Projo Fantasy Sports Blog

By David Ferris

It's trading season for major-league clubs as we hit the end of July, but for the fantasy veterans out there, trading season really never ends. We know you're constantly recalibrating the worth of every player in our game, and the notes below will help you with that exercise.

Hitters

BUY

Melvin Mora, 3B, Orioles: He's finally healthy again and a bunch of line drives have followed as a result (.359/.427/.640 line in July, along with 15 runs, five homers and 24 RBIs). The Baltimore lineup is deeper and more dangerous than many realize, and Mora is enjoying life in the middle of that mix.

Ryan Sweeney, OF, Athletics: You're not going to get much power here, but Sweeney can hit around .300, take a walk, and pick up a few steals here and there. The A's like him near the top of the lineup, and that makes Sweeney a viable play in most mixed leagues.

Adam Lind, OF, Blue Jays: Toronto is finally letting him play and leaving him alone, and what do you know, there's a useful player here. Lind's July numbers signal that he's here to stay (.423 average, 14 runs, three homers, 17 RBIs), even when the Blue Jays have all hands on deck later in the season.

SELL

Alex Gordon, 3B, Royals: He's been ordinary against righties, useless against lefties (.488 OPS), and there are still too many empty swings here (93 strikeouts). We're still excited about where Gordon might be next decade, but his second season doesn't look like an improvement over his debut year.

HOLD

Howie Kendrick, 2B, Angels: We've always seen him as a yearly .300 stick, but he's also adding power and speed to his game this month (.731 slugging, four steals). Don't let Kendrick's aggressive nature at the plate throw you off the scent; he's one of the few hitters in the league who can and will keep a nifty average without seeing a lot of pitches.

Pitchers

BUY

Brad Ziegler, RP, Athletics: He's re-invented himself as a submarine pitcher, and for the last two summers it's been a heck of a story for the 29-year-old. Ziegler isn't going to overpower hitters, but he keeps the ball in the park (no homers allowed at any level this year) and hasn't allowed a run since his call-up (covering 23.2 innings). The Athletics don't have a clear closer-in-waiting if Huston Street gets moved, so it's entirely possible Ziegler could be part of a committee later in the summer.

SELL

George Sherrill, RP, Orioles: He's been a nice fit as Baltimore's new stopper (29 saves), but the Orioles have to take a long-term approach here: Sherrill is 31, headed for a big raise, and never as marketable as he is right this second, on the eve of trading season. There's an excellent chance Sherrill will be moved to a contending club (as a set-up man), and if that happens, look for right-hander Jim Johnson to get the next shot at closing for Baltimore.

Armando Galarraga, SP, Tigers: It's been a fun ride for the Detroit surprise package, but his 3.27 ERA isn't supported by the component numbers at all. No one stays lucky forever, so let's sell while the market is still ripe - and while Galarraga's brilliant turn at Kansas City this week is still fresh in everyone's mind.

HOLD

A.J. Burnett, SP, Blue Jays: He's been lights-out over his last three turns (21 strikeouts, just four runs allowed), and he might be cycling through the NL at this point next week; Toronto is definitely accepting offers. Have you seen the way C.C. Sabathia and Rich Harden are toying with NL hitters right now? Any power pitcher who jumps over in midseason is looking at an immediate value spike.

 Tags  A.J. Burnett Adam Lind AL Stock Watch Alex Gordon Armando Gallaraga baseball Brad Ziegler David Ferris George Sherrill Howie Kendrick Melvin Mora Ryan Sweeney

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