Bravesworld.com | Atlanta Braves News, braves Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>Fantasy baseball waivers and the acquisition of fantasy baseball free agents can make or break a season. You may have adjusted your fantasy baseball cheat sheets over and over during spring training. If your team remains the same after Opening Day, though, you'll probably have trouble competing in your rotisserie baseball league.</div><p></p>Do you need to add players to replace your fantasy baseball busts? Which players can you ignore? KFFL.com's<i> Diamond Market</i> series gives you the fantasy baseball tips and advice you need to sort through the masses quickly.<p><h3>KEY</h3><p><B>Acquire</b> - Add player (in most circumstances)<br><b>Watch</b> - Track player; consider adding if trend continues<br><b>Pass</b> - Do not add player (in most circumstances)<p><h3>First Basemen</h3><p><h4>Kevin Millar, Baltimore</h4><p>Millar has gotten off to an excellent start in June, posting 10 hits in his first 31 at-bats with three of them leaving the yard. In fact, he has cracked five home runs in his last 12 games to push his season total to 11. His 32 RBI and 34 runs scored are also helpful numbers in deeper mixed leagues, though his .249 suggests he should be bypassed in shallower versions.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h3>Second Basemen</h3><p><h4>Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox</h4><p>After struggling to adjust to major league pitching in April (4-for-29), Ramirez played well in May and is scorching in June. His 14-for-28 start to the month has effectively buried second baseman <B>Juan Uribe</b> on the bench as the former starter hasn't even made an appearance this month. He has shown some decent pop as well, going deep three times in his last nine contests. At a relatively shaky offensive position like second base he at least warrants consideration in all leagues.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Josh Barfield, Cleveland</h4><p>With second baseman <b>Asdrubal Cabrera</b> bottoming out offensively the team has summoned Barfield to take his spot in the lineup. Barfield was brought over from the San Diego Padres in a trade before the 2007 season and was the starter for much of last year. Barfield hit .280 with 13 home runs as a rookie with San Diego, but he managed to bat a meager .243 with three home runs last season. He's a non-factor in mixed leagues for now, but AL-only owners might want to take a flier on him based on his '06 performance. <p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass <br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass <br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Marco Scutaro, Toronto</h4><p>Scutaro has already played five different positions this season and seems to find his way into the starting lineup almost every day. His .268 average and two home runs don't do much for fantasy owners. However, he has shown some speed (five steals in seven attempts) and his 24 RBI and 25 runs are solid. He is currently filling in for the injured Aaron Hill (concussion), so he has another temporary boost in value. He's really more of an AL-only option, though those in deeper mixed formats that are looking for a bench candidate with good positional eligibility can consider him. <p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h3>Shortstops</h3><p><h4>Maicer Izturis, Los Angeles Angels</h4><p>With infielder <B>Erick Aybar</b> (finger) on the shelf since mid-May, Izturis has taken over as the team's everyday shortstop. The extra playing time didn't immediately translate into results for the 27-year-old, as he was hitting just .202 on the season after going 0-for-3 May 30. Since then, things have turned around dramatically for Izturis, who is 16-for-36 (.444) in his last eight games with two home runs, eight RBI and two stolen bases. He has raised his average 53 points in that time. Despite his strong play, he's still primarily an option in deeper leagues.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Angel Berroa, Los Angeles Dodgers</h4><p>Discouraged by the terrible hitting of infielders <b>Chin-Lung Hu</b> (.159) and <b>Luis Maza </b>(.233), the Dodgers acquired Berroa from the Kansas City Royals to help fill the void until shortstop<b> Rafael Furcal</b> (back) returns. Berroa was the American League Rookie of the Year back in 2003, but he never played up to those standards again and has primarily been in Triple-A since the start of the 2007 season. NL-only owners can take note as he is a possible short-term addition. Those is mixed league should steer clear.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>NL-only</i>: Watch<p><h3>Outfielders</h3><p><h4>Nick Swisher, Chicago White Sox</h4><p>Swisher has been a disappointment in the Windy City after coming over from the Oakland A's in an off-season deal. He finished up the month of May hitting just .201 on the season, but he has collected at least one hit and one run in each of his seven contests in June. In addition, his two home runs and seven RBI this month have already exceeded his May totals. Swisher hit 78 home runs during the last three seasons in Oakland. Stash him on your roster if you have room to see if he continues to swing a hot bat.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Brad Hawpe, Colorado</h4><p>It looks as though a trip to the DL may have been just what Hawpe needed to get his swing straightened out. The slugging outfielder went 4-for-9 with two home runs and six RBI in a three-game weekend set against the Milwaukee Brewers in his first game action since May 20. Fantasy owners have been waiting for a sign that Hawpe's 2008 struggles might be coming to an end. This could be it. Scoop him up in all leagues if another owner cut him loose.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>NL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Brent Clevlen, Detroit Tigers</h4><p>Promoted by the Tigers following a spate of injuries, Clevlen could see some time in Detroit's lineup against left-handed pitching. The 24-year-old outfielder was killing the ball at Triple-A Toledo, posting a .324 average with 13 home runs and 55 RBI in 58 games. Despite his lofty minor league numbers, don't expect huge things out of the rookie just yet. Keep an eye on him in AL-only leagues. Ignore him in all others.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>AL-only</i>: Watch<p><h4>Jeremy Reed, Seattle</h4><p>Once a highly regarded prospect after hitting .397 in a late-season call-up in 2004, Reed has steadily slid off the team's radar ever since. However, with outfielder<b> Wladimir Balentien</b> batting just .194 on the year and mired in a 2-for-22 slump, Reed has seen increased playing time lately. He hasn't done a lot with it just yet (5-for-20 in June), but the simple fact that he is getting at-bats makes him worthy of attention in AL-only leagues.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>AL-only</i>: Watch<p><h3>Starting Pitchers</h3><p><h4>Armando Galarraga, Detroit</h4><p>Just when it looked like he was out, they pull him back in ... to the rotation that is. The likely season-ending injury to starting pitcher <b>Jeremy Bonderman</b> (shoulder) opens up a spot in the rotation for Galarraga after it looked like he had lost his place following the return of pitcher <b>Dontrelle Willis</b>. Galarraga has been Detroit's best starter this season, going 5-2 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He's worth owning in all deep mixed leagues and could be of value in shallower versions if your pitchers are underperforming.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Acquire<br><i>AL-only</i>: Acquire<p><h4>Ryan Tucker, Florida</h4><p>The Marlins reached down to the Double-A Carolina Mudcats to summon Tucker for a start Sunday, June 8. Tucker responded by allowing just two hits and one run in five innings of work to get the win in his major league debut. He looks to have secured the fifth spot in the rotation for the time being at the expense of pitcher <b>Burke Badenhop</b>, who has been moved to the bullpen. Despite solid results, Tucker issued five walks (one intentional) and threw just 45 strikes in 89 pitches. Take a wait-and-see approach with him in NL-only setups.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>NL-only</i>: Watch<p><h4>Mitch Boggs, St. Louis</h4><p>Inflammation in the right elbow of starter<B> Todd Wellemeyer </b>(elbow) has led to manager Tony La Russa penciling in Boggs to make his first major league start Tuesday, June 10. Boggs was 5-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 12 starts for Triple-A Memphis before getting called up. He allowed a run on three hits in two innings of work during his major league debut June 6. There's no compelling reason to add Boggs at this point, but keep an eye on his first start to see how he performs.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>NL-only</i>: Watch<p><h3>Relief Pitchers</h3><p><h4>Mike Gonzalez, Atlanta</h4><p>Gonzalez (elbow), who hasn't pitched in more than a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, could be activated early this week to bolster an injury-plagued Braves bullpen. Pitcher <b>John Smoltz </b>(shoulder) likely is done for the year while closer <b>Rafael Soriano</b> (elbow) continues to battle problems with tendonitis in his elbow. Once Gonzalez returns, he could be in the mix immediately for save opportunities along with Soriano and reliever <b>Manny Acosta</b>. Consider grabbing him now in deeper mixed leagues if you're trolling for saves.<p><i>Shallow mixed</i>: Pass<br><i>Deep mixed</i>: Watch<br><i>NL-only</i>: Acquire<p></p>

Fantasy baseball waivers and the acquisition of fantasy baseball free agents can make or break a season. You may have adjusted your fantasy baseball cheat sheets over and over during spring training. If your team remains the same after Opening Day, though, you'll probably have trouble competing in your rotisserie baseball league.

Do you need to add players to replace your fantasy baseball busts? Which players can you ignore? KFFL.com's Diamond Market series gives you the fantasy baseball tips and advice you need to sort through the masses quickly.

KEY

Acquire - Add player (in most circumstances)
Watch - Track player; consider adding if trend continues
Pass - Do not add player (in most circumstances)

First Basemen

Kevin Millar, Baltimore

Millar has gotten off to an excellent start in June, posting 10 hits in his first 31 at-bats with three of them leaving the yard. In fact, he has cracked five home runs in his last 12 games to push his season total to 11. His 32 RBI and 34 runs scored are also helpful numbers in deeper mixed leagues, though his .249 suggests he should be bypassed in shallower versions.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Second Basemen

Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

After struggling to adjust to major league pitching in April (4-for-29), Ramirez played well in May and is scorching in June. His 14-for-28 start to the month has effectively buried second baseman Juan Uribe on the bench as the former starter hasn't even made an appearance this month. He has shown some decent pop as well, going deep three times in his last nine contests. At a relatively shaky offensive position like second base he at least warrants consideration in all leagues.

Shallow mixed: Watch
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Josh Barfield, Cleveland

With second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera bottoming out offensively the team has summoned Barfield to take his spot in the lineup. Barfield was brought over from the San Diego Padres in a trade before the 2007 season and was the starter for much of last year. Barfield hit .280 with 13 home runs as a rookie with San Diego, but he managed to bat a meager .243 with three home runs last season. He's a non-factor in mixed leagues for now, but AL-only owners might want to take a flier on him based on his '06 performance.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
AL-only: Acquire

Marco Scutaro, Toronto

Scutaro has already played five different positions this season and seems to find his way into the starting lineup almost every day. His .268 average and two home runs don't do much for fantasy owners. However, he has shown some speed (five steals in seven attempts) and his 24 RBI and 25 runs are solid. He is currently filling in for the injured Aaron Hill (concussion), so he has another temporary boost in value. He's really more of an AL-only option, though those in deeper mixed formats that are looking for a bench candidate with good positional eligibility can consider him.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Watch
AL-only: Acquire

Shortstops

Maicer Izturis, Los Angeles Angels

With infielder Erick Aybar (finger) on the shelf since mid-May, Izturis has taken over as the team's everyday shortstop. The extra playing time didn't immediately translate into results for the 27-year-old, as he was hitting just .202 on the season after going 0-for-3 May 30. Since then, things have turned around dramatically for Izturis, who is 16-for-36 (.444) in his last eight games with two home runs, eight RBI and two stolen bases. He has raised his average 53 points in that time. Despite his strong play, he's still primarily an option in deeper leagues.

Shallow mixed: Watch
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Angel Berroa, Los Angeles Dodgers

Discouraged by the terrible hitting of infielders Chin-Lung Hu (.159) and Luis Maza (.233), the Dodgers acquired Berroa from the Kansas City Royals to help fill the void until shortstop Rafael Furcal (back) returns. Berroa was the American League Rookie of the Year back in 2003, but he never played up to those standards again and has primarily been in Triple-A since the start of the 2007 season. NL-only owners can take note as he is a possible short-term addition. Those is mixed league should steer clear.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
NL-only: Watch

Outfielders

Nick Swisher, Chicago White Sox

Swisher has been a disappointment in the Windy City after coming over from the Oakland A's in an off-season deal. He finished up the month of May hitting just .201 on the season, but he has collected at least one hit and one run in each of his seven contests in June. In addition, his two home runs and seven RBI this month have already exceeded his May totals. Swisher hit 78 home runs during the last three seasons in Oakland. Stash him on your roster if you have room to see if he continues to swing a hot bat.

Shallow mixed: Watch
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Brad Hawpe, Colorado

It looks as though a trip to the DL may have been just what Hawpe needed to get his swing straightened out. The slugging outfielder went 4-for-9 with two home runs and six RBI in a three-game weekend set against the Milwaukee Brewers in his first game action since May 20. Fantasy owners have been waiting for a sign that Hawpe's 2008 struggles might be coming to an end. This could be it. Scoop him up in all leagues if another owner cut him loose.

Shallow mixed: Acquire
Deep mixed: Acquire
NL-only: Acquire

Brent Clevlen, Detroit Tigers

Promoted by the Tigers following a spate of injuries, Clevlen could see some time in Detroit's lineup against left-handed pitching. The 24-year-old outfielder was killing the ball at Triple-A Toledo, posting a .324 average with 13 home runs and 55 RBI in 58 games. Despite his lofty minor league numbers, don't expect huge things out of the rookie just yet. Keep an eye on him in AL-only leagues. Ignore him in all others.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
AL-only: Watch

Jeremy Reed, Seattle

Once a highly regarded prospect after hitting .397 in a late-season call-up in 2004, Reed has steadily slid off the team's radar ever since. However, with outfielder Wladimir Balentien batting just .194 on the year and mired in a 2-for-22 slump, Reed has seen increased playing time lately. He hasn't done a lot with it just yet (5-for-20 in June), but the simple fact that he is getting at-bats makes him worthy of attention in AL-only leagues.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
AL-only: Watch

Starting Pitchers

Armando Galarraga, Detroit

Just when it looked like he was out, they pull him back in ... to the rotation that is. The likely season-ending injury to starting pitcher Jeremy Bonderman (shoulder) opens up a spot in the rotation for Galarraga after it looked like he had lost his place following the return of pitcher Dontrelle Willis. Galarraga has been Detroit's best starter this season, going 5-2 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He's worth owning in all deep mixed leagues and could be of value in shallower versions if your pitchers are underperforming.

Shallow mixed: Watch
Deep mixed: Acquire
AL-only: Acquire

Ryan Tucker, Florida

The Marlins reached down to the Double-A Carolina Mudcats to summon Tucker for a start Sunday, June 8. Tucker responded by allowing just two hits and one run in five innings of work to get the win in his major league debut. He looks to have secured the fifth spot in the rotation for the time being at the expense of pitcher Burke Badenhop, who has been moved to the bullpen. Despite solid results, Tucker issued five walks (one intentional) and threw just 45 strikes in 89 pitches. Take a wait-and-see approach with him in NL-only setups.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
NL-only: Watch

Mitch Boggs, St. Louis

Inflammation in the right elbow of starter Todd Wellemeyer (elbow) has led to manager Tony La Russa penciling in Boggs to make his first major league start Tuesday, June 10. Boggs was 5-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 12 starts for Triple-A Memphis before getting called up. He allowed a run on three hits in two innings of work during his major league debut June 6. There's no compelling reason to add Boggs at this point, but keep an eye on his first start to see how he performs.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Pass
NL-only: Watch

Relief Pitchers

Mike Gonzalez, Atlanta

Gonzalez (elbow), who hasn't pitched in more than a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, could be activated early this week to bolster an injury-plagued Braves bullpen. Pitcher John Smoltz (shoulder) likely is done for the year while closer Rafael Soriano (elbow) continues to battle problems with tendonitis in his elbow. Once Gonzalez returns, he could be in the mix immediately for save opportunities along with Soriano and reliever Manny Acosta. Consider grabbing him now in deeper mixed leagues if you're trolling for saves.

Shallow mixed: Pass
Deep mixed: Watch
NL-only: Acquire