Maicer Izturis - Izturis smacked a pair of singles yesterday against the Rangers, extending his hitting streak to 10 games in the 3-2 win. Izturis has typically offered you a bit of speed and AVG as a bench/reserve type of a player, but at age 30 this year he seems to have added a bit of power to his resume as well. The Angels have gone so far as to move Howie Kendrick to the OF with Vernon Wells on the DL in order to keep Izturis' (and Callaspo's) bat in the lineup right now. He has maintained a 31% LD rate and a .160 ISO just about week-by-week this entire season so far, and as every week passes the likelihood of regression grows just a bit smaller. His BABIP is actually about 70 points low given the LD rate, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that maintained even if the LD rate begins to slip. Izturis is a must-start in most formats right now, even if it is just to take advantage of his scorching hot streak, but his AVG/speed combo is worth having in many formats regardless.
Desmond Jennings - With the Legend of Sam Fuld reduced to a Tuffy Rhodes-like aberration after a .160 AVG in the first half of May, Desmond Jennings' recent hot streak should pump up his value nicely. Almost a quarter of the way through the year Jennings is on pace for a 20/30 campaign down in AAA, and I'd be very surprised if he wasn't up and playing in Tampa withing the next month. I would certainly take the opportunity now to reserve him in AL-only and deeper mixed leagues, as the 24 year old has an intriguing power/speed (more emphasis on the speed, of course) combo in addition to the potential to hit for a non-injurious average.
Mark Ellis/Jemile Weeks/Adrian Cardenas - Mark Ellis was one of two A's without a hit in last night's 6-2 victory, dropping him to 5-36 for the month of May, and to just 177/208/254 on the year. The soon-to-be 34 year old Ellis is posting the worst BB rate, K rate, ISO, and swinging strike% of his year thus far, coming on the heels of a career-worst ISO in 2010. With Jemile Weeks tearing it up at AAA and with Adrian Cardenas also an available option in Sacramento, Ellis' still solid glove at 2B might not be enough to hold onto a starting spot for very long. Those with reasonably deep farm rosters might consider snatching up one or both of Cardenas and Weeks with the idea that one might be starting before the break. I don't think that even normalization of Ellis' 90-point low BABIP will be enough for him to provide adequate value going forward.
Brad Bergesen - Bergesen was dominant yesterday, scattering two singles, two doubles, and a walk in a complete-game shutout against the Rays. I was all set to pan him mercilessly, but aside from the rather low HR/FB rate and a bit lucky (25-30 pts) BABIP, I can't find much to quibble with. His velocity is up this year, he's improved his control, and even with a "normal" HR/FB rate his FIP ERA would still be around 4 and a quarter. Pitching for Baltimore limits his upside considerably, so even in my more optimistic view he's still just a reserve at best, but that's better than I expected from him last season.
Brad Penny - Penny shut the Royals out for 8 innings yesterday to pick up his third straight quality start (and 4th in 5), and this stretch has come against at least a moderately difficult schedule (NYY, CWS, TOR, SEA, KC). It would be easy to dismiss Penny due to his almost comically low K rate thus far this year, but his typically solid control has been augmented by a career-best GB% this season, allowing him to maintain success without missing many bats. Some regression is indeed likely, but I still have enough faith to deem him a viable 5th-starter, albeit one that I'd have a shorter leash with than many others.
