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StockWatch: Thursday, June 9

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From games of Thursday, June 9.

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Jonathon Niese (17%) limited the Brewers to three hits and one run in 7.2 IP with eight strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 3.51. Niese has been on a roll over his past five starts, posting a 1.35 ERA and a 33-11 K-BB over 33.1 IP. Niese has a nice combination of peripherals with a 7.1 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 50.0% GB and 3.61 xFIP and should remain a solid under-the-radar option if you get the chance to add him.

Johnny Cueto (64%) has been nothing short of fantastic since returning from the DL on May 8, going seven shutout innings on Thursday to lower his ERA to 1.93 in seven starts. He even added solid strikeout totals with eight against the Giants, raising his strikeout rate to 6.0 K/9. It’s that strikeout rate that actually has us most concerned, as it’s dropped every season since he debuted with a 8.2 K/9 in 2008. Cueto has upped his groundball rate from 41.7% last year to 54.5% this season, so there are some encouraging signs too. A .230 BABIP contributes to a 3.62 xFIP that is probably more in line with what to expect the rest of the way, so it would be a good time to sell high. (more…)

StockWatch: Sunday, June 5

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From games of Sunday, June 5.

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David Ortiz (89%) is turning back the clock to 2007, when last he was an MVP-caliber force in Boston’s lineup. He was 3-for-4 on Sunday and is 12-for-22 with two homers and six RBIs in his past six games to raise his average to .325. It’s a good sign to see Ortiz not off to the horrid starts that have plagued him in recent seasons, so it’s not unreasonable to expect him to keep this up.

Adam Lind (88%) came off the DL and picked up right where he left off, going 4-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs. Despite missing four weeks with a bad back, Lind has nine homers and 30 RBIs to give the Blue Jays a terrific 1-2 punch in the middle of their lineup with Jose Bautista. (more…)

StockWatch: Tuesday, May 31

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From the games of Tuesday, May 31.

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Domonic Brown (28%) went 2-for-4 with his first homer since coming off the DL on May 21. Brown started slow by going 1-for-14 in his first four games, but has four multi-hit games since and is 10-for-19 with a steal. Brown has the talent to become a fantasy stalwart starting now, so grab him if he’s still available in all leagues.

Danny Espinosa (22%) was battling the Mendoza Line as May was coming to a close, but finished the month with a bang, blasting two homers with four RBIs. Espinosa has three homers in the past two days to give the 24-year-old second baseman 10 on the season, putting him on for 30 homers and 100 RBIs. He has a patient enough approach to get his average up above .250, so he may still be a bargain. (more…)

StockWatch: Tuesday, May 17

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses.

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Ubaldo Jimenez (97%) took our finger off the panic button by going seven solid innings against the Giants, allowing three runs and eight hits. The best part was the 7-1 K-BB ratio, as he had posted a 23-19 K-BB ratio in his past four starts. Jimenez obviously has the stuff to be an elite ace, but keep an eye on those walk totals.

Edinson Volquez (56%) had his first-inning struggles return, but quickly settled down for his lowest walk total of the season with one. Volquez gave up a three-run homer to Carlos Pena in the first frame (started the season by giving up 13 combined first-inning runs in his first four starts), but allowed just one hit in the next five innings and finished with nine strikeouts. Volquez is in the same boat as Jimenez, with electric stuff but control problems that if curbed could make him among the game’s elite. (more…)

StockWatch: Wednesday, May 11

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses.

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Jason Bartlett (5%) led the Padres’ 23-hit attack by going 4-for-6 with two steals and hitting two RBI singles in an eight-run eighth inning against the Brewers. Bartlett is 8-for-15 in his past three games to raise his average to .256 and now has seven steals. It’s not a coincidence that Bartlett’s three-game uprising has come at the start of a road trip away from Petco Field, where he’s hitting .164 compared to .344 on the road. If you’re looking for steals, grab Bartlett and try to use him for road games. (more…)

StockWatch: Tuesday, May 3

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses.

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ADD OF THE DAY: FRANK FRANCISCO (46%) is ready to reclaim the Blue Jays closer’s job he was supposed to have this year before starting the season on the DL – his home away from home. Jon Rauch blew his first save of the season while filling in for Francisco, opening the door for the former Rangers’ closer by surrendering a game-winning homer to B.J. Upton. Francisco hasn’t been scored on in five appearances, giving up just two hits in 5.1 IP. If someone had given up waiting for Francisco to take back the closer’s job, snatch him up now.

Mike Fontenot (1%) had a steal and two RBIs from the three-hole in the Giants’ lineup as he started at shortstop with Miguel Tejada moving over to third base to fill in for the injured Pablo Sandoval. Fontenot is 7-for-20 over the past week, but he’s more of an NL-only pickup for his multi-position eligibility (2B and 3B, with SS coming soon) and the ABs he’ll likely get while Sandoval’s out. (more…)

Closer Report: Tuesday, May 3

A daily look at the fantasy baseball closers who threw in games. For a detailed look at the closing situation for all 30 teams, click here.

Kyle Farnsworth earned a win after throwing a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation.

Jon Rauch blew his first save, allowing a single and then two-run homer by B.J. Upton without recording an out. (more…)

Closer Report: Friday, April 29

A daily look at the fantasy baseball closers who threw in games. For a detailed look at the closing situation for all 30 teams, click here.

Chris Perez came pitched a scoreless inning in a tie game and got the win when the Indians won it in the bottom of the ninth.

Jon Rauch got the final four outs for his fifth save.

Leo Nunez allowed three hits and two runs but managed to get his eighth save because he had a three-run lead. (more…)

StockWatch: Thursday, April 28

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses.

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ADD OF THE DAY: JEFF NIEMANN (5%) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Twins, settling for seven innings with two hits and one run allowed for his first win of the season. Niemann is coming around after beginning the season with two poor outings, having two quality starts in his last three times out to lower his ERA to 5.60. He’s worth picking up even in deeper mixed leagues for the chance he returns to his first-half form of last season (7-2, 2.77 ERA, 1.09 WHIP). (more…)

StockWatch: Monday, April 25

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses.

Phil Humber (1%) is the debut subject of our Stock Spotlight series, where we give fantasy baseball owners a profile of an interesting player to watch or pick up in their leagues. Click here for the analysis on Humber.

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ADD OF THE DAY: SERGIO SANTOS (27%) converted the first save opportunity the White Sox have had since the bullpen melted down on April 13. Santos relieved Chris Sale with two outs in the eighth inning and went the rest of the way for his first career save. Santos has yet to allow a run this season and has 14 Ks in 11 IP, so he could take this job and run with it. You never know with Ozzie Guillen, but it’s time to pick up Santos if he’s still available. (more…)

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