Taking a look around the league, here’s a recap of last night’s action and suggestions for your fantasy baseball team.
Mr. Clutch (pitcher) – Dan Haren looked like the Dan Haren of old against the Braves. He went eight innings, allowing four hits and one earned run, while striking out four. It really does not get much better against one of the best teams in baseball. Dan Haren’s stock has really dropped off this last year, so it’s a nice sign to see him capture some of his old glory. He has been prone to the home run ball this season, and if he gets that under command, he could be a sneaky buy-low guy.
Mr. Clutch (hitter) – Domonic Brown was a guy I thought could be headed for a breakout season this year loosely based on his pedigree and spring numbers. First three weeks? Nothing. Now, he is starting to show some signs. Against Miami, he went 3-for-4, with one home run, two RBIs and two runs. He also has two home runs in his past five games, which could be a subtle sign for him taking a big step this season. I thought he might step up this season and be a guy worth owning in 12-team mixed leagues. Right now, I would think he is more of a 14-team mixed league option at this point.
Surprise, surprise! – Brett Lawrie! Welcome to the party. It seemed like he was completely off of the radar with his constant nagging injuries and constant lack of production, despite his always lofty draft status. Maybe this is where he turns it around. Lawrie went 1-for-3, with one home run, one RBI, one run and one walk against Boston. For all the reasons above, I have never been a Lawrie believer. Time to send emails out to your league-mates talking this guy up.
Here comes the heat – Carlos Gomez has been flat out crushing it. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run, a walk and two stolen bases. He is producing all across the board and is a guy I think could keep this type of production up. I think he can deliver 25 home run, 20 stolen bases, 80 runs and 80 RBIs. For what his perceived value is, I think he is a steal right now. Go get him!
Left out in the breeze – I don’t know if it was a guy coming off steroids or a guy going into decline after two big seasons, but Melky Cabrera has not been worth owning this season. Against Boston he was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. There’s not much good that you can find about this guy. He’s definitely droppable right now in any league.
Who’s trending? – Justin Grimm was a big pickup for many people and a guy I recommended streaming yesterday against the White Sox. He has a very solid K/9 of 9.13, but his LOB% of 84.6 is a bit high. I think he is a good stream option in 10-team mixed leagues. Keep an eye on him.
Bench me, please? – What are they doing in Kansas City to these elite prospects! Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez have not developed at all into the potential that they had as prospects. It is a very sad situation, but I think these guys are just not ownable. Trade them for what you can, and in some cases, there may be better waiver wire options out there. Don’t be the guy who has Hosmer on your team two months too late. Act now. Maybe these guys rebound like Alex Gordon did. For now: Drop! Drop! Drop!
The Streamer – I might be signing Jeremy Guthrie’s death warrant here, but I like him going against the White Sox. His LOB% of 92.3% and his HR/FB rate of 19.4% scare the living bejesus out of me, but as a streamer option, I am willing to take the risk. Stream with confidence!
