Buy & Sell - Marquis A Gem?

Buy & Sell

Note: Ownership is based in Yahoo! Leagues.

Nick Markakis (.291/.349/.442, 96% Ownership)

Markakis got off to a red-hot start to begin the season, but tailed off in May and June. Statistically, he is doing pretty much what he has done in the past. The only change is that he is hitting fewer ground balls and hitting more fly balls than in the past. This translates into a possibility of hitting more home runs. Combine all this information with his career post All-Star break line of .317/.388/.535, it means that Markakis is one to target to carry your fantasy team in the second half.

Franklin Gutierrez (.295/.356/.445, 26% Ownership)

Gutierrez was traded from Cleveland to Seattle in the off-season and he is responding well to the change in scenery. His BABIP is a little high, so his batting average may drop over the next few months. But his Isolated Power is right in line with the rest of the league, so the power looks legit. To go along with the power, Gutierrez has an opportunity to post double digits in stolen bases this season. A relatively unknown player before the season, Gutierrez is solid outfield option in deeper mix leagues.

Cole Hamels (5-5, 4.87 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 98.0 IP, 85 K, 98% Ownership)

Hamels has not pitched like a World Series MVP for most of the season. A lot of Hamels' struggles can be attributed to some early season injuries. Despite those problems, there are some positive signs in Hamels' season so far. He is striking out more hitters and walking fewer than he did in 2008 so his stuff is still there. It looks like he has been an unlucky pitcher in that his BABIP is well about the league average and FIP is nearly a run lower than his actual ERA. Hamels is a pitcher that looks like he could be finding his grove for a second half run.

Alexei Ramirez (.281/.335/.415, 93% Ownership)

Although Ramirez has been hot of late, there is some concern about his production going forward. Much of Ramirez's turn around was a product of Interleague play and being able to hit against the weaker National League. He is still a free swinger, as he swings at 32.9% pitches outside the strike zone. Because of his poor pitch recognition and his inability to draw a walk, Ramirez is subject to prolong stretches in which he provides very little production. Fantasy owners should use this recent hot streak to try and upgrade their middle infield position.

Scott Rolen (.320/.377/.469, 53% Ownership)

Rolen use to be a fantasy stalwart at third base, but injuries have take a toll in recent years. Rolen's good start to the season has made many think he is back to producing at the levels during his prime. But his BABIP stands at 45 points over the league average, so there are some struggles ahead. Actually, those struggles may already be here as Rolen only has a .678 OPS so far in July. The major problem is that Rolen lacks significant power. So if his batting average takes a dip, then Rolen offers very little value during the second half of the season.

Jason Marquis (11-6, 3.65 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 123.1 IP, 58 K, 57% Ownership)

I am always leery of Rockies pitchers, especially those who have struggle for most of their careers. The one positive I can say about Marquis is that he has been using his sinker effectively this season as he has a 57% ground ball rate. With that said, his BABIP is very low, which means some of those ground balls eventually may start getting through the infield and turn into hits. Also, because of his lack of strikeouts, Marquis provides little value outside of wins. Don't be surprise is Marquis turns into a pumpkin as the season goes forward.

Name to remember...Martin Prado, ATL.-1B, 2B, 3B. Prado has taken over the second base job for the Atlanta Braves and he has produced a line of .330/.394/.495. Prado has been a solid contact hitter coming up through the Braves system, but has always been blocked positionally. In the Yahoo! format he provides nice position flexibility for fantasy rosters to go along with a solid average. As long as he continues to hit, it looks like he will keep the starting job even when regular second baseman Kelly Johnson returns.