Player News – Page 65 – FantasySP Blog

Ben Sheets Is Back

After a two year absence from the game, Ben Sheets’ first start back with the Atlanta Braves was impressive.

Analysis: Sheets allowed zero runs in six innings of work against the New York Mets Sunday. Sheets struck out five while only walking one batter and giving up just two hits. This really isn’t a surprise either, Sheets is sporting a career 3.77 ERA and a very impressive career 1.21 WHIP. At this point you have to take a flyer on the righty because he just may be back to form.

As of Tuesday Ben Sheets is available in eighty percent of leagues but if he posts one more solid start you will most certainly miss your chance on the thirty-three year old vet. His fastball velocity is down a bit from his career average but he was never a fireballer to begin with. His game has always been about location and mixing in his curveball when need be and now it appears he has added a solid slider to his arsenal. You also have to consider that the Braves can score runs in bunches(3rd best in NL), so his win total may just be as good as his ERA and WHIP have the potential to be.

Stock Rising- Clayton Richard

Clayton Richard is going under the radar in fantasy leagues around the country while he continues to rack up solid starts.

Analysis: Clayton Richard has allowed three or fewer runs in six out of his last seven starts. He remains an underrated model of consistency in the National League. Richard’s 1.18 WHIP is good for twenty-seventh in all of baseball this year. While he’s not a strikeout artist he does limit the extra base runners. His 1.98 BB/9 rate is good for fourteenth best in the bigs. Richard is about as effective as you can be without being dominant. On a side note, his velocity is actually up a bit from last year which is always a good thing to see.

Richard is available in over eighty percent of leagues and his stock is actually dropping while he racks up quality start after quality start. Obviously with Richard you get a pitcher pitching at PETCO Park… it just doesn’t get any better.

At this point in the season there aren’t too many arms of value left on the wire so you must be careful. Richard will continue to eat up innings and not blow up your ERA or WHIP in roto leagues unlike Ubaldo Jimenez.

Liriano Still Available

Francisco Liriano struck out fifteen batters last night against the Oakland Athletics while only walking one batter.

Analysis: Liriano has now allowed three earned runs or less in five of his last six starts. He has also struck out at least six batters in eight of his last nine starts. It appears that the talented lefty has found his groove. His command issues are much improved as he will continue to lower his current 1.41 WHIP.

Liriano remains available in seventy percent of fantasy leagues nationwide. He may not have the run support to earn the wins but his 9.56K/9 ranks sixth best among all big league starters. Liriano is a free agent next year so look for the Twins to deal the lefty to a contender.

It’s the last call on Francisco Liriano before the hype machine gets to him. In a week or two he will be a hot commodity on the wire and as trade bait in the majors. He is showing the consistency and the command that he lacked earlier in the year and keep in mind that he is playing for a big contract next year.

Buying Low- Cliff Lee

Despite Cliff Lee’s 3.98 earned run average he is still the same dominant lefty that he has been in the past.

Analysis: Cliff Lee still has all the elite stats to indicate that he is still an ace with the exception of ERA and wins. Lee is sporting a 3.00 FIP, a 3.06 xFIP and a 1.19 WHIP(27th best in MLB). Lee’s 9.06K/9IP is eleventh best in the bigs this year. Even Cliff Lee’s velocity is virtually identical to his numbers last year. Cliff Lee still has lethal, dominating stuff… period.

What has not been going right for Lee is very simple. Lee’s run support has been awful but with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard back in the mix the Phils will produce offensively once again. We must also consider Lee’s BABIP against is 34 points above his career average this year. It may not seem like much but those extra base runners add up. Now is the perfect time to buy Cliff Lee- when his value may not be that of an ace in many fantasy leagues. He is still the same old Cliff Lee and he has the stuff and all the stats to back it up.

Selling High- Carlos Ruiz

Carlos Ruiz is the best fantasy catcher thus far this season but things should be turning for him sooner than later.

Analysis: A catcher with a .349 batting average and 13 bombs before the All-Star break has to be named Joe Mauer, right? Wrong, that line belongs to lifetime .275 hitter Carlos Ruiz. This is definitely Ruiz’s career year, he has already broken his previous career high of nine home runs by four bombs and we aren’t even at the break yet. But, if we dig a little deeper we can see where his numbers should be at season’s end.

Ruiz’s BABIP this year is 63 points higher than his career average, resulting in the super inflated .349 batting average. His HR/FB rate of 19.4% this year is a career high while his career average HR/FB rate rests at 7.6%. To put it in perspective, Ruiz’s HR/FB rate this year is higher than Miguel Cabrera’s career average of 18.3%. With guys like Wilin Rosario and Jarrod Saltalamacchia available in many leagues nationwide it just may be the smart play here to flip the red hot catcher for a team need. Expect 2009-2011 Carlos Ruiz type numbers from here on out.