I know OPS isn’t a fantasy relevant statistic, but to me, it truly measures the overall hitting prowess of a player in monumental ways. Take a look.

One guy that has burst onto the scene this year is Chicago White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin. The 25-year-old lauded slugger is hitting .298 with seven dingers, 21 RBIs, 21 runs scored, two stolen bases and a 1.052 OPS in 84 at-bats this season. Over his last 10 games, Quentin has hit .394 with three long balls, six RBIs, seven runs scored and two stolen bases in 33 at-bats. He is mashing at a .328 clip against right-handed hurlers and has performed admirably inside the home confines of U.S. Cellular Field while raking at a .326 clip. On the flip side, he sports a lackluster .176 average against southpaws and has hit a subpar .263 on the road. However, Quentin showed plenty of promise when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks, especially in their minor league system where he posted a .955 OPS in a total of 1,337 at-bats. But with the influx of young and talented outfielders in the desert, Quentin surprisingly became the fourth wheel. Good for Chicago! He encompasses a powerful and fluid stroke that is only enhanced by his new surroundings. If Quentin is somehow still available, grab him quick. Plus, if his owner has doubts, make sure you offer your support and volunteer to take the Stanford alum off of his or her hands. 

I’m sure you’ve heard the name Max Scherzer in plenty of other write-ups out there. But did you know that he notched seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief April 29 against the Houston Astros? He recorded 13 outs with ease and routinely nailed 96 mph on the gun, he even notched 98 once or twice. His nasty changeup was registering at 84 mph and his confidence was beaming. Here’s the deal with the University of Missouri alum, he was called up to take his licks in Arizona’s bullpen, but as of yesterday, he’s slated to start Monday, May 5 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He must be claimed in your league, if you’re in need of pitching his presence on your roster is imperative. His impact this season will resemble Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano’s arrival in 2006 and San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum’s successful initiation last season. There is also the possibility that he’ll take over the ninth-inning duties from current closer Brandon Lyon if his role as a starter heads south, it won’t. Oh, I almost forgot, while Scherzer was pitching for Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in Tucson, he started four games and recorded 38 whiffs, three walks, a 1.17 ERA and a 0.65 WHIP in 23 innings. I repeat! He is a must-have in every format! His value is across the board.

It appears the Atlanta Braves knew what they were doing when they received starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for shortstop Edgar Renteria. On the season, Jurrjens is 3-2 with 28 strikeouts, 13 walks, a 3.05 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 38 1/3 innings. He has also limited opposing hitters to a stingy .193 batting average. His future success was blatantly obvious when he posted a 3-1 record with a 4.70 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP and limited opponents to a paltry .220 clip in 2007. This year, he has allowed one dinger and a total of five long balls in 69 career innings. He has allowed a measly five earned runs over his last three starts in 19 innings. His 6.57 K/9 rate this season is a promising statistic, especially when you consider that it’s an increase of 2.75 whiffs from his 2007 K/9 rate of 3.82. The 22-year-old is improving with every start; it’s time to make sure his continued development takes place on your roster.

I was perusing over the waiver wire today in one of my shallow mixed leagues and noticed that Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria’s name was waiving back at me. On the season, Longoria is hitting .273 with three dingers, 10 RBIs, 10 runs scored, two stolen bases and a .915 OPS in 55 at-bats. He is hitting a sickening .350 against right-handed hurlers and appears to be ready for what should be a fantastic career. However, he does have his drawbacks. For instance, he’s hitting a nauseating .067 against southpaws and only has a .226 average inside the home confines of Tropicana Field this season. If he wants to bring his game to the next level, vast improvements on those numbers must be made. His future looks bright though, especially if you consider that he hit a combined .304 with 44 home runs, 153 RBIs, 138 runs scored, eight stolen bases and a .933 OPS in a total of 733 at-bats in Tampa’s minor league system. He’s legit folks; it might be time for you to make a bold, yet keen move.

It’s time to make a move on Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz. He’s starting to heat up like a furnace in the dead of winter. Over his last 10 games, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound slugger has hit .300 with four long balls, 17 RBIs and nine runs scored in 40 at-bats. Expect his smoldering bat to continue to burn bright.

According to the Chicago Tribune, third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields could be promoted to the White Sox in the near future due to some visa issues that outfielder Alexei Ramirez is having. Keep tabs on the situation, Fields has serious power.  

Rob McCarthy has played fantasy sports since the days of tediously transferring his daily points from the Boston Herald to a tattered notepad every morning.  He has been featured on Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports and currently scribes for KFFL.com.  In addition, Rob is an avid fan of all Boston sports.

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