Some of you geniuses probably caught on weeks ago. But now, the inevitable frenzy to snag Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kevin Slowey is upon us like a medieval plague. Over his last four outings, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP in 29 innings. On the season, he has consistently exhibited his pinpoint precision while whiffing 54 hitters and walking just nine. Another sign of his developing dominance is that he sports a lifetime WHIP of 1.21 and boasts a career total of 20 walks in 139 1/3 innings.  If for some odd reason you’re not sold yet, take into consideration that the 24-year-old control freak has two complete games this year with his most recent nine-inning rumba against the Milwaukee Brewers presenting itself in the shutout variety. Although his surname signifies his mound demeanor, don’t sleep on adding him, because he’s rapidly flying off waiver wire shelves at a discounted price.

I’m guessing that some of you are scared off by the fact that Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria is a rookie and could possibly be just another young and unpredictable hacker. If you think that, drop your whole team, because you should not be participating in the world of fantasy, you’re already living in one. On the year, Longoria is hitting a progressively ascending .267 with 15 dingers, 47 RBIs, 41 runs scored, four stolen bases and a gorgeous .864 OPS in 262 at-bats. Over his last 10 contests, the 22-year-old, Long Beach State alum is hitting a ridiculous .357 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and eight runs scored in 42 at-bats. Plus, in the month of June, he is cranking at a dastardly .300 clip with eight dingers, 19 RBIs, 19 runs scored and a gargantuan 1.024 OPS in 100 at-bats.  The only real knock the kid has against him is that versus left-handed hurlers he’s hitting a horrendous .224 and has a grand total of 69 strikeouts on the campaign. However, he is a developing stud on a nasty team, just ask the Sox. Not to mention, he shares a last name with one of America’s supreme beings.

I have officially reunited with one of my former man crushes. No, it’s not Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds, but it is Colorado Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe! I know he’s hitting a putrid .260 this season with 11 long balls, 34 RBIs and 28 runs scored in 219 at-bats, but you must consider the previous two seasons the 29-year-old left-handed slugger put together. Over his last two campaigns, he was good for 20-plus long balls, 80-plus RBIs and a .290-plus average. Plus, he notched a .898 OPS in 2006 and a nasty .926 OPS last season. As a matter of fact, Hawpe sports a career .862 OPS, which if you know me, makes me tingle. Listen, Hawpe isn’t going to light your squad up, he isn’t going to lead you to your league title and he isn’t going to make your girlfriend be okay with you checking your squad nine times a night, but he is going to add depth and pop to your lineup. Word out of Colorado is that Hawpe has moved to the cleanup spot for the foreseeable future, which bodes well for a man that sports a lifetime .281 batting average and a career .879 OPS inside the foaming walls of Coors Field.

On the season, Florida Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco is 8-4 in 17 appearances (15 starts) with 67 whiffs, 29 walks, a 4.05 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in 95 2/3 innings. Over his last four starts, he’s 3-0 with 27 strikeouts, four walks, a 1.82 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in 29 2/3 innings. In seven appearances (five starts) inside the Caribbean-like walls of Dolphins Stadium this season, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander is 3-2 with 26 whiffs, seven walks, a 3.50 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 36 innings of work. On the road, he’s 5-2 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in 59 2/3 innings. However, one thing to monitor is Nolasco’s glaring futility after the month of June over his career. In the months of July, August and September, he has combined to go 5-7 with a 6.23 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP in 73 2/3 innings. In addition, he has a lifetime 4.63 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 68 innings after the All-Star break. Listen, the kid has always had talent, he’s only 25, and appears to be coming into his own for the Marlins, but always be aware of a player’s downfalls. Despite his career of checkered performances during the summer months, I think it’s time to hook the young fish, because if he’s for real, he may be the big game catch you’ve been casting for all season.

Quick Hits  

Houston Astros starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez has sufficiently maintained a 2.58 ERA on the season. However, keep in mind that he sports a 1.89 ERA inside the juicy walls of Minute Maid Park and rocks a 3.80 ERA on the road.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Todd Wellemeyer is for real folks. Upon returning to the mound June 26 against the Detroit Tigers from various degrees of inflammation in his elbow, he pitched a five-inning shutout with three strikeouts. If healthy, he should maintain his current pace and prove to be a valuable asset all season long.

A ton of owners are already giving up on Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce. If he appears on your waiver wire, you must grab him. Although he has cooled down immensely, he’s still hitting .279 with four dingers, 15 RBIs, 18 runs scored and a decent .774 OPS in 122 at-bats. Watch and see fellow fantasy folks, there will be another stretch when he just rakes.

In case you were wondering, I will begin to post football content next week. See you then!

Rob McCarthy has played fantasy sports since the days of tediously transferring his daily points from the Boston Herald to a tattered notepad every morning. He has been featured on Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports and currently scribes for KFFL.com. In addition, Rob is an avid fan of all Boston sports.