In week two of our fantasy baseball 2017 update, we will continue to notify owners about which players are hot, or cold, and whether they will continue to trend in that direction. The week one fantasy update can be found at thegamehaus.com.
Who’s Hot
Marcell Ozuna, Center Fielder/Left Fielder, Miami Marlins
- 7 for 22 with 4 runs scored, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI
Ozuna struggled through March and April in 2016, but rebounded to finish with a .307 batting average in the first half. He finished the 2016 season batting .266, after a .209 second half, which shows that he is a streaky hitter. So far in 2017, Ozuna is making the most of his opportunities. When batting while ahead in the count, the 26-year-old is hitting .500. The Marlins’ slugger is thriving in the sixth spot in the batting order this season, as he is the National League leader in RBI.
His hot start can be contributed to his inflated isolated power and walk rates, although there is no reason to say this cannot continue moving forward. He is currently top 15 in five major hitting categories, (BA, RBI, HR, SLG, OBP), and if you are lucky enough to have him on your roster, you will continue to reap the benefits.
Ervin Santana, Starting Pitcher, Minnesota Twins
- 2-0 allowing 0 earned runs, 3 hits, and 3 walks in 15 IP with 12 Ks
After being suspended in 2015 for violating MLB’s drug policy, Santana rebounded with a fairly successful 2016 campaign, resulting in a 7-11 record, 3.38 ERA, and 149 strikeouts in 181 1/3 innings pitched. The 13-year veteran is off to red hot start in 2017, currently being 3-0, with a minuscule 0.41 ERA, and 15 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched. The fastball, slider, change-up pitcher has found profound success, as he has managed to allow only 20% hard contact on batted balls this season, which is excellent for a starting pitcher.
The 34-year-old has found some of Johan Santana’s left over mojo in Minnesota, as he managed to pitch a complete game, one hitter, in his last outing. The fact that he has yet to struggle in any of his first three starts gives me confidence to trust him moving forward. Santana may see himself traded to a contender if the Twins begin to struggle, which could help Santana’s fantasy value rise even further.
Eric Thames, Left Field/First Base, Milwaukee Brewers
- 8 for 18 with 7 runs scored, 4 home runs, and 7 RBI
Former KBO star Eric Thames is coming off of three consecutive 37 plus home runs and 120 RBI. Obviously, we can’t expect anything even close to this level of production out of the Brewer in 2017, although he is off to quite a start. The 30-year-old is currently batting .382, which is sure to fall, although he has mashed four home runs in his last four games. The KBO MVP may have found a home in Milwaukee, as he is playing nearly every day at first base, while also being comfortable occasionally moving to left field.
Thames will continue to see playing time, as Milwaukee is invested in him for the long term. Thames has issues striking out, although in today’s game, striking out is not a deal-breaker, especially when you match them with home runs.
James Paxton, Starting Pitcher, Seattle Mariners
- 2-0 allowing 0 earned runs, 6 hits, and 3 walks in 15 IP with 17 Ks
Paxton has yet to make 30 starts in a season, as he made a career high 20 last season, resulting in a 3.79 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 121 innings. The 26-year-old is having a breakout 2017 campaign, as he is currently 2-0 with 22 strikeouts, without letting up an earned run in 21 innings pitched. He has worked in his curveball at a 10% higher rate than in previous seasons, which has helped him increase his strikeout rate.
The Mariners’ offense is currently struggling, although with their stacked lineup, they are sure to turn things around. Paxton is sure to set career bests in wins and ERA this season. He has never logged more than 121 innings in a season, so struggles down the line are sure to occur, although he is off to the hottest start among lower profile pitchers this season.
Aaron Judge, Right Fielder, New York Yankees
- 6 for 18 with 5 runs scored, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI
The Yankees rookie had struggled when originally called up in 2016, as he batted a mere .179 in 27 games. His 2017 campaign has gotten off to solid start, as he has already hit three home runs in his first ten games. The 24-year-old is currently the league leader in highest exit velocity this season, with a ball going 116.5 MPH.
Judge is a great young talent, although he is not a great hitter for average and struggles with strikeouts, making me believe his success will be short lived this season. I would sell high on Judge in 2017.
Who’s Cold
Josh Bell, First Baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 3 for 21 with 1 run scored, 0 home runs, and 1 RBI
Josh Bell’s best attributes are his approach and plate discipline, although he has begun the season batting a mere .156. In five minor league seasons, Bell has batted .303 with 44 home runs, showing he has the potential to be a very productive asset at the top half of the Pirates lineup.
The 24-year-old has similar upside to Brandon Belt, although, Bell will continue to lose playing time to counter-part John Jaso if his struggles continue. He is worth riding out in dynasty or keeper formats, although it may be time to go in another direction in traditional formats.
Jose Quintana, Starting Pitcher, Chicago White Sox
- 0-2 allowing 7 earned runs, 14 hits, 6 walks in 12 IP with 12 Ks
Yet to record a victory, White Sox ace Quintana has had some severe struggles. The 28-year-old has allowed 13 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings pitched, while striking out 14. The White Sox are sure to struggle all year, although Quintana should find success within his next few starts.
He has a career 3.47 ERA and has struck out over 160 batters in his last four seasons. Quintana has quietly been one of the league’s most consistent pitchers since 2012, and should have no problem overcoming his early struggles in 2017.
Dexter Fowler, Center Fielder, St. Louis Cardinals
- 2 for 24 with 4 runs scored, 0 home runs, and 0 RBI
The veteran center fielder is off to an atrocious start in 2017, batting .137 with seven runs scored, zero RBI, zero home runs, and one steal. The Cardinals leadoff hitter has yet to make a real impact on the stat sheet, although success is sure to come soon for the 31-year-old.
He has a career .270 average, and will be a threat to score 100 runs a top a talented and hungry Cardinals lineup which missed the playoffs in 2016 for the first time since 2010. Fowler will be a solid producer in batting average, runs, and stolen bases as the season continues. The only caveat with Fowler is his inability to stay on the field, as he has only reached the 150-game mark once in his nine-year career. Besides his health problems, owners should be confident in Fowler turning it around sometime in the near future.
Tyler Anderson, Starting Pitcher, Colorado Rockies
- 0-2 allowing 9 earned runs, 10 hits, 5 walks in 9 IP with 4 Ks
Anderson has also struggled mightily in 2017, having an ERA of 8.59 in three starts. He has yet to log six or more innings in a game this season, which is due to his brutal WHIP of 1.64, as he cannot keep batters off of base. He has made two of his three starts at Coors field, so it may be too early to ride off the 27-year-old.
Anderson has a career 2.38 ERA in 358 2/3 innings in the minor leagues. He is not a huge strikeout pitcher, as his career K/9 is just 7.5, but he has plenty of success at recording outs in the past. In 2016, Anderson recorded a 3.54 ERA at the major-league level, although he had an astounding 3.00 ERA at home, which is unheard of for a Rockies pitcher. All the signs point up for Anderson, who will have a long leash as the Rockies have a severe lack of starting pitching in 2017.
Devon Travis, Second Baseman, Toronto Blue Jays
- 1 for 19 with 1 run scored, 0 home runs, and 0 RBI
Travis has been ice cold in first month of the 2017 season, which has been a common occurrence with many Blue Jays. He has only four hits in nine games, with zero going for extra bases. He has also struck out ten times, which puts him at a pace to set a career high.
Travis had missed 60 games in 2016 due to a knee injury, which may be contributing to his struggles this season. The 26-year-old was benched for his last two games, and had even been moved down to the nine spot in the batting order, taking away his at bats and scoring chances. Travis has shown flashes of great potential in the past, although 2017 does not seem like his year.
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