with a respectable ERA. It’s a risky move if your trying to win a championship.
Julio Teheran (SP ATL)– An article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning his name. With Derek Lowe pitching his way out of the Atlanta rotation its only a matter of time before Teheran grabs a spot. He has dominated triple a and will eventually dominate the majors.
Mike Minor (SP ATL)- Jair Jurrjens has hit the DL and Minor is coming up to take his spot. He is a high K guy on a great team with good run support. He should make an immediate impact until Jurrjens is back. He could delay Teheran’s rotation stint.
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Who does this stuff ?
Alright Mark, I just picked up Kendrick to replace Jair who’s on the DL. Hope he can hold me over!
Kendrick has been solid lately and I see no reason why he would blow up all of a sudden. Eventually he should come down, but that shouldn’t happen until after Jurrjens is back. Even if he does get roughed up for 5 runs the Phillies will score 8 and he will get the win anyways.