Fantasy baseball: Don't fret, look for help on wire

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Fantasy baseball: Don't fret, look for help on wire By JASON BARTOLONE jbartolone@bradenton.com

As your team sputters into August and your league's trade deadlinelooms, it's easy to let desperation creep in.
Maybe you'll try to pull off some kind of final-hour blockbustertrade, or perhaps you'll hit the free-agency pool and search forany old familiar name who can help you. But before you go wonderingif Sammy Sosa is still in the league (he isn't) or if Barry Zitocan help you (he can't), stop and think. Sometimes it's better togo with someone you've never heard of but can actually help yourteam.
As you're scraping the bottom of the barrel, consider these guys:
Bummed by Jorge Posada's lingering shoulder injury? Jose Molina,the New York Yankees' light-hitting backup catcher, is probably notan option, but the Colorado Rockies' Chris Iannetta definitely is.
Iannetta's emergence as the Rockies' top backstop is about threeyears later than predicted, but it's been worth the wait. He'sbatting .277 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs - stats that put him aheadof big-name catchers such as Jason Varitek, Kenji Johjima, JasonKendall and Victor Martinez.
Chris Volstad has been pretty impressive in three big league startsfor the Florida Marlins. The 6-foot-7, 21-year-old righty nearlypitched a complete game in his debut, then followed that up withtwo more quality starts, including Saturday's six-inning, two-runouting.
Volstad isn't much of a strikeout artist (just 56 Ks in 91 minorleague innings this year), but the Marlins aren't afraid to put himon the mound in the middle of a playoff race, so the youngster iscertainly worth a shot.
If you're looking for some pop from the shortstop position, checkout the Kansas City Royals' Mike Aviles. The team's minor leagueplayer of the year in 2007 is hitting a robust .305 with 25 RBIsand an .810 OPS in 174 at-bats this year in relative anonymity inK.C. Aviles may not be a household name, but I'd probably trust himmore than fragile retreads Nomar Garciaparra and Bobby Crosby, whomay be available in your league.
Now that Jon Rauch has been traded, the Washington Nationals havesome big shoes to fill - literally. With the tallest player inmajor league history (6-foot-11) now pitching for the ArizonaDiamondbacks, the Nats have turned closing duties over to26-year-old righty Joel Hanrahan.
There's a lot to like about Harahan - especially his 67 strikeouts,second among big league relievers. Get him now if you're lookingfor saves.
OK, you know the name Richie Sexson - although if he's ruined yourfantasy team in the past few years, you probably have more creativenames for him. Still, Sexson is a guy to at least consider pickingup for a few days and throwing him in your lineup when the Yankeesare facing a left-handed starter.
"Big Sexy" may be just a shadow of his former slugging self, buthe's still deadly against southpaws (.328, five homers in 67at-bats against lefties), so he could be worth a spot start here orthere.