Hanging Chad

I did call him a sleeper. But that’s still an endorsement as much as I tried to couch it as a cross-your-fingers kind of pick. The lack of competition in Arizona has given Chad Qualls an unlimited amount of chances. And outside of Little League, I can’t think of any closers with a 10-plus ERA. But he did record his third save of the season on Friday, lowering his ERA to 10.29. This is progress, Qualls owners. If you haven’t dropped him yet, hang on. This could pay off.

Note: Clearly I wrote that paragraph prior to Monday when Old Chad made an appearance, allowing three base runners on two hits and a walk in just one inning. While he earned the save, he did allow one earned run for a 9.00 ERA. The conclusion I draw here: play him every other day. Just make sure you pick the right day. Or perhaps you have the league settings changed to ignore ERA. Your choice.

Here are a few other notable players worth watching, or adding, if you have roster room:

Kelly Johnson – Six home runs got my attention. With very little homer history, is this a fluke? As the league leader in HRs, he also boasts 10 RBI, while batting .321. Too bad he’s on the Diamondbacks. Just imagine how good he’d be if Qualls could pitch to him. Available in 48 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Wade LeBlanc – This may be only a short-term fix, but his stats are so impressive it may be hard for the Padres to part with him even after Chris Young returns. In two outings, LeBlanc has surrendered just one run over 11 innings. And get this – no walks. Yet, he has 10 strikeouts. Available in 97 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Chris Young – Speaking of Young, he’s owned in only 24 percent of Yahoo leagues. Claim him, and store him on your DL. It’s just a little right shoulder inflammation, so I think he’s worth trying. And actually, in the little action he saw early this season, he performed respectfully – six innings, no runs, one hit, five strikeouts and three walks.

Ted Lily – Another bruised veteran who could improve your pitching staff, Lily just returned from the DL. In his first start back, he earned the win, throwing six shutout innings, striking out four, while yielding three hits and two walks. Not a bad return. Available in 39 percent of Yahoo leagues.

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