Chris Duncan can bring power and a decent average to your NL only team.

NL Only Options

Jorge Cantu – Florida Marlins – Third Baseman – Back in 2005, Jorge Cantu put up incredibly good numbers for an incredibly bad Tampa Bay Rays team. He batted .286 with 28 home runs, 117 RBI, and scored another 73 runs.  He also made 21 errors, 9 of them as a third baseman, the position he is currently manning for the Marlins.  Cantu fell flat the next two seasons after ’05, and the Rays subsequently shipped him to the minors, and eventually to the Reds for whom he batted .298 in 27 games last season.  It appears that all he needed was a change of scenery, as he has begun this season looking like the hitter he was in ’05. Many touts believe that once you own a skill, you own it forever, and can bring it back at any time. If there is any truth to that, then Cantu could be in for another big year. He is currently batting .338, with three home runs and eight RBI, and he is playing every day, although the Marlins must be wincing over he five errors already.  Cantu is worth a pickup in NL only leagues as a speculative power source. Grab him and play him while he stays hot, then convince someone else in your league that it’s 2005 all over again!

Chris Duncan – St. Louis Cardinals – Outfielder – Duncan burst on the season in 2006, belting 22 home runs in just 280 at-bats along with a .293 average. Last season, a shoulder injury shortened his season, but he still managed 21 homers, albeit in 375 at-bats. This season, he is showing improved patience at the plate, and is batting .311 with two home runs. The Cardinals outfield is a bit crowded with talent, so Duncan is being played against right-handers and sitting against lefties, the same way he was used during his successful 2006 campaign.  Duncan is a great player for deep NL only leagues, as he will provide ample power with a high average, and will get more than enough playing time to be worthwhile.

AL Only Options

Eric Hinske – Tampa Bay Rays – Corner Infielder/Outfielder – After a rookie campaign that was good enough to win him the Rookie of the Year in 2002, Eric Hinske never performed at that level again, much to the dismay of his Toronto Blue Jays employers and fans. Hinske was traded to the Red Sox in 2006, and was with them through 2007 primarily as a bench player and pinch hitter. He latched on with Tampa Bay after a hot spring at the plate, and now the Rays are finding at-bats for him by having him play anywhere and everywhere on the field. After 17 games played, he is batting .327 with 5 homers and 10 RBI, and 11 of his 17 hits have been for extra bases. Tampa will continue to play Hinske, and in all likelihood he will continue to hit. Grab him and ride his streak for as long as he stays hot. He is a terrific guy to plug in at CI or as an OF sub.

Matt Tolbert – Minnesota Twins – Middle Infielder – Tolbert was a surprise addition to the Twins roster out of spring camp, but he was kept because the organization was really hoping for more offense out of its middle infield, and he has some pop in his bat. In a full season at Triple A last season, Tolbert batted .293 with six home runs and 24 doubles. At just 26 years of age, Tolbert still has time to develop a little more power, and those doubles could start to become home runs at some point. So far, he is batting .400 in limited action, but with Adam Everett now on the DL, Tolbert will get the opportunity to play every day. Tolbert’s opportunity is also your opportunity to add a player who will hit for a decent average, and could also give you a few dingers as well as some stolen bases in the bargain. If he plays well enough, Ron Gardenhire will find ways to work him into the mix, even after Everett comes back.