MLB Fantasy
I know that it’s very early in the 2017 season, but you need to start worrying about some players if they are on your Fantasy Baseball team! Here is a look at the players in the American League that I would start being worried about if they were on my team:
My other article:
[the_ad id=”384″]Brad Miller, 2B/SS, Tampa Bay Rays – If you drafted lefty swinging infielder Brad Miller hoping for 30 homers again (which he did last year), you might be starting to sweat a little bit. Before last year, Miller hit 29 homers in his first three years in the show. Miller has played in 18 games for the Rays so far this year and he is 15 of 62 (.242 avg., .750 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 1 homer and 8 RBI. More troubling is the fact that he has whiffed 22 times already this year, as it seems like he is swinging for the fences all of the time.
Russell Martin, C, Toronto Blue Jays – 34-year old righty swinging catcher Russell Martin is off to a very slow start with the bat so far this year. He has played in 13 games for the Jays so far this year and he is only 7 for 44 (.159 avg., .665 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 1 homer and 1 RBI. The Blue Jays signed switch-hitting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia over the winter to help give Martin more rest this year, but he is also struggling, as he has played in 7 games so far this year in which he is only 1 for 14 (.071 avg., .143 OPS) with 1 run scored and 10 whiffs. Martin is still going to get the bulk of the playing time behind the plate for the Jays, but that might not be good for your fantasy team.
Devon Travis, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays – It’s starting to look to me like the Blue Jays rushed Travis to be ready this year after off-season shoulder surgery. In his first two years with the Jays, Travis played in 163 games in which he was 189 of 627 (.301 avg., .811 OPS) with 92 runs scored, 19 homers, 85 RBI, and 7 stolen bases. But so far this year, Travis has struggled big time at the plate! He has played in 13 games for the Jays so far this year and he is only 5 for 51 (.098 avg., .262 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 0 homers and 2 RBI.
Jose Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays – Veteran righty swinging outfielder Jose Bautista started to slow down with the bat last year as pitchers came right after him with the fastball. It seems as if the Blue Jays should have let him leave as a free agent last winter, but when Edwin Encarnacion signed with the Tribe, it forced their hands. Bautista has played in 16 games for the Jays so far this year and he is only 8 for 61 (.131 avg., .473 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer, 4 RBI and 24 whiffs!
Jordan Zimmermann, SP, Detroit Tigers – Zimmermann was a darn good starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals, which earned him a gigantic contract from the Tigers in free agency two winters ago. After dominating last April, he struggled the rest of the year and it has carried over into 2017. He has started 3 games for the Tigers so far this year and he is 1-1 with a 5.94 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.
Francisco Rodriguez, closer, Detroit Tigers – Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez is the active leader in Major League Baseball with his 435 career saves. But he could be nearing the end of pitching as the closer for the Tigers if he doesn’t get his act together soon. He has pitched in 7 games out of the pen for the Tigers so far this year and he is 1-1 with 5 saves, a 5.40 ERA, and a 1.80 WHIP. He has given up 10 hits (2 homers) and 2 walks while whiffing 7 batters in his first 6 2/3 innings for the Tigers so far this year, as he is getting hit really, really hard. The Tigers just called up hard-throwing rookie Joe Jimenez, so K-Rod better step up if he wants to remain the closer for the Tigers.
Jose Abreu, 1B, Chicago White Sox – In his first three years with the White Sox, Abreu played in 458 games in which he was 537 of 1,793 (.299 avg., .875 OPS) with 235 runs scored, 91 homers, 308 RBI, and 3 stolen bases. He started slowly last year too before catching fire at the plate, so maybe you should have more patience with him than anyone else on this list. He has played in 15 games for the Pale Hose so far this year and he is only 11 of 58 (.190 avg., .471 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 0 homers and 6 RBI. He has also walked 2 times against 15 whiffs so far this year, so he is swinging at everything. Another reason to be concerned is because no one seems to be on base when he comes up to the plate, which really hurts his RBI chances.
Tyler Saladino, 2B, Chicago White Sox – Saladino was never going to be more than a stopgap at 2B until Yoan Moncada is ready for the show. Moncada is almost ready so Saladino will move back into a utility role for the Pale Hose in the near future. He has played in 11 games for the White Sox so far this year and he is 7 for 38 (.184 avg., .577 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers, 0 RBI and 1 stolen base.
Yan Gomes, C, Cleveland Indians – The Indians signed Yan Gomes to a long-term contract after he won the Silver Slugger Award for them in 2014. It has been all downhill since. Last year, Gomes played in 74 games for the Tribe in which he was only 42 of 251 (.167 avg., .527 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 9 homers and 34 RBI. Gomes’ struggles with the bat have carried over into the 2017 season. He has played in 12 games for the Indians so far this year and he is only 6 for 37 (.162 avg., .514 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer, 2 RBI and 11 whiffs. He often looks like he has a big hole in the barrel of his bat! Postseason hero Roberto Perez backs up Gomes (for now) and top prospect Francisco Mejia is raking in AA-ball right now for the Akron Rubber Ducks.
Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins – Last September is starting to look like a mirage for Buxton, as he has been helpless at the plate so far this year for the Twins. He has played in 16 games for the Twins so far this year and he is only 5 for 52 (.096 avg., .280 OPS) with 1 run scored, 0 homers, 0 RBI and 1 stolen base. Buxton has only walked twice while whiffing 26 times so far this year, showing an utter lack of plate discipline. A demotion to AAA-ball could be coming soon for Buxton.
Danny Valencia, 1B, Seattle Mariners – The plan all winter was to platoon lefty swinging Dan Vogelbach with Valencia at 1B. But Valencia beat him out badly for the 1B job in spring training. Valencia has had big time problems at the plate so far this year for the Mariners and it might not be much longer until Vogelbach is summoned from AAA. Valencia has played in 17 games for the Mariners so far this year and he is only 9 for 59 (.153 avg., .465 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 4 RBI.
Leonys Martin, OF, Seattle Mariners – Lefty swinging CF Leonys Martin had a nice blend of power and speed in his first year with the Mariners in 2016. He played in 143 games for the Mariners last year and he was 128 of 518 (.247 avg., .684 OPS) with 72 runs scored, 15 homers, 47 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. This year has been a nightmare so far this year for Martin at the plate! He has played in 15 games for the Mariners so far this year and he is only 6 for 54 (.111 avg., .302 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 0 homers, 0 RBI, and 4 stolen bases. I’m not so sure that he will be able to get back on the right track anytime soon.
[the_ad id=”693″]Yovani Gallardo, SP, Seattle Mariners – Gallardo struggled last year for the Orioles. He pitched in 23 games (all starts) for the Orioles last year and he was 6-8 with a 5.42 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. The Mariners thought he would rebound in 2017 and get back to the pitcher he was prior to the 2016 season, so they traded outfielder Seth Smith for him. But, Gallardo has continued to struggle so far this year as opposing hitters have been running up to the plate to bat against him! He has started 3 games for the Mariners so far this year and he is 0-2 with a 6.19 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. He has given up 24 hits and 6 walks while whiffing only 9 batters in his first 16 innings so far this year.
Carlos Gomez, OF, Texas Rangers – Gomez started slowly last year for the Houston Astros and it got him released. He finished strongly with the Rangers and they re-signed him last winter. But, he is off to another very slow start with the bat again in 2017. He has played in 17 games for the Rangers so far this year and he is 11 for 67 (.164 avg., .631 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 3 homers and 6 RBI.