Week 20 Free Agent Profiles: Hitters

Entering Thursday, the Washington Nationals were 34 games under .500 and ranked last in baseball in runs scored and batting average, yet two of their outfielders made our list of top free agents available in at least 50 percent of leagues.

A pennant race seems to have energized the bat and 38 year-old legs of Jim Edmonds, while youngsters Denard Span and Jed Lowrie are proving that the futures of the Red Sox and Twins are in good hands.

Fantasy: Week 20 Closer Rankings

Closer carousels have been in motion virtually all season, making for a constant shuffle at the bottom of the closer heap. And as constant as the change has been at the bottom, the top has been even more dominant. From Angels’ record chaser Francisco Rodriguez at the top to Pirates fill-in John Grabow at the bottom, 2008 is a clear-cut case of the haves and have-nots.

K-Rod could stop pitching today and still possibly lead baseball in saves. And as the saves pile up, we’re starting to see his typical dominance in strikeouts, something that was missing from his early season run. The rest of the top six remains virtually intact, the only change being Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge slipping in favor of Minnesota’s Joe Nathan and Kansas City’s Joakim Soria.

Fantasy Storylines: To the Minors and Back

One interesting item to note each season is how teams handle their underperforming young players, especially those who have garnered top prospect status. Confidence is key, so clubs must be cautious in their decision to bench a rookie, demote him, or let him play through his struggles. Demotions make for interesting storylines because a player can, and often does, come back to the majors more prepared than ever for sustained success.

Four players come to mind as going that route in ’08. The most heralded of the group was Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano, who was called up for an early test in his first major league action since 2006 Tommy John surgery. Liriano crashed and burned in the earlyaudition and was sent to Triple-A Rochester, where he went 10-0 in his final 11 starts and hit the ground running upon his recall to Minnesota.

Fantasy Storylines: Ian Kinsler’s Emergence

In a season full of pleasant surprises, has there been a more pleasant surprise in fantasy baseball than Texas’ Ian Kinsler? The 26-year old’s flawless 5×5 rotisserie game has pushed him to the top of second base rankings this season, while putting him in the conversation for Fantasy MVP honors.

With speed that was quoted by Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine as being “just a tick above average” in an SI.com article, Kinsler has still managed 26 stolen bases to go with 16 home runs. He ranks third in the American League batting race (.320), while leading the league with 99 runs scored and ranking second among major league second basemen with his 26 steals.

Aubrey Huff Sizzling; Rays Licking Their Wounds

As they travel to Oakland for a series against the sliding Atheltics, the Tampa Bay Rays have dodged questions about who is going to step up after injuries to Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford., At the other end of the AL East, the Baltimore Orioles, despite being 6 games below .500 and 15 games behind the first place Rays, are reaping the benefits of a healthy season for former Devil Rays salary cap casualty Aubrey Huff.

Huff is hitting .390 with 5 home runs, 14 runs and 15 RBIs during his league-high 19-game hitting streak, and now has 24 homers and 77 RBIs on the year. Although he has seven multi-hit games during the streak, seven of the last eight games have been one-hit performances.

Fantasy: Adam Dunn to D-backs a Lateral Move

The Arizona Republic is reporting that Cincinnati Reds left fielder Adam Dunn is on his way to Arizona as part of a four-player deal. The Diamondbacks sent minor league pitcher Dallas Buck and two players to be named later to the rebuilding Reds, who have now traded away veteran outfielders Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. for prospects in the last two weeks.

While Buck is a nice addition to a resurgent Cincinnati farm system, Dunn is the only player of significance in fantasy. The move from Cincinnati into the National League West playoff race is likely a lateral one in terms of his overall value. But, for a player whose fantasy merits are derived almost exclusively from the home run ball — he’s tied for major league lead with 32 — it’s tough to see him leave Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark.

Fantasy: Searching for Carl Crawford Replacements

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford was placed on the disabled list with an injured tendon in his right hand, the Tampa Tribune reported. Crawford had missed some time with a tender hamstring before suffering the hand injury, so fantasy owners were at least getting used to the idea of moving forward with Crawford on their benches.

But, the worst part of this equation is that Crawford is a question mark to return to the Rays lineup this season, according to the Rays’ official site. Again, a silver lining, if there is one to this cloud, is the fact that Crawford really hadn’t performed that great before suffering the injury. Even at his healthiest, the 27-year old was on pace for his lowest career batting average (.273) and stolen base total (25).

Fantasy: Crushing Blow for Carlos Lee Owners

Houston Astros outfielder Carlos Lee is done for the season with a broken left pinky finger, according to the Houston Chronicle. This is a crushing blow to fantasy owners because a.) El Caballo was in the midst of a tremendous season, and b.) he has been so reliable over the years that his production was etched into all of your future plans.

There’s no replacing Lee’s 40-home run, 120-RBI type production, which makes the timing of this injury so tough to handle. Roster flexibility, if you’re fortunate enough to have it, makes this a little easier because the waiver wire is currently better stocked with non-outfielders with upside.

Lastings Milledge Making Up For Lost Time

Gabe Kapler, whose walk-off home run in the 13th gave Milwaukee its fifth straight win, was the hero in Sunday’s Brewers-Nationals game in Milwaukee, but Lastings Milledge is leaving a lasting impression on opponents during a nine game road trip.

Milledge was 3-for-6 with his 12th home run and two RBIs Sunday and has now hit safely in a season-high 11 straight games. He is hitting .391 with 5 home runs, 10 RBIs and only 5 strikeouts in 45 at-bats during the streak, and in the first six games of the Nats’ current road trip, he’s hitting .406 with three home runs. Milledge is hitting only .255 overall and .256 on the road so far, so his recent success is a sign that he’s finally figuring out major league pitching.

Brian Giles Being Overlooked in San Diego

Padres outfielder Brian Giles nixed a waiver deal Friday that would have sent him to the Boston Red Sox and placed him in the middle of a pennant race and one of the league’s most potent offenses. While remaining with baseball’s most inept offense – and in one of its most spacious ballparks – may be bad news for his fantasy owners, Giles has proven that he is still a viable outfield option.

Four years ago it would have been unnecessary to preface Giles’ name with “Padres outfielder,” but after seasons of 15, 14, and 13 home runs, he got lost in the Petco Park outfield. This season, although he has only 6 home runs and 37 RBIs, his plate discipline has made him a target of contenders, but far too few fantasy owners.