Today's Fantasy Rx

Baltimore: Brandon Fahey, 26, SS-L
65/286 for .227/.296/.315 with 2 HR, 24 RBI, 28 R, 11/14 SB%,
and a 26:39 BB:K for AAA Norfolk(IL).

With Miguel Tejada sidelined for a few weeks, Fahey, despite his poor performance to date, appears likely to return to the majors in the near future. He offers sufficient stolen base upside to contribute in a limited role, but unless his plate discipline somehow improves with the Orioles, his weak BA likely will negate most of his fantasy value. Unless you desperately need both steals and a new MIF, ignore Fahey for now.

Boston: Bubba Bell, 24, OF-L
119/322 for .370/.455/.665 with 22 HR, 83 RBI, 95 R, 10/14 SB%,
and a 48:39 BB:K for A+ Lancaster(Cal).

The 2005 39th rd pick continues to destroy Cal League pitching and appears on his way to Double-A in the very near future. Of course, Bell plays in one of baseball's best hitters' parks, and he also appears old for his league. Even if he echoes this performance at a higher level, his short-term fantasy prospects appears quite limited. Despite the press he deservedly received this spring, Bell looks like someone to ignore until he reaches the cusp of the majors.

Chicago White Sox: Danny Richar, 24, 2B-L
76/267 for .285/.348/.479 with 8 HR, 46 RBI, 40 R, 4/9 SB%,
and a 27:47 BB:K for AAA Tucson(PCL).

Recently acquired from Arizona for A-ball outfield prospect Aaron Cunningham, Richar immediately became the likely heir to pending free agent Tadahito Iguchi at second base. Richar also offers a fairly similar skill set to the Japanese veteran and should reach double-digit roto value in 2008 if he wins the job as expected. Although his current fantasy value appears somewhat limited, target Richar whenever he reaches Chicago due to the strong likelihood of him assuming the starting job as soon as August.

Cleveland: Michael Aubrey, 25, DH-L
20/50 for .400/.492/.800 with 5 HR, 11 RBI, 15 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 6:7 BB:K for A+ Kinston(Car).

Most of Triple-A Buffalo's roster appears composed of injury backups and bench depth while much of Double-A Akron's lineup features blocked prospects like Brian Barton and Asdrubal Cabrera. However, if this former first rounder can build upon his two scorching weeks in the Carolina League while somehow avoiding the DL, he could emerge as intriguing trade bait by next month's deadline. Aubrey clearly retains his hitting skills despite missing much of the past three seasons, and though his upside seems surprisingly limited due to his fragility, I still see a lot here that intrigues me. Unfortunately, unless he finds a clearer shot at the majors within the next six weeks, you probably just should ignore him until he receives that opportunity somewhere.

Detroit: Cameron Maybin, 20, OF-R
80/265 for .302/.395/.464 with 8 HR, 38 RBI, 52 R, 23/29 SB%,
and a 41:77 BB:K for A+ Lakeland(FSL).

With few Tigers' hitting prospects performing solidly in the upper minors, taking a look at Maybin seems to make more sense. While he isn't matching the ascent of fellow 2005 draftees Justin Upton or Jay Bruce, Maybin's performance at High-A solidifies his prospect status and essentially insures he should reach Detroit no later than the fall of 2008. His speed, combined with his solid power and impressive plate discipline, give him as much long-term roto value as almost anyone in the game, so if bad luck necessitated a rebuilding year for you in an AL league, consider Maybin as your top target among low-risk/high-upside minor league prospects.

Kansas City: Chris Lubanski, 23, OF-L
71/241 for .295/.361/.490 with 9 HR, 34 RBI, 33 R, 3/8 SB%,
and a 28:43 BB:K for AA Wichita(TL).

Following Billy Butler's promotion last week, the upper cadre of the Royals' best hitting prospects appears set in the majors, effectively leaving Lubanski as the club's top position player stuck in the minors. While he soon should join AAA Omaha, Lubanski needs to continue posting a high OPS with David DeJesus and Mark Teahen already established in the Kansas City outfield. Fortunately for Lubanski, his performance at Double-A this year indicates his Cal League breakout last year wasn't a mirage, though I still recommend you wait until he reaches the majors before looking to add him anywhere.

Los Angeles Angels: Jeff Mathis, 24, C-R
61/250 for .244/.295/.376 with 5 HR, 26 RBI, 39 R, 3/4 SB%,
and a 17:45 BB:K for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).

Brandon Woof, Kendry Morales, and nearly every reasonably competent AAA outfielder appear stuck on the Salt Lake-Anaheim shuttle, but despite this poor performance, Mathis still could find himself in the majors relatively soon with Jose Molina sputtering to a .242/.258/.286 performance at the plate. The only way the Angels can reinflate the trade value of Mathis is to give him another shot at big league pitching, and since his lackluster output this summer seems mostly due to stagnation, I suspect he'll take full advantage of any opportunity offered him. Considering he still owns impressive hitting skills and only turned 24 this spring, now looks like a great time to acquire Mathis, who probably just needs a fresh start to reemerge as a very promising young catcher.

We'll continue tomorrow with more American League hitting prospects.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Richar looks like the real sleeper here as the White Sox have no one else prepared to play second base next year and appear ready to turn the job over to a rookie next year. Playing in The Cell will provide him sufficient ballpark support to guarantee decent stats, and even if the club acquires a veteran, giving up a fairly impressive prospect like Aaron Cunningham for Richar guarantees he'll receive a long look at some point.