Power for Speed, Rebuilding a post All Star Break team.

The All Star represents more than just watching MLB's elite duking it out or home field advantage. It marks the end of many streaks and the beginning of many slumps, or vice versa.

I decided to shift my strategy, stemming from managing my roto league and seeing a 4 point drop in my HR rankings, I realized I have 3 power batters are either hurt, slumping or just plain streaky. (Torii Hunter,David Wright and Jermaine Dye) Of course I don't plan to just "ride it out". I'm rummaging through the free agency and found that it's littered with Speed Demons. I'm gonna own R, S, and I always choose players with a 300+ BA, but sometimes, with guys like Dexter Fowler, the numbers are so good a sub 300 is balances off as long as I have a guy like Miguel Montero batting 563 in the last week.

Speed Demons to Pick Up ASAP.

Andrew McCutchen

Nyjer Morgan

Dexter Fowler

Emilio Bonifacio

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Thursday 7/23/2009

Jarrod Washburn is just on fire.

Marc Rzepczynski versus CLE.

Soriano is Back!!! maybe.

But his numbers looks really good, hitting safely in 11 out of the last 12 games. And increasing his batting average by 20 points. It's finally safe to play him, and he can tear it up real fast.

Speed Demon Rotator Alert

Dexter Fowler

The last 14 Games, 9 Steals

Need I say more?

SP - Spot Start Rotator for Sunday 7/12/2009

Pretty Hot

Doug Davis, has pitched excellent this year, but has one of the worst run support in the league. But recently the Diamondbacks are hitting very well. He had a solid W in San Diego, and it looks like another solid W this time around.

SP - Spot Start Rotator for Saturday 7/11/2009

Mike Hampton (ATL), pitching against the worst team in the MLB (WAS). It should be an easy W.

SP - Spot Start Rotator for Friday 7/10/2009

A pretty shallow number quality choices for Friday.

Warm - Brian Bannister, his numbers are decent, but the BOS line up is very potent.

Dan Meyer - Florida's closer situation is still in the air, if for some reason he's available, like in my leagues, and you have an SP slot to fill, there is a chance you can pick up a rogue save.

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Thursday 7/09/2009

Hot

Brad Penny-BOS, vs KC, the 2nd worst scoring team in the league.

Warm

Tommy Hunter-TEX, vs SEA, he's shown he can pitch, at least as a young pitcher, let's see if he can maintain momentum. SEA is the 3rd worst scoring team in the league.

Not

Aaron Cook-COL, great pitcher as long as it's NOT at Colorado.

Tommy Hanson-ATL, a great pitcher at Colorado, which has been unforgiving this year, it's a tough bet.

Hot Streakers

Ride them while they're hot. Whether or not you grab them at the before they start their hot streak or just before they end the streak. Those streaky stats are stuff of top 50 ranked players, even though it's only a couple of weeks at best. This edge is another staple in my toolbox.

Casey McGehee (Mil - 2B,3B)

His numbers has been awesome in the past month, and he's still looking to prove that he belongs. Let's see how long he can keep this up.

Cody Ross (Fla - OF)

Last year, he probably had half a dozen streaks of top 25 hitting, and was named player of the week a good number of times as well. I was skeptical this year, but he's doing it again. And he's a had a decent wave of quality hitting in the past couple of weeks.

Marcus Thames (Det - OF)

For Thames if he can get contact with the ball, it's very likely a HR. Some team and pitchers are wise to this, and they'll pitch around him, but in the last 2 years, he has one of the best HR to AB ratios I've ever seen. *Note: Beware of his Ks and low AVG.

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Wednesday 7/08/2009

Hot

Jose Contreras, against Cleveland. Almost a free W.

Pretty Hot

Ryan Sadowski, has been on fire. He's only shown 2 solid starts, so his stuff is probably still fresh.

Warm

Glen Perkins, 2 solid starts of only 1 ER each. If you're in a deep league with scarce choices, he's an option.

Speed Demon Rotator

In

Scott Podsednik (CWS - OF), AVG over 300, and can't stealing bases.

Nyjer Morgan (Was - OF), recently traded from PIT to WAS and is now batting lead off.

Andrew McCutchen (Pit - OF), he's the only speed threat in PIT right now and bats over 300.

Warm

Emilio Bonifacio (Fla - 2B,3B), for an infielder his AVG should be higher. But still posts a decent number of steals. The Marlins are acting optimistic, so let's see if he can continue progressing.

Falling Out

Michael Bourn (Hou - OF), falling out with a poor AVG, last game he lost his starting spot and relegated to a PR.

Out

Juan Pierre (LAD - OF), Manny is back.

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Tuesday 7/07/2009

Warm-Doug Davis, SD doesn't score many runs.

LukeWarm-Dallas Braden, he'll most likely pitch well but with few Ks, and opposing Josh Beckett and the team's already consistently little run support he'll probably won't get the W either.

LukeWarm-Kevin Correia (5 game QS streak means his potential is ripening, but it's possible the other teams might have figured him out.)

Avoid

Jason Hammel-Great pitcher this year and pitching well recently, but they're pitching at Colorado.

Jordan Zimmermann-Same as Jason Hammel.

*I picked up and started Doug Davis.

**I picked up, but might not start Dallas Braden

DL Stash - Brandon Webb

Well news is in, he's not getting surgery. He'll be back around Sept. or so they say. If you have a DL slot open, then he's too good not to stash.

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Thursday 7/02/2009

Pitchers Opp: %Owned IP W SV K ERA WHIP

Kevin Correia(SD) Hou 14% 38.0 4 0 34 3.08 0.89

Drop Jordan Wimmermann (Was)

OF/Util Rotator

In
Scott Podsednik (CWS - OF)
Michael Bourn (Hou - OF)

Out
Juan Pierre (LAD - OF)

Saves Scavenging

Florida Marlins
Leo Núñez (Fla - RP) is the long term bet.
Dan Meyer (Fla - SP,RP) is the short term bet and qualifies for SP, if you have too man RP save guys already like me.

Note: Long term bets are never a sure thing, so I picked up Meyer first and will aim for Nunez very soon.

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Tuesday 6/30/2009

Pitchers Opp: %Owned IP W SV K ERA WHIP
Jordan Zimmermann (Was) @Fla 14% 23.2 1 0 22 1.90 0.97

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Monday 6/29/2009

Player Rank %Owned IP W SV K ERA WHIP

Fernando Nieve (NYM - SP,RP) 63 14% 20.2 3 0 13 1.31 0.97

Ride him while he's on fire. Excellent numbers in the past month with 3 Wins in 3 starts.

Juan Pierre is on his way out.

The news explains it all, Manny will be back and since he's not hurt the time line is very accurate.

SP - Spot Start Pick Up for Sunday 6/28/2009

Player Opp: 6/28 %Owned IP W SV K ERA WHIP
Aaron Cook (Col - SP) ^ @Oak 27% 34.0 4 0 20 2.65 1.09
John Lannan (Was - SP) ^ @Bal 5% 34.2 2 0 18 2.34 1.10
Vin Mazzaro (Oak - SP) ^ Col 22% 31.2 2 0 20 2.56 1.07

Notes:
Aaron Cook vs Vin Mazzaro
Aaron Cook's numbers away from Home is amazing.
Vin Mazzaro doesn't get enough run support, so the W will most likely go to Aaron Cook.