Sunday marked the end of Matchup #10 for Head-to-Head leagues. Standard H2H regular seasons are typically 20 matchups long, so we have just passed the halfway point of the season! We now have 2 1/2 months of statistics and data to look, and numbers are starting to stabilize. By now you should have a feel for your team and which of your picks have panned out, and those that unfortunately haven’t. Since we just passed the halfway point, I thought it would be appropriate to go through each position and see what the best and worst picks have been thus far in respect to average draft position. I will be factoring in their performance relative to their NFBC ADP, and their production across the standard H2H categories.
I have labeled the best picks as someone who has “Impressed” owners and the worst picks as someone who is leaving their owners “Depressed.” I have kept it to one each per position (except for OF and SP) with some honorable mentions sprinkled in. Of course I will not be able to touch on every player that has impressed or depressed, so feel free to leave some of yours in the comments!
Catcher
- Impressed:
Wilson Ramos – ADP: 159.2 (9th catcher)
• #6 C on ESPN Player Rater •#116 on Razzball Player Rater
2018 stats: .284, 21 R, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 0 SB
Catcher has been an absolute shit show this year. Makes me realize how twisted of a person you’ve gotta be to play in a 2-catcher league. For me, Ramos is the guy that has put up the best production given his price tag. I almost gave Grandal the nod over Ramos but that .247 average wasn’t doing it for me. Ramos is probably the most well rounded catcher that you did not have to pay a hefty price for. This is why I wait on drafting a catcher.
Honorable mention: J.T Realmuto
- Depressed:
Gary Sanchez – ADP: 19.1 (1st C)
• #10 C on ESPN PR •#114 on Razzball PR
2018: .190, 33 R, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 0 SB
As I mentioned, the catcher position has been a black hole this season so there could be many names here. I decided to go with Sanchez because he was a 2nd round pick, yet he’s hitting just .190. Aside from the average, his other stats look pretty solid but not solid enough when you consider his draft day price. I do not know many happy Gary Sanchez owners out there, and rightfully so when you see he was the 1st catcher drafted on average but currently the #10 C according to ESPN.
Dishonorable mention: most catchers
First Base
- Impressed:
Jose Martinez – ADP: 251.3 (27th 1B)
• #2 1B on ESPN PR •#41 on Razzball PR
2018: .322, 31 R, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 0 SB
This man belongs front and center on a Razzball Hype Train 2k18 poster. One of Grey’s gems up his sleeve, Martinez has met and exceeded any expectations we had for him going into the year. He was the 27th 1B off draft boards on average, yet is currently only behind Freddie Freeman on ESPN’s Player Rater for 1B. All year he had hit for a great average, and was a solid run producer. The only knock (if there was one) was that he didn’t hit many home runs. A week ago, he only had 5 on the season. Fast forward a week and he has doubled that mark, sitting on 10 for the season. This man is GOOD.
Honorable mentions: Brandon Belt, Mitch Moreland, Jesus Aguilar
- Depressed:
Anthony Rizzo – ADP: 25.7 (4th 1B)
• #15 1B on ESPN PR •#91 on Razzball PR
2018: .243, 29 R, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 2 SB
If I wrote this a week or two ago, you would surely be seeing either Goldy or Bellinger’s name here. Luckily for them and their owners, they have been heating up big time as of late and been real home run happy. Rizzo has been great in flashes this year, but overall this year is a let down for him. The injury didn’t help, so hopefully we see him improve as the year goes on. But a .243 average and 11 HR out of a mid 2nd round pick won’t cut it. He’s had 3 home runs over the past week, but still has a ways to go in order to make his draft day price justifiable.
Dishonorable mentions: Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Rhys Hoskins
Second Base
- Impressed:
Scooter Gennett – ADP: 205.5 (21st 2B)
• #3 2B on ESPN PR •#22 on Razzball PR
2018: .339, 33 R, 12 HR, 47 RBI, 1 SB
Aside from Jose Martinez, Scooter Gennett represents one of the absolute best value picks of the season so far. Drafted as the 21st 2B off the board on average, only Jose Altuve and Jose Ramirez are ranked higher on ESPN’s Player Rater among 2B. Chances are you did not draft him as your every day 2B, but unless you own one of the Jose’s Gennett is happily your second baseman. I feel like Gleyber Torres was robbed considering he went mostly undrafted and is on a tear, but that just shows how incredible Scoot has been so far. He has produced better numbers across every category, except that Torres has 1 more SB.
Honorable mentions: Gleyber Torres, Ozzie Albies
- Depressed:
Jonathan Schoop – ADP: 64.2 (5th 2B)
• #37 2B on ESPN PR •#540 on Razzball PR
2018: .214, 24 R, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 0 SB
This one was pretty easy. I know he missed some time, but Schoop has been AWFUL this year. Pretty crazy to think that he was the 5th 2B off draft boards on average, and is now sitting as the 37th ranked 2B according to ESPN. He doesn’t get much help playing on the Orioles, and it doesn’t look like it will get any easier. There’s still a lot of baseball left to go, but Schoop has easily been the worst 2B according to draft day price this year.
Dishonorable mentions: Rougned Odor, Robinson Cano (suspension, not talent)
Shortstop
- Impressed:
Jean Segura – ADP: 74.4 (7th SS)
• #1 SS on ESPN PR •#3 on Razzball PR
2018: .342, 50 R, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 14 SB
This was also an easy decision. We knew he’d be a top 10 SS this season, but who could have guessed he’d be sitting at #1 on ESPN’s Player Rater above guys like Manny Machado and Francisco Lindor? Only Mookie Betts and Mike Trout are having better seasons than him according to Razzball’s Player Rater. A true H2H Hero, Segura is getting it DONE at the plate and on the bases this year. Not much else to say!
Honorable mentions: Andrelton Simmons, Trevor Story
- Depressed:
Corey Seager – ADP: 43.5 (5th SS)
• #44 SS on ESPN PR •#699 on Razzball PR
2018: .267, 13 R, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 0 SB
Okay this might be taking the easy way out, but let’s be honest. If you drafted Corey Seager, you are/were in a deep depression after finding out he needed a TJ. There aren’t too many glaring “bad” picks for shortstops, so I figured this would be an appropriate entry. I thought about putting Trea Turner considering how early he went, but he has been putting forth a pretty good season for the most part. Maybe not good enough to be drafted #4.5 on average, but not awful. Okay maybe I should have just put Trea.
Dishonorable mentions: Trea Turner, Orlando Arcia, Elvis Andrus (injury)
Third Base
- Impressed:
Eugenio Suarez – ADP: 186.6 (19th 3B)
• #4 3B on ESPN PR •#44 on Razzball PR
2018: .299, 28 R, 12 HR, 49 RBI, 0 SB
This man is 4th in the MLB in runs batted in, despite missing 17 games due to a fractured thumb. Not only did he recover much faster than anticipated, but the notion that the injury may sap away some power was quickly brushed aside. Suarez has been the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable season for the Reds. He has quietly been one of the most consistent hitters in the league this year, and his numbers are not far off from Arenado’s at all.
Honorable mentions: Nick Castellanos, Miguel Andujar
- Depressed:
Rafael Devers – ADP: 115.9 (13th 3B)
• #30 3B on ESPN PR •#211 on Razzball PR
2018: .231, 26 R, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 2 SB
He was my pre-season “infatuation” pick, so it is only fitting to see him on this list as well. The young guy definitely has some talent, but it is also quite apparent that he was over drafted. His numbers aren’t awful, until you look at his batting average. A 27% strikeout rate and 14.4% swinging strike rate will surely limit one’s average, and Devers has struggled heavily at times. The bright side is that he is young, talented, and lucky enough to hit in one of baseball’s best lineups. Here’s to a strong finish!
Dishonorable mention: Josh Donaldson
Outfield
- Impressed:
Nick Markakis – ADP: 443.2 (#111 OF)
• #8 OF on ESPN PR •#24 on Razzball PR
2018: .333, 41 R, 8 HR, 44 RBI, 1 SB
On a team loaded with young studs, it’s easy to forget about someone like Nick Markakis. He was pretty forgotten coming into the year, with an ADP of 443 (so, undrafted) according to NFBC. He has long been a solid source of batting average, but this year he is more of a complete contributor. His 8 home runs is already good enough to tie his season total from last year. His 143 wRC+ is the highest mark of his career, and shows how great of a run producer he’s been this year. Markakis hits in a great lineup, so he should see plenty more opportunities going forward.
- Depressed:
Byron Buxton – ADP: 48.9 (#14 OF)
• #170 OF on ESPN PR •#983 on Razzball PR
2018: .156, 8 R, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 5 SB
After an incredible second half last year, expectations were once again high for the talented Buxton. However, he has been one of the most painful players to draft and has landed on the disabled list after an abysmal start. Perhaps he can be a valuable fantasy contributor upon his activation, but I’m not holding my breath. He likely cost you a ~5th round pick, but (former?) owners of his will tell you it has cost a few years off their life and an abundance of gray hairs.
Outfield
- Impressed:
Eddie Rosario – ADP: 125.1 (#34 OF)
• #5 OF on ESPN PR •#13 on Razzball PR
2018: .312, 42 R, 14 HR, 43 RBI, 5 SB
Rosario very well could have been the first outfielder to appear on this list, but Markakis came out of no where to be a top outfielder. Rosario on the other hand was drafted in the 12th/13th round and expected to be a solid fantasy contributor. He shattered any expectations en route to his #13 ranking on Razzball’s Player Rater. He is a H2H player’s dream come true, as he offers excellent contributions across the board. Look for him to continue stuffing the stat sheet as the season goes on.
- Depressed:
Billy Hamilton – ADP: 71.3 (20th OF)
• #89 OF on ESPN PR •#366 on Razzball PR
2018: .189, 30 R, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 10 SB
I warned you…I tried telling you! Don’t do it. Don’t you dare draft Billy Hamilton this year! A ~7th round pick can be put to better use. Amid all warnings, there were many owners out there that drafted Billy Hamilton to capitalize on his 1-category contributions. Or so we thought. Well, you can’t steal bases if you can’t get on base in the first place! And that is something Billy Boy has shown us all year.
Outfield
- Impressed:
• #12 OF on ESPN PR •#26 on Razzball PR
2018: .270, 35 R, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 3 SB
Haniger was a popular waiver wire add last season after his hot start, only to be slowed by a nagging oblique injury. He started this season very similar to last year, except he has stayed relatively healthy and has sustained his success at the plate. His 52 runs batted is good for 2nd most in the MLB, only trailing red-hot J.D. Martinez. He is a key part of Seattle’s success this year and should continue being a great source of run production from here on out.
- Depressed:
Domingo Santana – ADP: 101.1 (#27 OF)
• #97 OF on ESPN PR •#599 on Razzball PR
2018: .249, 15 R, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 1 SB
It looked like Santana would have ample opportunity to prove worthy for the Brewers over the off season as his ADP showed, but that sure changed real quick. The addition of Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich crowded the Brewer’s outfield, and Santana has been feeling the effects. Throw Braun, Thames, and Aguilar into the equation and things have been looking pretty grim for Domingo. His numbers aren’t doing much to help his case, so we are looking at another outfielder that is falling well shy of expectations.
Starting Pitcher
- Impressed:
Blake Snell – 196.5 (#73 SP)
• #8 SP on ESPN PR •#31 on Razzball PR
2018: 8-3, 2.30 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 89 K’s
Snell has been absolutely lights out this year. A late round flyer for most, Snell has shattered expectations and currently sits as the 8th ranked pitcher according to ESPN. He is tied for the 3rd most wins in the MLB, behind only Scherzer, Kluber, and Severino. His 2.30 ERA is 10th among those that qualify, and his insane 0.98 WHIP is 10th among starters with 10+ starts. Snell is 19th in the MLB in strikeouts, and clearly one of the game’s most complete pitchers so far.
- Depressed:
Yu Darvish – ADP: 47.6 (#15 SP)
• #137 SP on ESPN PR •#479 on Razzball PR
2018: 1-3, 4.95 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 49 K’s
When Darvish signed with the Cubs, it looked like a match made in heaven. The Cubs got an ace, and Darvish got an opportunity to pile up wins for one of the league’s top dogs. His 47.6 ADP mirrored the excitement in the fantasy community, but boy has he been a let down so far. Meanwhile Jake Arrieta, the guy the Cubs let go to pursue Darvish, has been pitching incredible. Darvish on the other hand has been awful, and is now sitting on the DL with a triceps injury. He has lots of ground to cover upon his return to the rotation if he wants to even be remotely close to being worth his draft slot.
Starting Pitcher
- Impressed:
Miles Mikolas – ADP: 288.7 (#106 SP)
• #13 SP on ESPN PR •#57 on Razzball PR
2018: 7-2, 2.43 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 63 K’s
If you thought Mikolas would be the best pitcher to come over from Japan this year, raise your hand. Now put that hand down you dirty liar! His transition back to the MLB has gone better than anyone could have scripted it, and he has been one of the game’s best pitchers this season. Just as they continually strike gold with prospects, the Cardinals have found an absolute diamond in the rough with Mikolas. Time will tell if teams will start to adjust to him as more film becomes available, but we are halfway through the fantasy regular season and Mikolas has remained dominant.
- Depressed:
Chris Archer – ADP: 54.3 (#18 SP)
• #82 SP on ESPN PR •#306 on Razzball PR
2018: 3-4, 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 76 K’s
I have never been a Chris Archer guy, but this year when he slipped to me I decided this was the year. Jump forward 2 1/2 months and I can confirm I will never be a “Chris Archer” guy ever again in my life! Sure, he gets strikeouts. But do the strikeouts really matter when he’s getting lit up like a Christmas Tree? No, I can confirm they do NOT. Add an injury in which he’s experiencing a major set back and Chris Archer definitely deserves the “Depressed” tag. Never Again!
Starting Pitcher
- Impressed:
Charlie Morton – ADP: 167.9 (#60 SP)
• #15 SP on ESPN PR •#63 on Razzball PR
2018: 7-1, 2.82 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 96 K’s
The Houston Astros pitching rotation simply just is not fair. They are LOADED from top to bottom, and the guys at the “bottom” are pitching just as well as the guys at the top. Morton is listed as #5 in the pitching rotation, but he would be just about any team’s ace this season. He finally just surrendered his first loss since last season and is easily one of fantasy baseball’s best draft day bargains. His 96 strikeouts is good for 11th in the MLB, and his 11.9% swinging strike rate backs up his filthy repertoire.
- Depressed:
Luke Weaver – ADP: 108.4 (#39 SP)
• #91 SP on ESPN PR •#364 on Razzball PR
2018: 3-5, 4.35 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 60 K’s
After an impressive stint with the Cardinals last year, Luke Weaver was a favorite among the fantasy community heading into this season. I was warned not to draft him too high and have unrealistic expectations. So what did I do? Drafted him toooo high and had in realistic expectations! The kid some real talent and I have no doubt he will have a successful career. But for now, I will pout every time he turns in a stinker (lot of pouting so far) and try to learn a lesson. Draft someone for the player they are, not for the player you want them to be.
Relief Pitcher
- Impressed:
Edwin Diaz – ADP: 88.8 (#6 RP)
• #1 RP on ESPN PR •#32 on Razzball PR
2018: 0-2, 2.50 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 58 K’s, 25 SV
You can’t get someone much more automatic in the 9th inning than Edwin Diaz this season. He is 25-for-28 in save opportunities and has an insane 14.5 K/9 on the year. So he is essentially a Josh Hader that gets all of his team’s save opportunities. He leads the league in saves, and it would be very surprising to see him not make the All-Star team. The Mariners are one of the league’s best teams currently, so he should continue to get plenty of opportunities to rack up strikeouts and saves.
- Depressed:
Alex Colome – ADP: 128.2 (#13 RP)
• #29 RP on ESPN PR •#257 on Razzball PR
2018: 2-5, 4.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 28 K’s, 12 SV
Edwin’s new teammate also makes this list, but unfortunately not for good reasons. Colome was one of the game’s best closers last year, and was drafted accordingly. Unfortunately this year is much different for Colome. It was tough for owners to stomach, but at least he picked up some saves. However, the non-competitive Rays decided to shop him to the Mariners which put the nail in the coffin for his fantasy relevance. With the MLB’s save leader firmly penciled in for closing duties, Colome is left with the set-up role which only benefits leagues that use holds. For the rest of us, Colome’s year went from awful to even worse real quick leaving his (former) owners quite depressed.
