Are you still looking for a productive player off the Waiver Wire? Need someone to help who has flown under the radar in your league? Then this is the place to look each week. Weekly Sleepers will focus each week on some of the most productive players in the game that no one is talking about.
Melvin Mora - 3B - Baltimore Orioles - The Orioles are a bad team (although not as bad as in years past), but that hasn't stopped Melvin Mora from absolutely raking the ball most of the season, and especially over the last month. For the first time in a long time, pitchers actually have to worry about someone in that lineup. Here's what Mora has done over the last month, and it's been really impressive: .375 (39/104) 6 HR, 32 RBI, 20 Runs Scored, 1 SB, 11 Ks, and an OPS of 1.063.
Marlon Byrd - OF - Texas Rangers - And to think, this guy was in the minors until pretty recently. Then again, this IS the Texas Rangers we're talking about; so obviously this guy has been in the minors while the big club toils. Luckily, Byrd has made the Rangers pay for their insolence, and he has taken it out on the baseball. If you haven't snagged this guy yet; snag him - he appears to be the goods. Here's what Byrd has done over the last month: .394 (41/104) 5 HR, 23 RBI, 24 Runs Scored, 2 SBs, 13 Ks, and an OPS of 1.120.
Denard Span - OF - Minnesota Twins - You can almost cut-and-paste the comments about Byrd and put them here; except the Twins are actually in the hunt for the playoffs. Span also appears to be legit, and for the Twins; he joins a very young nucleus of players that should make the Twins even more competitive for years to come. Here's what Span has done over the last month: .313 (36/115) 3 HR, 20 RBI, 22 Runs Scored, 6 SBs, 12 Ks, and an OPS of .867.
Kevin Slowey - SP - Minnesota Twins - Let's stay in Minnesota for this story; the story of Kevin Slowey. He was expected to be a journeyman at best, and seemed to be on that route. But, a nice push over the last month or so has elevated him in the Twins rotation and he's the second 10-game winner on the team. Here's what I'm talking about; Slowey's last month: 33.2 IP, 4 W, 1 L, 27 Ks, a 2.14 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP.
Rafael Perez - RP - Cleveland Indians - On bad teams, there are usually really good players that are unnoticed by the rest of the World. Perez might just be one of those guys; as this middle reliever/set-up man has gotten his share of work this season, and he just plugs along putting up great numbers along the way. Here's what he has done over the last month: 21.0 IP, 2 W, 2 L, 2 SV, 29 Ks, 5 Holds, a 3.86 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP.