Jordan Zimmermann (SP--Nationals) Perhaps joining the ranks of the underappreciated is Jordan Zimmermann who threw seven shutout innings on Friday, walking one, allowing six hits and striking out four but wound up with a no-decision. In the process, Zimmermann lowered his ERA to 2.85 on the year and continues to bolster his fantasy value. In fact, he's had ten quality starts in a row dating back to the first of May and has only allowed more than two earned runs in just three out of 15 outings. Even better his that his FIP, going into Friday was almost a half run lower than his ERA showing that his pitching effectiveness has been no fluke. Although he has the potential to strikeout batters, he hasn't done so on a consistent basis but his walks have been low with just 19 on the season with 94.2 innings pitched. View Zimmermann as a pitcher who should be getting a bump in fantasy value who should start to be getting picked up in all formats.
Vance Worley (SP--Phillies) Vance Worley hasn't won a game since May 4th, but he was certainly deserving of a better fate than a no-decision on Friday. He pitched six innings of no-hit ball on Friday against the A's before Hideki Matsui broke up the bid. On the day, Worley pitched six scoreless innings of one-hit ball, struck out and walked four. He also lowered his ERA to a very good 2.83. Worley doesn't get a lot of strikeouts in general but he has been successful at avoiding the long ball (HR/9 of 0.62) which is no small feat playing the majority of his games in Philadelphia. With a usually potent offense behind him, Worley is worth considering, certainly in NL formats. He is slated to pitch against the Red Sox the next time out so that will be a real litmus test to see how he handles Boston.
Andres Torres (OF--Giants) Looks like the mental break that Giants' manager Bruce Bochy gave Andres Torres did wonders for him. Bochy sat Torres for a couple of games and Torres responded very well to his mini-vacation with a 3-for-4 performance on Friday. Torres smacked a home run and collected an additional two singles on the night. It was Torres first home run since May 30th and he raised his batting average to .244 on the season. He's had a poor line drive rate at 14% so hopefully this is a sign that he will be hitting the ball more solidly going forward. Last season Torres proved to be a surprisingly reliable source of power and showed consistent speed, a nice one-two combination that had owners taking a chance on him at the start of the season. However, the home run on Friday was just his third of the season, so it is doubtful that he will be able to hit 16 as he did last year. But if Torres can start to consistently contribute with performance like Friday's, he'd be a nice grab in NL leagues and deeper mixed.
Tim Stauffer (SP--Padres) Tim Stauffer stymied the Braves on Friday picking up just his third win of the season. It was a stellar effort with Stauffer throwing seven innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits. He walked no one and struck out a career high nine. He lowered his ERA on the year to 3.09 and has put together four quality starts in a row and six out of his last seven outings. Going into Friday's start, Stauffer had a solid K/9 of 7.14 and has allowed about a home run once every 18 innings. His FIP of 3.17 has been right in line with his ERA. If you haven't jumped on the Stauffer bandwagon, it might be time to get aboard. He's been putting up solid performances that make him a strong consideration for mixed leagues.
Roger Bernadina (OF--Nationals) While I can't fully endorse Roger Bernadina, you have to like what he has been contributing of late. Friday, saw him go 4-for-8 with two runs scored and a stolen base. It was Bernadina's eleventh nab on the year and he has been a nice source in the speed department. He's now hitting .287 on the season. Perhaps even more noteworthy is that he has hit in nine of his last ten games, with three home runs and is batting .405 during that span. Bernadina should continue to get ample playing time with Rick Ankiel on the DL and Laynce Nix ailing as well. While Bernadina should be getting picked up in NL leagues, he may be worth taking a chance on in mixed leagues while he remains productive.
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