With the departure of Pujols, Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds, Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers (currently a free agent) and Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies are clearly the cream of the crop among NL first basemen; however, Fielder is a free agent and could possibly leave the NL and Howard is currently out with an achilles tendon injury.  Nevertheless, there are promising first basemen in the NL for 2012.  Here are some first basemen to keep an eye on:

Michael Morse

Morse is a classic example of a late bloomer.  Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2000, Morse made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2005.  Morse appeared in 98 games in the 2010 season with the Washington Nationals before finally winning a full-time starting job in 2011.

At the age of 29 in 2011, Morse hit .303 with 31 home runs and 95 RBIs.  He reached on base at a .360 clip while slugging .550 with a .910 OPS.  Although his 126 strikeouts and 36 walks may be a cause for concern to fantasy managers, his overall body of work in the 2011 season was impressive and cannot be ignored.  Morse is at an age where he may be in his athletic prime; therefore, the chances of him staying healthy and improving are too tempting not to pursue.

Lance Berkman

Berkman’s fantasy relevance experienced a revival in the 2011 season.  Over the past few seasons, the concern with Berkman has been his health.  When healthy, Berkman is still a productive fantasy hitter; however, he had not played in 140-plus games since 2008.

Despite playing mostly in the outfield in 2011, Berkman appeared in 145 games and hit .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs.  This was Berkman’s first season of 30 or more home runs since 2007.  Berkman also reached on base at a .412 clip while posting a .959 OPS.  The results of Berkman’s marvelous season led to him finishing seventh in the NL MVP vote.

With the departure of Pujols, Berkman should be the Cardinals’ full-time first basemen in 2012.  While playing first base rather than the outfield should conceivably help Berkman stay healthier, nothing is guaranteed.  Health permitting, Berkman should have another great season for the Cardinals.  As was the case the past few years, the potential for injury is the only thing that possibly deflates Berkman’s fantasy value.  If you draft Berkman in 2012, be sure to have a backup plan.

Freddie Freeman

At the young age of 21, Freeman had an excellent 2011 season with the Atlanta Braves.  Freeman hit .282 with 21 home runs and 76 RBIs while also hitting 32 doubles.  Freeman hit .274 in his first 88 games and .292 in his last 69 games of the 2011 season.

In addition to more experience in 2012, Freeman’s numbers can also improve if teammates Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward return to form.  Heyward hit only .227 while struggling with injuries in the 2011 season.  Uggla hit .233 in 2011, but struggled with a .185 AVG at the All-Star break.  Uggla and Heyward can have a positive effect on Freeman’s numbers in 2012 and will play important roles in helping the Braves contend with the Phillies in the NL East.

Ike Davis

Although there is the possibility that the New York Mets may trade Davis, he is still a Met and still in the NL at this time.  Davis appeared in only 36 games in 2011, but he hit .302 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs.  If that pace were to be maintained over 162 games, it would amount to 31 home runs and 112 RBIs.

Granted, the 36-game sample size is too small to evaluate a player’s season; however, those who have seen Davis play know the quality of his talent.  I believe it would be very foolish of the Mets to trade Davis (unless they receive an offer they cannot refuse), and I believe Davis has the tools to be one of the best first basemen in baseball and in fantasy baseball.

Jim Thome

Berkman revived his fantasy relevance in 2011 with the Cardinals; Thome may have that same opportunity with the Phillies in 2012.  Despite receiving limited playing time in the past few seasons, Thome hit 23 home runs (362 at-bats) in 2009, 25 home runs (276 at-bats) in 2010 and 15 home runs (277 at-bats) in 2011.

In the 2008 season, Thome hit 34 home runs in 149 games (503 at-bats) with the Chicago White Sox.  Health permitting, it may be reasonable to project anywhere from 20 to 30 home runs for Thome in 2012.  There are several factors that work against Thome’s fantasy relevance in 2012, however.  First of all, Thome is in the twilight of his career and health is always a concern with an older player.  Secondly, how much playing time Thome receives is pure speculation at this point.

I believe Thome will see significant playing time because the Phillies signed him before they acquired Ty Wigginton.  I believe the Phillies acquired Thome first because they have plans to use him in the lineup.  Much of Thome’s fantasy value in 2012 will rest on the achilles tendon of Ryan Howard.  If Howard makes a healthy recovery and regains the starting job, Thome’s fantasy value will be shot.  If Howard suffers setbacks at all in his recovery, Thome could have a Berkman-like revival in 2012.

You should not gamble on Thome being your first base savior for your fantasy teams in 2012; however, drafting him late may be an opportunistic cheap source of home runs for your team.

Anthony Rizzo

It is not often you see praise written for a hitter who hit below the Mendoza line in 40-plus games of experience; however, Rizzo is a very promising hitter.  San Diego Padres fans who remember the sting of losing Adrian Gonzalez to free agency will feel much better if Rizzo plays to his potential.

In 2011 with the Tucson Padres (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, Rizzo hit .331 with 26 home runs and 101 RBIs.  Rizzo reached base at a .404 clip while slugging .652 with a 1.056 OPS.  Although his MLB numbers were unimpressive in 2011, Rizzo hit the ball hard and just had the misfortune of hitting the ball to defensive players too frequently.  With some more experience in 2012 and a larger sample size of games, Rizzo should conceivably improve his numbers dramatically and play an important role in the Padres’ lineup.

Brandon Belt

Belt is a promising young first baseman who should see plenty of playing time with the San Francisco Giants.  In 2011, Belt and Aubrey Huff shared time at first base and in the outfield.  Whether playing at first base or in the outfield, Belt should see playing time in 2012; furthermore, Belt should have first base eligibility in your 2012 fantasy leagues (he played 26 games at first base in 2011).

Belt has already shown flashes of his potential at the MLB level; he merely needs more experience and consistency.  In 31 losses last season, Belt struggled with a .128 AVG, one home run and four RBIs; in 32 wins, Belt hit .323 with eight home runs and 14 RBIs.  If Belt can maintain some semblance of consistency in 2012, a .280 AVG and 20-plus home runs may be reasonable.

In addition to the six first basemen discussed here, there are others in the NL worth keeping an eye on.  The six discussed here are those who may have the best value for their average draft position (ADP) in 2012 if their stars are aligned (metaphorically speaking).  Pujols signing with the Angels should have no effect on how you view the talent pool at first base in mixed leagues or NL-only leagues.

Those of you in NL-only leagues should not hit the panic button and realize that there is plenty of promise at first base outside of Votto, Fielder and Howard.  Address as many needs as you can in your fantasy drafts and pay attention to news updates on first basemen.

Last, but not least:  on behalf of all of us at Baseball Digest, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached atphilliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Bloomberg Sports, which unveiled its separate analytics products for fans and professional teams in 2010, made great strides in improving both in 2011.  Bill Squadron, head of Bloomberg Sports, recently spoke to Baseball Digest about how both consumers and executives have taken to the products and even helped shape them with intensive feedback.

BBD: What was the reaction to the tools the second year?
BS: Really, we looked at 2010 as a “beta year.”  On the professional side, we gave it to all the clubs as a trial, looking to get feedback.  On the consumer side we wanted to get the actual product in the hands of people.  We did a great deal of market research, waht they liked, what they didn’t like, what would be most useful.  The response was well beyond what we expected on both fronts in 2011, with 19 of the 30 clubs — and counting — using the system.

Bill Squadron

BBD: What are some things you learned from that initial feedback?
BS: We learned to make the site more user friendly, putting the most useful functions front and center, things like that.  On the consumer product, The two things we heard most were that the interface was a little busy and that they wanted more customization. So we streamlined it, putting features like the free agent finder and recommendations for trades, trade analyzers, up front.  And, we added integration with top Fantasy sites like Yahoo, ESPN, CBS, so that those recommendations fit that exact league’s rosters and rules.  We plan to add more sites.  It’s an ongoing process; we keep listening to the customer.

BBD: Can you give an approximate number of users?
BS: We cn’t give exact numbers, but we can say that we increased our customer base nearly tenfold [in 2011], with mobile as well as online users.  In fact, we have more mobile than online users now, and we can expect tremendous growth there as it continues to outpace online.

BBD: Are those mobile offerings online the same as online?
BS: You can get everything on mobile that you can get online, but you have to purchase separate modules.  All of the info is there, it is just available in separate chunks.

BBD: What was the most-asked-for function that you have been considering for 2012?
BS: The single biggest is the ability to address AL Only and NL Only leagues.  That’s the most significant one.  We are also doing some changes in daily projections and lineup recommendations for a more fine-tuned system, improving the algorithms to be as sharp as possible.  We’re even adding the ability to handle a weekly update league, rather than daily.

BBD: Has the word spread among the teams for the Pro product and do you anticipate more teams signing on?
BS: As I mentioned, we definitely saw a real momentum building towards using the system.  In some cases people were, understandably, waiting to see how it unfolded, what support would be proviced, whether it could do what was claimed.  I think clearly the system is a level above anything out there, and we will be out in Dallas at the Winter meetings talking to the other clubs to see about getting them on board as well.

BBD: What is the next big innovation at Bloomberg Sports?
BS: We are working on a pitch review iPad product for players. It’s a video system that is tailored for each player, with the ability to call up every at bat against a certain pitcher or batter.  If you are Roy Halliday, for example, it knows you are Halliday, knows you are facing the Mets, loads up pictures of the Mets lineup and can instantly access every at bat against those players. Very exciting.

Catcher

Miguel Montero (.281 AVG, 17 HR, 82 RBI)

Montero had an ADP of 160.5 overall and the 15^th round.  Montero currently ranks fifth among all catchers in runs (65), eighth in home runs (17) and second in RBIs (82).  Montero’s .281 AVG ranks sixth among catchers with at least 300 at-bats.

Catchers with higher ADPs than Montero include Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, Victor Martinez, Brian McCann, Carlos Santana, Geovany Soto, Matt Wieters and Mike Napoli.  On average, Napoli (.316 AVG, 26 HR, 67 RBI) was drafted three rounds earlier than Montero.  If not for Montero’s edge in RBIs and his lower ADP, I may have named Napoli as this year’s ADP winner at catcher.

First Base

Michael Morse (.302 AVG, 27 HR, 86 RBI)

During fantasy drafts, it was unclear how much playing time Morse would receive at first base or in the outfield.  Adam LaRoche was expected to be the full-time starter at first base for the Washington Nationals; however, a .172 AVG through 151 at-bats and a season-ending trip to the DL changed that.  Morse then became the everyday starter.

Morse had an ADP of 232 overall and the 21^st round.  Among players with 1B eligibility, 36 of them had a higher ADP than Morse.  Only six players with 1B eligibility have at least a .300 AVG, 20-plus home runs and 80-plus RBIs at this time, and Morse is one of them.

Second Base

Neil Walker (.271 AVG, 12 HR, 80 RBI)

Among those with 2B eligibility, Walker currently ranks 12^th with 70 runs and fifth with 80 RBIs.  Walker’s numbers (70 R, 12 HR, 80 RBI, 7 SB, .271 AVG) are somewhat similar to Brandon Phillips (87 R, 16 HR, 79 RBI, .11 SB, .294 AVG); this is impressive considering that Walker’s ADP was 156^th overall and in the 14^th round.  Phillips had an ADP of 47^th overall and in the late fourth round.

Those who fulfilled other needs and waited for Walker in the double-digit rounds got quite a bargain.

Third Base

Alex Gordon (.303 AVG, 22 HR, 86 RBI)

Among those with 3B eligibility, Gordon’s 99 runs trail only Jose Bautista’s 102; Gordon also ranks sixth among third basemen with 22 home runs and sixth among third basemen with 86 RBIs.  Gordon was heralded by many fantasy baseball managers years ago as a “can’t-miss prospect” and failed to live up to expectations.

Gordon’s strong numbers this year are an extremely pleasant surprise to his owners, especially those who drafted him late.  Gordon’s ADP was 248^th overall and in the 24^th round.  Among those with 3B eligibility, only Bautista (.304 AVG, 42 HR, 100 RBI), Aramis Ramirez (.308 AVG, 25 HR, 92 RBI) and Gordon (.303 AVG, 22 HR, 86 RBI) have at least a .300 AVG with 20-plus home runs and 80-plus RBIs at this time.

Shortstop

Asdrubal Cabrera (.270 AVG, 22 HR, 83 RBI)

At present time, only three players with SS eligibility have 80-plus RBIs:  Troy Tulowitzki (105), Asdrubal Cabrera (83) and Jhonny Peralta (81).  Although Peralta’s .302 AVG is an unexpected surprise, Cabrera’s 17 steals and 82 runs make him the best ADP bargain at shortstop (Peralta has zero steals and 64 runs).

Cabrera’s ADP was 211^th overall and the late 19^th round; 17 shortstops on average were drafted ahead of Cabrera, including Rafael Furcal (.226 AVG, 7 HR, 26 RBI).  Among shortstops, Cabrera ranks fourth in runs (82), third in home runs (22), second in RBIs (83) and 13^th in steals (17).

Outfield

Curtis Granderson (.268 AVG, 40 HR, 113 RBI)

Every year in fantasy baseball, there are a handful of players who make managers smack themselves in the head and yell, “I could’ve had that guy!”  Granderson is THE example of such a player this season.

Among those with OF eligibility, Granderson ranks first with 131 runs (Jacoby Ellsbury is second with “only” 111), second with 40 home runs (trailing only Bautista’s 42), first with 113 RBIs and 18^th with 24 steals.

This year’s possible AL MVP had an ADP of 111^th overall and in the 10^th round.  On average, 30 outfielders were selected before Granderson!  Granderson may be not only the biggest ADP winner in the outfield, but the biggest ADP steal in all of baseball this season.

Starting Pitcher

Ian Kennedy (19 W, 2.99 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 182 K)

Those who drafted bona fide aces such as Roy Halladay or Justin Verlander received fantastic numbers from such pitchers; however, a rotisserie team’s pitching is only as good as its weakest link.  Those who added Ian Kennedy to their rotations in the later rounds complemented their aces and made their rotation untouchable.

Kennedy’s 19 wins rank second among all starting pitchers at this time.  Kennedy’s current 2.99 ERA makes him one of only 10 pitchers to pitch 200-plus innings and have an ERA below 3.00 at this time.  Kennedy’s 182 strikeouts rank 17^th among starting pitchers, and he is one of only 19 pitchers to record 180 or more strikeouts at this time.

Kennedy’s ADP was 221^st overall and in the 20^th round.  On average, 62 starting pitchers were selected ahead of Kennedy in fantasy drafts.  While his numbers are not exactly on par with the likes of Halladay and Verlander in all categories, he has been one of the elite pitchers nonetheless.

Relief Pitcher

Craig Kimbrel (4 W, 45 SV, 1.81 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 124 K)

Back in spring training, some managers felt uncertainty about the Braves’ closer situation.  While Kimbrel showed plenty of promise, some wondered if he would be the closer or if Johnny Venters would be the closer.  The Braves made the right choice in selecting Kimbrel for the role.

Kimbrel’s 124 strikeouts rank first among closers; his 124 strikeouts in 74.2 innings amounts to a staggering 14.95 strikeouts per nine innings!  Kimbrel’s 45 saves ranks second among closers as he trails only Jose Valverde’s 46 saves.

Kimbrel’s ADP was 169^th overall and the 16^th round.  On average, 22 closers were drafted ahead of Kimbrel in fantasy drafts.  Kimbrel is potentially the relief pitcher of the year and possibly the NL rookie of the year.

These ADP winners just go to show that baseball is an unpredictable sport.  You may think you’re drafting an MVP in the first round while someone else finds an MVP in the 10^th round.  The performances of these ADP winners will obviously alter their ADPs in the 2012 season.  To borrow from the film “Forrest Gump”, a fantasy draft is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Randy Wolf (SP, Milwaukee Brewers)

Although their bats get all the headlines, solid pitching has helped the Milwaukee Brewers contend for the NL Central title this season.  Wolf – a 12th year veteran – has pitched very well since the All-Star break and is a big part of that success.

Wolf (12-9, 3.44 ERA) is 6-3 in his last 11 starts with a 3.11 ERA.  Wolf allowed two earned runs or less in three of his past four starts, including a seven-inning and two-run performance against the Philadelphia Phillies.  Although Wolf would be a solid addition from waivers at this time, you should note one detail from his splits:  Wolf is 4-2 in 10 day games with a 4.36 ERA and 8-7 in 20 night games with a 2.98 ERA.

Wolf is currently owned in only 40% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  He has pitched very well recently.  With the championship round lasting two weeks in head-to-head formats, Wolf is worth taking a chance on.  If Wolf were to struggle, the two-week finals will enable you to make up ground with an abundance of starts from your pitchers.

Ivan Nova (SP, New York Yankees)

Nova may be perhaps the most overlooked pitcher in fantasy baseball this season.  Although Nova does not strike out many hitters (87 strikeouts in 144 innings), he plays for the Yankees and receives run support (which leads to wins).

Nova (15-4, 3.94 ERA) received a win in 11 of his last 13 starts and delivered eight quality starts.  Nova hasn’t suffered a loss since June 3, a 3-2 loss suffered in a quality start in which he surrendered two earned runs in six innings.  Since Nova’s last loss, he is 11-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 starts.  Since the All-Star break, Nova is 7-0 in eight starts with a 3.61 ERA.  Nova’s strong pitching brought some semblance of stability to an inconsistent Yankees rotation.

Despite his quality starts, wins and the Yankees’ run support for him, Nova is only owned in 57% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  If Nova is available in your fantasy league, you should add him before your opponent does.

Anibal Sanchez (SP, Florida Marlins)

Sanchez (8-7, 3.64 ERA) may be the most frustrating and enigmatic starting pitcher in fantasy baseball.  Sanchez has the talent to toss a gem at any time; he also has a tendency to pitch very poorly at times and his fantasy stats blow up in your face.  The Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of Sanchez’s pitching can frustrate managers and scare them away from adding him; however, his ability (two one-hitters and nearly 200 strikeouts) are too tempting to pass up.

At times, I would be reluctant to suggest adding Sanchez; however, he strikes out many hitters and has the ability to dominate games.  Furthermore, the championship round’s two-week window allows you plenty of time to make up ground if Sanchez were to have a disastrous game.

Another reason I recommend Sanchez at this time is because I always believe in riding the hot streak.  Sanchez is currently on a 15-inning shutout streak.  Riding a player’s hot streak can be the difference-maker between winning and losing your championship match.  At this time, Sanchez is owned in 64% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Raul Ibanez (OF, Philadelphia Phillies)

Like Sanchez, Ibanez (.247 AVG, 18 HR, 72 RBI) has also been an enigmatic fantasy player this season.  Fantasy managers should not allow a hitter’s slumps to turn them off entirely, for hitters are less consistent than pitchers to begin with.  Even the best hitters in the world will fail seven out of 10 times to get a hit.

As I stated earlier, I believe in riding a player’s hot streak.  Right now, Ibanez is on a hot streak.  Over his last nine games, Ibanez is 13-for-36 (.361 AVG) with six runs, two home runs and seven RBIs.  Ibanez is a streaky hitter who tends to be very hot or very cold.  He is a very hot hitter right now; however, he did go 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in his latest performance.

Ibanez is worth a look at this time until he shows signs of cooling off.  At this time, Ibanez is owned in only 38% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Placido Polanco (2B/3B, Philadelphia Phillies)

At this point, you may have noticed a pattern in this column:  riding the hot streaks.  Polanco is another hot hitter at this time.  A reliable contact hitter (.301 career AVG), Polanco hit .398 in the first month of the season before struggling mightily.  His struggles were certainly brought on by his lingering injuries.

Since being recalled from the disabled list, Polanco is 21-for-72 (.292 AVG) with seven multi-hit games in his last 17 games.  Polanco’s steady hitting should bring stability to your AVG during your two-week matchup.  Polanco’s 2B/3B eligibility also comes in handy for rotating your players in and out of the lineup, or replacing injured players (2B Chase Utley, for example).

Despite his position flexibility, hitting in the Phillies lineup and his return to form, Polanco is only owned in 53% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues at this time.

Best of luck to all you fantasy baseball managers out there.  Those of you in rotisserie leagues have your teams in the hands of fate at this time; however, those of you in head-to-head leagues have a clean slate and more control in your team’s championship hopes.  When in doubt, always ride the hot streak.  Also remember that even if you have no plans to start a player after adding him from waivers, having him on your roster means he cannot be used against you.

I hope the 2011 MLB season and fantasy baseball season has been enjoyable for you, and that the BD Fantasy columns have been helpful in some ways.  Good luck!

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Stephen Strasburg (SP, Washington Nationals)

Due to Tommy John surgery, Strasburg has yet to pitch for the Nationals this season; however, he will make his 2011 debut on Tuesday.  Through six rehab starts in the minors, Strasburg went 1-1 with a 3.54 ERA and struck out 29 hitters in 20.1 innings.

With news of Strasburg’s return, his fantasy ownership has doubled in the past few weeks.  Weeks ago, Strasburg’s ownership percentage was in the 30% area in Yahoo! fantasy leagues; his ownership is at 63% at this time.  If Strasburg is available in your keeper leagues, you should add him without hesitation.  For those of you participating in one-year leagues, you should still add him for his fantasy production.

Because the Nationals are not in the playoff race, they may limit Strasburg’s innings and pitch counts; however, his ability to dominate games can be a cheap source of strikeouts.  Furthermore, pitching three to five shutout innings is a cheap way to lower your ERA as well. 

Ian Desmond (SS, Washington Nationals)

Fantasy managers who drafted Desmond are no doubt disappointed in his 2011 season.  Despite his .242 AVG at this time, Desmond is worth a look once again.  Over his last eight games, Desmond hit 13-for-37 (.351 AVG).  Desmond’s swiping of the bags was the only fantasy value he had at all this season; now that he is hitting well once again, his value should go up in the eyes of fantasy managers, especially if he starts stealing bases again.

At this time, Desmond is owned in 56% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  Those of you who are in need of a shortstop after putting Jimmy Rollins on the DL should give Desmond a look.

Jeff Keppinger (2B/SS, San Francisco Giants)

Those who are in need of a shortstop or second baseman should look into adding Keppinger.  Since joining the Giants, Keppinger hit .289 in 39 games.  Keppinger is in the zone now, having driven in seven of the Giants’ last 13 runs.

Keppinger is a career .284 hitter and can provide steady contact hitting for you while keeping your AVG afloat in your playoff matchups.  Although he is recently driving in runs, you should not rely on Keppinger to be a big source of home runs and RBIs.  Keppinger’s main function is as a contact hitter; any runs he drives in for you are bonuses.

Keppinger is currently owned in only 10% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues at this time.  Those of you who are wary of adding Desmond should give Keppinger a look.  Keppinger’s position flexibility also makes him useful in giving your lineup more options.

Dexter Fowler (OF, Colorado Rockies)

Fowler has been swinging a hot bat recently.  Over the past five games, Fowler hit 10-for-20 (.500 AVG) to raise his AVG to .271 on the season.  Over the last 30 days, he hit .294 with 21 runs, two home runs, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases.  Although fantasy managers may be disappointed in his .271 AVG and 10 stolen bases, Fowler does have 73 runs on the season and is swinging the bat well recently.

If you are in need of an outfielder to raise your AVG and score some runs, you will likely find Fowler available in your leagues.  Fowler is currently owned in only 24% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

James Loney (1B, Los Angeles Dodgers)

Tired of Gaby Sanchez and his struggles since the All-Star break?  Think Todd Helton has cooled off too much to your liking recently?  If you want a hot bat at first base, you should pick up Loney at this time.

Loney may be the hottest hitter in baseball at this time.  Over the last 30 days, Loney hit .388 with 17 runs, 5 home runs and 17 RBIs.  Loney hit .367 through 27 games in August and is currently hitting .313 through four September games.  When a hitter is hot, there is no sense in analyzing why he is hitting well; you just add him and ride the hot streak until it ends.

Loney is currently owned in only 39% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues at this time.

Regardless of whether or not you owned these players at one point this season, all that time they spent on the waiver wire should not affect your perception of their value.  In fantasy baseball, a player is only as good as his recent production.  Regardless of what their final numbers may be on the season, these players are producing at this time and were worth the wait.  Use them to your advantage.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Jim Thome (Util)

Thome spent much of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Twins; however, he recently reunited with the Cleveland Indians.  With the Indians, Thome can have an impact on your fantasy team’s championship hopes.  With designated hitter Travis Hafner likely out for the season and now outfielder Michael Brantley likely out for the season, Thome should see daily playing time as the designated hitter and will be counted on to produce for the Indians.

Although Thome’s .238 AVG, 13 home runs and 41 RBIs look unimpressive at this point in the season, you must remember he put up those numbers with the Twins and their power-sapping ballpark.  Being back with the Indians may help Thome produce on pure adrenaline and turn back the clock for a while.

After hardly playing in May and June, Thome hit .273 through 21 games in the month of July.  Although Thome is only hitting .206 through 20 games in August, he does have five home runs and 13 RBIs in those 20 games (he did not hit five home runs in any other month this season).

Barring a hot streak, having Thome in your lineup may hinder your AVG; however, he is hitting home runs lately and may be of service to your team.  If Thome does get hot, you will be grateful that your opponents do not have him.  If you have enough flexibility on your roster to take a flyer on Thome at your Utility/DH slot, then go for it.  Thome is currently owned in only six percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Logan Morrison (OF)

The Florida Marlins clearly have no idea how to run an organization and create a winning baseball team.  As if that were not offensive enough, they also know how to damage your fantasy baseball teams.  Their demotion of outfielder Logan Morrison was nothing more than a mindless ploy aimed at silencing Morrison for his activity on Twitter.

Did Morrison struggle after the All-Star break?  Yes.  Morrison is hitting .204 through 29 games after the All-Star break.  Despite his struggles, Morrison is a very promising young hitter with good plate discipline and the ability to hit for AVG and power.  The reality is that with young hitters like Morrison, slumps will happen!  Morrison’s slump is just the smokescreen excuse the Marlins used for demoting him.

If the Marlins really wanted to demote struggling hitters, then they should have also demoted first baseman Gaby Sanchez (.192 AVG through 37 games after the All-Star break).  They did not.

Despite the incompetence of the Marlins’ front office, Morrison is back and will return to form soon.  If you need help in the outfield, then you should add Morrison from the waiver wire.  His abilities as a hitter are similar to Nick Markakis (but with more power) and Brett Gardner (although he does not run like Gardner).  Anybody who knows how to evaluate talent knows the promise Morrison carries as a hitter.  If he returns to form soon, he may be the biggest waiver wire steal during your fantasy playoffs.

At this time, Morrison is owned in only 30% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Placido Polanco (2B, 3B)

Polanco has been a fantasy enigma this season.  He hit .398 through 26 games in the months of March and April; however, he hit only .220 from May through July.  Polanco had been battling injuries all season, and it clearly affected his play.

The Philadelphia Phillies recently put shortstop Jimmy Rollins on the disabled list and activated Polanco.  Since being activated, Polanco is hitting .324 through nine games in August.  Not only does Polanco’s bat seem to be rejuvenated, but he should score plenty of runs while hitting in the top third of the order in Rollins’ absence.

In addition to his once-again steady hitting, Polanco’s position eligibility at both second and third base makes him a tempting addition from the waiver wire.

Polanco has an excellent track record in his career as a contact hitter, is currently swinging the bat well and has a great team around him.  Add Polanco with confidence.  Polanco is currently owned in 53% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

David Freese (3B)

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese is a promising young hitter who does not get enough recognition in fantasy baseball.  For his career, Freese averages a .302 AVG, 13 home runs and 87 RBIs per 162 games played.  While these numbers are not elite, they are strong numbers.  There is just one problem:  Freese has yet to play anywhere within the vicinity of 162 games in a season.

As a 26 year-old rookie in 2009, Freese appeared in only 17 MLB games but hit .323 in those games.  In the 2010 season, Freese hit .296 through 70 games.  Freese set a career-high with 75 games played this season (despite making a trip to the DL earlier) and is hitting .305 with a career-high eight home runs and a career-high 44 RBIs.

Freese is very unlucky each season when it comes to injuries.  His bad luck with injuries makes you hope he never visits Mt. Rushmore during the offseason so as to avoid recreating any Wile E. Coyote mishaps.  Despite his bad luck with injuries, Freese is so productive when he is healthy.

Although Freese’s AVG has cooled off since the All-Star break, he is displaying more power recently.  Before the break, Freese hit .336 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 38 games; after the break, Freese hit .273 with five home runs and 26 RBIs in 37 games.  Take this boost in power as a bonus and reap the rewards when Freese returns to form and hits for a high AVG again.

Freese is currently owned in only 46% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Whether they were the results of injuries, front office incompetence and mishandling of a slump, or just simply needing a change of scenery, these hitters were in low places this season and thus were likely under the radar of your competition.  These players not only have the desire to prove themselves, they also have the ability to do so.  Use them to your advantage if they fit into your lineup.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Unless you are in a keeper league and have plans to name Gaby Sanchez as one of your keepers, you should drop him to the waiver wire at this time.  Sanchez is struggling in a Dunn-like fashion with a .179 AVG, two home runs and eight RBIs over the past 30 days.  Sanchez struggled mightily since the All-Star break ended and needs to be replaced in your competitive one-year leagues.

Mark Trumbo (.260 AVG, 23 HR, 69 RBI)

Rookie Mark Trumbo would be an excellent addition at this time.  His numbers are similar to Sanchez on the season and he is currently a much hotter hitter than Sanchez.  Over the past 25 games, Trumbo is 26-for-91 (.286 AVG) with five home runs and 24 RBIs.  Trumbo’s 69 RBIs on the season is tops among AL rookies.

At this time, Trumbo is owned in 56% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  Although I advise against dropping Sanchez in keeper leagues if you plan to name him as a keeper, you can do so in keeper leagues if Trumbo is the man you are adding.  Unlike Sanchez, Trumbo has the potential to be an elite power hitter capable of smashing 30-40 home runs.

Todd Helton (.312 AVG, 14 HR, 65 RBI)

If you prefer to add someone with a more consistent AVG than Trumbo, you an always opt for a veteran hitter like Helton.  Helton is hitting .312 on the season with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs.  At the All-Star break, Helton had 41 RBIs in 80 games; his RBI production has been hotter after the break with 24 RBIs in his past 32 games.

Helton has turned back the clock this season and showed remarkable consistency.  Helton’s worst AVG in any month this season was .300 through 22 games in the month of April.  Since then, Helton hit .313 in May, .310 in June, .317 in July and is currently hitting .322 in August.

Helton is currently owned in 60% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  If you see him on waivers in your league, do not hesitate to add him.  A consistent hitter is especially useful in the weekly head-to-head leagues.

Kyle Blanks (.272 AVG, 5 HR, 16 RBI)

After showing promise in the 2009 season with a .250 AVG, 10 home runs and 22 RBIs in 54 games, Blanks followed that up with a miserable .157 AVG, three home runs and 15 RBIs through 33 games in 2010.  Over the past two seasons, Blanks was one of those prospects who generated plenty of preseason buzz in fantasy baseball but failed to live up to the hype in season play.

Although Blanks had disappointed managers who had high hopes for him last year, he is once again showing promise at the MLB level.  Blanks currently has five home runs and 16 RBIs through 29 games this season.  Over his past 17 games, Blanks hit .367 with five home runs and 16 RBIs.

Although Blanks still strikes out at a high rate, he is currently a hitting machine and you should ride the hot streak.  If you are in great need of a hitter at first base and you cannot add Trumbo or Helton, you may want to consider adding Blanks.  At this time, Blanks is owned in only nine percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

With the recent groin injury landing a trip to the DL for Jimmy Rollins, there are several shortstops on the waiver wire who are worth a look.

Darwin Barney (.295 AVG, 55 R, 2 HR, 36 RBI)

Although he primarily plays second base, Barney has shortstop eligibility in Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  Barney is a solid contact hitter and was recently moved from the bottom third of the order to second in the order.  Batting second should amount to more runs for Barney and more good pitches to hit.  Barney may also have more RBI opportunities than he had before.

Barney is currently on a five-game hitting streak (.421 AVG) with three multi-hit games in that span.  Barney is currently hitting .324 through 19 games in the month of August.  Barney is a steady contact hitter and may be the most reliable “shortstop” on the waiver wire at this time.  His 2B/SS eligibility may come in handy if you decide to add another shortstop and you suffer an injured second baseman.  Barney is currently owned in 42% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues, so there is a good chance you may find him in your league.

Omar Infante (.276 AVG, 38 R, 3 HR, 34 RBI)

Infante recently returned from injury and is hitting as if he never left.  Through five games in August, Infante is 10-for-21 (.476 AVG).  Although five games is a small sample size, it is encouraging that he is hitting well at this time.  Infante’s hot hitting is not a sudden turnaround, for he was swining a hot bat prior to his injury.  Infante started out slowly by hitting .238 in April and .262 in May; however, his AVG increased each month as he hit .272 in June and .291 in July.  Since July (including his five August games), Infante is hitting .322 with 17 runs, two home runs and 10 RBIs in his past 32 games.

Although Infante’s bat is not a rich source of home runs or RBIs, it can be counted on to give you steady hitting and keep your AVG above water, especially in weekly head-to-head leagues.  Infante is currently owned in only 31% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  If you see Infante on waivers, do not hesitate to add him.  His steady hitting and deep position flexibility (2B/3B/SS/OF) are valuable assets to any fantasy team.

Regardless of whom you add from the waiver wire, it is important to know your team’s strengths and weaknesses in order to have a greater understanding of your needs.  While the power numbers of a first baseman like Trumbo can be very tempting to add, those of you in head-to-head leagues may be better off adding steady contact hitters like Infante and Helton.

Power numbers deviate wildly in weekly head-to-head leagues as a power hitter can single-handedly win or lose a matchup for you in a given week.  If you already have a great track record on home runs and RBIs for the season, then it would be best for you to add more consistent hitters like Helton.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Ivan Nova (11-4, 3.85 ERA)

While Seattle Mariners rookie sensation Michael Pineda’s production has been dipping lately, the New York Yankees’ Nova has been pitching lights-out baseball.  From April through June, Nova was 7-4 with an unimpressive 4.26 ERA.

Since July, Nova’s pitching has been on par with staff ace C.C. Sabathia, going 4-0 in four starts with a 2.45 ERA.  Despite this stretch of superb pitching, Nova is only owned in 33% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues at this time.  Add Nova while you still can.  He is pitching like an ace recently and has the benefit of the Yankees lineup hitting for him.

Rick Porcello (11-7, 4.93 ERA)

Fantasy managers are understandably unexcited about adding a pitcher with an ERA hovering near 5.00 on the season.  The 2011 season has not been the breakout season many expected to see from Porcello as it has been a season of up-and-down performances; however, his pitching has been strong recently.

Prior to his eight-run blowup on August 10, Porcello was 5-0 with a 3.26 ERA in his previous six starts.  Porcello is a very talented young pitcher.  Although he offers a low strikeout rate, his pitching is top-notch quality when he is on his game.  Although he is a streaky pitcher, Porcello is worth adding if you feel comfortable about his matchups.  Porcello is currently owned in only 13% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Vance Worley (8-1, 2.85 ERA)

Over the past 30 days, Worley has been one of the most popular adds from the waiver wire.  His fantasy ownership increased from single-digit percentages up to 57% at this time.

Do not be fooled by Worley’s 3.97 ERA in his past five starts; that ERA was inflated by a six-run blowup in his most recent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Prior to his six-run blowup against the Dodgers, Worley was 5-0 in his previous six starts with a 2.13 ERA.

Unless Worley encounters more outings similar to his blowup against the Dodgers, he continues to be a must-add from the waiver wire.  Worley has played a big role in the Philadelphia Phillies’ superb pitching rotation and has a rejuvenated Phillies lineup to support him.

Mark Buehrle (10-5, 3.06 ERA)

Like the Detroit Tigers’ Rick Porcello, Buehrle offers a low strikeout rate (only 83 strikeouts in 156 innings); however, his strong pitching can help your team.

Since the All-Star break ended, Buehrle is 4-0 in his last five starts with a 1.80 ERA.  Skeptics may point out that Buehrle has a career 3.61 ERA before the All-Star break and a 4.03 ERA after the break; however, you have to ride the hot streak while it’s there.  Until Buehrle cools off, he is a must-add.

At this time, Buehrle is owned in only 39% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Ricky Nolasco (9-8, 3.72 ERA)

The Florida Marlins’ Nolasco is another example of an up-and-down streaky pitcher.  Frankly, most pitchers you find on the waiver wire will be streaky, as the consistent ones are ordinarily already owned.  For the season, Nolasco has a 1.44 ERA in his nine wins and a 7.02 ERA in his eight losses.

Nolasco’s dominate-or-struggle style of pitching can be intimidating to add from the waiver wire; however, Nolasco’s dominance and his struggles both come in bunches.  At this time, Nolasco is on a hot streak with a 5-4 record and 2.52 ERA in his last nine starts.

Had Nolasco received any run support, he could have easily won seven or eight of his last nine starts.  If you exclude the nine-run outing Nolasco suffered in less than two innings on July 20, Nolasco would then be 5-3 with a 1.21 ERA in his other eight starts.

Add Nolasco now and ride the hot streak.  Nolasco is currently owned in 64% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Throughout the remainder of your fantasy season, be sure to keep an eye on the matchups and spot trends in a pitchers’ performance.  Just as hot pitching can win a World Series, it can also win you a fantasy championship.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Bryce Harper (C/OF, Washington Nationals)

Harper had a slow start with the Hagerstown Suns (A) at the start of his professional career; however, he eventually heated up and finished strong with a .318 AVG and .423 OBP in 72 games.  Harper slugged .554 (.977 OPS) and hit 14 home runs with 46 RBIs; of his 82 hits with Hagerstown, 32 of them were for extra bases (14 home runs, 1 triple, 17 doubles).

Harper’s impressive performance led to a promotion to the Harrisburg Senators (AA).  Through 29 games, Harper is currently hitting .262 with two home runs and eight RBIs.  Just as he did with the Suns, Harper struggled with a slow start with the Senators.  Lately, Harper is showing signs of getting over the slow start and breaking out again.

Through 23 games in July with the Senators, Harper hit .238 with one home run and five RBIs.  Through six games in August, Harper is hitting .348 with one home run and three RBIs; of his eight hits in August, five have been for extra bases.  While Harper did have slow starts this season, he shows great poise in finishing strongly and adjusting to his level of competition.  His performance is all the more impressive when you realize he is only 18 years of age (Harper turns 19 in October).

Harper is currently owned in only seven percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  You should add him from the waiver wire and contemplate naming him as a keeper.  He is baseball’s top prospect and is labeled by many as baseball’s once-in-a-lifetime talent.  If he truly does have that type of potential, you do not want your competitors having such a player.  In a best-case scenario, you have a future MVP as a keeper to play in your lineup or serve as very valuable trade bait; in a worst-case scenario, you have a bust whom you can easily drop to add another talented hitter in a deeply talented outfield pool.

Jesus Montero (C, New York Yankees)

Prior to the start of the season, Montero was rated by Baseball America as the number three prospect in the game.  The Yankees may call Montero up soon.  The disgruntled Jorge Posada is struggling this season, and Russell Martin is not the long-term answer behind the plate, either.

Through 90 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (AAA), Montero is hitting .289 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs.  Montero is a promising young hitter with decent power and the ability to hit for AVG.  Montero’s power numbers were better with the Trenton Thunder (AA) in 2009 (nine home runs in 44 games); however, he did hit 21 home runs with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2010.

Although there is uncertainty as to how much power Montero will display at the MLB level, the potential is there nonetheless.  At the AAA level, Montero has shown himself to be a steady and consistent hitter.  Montero hit .289 in 123 games in 2010; Montero is currently hitting .289 through 90 games this season.  At the MLB level, Montero will have a luxury he does not in the minors:  one of the best lineups in the world hitting around him.  With the Yankees’ deep lineup, opposing pitchers will be forced to pitch to Montero and give him something to hit.

Not many catchers are worthy of being named as a keeper; Montero could be worthy.  Add Montero from the waiver wire so that your competition does not have him.  You can use the offseason to contemplate whether or not to keep him.  Montero is currently owned in only six percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Ike Davis (1B, New York Mets)

Prior to his injury (which appears to be season-ending), Davis was hitting like an all-star.  Through 36 games with the Mets, Davis hit .302 with a .383 OBP, .543 SLG and .925 OPS.  He had seven home runs and 25 RBIs; of his 39 hits, 16 were for extra bases.

Do not be surprised to see Davis become one of the fantasy elite in the future.  Davis is a naturally gifted player who can hit for average and power while also playing excellent defense.  Regardless of whether or not the Mets ever cast the shadow of mediocrity, Davis will play a huge part in any success they have.

Unsurprisingly, Davis was dropped in many leagues as a result of his injury; however, I was stunned to see that Davis is only owned in 34% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  This indicates that either there are not many keeper leagues on Yahoo! fantasy, or there are many keeper leagues where Davis is somehow available.  If Davis is available in your keeper league, add him immediately.

Stephen Strasburg (SP, Washington Nationals)

In an injury-shortened 2010 season, Strasburg put on dazzling performances on the mound.  Through 12 starts, he was 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA and struck out 92 hitters in 68 innings (12 strikeouts per nine innings).  Among starting pitchers, Strasburg is perhaps the best strikeout pitcher in baseball.

Although Strasburg has yet to pitch in the MLB this season, he reportedly was throwing 97 mph in recent bullpen sessions.  In a recent rehab start with the Hagerstown Suns (A), Strasburg allowed three hits and one run while getting five hitters out; of those five outs, four were strikeouts.

Strasburg is currently owned in only 33% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  If he is available in your keeper league, add him and name him as one of your keepers.

Aroldis Chapman (RP, Cincinnati Reds)

Prior to the 2010 season, there was plenty of hype around two flame-throwing pitchers:  Strasburg and Chapman.  Chapman has been serving as the Reds’ set-up reliever this season.  Chapman looked brilliant at first, but then struggled with his control while coping with an injury.

Since returning from the disabled list, Chapman has been lights-out, having struck out 37 hitters in 20 1/3 innings (16 strikeouts per nine innings) and a 1.33 ERA in that span.  Chapman is currently owned in only 40% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.  If he is available in your keeper league, you should add him and consider naming him as a keeper.  Chapman will not be the set-up man forever; he will likely be converted to a starter or a closer.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Erik Bedard (SP, Boston Red Sox)

The Seattle Mariners traded Bedard to the Red Sox.  Do not be fooled by Bedard’s 4-7 record and 3.45 ERA!  Bedard started the season 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA in his first four starts.  Since then, Bedard is 4-3 with a 2.35 in 12 starts.

Some may be concerned about Bedard’s fantasy value now because he will have to face the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.  Those who doubt his fantasy value should put their fears to rest:  Bedard is a good pitcher when healthy and he has prior experience against the AL East, as he started his career with the Baltimore Orioles in 2002.  In his last two seasons with the Orioles (2006 and 2007), Bedard went 28-16 with a 3.47 ERA.

After posting solid numbers in the past when he had to face the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays, facing the Yankees and the Rays should pose no problem for Bedard.  The Red Sox should provide Bedard plenty of run support.  If the AL East leads to a slight increase in Bedard’s ERA, Bedard owners should be pleased to trade some points in their ERA for more wins.

When I suggested adding Bedard in a column on May 23, he was owned in 22% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues at the time.  On June 20, Bedard was owned in 59% of leagues; however, his ownership has decreased to 46% at this time.  With Bedard now off the disabled list and pitching for the high-scoring Red Sox, his ownership percentage should skyrocket.

Ryan Ludwick (OF, Pittsburgh Pirates)

The San Diego Padres traded Ludwick to the Pirates.  Ludwick has had a difficult time in earning respect from fantasy managers this season.  On July 25, Ludwick was owned in only 31% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  At that time, Ludwick was the only player to have 60 or more RBIs and be owned in less than 85% of leagues!

Despite being traded from the offensively-challenged Padres, Ludwick’s ownership dropped from 31% to 29% at this time.  If Ludwick’s .238 AVG scares you, that is understandable; however, a player in the top 30 in RBIs deserves more attention in fantasy baseball.

While the Pirates and Padres are not offensive juggernauts, the Pirates should conceivably elevate Ludwick’s fantasy value.  Despite playing in three fewer games than the Padres, the Pirates have scored 23 more runs.  Being traded away from San Diego’s pitcher-friendly ballpark and the NL West’s power pitchers (Tim Lincecum and Ubaldo Jimenez, for example, although Jimenez is now in the AL Central) should help Ludwick’s fantasy value.  Now in the NL Central, Ludwick will face weaker pitching as he steps into the box against teams like the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds.  Furthermore, Pittsburgh’s ballpark will not be the same pitching paradise San Diego’s ballpark was.

Owned in only 29% of leagues at this time, Ludwick is worth a serious look on the waiver wire.  If you need help in RBIs, you should add Ludwick.  The Pirates may help him score more runs than the Padres did.

Raul Ibanez (OF, Philadelphia Phillies)

I believe I recommended Ibanez several times this season, most recently in a July 25 column.  At that time, Ibanez was owned in 42% of Yahoo! leagues.  Since then, Ibanez had climbed to 46% ownership after hitting 8-for-27 (.296 AVG) with three home runs and nine RBIs in seven games.

Ibanez has a tendency to be a streaky hitter; however, he might start to show more consistency with newly-acquired Hunter Pence in the Phillies lineup.  With Pence hitting between Ryan Howard and Ibanez, and recently-activated Placido Polanco batting after Ibanez, Ibanez should see more good pitches to hit.

Owned in 46% of Yahoo! leagues at this time, Ibanez should be added if you need help in the outfield.  The Phillies offense is rejuvenated and now improved with the arrival of Pence.  Pence’s presence in the lineup should create a positive domino effect throughout the lineup.

Dustin Ackley (2B/OF, Seattle Mariners)

Shortly after Ackley’s promotion to the majors, I suggested picking him up from the waiver wire in a June 20 column.  At that time, Ackley was owned in 32% of Yahoo! leagues and had position eligibility only in the outfield.  Since then, Ackley’s ownership increased to 42% and he gained position eligibility at second base.

Ackley has been nothing short of impressive, as he now carries a .305 AVG with five home runs and 20 RBIs.  Of Ackley’s 40 hits, 17 were for extra bases (nine doubles, three triples, five home runs).  Ackley’s value should continue to go up, as the Mariners moved him up to third in the batting order.  In his past eight games, Ackley is 12-for-30 (.400 AVG) with one home run and six RBIs.  Of those 12 hits, six were for extra bases.  In his 18 games batting third, Ackley has a .315 AVG with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

Ackley is a young star on the rise, and should continue to see his ownership increase in fantasy leagues.  His eligibility at both second base and outfield should prove very useful in rotating players in and out of your lineup.

Freddie Freeman (1B, Atlanta Braves)

When I suggested adding Freeman in a June 27 column, he was owned in only 28% of Yahoo! leagues at the time.  Since then, Freeman hit .362 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 30 games.  Fantasy managers took notice, as Freeman’s ownership increased from 28% to 71% at this time.

If you are somehow in the 29% of leagues that do not own Freeman, add him as soon as possible.  He is hitting like an MVP in his past 30 games and should be the favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year.

Emilio Bonifacio (3B/SS/OF, Florida Marlins)

When I recommended adding Bonifacio in a July 18 column, he was owned in only 47% of Yahoo! leagues at the time.  Readers have certainly taken notice of Bonifacio, as he is now owned in 70% of Yahoo! leagues.

Over the past 30 days, Bonifacio hit .389 with a league-leading 26 runs and a league-leading 16 steals.  In addition to his production helping your team, Bonifacio’s position flexibility should enable you to rotate players in and out of your lineup; it also gives you more options to discuss in your fantasy trade negotiations if your league’s deadline has not passed yet.

Vance Worley (SP, Philadelphia Phillies)

Like Bonifacio and Freeman, Worley is another fast climber in fantasy ownership.  When I advised adding Worley in a July 11 column, he was owned in 14% of Yahoo! leagues at the time.  Since then, Worley is 3-0 in four starts with a 2.54 ERA.  For the season, Worley is 7-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.

Since July 11, Worley’s ownership increased from 14% to 67% in Yahoo! leagues.  The old adage “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it” applies to Worley.  There is no reason to believe Worley will be moved out of the rotation at this time.  As long as he pitches lights-out baseball, he will remain a fixture in the Phillies rotation.  When/if Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton return, it is likely Blanton who will be moved to the bullpen while Worley remains in the rotation.

Despite Oswalt and Blanton’s lingering injuries this season, the Phillies have the best pitching rotation in baseball and Worley’s performances have been on par with his fellow pitchers.  If he is available in your league, do not hesitate to add him.

Logan Morrison (OF, Florida Marlins)

Morrison had a hot start to his 2011 season and was a popular waiver wire pickup.  Eventually, his injury affected his performance and his ownership in fantasy leagues dropped.

Morrison is now owned in only 50% of Yahoo! leagues and should be taken seriously again.  Despite a .210 AVG in the past 30 days, Morrison hit a league-leading 25 RBIs during that time.  If he regains his form and returns to the disciplined on-base machine he normally is, those numbers should conceivably improve!

With the recent hot hitting of Bonifacio and Stanton, the Marlins may be on the verge of a massive fantasy breakout if Hanley Ramirez and Morrison can return to form. 

Adam Dunn (1B, Chicago White Sox) and Dan Uggla (2B, Atlanta Braves)

I would like to offer my apologies to any readers who took my advice long ago when I suggested taking a chance on the struggling Dunn and Uggla.  I did advise caution and suggested that you only trade for them if you felt you could get them at a discount; nevertheless, I offer my sincerest apologies if your acquisition of these players has hindered your fantasy team’s performance at all.  I do not apologize, however, for trading Dunn to others in my own leagues.

Those who own Dunn and his .165 AVG probably feel like they’re in the ninth circle of hell.  I firmly believe it is time to give up on Dunn and his 2011 season (if you have not already done so).  Even if Dunn were to suddenly get hot, the damage is already done.  Any hot streak Dunn provides from this point forward will not bring any satisfaction to his owners unless it is a hot streak of Ruthian proportions.

Uggla, on the other hand, is showing signs of turning his season around.  While his AVG by season’s end might not reach a respectable final number, he is swinging a hot bat lately.  Uggla is currently on a 22-game hitting streak.  During this streak, he is hitting .333 with eight home runs (he has 20 on the season) and 17 RBIs (he has 47 on the season).

I do not recommend giving up on Uggla at this time.  You can either ride the hot streak until he finally cools off, or try trading him to somebody who could possibly overpay for his hot streak.

If your league’s trade deadline has not passed yet, then now is the time to decide what moves you need to make so that you can improve your team’s chances of success as you move forward.  Best of luck to all of you the rest of this season.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Desmond Jennings (OF)

Jennings was one of a handful of rookies who had fantasy managers excited prior to the start of the season.  Many managers hoped Jennings would start the season with the Tampa Bay Rays and serve as a steal in their drafts.  Some scouts and fans labeled Jennings as a “Carl Crawford clone.”

Jennings was recently called up by the Rays and is quickly making an impact.  Jennings has four hits in only six at-bats (.667 AVG) and two steals already while also being hit by pitches twice.  Through 89 games with the Durham Bulls (AAA) this season, Jennings hit .275 with 68 runs, 12 home runs, 19 doubles, three triples, 39 RBIs and 17 steals while being caught stealing only once.

At this time, Jennings is owned in only 39% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues; however, that number will take off like a rocket soon.  Add Jennings before it is too late!

Pedro Alvarez (3B)

Like Jennings, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Alvarez was one of the highly talked-about youngsters during spring training.  Alvarez has the potential to be a great power-hitting third baseman; however, he struggled mightily this season (.208 AVG).

Despite his early struggles, Alvarez is back with the Pirates now in the middle of an exciting NL Central division race.  A productive Alvarez would greatly improve the Pirates’ chances of winning the division and reaching the postseason for the first time since 1992.  Alvarez was recently swinging a hot bat with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA), hitting .365 with three home runs, 13 RBIs and a .461 OBP in 18 games.

In addition to Alvarez hitting well lately, injuries to other third basemen (Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones, for example) make Alvarez a tempting addition from the waiver wire.  At this time, Alvarez is owned in 39% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues and that number should be expected to climb quickly.

Brandon Belt (1B)

Belt struggled earlier this season with a .232 AVG in 69 at-bats; however, he is a promising prospect with the potential to hit for power.

Belt was recently recalled by the San Francisco Giants and should be expected to receive plenty of playing time.  It is unclear whether Aubrey Huff will see more playing time in the outfield and Belt plays first base, or the other way around.  If Huff remains at first base and Belt receives playing time in the outfield, Belt should then gain outfield eligibility soon in Yahoo! fantasy leagues (Belt currently has only first base eligibility).

Belt hit .324 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs and a .462 OBP this season through 43 games with the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA).  At this time, he is owned in only seven percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Raul Ibanez (OF)

It is surprising to see Ibanez owned in only 42% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  The .244 AVG is largely a byproduct of the 0-for-31 slump Ibanez had from April 19 to May 1.

Since then, Ibanez hit 72-for-257 (.280 AVG) with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs in 69 games.  If Ibanez were to maintain that production over the full course of a 162-game season, it would amount to 89 RBIs.  Although Ibanez is not an elite fantasy outfielder, he is better than his .244 AVG indicates and he plays in a suddenly rejuvenated Philadelphia Phillies lineup.

Ryan Ludwick (OF)

Regardless of what position(s) they play, there are only 28 players who currently have 60 or more RBIs on the season.  It would be safe to assume that all 28 are owned in a great number of leagues, yes?  Think again!  Only ONE player with 60 or more RBIs is owned in less than 83% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues:  Ryan Ludwick.

Despite his 61 RBIs, Ludwick is currently owned in only 31% of Yahoo! leagues at this time.  The .241 AVG certainly scares some managers away; however, being in the top 21 in RBIs should create plenty of interest from managers.

Ludwick currently has 41 runs, 11 home runs and 61 RBIs to go along with his .244 AVG.  The Rays’ B.J. Upton has similar numbers with 47 runs, 15 home runs and 52 RBIs to accompany his lowly .229 AVG; however, Upton is owned in 93% of Yahoo! leagues (due to his 23 steals).

Ludwick deserves a serious look in your fantasy leagues.  Despite playing for the offensively-challenged Padres in their pitcher-friendly ballpark, Ludwick has solid numbers.  There is a chance Ludwick may be traded to another team.  For example, it has been rumored that the Phillies are looking for a right-handed bat to play in the outfield.  If Ludwick were to be traded to the Phillies, his numbers should theoretically improve in that hitter-friendly ballpark.  Virtually any ballpark would be more hitter-friendly than San Diego’s; therefore, Ludwick could become an attractive add from the waiver wire at the trade deadline.

These five players are an interesting mix of overlooked veterans and high-potential youngsters and should be somewhat easy to find in leagues on the waiver wire at this time.  Add them now while you still can and while you still have time to catch up to your opponents in statistical categories.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

If you are struggling (whether through poor drafting or a rash of injuries), it is imperative to observe your place in the standings in the statistics and see which categories you can catch up in and which categories you are hopelessly lost in.  If you are dead last in several categories by a wide margin (such as home runs and RBIs), then you should punt those categories away.  If you have no hope of gaining points in home runs and RBIs, then you should trade sluggers like David Ortiz and Josh Hamilton for players who can help you gain ground in other categories (Brett Gardner, for example).

If you are going to be a struggling team, then I believe the ideal situation for a struggling team to be in is to be behind in slugging categories (home runs and RBIs) while having strong pitching.  Why would it be ideal to be last in slugging categories as opposed to other categories?  You will not find 40-HR hitters on waivers (Adam Dunn may be on waivers but he will not hit 40 home runs this year); however, you can always find hitters on waivers who can help you in AVG, runs and steals.  Here are some players you may find on waivers to help you in those categories.

Juan Pierre

Pierre had a slow start to the season; however, he is returning to form.  Pierre currently sits at a .274 AVG with 43 runs and 15 steals.  Over his last 10 games, Pierre is 16-for-39 (.410 AVG) with seven runs and four steals.

Pierre’s season has had its ups and downs with a .243 AVG in April, .286 AVG in May and .255 AVG in June.  Through 13 games in July, Pierre is hitting .353 this month with eight runs and four steals.  His .411 OBP this month is easily the highest he recorded in any month thus far (.365 OBP in May).

With Pierre returning to form as he gets on base and attempts more steals, he is a must-add from the waiver wire.  Pierre is currently owned in 46% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  How many steals Pierre attempts remains to be seen; however, he will score plenty of runs while on base as fellow teammate Paul Konerko continues to have a superb season driving him in.  Pierre’s return to form may be the spark that ignites the Chicago White Sox to a successful second half of the season.

Rajai Davis

Davis is currently sporting an unimpressive .233 AVG and .261 OBP on the season; however, he has 25 steals.  If Davis can be among the league leaders in steals with such paltry numbers, imagine how many bases he will steal by season’s end if he snaps out of his slump!

When observing his splits, you will see that he consistently steals basis (despite not hitting consistently).  Davis recorded three steals in nine April games (.200 AVG), 12 steals in 27 May games (.295 AVG), three steals in 27 June games (.163 AVG) and currently has seven steals in 14 July games (.241 AVG).

Despite his lowly AVG and OBP, Davis may be ready to turn his season around.  Davis is hitting .247 (.288 OBP) in his career before the All-Star break and .298 (.347 OBP) in his career after the All-Star break.  A man who can be among league leaders in steals while struggling is definitely worth a look on the waiver wire.  Davis is currently owned in 41% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Emilio Bonifacio

Bonifacio is quickly becoming a popular add from the waiver wire in fantasy leagues.  At this time, Bonifacio is currently owned in 47% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues; at the start of the season, Bonifacio was owned in less than five percent of the leagues.

Bonifacio is currently on a 15-game hitting streak in which he is batting .397 (23-for-58).  This recent surge by Bonifacio has him sitting at a .290 AVG on the season with 41 runs and 17 steals.  Of his 17 steals this season, nine of them were in 13 July games!

To gain ground on steals and AVG, add Bonifacio at this time.  He is swinging a hot bat and currently stealing bases at an aggressive pace.  Furthermore, his versatility will enable him to always see playing time in the Florida Marlins lineup.  Bonifacio has position eligibility at third base, shortstop and outfield.  Bonifacio’s position flexibility enables you to rotate players in and out of your lineup with ease.

Jemile Weeks

Although he only has 35 MLB games under his belt this season, Weeks currently appears to be the starting second baseman for the Oakland Athletics.  Weeks is currently hitting .319 this season and has 10 steals.

The rookie switch-hitter is currently hitting .345 (30-for-87) against right-handed pitching.  His splits are impressive for a rookie, as he hit .309 in 21 June games and is currently hitting .333 in 14 July games.

You will not often find a second baseman on waivers who can steal bases.  While you are adding or trading for outfielders who can steal bases, having Weeks gives you an added advantage in gaining ground on others in steals.  Weeks is currently owned in 18% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues, and that number is expected to rise quickly.

Nyjer Morgan

Veteran fantasy managers are familiar with Morgan, as they had drafted him for years for steals when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals.  Through his 58 games with the Milwaukee Brewers this season, Morgan has been nothing short of spectacular.  Morgan is currently hitting .335 on the season with six steals.  While fantasy managers wish Morgan had more steals, his .335 AVG has been helpful. 

With a total of 58 steals in the past two seasons, it would not be surprising to see Morgan attempt more steals soon.  Playing in the Brewers lineup will amount to plenty of opportunities to score runs if he continues his hot hitting.  Through 14 July games, Morgan has six multi-hit games and is currently on a three-game multi-hit streak.  Morgan has only one steal this month; however, he continues to hit well.

You should consider adding Morgan for the sake of improving your AVG; any steals he provides will be a bonus.  Morgan should not be difficult to find, as he is currently owned in only 17% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Some others you may find on waivers for steals include Ian Desmond (57% owned), Coco Crisp (55% owned), Michael Brantley (42% owned) and Jason Bourgeois (six percent owned).  Although Desmond may be a detriment to your AVG, he is a promising young hitter who could start hitting well again and continue to steal bases.  Keep an eye on Desmond and Bourgeois.  Desmond’s steals at shortstop become more attractive if his AVG starts climbing again.  Bourgeois has 17 steals in very limited playing time this season.  If Bourgeois recovers from his injuries, he may be the cheapest source of steals found on the waiver wire.

If you are last in the slugging categories and have no hope of catching others, then do not be afraid to trade your own sluggers away for players who fulfill your needs in other areas.  Assess which categories you can possibly catch others in.  You should also be sure not to trade away your strengths.  For example, if you are the league leader in many pitching categories, you do not want to risk trading too many of your pitchers for help in other areas; your slipping in the rankings in those categories will then offset any points you gained in other categories.

When making your adds and your trades, look for ways to improve in areas you can still catch others in without harming the areas you are already strong in.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Derek Jeter (42 R, .270 AVG, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 8 SB)

Jeter’s perceived value in fantasy baseball has been declining over the past few seasons.  While it is true that Jeter has lost a step and is not the superb player he once was, he is still a good hitter and an elite fantasy shortstop.

Although Jeter had a slow start, his hitting steadily picked up as the season progressed.  Jeter recently delivered a five-hit game to become the 28th member (and first Yankee) of the 3,000-hit club; the five-hit game boosted his AVG from .257 to .270 on the season.  Jeter is currently on a 10-for-27 (.370 AVG) tear and is beginning to silence his critics.  Jeter appears poised for a turnaround in the second half of the season.  Playing in the New York Yankees lineup has its perks, as Jeter should continue to score many runs and see good pitches to hit.

Despite his age, it is plausible that Jeter may have a hot second half.  Jeter has a career AVG of .306 before the All-Star break and .320 after the All-Star break.

Ichiro Suzuki (46 R, .270 AVG, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 23 SB)

With the possible exception of Albert Pujols, no baseball player had spoiled us more over the past 10 years than Ichiro.  Ichiro’s career-lows are 146 games (2009), 206 hits (2005), .303 AVG (2005) and 26 steals (2009).  Ichiro is currently hitting .270 (below the norm for him) on the season; however, he has 100 or more hits at the All-Star break for the 11th consecutive season (a feat surpassed only by Pete Rose’s 12 consecutive seasons).

Do not be surprised to see Ichiro get hot and reach 200 hits for the 11th consecutive season.  Ichiro has a career AVG of .321 in July, .326 in August and .319 in September.

Lance Berkman (54 R, .290 AVG, 24 HR, 63 RBI)

To say that Berkman is having a fantastic season would be an understatement.  Surely, there are those who thought Berkman was still capable of big numbers; however, I doubt many thought Berkman would have these numbers at the All-Star break.

Each season, I pick players I deem to be players of interest and I write statistical projections for them.  I recently opened my 2011 season projection preview for Berkman to compare my projections to his actual numbers.  Here are the results:

my 2011 projections:  68 R, .279 AVG, 17 HR, 62 RBI
his actual numbers:  54 R, .290 AVG, 24 HR, 63 RBI

In my notes, I wrote, “I do not question the hitting ability of Berkman; however, his durability is questionable.  Look for Berkman to be a very productive on-base machine until nagging injuries hit him.  I believe Berkman can post all-star numbers if he stays healthy; however, he had not played as a full-time outfielder since the 2004 season.”

Frankly, I am impressed Berkman managed to stay healthy this season as an outfielder.  My 2011 projections for Berkman were based on what I thought would be an injury-shortened season; here we are at the All-Star break and he has already surpassed my projections for him in home runs and RBIs.

Berkman’s AVG had cooled off recently, as he only hit .225 in the past 28 days; however, he has eight home runs and 17 RBIs in that time.  Although it is unlikely that Berkman will hit .300 this season, he clearly demonstrated that he still has power.  Health permitting, look for Berkman to continue hitting with a respectable AVG and plenty of pop through the rest of the season.

David Freese (17 R, .336 AVG, 3 HR, 18 RBI)

The 2011 season has been a rough one for fantasy managers at the third base position.  David Wright (.226 AVG) of the New York Mets has been out since May with a stress fracture in his lower back.  Casey McGehee (.223 AVG) of the Milwaukee Brewers has disappointed after a stellar 2010 season.  Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays) and Ryan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals) both started out slowly as they struggled with injuries this season.  Now Chipper Jones (Atlanta Braves) and Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees) are both on the DL with the same injury:  torn meniscus in the right knee.  Placido Polanco (Philadelphia Phillies) has a bulging disc in his back and is only hitting .216 in his past 57 games.

Those who need help at third base from the waiver wire should look at Freese (St. Louis Cardinals).  Although Freese himself has been an injury-prone hitter in his career (17 games in 2009 and 70 games in 2010), he has been a productive hitter this season and is surrounded by a strong lineup which includes Berkman, Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday.

Freese was sent to the DL with a hand injury in May (hit by pitch).  Since his return, Freese is hitting .295 in 13 games with one home run and four RBIs.  While Berkman, Pujols and Holliday remain healthy, you will likely see Freese batting fifth or sixth in the lineup.  A healthy Cardinals lineup should translate into more RBI opportunities for Freese through the rest of this season.

Freese is currently owned in only 40% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Brett Gardner (43 R, .265 AVG, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 23 SB)

Like fellow Yankee teammate Jeter, Gardner started slowly this season with a .188 AVG and four steals in his first 23 games.  Over his past 64 games, Gardner hit .292 with 19 steals.  Over the past 30 days, Gardner scored 16 runs while hitting .278 with 10 steals.

Do not be fooled by Gardner’s slow start or his current .265 AVG; he is a disciplined hitter who can hit for an excellent AVG and swipe many bases.  Look for Gardner to play a large role in the Yankees’ lineup the rest of the way.  Gardner is currently owned in 74% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  If you see him on waivers in your league, add him before somebody else does.  Gardner will be an excellent source of steals and runs while improving your AVG through the rest of the season.

Ubaldo Jimenez (4-8, 4.14 ERA)

Jimenez had a brilliant 2010 season with the Colorado Rockies.  During the 2010 All-Star break, Jimenez was 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA.  At that time, he seemed like a lock for the NL Cy Young Award and for 20 wins; he failed to win the Cy Young Award and he failed to reach 20 wins.

While Jimenez started hot and cooled off later in 2010, his 2011 season thus far had been the opposite.  Jimenez started 0-5 with a 5.86 ERA in his first nine starts and saw a decrease in his velocity.  Fantasy managers should be excited about the second half of the 2011 season for Jimenez, as he is 4-3 in his past eight starts with a 2.52 ERA.  His velocity is back in the 95-97 mph range and he is keeping that velocity deep into games recently.

At his currently unimpressive 4-8 record and 4.14 ERA, you should try to trade for Jimenez if you can get him at a discount.  If you already own Jimenez, then do not sell him short in trade negotiations.  His past eight starts is a large enough sample size for you to claim that he has returned to form and has regained trade value.  Look for his strong play to continue as he helps the Rockies contend for the division title.

Vance Worley (4-1, 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP)

During the preseason, there was no talk whatsoever of Worley joining the Philadelphia Phillies’ fabulous pitching rotation.  Just as many predicted, the rotation has been elite as Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are a combined 31-13 with a 2.53 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 8.64 K/9 rate.  The surprises in the rotation have been injuries to Joe Blanton and Roy Oswalt, which led to Worley receiving a chance.

Worley has been impressive in his young career thus far.  In his four wins, Worley has a 0.69 ERA.  In one of his recent outings, Worley shut down the Boston Red Sox as he allowed one earned run through seven innings.

As Oswalt’s back woes threaten to possibly shut down his season, look for Worley to remain a fixture in the Phillies’ rotation and continue pitching well.  Worley is currently owned in only 14% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Some rookies have an immediate fantasy impact while others do not; some veterans recover from their struggles and others do not.  You never know what will happen next, but sometimes you have to take a leap of faith on struggling players in order to win.

Jason Bay

Bay’s .248 AVG, four home runs and 23 RBIs are not mind-blowing numbers; however, he is swinging a hot bat recently.  Bay is currently on an eight-game hitting streak in which he hit 8-for-22 (.364 AVG).  Since June 15, Bay hit .344 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 16 games.  In those 16 games, Bay had seven multi-hit games.

Bay finally appears to be healthy and is showing signs of returning to form.  Although he might never repeat his 2009 numbers (36 home runs and 119 RBIs with the Boston Red Sox), Bay could still top 20-25 home runs over a full season if he remains healthy.  With David Wright on the DL and Jose Reyes recently suffering a hamstring injury, the New York Mets will rely on Bay to produce and keep the offense in a rhythm.

Bay is currently owned in 51% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

David Freese

Although Freese did not slump in his offensive production this season, he did slump in a category he normally struggles in:  games played.  To state the obvious:  your team is only as good as the players who are playing in your lineup.  An injured Freese is an unproductive Freese; a healthy Freese can be a waiver wire steal.

Since returning from the DL, Freese is 8-for-21 (.381 AVG) in six games.  Prior to his stint on the DL, Freese hit .365 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 25 games.  At this time, Freese is carrying a .361 AVG on the season through 31 games played.  Although Albert Pujols is on the DL, a healthy Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday in the St. Louis Cardinals lineup will give Freese RBI opportunities.

If you need help at third base, you should add Freese from the waiver wire.  Why risk trading a valuable asset to another manager for slumping third basemen like Placido Polanco, Ryan Zimmerman and Casey McGehee?  Why risk trading for the injury-prone Chipper Jones or Scott Rolen?  If you need help at third base, the wise thing to do would be to drop an expendable player to add Freese.  If Freese suffers an injury again, then all you lost was an expendable player from the add/drop process anyway.

Freese is currently owned in only 40% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Aubrey Huff

Through his first 53 games, Huff hit .218 with four home runs and 23 RBIs; in his past 31 games, Huff hit .289 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.  Huff has a hit in seven of his past nine games and appears poised to heat up.  If the San Francisco Giants are to contend for the NL West crown, Huff must produce offensively.

Huff has a reputation for being a good hitter (.281 career AVG), althoug he can be streaky at times.  It would not be a surprise to see Huff heat up and get his AVG back in the .280 to .300 range.  The potential for a turnaround to his 2011 season and his position eligibilty for first base and outfield should make Huff appealing to add.  Huff is currently owned in 62% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Saltalamacchia hit only .218 through the first two months of the season; however, he hit .327 with one home run and five RBIs through 15 games in the month of June.  The Boston Red Sox scored five or more runs in nine of the past 17 games in which Saltalamacchia has played.

Unless you have an elite fantasy catcher, you probably spend time throughout the season browsing the waiver wire to see which catchers are swinging a hot bat at any time.  Right now, Saltalamacchia is swinging a hot bat.  While Saltalamacchia benefits from a hot Red Sox lineup, you should benefit from adding him to your roster.  Saltalamacchia is currently owned in only 10% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Adam Dunn and Dan Uggla

To say that Chicago White Sox first baseman and designated hitter Adam Dunn is having a miserable season would be an understatement.  Through 71 games, Dunn hit only .165 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs.  Through 85 games, Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla hit .175 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs.

From 2004 to 2010, Dunn averaged 40 home runs and 101 RBIs per season.  Dunn belted 38 home runs and 103 RBIs in 2010.  While it is possible that Dunn may be on the decline at this point in his career, I believe talent does not simply disappear overnight.  Dunn will likely get hot at some point this summer.

If Dunn is unavailable on waivers in your league, you should consider a trade negotiation with the hopes of acquiring Dunn in a buy-low trade.  Dunn’s miserable performance this season clearly hurt his trade value, as managers do not clamor for a .165 hitter.

Because the talent pool is not nearly as deep at second base as it is at first base in fantasy baseball, I believe it would be more difficult to acquire Uggla in a trade than it would to acquire Dunn.  Second base is not the deepest position in fantasy baseball, and any Uggla owner may hold on to him in desperation rather than risk selling him short.  Dunn, however, is eligible for first base (the deepest hitter position in fantasy baseball).  A manager may be more willing to part with Dunn than he would with Uggla.

Dunn is currently owned in 77% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  If he is on waivers in your league, you should consider taking a chance on him.  You can put him on your bench until you are confident about starting him.

Adding an injury-prone hitter like Freese or struggling hitters like Dunn, Huff or Uggla have the potential to be great moves for your team and aid in your chase for the fantasy league title.  No fantasy championship is ever won without taking risks now and then.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Todd Helton

Although Helton fought through injuries in the past few seasons, he is still a very productive hitter.  Since 1998, Helton played in less than 140 games twice:  83 games in 2008 and 118 games in 2010.  In 2009 at the age of 35, Helton appeared in 151 games and hit .325 with 15 home runs and 86 RBIs.  At his current pace, Helton is projected to hit 21 home runs and 79 RBIs.

Although his power is not what it once was, Helton is still a dependable hitter.  Also keep in mind that this ageless Colorado Rockies first baseman plays his home games at Coors Field, which has a great reputation of being a hitter’s park.  Helton is currently owned in 54% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Ty Wigginton

Wigginton’s 2011 season started slowly as his AVG and his power could not seem to find one another.  Through 20 games in April/March, Wigginton hit only .233 but posted 10 RBIs.  Through 16 games in May, Wigginton hit a solid .291; however, he had only three home runs and six RBIs to show for it.

Wigginton is currently in good form in the month of June, as he is hitting .294 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs through 23 games.  Over the past 30 days, Wigginton is hitting .313 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs.  During those 30 days, only Paul Konerko (11) and Prince Fielder (10) hit more home runs than Wigginton among fantasy first basemen.

Wigginton is currently owned in 47% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  Wigginton would be a good addition to your lineup, not only for his recent hitting but also for his position flexibility.  In addition to first base, Wigginton can play second base, third base and outfield.  Wigginton’s versatility provides your team with more options.

Freddie Freeman

Potential 2011 NL Rookie of the Year Freeman started slowly with a .217 AVG through his first 28 games.  Since then, Freeman is hitting .295 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in 47 games.

Over the past 30 days, Freeman hit .313 with four home runs and 16 RBIs.  With a healthy Jason Heyward back in the Atlanta Braves lineup and Dan Uggla showing signs of breaking out of his season-long slump, the potential for Freeman to produce bigger numbers is there.  Look for Freeman to resume batting anywhere in the 4-5-6 section of the batting order and have more RBI opportunities.

Freeman is currently owned in only 28% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues and should be added in many more.

Justin Smoak

Seattle Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak appears to be an underrated and overlooked player in fantasy baseball.  Smoak is within striking distance of catching Albert Pujols, Michael Morse, Gaby Sanchez and Victor Martinez in RBIs; however, he is currently owned in only 50% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Unlike Freeman, Smoak started hot with a .284 AVG, four home runs and 17 RBIs in his first 22 games.  Since then, Smoak hit only .243 (.229 in May and .259 in June) with eight home runs and 23 RBIs in 49 games.  Although Smoak has cooled off, I believe he will heat back up again soon.  With prized prospect Dustin Ackley now in the majors and Ichiro Suzuki back to Ichiro-like form, there is plenty of excitement for Mariners fans.  The Mariners will improve their offense as Chone Figgins and Smoak snap out of their slumps.

The Mariners’ pitching staff will get much of the credit; however, if they contend for the AL West crown, Smoak will play a big part in that success.

Casey Kotchman

I never thought I would recommend a career .266 hitter with virtually no power for a first base add in fantasy baseball; however, here he is:  Casey Kotchman.

Playing with the Tampa Bay Rays, Kotchman appears to be a new hitter in his eighth MLB season.  Kotchman is currently hitting .343 on the season.  Although his three home runs and 22 RBIs are nothing special, it should be noted that 10 of his RBIs were in the past 30 days; Kotchman hit .330 with an OPS of .845 during that span.

Although I do not foresee a power surge in Kotchman’s future, he may continue to be a steady hitter.  Kotchman hit .341 in April/March, .373 in May and is currently hitting .317 in June.

Kotchman is currently owned in only five percent of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  If you already have a productive first baseman, you could still add Kotchman and insert him into your utility slot to help your batting average.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

However into that mix comes a few Chicago-based entrepreneurs with a potential solution…a social game, applicable on a host of platforms, that gives the fan the ability to be involved in what is going on on the field in real time, and play along not just by himself, but with literally thousands of others in a shared experience. The game is called Game Slam, and it was created by Game Time Live, a startup social media gaming solutions company. Game Slam gives fans the ability to wager virtual points on any series of outcomes during the course of a sports event, keeping even the most challenged fan engaged in the goings-on on the field.  Want to figure out what the next pitch is going to be, who will score first, what or when a double is going to take place, fire away.  You accumulate points based on your results and their degree of difficulty, and can see how you stack up against others who are doing the same, watching the same game.  Now a 7-0 Pirates lead over the Mets at CitiField has some meaning and a little extra interest, and it takes on even more interest, as happened recently, when one is playing along and watching the Mets comeback, either on SNY, or when the mobile app is launched soon, sitting in your seats at the stadium.

The game is synched to a virtually real time data stream from Stats Inc., similar and in some times, quicker than the feed going out on air to a hoist broadcaster.  Therefore with only a lag time of seconds, fans can see the results in real time on television and also get the virtual game delivered to their laptop.

As happens with many startups, the GameSlam of mid-June looks vastly different from a more cumbersome version that was in beta and first tried late in spring training and into opening day.  The game of today is easier to follow and has graphic elements that make playing against one or a hundred much simpler. The scoring is easily understood by any fan, and the graphics don’t detract from the goings-on of the actual game unfolding on the field. GameSlam co-founder Kenny Mazursky explained the need for the updates.

GameSlam Title List

“There have been a lot as we continue to evolve the game. I would say the changes we’ve made based on fan feedback have been significant,” Mazursky said. “ We realize that fans primarily want to watch the game. So we refined the way GameSlam is played to better enhance/compliment the game viewing experience.”

And the response from fans? A longer time spent online playing (usually in excess of a half hour, as opposed to the few minutes most people spend playing a social game, with literally thousands of people coming back to play multiple times in a week.  Mazursky also noted some other tidbits about the adoption of GameSlam amongst fans across the country. “We were surprised at how quickly people have adopted GameSlam, and the amount of times each player plays a week,” he added. “It was also intriguing to see the amount of fans playing day games at work, but what is most impressive from a social gaming standpoint is the amount of time fans spend playing GameSlam — on average, 90 minutes per game.”

The company has also gone the social media route to spread the word, creating a series of viral videos with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who saw an early version of the game and brought in his support. Guillen’s social media support, as well as his participation in some online contests, has given GameSlam a well deserved boost in the baseball community, especially in and around The Windy City.

“Besides being a great person to work with, Ozzie has given us a lot of credibility among fans,” Mazursky added. The company also created a fun series called “Ballography,” animating some of the famous baseballs in history (the ball that went through Bill Buckner’s legs in 1986, the ball that Randy Johnson threw and hit and killed a bird etc.), giving even casual fans a fun look and a reason to find out more about the game in its early stages.

The work Game Time Live has put in with GameSlam has not gone unnoticed by the media as well, with ESPN citing the company twice for their work in recent weeks.  First the game was recognized in ESPN.com’s social media column for its innovation, and the current issue of ESPN Magazine called GameSlam “The Best New Game App” of 2011.  All solid praise for a product still in its infancy, with an upside for leagues looking to draw casual fans to be involved and engaged, while also creating new inventory for marketers to sell with a gamer who may not follow traditional sports. It is a great mix of engagement in a format that brings added value and interest to any summer evening.

The product is still undergoing some refinement, and new features will be added based on customer response. It remains free to play as a downloadable game, with micro payments available for enhanced games.  A recent stop in during interleague play saw hundreds of people enjoying games like the Yankees and the Cubs, with the ability to switch off and play other games if interest waned or one game ended. While it is still early, if the reviews continue and the adoption grows in the mass market, GameSlam may be a perfect salve to the complaints of the twenty-something with baseball.  It gives you a reason to engage no matter what the score, and keeps your interest by involving you in what has always been more of a passive experience.

For gamers, it’s not a home run yet, but GameSlam certainly has the momentum to be one from an experiential standpoint at some time soon. A great mix of a social experience with real time professional sports in a digital environment that is certainly worth following and playing.

Ackley’s arrival has created a buzz not only among Mariners fans, but also in the fantasy baseball world.  Ackley’s ownership in Yahoo! fantasy baseball rose from a single digit percentage to 32% over the weekend!

While it remains to be seen whether or not Ackley will light the fantasy scoreboard on fire, he does possess such potential.  Ackley currently bats in the lower third of the Mariners lineup; however, he could be moved up if he continues to hit well.  Of his three hits thus far, two are for extra bases (triple and home run).

Even if you feel comfortable with your starting second baseman, you should add Ackley for several reasons:  first of all, Ackley currently has OF eligibility in Yahoo! fantasy baseball, and will soon have 2B eligibility.

Secondly, the number of people clamoring to add Ackley should be indicative of his possible trade value.  Although fantasy second basemen like Danny Espinosa and Kelly Johnson have solid RBI totals, their batting averages are unappealing to fantasy managers.  Chicago Cubs rookie Darwin Barney is currently on the DL.  Should Dan Uggla continue to stay below the Mendoza line, Uggla’s owners may look to Ackley for help when he attains 2B eligibility.

To reiterate, Ackley is currently owned in 32% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  That number will continue to rise fairly quickly.  Add him while he is available now.  Ackley is not the only Mariner who may be worthy of acquiring via trade or waiver add, however.

Ichiro Suzuki

It is possible to acquire Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki at a discount in trade negotiations.  At this time, Ichiro is hitting only .277 and that may be frustrating many of his fantasy managers.

You should try to trade for Ichiro in an attempt to buy low.  Ichiro will soon score more runs, as the Mariners are on the verge of turning their season around.  Their offense will improve (especially with Ackley in the lineup) to support their strong pitching; the resulting newfound confidence will help propel them to a possible AL West division title to stun the baseball world.

Despite Ichiro’s un-Ichiro .277 AVG, he is swinging a hot bat at this time and will continue to do so.  In his last eight games, Ichiro has seven multi-hit games and is hitting 16-for-34 (.471 AVG) with nine runs and four steals.

In Ichiro’s career, he has never failed to hit .300 in a season and has never failed to record 200 hits in a season.  Ichiro also has never failed to steal at least 20 bases (he currently has 18).  Ichiro is currently under the 200-hit pace; however, his recent hot streak indicates that he is back on track.  Look for Ichiro to be one of baseball’s hottest hitters after the All-Star break and record 200+ hits again.

Miguel Olivo

Olivo currently sports an unimpressive .230 AVG; however, he has 31 runs (third among fantasy catchers), 11 home runs (tops among fantasy catchers) and 34 RBIs (fifth among fantasy catchers).

Despite a .203 AVG for the month of June, Olivo has seven home runs this month (a monthly high for him) and 15 RBIs this month (another monthly high for him).  Theoretically, his power numbers should improve with steadier hitting in the second half of the season.

Upon observing Olivo’s career splits, you will notice that he hits much better in the first half of the season; that was also true of his 2010 season as well (.325 before All-Star game and .193 after All-Star game).  Despite this negative trend, I believe Olivo will improve after the All-Star game this season.  Nobody ever thought Dan Uggla – a perennial 30-HR hitter – would be hitting below the Mendoza line at this stage in a season; Olivo can reverse his career trend and surprise as well.

While Olivo will not hit for a high AVG, he will hit for a respectable AVG and provide good power numbers for a catcher.  Olivo is currently owned in 52% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  You should consider adding him if you need help at the catcher position.

Justin Smoak

Despite hitting 12 home runs and 40 RBIs, Smoak is currently owned in only 47% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  Smoak’s 40 RBIs place at him 15th among fantasy first basemen; however, he is within striking distance of catching a handful of them in RBIs (Cincinnati’s Joey Votto has 43).

The number that sticks out like a sore thumb for Smoak is his lack of runs.  Despite having 40 RBIs, he only has 21 runs at this time.  If the Mariners’ offense improves as I expect them to, then Smoak should score more runs later this season.

Through 22 games in April, Smoak hit .284 with four home runs and 17 RBIs.  Through 26 games in May, he again hit four home runs and had 14 RBIs; however, he hit only .229 in May.  Through 17 games in June, Smoak currently is hitting .279 with four home runs and nine RBIs.

Although Smoak’s up-and-down numbers may make managers reluctant to add him, it is a positive sign that he steadily hits four home runs every month and is improving his AVG at this stage in the season.  Smoak is currently on four-game hitting streak and has hits in 14 of his last 17 games.

First base is a deeply talented position in fantasy baseball; therefore, many of you may already be content with your first baseman.  However, those of you who recently lost St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols to injury should consider adding Smoak to your lineup.

Erik Bedard

On May 23, the Seattle Mariners’ Erik Bedard was owned in only 22% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues; since then, that number has climbed to 59% and should continue to climb.

Despite his 4-4 record, Bedard has been one of baseball’s hottest pitchers.  Bedard went 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA in his first four starts; since then, Bedard is 4-0 with a 1.70 ERA in nine starts.  This dominant stretch of pitching has lowered his ERA to 3.16 on the season.  Bedard allowed two earned runs or less in eight of his last nine starts.

The now-healthy Bedard helps the Mariners improve their chances of competing for the AL West title.  The one-two punch of Felix Hernandez and Bedard may be one of the best pitching tandems in baseball this year.  With youngster Michael Pineda pitching like an all-star along with Hernandez and Bedard, the Mariners will soon be a team to be reckoned with in the AL West.

If Bedard is available in your league, do not hesitate to add him now!  Bedard has a good strikeout rate with 70 strikeouts in 77 innings to go along with his 3.16 ERA and 1.17 WHIP.

Other teams will soon realize the need to take the Mariners seriously on their schedule; likewise, you should take the Mariners seriously in fantasy baseball.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Mike Moustakas

Taken with the second overall pick in the 2007 MLB entry draft, Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas finally arrives on the MLB scene.  At the AA level in 2010, Moustakas hit .347 with 21 home runs and 76 RBIs in 66 games.  With the Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA) in 2011, Moustakas hit .287 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs through 55 games before being called up to the Royals.

Moustakas is 3-for-10 (.300 AVG) with a home run, RBI and three walks (.462 OBP) in his first three MLB games.  If Moustakas continues to bat sixth as he did in his first three MLB games, he will be in position to have RBI opportunities without having to deal with the pressure and expectations that come with batting third or fourth in the lineup.

Evan Longoria and Ryan Zimmerman have battled injuries this season.  Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones are injury-prone.  Placido Polanco – although healthy – is at an age where an unexpected injury could strike at any time.  Pablo Sandoval is on the disabled list.  With the rash of injuries suffered by other third basemen in the MLB, the emergence of a young third baseman like Moustakas can have a deep impact on your fantasy season.

When a young slugging third baseman like Moustakas arrives on the scene with so much upside and promise, you have to jump at the opportunity to add him.  At this time, Moustakas is currently owned in 36% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues, and that number is expected to climb quickly.

Anthony Rizzo

Ordinarily, fantay managers do not get excited about hitters who play for the San Diego Padres and their pitcher-friendly Petco Park; however, first baseman Anthony Rizzo is an exception.  Rizzo was moved to the Padres in the blockbuster trade that sent all-star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox.

Rizzo hit .365 with a .444 OBP, 16 home runs, 63 RBIs and a 1.159 OPS in 52 games with the Tucson Padres (AAA) before being called up to San Diego.  Rizzo is already smashing the ball, as he hit a home run, double and triple in his first three games.

In three games here, we’ve seen the rocket to center (triple), the big blast to right (home run) and the ball turned on right down the line (double).

- San Diego Padres manager Bud Black, on Anthony Rizzo -

At this time, Rizzo is owned in 27% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  If you do not have a great need for first basemen, you can still add Rizzo and use him as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations.

Chase Utley

You likely will not find Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley on waivers in your leagues, as he is currently owned in 88% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues; however, Utley can still be a nice acquisition for your team via trade.

Some managers may be reluctant to hold on to Utley due to the nature of his knee injury that left him missing much of the season up to this point.  This opens the possibility for you to acquire Utley at a bargain price in trade negotiations.

Although Utley has only been back for 18 games thus far, his numbers in those 18 games are much more encouraging than the miserable season Atlanta’s Dan Uggla is having at this time.

Utley through 18 games:  10 R, .261 AVG, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SB
Utley projected through 66 games:  36 R, .261 AVG, 7 HR, 29 RBI
Uggla through 66 games:  26 R, .183 AVG, 8 HR, 18 RBI

Utley’s numbers may eventually be better than his current 66-game projections, as he is recently showing signs of breaking out and becoming the MVP-like hitter he was years ago.  Any manager who held on to Utley all this time is unlikely to give him away cheap; however, you should explore trading negotiations with others and see if you can get Utley at a reasonable bargain.

Michael Morse

Morse tends to be overlooked in the fantasy baseball world because he plays for the Washington Nationals; however, he is gaining more attention each week.  Morse is currently owned in 69% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues, and I believe that number should be much higher.

Morse currently has 20 runs, a .300 AVG, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs.  He started out slowly with a .211 AVG, one home run and nine RBIs in his first 23 games; Morse hit .358 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs in his next 34 games.  Morse is currently one of the hottest hitters in baseball and should be owned in more fantasy leagues, especially with position eligiblity at both first base and the outfield.

Rick Porcello

Rick Porcello is currently 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.30 WHIP.  Although Porcello has been on the MLB roster since opening day, he continues to be overlooked by fantasy managers.  While Porcello’s low strikeout rate may be unattractive to fantasy managers, his ability to dominate games and lower your ERA and WHIP should be taken into consideration.

At the young age of 22, Porcello is already making great strides and is showing improvement in each month.

April:  1-2, 4.25 ERA
May:  3-1, 3.52 ERA
June:  2-1, 2.75 ERA

In his past 10 starts, Porcello allowed two earned runs or less eight times (6-2, 2.74 ERA).  Several of those starts include impressive outings against the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.  At this time, Porcello is currently owned in only 24% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.

Gordon Beckham

The first three second basemen – in no particular order – that pop into a fantasy manager’s head on draft day are Robinson Cano, Chase Utley and Dan Uggla.  After those three, young talents like Gordon Beckham come to mind for some managers.  Some managers are apparently frustrated with Beckham’s numbers at this time and are dropping him to waivers in their leagues.

April (26 games):  .194 AVG and .238 OBP
May (26 games):  .303 AVG and .379 OBP
June (10 games):  .235 AVG and .333 OBP

Do not be fooled by the yo-yo effect displayed in Beckham’s numbers.  At this time, it would be unwise to give up on him and drop him to waivers.  In the 2010 season, Beckham displayed the same inconsistency he shows now.  Beckham hit .216 with a .277 OBP before the 2010 All-Star game; after the break, Beckham hit .310 with a .380 OBP.

At this time, Beckham’s numbers are better than Uggla’s; more importantly, they are better than his own numbers at this point last year.  Look for Beckham to swing a hot bat once again.  At this time, Beckham is only owned in 54% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  There is a chance you may find him on waivers; if he is not on waivers, you could possibly acquire him at a bargain in trade negotiations.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Players are determined as studs or duds based on their statistics and their Yahoo! fantasy baseball average draft position (ADP).  Surprisingly, you can field an entire starting lineup of duds with players drafted in the top 50 picks!  Some managers may have been unfortunate to draft several of these duds, resulting in disastrous numbers.

Catcher

Stud:  Jonathan Lucroy (17 R, .292 AVG, 6 HR, 26 RBI)

According to Yahoo! fantasy baseball’s draft analysis tool, Lucroy’s ADP is unavailable.  The last catcher they show is Miguel Olivo with a 230.5 ADP; therefore, Lucroy’s ADP was 230.5 or worse.

Lucroy’s 26 RBIs are eighth among fantasy catchers; of the seven catchers ahead of him in RBIs, only Brian McCann has a higher AVG (.302 AVG).  Lucro’s RBI totals are similar to the top fantasy catchers at this time, despite having 20 to 60 fewer at-bats than the others.

Options:  as long as Lucroy is playing, you might as well ride the hot bat.  He is surrounded by a talented Milwaukee Brewers lineup and will have the opportunity to drive in runs.  Also keep in mind that Lucroy plays in the NL Central, a division that is not known as a pitching powerhouse.

Dud:  Joe Mauer (2 R, .235 AVG, 0 HR, 4 RBI)

With a 29.3 ADP, Mauer was typically the first catcher selected in drafts.  Unfortunately for Mauer’s fantasy owners, he has hardly played this season and struggled with injuries.  Mauer is on the road to recovery; however, his injury issues may linger throughout the season.

Options:  if you have Mauer, you are probably stuck with him.  Due to injury concerns, it is very unlikely you will receive anything remotely close to full value for Mauer in trade negotiations.  Unless you get an offer you cannot refuse, you should hold on to Mauer and hope for a healthy recovery.  When healthy, Mauer is the best hitter among catchers.  With the San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey out for the season, you have an advantage over other managers at the catcher position if Mauer can return healthy and hit like his usual self.

First Base

Stud:  Gaby Sanchez (32 R, .321 AVG, 10 HR, 38 RBI)

With a 238.4 ADP, Sanchez has been a major bargain at first base.  Sanchez currently ranks ninth among first basemen in runs, 10th among first basemen in home runs, and eighth among first basemen in RBIs.  At this time, Sanchez has numbers that are virtually identical to Mark Teixeira; however, Sanchez has eight fewer home runs (10) and a much higher AVG than Teixeira.  Teixeira was generally one of the top first basemen selected in drafts with a 18.6 ADP.

Options:  The Florida Marlins first baseman is having a fantastic season, despite the disastrous season shortstop Hanley Ramirez is having.  If Ramirez ever heats up and returns to form, Sanchez could see his numbers get even better.  The production Sanchez has displayed thus far is no fluke.  Keep him in your lineup throughout the season.

Dud:  Adam Dunn (17 R, .179 AVG, 5 HR, 23 RBI)

With a 42.5 ADP, Dunn was one of the top first basemen in fantasy drafts.  Although Dunn has never been known to hit for a high AVG, he has been an elite fantasy player for years with 35 to 40 home runs on a regular basis, many walks and a high on-base percentage (OBP).

Unfortunately for Dunn’s fantasy owners, Dunn’s swing currently has a hole bigger than the one in the Earth’s ozone layer.  Dunn is currently hitless in his last eight at-bats with six strikeouts; for the season, he has 78 strikeouts in only 184 at-bats!  At this current rate, if Dunn were to match his 2010 total of 558 at-bats, Dunn is currently on pace to strike out a mind-boggling 236 times.

Options:  you are not going to get all-star players in exchange for Dunn in trade negotiations; therefore, you should either just give up on him and dump him to the waiver wire, settle for less than full value in a trade negotiation, or keep Dunn on your bench until he heats up (IF he ever heats up again).  I recommend keeping Dunn on your bench.  If he heats up this summer, you could possibly get decent trade value out of him.

Second Base

Stud:  Neil Walker (34 R, .265 AVG, 8 HR, 39 RBI)

With a 156.6 ADP, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Walker has been a good steal for fantasy managers.  Walker currently ranks sixth among second basemen in runs scored, sixth in home runs and first in RBIs among second basemen.

Options:  Walker plays for the lowly – but improving – Pirates in the NL Central.  Although Walker can be a streaky hitter at times, he is nonetheless productive.  If the Atlanta Braves’ Dan Uggla continues to struggle or the Philadelphia Phillies’ Chase Utley re-injures himself at all, Walker’s trade value could increase dramatically.  At this time, keep Walker and reap the benefits of his productivity.

Dud:  Dan Uggla (21 R, .172 AVG, 7 HR, 16 RBI)

Yearly consistency?  Check.  Durability?  Check.  Division familiarity?  Check.  Hitting 30 home runs and driving in 90 runs every season along with playing 150 or more games every season should mean more of the same, especially when you remain in the same division after getting traded, right?  Wrong.  The Atlanta Braves’ Dan Uggla has shattered all positive preconceptions fantasy managers had about him.

With a 35.0 ADP, huge expectations were placed upon Uggla this season.  Uggla’s horrid numbers are disappointing in yet another manner as well:  many managers drafted Uggla early because Chase Utley’s 2011 season was in doubt prior to the start of the season.  At this time, Uggla continues to struggle and Utley is beginning to regain his form.

Options:  unless you get an offer you cannot refuse, you should hold on to Uggla at this time.  You can seek another second baseman on the waiver wire if you wish to bench Uggla; however, Uggla will eventually snap out of this funk and start hitting again.

Third Base

Stud:  Placido Polanco (29 R, .320 AVG, 3 HR, 31 RBI)

With a 229.1 ADP, I am simply amazed that fantasy managers continue to overlook Polanco on draft day.  Polanco is a steady hitter who can hit .300 in any given season.  While Polanco does not hit many home runs, his consistent hitting enables him to drive in a respectable number of runs.  Surrounded by sluggers in the Philadelphia Phillies lineup, Polanco will score plenty of runs as well.

Options:  keep Polanco.  Polanco is one of the best contact hitters in baseball and has a strong lineup around him.  Polanco’s 2B eligibility also makes him a valuable fantasy asset.  If you were one of those unlucky managers who had the misfortune of drafting Uggla, you could shift Polanco into the 2B slot and look for a solid third baseman on waivers.

Dud:  Evan Longoria (17 R, .246 AVG, 4 HR, 13 RBI)

The above-mentioned duds were picked in the top 45; with a 5.9 ADP, Longoria becomes the first top-10 dud to make this list.  Like Mauer, Longoria’s numbers are the result of an injury-riddled season.  I could have named the Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman as a dud; however, Longoria’s 5.9 ADP makes his injury struggles claim this dubious honor.  When healthy, Longoria is one of the top third basemen in fantasy baseball and one of the top fantasy hitters overall.

Options:  Longoria left Saturday’s game with an injury and appeared as a pinch-hitter on Sunday.  Although Longoria insists he feels fine, I would feel uneasy about owning Longoria in leagues at this time.  You should try to trade Longoria before his injury flares up again.  If you are clever enough, you could probably find a package deal and convince someone to give you a healthier third baseman like Alex Rodriguez.

Shortstop

Stud:  Asdrubal Cabrera (38 R, .301 AVG, 11 HR, 40 RBI)

With a 211.8 ADP, Cabrera has been an enormous steal this season, especially at the shortstop position.  Among fantasy shortstops, Cabrera ranks second in runs, first in home runs and first in RBIs.  Although he likely will not remain atop his peers in home runs and RBIs, he should remain productive.

Options:  some may preach the sell-high technique with Cabrera at this time; however, I recommend that you keep him.  The only reason I would try a sell-high approach at this time is to find a package deal where you can take a shot at the Colorado Rockies’ Troy Tulowitzki.  If you cannot land Tulowitzki, then keep Cabrera and enjoy his productivity.  Other top shortstops have had injury concerns in the past few seasons:  namely Jimmy Rollins (Phillies) and Jose Reyes (New York Mets).  The New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter is still a top fantasy shortstop, but his best years are behind him.  The Florida Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez continues to struggle.  For these reasons, Cabrera becomes very important to your team and should be kept at this time.

Dud:  Hanley Ramirez (30 R, .210 AVG, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 11 SB)

A terrible season recently got worse for the Marlins’ Ramirez:  he was placed on the disabled list.  With a 2.5 ADP, Ramirez may be the biggest bust in fantasy baseball this season.  There is a silver lining in the midst of these horrible numbers, however:  despite the lowly .210 AVG, Ramirez has scored 30 runs (11th among shortstops) and stole 11 bases (sixth among shortstops).  If an injury-plagued Ramirez can rank so well in runs and steals, imagine how much better a rejuvenated and healthy (hopefully) Ramirez will be once he returns from the DL.

Options:  keep Ramirez.  Nobody will pay full value for him in a trade negotiation, and you will regret selling him short when he heats up again.

Outfield

Stud:  Matt Joyce (36 R, .348 AVG, 10 HR, 32 RBI)

Joyce is quite possibly the biggest steal in fantasy baseball this season.  His ADP is unknown in Yahoo! fantasy baseball, as the last outfielder listed in their draft analysis tool is Matt LaPorta (262.7 ADP).  At this time, Joyce is in position to win the AL batting title.  Tampa Bay Rays fans are certainly pleased with his productivity, which certainly has eased their minds about the retirement of Manny Ramirez.

Options:  unless you get an offer you cannot refuse, keep Joyce.  I am a firm believer that each season, there is one fantasy hero from the waiver wire who rescues a team’s season.  This year, Joyce is that player.

Dud:  Carl Crawford (29 R, .248 AVG, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 8 SB)

With a 12.2 ADP, Crawford has been one of the biggest busts in fantasy baseball this season.  Managers drafted him with the expectations of 90-100 runs, 40 or more steals and a respectable AVG.  Despite how poor his numbers seem at this time, Crawford is beginning to return to form and see his AVG climb.

Options:  keep Crawford.  You drafted him with the expectations of MVP-like numbers, and he will provide them.  Look for him to be one of the hottest hitters in baseball this summer and be the centerpiece to the success of the Boston Red Sox.

Pitcher

Stud:  James Shields (5-4, 2.77 ERA, 1.04 WHIP)

The Rays have two fantasy studs this season in Joyce and now Shields.  With Joyce hitting like an MVP, Shields has been pitching like a Cy Young Award winner.  Despite his 5-4 record, Shields has been Halladay-like with a 2.77 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and three complete games.  With a 4.14 ERA in 2009 and a 5.18 ERA in 2010, Shields’ current numbers are a most pleasant surprise.

Options:  sell high on Shields.  While Shields has always been a talented pitcher, it is unlikely that these Halladay-like numbers continue, especially pitching in the mighty AL East.  You can possibly acquire a struggling ace poised for a turnaround, such as Ubaldo Jimenez of the Colorado Rockies, or get some hitting help.

Dud:  Ubaldo Jimenez (1-5, 4.98 ERA, 1.36 WHIP)

After a scorching red-hot start to the 2010 season, Jimenez appeared set to win more than 20 games and win the NL Cy Young Award; unfortunately for Jimenez, he failed at both tasks.  The second half cooldown apparently carried over to the 2011 season.  Jimenez has shown promise in his recent outings, however.

Options:  keep Jimenez.  He is regaining his control and hardly walking batters in his last few starts.  Jimenez registered quality starts in three of his past four starts and has 22 strikeouts in his last 30 innings.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

FP911 Challenge Gives you 100,000 reasons to play

History is being made this week once again with the launch of the first ever FP911 Challeng Daily Fantasy Baseball Championship (DFBC). Hosted by FP911Challenge.com through Fanduel, the world’s largest daily fantasy sports games site, the DFBC has a prize pool of over $100,000, proving that the daily fantasy sport format is coming of age.

The Daily Fantasy Baseball Championship (http://www.FP911Challenge.com)  is the first of its kind. It’s a two round tournament with weekly qualifiers being played each Friday from June 3rd through September 2^nd with a Grand Final on Friday September 9^th, 2011. What makes the Championship especially noteworthy is that these weekly qualifiers use FanDuel’s single-day format – entrants must draft baseball players only from teams playing in that Friday’s MLB games and stick to a salary cap. If they win the weekly qualifier, they progress to the 20-seat Grand Final on Friday September 9^th where they can battle it out for the inaugural Daily Fantasy Baseball Champion title and the top prize of $25,000. All for an entry fee of $10.

While the daily fantasy concept has been around for several years now, this is the first contest with a prize pool of over $100,000. This daily format is seen by many as the future of fantasy sports play – players enjoy the instant payoff of winning in a day rather than waiting the entire season. The DFBC gives fantasy baseball fans that instant high, while keeping the excitement going for the rest of the season. Daily Fantasy Baseball just grew up.

Jump into the excitement now at http://www.FP911Challenge.com your home for Fantasy Sports Games.