Roto Riteup: July 26, 2012

Today’s Roto Riteup believes that only you can prevent forest fires.

• So Hanley is in L.A. now, eh? Dodger Stadium isn’t particularly great for right-handers trying to hit homers, but it certainly won’t have an effect on his speed numbers. Playing shortstop for the Dodgers will allow Hanley to retain both third base and SS eligibility next season.

• A battle I’m looking forward to in the offseason is going to take place in Texas should Josh Hamilton bolt. Craig Gentry and Leonys Martin are going to fight it out for playing time in center, but don’t forget about Jurickson Profar potentially forcing Ian Kinsler to the outfield. Gentry is going to be the leader in the clubhouse, but since both he and Martin bring excellent defense to the table, it’s all going to come down to the bat, an area of which Gentry has shown big league superiority.

• Emilio Bonifacio moving back to second base should be good news for fantasy owners everywhere, as the switch-hitter will now retain eligibility at said position next year. Prior to the Omar Infante trade, Boni was on pace to only be eligible in the outfield next year, which would have been a real shame for roto owners. Now, Bonifacio will be able to fill either your 2B or your MI spot next season, making one of the more interesting guys up the middle.

• It’s officially time for fantasy owners to start dealing players in an effort to either make a run this year or stock up on assets for the future. In most of my leagues, I’ve been dishing and dealing to acquire cheaper assets or draft picks for 2013. How many of you are in rebuilding mode, and how many of you are making a run at it?

For those of you who play daily fantasy games like FanGraphs: The Game, or just like to stream players, here are a couple matchups you may be able to exploit.

A Pitcher for Today: Jason Vargas vs KCR
Vargas is pretty good while at home, so take advantage of him. Not like that, you sickos.

A Pitcher for Tomorrow: Ben Sheets vs PHI
Sheets will do his best to blanket the Phillies with his best stuff. He may even cover the spread. OK, I’m all out of horrible jokes for the moment. Just go with Sheets.

A Hitter for Today: Casey McGehee at HOU (Dallas Keuchel)
Getting McGehee away from home against a left-hander is a nice easy move on a day with a lot of great pitchers taking the mound.