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Fantasy Baseball Tip Sheet - Aug. 1

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By James LoPresti / The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 1, 2008

Trade Recap

A look at some of key players involved in trades this week, and talk about their fantasy value on new teams.

Manny Ramirez, OF (Dodgers) - This is an enormous deal for Los Angeles, desperately in need of offensive pop. Manny will most surely hit cleanup and should make an immediate impact for the Dodgers. His power numbers might decline being away from Boston and the Green Monster, but expect his average and RBI numbers to remain constant. The biggest question for the Dodgers is how Manny will react to his new teammates and former Yankees manager Joe Torre.

Jason Bay, OF (Red Sox) - Bay's fantasy value takes a giant leap forward in a Red Sox uniform, now being inserted into a potent offense, most likely hitting third or fifth. Bay will surely take advantage of the Green Monster, similar to the way third baseman Mike Lowell did when acquired a few years ago. Expect Bay's average to rise, and his home run and RBI totals to increase. Bay also gives the Sox an upgrade on defense, and a little more speed on the base paths. Projection in the second half: .301 average, 14 home runs, 44 RBIs, five stolen bases.

Mark Teixeira, 1B (Angels) - This trade is a bold move by the Angels, bolstering their lineup and priming them for a World Series run. The addition of Big Tex will increase the productivity of all Angels hitters, especially outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, who will receive a lot more protection from Teixeira than Torii Hunter could muster. Also expect the Angels' starting pitching to benefit from Teixeira's arrival, as the Angels will undoubtedly score more runs with him in the lineup.

Casey Kotchman, 1B (Braves) - Kotchman joins an injury-plagued Braves team that just lost two of its most prolific players to the disabled list. He figures to move into the cleanup spot behind Kelly Johnson or Greg Norton, but this trade hurts his fantasy value a bit because of the Braves' lack of offense without catalyst Chipper Jones. Still, Kotchman should be able to maintain a .300 average and chip in with 6-8 home runs in the second half.

Ken Griffey Jr., OF (White Sox) - It doesn't make a lot of sense for the White Sox to acquire Griffey, unless they believe he has enough in the tank to play center field. Nick Swisher likely will make the transition to first base, leaving Paul Konerko the odd man out. If Griffey receives full playing time and stays healthy, his fantasy production increases. He moves into a great hitters' ballpark and is surrounded by a full team of offensive weapons.

Ivan Rodriguez, C (Yankees) - The Pudge trade makes sense for both the Tigers and the Yankees, filling significant positional holes, and providing the Yanks with a proven catcher with postseason experience. Rodriguez's fantasy value shouldn't change much; he likely will hit eighth or ninth, score plenty of runs, and provide five to eight long balls. Brandon Inge will take over full-time catching duties for the Tigers, and he is a smart pickup in AL-only leagues and 12-14 team mixed leagues. He will hurt you in average, but he has the power to hit 10-12 home runs in the second half, a huge plus for a catcher.

Waiver-Wire Pickups

Fernando Tatis, OF (Mets) - Few expected Tatis to contribute anything offensively to the Mets this season, but a .319 average and timely hits have persuaded Jerry Manuel to keep Tatis in the lineup as the starting left fielder. Tatis is performing especially well this month, hitting .397 with six home runs and 18 RBIs. Tatis should maintain a solid average and hit 10-12 more home runs in the second half, making him a contender for comeback player of the year.

Oliver Perez, SP (Mets) - Throw out the first two months of the season, and we could be looking at a Cy Young candidate. Since June 7, Perez is 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 63 innings. Perez is a great start next week at home against a struggling Padres offense.

Tyler Yates, RP (Pirates) - It appears that John Russell has decided to go with Yates as the team's closer rather than setup man John Grabow. Yates can be erratic at times, but if you are in need of saves, Yates would be a good option.

Brad Ziegler, RP (Athletics) - Congratulations to him for breaking George McQuillan's 101-year-old record of 26 scoreless innings to begin a career. Ziegler has since added a few more innings to his record, throwing 30 consecutive scoreless innings, while striking out 14. If your league counts holds, he is a great midseason pickup. Grab him before someone else does.

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