What is up party people! How can you not be romantic about baseball? Especially fantasy baseball… Zeros become heroes and you become a champion. That’s the dream. Well, that dream doesn’t happen if you’re not constantly analyzing your team and trimming the fat. We are rapidly approaching the All Star break which means we’re closing in on the halfway point in the season. I shouldn’t have to say this, and I have to remind myself of this from time to time, but all that matters now is what can these players do for your team going forward. I’m not saying to trade your entire team if you are dissatisfied with their performance but I’ve got some guys below who might just be better than the guys you’ve got.
Alex Kirilloff – When he hits bombs, he’s pretty good. I’d say he was pretty good last week blasting 3 of them. He has big time power but has been slow to show it this season. Since returning from the minors it has been a different story and he’s flashing his ability to hit for a good average as well. He was forced out of yesterday’s game with what appeared to be a foot injury. We should know more soon and if the prognosis is good, scoop him up.
Ramon Laureano – We’ve seen him be a fantasy contributor before and now that he’s served his time, he can be again. The suspension caused him to slide in drafts or be forgotten about altogether. Seems he’s still being forgotten even though he returned in week 6. He hasn’t lit the world on fire but his numbers should be a touch better than they currently are and he has provided a more than adequate return for those that were able to add him for free. You still have the opportunity to grab him but don’t wait.
Jack Suwinski – Good news, Hacking Jack has bumped that atrocious .209 batting average up to .227 since last week. That’s still pretty terrible, but at least he’s moving in the right direction. The pop is nice and he’s still a deeper league target with upside.
Joey Bart – He’s in the big leagues after struggling so badly against major league pitching earlier this season. Hopefully, that stint in the minor gave him the chance to figure some things out because he’ll have some work to do to lay claim to the Giants primary catcher duties. He’s not an add right now or possibly ever but he was a highly touted prospect and could turn into something in 2 or 3 catcher leagues.
Juan Yepez – I was in on him and his huge power when he first got the call and now that he’s really starting to flash it, I’m definitely in. He still strikes out too much which could lead to batting average issues down the road but the home runs will more than makeup for that. You want that kind of upside for your roster.
Steven Kwan – After taking the league by storm to open the season and looking to be on the fast track to the Hall of Fame because he hated striking out so much he just decided not to do it, Kwan really faded fast. His batting average plummeted and he fell off the fantasy radar. Baseball is a game of adjustments and it’s Kwan’s turn to adjust back. He enjoyed a hot June, showing off the elite contact skills that he’s known for. There’s a good chance he was dropped during May when he hit under .200. He hasn’t found any power but he gets on base often enough to still give you a boost.
Isaac Paredes – Last chance to hop on the train before it leaves the station. He’s not the most highly touted prospect but he gets results.
Abraham Toro – His numbers are ugly, yes. However, he has been very, very unlucky with a BABIP under .200 and he is making good contact. That screams positive regression. Injury robbed him of a chunk of his season and prevented him from finding his groove and delivering on his potential. And let me tell you, there is a ton of value here. He is free right now. Perhaps I overuse that phrase, but Toro’s roster percentage is 1.2% on ESPN and 5% on CBS. That means he’s available everywhere. And he’s not just a deep league target, I think he has the ability to make an impact in shallower leagues.
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