The Fantasy Daily

Deeper Creepers

I feel like I am talking about this guy too often, but he keeps putting up hits when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (really? still named that??) need them. The guyer I am referring to is 3B Luis Jimenez.  The 25 year old Venezuelan rookie is hitting a robust .343 with 12 hits in 10 games. His approach needs fine tuning with 11/2 K/BB but his ability has shown through. He's been an above average defender as well. All signs point to Callaspo starting when he returns. But in deeper leagues Jimenez has been a serviceable stopgap for two weeks. I hope he stays up but a bench role is worthless for fantasy purposes. Monitor Callaspo's return. Aybar isn't expected back when eligable.

Twins Basil! Twins. Ok the Twinkies are nothing to write home about, however while playing a double header yesterday they did have to notable contributors who were unsuspecting. OF/DH Oswaldo Arcia came into yesterdays double header with little more than one hit and an error to his resume. He tripled his season hit total and blasted his first homer of the year, a three run bomb! He has pop for sure and Gardenhire put him in the three hole for the second dip of the double-header. Interesting. Mastroianni is out a few weeks which could give the Twins enough time to make Arcia a regular and/or platoon some mix of he, Parmelee and Willingham.

The second Twin is uber-post-spring-training-bust CF Aaron Hicks. After setting the strikeout world on fire from the batters box, Hicks has actually contributed the past few games. He has amassed 11 walks in 55 at bats to go along with 22 Ks. He is scoring runs(8) and swiping bags(2) when he gets on base. Over his past 3 games Hicks has gone 2-7(.285) with 2 runs scored, 2 RBI, 3 BB and 1 SB. This leads me to believe he has the plate vision to succeed, he either A. isn't liking playing in the Arctic weather of Target field or B. he's pressing too much. I think if you held onto him you will be rewarded in the next few weeks. As should the Twins be, for sticking with him. I SAY ITS TIME TO BUY!

He can't possibly keep this up can he? Fantasy eligibility gold mine and Brewers' super-utility man Yuniesky Betancourt has been slugging his ass off compared to his career avg. He is slugging .473 with 3 HRs and 14 RBI over 57 ABs thru 18 games. He cannot keep this up. No. No way. I don't care what he worked on or thinks he found in winter ball. Or do I? Jose Bautista was a 15 HR max afterthought up until the 2010 season where at the age of 29 he set the world on fire with 54 HRs and 124 RBI. Now, am I saying Yuni is going to become Bautista? Not at all, however it just goes to show a player can all-of-a-sudden "find it" in this game. Just as Rick Ankiel got the "yips." Stranger things have happened. Unfortunately the real 3B Ramirez will return soon as well as Cory Hart at some point. Ride the lightning while you can with Betancourt, if he keeps hitting...who knows? Rickie Weeks seems replaceable at this point, maybe?