Author: TJ Streett

Wainwright’s Injury Hurts Franklin’s Value

Adam Wainwright won twenty games last year with the Cards so how many less save opportunities will closer Ryan Franklin have this year?

Analysis: The Adam Wainwright injury is devastating to keeper league owners but Ryan Franklin’s fantasy value take a pretty big hit as well. Franklin will see fewer save opportunities and have smaller leads to work with. Franklin goes from a closer that has averaged 32.5 saves over the last two years and a middle tier reliever to a guy that is a Chris Carpenter injury away from being Ryan Madson with a higher ERA. Sure he’ll get you some saves but if Carpenter was to get injured you’d think the Cards would move in a differerent, younger direction at closer.

Projection: The potential loss of Wainwright for the year moves Franklin from a middle tier 17th-24th ranked closer to having as much value as a Kevin Gregg. Franklin isn’t a strikeout pitcher with his 5.8K/9IP line last year and for a guy who won’t touch thirty saves don’t bother touching him on draft day.

Wesley Johnson Now Starting

With the recent departure of shooting guard Corey Brewer to the Knicks, Wesley Johnson got thirty-eight minutes of action Tuesday night in a start against the Bucks.

Analysis: I have always seen Johnson as a mini Andre Iguodala in terms of athletic ability and size coming out of Syracuse. Tuesday night Johnson put up Iguodala like numbers. Johnson tallied eight boards, one steal, one block, one three with fourteen points and three assists last night and while he may not dominate in any one category he’s going to stuff a stat sheet. Johnson should continue to hit the thirty minutes per game mark for the rest of the season and the only concern with him should be field goal percentage. Remember, Johnson has shooting guard and small forward eligibility so he can plug into your squad where you need him most.

Projection: If you can live with a field goal percentage in the 40-43 percent range than Wesley Johnson just may be for you. Expect 12-14 points, 1.5-2 threes, at least 1 steal, 5 rebounds and just under 1 block for the remainder of the season from Johnson.

Ed Davis is a Rebounding Machine

Amir Johnson may be back from an ankle injury and starting at power forward for the Raptors but that hasn’t stopped Ed Davis from getting his minutes.

Analysis: Amir Johnson may have started Tuesday night against the Bobcats but Ed Davis still got 27 minutes, 5 more than Johnson. In Ed Davis’ last four games he’s averaging 11.7 rebounds, 1.25 blocks and 1 steal per game. Davis is also shooting 59 percent from the field on the year and with his minutes up he impacts the field goal percentage category more consistently. With Davis you have an extremely athletic power forward who is a rebounding machine and it shouldn’t surprise you because how many 6’10” guys have a 36 inch vertical? The Raptors are content to give Johnson and Davis over twenty minutes a game and that’s great news for fantasy owners in need of rebound help. Ed Davis is available in ninety-nine, yes that is right, ninety-nine percent of fantasy leagues and he’s a lock for at least 8 rebounds and 1 block every night if not more.

Projection: Davis should average 8-10 rebounds, 1-1.5 blocks, over 55 percent from the field and .5-1 steal per game from here on out. Grab him now before the secret is out.

Dan Hamhuis Returns Tonight

After missing five games with a concussion Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis will be returning to action tonight against the Canadiens.

Analysis: Hamhuis returns to an injury depleted Canucks blue line where he should see tons of ice and power play time. He’s owned in about twenty percent of fantasy leagues nationwide and can provide a much needed boost to your squad heading into the home stretch. Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa remain out so Dan Hamhuis will have every chance to re-prove his fantasy worth. Before his injury Hamhuis was a plus 21 in just forty-seven games…absolutely sick. Twenty-three minutes of ice time with 14 assists isn’t anything to sneeze at either. This is a great situation for Hamhuis to put up some quality under the radar numbers in the Canucks final twenty-two games.

Projection: Expect about 8 assists, 24 minutes of ice time, a handful of power play points and a plus 5 rating the rest of the season. What Hamhuis is capable of on the injury plagued Canucks will certainly catch your attention sooner than later.

Don’t Believe the Tsuyoshi Nishioka Hype

Tsuyoshi Nishioka comes over to MLB after a .346/.423/.482 triple slash line in 2010 with the Chiba Lotte Marines. He should play at second base for the Twins and much is expected from him from a fantasy standpoint.

Analysis: If you look at recent big names to come over from the NPB like Kosuke Fukudome or Akinori Iwamura, they both disappointed fantasy owners greatly. The reward isn’t worth the risk and there is a ton of risk involved with Nishioka. There is no possible way he’ll hit more than eight to ten homers especially in the new pitchers park known as Target Field. He’s also had health issues, never amassing more than 500 ABs in his NPB career with the expection of last year when he tallied 596 AB.

Projection: Give me Alcides Escobar every day of the week over Nishioka. At least with Escobar you’ll get him a few rounds later and he’ll come close to out producing Nishioka. It’s not hard to project slap hitting Japanese middle infielders anymore so expect a .280 AVG, 5 HR, 18-20 SB.