Aramis Ramirez hasn't been seen playing third base for the Chicago Cubs since May 8. The Cubs having been trying unsuccessfully to fill his spot at the hot corner since Ramirez went down.
Probably would have been nice to have a guy like Casey McGehee in the minor league system in case this situation arose. Oh wait, Chicago did have McGehee. For the past six seasons, actually.
McGehee, a third baseman like Ramirez, was drafted by the Cubs in the 10th round back in 2003. He played well early on and advanced rather swiftly all the way to Triple-A Iowa as a 23-year-old in 2006. He hit .280 with 11 homers and 68 RBI that season, but for some reason began the next year back down at Double-A. By 2008, McGehee made it back to Iowa, where he played a full season and hit .296 with 12 homers and 92 RBI. That earned him a late-season call up as he went 4 for 24 in nine games for Chicago.
Apparently, this displeased Chicago management, who didn't think they'd need him with Ramirez entrenched at the position, as they designated him for assignment after the season. McGehee was quickly gobbled up by the division-rival Brewers. The best career move he could have ever made.
McGehee hit .370 during the spring to earn a spot on the Brewers' opening day roster. When Rickie Weeks injured himself and was lost for the season, it opened up a door for McGehee to move to second base. McGehee, hitting .336 with five homers and 21 RBI in 110 at-bats, has not looked back.
"In the minor leagues, it's not the ideal place you want to be," McGehee explained to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "When I got picked up by Milwaukee, I felt like it was a good thing right away.
"The Cubs thought they were covered (at third base). Of course, I disagreed with it but I ended up in a better place for myself. I've got nothing bad to say about those guys over there. They gave me my first chance. I don't blame them for anything."
The Cubs' folly is the Brewers' delight as McGehee has locked up a starting gig and a spot in the middle of a batting order that already includes sluggers like Ryan J. Braun and Prince Fielder. As hot as ever, McGehee is on a five-game hitting streak with three homers and eight RBI over that span.
In one game, Monday night against the Mets, McGehee nearly wore out his welcome in Beer City only to endear himself to the fans forever just moments later. McGehee had just dropped a pop up at third that could have been very costly for Milwaukee. He walked off the field when the third out was made to a chorus of boos. As he strode to the plate in the bottom of the inning with the bases loaded, one swing turned the boos into 39,872 screaming cheers as he hit a grand slam. The fans wanted a curtain call and he obliged.
Needless to say, McGehee was one of the most added Fantasy players across the board over the last week. He's currently owned in 45 percent of leagues. Gaining second base eligibility, one of the weakest positions in Fantasy, the happiest Brewer of them all will continue to make the Cubs eat crow and should be on most Fantasy rosters by the All-Star break.
Call to the Bench -- We feel this player might be worthy of adding to Fantasy rosters for the long haul
Miguel Olivo, C, Kansas City
Owned: 26 percent of leagues
Analysis: Olivo hit 16 home runs back in 2006 and 2007 with the Marlins, so it isn't like we had no idea he had pop in his bat. But after 183 at-bats this season, including going 3 for 4 Monday night and finishing just a double shy of the cycle, he's on pace for a career-high 25 round trippers. After spending most of the beginning of the season splitting time behind the plate with John Buck, Olivo got the everyday gig when Buck went down with an injury. Buck last played on May 27, meaning Olivo took over full time as June began. It is no coincidence that with regular playing time, Olivo has eight homers and 17 RBI this month over 74 at-bats compared to just four long balls and 15 RBI over the entirety of April and May. Buck was hitting .226 when he went down, so there is no reason to believe that he'll be anything but a bench player when he's able to return to the team. Olivo has earned the starting job and has earned ownership in far more than the 26 percent of leagues in which he currently owned.
You're Out! -- We feel this player might have already peaked and his value could be on the decline, so Fantasy owners might want to cut bait ASAP
Fernando Nieve, SP, New York Mets
Owned: 54 percent of leagues
Analysis: It doesn't take a Fantasy genius to understand why Nieve was the No. 1 most added Fantasy player over the past week. The Mets get a lot of media attention and Nieve had been their most consistent starter for most of June. The former Houston reliever saw his first action with the Mets on June 6 at Washington. He came out of the bullpen for two scoreless innings. New York, in dire need of healthy starters, gave him a shot on June 13 at the Yankees, a very tough task, indeed. Nieve came through with 6 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits for only his fourth career victory. Nieve's opponents didn't get any easier as he faced the Rays and Cardinals in his next two outings and won both of them, too. He was even better in those starts, giving up just one run and six hits over 12 innings and carrying a 1.31 ERA. However, Nieve was walking too many people with nine over his three wins. As a 26-year-old, he's not exactly young and hasn't wowed in the bigs before now. He was bound to come down from cloud nine and did just that in his latest outing on Monday against Milwaukee. He gave up three runs on 11 hits and lasted only one out into the fourth inning. He could easily bounce back in his next start, but we'd continue to monitor him before rushing out and committing a roster spot in mixed formats.
GIDPs -- We feel this player might not warrant as much Fantasy consideration as he is receiving and should be avoided in most instances
Milton Bradley, OF, Chicago Cubs
Owned: 54 percent of leagues
Analysis: We've all known about Bradley's shenanigans for some time now. When the guy hits .321 with 22 homers and 77 RBI as he did last year for the Rangers, many of his poor judgments in character could be overlooked. Hitting just .238 with five homers and 17 RBI in 181 at-bats with the Cubs this season, Bradley's antics are a lot tougher to swallow. Word is that Bradley will be working with the team's hitting instructor to find his swing again, but the way things are going right now, a total meltdown could come well before he fixes his broken swing. We all know about Bradley throwing his helmet. We know he got into a heated exchange with manager Lou Piniella, who sent him home in the middle of a game. But even before that, Bradley complained to the Chicago Tribune that he's just not happy in Chicago. "This isn't me," Bradley said. "I've always excelled at playing baseball, and to come here and suck like I have, it's just not a good feeling." Bradley says he doesn't have any close friends on the team who can help him through his struggles. He singled out Derrek Lee as being "cool" but said they don't have a bond. The only two people Bradley said he liked, fired hitting coach Gerald Perry and departed outfielder Joey Gathright, are both gone. "So you just kind of feel like you're on an island, and trying to stay afloat." That doesn't sound like a guy ready to go on a tear with the bat, does it? Bradley seems lost this season and his Fantasy numbers probably won't turn around as long as he's not happy in Chicago.
Scouting -- We feel this player is on the verge of being a Fantasy reliable option, but still needs to be monitored over the next few weeks
Homer Bailey, SP, Cincinnati
Owned: 25 percent of leagues
Analysis: There was a big difference between the first start Bailey made this season back on May 23 against Cleveland and the one he just finished with on Saturday against those same Indians. Pitching at their in-state rivals this time, Bailey, the Reds' top pitching prospect, actually picked up the victory. He gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings the first time around in a Cincinnati loss. This time he went five frames and allowed just three runs on three hits. There was only one glaring similarity between the two performances and it's what keeps him on the scout list instead of being a must-add. Bailey walked seven batters on Saturday and issued six free passes the first time as well. Thirteen walks in 9 1/3 innings is never a good recipe for success. Bailey went 4-0 in five June starts down at Triple-A Louisville and walked seven in 38 1/3 innings over that span with 40 strikeouts. Clearly, the prospect of facing major league hitters is what is troubling Bailey and causing him to give up so many walks. He deserves to be on rosters in all keeper leagues, but until he proves better command at this level, we wouldn't go starting him in anything but NL-only formats.
Farm Boys -- This segment is for those long-term keeper owners looking for the next Fantasy superstar
Matt Latos, SP, San Diego
Owned: 7 percent of leagues
Analysis: If his name sounds familiar, that is because colleague Eric Mack showcased Latos in his most recent Prospects Report . Latos is an interesting story because of how quickly he has made a name for himself as a top prospect for the Padres. Taken with an 11th round pick in 2007, his first few seasons were bogged down by injury and inconsistency. Latos did some work pitching in the spring but major league mainstays Victory Martinez and Corey C. Hart blasted mammoth homers against him and things didn't look good. After another injury before the season, Latos started for Class A Fort Wayne and was masterful going 3-0 with an 0.36 ERA in three starts. That got him promoted to Double-A San Antonio, a two-level jump, where he's currently 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA at the break. He has 64 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 58 1/3 innings and he's been hitting 95 on the radar gun with regularity. "He's one of the few guys in the organization with 'stuff,'" Padres general manager Kevin Towers told the North County Times. Latos will continue to develop for the Padres, who are not in contention, and could see a second-half call up if the team feels he's ready. He's only 22 and could have a very bright future ahead of him.
Doctor's Report -- This segment highlights a player on the verge of coming off the DL and ready to make an immediate Fantasy impact.
Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City
Owned: 50 percent of leagues
Analysis: There is mixed news surfacing about the Royals' slugger. Gordon has started a rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Royals and has played in three games thus far as he's attempting to come back from surgery to repair a tear in his hip. Gordon homered in the very first game, going 1 for 2 and driving in three runs. In the three games, Gordon is 2 for 7 and has also walked twice. That's the good news. The bad news is that Gordon is not running particularly well, which is to be expected after this type of surgery, reports the Kansas City Star. Manager Trey Hillman compared the surgery to the one Alex Rodriguez returned from this season and adds that A-Rod's was "not as extensive as" Gordon's. Gordon is definitely on his way back to the majors and when he gets there, he'll immediately be worth a look in deeper mixed Fantasy leagues because of the power he's already showcased against GCL hurlers. Still, it isn't likely he'll be back before the end of July at this point.
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