Is it just me or is vacation a whole lot of work? I'm making my yearly Florida-to-Illinois trek. As if it's not hard enough to travel with two small kids, the family I'm visiting lives in the dark ages. Do you know how hard it is to check your email over a telegraph? Gigs?...Kilobytes?...I'm pretty sure the data rate is measured in bits. Now, I love to see my family, but there is something to be said for staying out of the fray. Everybody is happy to see us, but they each have their little quarrels with each other. Ahh, the joys of family.

Things are much better on the baseball front. My lifelong team, the Cubs, just swept the Brewers and looked dominant in the process. My adopted team, the Tampa Bay Rays, is still holding tight to their lead over the "Evil Empire" and "Red Sox Nation." If only the fantasy world were going so well. I'm in two deep NL-only leagues and struggling. After going all-in last year to finish in the money, I'm paying the price now. I am having fun though, trying to build a good keeper roster. With that in mind, I'm going to focus this week on players who will be of primary interest to those of you in keeper leagues. The players I'm recommending may or may not contribute this year, but they will certainly be players to target for next year and beyond.

[all statistics current through Friday, August 1].

NOW THAT SPELLS RELIEF
A look at the top prospects to deliver value as closers, setup men, and long relievers at this point of the season.

Don't forget guys like Hansen above when filling out your rotation to help keep your ERA and WHIP down. Photo Credit: Plutor

Craig Hansen, RP, PIT
Let's see, in this very column we've recommended Damaso Marte and Tyler Yates out of the Pirates pen. Once again a turnover could be afoot. Yates and John Grabow may stay in the closing picture, but Hansen certainly has to be considered. Hansen's major league results have not been pretty. Don't look up his ERA, or you may not have the stomach to pick him up. There is no doubting his stuff though. He features a heavy, mid 90s fastball that should force many groundballs. His control is an ongoing problem, and he has been more hittable than his stuff would seem to indicate. I'm not sure he's the answer, but a small investment here could pay off big next year.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP, DET
Farnsworth's career has been nothing if not inconsistent. At one time, he looked like a future dominant closer. The only thing he's proven, though, is that he's a head case. Fortunately for him, he returns to the scene of his best season. In 2005, he posted a 2.19 ERA and an even more impressive 1.01 WHIP, pitching most of the season in Detroit. Fernando Rodney has been terrible of late, and Joel Zumaya is still struggling with control issues since returning from the DL. If Farnsworth's baseball career stalls out, the NFL may be an option. Paul Wilson, you know what I'm talking about.

Brad Ziegler, RP, OAK
I can't ignore it any longer. It's time to give Ziegler some fantasy love. After 32 major league innings, he is yet to yield a run. Even more impressive is that, in just over 56 IP combined between triple-A and Oakland, he has allowed one lonely earned run. So I'm going to ignore the low K/9 rate and give credit where credit is due. If his numbers aren't enough to encourage a waiver claim, A's manager Bob Geren has also suggested that he will be using Huston Street in non-save situations on a more frequent basis. Any time a manager starts talking like that, you know a move is likely. Ziegler has plenty of competition for the random save, with Joey Devine activated and Santiago Casilla still in the picture. You've got to think that Ziegler's numbers will earn him a shot in the near future.

CALL TO ARMS
Get your starting pitchers here! … Maybe… Targeting starting pitchers on the waiver wire is a dangerous practice, but here are a couple who might have something to offer.

Anthony Reyes, SP, CLE
I used to think I was the only genius hot on the trail of Reyes, until I read the RotoExperts Trade Deadline Update. I see that our staff has been doing their homework. Reyes may not immediately pitch like the blue chip prospect he was expected to be. I do, however, expect him to gain confidence to finish out this year, and then be a huge sleeper for 2009. If the Indians just let Reyes pitch, he'll be the pitcher who won Game 1 of the 2006 World Series.

Jeff Karstens, SP, PIT
Karstens is not as good as he looked in shutting out the Cubs for six innings in his Pirate debut. In just over 42 IP this year, he struck out only 16 hitters. He has no dominant pitch and probably tops out as a number three or four starter, but he has a track record of being able to limit baserunners in the minors. He may prove to be an asset as a fifth starter in NL-only leagues.

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES
Lacking home runs?  Stuck with a dearth of stolen bases?  Here are some ideas to better shore up your offense.

Emilio Bonifacio, 2B, WAS
With the release of Felipe Lopez and with only Ronny Belliard still in his way, Bonifacio becomes a very intriguing player. Both his BA and OBP have been all over the place in his minor league career, and he has zero power. His speed, however, has always been there. He's stolen as many as 61 bases in a season. His bat is a big question mark, but the Nats will certainly give him every opportunity to seize playing time. Even if he's just a .260 hitter, his 30+ SB potential makes him a nice investment for the future.

Brandon Moss, OF, PIT
Moss would be a better sleeper if he hadn't spent time with Boston the last few years. The high profile may have some overvaluing him. He's not a star in the making, but he can be a solid part of a fantasy squad. He probably tops out as a 20 HR guy but will contribute a solid BA. With the trade of Jason Bay, Moss will get most of the time in LF for the Pirates. Assuming he can produce for the remainder of the season, he should solidify his spot for 2009. If you're expecting a fantasy stud, you will be disappointed, but Moss deserves a roster spot in any keeper league.

Elijah Dukes, OF, WAS
We've pimped Dukes before in this very column, and he was on his way to earning it with six HR and 10 SB in 179 ABs. Then he went and got injured. A torn patellar tendon is nothing to sneeze at, but Dukes returned in three weeks, when it could have taken up to six. This dude is a serious physical specimen. If he got dropped in your keeper league, jump right back on the train. He's back and started hitting right away. You may not like him, and he may face yearly suspensions, but this man has the tools to be a fantasy mega-stud. If he can control the off-field problems, he could be every bit the player that is turning out to be.

If you'd like to join Doug on his family vacations or just want to talk fantasy trash, send him an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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