Author: TJ Streett

Show Yunel Some Love

Yunel Escobar is outperforming Hanley Ramirez, Derek Jeter and Alex Gonzalez thus far this year but he’s not getting much love… until now.

Analysis: Yunel Escobar is seventh in batting average, fourth in runs and sixth in homers among all big league shortstops this season. Escobar has bounced back well after an awful 2010 season that saw him hit just four homers and bat .256 in 135 games. This year Escobar is on pace for double digit homers, a batting average in the .285-295 range and an impressive eighty-five plus runs. He’s rated as the sixteenth best shortstop accordingly to most “player raters” yet he is available in forty percent of fantasy leagues. His walk rate of 11% is at a career high level, in fact he’s second among shortstops in the walk department with nineteen. The only negative aspect of his game this year is his stolen bases. He’s only received the green light twice, stealing just one bag on the year. He still should end up with five or six steals by year’s end but it is a slight concern. Escobar is just twenty-eight years old and his power should be surfacing momentarily. Smart owners will want to pluck him up off the wire if only for depth. A shortstop that should hit .290 with double digit homers, nearly ninety runs and a handful of steals is considered a valuable asset on any fantasy team, so show Yunel some love.

Scott Rolen Is On Fire

Since returning from the 15 day disabled list (strained shoulder) Friday against St. Louis, Scott Rolen is on fire. It’s time to pick up the veteran third baseman before it’s too late.

Analysis: Just three games into his return Scott Rolen has seven hits, a double, a triple, two RBI and two runs scored. Rolen has went from being available in about forty percent of fantasy leagues to over eight percent while on the disabled list. At the very worst Rolen adds depth at third or the corner infield slot for your fantasy squad. When healthy he is a must own especially when considering he hits behind Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce and oh yeah… Great American Ballpark is a hitter’s paradise. Rolen’s walk rate is way down this year but that isn’t the worst thing in terms of fantasy roto leagues. His strikeout rate is similar to his last two years and his BABIP is right on track for another .270 batting average season. Third base has been the biggest disappointment from a fantasy perspective this year- A-Rod, Youkilis(multi-position), A-Ram, Reynolds with Zimmerman and Longoria missing significant time. Pick up Rolen and roll with him for depth at least until he goes back on the disbaled list at some point.

Projection: Still expect around fifteen homers by season’s end but his fantasy strength is his RBI numbers.

Is Todd Helton Back?

Todd Helton is just two homers short of what he hit last year in 118 games and his batting average is seventy points higher. So, is Todd Helton back?

Analysis: Todd Helton is the fourteenth best fantasy first baseman thus far this year, it’s pretty impressive when considering the thirty-seven year old was left for dead coming into the 2011 season. You have to love what Helton is doing at the plate, making contact. His strikeout rate is half of what is was last year and three percent below his career average of 14 percent. His BABIP, ISO and wOBA all check out around his career levels so it appears Todd Helton is back, at least for now. You have to consider as the season wears on the veteran his performance will drop but with his contact rate (92%) you’d have to imagine his batting average will not dip below .300 and hitting in Coors Field should help hide his diminishing power. You really have two options with Helton- in deeper leagues pick him up off the wire or sell him for a team need/shallow position. He’s a perfect depth player in roto leagues with his batting average as well as his run and RBI totals.

Projection: Helton should bat around .300 with 40 runs and 40 RBI the rest of the season. Expect his play to drop a bit, so act accordingly.

Delmon Young Returns From DL

Delmon Young is returning from the 15 day disabled list after straining his left oblique muscle. Young has struggled this year hitting .228 without a home run in sixteen games.

Analysis: Delmon Young may have had an inflated RBI total last year but we know who he is. Delmon is a lifetime .291 hitter and his power is slowing developing. His ISO has increased in each of his last three years from 2008-10 and he has a little bit of speed to offer as well. Young is a perfect sleeper now in roto leagues that don’t bother with OBP, he just hacks at everything (60.6 Swing%). If you have been following fantasy baseball at all this year you know this is a great time to buy low on the outfielder who is available in half of fantasy leagues nationwide. This isn’t a Sam Fuld or Jonny Gomes (combined 0 HR since April 18) situation where he will fall off the face of the planet, Delmon is a professional hitter who provides five-cat numbers. Don’t count the Twins or Delmon Young out this year.

Projection: From this point on you can expect a .290 batting average, 12-15 home runs, five plus stolen bases and competitive run and RBI totals from Delmon Young. Buy him low, buy him now and don’t look back.

Time To Sell Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran now has eight homers on the season after mashing three Thursday night against the Rockies. His play thus far this year has been surprisingly solid but we know what lies ahead for the switch hitter…injuries.

Analysis: Beltran hasn’t reached 360 plate appearances in each of his last two years and his speed numbers are in rapid decline. Beltran has just three steals in his last 100 games and to further add insult to injury, he hasn’t even attempted one stolen base this year. It is obvious he in no longer a five category fantasy stud but his recent power surge is questionable as well. Beltran’s isolated power has decreased in each of his last four years and to see his ISO in the .230-.250 range this year is shocking considering his career ISO is just .212. As the season moves forward and Beltran’s legs just cannot take the beating day after day and as his fielding becomes even more of a liability we know he has at least two trips to the disabled list down the road. If he does stay healthy and his power dries up you’re left with an outfielder without a great asset and one you could have sold in mid May for a younger fantasy stud in a slump.

Advice: Beltran has a few trips to the disabled list in him and it serves all Beltran owners well to see what they can get for him right now.