Who I'm Watching
Written by Jeremy Kempter
June 23, 2006

The Arizona Diamondbacks, as stocked full of talented prospects as any organization, had an interesting, albeit frustrating, week with a pair of call-ups. First, Scott Hairston, the slugging brother of Jerry Hairston Jr., made his return to the Show, having earned it with an impressive 18 homers down on the farm. He didn’t disappoint at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a walk. His soon-to-be-soaring stock plummeted before the game was over, however, when he injured his right shoulder while crashing into the outfield wall upon tracking down a fly ball. Before he could begin to force management to make a difficult decision as to what to do with a somewhat crowded outfield, Hairston was DL-bound. For you savvy owners, that doesn’t mean he is completely void of value. He will be back soon, so NL-only owners and keeper leaguers may want to stash him or at least keep a close eye on the converted second baseman. The other promotion of note in the desert sent seam heads and Web masters alike scrambling for their cyber lineup cards. Twenty-three-year-old right-hander Edgar Gonzalez made his season debut at Tampa Bay, looking strong until late during six innings of work, allowing four runs but fanning six without issuing a free pass. His numbers – and particularly his abbreviated name, E. Gonzalez – were the cause of some confusion considering another recent addition to the D’Backs’ rotation, Enrique Gonzalez. Enrique has earned a spot in Arizona’s staff with a pair of sharp starts and a tidy relief appearance. He was rocked in his last outing but should be productive and reliable for the foreseeable future. Edgar, on the other hand, isn’t guaranteed to stick, but he is worth monitoring as well. A three-run six inning spoiled an otherwise overpowering performance versus the Devil Rays. Both Gonzalezes have an enticing minor league resume, and if they both become fixtures, you might want to acquire the pair to avoid future lineup perplexity. Here are 20 other options I’m mulling who are likely available in your free-agent scrap heap, be they crafty vets, green rookies, youngsters ready to break out or prospects recently brought up. BATS: 1. Joey Gathright, OF, Royals – This is needs-based recommendation as Gathright is the fastest man in baseball but will only help you out in the steals department. He was recently traded to Kansas City and made his first start Thursday, going 0-for-2 but drawing a walk and scoring twice. He can hit for a decent average, and if he gets on a roll, the bags will come in bunches. 2. Chris Burke, 2B-OF, Astros – This former playoff hero has finally made his way into the Houston everyday lineup, and he’s making the most of it. Burke, 26, is also a former first-round pick (10th overall) and possesses a good combination of power and speed for someone with second base eligibility. He is playing outfield for now, but someday second will be all his, and he has the tools to do Craig Biggio proud. 3. Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, Reds – After a monster spring training, Encarnacion’s name was on the lips of many in discussions of rookies, sleepers and breakout candidates. While he hasn’t come close to matching his prolific preseason display, Encarnacion has immense power potential. His struggles coupled with a recent trip to the DL may have compelled owners in redraft leagues to cut the 23-year-old Dominican, but he began his rehab assignment Thursday and should be mashing at the Great American Ballpark soon. 4. Ben Johnson, OF, Padres – He won’t be confused with the shamed Canadian sprinter on the base paths, but Johnson is a good athlete nonetheless. He’s filling in for the oft-injured Dave Roberts and could play his way into an everyday gig eventually. NL-only players could find value here. 5. Freddy Guzman, OF, Rangers – Much like Gathright, Guzman brings little to the table besides speed, but of that, he has plenty to burn. If he can get regular PT in the Rangers outfield, Juan Pierre numbers are not at all out of the question. 6. Franklin Gutierrez, OF, Indians – I’ve been compelled by this toolsy prospect for some time, but the Venezuelan has only let me down thus far. The Tribe has started him in right field six straight games, and all he has to show for it is a .136 batting average. Sounds appealing, huh? Well, if he does start to realize his vast potential, keeper leaguers and especially AL-only players should be at the ready. 7. Ronny Paulino, C, Pirates – Ryan Doumit seemed like favorite to become the Bucs’ catcher of the future, but Paulino has stolen the backstop job for now. He’s hitting .314 and playing regularly. 8. Eliezer Alfonzo, C, Giants – Similar to the Arizona E-Gonz situation, when I first saw Alfonzo in the San Francisco boxscore, I was sure it was INF Edgardo making another comeback attempt. Nope. This E. Alfonzo has a lot more upside considering his age (27) and position. He’s getting regular at bats in the Bay and could be decent when Barry Bonds and Moises Alou start playing again. 9. Henry Blanco, C, Cubs – You have no excuse if you are desperate for a catcher after this, the third straight such entry in a row. A Blanco add would only be temporary – No. 1 Michael Barrett is serving a suspension – but you could do worse for the rest of the week. 10. Juan Encarnacion, OF, Cardinals – He broke my heart a few years ago and I haven’t forgiven him, but I can’t help but notice his name among the more productive outfielders over the last month. He helped Scott Rolen pick up the slack with Albert Pujols out, and now that big Al is back, Encarnacion could help your stats even more. ARMS 1. John Lester, SP, Red Sox – There have been numerous eye-opening starts by rookie pitchers this season – Anthony Reyes’ one-hitter Thursday adamantly included – but Lester’s 10-strikeout performance is near the forefront as well. Granted, it was against Washington, but Lester, a top Boston prospect, gave up just one run against three hits and two walks. Considering the success the Red Sox had with Jonathon Papelbon’s promotion last year, the Boston brass will probably give the lefty Lester a shot to stick. 2. Jeremy Sowers, SP, Indians – Another intriguing southpaw, Sowers takes over as Cleveland’s No. 5 starter after the trade of Jason Johnson. More cerebral than dominating, Sowers is projected to be a No. 2 long-term but could prove helpful now if he continues to throw anywhere near as well as he did in Triple-A. 3. Joe Blanton, SP, Athletics – He was just added in my mixed public league so I thought I’d write him up in case the word is completely out yet. Blanton has allowed two runs over his last 16 innings, and two starts before that he threw a complete-game shutout. He won’t strike out a lot of batters (44 K’s in 88.1 innings this season), but he may do wonders for your ERA. 4. Jaret Wright, SP, Yankees – Who knew he would fail after signing a rich contract in the Bronx? Oh, I guess we all did. Regardless, he’s been surprisingly solid this season, having allowed three runs or fewer in seven of his 11 starts. And you know he’ll get run support. 5. Brian Meadows, RP, Devil Rays – Yes he throws for Tampa, and I know Tyler Walker will eventually return from injury. That said, saves are saves, and Meadows is the closer add du jour. 6. Craig Hansen, RP, Red Sox – He was Beantown’s closer of the future until Papelbon began to rival Mariano Rivera this season. Even still, Hansen is likely to be bestowed with saves long-term so know the name should things change in the Boston bullpen. 7. John Patterson, SP, Nationals – This is the week’s pitching equivalent to Edwin Encarnacion. He’s returning from the DL, and for those in shallow leagues, it’s worth a quick look at the free-agent pile to make sure he hasn’t been discarded. It’s unlikely, although there is a chance, which is why he is down here so low. 8. A.J. Burnett, SP, Blue Jays – See above. 9. Jorge Sosa, RP, Braves – Word is, Bobby Cox may try him at closer, which is what most scouts thought he’d be good at when Atlanta acquired the power arm from the Devil Rays. If he does get the gig, and secures it, Sosa could be an excellent saves man. 10. Jose Valverde, RP, Diamondbacks – Speaking of saves … Valverde isn’t going to get any right now. However, he has been promoted to the setup role, which means he is on Jorge Julio’s doorstep. Valverde and Julio both have a history of spotty, yet sparkling, success followed by misery, so this could very well turn into a merry-go-round at some point. Either way, with this recent news, Valverde isn’t completely void of value in NL-only leagues. Questions and/or comments can be sent to jmkempter@aol.com