FAABwire Week 10

Welcome to FAABwire week ten. This article will cover the top pickups of the week and how much FAAB (Free agent acquisition budget) you should spend. The FAABwire series is mostly catered to twelve and fifteen team mixed league formats. Each week I will mostly focus on players that are owned in under thirty-four percent of CBS leagues. FAAB bids are of course very specific to individual leagues, so I will give you ballpark bids of what it should take to acquire each player based on a one thousand dollar budget. Throughout the week, feel free to tweet players at me that I can discuss is the column. @MarkusPotter

This week as I had previous commitments, so the amazing Michael Pichan of The Fantasy Nomad Show and RotoInfo.com pinch hit for me and provided the content for this weeks FAABwire. A big thank you to @FantasyNomad

Andrelton Simmons, SS, Braves (Owned: 13%) (FAAB: $25)

Simmons is proving that he's more then just a magician with the glove as he already has five multi-hit games, including two three-hit games. Overall Simmons is hitting .333 with four runs scored, two doubles, one triple, two home runs, six RBI, and has more walks (five) then strike outs (three) in just his first 12 games. Simmons has yet to steal a base; something that should change as the Braves management becomes more confident in him on the base paths.

Norichika Aoki, OF, Brewers (Owned: 17%) (FAAB: $30)

Put anyone in front of Ryan Braun in the order and he's worth a flier, let alone a player like Aoki, who has the talent to be close to a 20/20 guy who can hit for average.

Coco Crisp, OF, Athletics (31% owned) (FAAB: $60)

It appears that all Coco Crisp needed was a few days off at the beginning of June to help jumpstart his production. Since his return to the starting line up on June 6^th, Crisp has four multi-hit games, five runs, seven RBI, and three stolen bases. Be cautious of Crisp in Week 12 as he has match ups vs. Kershaw and Bumgarner, but in the long run, Crisp in should out perform his first half stolen base totals.

Brandon Moss, OF, Athletics (Owned: 12%) (FAAB: $50)

Like many this year, Brandon Moss benefited from playing in Coors Field as he homered in each of the three games in Colorado and now is the first Oakland player to homer in four straight games since 2007 following his homerun at home on the 15^th of June. If Moss can continue to stay hot he should also bring some positional flexibility, as most leagues list him as an outfielder but he has been playing first base.

Martin Maldonado Brewers C (Owned: 3%) (FAAB: $45)

Not to often you find a player who has more home runs then his percentage owned, which is the case for Maldonado, who now has four home runs in only 42 at bats this season. The 25 year old Maldonado appears to be settling in nicely as a starter behind the plate for the Brewers and should continue to hit for some power as his confidence increases.

Salvador Perez, C, Royals (Owned: 22%) (FAAB: $25)

A sleeper candidate coming into the season, Perez is finally healthy and looks ready to fulfill the high hopes many had of him on draft day as he has been raking in his rehab starts in Triple-A (13 for 35 for a .371 BA and only four strike outs).

Tyler Colvin, OF Rockies (Owned: 9%) (FAAB: $60)

Consistent at bats have been hard to come by, thus the first base/outfield eligible Tyler Colvin is more of a DEEP league option, but when he has gotten in the line up the 26 year old has made the most of it having hit safely 35 times in 121 at bats (.289 BA) with seven home runs, three triples, six doubles and slugging .562 slugging.

Justin Grimm, SP, Rangers (Owned: 7% ) (FAAB: $50)

Drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round of the 2010, the 23-year-old Grimm has quickly moved through the Rangers farm system and now will get chance to see what he can do at the big league. In 13 starts (77 IP), at Double A, Grim posted an 8-3 record with a 1.87 ERA, .115 opponents batting average, and 67 strike outs to only 14 walks and three home runs. Grimm projects to be a solid starter down the road, but at this point he may only get a few starts as the Rangers wait on calling up Roy Oswalt.

Michael Fiers, SP, Brewers (Owned: NA) (FAAB: $20)

Statistically he's been decent, 2-2 win/loss record with a 4.50 ERA (2.95 FIP), and 1.30 WHIP, including his win on Saturday where Friers went seven innings allowing only one earned run on four hits, two walks, while striking out five. Friers has been able to have some success because he does a great job of hiding the ball in his delivery, hitting his target, and keeping the ball down in the zone, all factors that have helped Friers strike out 22 while only walking four in 25 innings pitched despite having an average fastball velocity of 88-89 mph.

Robbie Ross, RP, Rangers (Owned: 9%) (FAAB: $1)

Tired of chasing saves or rolling the dice with some fringe starters, then ease your stress and pick up a middle relief pitcher like Robbie Ross, or Darren O'Day, both top 100 Fantasy Ranked players in standard league formats. Rostering middle relief pitchers is a great strategy to help keep your ERA and WHIP in check, and add some strike outs, a strategy often ignored by many which gives you an angle to exploit that your competition may not be.

Grant Balfour, RP, Athletics (Owned: 32%) (FAAB: $1)

Balfour has pitched much better of late having allowed only one run in his last eleven appearances, lowering his ERA from 4.50 in the middle of May to about 3.00. Despite his last name, Balfour has only allowed two walks in the month of June, (six appearances), while striking out eight. If Ryan Cook falters, Balfour has pitched his way into another chance at closing, and in the meantime he can help lower your ERA and get you some extra strike outs.