Roto Riteup: September 7, 2012

Since there were only five games yesterday, once may reasonably expect today’s Roto Riteup to be a bit scaled down. It’s a good thing that there was plenty of action in said five games. I actually found myself cheering for the Royals to beat the Rangers, if only so that my beloved A’s could creep a half game closer to the mighty Rangers. If you’re wondering how to cheer for team outside of your favorite club, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash offer a clinic:

• Well, well, well. It appears as though a certain Mark Reynolds is truly and fully “in the zone” so to speak. He launched two of Baltimore’s seven total home runs in last night’s victory over the Yankees. I don’t know what else he can do before he can convince you that he is worth owning. His ownership rate is up to 49% in ESPN leagues and 52% of Yahoo! formats. If he goes out and hits two more dingers today, I wouldn’t even really be surprised. I’d be amazed, but not surprised.

• Prior to yesterday afternoon’s home run, Eric Hosmer had just one in his previous 40 at-bats. He was hitting .300 over that time span and he even chipped in a pair of stolen bases. Although this would certainly be considered a disappointing first full season, Hosmer has looked much better as of late. He is hitting .298 over his past month and while the power hasn’t fully manifested itself yet, it should in due time. For now Hosmer is available to be picked up in 25% of ESPN leagues and almost 40% of Yahoo! leagues. If you’re looking for a bat that should produce a well-above average BA with power upside, Hosmer might be your guy; and he might be available.

• Another corner infielder that is in the midst of a power run is Adam LaRoche. He now has six home runs in his past six games and he seems well on his way to his first 30 home run season since 2006, just his second time reaching that arbitrary plateau. He has 29 dingers as of right now and given his recent outburst, he seems locked in enough that he should eclipse the 30 home run mark. He is owned in even more leagues than Hosmer, but if you can trade a late round pick next year for about four weeks of LaRoche, I would consider it.

• Since we’re already on the topic of power corner type players, Anthony Rizzo had a 3-for-4 evening yesterday that included his 12th home run of the year. Considering that he has logged just 264 PA’s, that is a solid feat. His seasonal line is now up to .298/.345/.482 that translates to a 117 wRC+. Rizzo might be available to be picked up; his ownership rate is 44% in Yahoo! leagues and 56% in ESPN leagues. If you’re hunting for a CI player, grab Rizzo and ride that pony.

• Switching gears to a speedy outfielder type, Lorenzo Cain had a three hit day and stole a pair of bases yesterday. He is now a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts this year. He hasn’t stolen huge amounts of bases in the minor leagues, but he does offer enough speed to be worthy of a pickup. He should definitely be out there for you, as his Yahoo! owned percentage is just 11% and his ESPN rate isn’t much better at 13%.

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: Max Scherzer at LAA
I’m not as big of a fan of Scherzer as Mr. Cistulli is, but I can appreciate a 11.29 K/9 as much as anyone.

A Pitcher for Tomorrow: Kris Medlen at NYM
Medlen has been nothing short of fantastic as of late. I don’t see that trend being bucked against the Mets; they have the 25th ranked home offense, as judged by wOBA.

A Hitter for Today: Desmond Jennings vs TEX (Derek Holland)
Jennings is hitting left-handed pitching to the tune of a 118 wRC+ this season.