Tuesday Roto Round Up

1B Nick Johnson, Washington Nationals:  Lost in the nightmare that is the Nationals' 9th inning is the excellent bounceback season of Johnson.  .314/.397/.424 doesn't exactly augur a return to his 2006 form, but it certainly makes last season's .220 AVG look unlikley.  With 1Bs Kevin youkilis and Carlos Delgado out for a while, Larry Bowa's nephew looks like a good replacement.

OF Coco Crisp, Kansas City Royals:  His walks are way up this season as is his power.  He hit his 3rd HR and stole his 9th base last night.  The promise of Crisp's 2005 power (16 HR) combined with 2007's spped (28 SB) looks like a possibility now (.382 OBP and .471 SLG).

SP Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies:  After being a trendy mixed league sleeper, Ubaldo opened the 2009 season by getting bombed with 7.58 ERA and 2.11 WHIP.  In May, he looks like the player he was expected to be - 2.14 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.

SP Rich Harden, Chicago Cubs:  Harden noptched-up his 4th win against the San Diego Padres and lowered his ERA to 4.54.  He has not missed a start this season, and his overall strikeouts are great (46 in 37.2 IP).  I note his May numbers are 8 BBs and 11 Ks in 16.2 innings, though.  A trough or bias against one of the more injury-prone pitchers?

1B/3B Jeff Larish, Detroit Tigers:  Larish homered for the second consecutive game and is 4-9 in his last three games.  He is the player I thought would be a left-handed Marcus Thames this season - 20 HR and 50 RBI, but he got buried when former-SS-turned-3B-turned-1B-turned-LF Carlos Guillen turned DH.

OF Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers:  One the this year's top OF in fantasy drafts returned from the D.L. with a HR.  He still has a long way to go to justify his 1st round status, and I worry his 3:17 BB:K ratio means he won't do it.

2B Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays:  With his 9th HR and a .357 AVG, Hill is one the most valuable 2B in 2009.  His draft day value may make him the most valuable one in fantasy baseball.  Are you buying or selling?

OF Adam Jones, Baltimore:  A .363 AVg, 8 HRs, and 25 RBIs makes Jones the Adam Hill of the OF.  Are you buying or selling?

OF B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays, and DH David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox:  Neither hit their first HR of the 2009 season.  Who will be first and who will hit the most?  Despite 7 SBs, Upton's .160 AVG and 3 RBIs are killing fantasy teams.  Only relative to Upton, can Ortiz' .218 AVG and 15 RBIs look good.

OF Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies:  With 4 SBs last night, Werth now has seven steals to go with his 6 HRs, 21 RBIs and .295 AVG.  I'm beginning to think punting outfielders in mixed leagues is an under-appreciated draft strategy.  The 10th-15th rounds should be spent drafting OFers and Saves, no?

8th Inning Set-Up (Holds): Kip Wells WAS (4), Arthur Rhodes (6) and David Weathers CIN (6), Carlos Marmol CHC (10), Jose Mijares (3) and Matt Guerrier MIN (4), Mark DeFelice MLW (3), Eric O'Flaherty ATL (1), RYan madson PHI (5), Octavio Dotel CSX (4)

Saves: Bobby Jenks CSX (8), George Sherrill BAL (6), Trevor Hoffman MLW (6), Jonathan Papelbon BOS (9), Francisco Cordero CIN (10), Brad Lidge PHI (5)

Blown Saves: Joe Beimel WAS (1), Mike Gonzalez ATL (2)