Weekly FAAB: Ryan Kalish

WAIVER CLAIMS:
Walden- Owls
Damon- Mt.baker
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BIDS:
Pearce- Deal:6, Liefers:5
Grimm- Usuals:8, Chaos:2
Stewart- Troops:1
Snyder-Chaos:1
L.Mendoza-BSP:2, Mt.Baker:1
Kalish- Skwirls:10,Liefers:5, Deal:2
Furbush- Chaos:1
L.Martin- China:6
N.Jones- China:1
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FAAB remaining: China:75, Liefers:91, Relay:59, Chaos:36, Owls:65, Deal:89, Highlanders:66, Skwirls:39, Troops:75, Mt.Baker:34, Big Sausage:38, Usuals:69

Very excited this morning to learn I have landed Red Sox OF Ryan Kalish with a bid of $10.  I had targeted him at the auction, but with him on the DL and in the minors, league rules prevented me from dropping the $1 end-of-auction bid.  With his call-up yesterday, I thought long and hard on this FAAB bid -- there's little science or math in it, it's mostly intuition as to what bid "feels right" -- and settled on $10 because it's aggressive enough to land him but low enough to make him a keeper.  Note: He FAAB'd for $22 in 2010 here and Mike Gianella fairly gushed about his potential then.

While he can help my depleted OF now, I think he is keeper material for 2013.  He's actually kind of a stealth stud prospect, with good power (think Trot Nixon) and sneaky speed that he's not afraid to use. He had 10 SB in 2010 with Boston, plus 24 earlier in the minors!  Kalish says he's healthy and he's torn up the minors on his brief rehab assignments.  He made his debut last night with a clutch RBI single that won the game against the Cubs. 

With the return of Ellsbury and Crawford still floating off in the foggy distance, Kalish will get plenty of at-bats.  Even when Cody Ross comes back (perhaps this week?) it will be an ideal platoon situation.  Podsednik (.373 and 5 SB for my $5 so far) has apparently tweaked his groin, so if he goes on the shelf that opens up CF. 

Basically, a potential 20/20 guy for $10.  Not bad!