After starting the post-All-Star Break schedule with a 9-1 record, it looked like the Rockies were making an annual tradition out of their second half thaws. More likely, they were just enjoying some friendly scheduling, as they came out of the Break with series against the Pirates, Dodgers and Reds. Regardless of the reason for the hot streak, Fantasy owners liked what they saw and placed three of the Rox among the most-added NL players in CBSSports.com leagues this week.

Jeff Baker's sustained power production and everyday role have catapulted him into the top spot on the Most Added List, while Ubaldo Jimenez has been the most popular pickup among NL starting pitchers. Both are solid choices for all formats. Baker provides more power than just about any second baseman whose last name doesn't start with "U," and he has also been cutting down on his strikeouts, which has helped his batting average. Jimenez has been a ground ball machine all season, but lately fewer of those grounders are finding the gaps, so both his ERA and H/BIP have dropped precipitously since early June. Ian Stewart completes the trio, thanks to a .436 average over the 11 games since his recent callup. Stewart has been one of the luckiest hitters in baseball, getting base hits on nearly half of his balls in play, but he has the skills to help in home runs, RBI and runs, while maintaining a .280 average.

More guys in demand

Tyler Yates, RP, Pittsburgh
Week 18 Ownership: 1 percent
Week 19 Ownership: 17 percent
Rank in NL Most Added: 3rd
The Skinny: The never-ending quest for saves takes Fantasy owners to strange places. Even in his better years, Yates' numbers didn't exactly say "closer," and this is not one of his better years. Yates is the main beneficiary of rapid closer attrition in a very thin bullpen, so he is really only a closer by default. The lack of other closer-worthy arms in the Pirates' 'pen does work in Yates' favor, because he should continue to get save opportunities as long as he can avoid a disastrous run. Also, he had a good strikeout rate trend prior to this year, and over the last month and half, that rate has returned to its previous levels. Yates is worth a flier if you are in an NL-only league and are desperate for saves and strikeouts. Just be prepared to take a hit for ERA and WHIP.

Year Team BB/9 K/9 HR/9 H/BIP ERC
2006 Atlanta 5.6 8.3 1.1 27% 3.95
2007 Atlanta 4.2 9.4 0.8 32% 4.02
2008 Pittsburgh 5.7 6.4 0.7 29% 4.36

Jeff Samardzija, SP, Chicago Cubs
Week 18 Ownership: 1 percent
Week 19 Ownership: 22 percent
Rank in NL Most Added: 2nd
The Skinny: With all of the bullpen options that the Cubs have, it's curious that Lou Piniella is giving Samardzija some save chances in Kerry Wood's absence. It's not just that Samardzija is new to the major leagues, and it's not just that he has pitched less than 150 innings above Class-A. It's also that he hasn't pitched particularly well in his season or so in the upper minors. His best stats by far have been in Triple-A, but he threw only six starts at that level. So let's recap. In Samardzija's favor, he had that touchdown reception against LSU in the 2007 Sugar Bowl. In the negative column, there's his inexperience, mediocre minor league numbers and time-share arrangement in the closer's role. There is little reason to roster Samardzija except in the deepest of leagues.

Year Team BB/9 K/9 HR/9 ERA WHIP
2007 Tennessee (Double-A) 2.4 5.2 2.1 3.41 1.22
2008 Tennessee (Double-A) 5.0 5.2 0.7 4.86 1.49
2008 Iowa (Triple-A) 3.9 9.6 1.2 3.13 1.29

Others drawing interest

Rank Player Week 18 ownership Week 19 ownership Percentage change
1 Jeff Baker, 1B, Colorado 14% 41% 27%
4 Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Colorado 58% 73% 15%
4 Fernando Tatis, 3B/OF, N.Y. Mets 12% 27% 15%

The guys dropping like flies

Jonathan O. Sanchez, SP, San Francisco
Week 18 Ownership: 90 percent
Week 19 Ownership: 81 percent
Rank in NL Most Dropped: 5th (tied)
The Skinny: Sanchez' up-and-down season has hit new depths, as he is currently rostered in fewer CBSSports.com leagues than at any time since late May. His recent struggles have been the result of both poor command and poor luck. Walking 16 batters over the last 21 innings has contributed to his rising ERA and WHIP, but so has an above-normal H/BIP rate. Sanchez' walk rate was excessive before his recent slump, but that didn't stop owners from rostering him in two-thirds of all CBSSports.com leagues as recently as four weeks ago. As long as he continues to walk his way to a 1.40-plus WHIP, Sanchez is too risky to have on a mixed league active roster. However, because he is due for some better luck, he is a bargain buy for owners in NL-only leagues. See if you can acquire him before his ERA and WHIP start to drop again.

Year Team BB/9 K/9 HR/9 H/BIP ERC
2006 San Francisco 5.2 7.4 0.5 31% 4.54
2007 San Francisco 4.9 10.7 1.4 37% 6.06
2008 San Francisco 4.6 9.2 0.8 32% 4.16

Others wearing roster repellant

Rank Player Week 18 ownership Week 19 ownership Percentage change
1 Jon Rauch, RP, Arizona 67% 52% - 15%
1 Cody Ross, OF, Florida 57% 42% - 15%
3 Ryan Franklin, RP, St. Louis 48% 34% - 14%
4 Clint Barmes, SS, Colorado 41% 31% - 10%
Glossary
Runs Created per 27 Outs (RC/27) -- An estimate of how many runs a lineup would produce per 27 outs if a particular player occupied each spot in the order; ex. the RC/27 for Miguel Cabrera would predict the productivity of a lineup where Cabrera (or his statistical equal) batted in all nine spots; created by Bill James
Component ERA (ERC) -- An estimate of a what a pitcher's ERA would be if it were based solely on actual pitching performance; created by Bill James
Base Hits per Balls in Play (H/BIP) -- The percentage of balls in play (at bats minus strikeouts and home runs) that are base hits; research by Voros McCracken and others has established that this rate is largely random and has a norm of approximately 30%
Isolated Power -- The difference between slugging percentage and batting average; created by Branch Rickey and Allan Roth
Walk Rate -- Walks / (at bats + walks)
Whiff Rate -- Strikeouts / at bats

Al Melchior was recently a Fantasy columnist and data analyst for Baseball HQ and will be providing advice columns for CBSSports.com. Click here to send him a question. Please put "Melchior" in the subject field.