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Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers: Week 8

AJ_Pollock_Diamondbacks

A.J. Pollock has taken advantage of more consistent playing time

Can’t believe it’s already the last week of May. As we head into the dog days of summer, you should have a pretty good idea about your team. Keep scouring the waiver wire and think of potential trades to send to your league mates. Depth is key for those that want to hoist the trophy at season’s end. Players go on hot/cold streaks and injuries occur in the marathon that is the baseball season. In this weekly column, I will try and assist you by highlighting the players that were the most and least productive the past week. As usual, you don’t need me to tell you that Ryan Braun and Corey Kluber are awesome, so I will try and focus on the lower-tier players.

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RISERS

  • A.J. Pollock (OF-Arizona Diamondbacks) – Went 12/30 for a .400 AVG, scored eight runs, hit one home run, drove in three, and stole four bases (three in one game). Pollock has been entrenched at the top of the Diamondbacks’ lineup, often hitting right in front of Paul Goldschmidt. After receiving inconsistent playing time early in the season for some reason, manager Chip Hale has finally come to his senses and given Pollock more time. He does still sit from time-to-time though, as the Diamondbacks have a glut of outfielders, but the cream usually rises to the top and Pollock is a very talented player.
  • Mike Bolsinger (SP-Los Angeles Dodgers) – One-hit the San Diego Padres in eight innings Saturday night. He did not walk a batter and struck out eight. Bolsinger currently sports a 0.71 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 3-0 record, and has struck out 22 batters in 25.1 innings. His ERA and WHIP obviously won’t remain this low, but there could be something here. Bolsinger rarely reaches 90 mph with his fastball, so he doesn’t overpower hitters. He relies on control and utilizes a nasty curveball that keeps batters off balance. In Saturday’s game, more than 23 pitches were under 80 mph. It will be interesting to see what happens when the league gets a book and a second look at him. Until then, he may be a viable asset, as he has excellent control and pitches in a pitcher’s park for a team that could produce plenty of win opportunities.
  • Maikel Franco (3B-Philadelphia Phillies) – Called up from Triple-A May 15th. Since then, has hit for a .286 AVG, scored seven runs, hit two home runs, drove in seven, and stole one base. When he was called up last year, Franco looked overmatched and struck out a ton. This time around, he looks like the guy that his minor league numbers indicate; a .280 AVG, .785 OPS, with 347 K’s in 2167 at-bats. He’s batting clean-up for the Phillies and will probably be entrenched there the rest of the year.
  • Ryan Howard (1B-Philadelphia Phillies) – Collected 10 hits for a .384 AVG. Scored five runs, clubbed three home runs, and drove in five runs. He’s alive! I still can’t believe he hit 58 home runs and drove in 149 runs in 2006. Crazy year and times. If healthy, Howard could hit 25+ home runs. He reached 23 just last year and 33 in 2011. Just don’t expect an average above .260.
  • D.J. LeMahieu (2B-Colorado Rockies) – Collected 10 hits with a hit in every game for a .400 AVG. Scored eight runs, hit one home run, drove in five runs, and stole one base. All the games were in Colorado, but he’s been able to produce on the road as well; .352 AVG/.896 OPS at home and .308 AVG/.735 OPS on the road. He’s not sexy and doesn’t possess name-cache, but LeMahieu is currently the #10 second baseman. Did I mention that he plays half of his games in Coors?
  • Mike Napoli (1B-Boston Red Sox) – Four games with two hits. On the week, totaled nine hits for a .428 AVG, scored six runs, hit five home runs, and drove in 10 runs. To show how terrible Napoli was to begin the season, the recent heater drove his average up to .203. There was a story that said Dustin Pedroia watched tape with Napoli on the plane ride home and noticed that his hands were in a different position. I guess Pedroia is setting himself up for a career after his playing days are over. Napoli is a career .255 AVG/.843 OPS hitter, so there is upside. He’s not as bad as his early season indicates, but he’s not as good as last week. Ah, the beauty of fantasy baseball.
  • A.J. Burnett (SP-Pittsburgh Pirates) – Was dominant against the Mets on Saturday; seven innings, allowed five hits and one earned run, and struck out 10. On the season, Burnett is 4-1 with a 1.37 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts in 59 innings. And to think he’s been contemplating retirement. He’s pitched eight quality starts in a row. One of the best pitching bargains as his ADP was 223 and he’s the #12 starting pitcher overall.
  • Mitch Moreland (1B/DH-Texas Rangers) – Had a hit in every game last week. Tallied nine hits for a .375 AVG. Scored three runs, hit two home runs, and drove in three runs. Since coming back from the DL, he’s helped propelled the Rangers’ offense. Hitting behind Shin-Soo Choo, Prince Fielder, and Adrian Beltre should provide plenty of RBI opportunities.
  • Kendrys Morales (1B/DH-Kansas City Royals) – Could be the waiver wire pickup of the year so far. Currently leading the AL in RBI. On the week, Morales tallied five hits, scored four runs, hit two home runs, and drove in seven. The switch-hitter is a perfect fit for the Royals’ offense and has been a force hitting behind Eric Hosmer. Last year, Morales could never get into a flow, as he signed late and was traded mid-season. The two years prior, he essentially hit 22 HR/80 RBI with a .275 AVG. 2010-2011 were lost years from the devastating ankle injury he suffered after hitting a walk-off grand slam. 2009 was an MVP-caliber year as he clubbed 34 HR/108 RBI with a .306 AVG. What does that all mean? Morales can hit.
  • Brandon Belt (1B-San Francisco Giants) – aka “Baby Giraffe,” aka “Spring Training Babe Ruth” has continued to play well. This past week, he tallied six hits, scored four runs, hit one home run, and drove in five. Will this finally be the year? Probably, because I dropped him earlier in the year.
  • Billy Burns (OF-Oakland Athletics) – Burns Baby Burns! Disco Inferno! The speedster tallied seven hits, scored three runs, hit one home run, drove in two, and stole four bases. Burns has one 74 SB season in the minors and three 50+ SB seasons. With the injury to Coco Crisp, Burns has assumed the lead-off position for now and could become entrenched there. A Billy Hamilton that can hit, for free on the waiver wire? Sign me up.

FALLERS

  • Bartolo Colon (SP-New York Mets) – Got drubbed again. This time by the Cardinals for eight earned runs on eleven hits in 4.1 innings. Colon walked two and struck out four. After a hot start to begin the year, Colon has gotten pummeled his last two starts. He predominantly throws his fastball and relies on spotting it. He throws high 80s-low 90s so there’s little room for error. He can strikeout eight and allow one earned run just as easily as allowing eight earned. Welcome to Colon-roulette. Do you feel lucky?
  • Jonathon Niese (SP-New York Mets) – Two losses on the week. Against the Cardinals, Niese allowed eight earned runs on 11 hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out one. Five days later, the Pirates got him for four earned runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings. He walked four and struck out six. Like Colon, Niese has gotten shelled after a great start to the season. Dave Letterman leaves TV and all of a sudden Mets pitchers can’t pitch anymore? The chants of Steven Matz, the highly-touted Mets’ pitching prospect, grow louder and louder everyday.
  • Mike Leake (SP-Cincinnati Reds) – The Reds’ innings eater got rocked in Cleveland a week after getting shelled by the Giants. In Cleveland, the Indians tagged him for five earned runs on seven hits in four innings. He walked five and did not record a strikeout. Control pitcher that don’t have control usually spells trouble. Baseball is an easy game. Leake is usually reliable but will never rack up huge strikeout totals. He can be used in favorable matchups but if the control is not there on any given day, his stuff is not good enough to make up for that.
  • Anibal Sanchez (SP-Detroit Tigers) – All-or-nothing Sanchez. I will strike you out or allow an earned run. Ole! Against Houston he allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. He walked two but struck out 11. Unfortunately, five days earlier, he allowed seven earned runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings but only struck out two. Such an enigma. The strikeout potential is so tantalizing, and he’s had a dominant season in the past, but he’s been getting rocked. I’d rather step onto the Sanchez roller coaster than step up to the Colon-roulette wheel.
  • C.C. Sabathia (SP-New York Yankees) – The Yankees are so inconsistent. So many of their players have been highlighted in the Risers section one week, only to be on the Fallers section the next. After last week’s gem, Sabathia allowed six earned runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings. He walked one and struck out four. C.C. and Al Bundy need to hang out at the local bar and reminisce about the glory days.
  • Cory Spangenberg (2B-San Diego Padres) – Since his two homer game on May 14th, Spangenberg has totaled four hits (.129 AVG) and scored two runs. He’s a good hitter so things should pick up for him but don’t expect huge power. Speed is more his thing, so he should be able to help out in that area once he starts getting on base more often. In 1484 minor league at-bats, he posted a .296 AVG with a .356 OBP.
  • Christian Yelich (OF-Miami Marlins) – Still struggling in the early season. Last week, tallied five hits with one RBI. He was dropped down in the lineup from the two-spot to six. Yelich is a good hitter and the Marlins agree as they signed him in March for seven-year. $49.57 million extension. He may be pressing because of the new contract. He should heat up, as he’s too good not to. Remember that he’s still only 23 years old.
  • Howie Kendrick (2B-Los Angeles Dodgers) – Only tallied five hits with one run scored. The Dodgers offense as a whole has been inept. They just got swept in San Francisco without scoring a run all series! Kendrick is basically the Treasury Bill of the MLB. He will year-in and year-out give you a .292 AVG, .330 OBP, .750 OPS, roughly 10 HRs, and roughly 10 SB. The RBI is the one fluctuating component, as he’s batted in different slots of the lineup. He’s in the heart of the Dodgers’ order so his RBI total could exceed his career numbers.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. Good luck this week.

Stan Son is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Stan, check out his archive and follow him @Stan_Son.

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