Hot and Not: Wainwright keeps making his case

The players listed here were the major league statistical leaders during the week preceding this final week of the season.
Batting averages are based on 20 at-bats, and ERA and WHIP on seven innings pitched. In most cases, we eliminate batters with an average lower than .280 and pitchers with ERAs above 4.00 from the Hot list. Keep in mind players’ career performance and current-season totals even more than current trends in deciding on whether to keep those players in your lineup.

Hot

Pos. Name, Team H-AB Avg. HR-RBI SB

1B Joey Votto, Reds 14-25 .560 1-8 0
SS Miguel Tejada, Astros 12-23 .522 2-5 0
1B/3B Jorge Cantu, Marlins 11-23 .478 0-5 0
1B Todd Helton, Rockies 10-21 .476 0-4 0
SS Rafael Furcal, Dodgers 13-28 .464 1-7 1
1B Daric Barton, Athletics 10-22 .455 0-8 0
1B Kendry Morales, Angels 9-20 .450 2-4 1
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees 10-23 .435 0-1 4
OF/2B Eric Patterson, Athletics 9-21 .429 1-4 3
1B Billy Butler, Royals 11-26 .423 3-9 0
1B/3B Chris Davis, Rangers 11-26 .423 1-4 0
OF Ryan Sweeney, Athletics 11-26 .423 0-2 0

This is the second consecutive week on a Hot list for Votto, after a week on the Not list. If you think it’s too late for a hot streak to help a player’s average, change that thinking. Votto raised his average 14 points last week, from .304 to .318, and he has enough plate appearances to qualify for the National League batting title.

Home runs – Butler, Rangers OF Marlon Byrd, Red Sox 1B David Ortiz and Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez 3. There’s also speculation that there might be a new A-Rod Jr. or third-generation hottie on the way.

RBI – Phillies 1B Ryan Howard 14; Byrd 11; Ortiz 10; Butler and Rangers OF David Murphy 9.

Stolen bases – Rangers OF Julio Borbon, Yankees SS Derek Jeter and Twins 2B/3B/SS Nick Pinto 4; Patterson, Rodriguez, Mets 2B Luis Castillo and Padres OF Tony Gwynne 3.

Runs – Votto 11; Twins SS Orlando Cabrera, Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Blue Jays 2B Aaron Hill and Braves 2B/1B/3B Martin Prado 9.

Throws Pitcher, Team IP ERA W-L WHIP SO/BB

RHP Carlos Zambrano, Cubs 9.0 0.00 1-0 0.33 8:1
RHP Roy Halladay, Blue Jays 9.0 0.00 1-0 0.78 9:0
RHP Kevin Correia, Padres 9.0 0.00 1-0 0.78 7:1
RHP Anibal Sanchez, Marlins 8.0 0.00 1-0 0.50 7:2
LHP C.C. Sabathia, Yankees 7.0 0.00 1-0 0.43 8:2
RHP Nick Blackburn, Twins 7.0 0.00 1-0 1.14 6:0
RHP Jake Peavy, White Sox 7.0 0.00 1-0 1.14 8:2
LHP John Lannan, Nationals 7.0 0.00 0-1 1.29 6:3
RHP Zack Greinke, Royals 13.0 0.69 2-0 1.08 13:5
RHP Javier Vazquez, Braves 9.0 1.00 1-0 0.44 7:1

Sabathia and Vazquez have been on this list in each of the last two weeks.

Wins – Greinke, Phillies RHP Joe Blanton, Cubs LHP Tom Gorzelanny, Rangers RHP Kevin Millwood and Angels LHP Joe Saunders 2.

Saves – Yankees RHP Mariano Rivera 4-for-4; Royals RHP Joakim Soria and Braves RHP Rafael Soriano 3-for-3; Angels LHP Brian Fuentes, Brewers RHP Trevor Hoffman, Twins RHP Joe Nathan, and Astros RHP Jose Valverde 2-for-2. This is the third consecutive week for Nathan on this list, and the second for Hoffman.

WHIP – Zambrano 0.33; Sabathia 0.43; Vazquez 0:44; Sanchez 0.55; Mets RHP Nelson Figueroa, Braves RHP Tommy Hanson, Marlins RHP Ricky Nolasco and Brewers LHP Manny Parra 0.71.

Strikeout/walk ratio (at least 10 Ks and a 2.5:1 ratio) –.Brewers LHP Chris Narveson 10:0; Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright 11:1; Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez and Tigers RHP Justin Verlander 11:2; Yankees RHP A.J. Burnett 11:3; Gorzelanny 14:4; Greinke 13:5. Wainwright continues to be a frequent visitor to the Hot list, including the last three weeks.

* * *

Not

Pos. Player, Team H-AB Avg. HR-RBI SB

OF Andre Ethier, Dodgers 1-21 .048 0-3 0
OF Jayson Werth, Phillies 2-24 .083 0-4 1
SS Ian Desmond, Nationals 2-20 .100 0-1 0
3B/C/OF Brandon Inge, Tigers 3-25 .120 0-3 0
OF Jason Kubel, Twins 3-22 .136 1-3 0
3B David Wright, Mets 3-21 .143 0-1 0
C A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox 3-21 .143 0-1 0
OF Torii Hunter, Angels 4-27 .148 0-1 0
OF Nate McLouth, Braves 4-27 .148 0-2 0
SS Everth Cabrera, Padres 5-31 .161 0-1 0

The week’s hitless wonders were Yankees C Jose Molina and Athletics C Landon Powell 0-for-12 and Mets C Josh Thole 0-for-10.

Walk/strikeout ratio (six or more strikeouts) – Brewers OF Mike Cameron 1:10; Cabrera 2:11 and Inge 2:11; Athletics OF Jack Cust 2:10; Angels OF Bobby Abreu 4:10; Werth 4:11.

Caught stealing – Rangers SS Elvis Andrus 4-for-6.

The following pitchers made two starts last week, doubly damaging their real and fantasy teams.

Throws Pitcher, Team IP ERA W-L WHIP SO/BB

RHP David Bush, Brewers 5.2 15.88 0-2 3.18 7:5
RHP Chris Tillman, Orioles 7.0 12.86 0-2 2.29 7:4
LHP Jorge De La Rosa, Rockies 7.1 11.05 1-0 2.18 10:6
RHP Edgar Gonzalez, Athletics 8.1 10.80 0-2 2.28 4:3
RHP Edward Mujica, Padres 8.0 10.13 0-1 2.38 8:3
LHP Lenny DiNardo, Royals 10.0 9.90 0-1 2.70 2:9
RHP Livan Hernandez, Nationals 10.0 9.90 0-1 1.90 2:5
RHP Braden Looper, Brewers 10.0 9.00 0-1 1.80 4:1
LHP Barry Zito, Giants 8.1 7.56 0-1 2.40 7:8
LHP Pat Misch, Mets 10.1 6.97 1-1 1.84 3:4

Some of these are pitchers failing auditions to be in a major league rotation next season.

De La Rosa fell from the Hot list a week earlier.

Losses – Bush, Gonzalez, Tillman and Red Sox RHP Paul Byrd 2.

Blown saves – Mariners RHP Mark Lowe 1-for-3.