Fantasy Baseball: (Buy-Low)

20 Under-Performing Hitters

By Muntradamus

Here is a list of 20 players that are under-performing to their Pre-Season standards. These players are all due for corrections in their stats, and now is the time to Buy-Low on all of them. Players are organized by position, nothing to do with ranking.

Also Fantasy Football Material is coming soon!

 

Catcher:

 

ALEX AVILA

Stats as of 5/20: .212 Average. 4 HR. 12 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .275 Average. 18 HR. 77 RBI. 1 SB.

The Tigers offense is going to hit it’s stride eventually this season. They are capable of being the best hitting team in the AL, and Avila is the anchor of maybe the best 5-9 hitting team in the AL. I expect the production to pickup as Delmon Young continues to improve and get on base.

 

MIGUEL MONTERO

Stats as of 5/20: .259 Average. 2 HR. 21 RBI. 0 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .289 Average. 21 HR. 74 RBI. 3 SB.

Now that Chris Young is healthy, and Justin Upton is starting to play like his 2nd round value. That will result in more RBI opportunities for one of the best hitting catchers in Miguel Montero. The Diamondbacks have ways to go to be the best team in the NL West, and Montero will help get their offense back to par.

 

1B:

 

ADRIAN GONZALEZ

Stats as of 5/20: .265 Average. 3 HR. 21 RBI. 0 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .330 Average. 34 HR. 124 RBI. 2 SB.

To think that Boston’s offense is doing as well as it is without Adrian Gonzalez is a joke. The Red Sox will continue to score runs at will. When A-Gonz finally gets it together, those RBI’s will be racking up very quickly.

 

MARK TEIXEIRA

Stats as of 5/20: .227 Average. 5 HR. 21 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .261. Average. 41 HR. 120 RBI. 1 SB.

When the Yankees start going, so will Tex. Mark has historically been a slow starter, and this season has proved no differently. Some of the Yankee hitters are having solid seasons, but they have not been doing it at the same time. Tex will be fine, and those numbers will balloon up.

 

ERIC HOSMER

Stats as of 5/20: .175 Average. 5 HR. 19 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .297 Average. 28 HR. 104 RBI. 16 SB.

So far the bust of the season, Hosmer will be fine. He is not striking out a lot, and at times he has shown a lot of power. Yes it is a concern that his batting average is under .200, but he will continue to play everyday and carry that Royals Franchise. He will get going at some point, he is too good not to.

 

ALBERT PUJOLS

Stats as of 5/20: .216 Average. 3 HR. 18 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .304 Average. 44 HR. 110 RBI. 11 SB.

Pujols showed some life with 2 HRs this week. His production did come to a halt when he traveled to SD, but now that he is moving away from that hitters death valley, his numbers should start to increase. If the season started all over today, and everyone was equal value. Pujols would still be a top 5 1B option, he needs his confidence to climb up.

 

2B:

 

HOWARD KENDRICK

Stats as of 5/20: .253 Average. 4 HR. 13 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .285 Average. 20 HR. 80 RBI. 12 SB.

Kendrick is having a bad season thanks to poor Angels hitting all around him. I see him having a drastic improvement once Pujols starts going the way he is supposed to. Kendrick was slated to bat in front of Albert to start the season, if he hits the way he should be. He could see himself back in that slot.

 

BRANDON PHILLIPS

Stats as of 5/20: .259 Average. 2 HR. 14 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .287 Average. 19 HR. 87 RBI. 23 SB.

How to explain this poor start.. Simply you have to blame Brandon’s ability to not hit HRs. You could blame Votto for not being the elite option we expected, but now he is playing better and still Brandon sits with 2 HRs. You could blame, no. No more blaming, Brandon will start to get his numbers as that is the rule of fantasy baseball.

 

3B:

 

ALEX RODRIGUEZ

Stats as of 5/20: .277 Average. 5 HR. 15 RBI. 4 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .285 Average. 33 HR. 110 RBI. 5 SB.

A-Rod is going to be huge when the Yankees get everything together. Right now Rodriguez has done a nice job of staying healthy, and is even showing some speed. Batting in the heart of that Yankee lineup once all players get hot, he will be an ELITE 3B option.

 

MICHAEL YOUNG

Stats as of 5/20: .276 Average. 3 HR. 21 RBI. 2 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .319 Average. 14 HR. 111 RBI. 4 SB.

Young has slowed down since his sizzling start. There is good reason to believe that he will get it together as he is one of the most talented hitters in the AL. The power will not exceed 20 HRs, but the RBI pace should start to pick up.

 

RYAN ZIMMERMAN

Stats as of 5/20: .250 Average. 2 HR. 12 RBI. 2 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .290 Average. 32 HR. 105 RBI. 4 SB.

Ryan is playing the best baseball he  has all season.  If he does not continue this recent power surge for the rest of the month, his value will drop tremendously.  His stock is on the rise, and now is a good time to buy low with a lot of upside.

 

SS:

 

TROY TULOWITZKI

Stats as of 5/20: .267 Average. 4 HR. 16 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .314 Average. 37 HR. 114 RBI. 14 SB.

Tulo has yet to have one of those power streaks that result in 12 HRs in a month. Soon that will happen, and when it is does he will take-off as the #1 SS by a land-slide. Right now he is playing at around the #10 overall SS, but he is very likely to finish at #1.

 

JOSE REYES

Stats as of 5/20: .241 Average. 6 HR. 21 RBI. 10 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .320 Average. 10 HR. 65 RBI. 80 SB.

Yes the 80 SBs were way too much to predict. But how could you not get excited about Reyes playing in Miami with Emilio and Hanley. Reyes will raise that batting average to the .300 range, if you think his slow start will hold back his overall numbers. You are wrong. Once Reyes get’s going, he will fly up the rankings. 6 HRs thus far is very impressive for him.

DEE GORDON

Stats as of 5/20: .200 Average. 1 HR. 9 RBI. 12 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .267 Average. 1 HR. 34 RBI. 65 SB.

Now is the perfect time to buy-low for Gordon. His speed is out of this world, and when that batting average starts climbing up. His fantasy value will climb to the top. I expect Dee to be an elite option by the time this season is over, those 65 SBs are still in play.

ALEXEI RAMIREZ

Stats as of 5/20: .212 Average. 1 HR. 17 RBI. 3 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .282 Average. 20 HR. 75 RBI. 10 SB.

This is more of a fluke than anything to see Alexei with 0 HRs at this point. He is one of the best dual-threat SS’s the MLB has to offer, and he will get his numbers. Once he gets hot, that bat can swing for a while. Now is a great time to steal him in a trade.

ERIK AYBAR

Stats as of 5/20: .220 Average. 0 HR. 10 RBI. 3 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .285 Average. 11 HR. 50 RBI. 20 SB.

Another victim of a slow start for the Angels this season. Aybar has plenty of speed to rack up those SBs at a quick rate. He can still get to 20, but those 11 HRs seem very unlikely at this point. If you can get him for next to nothing, why not try.

OF:

 

MICHAEL CUDDYER

Stats as of 5/20: .251 Average. 4 HR. 23 RBI. 5 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .270 Average. 27 HR. 85 RBI. 9 SB.

Michael had a great start to the season, only to fade slowly. Luckily for him he plays at Coors field, so the chances of getting hot and continuing to play hot all season will last. It also helps that there is nobody on the depth chart to take his place. Get Cuddyer will his value is so cheap.

ALEX GORDON

Stats as of 5/20: .237 Average. 4 HR. 18 RBI. 1 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .278 Average. 20 HR. 69 RBI. 12 SB.

I am not a big Alex Gordon fan, but his very slow start to the season has hindered his numbers. I do not think he will bounce back for a huge season, but he could put up respectable numbers for what you get in a trade with him. The risk to acquire him is very-low, as long as you do not give up too much.

DELMON YOUNG

Stats as of 5/20: .243 Average. 2 HR. 13 RBI. 0 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .271 Average. 31 HR. 104 RBI. 4 SB.

Delmon appears ready to break out. I have mentioned him in many articles this season, but now that he is back to the full-time #5 hitter for a loaded Tigers team. The Ducks will be on the pond. I expect Delmon to easily surpass 80 RBIs this year.

 

LOGAN MORRISON

Stats as of 5/20: .247 Average. 2 HR. 9 RBI. 0 SB.
Predicted Season Stats: .277 Average. 18 HR. 80 RBI. 4 SB.

Maybe a move to 1B will snap Logan out of his funk. He has a lot of big league potential, and the Marlins offense is now starting to hit the ball at a high rate. The RBI opportunities will be there, it is up to him to cash in.

 

*Feel Free to comment on the bottom with questions.