Roto Riteup: Monday, September 12th, 2011

– Ian Kinsler has decided that now is the time to turn on the jets and get going before the playoffs start. In a little over a month, the second baseman has hit ten homers and stolen a couple bases, all while hitting a contextually low .278 thanks to a poor BABIP. Sometime this week, Kinsler will set a personal best in games played, yet his uncharacteristically healthy season has gone mostly unnoticed. His batted ball times are a little worrisome, but I’d like to think he could be a .270/20/20 guy next season, and that’s assuming he misses time. Add in his production if healthy or replacement level production when he’s on the DL, and you have a very good fantasy second baseman.

– Trayvon Robinson has started five games in center field, which is great news for some of you in Yahoo! leagues. If you play in a deep Y! league that uses LF-CF-RF designation, Robinson becomes an interesting option heading into next season. His major league stint hasn’t been impressive, but he does posses all of the physical tools required to be successful if he can stop swinging so much and make more contact when he does choose to take the bat off his shoulder. Don’t think about him as a starter, but as a backup with upside.

– Since being called up to the majors, Paul Goldschmidt is doing almost exactly what we expected him to do. He has hit seven homers in only 110 ABs, but he has also struck out over 30% of the time. I’d like to think that Kevin Towers and Co. decide to hand Goldschmidt the reins next season, so hang on to him in NL-only and deeper standard keeper leagues. His average isn’t going to win him any awards, but a season with a batting average around .260 and 30 homers seems right around the corner.

– Rays’ closer Kyle Farnsworth is dealing with some minor elbow issues, so if you’re looking for a cheap couple of saves, go and grab Joel Peralta. His ground ball rate is certainly scary, but the Rays seem to trust him in the late innings. I’d guess J.P. Howell could also see a save or two if the opposing lineup is full of left-handed hitters.

A Pitcher for Today: R.A. Dickey vs WAS
The knuckleballer has put together an impressive run lately, throwing nine consecutive quality starts. He’s always a risk, but one worth taking this time around.

A Pitcher for Tomorrow: Matt Harrison vs CLE
The Indians like to run out a lefty-heavy lineup, so Harrison could have an absolute field day.

PickSix Lock of the Day: Devin Mesoraco ($1.00) vs CHC (Rodrigo Lopez)
Assuming he plays, I’m willing to spend a dollar on Mesoraco just to see what happens.
Prediction: 1-3, BB, HR; 15 points
Last Week’s Results: 3 players, $72.50, 19 points





Zach is the creator and co-author of RotoGraphs' Roto Riteup series, and RotoGraphs' second-longest tenured writer. You can follow him on twitter.

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