Is Mike Cameron down the stretch for better or worse?

Time is running out on 2007. If you are in contention in a 5x5 or 6x6 rotisserie league, you have to pay attention to your point categories. Focus on the categories where you are either a few behind, so you can move up, or a few above, to prevent someone from passing you.  If you are lucky, you have more than one competitor within striking distance in a particular category – a hot streak could have a domino effect and catapult you upward in the overall standings.

By now, it is all category management. There are limits to what you can accomplish off the free agent wire. You are not going to find too many free agent sluggers that will help you with average, runs, RBI and home runs. Joey Votto, Daric Barton and Jacoby Ellsbury are possible exceptions to this rule. More likely, you will have a choice of flawed, but useful free agents. So if you need a boost in saves, wins, strikeouts, steals or home runs, there are a few one-hit wonders out there. With apologies to Devo, one-hit wonders are really one-tool players that contribute in one area (e.g., steals), but might hurt in one or more areas (e.g., average, OPS).

Let’s look at who might still be out there, what roto category they could help in and how much they might hurt the rest of your roto categories.

For Better

1. Joaquin Benoit, RP, Rangers: If you need saves, Benoit is your man. With only four saves on the season, he is available in quite a few leagues. Three of those saves came recently, since August 28.  That is the same number of saves in that time as C.J. Wilson, who now has to share the closer job with Benoit.

2. Paul Byrd, SP, Indians: If you need wins, take a look at Paul Byrd. His 15 wins are ninth in the A.L. His ERA is ordinary (4.34), his WHIP is nothing special (1.34) and his strikeouts are very low. Byrd has only 83 Ks in 174.1 innings. That is only four per nine innings pitched, so you have to be able to live with that if you really need an extra W’s.

3. Bronson Arroyo, SP, Reds: The much-dropped Arroyo has pitched better than his 8-14 record. He has been hot lately – Arroyo’s last five appearances were all quality starts. Lack of support cost him a couple of wins; however, strikeouts are one thing under his control. He struck out more than a batter an inning in that five game stretch and is averaging nearly seven per nine innings pitched for the season. Arroyo will help you with the Ks, but will not hurt you in other pitching categories.

4. Mike Cameron, OF, Padres: If you are looking for steals and some power, Cameron can help you. Available in most leagues, he is within reach of another 20/20 season with 19 home runs and 17 steals. The thing that is nice about Cameron is that he only hurts you in batting average (.249). The other available speedsters are generally slap hitters with low RBI and low OPS. The bad thing about Cameron is that he is very streaky. Cameron will be a free agent, so he will have a lot of incentive to finish strong and get the Padres into October.

5. Brandon Inge, 3B, Tigers: Inge should be good for a few homers down the stretch. He had 27 homers last year but only 14 so far this season. Inge’s overall statistics are weak for a corner infielder, making him available in most leagues. The poor numbers are due in large part due to a dreadful July and August. Inge has been hot of late, with two homers and a .381 average over the past week.

Honorable Mention

Nate McLouth, OF, Pirates: Low batting average, but has speed (18 steals) and power (12 HR in 304 at bats).

Ryan Theriot, SS/2B, Cubs: Theriot brings speed (25 steals) and versatility. He can slot him in at either middle infield position.

Coco Crisp, OF, Red Sox: Crisp can give you steals (24) with a decent average .271 and runs scored (81).

Norris Hopper, OF, Reds: Great production in a part-time role. Ten steals and a .325 average. Should play more than he does.

For Worse

1. Bob Wickman, RP, Diamondbacks – Looking for saves? Wickman jumps off the page when you search for saves (20) in your league’s free agent list. The trouble is he has not had any saves since the Braves let him go in August. He is middle reliever for Arizona and, barring an injury, that role will not change. Wickman has value only in leagues that require middle relievers.

2. Andy Sonnanstine, SP, Devil Rays: If you need wins, you might be tempted to take a look at Sonnanstine. He has won four of his last five decisions. His overall stats are brutal, however. His ERA is nearly six and he plays for a team with nothing to play for in September. Veterans like Byrd and the Phillies’ Jamie Moyer will get more wins down the stretch. They will get much better support than Sonnanstine.

3. Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Astros: Rodriguez strikes out nearly eight batters per nine innings; however, this strikeout machine has been brutal since mid-July. In his last eleven starts, he has struck out 55 in 62 innings, but has given up 40 runs, which works out to a 5.81 ERA.

4. Dave Roberts, OF, Giants: The 35-year old Roberts can still run, as his 29 steals will attest. However, the rest of his skills are fading. He has slumped this month and will hurt in every category except steals if you pick him up. Average, RBI, OPS, however, are all poor. Young Rajai Davis should steal his at bats (and a few bases of his own) in September.

5. Richie Sexson, 1B, Mariners: We kept expecting Sexson to bounce back from a horrid start, but it just wasn’t going to happen for him in 2007. Sexson is no more than a one-dimensional home run hitter in the mold of Dave Kingman. That still has value in roto leagues, but he has a bad hamstring that has kept him out of the lineup for much of the past couple of weeks.

Dishonorable Mention

There are a number of one-tool speedsters out there. Pick one up only if you need the steals and can afford the lack of production elsewhere. They are:

Scott Podsednik, OF, White Sox: 25 steals, .262 average.

Jerry Owens, OF, White Sox: 24 steals, .241 average.

Jason Bartlett, SS, Twins: 21 steals, .275 average

Felipe Lopez, SS/2B, Nationals: 22 steals, .244 average.