Prospect Watch

We’re now into late April, so we can’t be too far from seeing some of these names make their debut -- or return -- at the highest level. It’s not too crazy to start planning for these players, especially in dynasty leagues.

Here’s a look at the updated top-10 prospects for the 2017 season.

1.    Yoan Moncada, IF, Chicago White Sox
2017 stats: 15 G, .300/.382/.517, 13 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 8 BB, 21 K, 4 SB at Triple-A Charlotte.

Moncada keeps hitting, but the contact issues aren’t going away. They were especially prevalent this week, as he whiffed seven times since the last time we updated. Moncada is a five-tool talent, but hitting for average when you’re striking out every third at-bat is really difficult. Until Moncada starts making more consistent contact, you shouldn’t expect him to be a .300 hitter.

2.  Ozzie Albies, 2B, Atlanta Braves
2017 stats: 16 G, .282/.312/.437, 12 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB,15 K, 7 SB at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Speaking of strikeouts, Albies isn’t punching out at Moncada levels, but for Albies’ skillset, you want to see fewer strikeouts and more putting the ball in play. Fortunately for Albies - and also Moncada - he’s a threat to steal a base or two anytime he’s on. The only thing the two don’t share is power. Albies doesn’t need it to be an outstanding fantasy prospect. If or likely, when Brandon Phillips begins to flounder, Albies will get the call.

3. Lewis Brinson, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
2017 stats: 11 G, .370/.400/.652, 10 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 10 K, 2 SB at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Brinson may not want to ever leave Colorado Springs. Why would you, other than the millions of dollars and fame that come from being a big-league player? The sample size is small, but he crushed pitching in the PCL after his trade to the Brewers last year, and he’s posted a 1.269 OPS in his seven games this year. He’s also hitting .458/.481/.792 over the last week. Long story short, Brinson is hot, and it appears he’s ready for action in the National League.

4. Cody Bellinger, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
2017 stats: 17 G, 15 R, .344/.425/.641, 4 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 8 BB,21 K, 6 SB at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

You may not believe it based on those numbers you see below, but Bellinger’s numbers actually took a dive this week. And by “tumble” we mean he hit .286/.400/.571 and that caused his ridiculous numbers to fall. Of course, the sample size is small, but you can’t help but be impressed with what Bellinger is doing right now. He has a chance to be one of the best first basemen in baseball.

5. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Chicago White Sox
2017 stats: 3 GS, 6.43 ERA, 14.0 IP, 13 H, 9 BB, 16 K at Triple-A Charlotte.

Giolito was much better in his last start, striking out eight hitters in just under six innings of work for the Knights. The command was still troubling, however, and he gave up seven baserunners -- four hits, three walks - on the evening. Giolito’s stuff is impressive, but it’s not good enough to compensate for self-inflicted damage. Until he starts throwing more consistent and quality strikes, he’s going to stay in Triple-A.

6. Austin Meadows, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
2017 stats: 16 G, 200/.269/.283, 4 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 15 K, 2 SB at Triple-A Indianapolis.

After a disastrous start, Meadows has begun to settle in. Since his 1-for-21 start, Meadows has picked up at least one hit in all but one game, and he has posted a .346 OPS. Are those numbers that will keep him in the fantasy top-10 all year? Of course not, but we will let struggles in April slide when you’re this talented. With Starling Marte suspended for most of the year, this brings a golden opportunity for Meadows. Let’s see if he’s up to the challenge.

7. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
2017 stats: 3 GS, 2.84 ERA, 19 IP, 10 H, 5 BB, 21 K at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.

After making two dominant starts for the Montgomery Biscuits, the Rays gave Honeywell a promotion to the International League. His first start with Durham wasn’t nearly as dominant, but giving up three runs in six innings of work isn’t shoddy work by any means. Honeywell has excellent stuff, and he throws all of his pitches for strikes. He’s one of the more underrated pitchers in baseball right now.

8. Francis Martes, RHP Houston Astros
2017 stats: 3 GS, 2.92 ERA, 12.1 IP, 15 H, 12 BB, 12 K at Triple-A Fresno.

Martes’ first two starts were a mixed bag with plenty of good and plenty of not-so-good. His third start, however, didn’t feature too much of the former. He was only able to go three innings, and gave up eight hits and four earned runs against Salt Lake City. That’s not going to work going forward. Martes has two swing-and-miss pitches in his fastball and curveball, but if he doesn’t start doing a better job locating them, he’s not going to get a chance to pitch in 2017. Let’s remember he started slow last year, and there’s no reason to panic just yet.

9. Josh Hader, LHP, Milwaukee Brewers
2017 stats: 4 GS, 3.15 ERA, 20 IP, 14 H, 14 BB, 15 K at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Hader is the second new addition to the top-10, and he’s one of the most likely to see time in the big leagues this summer. He gets his fastball up to 98 miles per hour with movement, and he complements that impressive fastball with a strong, wipeout slider. The change and command come and go, but he’s only 23, so there’s time. If both can be fringe-average, Hader has a chance to pay big dividends in fantasy leagues because of his ability to miss bats.

10. Gleyber Torres, SS, New York Yankees
2017 stats: 10 G,.257/.366/.371, 5 R, 0 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K, 1 SB at Double-A Trenton.

Gleyber Torres remains human. This was the worst two weeks we’ve seen the top shortstop prospect have since his dominating turn in the Arizona Fall League, which just goes to show you: Baseball is really, really hard. This is still arguably the most talented prospect in baseball, and even if the odds of him playing in New York are lower than any prospect on this list, he still deserves a spot because of how talented he is.


Also considered: Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland; Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Colorado Rockies; Reynaldo Lopez, RHP, Chicago White Sox; J.P. Crawford, SS, Philadelphia Phillies

Jays Come Back

Chris Coghlan to the rescue.

Coghlan's theatrics scoring all the way from 1st base last night against St.Louis Cardinals were instrumental for the Blue Jays comeback win.

Blue Jays are now 6-14 and tied for the worst record in the majors with Atlanta.
Hey, it's an improvement.

Aaron Sanchez threw a simulated game , though I don't think that a 50 pitch constitutes a full game , it proves that he is closer to return tothe rotation.

Now if we can get JA Happ back by early May, then Tulo as well, we can get back to .500 by Victoria Day.

Tulo is the additive to the team is lacking. That 6-7 hole is being filled by Justin Smoak presently, and not too well.

Tulo is the key.

My fan Faves

Bringer of Rain

A- Gone

Dick Allen

Luis Apapricio

Bill Melton

Reggie as an A

Rollie Fingers

Khris Davis

The right bet

When looking at “bargains” on Fan Duel, we'll typically focus on hitters who are $3,200 or lower. In general, we'll only highlight players at the top end of that scale if they have star potential.

We have only nine games to watch today. Thankfully, they'll all be a part of the evening slate. Keep an eye on the rain in Baltimore. Consider the status of that game “doubtful.” You may wish to avoid Chris Archer and Ubaldo Jimenez. You were already avoiding Jimenez, right? Since the weather report is rather daunting, I'll focus my attention on the other eight games.

Please note, these player picks were organized early in the day. For MLB contests, always check lineups and weather closer to game time. Rain, wind, or unexpected managerial decisions could open up additional sources of value. Be sure to keep an eye on the MLB Headlines and Injuries desk.

Onto the bargain plays...


1 – Amir Garrett – SP – Cincinnati (FanDuel $7,700)

I have my doubts about Garrett as a DFS asset. Despite three strong starts to open his career, his stuff doesn't appear to support a 1.83 ERA, 9.61 K/9, or 1.37 BB/9. Th southpaw has an average or worse fastball. He complements the pitch with an average changeup and plus slider. The overall profile should produce something like a 4.00 ERA going forward. Throughout his minor league career, he's walked roughly 3.5 BB/9. Once hitters start to work the count, he could be in trouble. Despite my misgivings, Garrett's matchup versus the strikeout prone Brewers offers plenty of upside for tonight.

2 – Yasmani Grandal – C – Los Angeles (FanDuel $2,800)

There is one big red flag in an otherwise must-use start for Grandal – the game is at homer suppressant AT&T Park. Grandal is usually a multi-homer threat, although we may be lucky to get one from him tonight. He's opposed by terrible right-handed pitcher Matt Cain. The former star has become homer prone despite his helpful venue. Even if Grandal doesn't go yard, he'll probably at least draw a walk or two.

3 – Mike Napoli – 1B – Texas (FanDuel $3,000)

Phil Hughes predictably works within the strike zone, and he's allowed at least a 1.65 HR/9 in four of the last five seasons (including 15 innings in 2017). His velocity is down nearly two mph. It might be time to stick a fork in him – he's done. Napoli bats cleanup for the Rangers, putting him in an excellent spot to reap run production. Although he's off to a slow start, it appears to be mostly BABIP related. There are so many ways for Napoli to post a big point total versus Hughes and a weak Twins bullpen.

4 – Jose Peraza – 2B – Cincinnati (FanDuel $3,000)

By contrast, Peraza has one path to value – reach base multiple times and steal multiple bases. He's not my favorite recommendation in this column, although I am very eager to prey upon Matt Garza in his return from the disabled list. Peraza generally bats second for the Reds. His current .246 BABIP is fueled by a 40 percent soft contact rate. Garza should help him to put a little more charge in the ball. The baserunning matchup isn't ideal – Jett Bandy has caught 35.5 percent of would-be thieves in his short career.

5 – Aaron Hill – 3B – San Francisco (FanDuel $2,500)

It's a good day to pay full price for a quality third baseman. If you insist upon reaching into the bargain bin, Hill has recently been used as the Giants leadoff man against left-handed pitching. Opposing starter Hyun-Jin Ryu has allowed six home runs out of just 11 fly balls. That's a sign he's making some significant mistakes over the plate. While Ryu will probably regress to his normal home run rate – especially with the help of AT&T Park – there's a chance Hill will get something to ambush. As long as he's batting leadoff, the lineup role is right for the price. Just keep in mind that he's a mediocre hitter.

6 – Chris Owings – SS – Arizona (FanDuel $2,900)

I usually avoid ground ball hitters versus ground ball pitchers. It's a recipe for way too many grounders. It's a lot easier to predict one home run than four seeing eye singles. In the case of Owings facing Jhoulys Chacin at Chase Field, I'll reverse my tune. Not only is Chacin one of the worst pitchers in the league, the rock hard infield is great for ground ball hitters. Owings is also a threat to run if he reaches base. He generally ping-pongs between second and seventh in the lineup.

7 – Adam Duvall – OF – Cincinnati (FanDuel $3,100)

Duvall may be a safer matchup than Peraza for those looking to exploit Garza tonight. The right-handed slugger doesn't have platoon splits so there's no reason to worry about him facing a righty. He's an obvious multi-homer threat. The biggest issue with Duvall is a low OBP, making him a better choice for GPPs than smaller formats. Miller Park is one of the best venues for power.

Also consider Scott Schebler ($2,800) and Billy Hamilton ($3,100).

8 – David Peralta – OF – Arizona (FanDuel $3,000)

As I noted with Owings, I usually wouldn't use a ground ball hitter versus a pitcher like Chacin. Since Chacin is Chacin and Chase Field is Chase Field, I'm open to bucking the normal trends. Peralta is off to a steamy start thanks to a .377 BABIP. He's continued to make his typical low-angle hard contact. This year, he's shown an ability to hit the other way – good for beating those pesky shifts. He's batting .448 when opponents use a traditional lefty shift.

9 – Andrew Toles – OF – Los Angeles (FanDuel $2,200)

With Joc Pederson possibly DL-bound, Toles is a candidate to re-gain the leadoff job versus right-handed pitchers. He's hit for decent power while making much more contact than he did last season. The increased contact could be related to his willingness to use the opposite field this year, something he did sparingly in his 2016 debut. Toles has a gimme matchup against Cain. The vast ballpark probably eliminates him as a good pick if he's down in the order. As the leadoff man, he's well worth his $2,200.

Bummer Garner

Who does Madison Bumgarner think he is—Travis Pastrana?

I’m a firm believer that April is too soon to panic. With that said, San Francisco can’t be pleased with how the early part of the season has played out. The 6-11 Giants sit in last place in the NL West and have lost all four of Bumgarner’s starts. Bumgarner has been lights out (3.00 ERA, .236 BAA) but San Francisco’s stagnant offense has routinely hung him out to dry. Only two big league starters—Jose Quintana and Ian Kennedy—have received less run support than Bumgarner this year.

It gets worse. Now Bumgarner is facing a 6-8 week absence after bruising his ribs and straining the AC joint in his left shoulder in a dirt bike accident on Thursday. It’s a nightmare scenario for a Giants team that can’t seem to catch a break. The offense is scuffling (.237 team average), the rotation has been a mixed bag and San Francisco’s supposedly revamped bullpen is the same dumpster fire it’s always been. In past years when the Giants have struggled they could usually count on Bumgarner to throw them a life preserver. Now someone else will have to keep the ship from sinking. My advice to Bumgarner: ditch the Kawasaki and go with the Schwinn next time.



See Ya, Starling

In other, non-dirt-bike-related news, the Pirates lost Starling Marte to an 80-game PED suspension on Tuesday. Marte is the biggest name to be suspended for PEDs since Dee Gordon received an identical 80-game ban last season. Marte knew about his failed test in spring training but was allowed to play during the appeals process. In his absence, converted right fielder Andrew McCutchen will head back to his old stomping grounds in center field. Judging by his highlight-reel catch Tuesday against St. Louis, McCutchen can still patrol center with the best of them.

With right field vacated, manager Clint Hurdle has had to get creative in filling out his lineup card. But Hurdle has never been afraid to wave his freak flag. It’s only been three games and he’s already given starts to Adam Frazier, John Jaso and Jose Osuna in right field. One wonders if top prospect Austin Meadows could be a right field option for the Bucs somewhere down the line. The 21-year-old tore it up in Double-A last year but is still settling in at Triple-A. In 52 at-bats for Indianapolis this season, he’s hit just .192 with one homer and six RBI. Meadows’ day in the big leagues will come, but probably not during Marte’s suspension.

Whatever combination of fringe players the Pirates assemble in right field won’t come close to replicating Marte’s masterful production out of the No. 2 spot in Pittsburgh’s lineup. The 28-year-old was quietly the Pirates’ best player last year, leading the team in both batting average (.311) and stolen bases (47). Marte is also known for his defensive prowess, earning Gold Glove Awards in each of his last two seasons. His loss will be felt, both in Pittsburgh and the fantasy realm.

The Big Picture

You should always have the big picture in mind when it comes to your season-long fantasy baseball leagues. Putting too much stock in a small sample size might cause you to make a decision that hurts you in the long run. That said, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be taking stock of what’s happened in the immediate past. It can be useful when it comes to weekly or especially daily lineup decisions, waiver wire considerations, tracking who might be coming into more playing time, etc.

The Rotoworld Player Rater is a handy tool that’s among the extensive offerings in Season Pass. Each week, I’ll be using the Player Rater to look at the hottest hitters, position by position, over the last week, and providing commentary.

The following data is based on 5x5 Roto scoring and covers games played from April 17-23.



Catcher

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Austin Hedges	SD	C	3.87934	3.16113	-0.46435	0.42274	1.55075	8.55
#2	Jett Bandy	MLW	C	2.73551	0.88763	-0.46435	1.26628	0.45954	4.88
#3	Robinson Chirinos	TEX	C	2.73551	0.43292	-0.46435	0.57289	0.45954	3.74
#4	Miguel Montero	CHC	C	0.44786	-0.02178	-0.46435	2.53191	1.00515	3.50
#5	Willson Contreras	CHC	C	0.44786	1.34233	-0.46435	1.14577	1.00515	3.48
#6	Evan Gattis	HOU	C	0.44786	0.88763	-0.46435	0.48267	-0.08607	1.27
#7	Chris Iannetta	ARZ	C	0.44786	0.43292	-0.46435	0.36216	0.45954	1.24
#8	Russell Martin	TOR	C	0.44786	-0.47648	-0.46435	0.12115	1.55075	1.18
#9	Manny Pina	MLW	C	0.44786	-0.02178	-0.46435	0.72368	-0.08607	.60
#10	Yasmani Grandal	LA	C	0.44786	0.43292	-0.46435	0.24166	-0.08607	.57

Austin Hedges was a popular second catcher target for some this spring after he walloped the ball at Triple-A El Paso last season. After a 0-for-23 start, the Padres’ backstop has now hit .294 with five home runs and 10 RBI over his last 10 games. That’s earned him a move up in the batting order, as he’s hit fifth in each of his last two starts … It’s a little odd that two catchers in Jonathan Lucroy’s former home in Milwaukee are on this list, along with his backup in Texas, but Lucroy is nowhere to be found. Jett Bandy and Manny Pina have been in a virtual even timeshare with the Brewers so far, with Bandy receiving 11 starts to Pina’s nine. That’s obviously going to cap their fantasy potential, although one of them could separate themselves eventually. I’m hoping it’s Bandy, simply because his power should be good enough to make him a No. 2 fantasy catcher … Willson Contreras has made twice as many starts as Miguel Montero (12 to 6), but Montero will continue to play more than most backups. By the way, Kyle Schwarber hasn’t played any at catcher yet and I wouldn’t expect him to do so anytime soon … The Diamondbacks have made good on their promise to use all three catchers on their roster, giving Jeff Mathis 10 starts, Chris Iannetta seven starts and Chris Herrmann five starts (although two of them came in the outfield). As long as this continues – especially if it’s the offensively-challenged Mathis leading the way – there’s not going to be any fantasy value to be had here …

First Base

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Freddie Freeman	ATL	1B	3.87934	1.79703	1.28930	2.47198	2.64197	12.08
#2	Anthony Rizzo	CHC	1B	2.73551	2.70643	3.04295	1.20635	2.09636	11.79
#3	Ryan Zimmerman	WAS	1B	2.73551	3.61583	-0.46435	2.71299	1.00515	9.61
#4	Joey Votto	CIN	1B	2.73551	3.16113	-0.46435	0.42274	2.09636	7.95
#5	Eric Thames	MLW	1B	1.59169	0.43292	-0.46435	1.47765	3.73318	6.77
#6	Paul Goldschmidt	ARZ	1B	0.44786	1.79703	1.28930	-0.21008	2.09636	5.42
#7	Yulieski Gurriel	HOU	1B	0.44786	0.88763	-0.46435	2.59249	1.00515	4.47
#8	Justin Bour	MIA	1B	1.59169	1.34233	-0.46435	0.66375	0.45954	3.59
#9	Justin Smoak	TOR	1B	1.59169	1.79703	-0.46435	0.69404	-0.08607	3.53
#10	John Hicks	DET	1B	0.44786	1.79703	-0.46435	1.35650	-0.08607	3.05

Freddie Freeman has batted .334/.437/.664 with 33 home runs across 554 plate appearances since June 1 of last season. His 1.101 OPS over that stretch is tops in baseball, leading Joey Votto by 37 points. SunTrust Park is looking like a pretty favorable environment for hitters and that should only amplify in the summer months. Freeman is going to have a monster season … Ryan Zimmerman has appeared on this list in two of the first three weeks, as he ranks second in the National League with a .387 average and is tied for fifth in both home runs (six) and RBI (16). As long as he stays healthy – and that’s certainly a fair question with him – I see no reason why he can’t continue to produce for fantasy owners in the middle of that great lineup … I love seeing Yulieski Gurriel get hot, as he’s now sporting a .457/.486/.657 batting line over his last 10 games. He’s hitting it on the ground a lot so far this season, so hopefully he can start lofting it more and homers come with it … Just missing from this list is Josh Bell, who has rebounded from a rough start with a .333/.417/.619 line and a couple dingers over his last eight contests. It’s fair to question how much power he’ll ultimately provide, but Bell continues to show an advanced approach at the plate with a 10.7 percent walk rate and 17.9 percent strikeout rate …

Second Base

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Jose Altuve	HOU	2B	1.59169	1.34233	3.04295	1.35714	1.00515	8.34
#2	Robinson Cano	SEA	2B	1.59169	1.79703	-0.46435	1.98996	2.64197	7.56
#3	Kolten Wong	STL	2B	0.44786	1.34233	3.04295	1.05555	1.55075	7.44
#4	Jose Ramirez	CLE	2B	1.59169	0.88763	3.04295	0.06122	1.00515	6.59
#5	Starlin Castro	NYY	2B	1.59169	2.25173	-0.46435	1.95967	1.00515	6.34
#6	Cesar Hernandez	PHI	2B	0.44786	-0.02178	3.04295	1.23664	1.55075	6.26
#7	Brandon Phillips	ATL	2B	0.44786	0.43292	1.28930	1.74895	0.45954	4.38
#8	Joe Panik	SF	2B	0.44786	0.88763	1.28930	1.53758	-0.08607	4.08
#9	Ian Kinsler	DET	2B	0.44786	-0.47648	1.28930	-0.33058	1.55075	2.48
#10	Jonathan Schoop	BAL	2B	1.59169	0.88763	-0.46435	0.15144	-0.08607	2.08

Kolten Wong had an awful spring and didn’t do himself any favors within the Cardinals organization when he complained about possibly platooning. Things only got worse after a 4-for-27 start, but he’s since batted .333/.440/.667 with one homer, five RBI and two steals over the past week. Wong is probably going to continue batting at the bottom of the order, but there remains an intriguing power/speed skill set here … Things are going well so far for Brandon Phillips in his return to his home state, as he’s put up a .343/.378/.500 batting line with two homers and nine RBI in the early going. He’s also a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts, which is especially encouraging for a guy who turns 36 soon and who went just 14-for-22 in steals attempts last year. Also very noteworthy is that Phillips moved up to the No. 2 spot in the Braves’ batting order Sunday and he figures to stay there a while with Dansby Swanson struggling … It would be nice to see Jonathan Schoop move up to the No. 6 spot in the Orioles’ order instead of him hitting mostly eighth. Regardless, he’s well on his way to another nice power season …

Third Base

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Travis Shaw	MLW	3B	2.73551	3.61583	1.28930	0.72433	1.00515	9.37
#2	Joey Gallo	TEX	3B	3.87934	1.34233	-0.46435	-0.08957	2.64197	7.31
#3	Nolan Arenado	COL	3B	1.59169	1.34233	1.28930	0.90476	1.55075	6.68
#4	Jake Lamb	ARZ	3B	1.59169	2.25173	-0.46435	1.11613	1.55075	6.05
#5	Eugenio Suarez	CIN	3B	1.59169	-0.02178	-0.46435	1.41707	1.55075	4.07
#6	Trevor Plouffe	OAK	3B	1.59169	1.34233	-0.46435	0.30223	1.00515	3.78
#7	Nick Castellanos	DET	3B	0.44786	1.34233	-0.46435	0.57353	1.55075	3.45
#8	Kris Bryant	CHC	3B	-0.69596	0.43292	1.28930	-0.05928	1.55075	2.52
#9	Jedd Gyorko	STL	3B	0.44786	-0.02178	-0.46435	1.38678	1.00515	2.35
#10	Evan Longoria	TB	3B	0.44786	1.79703	-0.46435	0.60382	-0.08607	2.30

All Travis Shaw does is get extra-base hits. Fourteen of the Brewers third baseman’s 18 base knocks on the season have gone for extra bases, which includes five home runs to go along with 18 RBI. That’s how you provide fantasy value in spite of a .243 average and .288 on-base percentage. Shaw’s OPS versus lefties is currently 582 points higher than it was last season, so, yeah, that’ll come down. I think he’ll continue to be a mixed league-worthy corner infielder, though. He’s a mediocre hitter but in a great situation … Joey Gallo leads the Rangers in home runs and runs and is second on the team in RBI and walks. Adrian Beltre (calf) doesn’t appear poised for a return anytime soon, but it’s hard to see the club benching Gallo when the future Hall of Famer does come back. Texas can stick Gallo in left field, or, probably more likely, put Shin-Soo Choo back in the outfield and let Gallo settle into the designated hitter spot … It’s nice to see all of that Nick Castellanos exit velocity start to turn into production. Castellanos’ strikeout rate it up, but he’s hitting the ball with authority and could be poised for a big breakout in his age-25 campaign … Jedd Gyorko is not only in line to see the bulk of the starts at third base with Jhonny Peralta (illness) out, he’s also batted cleanup in his last two games. Gyorko is a flawed hitter with a career .299 OBP, but he slugged 30 homers in 2016 and has multi-position eligibility. I think he keeps the third base job even after the struggling Peralta returns …

Shortstop

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Taylor Motter	SEA	SS	2.73551	2.25173	1.28930	-0.17979	1.00515	7.10
#2	Trevor Story	COL	SS	2.73551	2.70643	-0.46435	0.54324	1.55075	7.07
#3	Tim Beckham	TB	SS	0.44786	0.88763	1.28930	1.35714	1.55075	5.53
#4	Andrelton Simmons	LAA	SS	1.59169	1.34233	1.28930	1.23664	-0.08607	5.37
#5	Addison Russell	CHC	SS	0.44786	1.34233	1.28930	0.39245	0.45954	3.93
#6	Adam Rosales	OAK	SS	1.59169	1.34233	-0.46435	0.42274	0.45954	3.35
#7	Corey Seager	LA	SS	0.44786	1.34233	-0.46435	1.05555	0.45954	2.84
#8	Elvis Andrus	TEX	SS	-0.69596	0.43292	3.04295	-0.57160	-0.63168	1.58
#9	Jorge Polanco	MIN	SS	-0.69596	1.34233	1.28930	-0.39116	-0.08607	1.46
#10	Aledmys Diaz	STL	SS	0.44786	-0.02178	1.28930	0.30223	-0.63168	1.39

Jean Segura (hamstring) is due back on Tuesday, but the Mariners now have to be contemplating how they can keep Taylor Motter’s bat in the lineup. The former Ray slugged a grand slam Sunday and is tops on the club with his five longballs. He’ll see at-bats in left field with Jarrod Dyson now in center after Leonys Martin was designated for assignment. The 27-year-old could do enough from a power/speed perspective to stay relevant in deep leagues … Adam Rosales is the A’s new shortstop following Marcus Semien’s (wrist) injury and he’s off to a nice start. He actually hit well in the second half last season, too, as he’s sporting an impressive .285/.357/.610 line since last year’s All-Star break. However, we’re still talking about a soon-to-be 34-year-old utility player with a career .669 OPS in over 1,500 plate appearances … Jorge Polanco doesn’t really stand out in one area, but he’s quietly put together a .281/.338/.422 batting line over his first 357 big league plate appearances. That’s not bad for a middle infielder who doesn’t turn 24 until July. Polanco has a little pop and a little speed and batted second for the Twins in his last start …

Outfield

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Bryce Harper	WAS	OF	2.73551	2.25173	-0.46435	3.22530	4.27879	12.03
#2	Mookie Betts	BOS	OF	1.59169	3.16113	4.79659	1.23664	1.00515	11.79
#3	Mike Trout	LAA	OF	1.59169	0.88763	3.04295	2.77357	1.55075	9.85
#4	Giancarlo Stanton	MIA	OF	3.87934	2.25173	-0.46435	2.11046	1.55075	9.33
#5	Aaron Altherr	PHI	OF	0.44786	0.88763	3.04295	2.08018	2.64197	9.10
#6	A.J. Pollock	ARZ	OF	0.44786	-0.02178	3.04295	3.91870	1.55075	8.94
#7	Steven Souza	TB	OF	1.59169	3.16113	-0.46435	2.65306	1.55075	8.49
#8	Kevin Pillar	TOR	OF	1.59169	0.43292	3.04295	1.86945	1.00515	7.94
#9	Michael Brantley	CLE	OF	1.59169	1.34233	1.28930	1.56787	2.09636	7.89
#10	Ryan Braun	MLW	OF	1.59169	1.34233	1.28930	1.83917	1.55075	7.61

There are a lot of familiar names on this list, but the first one that stands out is Aaron Altherr.
 Altherr has been getting a chance to play regularly with Howie Kendrick (oblique) going down and he’s responded with a .429/.478/.714 batting line with a homer and two stolen bases over the past week. The 26-year-old strikes out too much and is never going to hit for average consistently, but he’s always possessed a blend of power and speed. Kendrick will be out another couple weeks, and even after that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Altherr steal at-bats from the struggling Michael Saunders

 Steven Souza is ninth in baseball with his 1.037 OPS and is tied for the American League lead with his 17 RBI. Perhaps most encouraging is that he’s dropped his strikeout rate to a digestible 25.6 percent, which is a notable improvement for a guy who was at well over 30 percent in his first two years with the Rays. I still don’t expect Souza to hit for average, and he’s also dealt with his fair share of injuries. He’s got power and a dose of speed, though, and has been batting either leadoff or fifth for Tampa depending on whether there’s a righty or lefty on the mound … Kevin Pillar is one of the few Jays that’s healthy and hitting, and that’s resulted in a move up to the leadoff spot. The speedy outfielder has an 11-game hitting streak going and is batting .375/.405/.700 with three dingers and two steals since moving to the top of the order. Pillar isn’t going to continue to hit for average, but we could easily see a bounce-back to his 2015 levels of power and speed when he belted 12 homers and stole 25 bases … I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see this start from Michael Brantley coming. I doubt anyone really did following a season wrecked by multiple shoulder and biceps surgeries. The soon-to-be 30-year-old is hitting .382/.447/.706 with three homers and two steals over his last eight games, and there have been no hints of any health issues. It might be a tad early to say the former All-Star is totally back. He’s sat out four games already and we can’t say for sure how his shoulder will hold up once his workload is increased. But, it’s impossible not to be super encouraged … 

The O's are back, the O's are back in town.

Trumbo. Jones, Davis, and Machado return to the Sky Dome for a 4 game set with the Jays, the 1-7 Jays, who are limping into this series without much of an offense.

Donaldson wounded, Bautista not hitting, Russell Martin just his first hit last night.  Losing both halves of the 2 game set against the Brew Crew.

The Jays are dead last in the East and in the sausage race, hitting less than .100 with runners in scoring position.

Power slippage has been unprecedented , with few big bombs being hit.

Stroman goes 9 full innings surrendering only 2 earned runs, and gets 0 run support, and now we send Francisco Liriano back against the O's after historic meltdown last weekend.


Never have the Jays been this worse off, no team in the history of baseball has ever started off 1-7 and made the playoffs.

Thanks God we have the Leafs tolook forward to, never thought I had to through the Leaf out there as my savior.

Elephants On Acid


An update on my main fantasy team, draft has concluded,and the season has begun.


No starting pitchers have started as yet, but I have accumulated 6 scoreless innings to date, in the first week.


Garrett Richards and Tajuan Walker are due to pitch today, meaning April 5th, 2017, so we shall see how that goes.

No results as yet, we've just started the season off so the race is just beginning.

Glen Dundas is my main rival, and Glen has a good team.

I see the fight going down the last month of the year.