With many top players going down to injury this week already as well as some rookie call ups, here is a look at some players that should be on your fantasy baseball buy or sell list via trade or free agent pickups in week 19.
Buy:
Dan Hudson – Hudson is a perfect 3-0 in three starts since being traded to the National League. The control problems he had in the American League seem to have disappeared and he has worked at least seven innings in each of his three outings.
David Murphy – he has been getting consistent playing time against right-handed pitching this month while filling in for a struggling Julio Borbon and has responded with three home runs, nine RBI and a stolen base in just 28 at bats. When he is able to get consistent at bats, he is good for a little bit of power and speed. He might be one of the few outfielders that are still a free agent in your fantasy baseball league at this point of the season depending on how deep your league is.
Lorenzo Cain - if your team is in need of steal, look no further than the recent call up of the Milwaukee Brewers. The trade of Jim Edmonds coupled with the injury to Ryan Braun should give Cain some good value of the next few weeks at least and possibly the rest of the season. With the Carlos Gomez experiment a failure, Cain is poised to open 2011 as the likely starting center fielder. Cain was 26 for 29 in stolen base attempts in the minor leagues before being recalled.
Brian Roberts – with fingers crossed, Roberts has hit in eight of ten games since returning to action with two home runs and a stolen base for the Baltimore Orioles. If you find another owner that is willing to move him, talk up his previous injury and see if you can get him cheaper than usual. It is players like this that if you can get at a discount can make the difference between a first or second place finish.
Sell:
Domonic Brown – in one year leagues is a sell candidate with Shane Victorino set to return soon from the disabled list and Raul Ibanez has picked up the pace lately, hitting .337 in July with four home runs and is batting .370 in August so far. Brown still has some work to do on his plate discipline with one walk and 13 strikeouts in 38 at bats.
Carlos Beltran – those owners that held a spot all season on their reserve for Beltran have to be disappointed with the results so far. In 81 at bats, he is hitting .185 with only one home run and no stolen bases and still seems to be uncomfortable in the field and at the plate. If your team is in the hunt for a money finish in your fantasy league, I would cut bait sooner rather than later with only 1/3 of the season left to go.
Lance Berkman - I like Lance Berkman, I have owned him for many years on multiple teams, but it seems like it is time to write him off until 2011. The late start to the season with the knee problem, now coupled with a move to the American League gives me little hope for optimism the rest of the way. Not too likely you will find someone better on waivers to replace him unless you play in a very shallow league, but in a deep league I would be looking to trade for a replacement rather than expecting a turn around to his season.
