Callaspo, Gorzelanny & Posada: Waiver Wire

Today’s waiver wire will help solve some of your up-the-middle problems…

Alberto Callaspo | 2B, 3B | Angels | Ownership: 35% Yahoo!, 61% ESPN

The Angels had some serious questions about their corner infield spots coming into the year, and although they’re going to be without Kendrys Morales the rest of the summer, Callaspo has eased some of the concern at the hot corner. He’s ratcheted it up over the last three weeks, hitting .350/.391/.450 in his last 16 games to push his season line up to .295/.361/.386. You’re not getting any power out of Callaspo, not ever (.090 ISO in 2011, .112 career), but this year (7.8 K%, 8.7 BB%, .311 BABIP, .295 AVG) looks a whole lot more like his 2008-2009 (8.2 K%, 8.2 BB%, .316 BABIP, .302 AVG) than his 2010 (7.5 K%, 5.2 BB%, .269 BABIP, .265 AVG). His value comes almost exclusively from AVG (though he will chip in a decent number of RBI), but Callaspo’s 2B eligibility helps his cause and could make the struggles of Dustin Pedroia and Dan Uggla a little less … aggravating for owners.

Tom Gorzelanny | SP, RP | Nationals | Ownership: 13% Yahoo!, 5.7% ESPN

The 3.56 ERA is shiny, but Gorzelanny’s underlining performance raises some eyebrows. For one, he’s turned into an extreme fly ball guy (just 32.6% grounders this year after consistently being in the low-40’s throughout his career), and that’s predictably hurt his homerun rate (1.50 HR/9) while helping his BABIP (.227). The PitchFX data shows that he’s actually throwing his two-seam fastball far more this year than anytime in the past, making all those non-grounders that much more peculiar. So then why is Gorzelanny’s name popping up in a Waiver Wire post? Match-ups my friend, match-ups. Following tonight’s start at the Brewers, Gorzelanny is scheduled to face the Padres twice in his next three starts. He misses bats (7.88 K/9, 8.2% SwStr) and is due to face a weak offense, making him a nice spot start candidate in all leagues. The RP candidate is just an added flexibility bonus.

Jorge Posada | C | Yankees | Ownership: 45% Yahoo!, 28.8% ESPN

A very public falling out with the team followed a .165/.278/.349 start to the season, but lost in all the nonsense is Posada’s production this month. He’s hitting a very respectable .261/.393/.348 since the calendar flipped to May, and his overall season rates of 14.1% walks and a .182 ISO are very much in line with his career norms (13.3% and .203). A .195 BABIP is really doing the long-time catcher in, but that’s starting to correct as his line drive rate gets out of the dumpster. Posada is still 0-for-2011 against left-handers and has essentially been treated as a platoon DH this month, but he’s a DH with catcher eligibility and that always has value. The AVG and familiar HR/RBI output probably won’t be there at season’s end (ZiPS sees 13/41 the rest of the way), but Posada’s a good get in an OBP league, or one of those weird two catcher leagues (I hate those). It’s risky, yes, but everyone on the waiver wire is.