Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Welcome to you Friday fantasy fix! This is where we'll delve into the hottest and coldest fantasy hitters over the past seven days. As always, let's get right into it.
The Good
One of the hottest hitters all season has been Raul Ibanez. He took it to the next level this past week hitting .500, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 9 R & a 1.374 OPS. Wow! That's pretty much all I have to say. Before the season, I thought he'd have better numbers being in the band box that is Citizens Bank Park instead of Safeco, but never thought he'd put up the numbers he has. On the season he's hitting .349 with 15 homers & 40 RBI. Over the course of a season Mark Reynolds will never hit for average, but certainly drive the ball out of the park. He already has 12 home runs this season, but he's put it all together this past week hitting .348, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 1.377 OPS and a whopping 5 SB's. The stolen bases are very surprising. He already has 10 on the season, and his career high is 11. He would really increase his fantasy value if he's able to steal 20 or more bases this season. Now that Alex Rodriguez is back in the lineup, it looks like all is right again for Mark Teixeira. They now form a great middle of the lineup, and it's shown this past week. Big Tex put up .462, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 7 R & a 1.626 OPS. His average is on the rise and so are his power numbers. The new Yankee stadium is a band box, and will only get worse as the weather gets better. He should easily hit 40 homers this season. I still can't believe the numbers Jason Bartlett has put up a quarter of the way into the season. He's already set a career high in homers with 6 and could pass his career high 43 RBI before the All Star break. He hit .440 this week with another home run, 9 RBI, 8 Runs and 3 SB's. Joe Mauer is well known as the best hitting catcher in the game, but now it looks like his power has finally arrived as well. He hit 4 homers this week with a .357 average, 10 RBI, 7 runs and a 1.281 OPS. He now has 8 home runs on the year in only 72 at bats.
The Bad
Hanley Ramirez has had a very bad week for him. He's only hit .179 with 1 homer, 2 RBI, and 4 runs. That is about as bad as it gets for the best fantasy player in the land. He should bounce back in a few days. What is up with Grady Sizemore? He's only hitting .213 on the season, and .105 this past week. He'll never hit .300, but he has a career .275 average. Personally I think this is a good time to try and trade for him on the cheap for when he turns it around. He's just too talented to continue hitting so poorly. After a hot start, Mike Lowell has been struggling, especially this past week. He only has 1 RBI in his last 10 games, with 0 homers and only 2 extra base hits. Put a .227 average in the mix and that doesn't paint a good picture. Watch out for Lowell. He could be feeling his injury at this point, and may need additional time off as the season goes on. I am a big fan of Troy Tulowitzki, but he's been struggling all season. Tulo's hit only .208 this week with 0 HR, 1 RBI, and 2 R. Ouch. His average is only .234 on the season. After being a hot pickup the past few weeks, fast Willy Tavares has been anything but hot. A paltry .120 average, with 0 homers, 1 RBI and 3 runs is pretty awful. I've never been a fan, so I still wouldn't suggest a pick up unless you absolutely need steals.
Under the Radar
In case you didn't know Michael Cuddyer is having a pretty good year right now. He's been on fire of late, and his .275, with 6 home runs and 25 RBI. He's always been a pretty good hitter when healthy and that's the caveat with him. He's only owned in 11% so get him if you can. Andy Laroche was a big time prospect when he was with the Dodgers. Now he's with the Pirates and is healthy and getting playing time. The younger Laroche hasn't developed his power yet, but is hitting .279 with 2 homers and 20 RBI. He's hitting .429 this week and may be a decent pick up in deep leagues and NL Only leagues. Nick Johnson is another guy who's having a pretty good season, but most people don't realize it. He's hitting .338 on the season and has 4 homers and 25 RBI and 27 Runs. Like Cuddyer, he's a very good hitter when healthy and getting playing time. Adam Kennedy has been on fire since he joined the Oakland A's. He's hitting.386 on the season. He only has 1 homer and 7 RBI, but is eligible at 2B and OF. Now, don't just go out and get him for your bench unless you really are in a deep league. At this point, you might want to keep an eye on him for later this season. Ben Zobrist has turned into a super utility guy for the Tampa Bay Rays. He's also doing a great job at the plate hitting .286 with 8 HR & 22 RBI in 89 at bats. He's eligible at SS and OF, and should add a few positions as the year goes on. He'll continue to get playing time if he hits.
(Stay tuned for Chin Music by Chad Garner on Monday)
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