Where my Swag at? VOL. I

By BrooklynBums

From Muntradamus, “I would not have a fantasy baseball writer on this staff who I truly did not believe would be able to help you with your fantasy team.  I spend day & night on this site, and I only would give you the best experts I know.  Enjoy BooklynBums, Where My Swag At.  This will be an ongoing series, feel free to leave comments below and welcome BrooklynBums to the BEAST DOME NATION.”

Swag. People like to think they have swag. Swag is considered something you earn, something you can get from being great and when you have it you present it to everyone in the way you act and show yourself. As easy as it is to get swag, it is just as easy to have it taken from you. In Baseball players live and breathe swag. With it you can be the best player in the game and without it one of the worst players. Players who have swag have confidence and it shows. Listed below are players who have lost their swag and are trying to get it back at any cost.

MARK TEIXEIRA

Stats as of 5/24: .226 Average. 5 HR. 21 RBI. 1 SB.

Every year Mark Teixeira is known to start slow. Usually it only lasts the first month of the season. This year it is no different with one exception. It is almost June and he has not gotten out of his season long slump. Tex never really has a high batting average so this is not the main concern. Last season he finished with an average of .247. The best thing about him is his power. With that low average he still managed to hit 39 HR and drive in 111 RBI’s. Since 2004 he has hit over 30 HR and driven over 100 RBI’s. Will this year be any different?

This season Tex has gotten off to a very slow start. Sometimes I think I can do better. At this point he should be getting out of his funk, but that is not happening. Tex only has 5 HR’s, that puts him on pace for only 18 on the season. For fantasy sake we all hope that does not happen. His rookie year he hit 26 HR and drove in 84 RBI’s. If the way he is playing this season progresses as it is now it will be his worst year of his career. A quick side note, he is on my fantasy team and I really need him to pick it up to keep pace with everyone. Tex should always stay in the starting lineup in all fantasy leagues for 2 reasons, 1. He starts slow and will most likely turn it around and 2. He plays for the Yankees.

TEX, WHERE YOUR SWAG AT?

IAN KENNEDY

Stats as of 5/24: 4.47 ERA. 45 K. 1.35 WHIP. 3 W.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Although it is early in the 2012 season you can tell what pitchers are going to have stellar stuff after about 3 starts. The player I am thinking has had 9 starts and has only a 3-4 record to show for it. Do you know who it is? Yes you guessed it Ian Kennedy. Kennedy was one of the most dominant pitchers last year. He posted a stellar 21-4 record with 198 K and an ERA of 2.87. Everyone expected Kennedy to come out of the gates blazing. I don’t think so!

Kennedy has started the year off with a 3-4 record and an ERA of 4.47which is almost double what he finished last year. Kennedy has not shown that he can be the ace of the Diamondbacks staff. With all the young pitching that the D’backs have, I would be a little worried. Pitchers can be sent to the minors to fine their stuff but if the pitcher that took his spot is playing well, it is very hard to come back. I’m not saying Kennedy will be sent down, but with the farm system the D’back have they will not have an issue finding someone.

KENNEDY, WHERE YOUR SWAG AT?