Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.Prospects' careers don't always progress the way we hoped they would. While players like Rick Porcello and Clayton Kershaw became fantasy-relevant before their 22nd birthdays, Nolan Reimold had to wait until he was 25 to get a legitimate shot. Travis Hafner wasn't a true force until he was 27, etc.. In any case, like the curious one of scorching outfielder Garrett Jones, it's important to keep that perspective in mind.
So what exactly do we know about "The Robber Baron"? (Other than the fact that he's drilled nine homers in his first 17 games with Pittsburgh)
We know Jones' bat packs slugging power. He's had four seasons in the minors of 20-plus home runs, including 31 in 2004 when he was with Minnesota. However, he's also racked up a whopping 915 strikeouts to only 298 walks over his entire career. Also, his lifetime batting average is below .260 ... a .313 hitter he is not.
Jones is not going to maintain this pace. But, as Matt Snyder mentioned Tuesday, you'd be hard-pressed to find many better waiver-wire pickups in late July. His ownership in fantasy leagues has increased to about 25% over the past few days. That's still too low. He's batting third and could provide about 13 homers and a few steals the rest of the way.
Bits From the Box Scores
• Another underrated Pirate who's heating up is catcher Ryan Doumit. He had his first breakout game post-injury on Wednesday, hitting two homers out of the cleanup spot. Available in a lot of shallow leagues, Doumit is the perfect remedy for those who have begrudgingly held on to Russell Martin. I gave up on him in one league and made the switch to Doumit, and you should too.
• We've done our fair share of hating on Howie Kendrick, but he's swinging a hot enough bat to be starter-worthy at your middle infield slot. He smacked his first homer since May 21 and his batting average continues to rise. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he's going to catapult out of the eight-hole any time soon.• Ryan Theriot swiped three bases after going through most of July inactive on the base paths. It would be nice if Theriot was given the green light more often, but at least the runs have been consistent from month to month. He's up to 52 total.
• Alfonso Soriano seems like he's on the verge of another mini power streak. He's striking out less, the multi-hit games are starting to roll in, and his batting average for July is up to .328
• Interested in a pitcher who's thrown five straight quality starts and owned in just five percent of mixed leagues? Then head to Arizona where Mr. Jon Garland is at your service. I know, I know ... the WHIP is scary and he doesn't strike anyone out. But Garland has shown in the past he can get hot down the stretch (see 3.61 post-break ERA in 2006).
• Yes, that was Miguel Montero tearing it up again from the heart of the Diamondbacks' lineup. With five HR, 11 RBI and 11 runs over his last 15 games, he should at least be starting in all two-catcher lineups, and is even worth a spot in shallow lineups while he stays hot.
• Ozzie Guillen is vehemently standing by struggling closer Bobby Jenks despite a few shaky outings. Matt Thornton, who has a 2.88 ERA over 40 2/3 innings, picked up the two-inning save Wednesday. Thornton isn't a bed speculative pickup in deep leagues just in case.
• A.J. Burnett has been a bit underrated in fantasy circles since struggling big time through the first couple months of the season. The WHIP is still problematic, but his ERA has dipped below 3.00 and his quality starts have been more frequent when you take an isolated look of June and July.
The Afflicted: Jose Guillen left Wednesday's game against the Angels with what a club official called "sudden right leg pain." No word on whether he thinks the injury "sucks" as much as he does. The Nationals placed promising rookie hurler Jordan Zimmermann on the 15-day DL with right elbow discomfort. If you're looking for a replacement to round out your rotation, go with Rays' Jeff Niemann. The 6-foot-9 righty has been dominant over his last few starts, allowing just two runs over his last 17 innings pitched. The Mariners are hoping Franklin Gutierrez can return to the lineup Thursday. Atlanta activated Kelly Johnson from the 15-day DL, but he'll have to settle for a bench role. Adrian Beltre might be able to hit off a tee next week. We'll hold our breath with anticipation.
Don't Forget About: Kevin Slowey. The Twins pitcher has been sidelined with wrist soreness, but will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. If all goes well, we could see him back in the big-league rotation in early August.
Down on the Farm: Madison Bumgarner can do it all, including out-slug the entire San Francisco Giants lineup. The possible future star hit a grand slam in addition to seven sharp innings and his seventh win of the season. His ERA for Double-A Connecticut stands at 1.56. Prepare to see Bumgarner in the bigs as early as April 2010.
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