Don't Believe The Hype: Manny Machado Is Here Edition

Roy Oswalt is in the bullpen, and Neftali Feliz had his elbow cut open. It's probably safe for you to follow the crowd on this one and ditch both of them. There's not much else in the way of en masse drops out there this week, so let's dive in to the adds.

Manny Machado, SS (38 percent owned, +23 percent): It's tough to tell if the 15 percent of owners who owned Machado in the week before his call-up are prescient or just a little crazy, but you could say the same about the Orioles for calling their top position prospect up to play somewhere other than shortstop after amassing 459 plate appearances in the high minors. Machado is a huge prospect, a 19-year-old who hit .266/.352/.438 at a level where the average hitteer is 24.5 years old. That doesn't mean he's big-league ready, though -- this is a huge, huge jump, and the Orioles are gambling that he'll be prepared to handle it.

If you're already out of things in 2012, then sure, throw some FAAB money down on Machado and see what he can do for you, especially if it's a keeper format. But if you're looking for Machado to keep your season alive in the same way the Orioles are hoping for it, that's a little tougher to recommend. He's a serious prospect, with a serious future, but the emphasis might be on that forward-looking word more than the present day.

Chris Johnson, 3B/1B (75 percent owned, +19 percent): My take on Johnson hasn't changed: he's in a park designed for hitters, and it's working out exactly how you would expect it to. Snag him if you're in a league with daily changes, or a deep format where you won't mind his road numbers as much, and enjoy the production while it lasts.

Michael McKenry, C (27 percent owned, +16 percent): McKenry is Pittsburgh's backup catcher, but he's made so much out of the limited opportunities he's had that he's now being picked up in over a quarter of leagues. He might not be the official backup for long if that keeps up, especially as he's already seen his playing time increase in the past month-plus. Hitting .283/.348/.579 for a team in need of some offense will do that for you. Snag him now, as it's the time to do so, before he moves from unofficially starting to officially doing so, and the secret is no longer just that.

Blake Beavan, SP (25 percent owned, +15 percent): I'm a bit torn here, as Beavan has been much better since his recall, and even pitches in a park that's been designed specifically to help him at his job, but in the end, he's still Blake Beavan. In deeper leagues, that's not such a bad thing, especially if he can keep on doing what he's done as of late (34 innings, 20/2 K/BB, 3.67 ERA, 655 opponent OPS since his recall). But in your standard mixed formats, I have a tough time taking him as a serious option, especially after so short a round of success.

Chris Tillman, SP (41 percent owned, +14 percent): Chris Tillman has been pretty good in limited duty this year. Not quite 2.38 ERA good, but his FIP is 3.26, and that at least borders on realism. Throw in that he's in the AL East, though, and you can expect things to be a bit higher than that, before you even get into the whole it's just 34 innings and six starts business. Combine all of that together into one big recommendation, and you get the sense that Tillman is more of a stash than an obvious start, a pitcher you don't want to let slip away just in case he's real, but one you don't want to deal with the damage control for if it turns out he isn't. Still, this is a good start, especially compared to his other short stays in the bigs, so keep an eye on him.

NL-only

Wade LeBlanc, SP/RP (6 percent owned, +3 percent): LeBlanc is starting once more, this time in Miami, but even in NL-only formats should the bravest of you bother to acquire him. He's been very up-and-down in his career, despite pitching in Petco Park for most of it, and it all comes down to whether or not he can get his fastball to work. His change-up is easily his top offering, and he tends to pitch backwards a bit because of it, so when the fastball isn't working, the change-up isn't, either, and then it's all line drives and homers. Worth a shot, but keep those expectations where I can see them.

AL-only

Sam Deduno, SP (11 percent owned, +6 percent): Deduno isn't what you would expect from a Twins pitcher, as he lacks control, and in the minors actually missed a few bats along the way. (This was all likely an accident, of course.) He owns a shiny ERA at present after 33 innings with Minnesota in 2012, but don't be fooled. The K/BB is under one, he's already allowed four balls to clear the wall, and he's a 28-year-old, not some hotshot prospect looking to figure things out in the majors before his time.