Fred Lewis is comparable to teammate Randy Winn in terms of power and speed.

MIXED LEAGUE OPTIONS

Aaron Laffey – Starting Pitcher – Cleveland Indians - A soft tossing, slightly built, control specialist southpaw doesn’t usually sound like a recipe for a great pitcher, but Laffey has one thing that sets him apart, a great sinker. Laffey combines that sinker with an average changeup and slider to induce grounders with incredible frequency. Though he doesn’t strike out many batters, his groundball rate has been in the mid 60% range his entire career, rates that are comparable to those of vaunted sinkerballers Chien Ming Wang and Brandon Webb. At just 23, Laffey rode those exceptional rates through the minors quickly and has been successful at every level, including the majors this year, where he sports a 2.83 ERA for the struggling Indians. He has a record of 4-4 in 11 starts, with 9 of them considered quality starts. The two that were not QS were his debut against the Yankees and a game in Texas against the league’s best offense. I expect the Indians offense to rebound, and if/when they do, those QS should translate into wins. Laffey is a nice option to fill out the back your fantasy rotation, and will provide quality innings with good ratios for the remainder of the year. He is also a great target in keeper leagues, where he can be a reliable Wang-type pitcher for years to come.

Jack Cust – Outfielder/DH – Oakland Athletics - How is it that Adam Dunn can be owned in almost every league, while Jack Cust is generally available? Cust is basically the same player as Dunn, with a low average and high power production. It doesn’t make much sense that so many people would be willing to overlook the average in Dunn’s case but not in Cust’s, even with Dunn having slightly more power. Cust has 12 home runs this year, but has the potential to hit 30-40. He also walks a ton, generating a high OBP, making him a no-brainer in leagues that value OBP. A very streaky hitter, Cust should be owned in every league when he goes on a tear. If you are close to the top of your league in power and need a boost to put you over the top, Cust is the man to get you there, so if he gets hot, pick him up and ride it out.

Fred Lewis – Outfielder – San Francisco Giants - Lewis is strikingly comparable to teammate Randy Winn, and should follow a similar career path. Winn arrived to the Show late, not becoming a big league regular until age 27. He showed average power, plus speed, and a good average, and put together a nice major league career on his athleticism. Lewis is just now getting an extended major league look at 27, and his numbers this season are almost identical to Winn’s. He is definitely as good as Winn, although quite a bit more overlooked in fantasy leagues due to name value. Lewis is a cheap source of steals, and he will do it without losing too much power. His current pace is 13 home runs and 28 stolen bases, and there is no reason to think he can’t accomplish or even exceed those numbers; although, I am more optimistic about the stolen bases than the homers. If you remember peak Randy Winn, his numbers were in that exact neighborhood, his career highs being 14 and 27. If you are starting Kosuke Fukudome, replace him with Lewis, who will hit for comparable power and average, but could potentially double his steals; and if you are need a mid-season boost to gain a few points in steals, Lewis is your man.