Today's Fantasy Rx

Arizona: Chad Tracy, 3B
75/270 for .278/.334/.419 with 5 HR, 33 RBI, 26 R, 2/5 SB%,
and a 24:29 BB:K.
16/40 for .400/.490/.650 with 2 HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 2/2 SB%,
and an 8:5 BB:K for AAA Tucson(PCL).

A strong second half should keep Tracy in the Diamondbacks' lineup at least for a few years, especially since his skills suggest significant long-term potential. The 24-year-old third baseman owns a solid 3.87 #P/PA and acceptable .09 walk rate, and the combination of a .89 contact rate and .74 G-F should lead to a power surge over the next couple seasons as he gains strength. Of course, he needs to manage more than a .203/.261/.281 performance against southpaws to play every day, however his .301/.357/.461 against right-handed pitchers should give you sufficient confidence to target Tracy. While he might not produce particularly dynamic stats in August and September thanks to the pending departure Steve Finley via trade and Luis Gonzalez to the DL, treat Tracy's numbers as a baseline for future improvement.

We'll continue tomorrow with American League underachieving pitchers.

Today's Fantasy Rx: While the trade front still seems somewhat quiet, a few American League hitters appear destined to switch to the Senior Circuit. The Dodgers appear most likely to make a move, and if Carlos Delgado won't waive his no-trade clause, Mike Sweeney and Frank Catalanotto both look like good fits. Bret Boone, Randy Winn, Matt Stairs, Juan Gonzalez, and a group of Orioles including Brian Roberts, Jerry Hairston, and all three young Orioles' outfielders also look like potential trade bait. Sweeney, Winn, and the second basemen rank as the obvious FAAB targets if dealt to the NL, especially since the odds of Nomar leaving Boston appear to decrease every day. Essentially any player worth much more than $15 merits a maximum bid if they appear set to play every day without changing roles significantly.