In the near future, Friday will be the day on which I write my weekly Help Me Help You blog answering any fantasy baseball related questions I receive via email to sandlotsabermetrics@gmail.com during the week. Since I have yet to receive any questions, I figured I would take this opportunity to write a blog following some players you know and where they are now. Some will be fantasy relevant, others will just be baseball related.
Hank Blalock
The guy has been stashed in the Tampa Bay organization throughout the early going, but now he has been called up to the Major League club. At Triple-A Blalock was batting .349 with 24 RBI's over 26 games. He has captured a role in a DH platoon with Willy Aybar, but could soon emerge as the go-to option at the position for the Rays. Keep an eye on Blalock in deeper leagues as he hit 25 home runs just a year ago with the Texas Rangers. If he heats up he might be worth adding in deeper mixed formats.
Jack Cust
The man who led the Oakland A's in home runs over the past two seasons began the year in Triple-A. Like Blalock, he was just called up this week. Cust should take over the starting DH spot immediately, making him an intriguing option in deeper leagues from the start. He was batting .273 with four home runs and 19 RBI's at Triple-A Sacramento. Cust is a streaky player who will have his hot and cold spells throughout the year, but I think he will stick on the A's roster. He can be a sufficient stopgap at points throughout the season went he is hitting the ball well.
Ryan Freel
The journeyman utility infielder has retired. After playing eight major league seasons with the Reds, Royals, Cubs, Orioles, and Blue Jays, Freel signed with the Atlantic League's Somerset Patriots earlier this year. At 34, Freel decided to leave the independent league team after batting .265 through April. Freel made a name for himself in Cincinnati, even gaining some fantasy relevance while averaging 37 steals over a three year period. Freel earned over $11.5 million during his baseball career and now has time to enjoy it.
Feel free to email me at sandlotsabermetrics@gmail.com with fantasy questions to feature in my weekly Help Me Help You blog.
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