Josh Willingham - Fantasy News & Updates
Josh Willingham - Fantasy News & Updates
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This was a much-needed shot in the arm for Willingham, who entered Sunday with a .095 (2-for-21) batting average over seven games. He's done most of his home run work on the road, where he owns 17 homers that have contributed to a eye-catching .606 slugging percentage. Sunday's home run marked just his seventh at Nationals Park, where he holds a meager .415 slugging mark.
Willingham has slumped to a .176 average this month, so owners might want to bench him for the time being. That said, with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs on the season, the Nationals outfielder deserves to remain on NL-only rosters.
Kearns was placed on the DL on Aug. 4 with a deep thumb bruise, although the injury required surgery shortly thereafter. Interim manager Jim Riggleman stated that an early September return for Kearns is premature -- it will likely be at least mid-September before the outfielder can aggressively swing a bat, according to Riggleman. The Nats have appeared fine with Elijah Dukes and Josh Willingham at the corner outfield spots, and owners sure aren't missing Kearns' .195 batting average and .641 OPS.
Willingham had a couple factors in his favor heading into Tuesday's game. For one, he brought in a career .353 batting average and a .647 slugging percentage in 34 previous at-bats at Wrigley Field. And the outfielder had already garnered five hits in 10 prior at-bats (.500) vs. Carlos Zambrano, including a double and a triple. His affinity for hitting at Wrigley Field should press his owners to leave him active for Wednesday.
Although Willingham has done a great job at home this year (.280/.407/.477), he's continued a career trend by inflicting the majority of his damage against opposing hurlers on the road, swatting 15 of his 19 homers and slugging well over .650 away from Nationals Park.
Do owners need more convincing that Willingham can serve a role in standard formats? The man who hit 20-plus homers from 2006-07 has put his power on display in the second half. He has six dingers to go with seven doubles and a .781 slugging percentage over his last 17 contests.
Lincecum's platform for his first weekly award was going 2-0 without allowing an earned run in the two starts and notching 23 strikeouts in 17 innings. Willingham's contributions were highlighted by 11 RBIs, as he went 10-for-23 (.435) with three homers among his five extra-base hits. The highlight of the 30-year-old's week -- if not his career -- was becoming the 13th player in big league history to club two grand slams in one game, on July 27 in Milwaukee.
Opposing hurlers have had a tough time slowing down Willingham over his past eight games, during which the big guy's raking at a .419 clip (13-for-31) with three doubles, four homers and 13 RBIs. Willingham's time as a savvy waiver-wire pickup is long gone, so just be happy that you grabbed him when you did.
The moves were necessitated after the Friday trade of Nick Johnson to the Marlins. Adam Dunn will switch from right field to first base, enabling Josh Willingham to move to left field and opening right field for Dukes. After spending time with Syracuse, interim general manager Mike Rizzo stated that Dukes is no longer pulling the ball or misjudging fly balls when he plays the outfield. The 13 homers and 13 steals he racked up last year made owners hungry for a full-time role for Dukes, which they shall now receive. Sosa went 1-2 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in 48 1/3 innings for Syracuse.
With the Nationals exploring possible trades for Willingham, these fireworks couldn't have come at a better time. While this game is obviously a jackpot for Willingham's fantasy owners, they've been getting rich off his stellar slugging all month long. Willingham is hitting .321 (25-for-78) in July, with seven homers and 23 RBIs in just 21 starts. Those numbers are pretty grand even before this beast of a performance gets factored in.
Willingham hasn't hit much over the past two weeks -- including an 0-for-14 stretch July 16-21 -- but when he's gotten a hold of one, he's hit it a long way, as evidenced by five July homers, including two in his last five contests. Willingham is hitting .291/.407/.565 on the year, numbers that make him worth owning even in deeper mixed leagues.
Willingham went into the All-Star break on a tear, slumped like crazy afterwards, and has been headed back towards his usual mean ever since. This isn't a bad thing, though -- Willingham has always been a productive NL-only fantasy player, and is quietly having a very good season in D.C. His .292-13-30 has come in just 219 at-bats, and those numbers -- his recent up-and-down stretch notwithstanding -- are nothing for NL-only owners to sneeze at.
Entering Friday's action, Willingham was hitting .294 with 13 home runs and 29 RBIs. He is arguably the most sought after player on the Nationals because of his consistency with the bat.
They see both players as designated hitters. According to an industry source, the Nationals have been scouting players from Double-A Erie, a Tigers affiliate. In any deal, the Nationals want young pitching prospects in return.
Kendrick was scratched from Tuesday's start with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but the decision had "absolutely nothing to do with the Trade Deadline," according to LaMar. Two baseball sources said that is completely untrue, although the Phillies, in need of a right-handed bat off the bench, have inquired about Willingham's availability. Kendrick, who will start Wednesday instead, was held back because the Phils were considering placing a Major League pitcher on the disabled list. Kendrick would have been recalled to pitch in Philadelphia's bullpen.
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