MLB Fantasy Baseball: The Replacements
You have A-Rod and Rollins on your team? Don't fret, we've got some players to make up for their loss
May 8, 2008
By Carlisle Richards
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer
I feel your pain.
Like some of you I got the No. 1 pick in my MLB fantasy draft and finally got the chance to draft 2007 AL MVP Alex Rodriguez. Who wouldn’t spend the No. 1 pick on a player that could eventually be the best ever? Plus, the guy never gets injured!
Sigh… never say never I guess.
As you probably know, A-Rod is on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in eight years with a strained quad. Why are you so cruel to those who hold the No. 1 pick fantasy baseball gods?
Rumors persist that the injury is severe enough to hinder him all year. So who could you possibly replace the best hitter in the Majors with? Well, you can’t. But you can at least do some waiver digging to soften the blow.
We outline some waiver wire hard-ballers that could replace him and other stars currently on your disabled list.
New York Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez
Replacement: L.A. Dodgers 3B Blake Dewitt - .317, 2 HRs, 18 RBIs, 15 Runs, 1 SB
Blake Dewitt was flying under the radar through most of April, but his recent play has him garnering National League Rookie of the Year consideration along with Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto.
Many fantasy players wept when A-Rod went on the DL. (AP Images)In his past eight games Dewitt is hitting .478, and raised his batting average to .317. And he’s had two four-RBI games in his last six. He also went yard twice in the Dodgers' recent series with the Mets.
No, he won’t put up 156 RBIs like 2007 A-Rod, but he’s projected to finish the year with about 74 runs, 88 RBIs and a .317 batting average. And he could crack 100 with the way he’s heating up in May.
Colorado Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki
Replacement: Arizona Diamondbacks SS Stephen Drew - .276, 4 HRs, 13 RBIs, 18 Runs, 1 SB
Going by his April numbers you should’ve stashed Tulowitzki on your bench long before a quad tear put his bat out of its misery. Tulowitzki, notorious for playing like ass in April, lived up to those expectations by stinking up Coors Field with a .152 batting average along with just one HR, 11 RBIs and one stolen base.
Unless someone in your league went D-Back crazy and picked up every Arizona player on the waiver wire Stephen Drew should be available to soften the loss. Drew only had 60 RBIs last year, but in 2008 he’s been moved up into the two-spot in the hot D-Backs rotation. He’s had three multi-hit games in a row and has gone 5-16 with four RBIs since.
Even if Tulowitzki was healthy you’d be waiting for him to work the turds out of his swing right now, so you should be happy with Drew on your squad.
Philadelphia Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins
Replacement: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim SS Erick Aybar - .310, 1 HR, 13 RBIs, 18 Runs, 5 SB
Aybar is not going to get you close to the 30-40 home runs you were hoping to get from the 2007 NL MVP, but he has the skills to keep up in other areas.
Aybar can help a team needing in batting average, runs and stolen bases. (AP Images)Injuries to second baseman Howie Kendrick forced the Angels to move starting shortstop Maicer Izturis to second, thus opening the door for Aybar to start. His numbers so far should help your club in most of the categories Rollins covered. His batting average has stayed in the three-hundreds, he already has five stolen bases and he’s batting second in an Angels lineup focused on stealing and bunting runners home whenever possible.
New York Yankees C Jorge Posada
Replacement: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim C Mike Napoli - .242, 7 HRs, 13 RBIs, 10 Runs, 1 SB
Catcher talent is always running on empty on the waiver wire, so Napoli could already be on someone’s roster when you go fishing. If not, count yourself lucky for grabbing the catcher with the most HRs this year. His batting average and RBIs won’t wow you, but he’s displayed more long-ball power than stars like Soto, Brian McCann and Russell Martin so far.
Posada has rotator cuff tendonitis with his throwing shoulder so a long-term solution may be required. Napoli is the answer.
Atlanta Braves SP John Smoltz
Replacement: Oakland Athletics SP Greg Smith – 2-1, 2.54 ERA, 31 K, 1.03 WHIP
John Smoltz has already conceded that even if he does come back from inflammation in his right bicep (aka old man arm) he plans on going easy on his old bones by taking a reliever's role. He could become a solid closer for you, but you’ll still need a starter that won’t hurt your ERA or WHIP to fill the hole he left behind.
He's not flashy, but Smith is a solid replacement for Smoltz. (AP Images)Oakland lefty Greg Smith may be a rookie, but he has the command to be a solid replacement. Plus, he’s part of the A’s pitching system, which has a knack for crapping out solid starters yearly. He recently racked up 10 Ks in a 3-1 win over the Texas Rangers.
Atlanta Braves CL Peter Moylan
Replacement : Atlanta Braves RP Manny Acosta – 0-1, 3.60 ERA, 10 K, 2 Saves
Manny Acosta may not be Atlanta manager Bobby Cox’s first choice to close for the Braves right now, but with Peter Moylan going on the knife for Tommy John surgery and Rafael Soriano out indefinitely with right elbow tendonitis, Acosta is his only choice.
He could hurt your ERA on plenty of nights, but with no one else even capable of taking his role, he’s all they’ve got. Take his saves while you can get them.
Other MLB Articles
Top Photo: 3B Blake Dewitt can help your team if you have A-Rod on the DL. (AP Images)
