Each week Baseball Press will be providing some Under the Radar fantasy players for NL-Only Leagues, AL-Only Leagues and Mixed Leagues. These articles will be dedicated to finding those diamonds in the rough on the waiver wire that will either be a short term or long term replacement to an injury or struggling player on your fantasy team. All players listed are owned in less than 30% of Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball leagues.
John Baker (.280 AVG with 5 RBI) and Jaime Garcia (0.00 ERA / 0.43 WHIP / 5 K in 7 IP) were the big winners from last week. This week the options mentioned below are possible long-term pick-ups for NL-only owners and there is speed galore.
Chris Snyder - C, Arizona Diamondbacks (Yahoo! 9%, CBS 35%)
I mentioned Chris last week in the Under the Radar mixed last week and it really surprises me that now after a full week of being "the guy" in Arizona and grabbing 23 at-bats over the past week. He is not a guy that is going to help your average but the run producing potential is there, especially when Arizona is scoring runs around him.
Ike Davis - 1B, New York Mets (Yahoo! 2%, CBS 41%)
After replacing the ever struggling Mike Jacobs on the Mets roster this Monday, it is said that Davis will be receiving full time at-bats in the line-up. This may be true only until Daniel Murphy comes off of the DL, but any every day starting first baseman needs to be owned in only leagues. I wouldn't blow your FAAB budget on the guy just because there isn't the long term security but he has the potential to hit right handed pitching very hard.
Eugenio Velez - 2B/OF, San Francisco Giants (Yahoo! 6%, CBS 12%)
The winner of the first Aaron Rowand to the DL sweepstakes of 2010 is Eugenio Velez. It appears that until Rowand is healthy enough to play, after taking a fastball off the face from Vicente Padilla, that Velez will be getting most of the at-bats. He isn't going to set the world on fire, but he has a little pop in his bat and can help you make up some ground in the steals department. OF eligibility also helps his case if you are playing a 23+ man NL-only roster.
Evereth Cabrera - SS, San Diego Padres (Yahoo! 19%, CBS 44%)
The aspect of Cabrera's game that made him such a sexy pick on draft day has been absent. Stealing only 3 bases so far has been more of a product of his .278 OBP. Things are trending in the right way though for Evereth and this may be a chance for you to scoop him up. Over the last six his average is still a dreadful .190 but he's getting on base at a .320 clip. If that continues to trend up expect the stolen bases to come.
David Freese - 3B, St. Louis Cardinals (Yahoo! 5%, CBS 28%)
The signing of Felipe Lopez pretty much crushed Freese's value, even in NL-only leagues on draft day. It shouted that Tony LaRussa wasn't sold on the rookie third baseman. Since the season started he quietly has put together very good at-bats and supporting numbers. Even though he is homerless he is hitting .317 with 5 RBI. The strike out to walk ratio may worry some owners but he is driving the ball and will have people on base in front of him in that potent St. Louis offense.
Ryan Church - OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (Yahoo! 1%, CBS 3%)
Ryan Church? Yes and let me explain. Jeff Clement is struggling mightily at the plate and if he can't turn it around the obvious shuffle would put Garrett Jones to first opening up right field for Church. All he has done is raked at the plate this year hitting .438 while slugging .688. He has owned the skill of being able to hit at the major league level and is not too old to show that skill again.
Carlos Silva - SP, Chicago Cubs (Yahoo! 11%, CBS 25%)
I am taking fellow writer Dan Port's advice and enjoying the ride while it happens with Silva, who shut down the New York Mets offense in his most recent start. There is nothing sexy about this guy but he has impressed the Cubs management enough to force their hand and move Carlos Zambrano into the pen instead of him. If he can keep the ball down all year with the little bit of late action he has the chance to be a better than mediocre pitcher, but don't expect anything under a 3.00 ERA and 1.30 WHIP when October comes around.