Review of the American League fantasy market as of April 7.

It’s official, we’ve heard those wonderful words, “Play Ball,” and now finally fantasy baseball players can begin battling it out over the next six months. Put all of the talk and hype aside from the off-season, we will now begin to see which players will break out and who will bust. It may only be the first week of the season, but your teams will begin taking shape. Begin looking for your weaknesses that will need help, or strengths that you can utilize in the trade market to better your roster. The stats may look wacky for some, so be careful to not react too quickly on a deal. It is a long way to the finish line.

THREE UP/THREE DOWN

Hitters

• Carlos Gomez, OF – MIN (UP) Gomez is living up to the hype thus far. He is very fast. He has four stolen bases and has been in the middle of many scoring chances for Minnesota. If you need steals, grab him now. Though remain cautiously optimistic. He may have 10 hits in 28 at-bats, but he also has struck out eight times. That means he has base hits on 10 of the 20 balls put into play. That rate is impossible to maintain. However, we are definitely witnessing a player on the rise and is a worthy play.

• Brandon Inge, Util – DET (UP) Detroit’s jack-of-all-trades is a fine short-term option. He is hitting the ball very well and looks to be getting some regular playing time while Detroit goes through injury problems. He has played center field for the injured Curtis Granderson and will likely play third base for Miguel Cabrera while designated hitter Gary Sheffield, heals. He is currently hitting .316 with two home runs and four RBI.

• A.J. Pierzynski, C – CHW (UP) I can’t go this week without giving some love to the White Sox’ outspoken catcher. He likely will be the AL player of the week after a tremendous opening to the season. He has yet to strikeout, and is hitting .500 with two home runs and seven RBI. Pierzynski always seems to be just pesky enough to stay on the radar and give decent numbers for a catcher.

• Travis Buck, OF - OAK (Down) What Pierzynski is to hot this week, Buck is to cold. The Oakland right fielder has yet to get a base hit in 21 at-bats. On top of that struggle, Buck has struck out nine times, which prompted manager Bob Geren to sit him down Saturday. Buck is not on most people’s fantasy radar anyway, but could be an AL-only sleeper. He did post an OPS of .851 in 82 games as a rookie last season. There is talent there, so keep an eye on him.

• Jacoby Ellsbury, OF – BOS (Down) The season is not going as planned for owners of Jacoby Ellsbury. He is currently splitting time with Coco Crisp in center field and is not hitting at the top of the lineup. This will obviously affect his fantasy value in the short-term as Boston figures out what to do with Crisp. Ellsbury owners should not haste to make any moves; wait it out. Ellsbury will eventually, probably sooner rather than later, get in as a regular and provide the speed you are waiting for.

• Placido Polanco, 2B – DET (Down) Arguably the best contact hitter in the game, Polanco’s batted balls are not falling in right now. He has only two hits in 23 at-bats to start the year. Though, he is not the only Detroit player not currently on fire. Polanco is too good a hitter to extend this cold streak much longer; look for a rebound very soon.

Pitchers

• Zach Greinke, SP - KC (UP) For the Royals, it was not only Greinke who slowed the Tigers’ thunder, but for fantasy owners, Grienke probably gained more than either of his fellow mates. This is a pivotal year for Grienke as he is now back into the rotation after two years of challenges to regain his form. He still has a great upside, which could eventually rank him in the upper tier of starting pitchers in the American League. He is off and running so far, as he passed the first test against a great Tiger offense. He shut them down, allowing only one run on six hits over seven innings of work.

• Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP - BOS (UP) Daisuke has been masterful against the Athletics thus far, especially in his second start. He allowed one run on two hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out nine batters without walking any. He now boasts a solid 2.31 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in his two starts and allowed only four hits, though you could argue it is because he was facing a less than stellar offensive team.

• Joakim Soria, CL – KC (UP) Soria is becoming one of the best rule five pickups in recent memory. He has a nasty combination of a mid-90s fastball, a plus curveball and changeup. He has appeared in four games, saving all three of his opportunities. He has not given up a run or walk and has struck out seven. For what was a mid to late pick among closers, Soria may give top tier numbers and give the best bang for the buck.

• C.C. Sabathia, SP – CLE (Down) The reigning AL Cy Young award winner had a rough start to his title defense. Sabathia, known for his great control and K/BB ratio, walked seven batters in 10 2/3 innings while allowing nine runs and 12 hits, three of which were home runs. The main problem is his inability to get left-handed batters out. Lefties are batting .545 with a 1.455 slugging percentage against Sabathia in his two starts.It is only 14 plate appearances, but it is an interesting stat of note.

• Daniel Cabrera, SP - BAL (Down) Cabrera is always tempting to look at, because at any time he could strike out 15 batters in a game. Though he always disappoints. There doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Cabrera or his chances of improving his terrible BB%. Over his career he has walked over five batters per nine innings. Already, in his first start this season he is showing this lack of command again. He walked five batters and allowed six runs on six hits in four innings against the Rays. Even in the spring he allowed 17 walks in 22 innings. It’s time the Orioles stop believing and try something else with Cabrera.

• Ian Kennedy, SP – NYY (Down) I was split on this last spot. I thought about LaTroy Hawkins, who has given up seven runs in two innings of work thus far, but Kennedy won out. Mostly because he is actually owned by people, but also because he is a key component to New York’s chances this season and is viewed as a solid sleeper to some. Kennedy was roughed up for six runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Rays. He allowed fours hits and also walked four. It may not be any reason to panic yet, but with the pressure of the Bronx on a young kid, he can ill afford another terrible outing in his next start.

INJURY REPORT

Victor Martinez injured his hamstring running to second base on a ball in the dirt Monday in the season opener…He was listed as day-to-day and looks to return to the lineup early this week. He may get even more days off with the cold April weather as the hammy heals.

J.J. Putz is suffering from something called “mild costochondritis,” which has to do with inflammation in cartilage in the ribs…He will likely be out for at least two to three weeks and Seattle will counter with a closer by committee with Mark Lowe leading the pack, who promptly blew his first opportunity Sunday.

The Tigers are continuing to suffer the injury bug on offense as Gary Sheffield tore a tendon in his ring finger, and Miguel Cabrera had a recurrence of soreness in his quadriceps from an injury suffered during winter ball….Sheffield intends to play through the injury and is listed as day-to-day initially. He will wear a splint on the finger for six weeks, but says that it will not affect his swing. Cabrera missed only one game, but the injury is worthy of keeping a close eye on as he is having trouble running at full speed.

Royals center fielder, David DeJesus, sprained his ankle in Kansas City’s opening day victory over the Tigers…He will not be placed on the disabled list and will likely return to action early this week. If the ankle should continue to keep DeJesus out of the lineup, look for Joey Gathright to provide a cheap source for steals.

Michael Cuddyer was placed on the disabled list with a dislocated index finger….Cuddyer may not be as valuable a player as once thought he could become, but hold onto him if you can. He is still a solid bat that can be used. Watch out for Jason Kubel who will benefit most from this injury. He will now be the everyday DH.

Rays catcher Dionner Navarro was placed on the disabled list after receiving 12 stitches to a laceration on his throwing hand….Navarro was off to a nice start this spring and is a sleeper pick of many fantasy players and should remain on your roster. Shawn Riggans will get his first extended look in the majors until Navarro comes back on the 20^th.

The White Sox will be welcoming back Jerry Owens in the near future. It was initially reported that he would return Tuesday night, but GM Kenny Williams states he will begin rehab Thursday and will not be on the big club. Owens has recovered right on schedule from his groin injury suffered in spring training a few weeks back…When Owens returns, he will be a cheap source for steals as the White Sox believe he is an everyday player.

Another player back on track to appear this week is Blue Jays reliever B.J. Ryan. He threw in a minor league game with success Saturday night. Ryan is projected to return by the end of the week….He will initially share closer duties with Jeremy Accardo, which lowers Accardo’s fantasy value.

WALKING THE WIRE (possible wavier wire pickups)

• Akinori Iwamura, 2B/3B - TB Iwamura has been moved to second base to make way for the future with Evan Longoria. This gives Iwamura multiple position eligibility in leagues, which is great news for players of his stature. Not an impact fantasy player by any stretch, Iwamura does handle the bat well and looks to be the leadoff hitter for the improving Rays lineup. He could be a 90-100 run guy who mixes in some stolen bases. In 123 games as a rookie he hit .285, scored 82 runs and stole 12 bases.

• Adam Jones, OF - BAL The key player in the Erik Bedard trade to Seattle, Jones comes to Baltimore with the opportunity to play everyday. He has a combination of speed and power that projects well for fantasy owners. On a 162 game basis in the minor leagues, Jones’ stats project out to a .291 average with 22 home runs, 98 RBI and 16 SB. And at 22 years old, he still has room to grow. He could be a 20-20 player as early as this season.

• Jason Kubel, OF/DH - MIN Normally, I will only do one outfielder per week, but the news of Michael Cuddyer’s injury places Jason Kubel on this list. For whatever reason, the Twins have been using Craig Monroe over Kubel as the DH, but now they have no choice but to use Kubel. His ascent to the big leagues was slowed by knee injuries, but with some semi-regular playing time in 2007, he showed flashes of his talent. Over his final 132 at-bats, Kubel hit .341 with four home runs and 23 RBI. With some patience from the Twins, Kubel could be a sleeper to hit 20–plus home runs and drive in 80 runs.

• Jon Garland, SP - LAA Now the number two starter on the Angels due to the injuries to Lackey and Escobar, Garland performed well in his season debut. He did not strike anybody out, but forced 17 ground ball outs in eight innings of one-run ball. Garland should be looked at if you need wins along with a respectable ERA and WHIP. He is a value pick partly due to his lack of run support from the White Sox last season. In his 18-win season in 2006, Garland was blessed with 6.39 runs of support per game. In 2007, even though his ERA and WHIP both decreased, he only won 10 games, as he received only 4.32 runs of support. The Angels will provide him much better support and Garland should return to the 15-win plateau.

• Mark Lowe, RP – SEA As mentioned above, the hard-throwing right-hander will be in the mix to take over for the injured J.J. Putz as the Seattle closer. He has closer stuff, throwing in the mid to upper 90s with a plus slider. In 22 career innings, Lowe has a 2.45 ERA, allowed only 14 hits and struck out 23 batters. He will not be a long-term solution however. Putz will be coming back by the end of the month, plus Lowe is still recovering from an arm surgery from last season that repaired a lack of cartilage in his elbow.

FUTURES MARKET

Francisco Liriano pitched for single-A Fort Myers Thursday night. He allowed four runs, but struck out eight batters in 5 1/3 innings…He is scheduled to start at AAA Rochester next week and will likely make a few starts there before being recalled.

Angels’ pitching prospect, Nick Adenhart, threw five scoreless innings in his debut on Friday night…He was passed over by Dustin Moseley for the fifth starter spot out of spring training. Mosely struggled in his debut, while Adenhart passed his test. If this trend continues, look for Adenhart to be in the Angels rotation soon.

White Sox power prospect and arguably their best third baseman, Josh Fields, has struggled in his 2008 debut. He has scored the dreaded hat trick in back-to-back nights to start the season, striking out three times in each game against Columbus. Through Saturday, he is one for eleven with six strikeouts.

Definitely not a prospect by any stretch, Bartolo Colon is still worthy of listing here as he pitches for AAA Pawtucket. In his season debut, Colon faced one batter over the minimum in five innings and was hitting 95-96 on the radar guns….This is great news for Colon as he works his way back to the majors and bad news for Clay Buchholz who may soon have competition for the last spot in Boston’s rotation.

Should the White Sox need help in their rotation in the near future, look for Lance Broadway to be the first option. He briefly appeared with Chicago in 2007, posting a 0.87 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. In his first start with AAA Charlotte, Broadway threw seven scoreless innings allowing only two hits.

Luis Mendoza will be activated from the disabled list and called up to start for the Rangers on April 12^th against the Blue Jays. He should not be a fantasy option yet, but keep an eye on the Rangers’ top pitching prospect.

Josh Barfield, recently sent down by Cleveland to make room for Andy Marte, went 4 for 5 with a double and two RBIs in Buffalo’s opening night victory…Barfield was highly regarded by many when brought over from the Padres prior to the 2007 season. He is looking to rebound and make his way back onto the Cleveland roster even though Asdrubal Cabrera now blocks him at second base.

The Yankees have to be impressed with Kei Igawa’s performance on Thursday. He pitched six perfect innings while striking out seven batters in a start with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre….Should help be needed in the pinstripes rotation, Igawa may be pushing himself back into the forefront. Before that even happens, he may end up in the Yankee bullpen in a long-relief role.

Former first-round pick, David Purcey, excelled in his opening start for AAA Syracuse. He finished six strong innings, allowing only two hits and striking out seven. The 25-year-old lefty will likely be the first pitcher called upon should Toronto need help in the rotation.

BUY LOW/SELL HIGH PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Buy – Alex Gordon, 1B/3B - KC The highly touted prospect of a year ago is entering his sophomore season looking to improve upon a disappointing rookie season. Gordon hit for a .247 average with 15 home runs and stole 14 bases. Not really bad numbers for a rookie. Though, with his sky-high potential and expectations, they were. The positives coming into 2008 for Gordon owners are that he will be hitting third in the Kansas City lineup, and that he hit .285 with 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases over his last 98 games last season. Plus, this spring he hit .310 and showed much better plate discipline, walking 12 times to only 10 strikeouts in 58 at-bats. It may be a small sample of data, but that shows he is likely improving on his near three to one K/BB ratio as a rookie. If he can continue his success from the second half last season and this spring, we may see 20 to 30 home runs this season from Gordon along with a solid batting average. Of course as I write this, I just received an update that states that Gordon has been moved down to sixth in the lineup. Still, that means his value is still at a low point. Grab him if you can, he will work his way back up the lineup, who else does KC have to bat there?

Sell – Joe Borowski, CL - CLE For the first time in the history of baseball, a pitcher led the league in saves while posting an ERA over 5.00. Joe Borowski walked a thin line of magic for the Indians last season. He was borderline Houdini. The fact that he led the league in saves was partly due to the fact that the Indians presented him the most opportunities in the American League, 53. Bobby Jenks and Francisco Rodriguez were the next closest with 46 chances each, seven behind Borowski. Of the top ten AL closers based on saves in 2007, he gave up the most hits, home runs, earned runs and had the highest ERA and WHIP. Already on opening day this season, he was sweating out another game. With a three run lead, he gave up a solo home run to Jermaine Dye and walked a batter, bringing the tying run to the plate before performing his magic.

RANKING OF THE WEEK - TOP 10 ELIGIBLE AL SECOND BASEMEN

1. B.J. Upton
2. Robinson Cano
3. Brian Roberts
4. Howie Kendrick
5. Ian Kinsler
6. Placido Polanco
7. Dustin Pedroia
8. Aaron Hill
9. Asdrubal Cabrera
10. Mark Ellis

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If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me at m_taylor13@yahoo.com.