Fantasy Foreshadowing

In another successful attempt to outdo 'Deadspin' and 'The Sporting Blog', we will now be installing a weekly fantasy sports column, addressing all sports currently in season. And as the only ATA author who gives a rat's anus about baseball, I will be covering fantasy baseball until the end of the season.

If you're like me, and are struggling to stay afloat in your league due to painfully disappointing draft picks (Vlad Guerrero, David Ortiz, Jimmy Rollins, Derek Jeter, Victor Martinez, Gary Sheffield, Travis Hafner, Paul Konerko, Troy Tulowitzki, Andruw Jones, I could go on...), here are a few potential waiver pickups that just might give you the boost you need as the season winds to a close.


OFFENSE

Lastings Milledge (OF, Washington Nationals): So far in the month of August, Milledge is batting .415, has 5 homers, 9 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases. If you are a daily reader of Yahoo! Sports pages, you should already be aware of the buzz this kid is getting. If not, and especially if one of your draft day duds was an outfielder, go and pick this guy up. His immense talent will help your offense's power and speed numbers.

PITCHING

Francisco Liriano (SP, Minnesota Twins): The kid who came out of nowhere to put up numbers comparable to Johan Santana (arguably the best pitcher in baseball, year in and year out) in 2006, is making his second comeback of the season. And in convincing fashion, Liriano is quickly dismissing doubts of his mechanic, control, and velocity problems back in April. If Liriano is still available in your league, take a gamble on him. If he can stay healthy, he's the whole package. He's a low WHIP pitcher, he strikes out batters, and he keeps the ball inside the park (perhaps Santana's only weakness).

Chris Carpenter (SP, St. Louis Cardinals): The 2005 NL Cy Young winner has been cursed with injuries for the last 2 years. However, making his first appearance this year after the All-Star Break, the Cardinal ace finally looks right. In three starts this year, Carpenter holds a 1.88 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Expect his currently average WHIP to fall below 1.20 as he finds his stuff deeper into the season. For those who would prefer a safer waiver option, Carpenter already has two full, fantastic seasons under his belt, making him a safer choice than Liriano.