[h=1]Fantasy baseball: Ozzie Albies, Ji-Man Choi and more hitters to watch[/h]
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The Tampa Bay Rays open their season against the Houston Astros this week sans three of the four hitters that reached double digits in home runs for them last season. That, in itself, is a big deal. Only one of them reached 15; that was C.J. Cron, dumped and headed to the Minnesota Twins. Shortstop Willy Adames is the leading returning "power hitter" with 10, which is, frankly, amazing, even for this franchise. Still, I cannot wait to see how things turn out with this offense, which features several fantasy sleepers.
Third baseman Matt Duffy starts out on the injured list for a few weeks, meaning the Rays have room for one of the infielders I find interesting that might not have been in the plans for regular playing time. First baseman Ji-Man Choi slugged .536 versus right-handed pitching last season. He should play. Brandon Lowe slugged .613 at Triple-A Durham and just signed a six-year contract reminiscent of Scott Kingery, so he should play. Yandy Diaz has yet to slug much, and the Cleveland Indians might not think he will, after they traded him for Jake Bauers, but give it time. He should play.
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Frankly, each of these fellows should be playing over Duffy anyway, and facing Astros pitching right away might not go so well, but then again, what if it does? Adames seems underrated by fantasy managers. So are Daniel Robertson and Joey Wendle, and the Rays also roster Avisail Garcia, the same one who posted an OPS of .885 for the 2017 Chicago White Sox, and former Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Austin Meadows, who showed power and speed this month in spring games. Without even mentioning Tommy Pham, the lone Rays hitter going in the first 23 rounds of ESPN ADP, you can see how this offense is at the least intriguing.
What I want to see specifically from this offense is not only how the pieces fit together, but also whether more power comes to fruition. Cron hit 30 home runs last season but did not get on base at a high clip or show much defensively, and combined with salary, he is gone. Choi is a perfect platoon option, though I think Diaz can hit for power if given the opportunity. Lowe certainly has lots of pop. Wendle hit 33 doubles, but only seven home runs; can he hit 15 homers? Meadows hit 18 home runs and stole 17 bases between the majors and minors in 2018. That would be worth a top-200 pick easily in ESPN drafts if he could do so entirely at the top level.
Anyway, I am watching the Rays, and perhaps a pitcher of theirs that I will mention in another blog entry. This article is for the hitters, so here are 20 I will keep my eye on early in the season ... most are going undrafted in standard leagues.
Ozzie Albies, 2B, Atlanta Braves: He is only 22, but the second half of his rookie season did not inspire, as he did not hit for power or steal bases, did not hit right-handers and struggled to reach base. Not saying he will start slow, but if he does, the Braves could push him down the lineup.
Peter Alonso, 1B, New York Mets: Dominic Smith is still a Met, and the team has yet to make public the plans on using these young players. Alonso has big power. Smith does other things. I do not see how they cannot play Alonso regularly.
Lewis Brinson, OF, Miami Marlins: I will not pretend to know how this one turns out. Brinson cannot be successful striking out a third of the time while drawing a walk every other week, but there is an intriguing power/speed profile waiting to emerge.
Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox: Find a better lineup spot than third on the champions, between Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. Devers has to break out. Has to.
Danny Jansen, C, Toronto Blue Jays: He is hardly the lone Jay worth a look, but fantasy managers are so desperate for catching aid, a nice batting average with some pop in April would go a long way to pleasing us. Also, watch his teammates Billy McKinney and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. This team is more than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has to start the season in Buffalo to "prove himself."
Ketel Marte, 2B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks: He could play center field or in the infield, but none of the hype matters if he does not hit. Marte boasts plate discipline, modest pop and speed, which is why many predict a breakout. However, when everyone seems to expect something, I feel like it rarely happens.
Leonys Martin, OF, Cleveland Indians: The lineup looks a lot different sans Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor, but the well-traveled Martin secured the center field job and should lead off. There is potential for 20 home runs and 20 steals, at least in theory. Watch the potential No. 2 hitter Bauers as well.
Jose Martinez, 1B/OF, St. Louis Cardinals: He is one of the most dropped hitters because fantasy managers worry he will not play regularly. Perhaps that is the case. Martinez can rake, though, so Dexter Fowler and, to some degree, Tyler O'Neill will get only so many chances to prove themselves. I find it tough to roster Martinez in a 10-team standard if he starts only once or twice each week.
Cedric Mullins, OF, Baltimore Orioles: The new Orioles leadoff hitter needs to reach base in order to steal them, but we have been told 25-plus stolen bases are possible. It is not as if there is great demand for his center field role.
Renato Nunez, 3B, Baltimore Orioles: Bad teams score runs, too. Nunez has the power to flirt with 25 homers, and one would think the Orioles use him over the likes of Mark Trumbo, Joey Rickard and Dwight Smith Jr. Then again, it is the Orioles.
Chad Pinder, 2B/OF, Oakland Athletics: Perhaps he cannot hit right-handed pitching on a consistent basis, but with Matt Olson on the shelf for at least April, he gets the chance. Watch his teammate Ramon Laureano as well, for his intriguing power/speed profile.
Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants: I want to believe he is healthy and ready to flirt with a .300 batting average and 20 homers again. The fact is nobody knows what will occur here, probably not even him. The danger in fantasy is drafting him early, in the first half of a draft, and still asking this question come July.
Franmil Reyes, OF, San Diego Padres: At this point I have to assume whomever hits in early games between Reyes and Hunter Renfroe gets to see more playing time. The team has said nothing. Perhaps one of them plays center field, which seems like a bad idea. If Reyes bats 600 times, he hits 30-plus home runs.
Domingo Santana, OF, Seattle Mariners: He thrived in 2017, and he can thrive again. He already has a home run and a stolen base, too, so if drafting today, draft him to your active lineup and those are yours!
Scott Schebler, OF, Cincinnati Reds: One would think how he performs, both at the plate and defensively in center field, will mold the discussion on top prospect Nick Senzel and perhaps others. Schebler hit 30 home runs two seasons ago.
Christin Stewart, OF, Detroit Tigers: The power is undeniable, and he might bat one spot ahead of rejuvenated Miguel Cabrera as well. That is intriguing, and yet, he is readily available. Of course, a slow start erases the positive feelings, as with so many of these players.
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, New York Yankees: Admit it, you cannot see how this works out well over six months. You are not even giving Tulo a chance. I am skeptical, yes, of the health first and production second, but the Yankees have little to lose here. You might be adding Tulo in two weeks.
Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers: It looks like he will make the club, which is the first issue. Whether he gets to hit on a consistent basis is another, but there is promise of five-category goodness waiting.
Neil Walker, 1B/2B/3B, Miami Marlins: What, another Marlins hitter? Walker was bad in 2018, but in the four prior seasons, he hit .272 and averaged 19 home runs per season, at middle infield. He hits cleanup on this team.
Tyler White, 1B, Houston Astros: I am a big fan, but the manager stating he will share designated hitter duties is a bit troubling. White can end that speculation by hitting as he did the final months of 2018.
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
The Tampa Bay Rays open their season against the Houston Astros this week sans three of the four hitters that reached double digits in home runs for them last season. That, in itself, is a big deal. Only one of them reached 15; that was C.J. Cron, dumped and headed to the Minnesota Twins. Shortstop Willy Adames is the leading returning "power hitter" with 10, which is, frankly, amazing, even for this franchise. Still, I cannot wait to see how things turn out with this offense, which features several fantasy sleepers.
Third baseman Matt Duffy starts out on the injured list for a few weeks, meaning the Rays have room for one of the infielders I find interesting that might not have been in the plans for regular playing time. First baseman Ji-Man Choi slugged .536 versus right-handed pitching last season. He should play. Brandon Lowe slugged .613 at Triple-A Durham and just signed a six-year contract reminiscent of Scott Kingery, so he should play. Yandy Diaz has yet to slug much, and the Cleveland Indians might not think he will, after they traded him for Jake Bauers, but give it time. He should play.
<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
Frankly, each of these fellows should be playing over Duffy anyway, and facing Astros pitching right away might not go so well, but then again, what if it does? Adames seems underrated by fantasy managers. So are Daniel Robertson and Joey Wendle, and the Rays also roster Avisail Garcia, the same one who posted an OPS of .885 for the 2017 Chicago White Sox, and former Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Austin Meadows, who showed power and speed this month in spring games. Without even mentioning Tommy Pham, the lone Rays hitter going in the first 23 rounds of ESPN ADP, you can see how this offense is at the least intriguing.
What I want to see specifically from this offense is not only how the pieces fit together, but also whether more power comes to fruition. Cron hit 30 home runs last season but did not get on base at a high clip or show much defensively, and combined with salary, he is gone. Choi is a perfect platoon option, though I think Diaz can hit for power if given the opportunity. Lowe certainly has lots of pop. Wendle hit 33 doubles, but only seven home runs; can he hit 15 homers? Meadows hit 18 home runs and stole 17 bases between the majors and minors in 2018. That would be worth a top-200 pick easily in ESPN drafts if he could do so entirely at the top level.
Anyway, I am watching the Rays, and perhaps a pitcher of theirs that I will mention in another blog entry. This article is for the hitters, so here are 20 I will keep my eye on early in the season ... most are going undrafted in standard leagues.
Ozzie Albies, 2B, Atlanta Braves: He is only 22, but the second half of his rookie season did not inspire, as he did not hit for power or steal bases, did not hit right-handers and struggled to reach base. Not saying he will start slow, but if he does, the Braves could push him down the lineup.
Peter Alonso, 1B, New York Mets: Dominic Smith is still a Met, and the team has yet to make public the plans on using these young players. Alonso has big power. Smith does other things. I do not see how they cannot play Alonso regularly.
Lewis Brinson, OF, Miami Marlins: I will not pretend to know how this one turns out. Brinson cannot be successful striking out a third of the time while drawing a walk every other week, but there is an intriguing power/speed profile waiting to emerge.
Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox: Find a better lineup spot than third on the champions, between Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. Devers has to break out. Has to.
Danny Jansen, C, Toronto Blue Jays: He is hardly the lone Jay worth a look, but fantasy managers are so desperate for catching aid, a nice batting average with some pop in April would go a long way to pleasing us. Also, watch his teammates Billy McKinney and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. This team is more than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has to start the season in Buffalo to "prove himself."
Ketel Marte, 2B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks: He could play center field or in the infield, but none of the hype matters if he does not hit. Marte boasts plate discipline, modest pop and speed, which is why many predict a breakout. However, when everyone seems to expect something, I feel like it rarely happens.
Leonys Martin, OF, Cleveland Indians: The lineup looks a lot different sans Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor, but the well-traveled Martin secured the center field job and should lead off. There is potential for 20 home runs and 20 steals, at least in theory. Watch the potential No. 2 hitter Bauers as well.
Jose Martinez, 1B/OF, St. Louis Cardinals: He is one of the most dropped hitters because fantasy managers worry he will not play regularly. Perhaps that is the case. Martinez can rake, though, so Dexter Fowler and, to some degree, Tyler O'Neill will get only so many chances to prove themselves. I find it tough to roster Martinez in a 10-team standard if he starts only once or twice each week.
Cedric Mullins, OF, Baltimore Orioles: The new Orioles leadoff hitter needs to reach base in order to steal them, but we have been told 25-plus stolen bases are possible. It is not as if there is great demand for his center field role.
Renato Nunez, 3B, Baltimore Orioles: Bad teams score runs, too. Nunez has the power to flirt with 25 homers, and one would think the Orioles use him over the likes of Mark Trumbo, Joey Rickard and Dwight Smith Jr. Then again, it is the Orioles.
Chad Pinder, 2B/OF, Oakland Athletics: Perhaps he cannot hit right-handed pitching on a consistent basis, but with Matt Olson on the shelf for at least April, he gets the chance. Watch his teammate Ramon Laureano as well, for his intriguing power/speed profile.
Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants: I want to believe he is healthy and ready to flirt with a .300 batting average and 20 homers again. The fact is nobody knows what will occur here, probably not even him. The danger in fantasy is drafting him early, in the first half of a draft, and still asking this question come July.
Franmil Reyes, OF, San Diego Padres: At this point I have to assume whomever hits in early games between Reyes and Hunter Renfroe gets to see more playing time. The team has said nothing. Perhaps one of them plays center field, which seems like a bad idea. If Reyes bats 600 times, he hits 30-plus home runs.
Domingo Santana, OF, Seattle Mariners: He thrived in 2017, and he can thrive again. He already has a home run and a stolen base, too, so if drafting today, draft him to your active lineup and those are yours!
Scott Schebler, OF, Cincinnati Reds: One would think how he performs, both at the plate and defensively in center field, will mold the discussion on top prospect Nick Senzel and perhaps others. Schebler hit 30 home runs two seasons ago.
Christin Stewart, OF, Detroit Tigers: The power is undeniable, and he might bat one spot ahead of rejuvenated Miguel Cabrera as well. That is intriguing, and yet, he is readily available. Of course, a slow start erases the positive feelings, as with so many of these players.
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, New York Yankees: Admit it, you cannot see how this works out well over six months. You are not even giving Tulo a chance. I am skeptical, yes, of the health first and production second, but the Yankees have little to lose here. You might be adding Tulo in two weeks.
Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers: It looks like he will make the club, which is the first issue. Whether he gets to hit on a consistent basis is another, but there is promise of five-category goodness waiting.
Neil Walker, 1B/2B/3B, Miami Marlins: What, another Marlins hitter? Walker was bad in 2018, but in the four prior seasons, he hit .272 and averaged 19 home runs per season, at middle infield. He hits cleanup on this team.
Tyler White, 1B, Houston Astros: I am a big fan, but the manager stating he will share designated hitter duties is a bit troubling. White can end that speculation by hitting as he did the final months of 2018.
