FAABwire week 12

Welcome to FAABwire week 13. 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

Wilson Betemit 1B/3B/OF, Orioles (Owned: 13%) (FAAB: $35)
Betemit is mostly facing right-handed pitching these days, but has taken advantage of this platoon, hitting .265 with 10 home runs in June. In his first 200 at-bats this season, he has hit 30 RBI. His multi-position flexibility can be particularly helpful in daily leagues. There is not much upside here, but the 31-year-old can be a nice fill-in type player in 15-team leagues.

Chris Nelson 2B/3B, Rockies (Owned 12%) (FAAB: $25)
With Troy Tulowitzki on the DL, Chris Nelson has been playing nearly every day and has an outstanding 1.075 OPS for the month of June. The 26-year-old was a former first-round pick, making him a player to keep an eye on with an inherent upside. Nelson has moved up in the batting order hitting fifth, and any bat in the middle of a Colorado lineup is a bat to add.

Franklin Morales SP/RP, Red Sox (Owned 29%) (FAAB: $75)
In three starts, Morales has displayed an elite K/9 and BB/9 rates. While his control has always been an issue, the left is only 26-years-old and may have made the necessary adjustments. When Clay Bucholz returns, Morales could move back to the pen, but if Morales keeps this up it will be tough for the Red Sox to take him out of the rotation. While we remain skeptical about his new found control, he is a must add in 15-team formats and worth a look in 12-team leagues.

Marco Estrada, SP/RP, Brewers (Owned: 17%) (FAAB: $25)

Estrada struck out career-high 12 batters while allowing three runs over six innings in his last start. Estrada was a pre-season sleeper, and now with Marcum and Narveson on the shelf, the 28-year-old right-hander has an opportunity to return a profit. Estrada has very good strikeout and walk rates, but has always been hurt by giving to many home runs. If the matchup is right, he is worth a solid look in 15-team leagues.

Andrew Cashner RP/SP, Padres (Owned: 37%) (FAAB: $60) 

 After posting an outstanding 1.88 ERA and 22/3 K/BB in 14 1/3 innings over three starts at Double-A. In his season debut as starter on Thursday he allowed just two hits and two runs with a career-high nine strikeouts over 6.1 innings at Houston. With his 100-mile per hour fastball, we are willing to find out if the 25-year old can harness his wild tendencies. Oh yeah, he will be pitching half of his games in PETCO park