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Every week UPDATE! will be putting together a list of note-worthy performances or events that have transpired in baseball. We’ll let you know what to get excited or nervous about while also providing fantasy insight.

 

BULLISH

 

CONOR JACKSON, Arizona Diamondbacks, OF
Comment: After hitting just 2 home runs total in May and June, watching his batting average drop from .348 at the end of April to .308 entering July, Conor Jackson has gone on an offensive tear. He’s swatted 4 bombs in his last 8 games and is hitting at a .514 clip since the All-Star break with 8 RBI and 13 runs in 9 contests. Jackson showed early in the season that he was capable of putting up monster numbers, but a couple of nagging injuries helped slow him down. He could become one of the better offensive outfielders in fantasy for the remainder of the season and if he’s not owned in your league, pick him up immediately. Those of you without that luxury should put a feeler out to the guy that owns Jackson to see if he can be had a decent price.

 

OLIVER PEREZ, New York Mets, SP
Comment: Perhaps realizing he is in a contract year, Oliver Perez has been an unstoppable force lately. Over his last 5 starts, the often-erratic southpaw has gone just 1-1, but has posted a 1.34 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 39 whiffs in 33.2 innings pitched. He has not faced soft lineups in these starts either, seeing the Phillies (twice), Yankees and surging Rockies. Perez has long had the stuff of a major-league ace, but his command issues and knack for imploding on the mound have left many wondering if he could ever be a consistently successful pitcher in the big leagues. Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen worked with Perez on his mechanics, which may explain the turnaround. Whatever the reason, Perez has emerged as a strong starting pitching option for fantasy teams.

 

FERNANDO RODNEY, Detroit Tigers, RP
Comment: It seemed inevitable that Todd Jones was going to lose the closer’s gig at some point this season. What was not expected, however, was that Rodney would be the one taking over ninth-inning duties instead of fire-baller Joel Zumaya. Sunday, in his first relief appearance since being named the closer, Rodney pitched 1.2 innings (due to a triceps injury to Zumaya that forced him out of the game early), giving up an earned run and allowing two walks and a hit while striking out three batters. Whoever is closing games for the Tigers could be in for a lot of save opportunities down the stretch as the team has picked up their play and could make a run for a post-season spot. If Rodney holds onto the role, he could be a valuable no. 2 closer for the rest of the season. Monitor this situation closely though as a couple of poor outings for Rodney could lead to another closer change.

 

ANIBAL SANCHEZ, Florida Marlins, SP

Comment: Rather quietly, Sanchez makes his return to the majors after missing almost all of 2007 (and most of 2008) with a torn labrum. The 24-year old right-hander went 10-3 over 114.1 innings in 2006 with a sparkling 2.83 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. He returns to a Florida offense capable of providing him with good enough run support to make him a feasible back-end fantasy starting pitcher if he can post solid ratios. In 5 minor-league rehab starts this season, Sanchez went 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 28 innings. While his return to the big leagues could come with some rocky moments, Sanchez may prove to be a great pick-up for teams in need of pitching help. The deeper your league, the quicker you should be to act on Sanchez.

 

BEARISH

 

CARLOS GOMEZ, Minnesota Twins, OF
Comment: There is a lot to like about Gomez as a fantasy option going forward, but his first full season in the majors has gone into a tailspin lately. Since July 4^th, Gomez is hitting .111 with just 1 walk and 3 extra-base hits. Even worse, he has stolen only one base since June 26^th. Gomez also sustained a bruised lower back and tailbone on Friday, something that is not going to aid his production this week. He’s a marvelously talented player that needs to work on his approach at the plate, but for fantasy purposes this season; he should be relegated to the waiver wire unless he catches fire.

 

MIKE HAMPTON, Atlanta Braves, SP
Comment: Mike Hampton was waiting three years to get back on a major-league mound but this was not the return he was hoping for. Hampton was lit up on Saturday by the Phillies, surrendering 6 earned runs in 4 innings, taking the loss in his first start since August 19^th, 2005. The 35-year old is in no danger of losing a rotation spot at the moment as the Braves need him if they want to have any shot at making waves in the NL East, but it is hard to tell what Hampton can give them in 2008. He’s an incredibly fragile player who can seemingly break down at any moment and fantasy owners are better off leaving him alone unless he puts together a string of strong performances.

 

BRIAN McCANN, Atlanta Braves, C

Comment: Fantasy owners are holding their breath this week after a collision at the plate with Philadelphia’s Shane Victorino in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game. McCann has been diagnosed with a mild concussion. The All-Star catcher believes he’ll be okay and that he should only miss a couple of days, but last time I checked, he was not a physician. New York Mets outfielder Ryan Church (who suffered the same injury twice this season) believed he was fine to play as well but we have seen that concussions are serious matters that can require an extended stay on the bench. McCann is supposed to be re-evaluated today but fantasy owners should prepare to be without the Braves back-stop for at least this week and maybe longer depending on what it determined at his re-evaluation.

 

GEOVANY SOTO, Chicago Cubs, C
Comment: It may be time to sell-high on Geovany Soto. The All-Star catcher has been rather miserable lately with just 1 multi-hit game in his last 17 contests. Over that span, Soto has batted .194 and is showing signs of wearing down. He’s played at an elite level all season but as a 25-year old catcher, it should be expected that the grind of sitting behind the plate in his first full season in the big-leagues would affect his offensive production. Because of his overall numbers in 2008, fantasy owners in your league may be chomping at the bit to get Soto on their roster. If you have serious needs to address with your team, moving the Chicago back-stop may be a great solution.

 

BUST

RYAN FRANKLIN, St. Louis Cardinals, RP
Comment: He had an okay run, but it is time for Ryan Franklin to be taken out of the closer’s role in St. Louis. In his last 9 appearances, Franklin has blown two saves and sports an 8.44 ERA in 10.2 innings. He just does not have the stuff of a prototypical stopper and is way too hittable to be entrusted to get important outs. A trade for a closer (Brian Fuentes and George Sherrill have been brought up in trade rumors) could push Franklin out of ninth-inning duties and there was speculation that Adam Wainwright, who is rehabbing from a finger injury, could return to the team as the closer if the team’s bullpen continues to cough up leads. All this spells doom for the fantasy fortune of Franklin.

 

DUSTIN McGOWAN, Toronto Blue Jays, SP

Comment: Heading into this year, McGowan was being drafted as a no. 3 starting pitcher, one that fantasy owners were expecting to be a rotation staple adding much-needed depth. But as is the story for most of the Blue Jays roster, this season has been a nightmare. Fantasy owners and Toronto fans alike were hoping he would come back this year after rehabbing his injured shoulder, but news came out over the weekend that he will have season-ending surgery on Thursday. McGowan went 6-7 in 19 starts this year with an uninspiring 4.37 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 111.1 innings. He will be a sleeper to target for 2009 drafts, but as far as this season is concerned, how could it not be considered a bust?

 

SIDNEY PONSON, New York Yankees, SP
Comment: Heading into Sunday’s match-up against Boston, Sidney Ponson had been rather pedestrian as a member of New York’s rotation. Yet since the Yankees had won all four games that Ponson started for them, it was easy to ignore his performance. However, he really came apart in Fenway on Sunday, giving up 7 earned runs in just 4 innings. He is now 4-1 in five starts with New York, but owns an unsightly 6.07 ERA and 1.87 WHIP in 26.2 innings. With the Yankees actively pursuing Jarrod Washburn, Ponson is likely to be out of a job sooner than later. Fantasy owners tend to be attracted to pitchers who play in front of top-notch offenses and with the way the Yankees have been surging, any pitcher who plays for them is going to get plenty of run support. However, Ponson’s ugly ratios are not worth the wins-potential. Leave him alone.

 

JORGE POSADA, New York Yankees, C
Comment: Posada enjoyed a career year in 2007, one that led to a big contract from New York. But his bum shoulder has sapped his value in 2008 as he has had just 3 homers in 51 games this season. Posada is trying to stave off season-ending shoulder surgery and hopes to rehab and return as a first-baseman/designated hitter this season. But the vibe around Yankee Stadium is that Posada is probably finished this year and even if he does come back, that shoulder is going to prevent him from driving the ball, thus eradicating his fantasy value. If you drafted Posada and were still holding onto him in hopes of a comeback, cut your losses now.