BY ROB SHAW
FANTASYFANATICS.COM
BLUE JAYS
Several fantasy managers searching for a bargain during the pre-season draft, selected Vernon Wells in the middle rounds. They figured last year’s paltry .245 average and 16 homeruns were an anomaly resulting from an injury-plagued season. This season, Wells got off to a solid start. Through 10 games he had 12 RBI, three homeruns and a .341 average. He even had a stolen base.
Since then, Wells had played 26 games and driven in just 12 runs with two homeruns and no stolen bases. With his average down to .281, Wells hurt himself in the outfield and is now due to miss at least six weeks of action. Considering it’s a fractured wrist that has Wells sidelined, I would recommend cutting him from your team. The fact is that Wells, still just 29-years old, has not enjoyed the type of success that was once predicted for the fifth pick of the 1997 draft. In general, Wells has enjoyed two sensational seasons, sandwiched between plenty of inconsistency. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Matt Stairs put up better numbers than Wells for a second year in a row.
INDIANS
If Joe Borowski is available on the waiver wire, you might as well go grab him. Over the weekend, fantasy managers went nuts adding Ryan Franklin and Guillermo Mota to their fantasy squad. The fact is that they might enjoy a month of closing before Izzy and Gagne return to their roles. On that note, Borowski has missed a few weeks to strengthen his arm. The Indians know they are better off with Rafael Betancourt in middle relief, which means Borowski will regain the closer’s job. Expect 25 saves from Borowski this season. He is a better pick-up than Franklin and Mota.
TIGERS
Who is Matt Joyce? Joyce is a 23-year old lefty outfielder who smoked his first homerun of his major league career on Saturday. The Tigers drafted Joyce in the 12th round of the 2005 draft. After belting 11 homeruns at Class A in 2006, he belted 17 in Double A last season. This year at Triple A, Joyce slammed five homeruns in 28 games, which earned him a call up to the majors. If there is one positive sign pointing to Joyce possessing fantasy value as soon as this season, check out the fact that Jim Leyland hit the rookie second in what many consider the best lineup in baseball. If Joyce remains towards the top of the Tigers order, there will be plenty of run-producing opportunities this season.
YANKEES
While the Yankees have been frustrated with the performances of young hurlers Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and Kei Igawa, they received a pleasant surprise on Saturday when Darrell Rasner pitched another gem. Using just 87 pitches, Rasner allowed two runs, four hits and one walk to improve to 2-0, with a 3.00 ERA. The 27-year old right hander will not offer many strikeouts, but his control should lead to a solid WHIP and his ERA has stood out thus far. Occasionally, Rasner is bound to get hit hard, but if he’s in a pitcher’s park against a struggling offence, the combination of strikes, solid defence and run support should lead to fine statistics.
METS
It was another unusual performance for Mets southpaw Oliver Perez on Sunday. He halted a personal three-game losing streak with six innings of three-run baseball, but still managed to raise some eyebrows. Everyone knows the story of Ollie Perez; he has electric stuff, but is as inconsistent as the New York Stock Exchange these days. On Sunday, Perez offered a bullish performance through the first five innings of work. In his final inning, the fluctuation returned as three Reds scored, and Perez simply looked fatigued. By day’s end, Perez earned the win and the eight strikeouts will have fantasy managers happy with his returns. Nonetheless, it is still anyone’s guess as to the futures!
REDS
It was an exceptional return to Shea Stadium for Reds shortstop Jeff Keppinger. The soft-hitting 28-year old broke into the majors as a Met in 2004. Four years later, he is finally earning a chance to start, thanks to an injury to Reds starting shortstop Alex Gonzalez. After hitting 7-12 in the three game series with the Mets, Keppinger has raised his average from .292 to .324. Don’t think of it as luck either; Keppinger boasts a .312 career average in 559 career at-bats.
BRAVES
Atlanta Braves fans may have to chock up Jeff Francoeur’s early success as beginner’s luck. The strong-armed outfielder commenced his career with a blast. As a 21-year old, Francoeur blasted 14 homeruns with a .300 average in 70 games. The next season, he blasted 29 homeruns and drove home 103 RBI. Then the decline began. Last season, Francoeur suffered a power outage with just 19 homeruns in 642 at-bats. The lack of power remains in force this season, as Francoeur has just three homeruns to go with a .257 average. Believe it or not, the one-time “can’t-miss star” should be placed with the scraps on the waiver wire.
PIRATES
Two years ago, two Major League Baseball players were dominating the batter’s box with power and average and appeared to be stars on the rise. Since then, Travis Hafner and Jason Bay have inexplicably lost their magic. While Hafner continues to struggle, it appears that Bay may have turned the corner. The 29-year old followed 35 homeruns and 109 RBI in 2006 with just 21 homeruns and a .247 average last season. After starting the month of May with a .242 average, Bay has been pounding the ball. On Saturday he blasted his seventh homerun, while raising his average to .286. In a hitter’s park, with Nate McLouth setting the table and Ryan Doumit offering protection, Bay should bounce back to his early dominance.
MARLINS
Don’t knock on Dan Uggla. Year after year, Uggla has reprimanded fantasy managers who refuse to buy into his impressive power. As a rookie, he took the majors by storm, swatting 27 homeruns with a .282 average. Then last year, we all assumed it was beginner’s luck, but Uggla did not flinch. He belted 31 homeruns and scored 113 runs. This season, fantasy managers pointed to the loss of Miguel Cabrera and assumed that somehow, Uggla’s power would diminish. Apparently, Uggla disagrees. On Sunday, the Marlins second baseman belted two homeruns and now has 11 on the year. He is currently on pace to approach 50 homeruns and 120 RBI.
NATIONALS
After another solid performance, perhaps it’s time to throw Shawn Hill’s name around as a hurler with fantasy value. Last year, the right-hander offered a solid 3.42 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 16 starts. This year, the 27-year old has an ERA of 3.56 through five starts. The dilemma lies with the fact that he pitches for the Nationals. Similar to Matt Cain, who had a similar ERA last season with the Giants, a lack of run support will haunt fantasy managers looking for wins from Hill. In fact, Hill has yet to pick up a single decision this season.
ANGELS
Torri Hunter is quietly enjoying a sensational start in Los Angeles. The perennial gold-glover boasts a .302 average with five homeruns and 22 RBI. Fresh off 18 steals a season ago, it is a bit surprising that Hunter has just three so far this year, but that is likely a result of the fact that he is hitting in the bottom half of the order, as the Angels rely on him to drive home runs, rather than score them.
RAYS
Looking for a hot infielder to play at second base, look no further than Rays leadoff hitter Akinori Iwamura. Sure, the Japanese native has just a .253 average on the season, but he is one of the few talents who can combine speed and power. The 29-year old already scored 23 runs through 36 games this season, which should lead to 100 or more runs by season’s end. On May 1, Iwamura was batting just .202, but since then has collected 16 hits in the last nine games and I have the feeling the best has yet to come.
CARDINALS
I don’t like to accentuate the negative, but it is worth noting how poorly the Cardinals move for Troy Glaus appears. The slugger who has been connected with steroids in several reports this off-season has suffered a complete power outage this season. Never known for much other than power, the Cardinals slugger who hit 20 homeruns in just 115 games a season ago, has one in 38 games this season. To make matters worse, Glaus does not have a single RBI this month. Scott Rolen looks great in comparison, despite missing the first month and a half of the season.
BREWERS
Ryan Braun is fighting to get out of a team-wide slump. On Sunday, the slugger blasted two homeruns and lifted his average to .281. Regardless, Braun has been a disappointment this season, as his 15 steals a year ago has shrunk to just one thus far this season. Perhaps it’s the lack of protection in the order and runners on base that are hurting Braun, as Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder continue to slump midway through May.
ORIOLES
The Orioles won 19 games through smoke and mirrors, but it appears their magic has run thin. Offensively, with the exception of Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts, there is not a single player to get excited about. In fact, there is a not a single regular on their squad with a batting average as high as .270. To make matters worse, the speedy Brian Roberts missed Sunday’s game because of an ailing foot. He is listed as day-to-day.
ROYALS
Patience paid out for fantasy managers who stuck with Brian Bannister. As you read here earlier last week, Bannister’s success in 2007 proved that his hot start in 2008 was not a fluke. On Sunday, Bannister hurled a two-hitter in eight innings. He improves to 4-4 with a solid 3.75 ERA. Unless the match-up is enough to keep him on the pine, I’d start him every time.
DIAMONDBACKS
Somehow, someway, Conor Jackson has four triples on the season. The Diamondbacks first baseman entered the season with two triples in 310 career games. Jackson is already halfway to last year’s total of 60 RBI, as he continues a sensational 2008 campaign with five homeruns, 27 runs, three steals and a .325 average.
CUBS
Just a few seasons ago, Felix Pie was a mega-prospect for the Chicago Cubs thanks to his defensive ability, athleticism and .300 average in his minor league career. Unfortunately, his success in the minors has not carried to the bigs. His .215 average in 177 at-bats in his rookie season has not improved much this season. Pie currently owns a .222 average, but has just one homerun and two steals to his name. As a result, Pie is in a platoon situation and is often pitch-hit for late in games.
A’S
The Oakland A’s scored a dozen runs on Sunday and the only player who did not enjoy the madness was leadoff hitter Kurt Suzuki. The A’s catcher, who enjoyed a hot start to the season, has struggled a great deal lately. He is currently in an 0-for-14 rut, and has just one homerun on the season. You might want to look elsewhere for a productive backstop in the short term.
RANGERS
The Ron Artest of baseball, Milton Bradley, is enjoying his most recent ball-club, the Texas Rangers. The outfielder is often used as a designated hitter and he has been earning his paycheck thanks to a .311 average and 20 RBI. With two homeruns and eight RBI in the past seven games, Bradley is a fine pick-up these days, particularly in home games,where he bats .373.
PHILLIES
A week ago, Pat Burrell was batting .330. Sunday’s 1 –for-2 performance lifted his average up to .299. It appears that the career .259 hitter is returning back to earth. That does not mean that his fantasy value is shot. Burrell is still a great power hitter; after all, he does have 59 combined homeruns in the past two seasons. The fact is that Burrell will likely end up with a .265 average, however, 35 homeruns and 110 RBI can make this slugger worth holding onto.
GIANTS
Aaron Rowand has been sensational in his first season with the Giants. Unfortunately, his .348 average has not helped much thanks to the struggles of those surrounding him in the order. How else can you explain that despite being on base more than 40% of the time, Rowand has scored just 15 runs. Or the fact that he has 15 extra bases and yet just 16 RBI to show for them. Perhaps if the Giants move him up from the fifth spot in the order to leadoff, he’ll have a better chance at scoring runs. Actually, with a clean-up hitter who has never had as many as 20 homeruns in an 11-year career (Bengie Molina), even that move wouldn’t offer much production.
ROCKIES
Sooner than later, Chris Iannetta will supplant Yorvit Torrealba as the Rockies starting catcher. The 25-year old catcher is currently batting .328 with three homeruns and 14 RBI in just 58 at-bats. The second that Iannetta earns the job, he should be scooped up in all fantasy leagues as a catcher with potential to hit for average. In 803 minor league at-bats, Iannetta had a .303 average and 33 homeruns. Torrealba, meanwhile, is batting just .222 this season. That isn’t far from the veteran’s lifetime average of .249.
PADRES
Khalil Greene finally hit his second homerun of the year, however, he still possesses a .209 average. Never one to hit for average, Greene did breakout last season with a career high of 27 homeruns and 92 RBI. On this date last year, Greene was batting just .236, so slow starts are nothing new for the Padres hard-hitting shortstop. In general, everyone on San Diego has slumped this year (aside from Adrian Gonzalez), as the team currently sits 10 games under .500.
WHITE SOX
Congratulations if you grabbed him when he was widely available, but Carlos Quentin is clearly a fantasy find. The former Diamondbacks outfielder who was forced to uncomfortably replace franchise player, Luis Gonzalez, was traded to the Windy City for a minor league prospect. He is currently batting second in the White Sox lineup, and leads the team with nine homeruns and 29 RBI. The 25-year old also has three steals and a team-leading .298 average. In a hitter’s park, Quentin has plenty of potential to put up impressive power numbers in his first full season as a major league regular. Last season, Quentin hit just .214 with five homeruns.
MARINERS
Surprise, surprise, Ichiro is back from an early-season slump and riding an 11-game hitting streak. The batting average is now up to .292 and he has 26 runs to show for his ability to get on base. As far as the concern that at 34-years old, the wheels would slow down, Ichiro has debunked that myth with 16 steals, nearly half as many as he had last season (37). Ichiro remains a great leadoff hitter, and a fine fantasy player who can dominate in three fantasy categories: runs, average and stolen bases. Expect the average to hover around .320 by season’s end.
ASTROS
Perhaps we ignore Astros first baseman Lance Berkman a bit too much. The Texas native is just two seasons removed from 45 homeruns, 136 RBI and a .315 average. Last year was a bit of a downer, yet he still hit 34 homeruns with 102 RBI. Maybe like Chipper Jones, we simply chock him up as a star, but not a superstar. This year, both players are proving that they are the latter. Not only is Berkman averaging a run and RBI per game, but he is averaging a homerun every three games and his average is an absurd .382. I guess it helps to have Miguel Tejada’s .342 average ahead of him in the lineup, with Carlos Lee, a 30-homerun hitter, behind him. As if Berkman hasn’t already accomplished enough, he has added speed to his repertoire. With six steals already on the season, he needs just three more to tie his previous mark (established in 2004). Berkman may very well prove to be better than anyone gives him credit for. Perhaps in a few years, like Chipper Jones, we’ll be talking about Lance Berkman heading to the Hall of Fame.
DODGERS
James Loney is widely available in fantasy leagues and it would be wise for fantasy managers to grab him while they can. The Dodgers big bopper slammed 15 homeruns, drove in 67 runs and batted .331 in 96 games last season. Now in his first full season of major league service, the 24-year old has four homeruns, an impressive 27 RBI and a respectable .286 batting average. It seems like the Dodgers have found the middle of the order that they have craved for years. Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and James Loney are the heart of the Dodgers order, and they, hopefully, will be for years to come. While Kemp has recently reached fantasy stardom, Loney is not far away.
RED SOX
This season has not been easy for Coco Crisp, and yet you won’t be able to notice from his statistics. Crisp has been supplanted at the top of the order, and in centerfield, by young phenom Jacoby Ellsbury. As a result, Crisp has become a platoon player and playing time is hard to come by. Nonetheless, on the season, Crisp does boast a .317 average. On Sunday night, he belted his second homerun and stole his sixth base. While Crisp will not enjoy much fantasy value until he earns regular playing time, his impressive performance has likely improved his stock and the odds of being traded.
TWINS
He has always been a statistical anomaly, and Craig Monroe, once again is drawing raves from fantasy managers. On Sunday, Monroe blasted two homeruns and drove in four RBI. His average now sits at a fine .284. Monroe broke through in 2003, when he came out of nowhere to slam 23 homeruns and drive in 70 runs. However, his .240 average and lack of bases on balls (he drew just 27 walks) had many baseball fans wondering if he’d ever make it in the bigs. The next season he drew just 29 walks, but he hit for average, reaching a career high at .293, while he also slammed 18 homeruns. Monroe became a regular in 2005 and he mixed his power with a respectable average, finishing the season with 20 homeruns, 89 RBI and a .277 average. He followed with career highs of 28 homeruns and 92 RBI, but his average headed south to just .255. After struggling early in ’07, the Tigers traded Monroe to the Cubs midway through the season, and he eventually sat on the bench with just one homerun and a .204 average in 23 games played. This season, Monroe will once again lack fantasy value, as playing time will be hard to come by, but if he can continue to perform in his limited opportunities, the Twins might think twice about his role as a utility player. At the age of 31, if given 500 at-bats, Monroe can probably still reach 20 homeruns, however, that wouldn’t be enough to have much fantasy value in a standard 12-team league.
