We have heard this theory for a long time. It is very hard to do both sides of this (not everyone is as good as Theo). Last week we looked at Sell High, this week let’s look at some fantasy options of players to Buy Low on right now.
Let’s look at some pitchers first and two big names having slow starts. David Price and Clayton Kershaw and after seven starts both have 103 points for a 14.7 average. Not exactly what you were buying with those names as Kershaw was projected to average 23.3 points per game and Price was at 18.3 per game. Kershaw is not going to come cheap, that is for sure, but if you were ever going to get a discount on his cost it is right now, while his current owner is questioning using his first round pick on a pitcher whose production is being easily replaced by late draft picks, even some free agent pick-ups.
David Price won’t cost anywhere close to Kershaw, but is still not going to be given away. No one used (or should have used) a first round pick on him, but at this point he is not producing the way anyone expected. But I would take either of these guys and take my chances the rest of the way.
Andrew McCutchen was a top of the draft player. The one you hoped would fall to you in the draft, yet if he did and you are sitting on McCutchen you are wondering what is going on with him. 85 points and a 2.7 points per game average is not what you were expecting. You were hoping he would exceed his projections of 588 points and 3.9 points per game as the No. 2 centerfielder behind the great Mike Trout. No one can know for sure why he is starting so slow, but I would have no problem making a deal for him if I could get him for less than first round cost.
Some top infielders are struggling as well that you may have thought were solid picks. An infield of Robinson Cano, Troy Tulowitzki and Adrian Beltre may have had you leaving your draft wondering if anyone else was paying attention while you drafted these guys. Cano was the No. 1 projected second baseman at 3.3 points per game, Beltre the No. 4 third baseman at 3.3 points per game and Tulowitzki was the No. 3 shortstop at 3.7 points per game. But the beginning of the season has not been good for these guys.
Cano is averaging 2.7 points per game being outscored by Marcus Semien, Howie Kendrick, Logan Forsythe and Luis Valbuena. Tulowitzki has always been injured, but when he plays he puts up top of the draft points, not so much this year. He is averaging 2.8 points per game and is being outscored by Adeiny Hechavarria, Brandon Crawford and Zack Cozart. Beltre is averaging the same 2.8 points per game and is being outscored by fourteen other 3B options.
How do you go about making deals for these guys? Good question as you still have to offer a good return, just not the return if they were producing as expected. But if you have a sell high candidate, especially at the same position, you may be able to package a deal together that lets you combine the best of both worlds and sell high on a guy while buying low on a stud who is about to take off. If you can pull off a deal, it could be the deal that puts you over the top and on to winning your fantasy league. Good luck making deals, as making trades can be lots of fun when both sides are open and honest of what they are looking for and their expectations and not making ridiculous trade offers. Trades are tough to pull off and find fits, but can be well worth the time and effort to build the team that carries you to the playoffs.
Each week we will review the best performances of the week in all of MLB.
Have a week Bryce Harper!! Six home runs and 13 RBI are going to lead to a good week. Tori Hunter and Marlon Byrd showing that it is not just a young man’s game with huge 40 point weeks. Kolten Wong having a week that resembled an elite player and moved himself up to 38th for the year for batters. Ryan Braun and Anthony Rizzo tied at 37, one doing it with class, the other is just an …
Michael Pineda where have you been? It seems like forever ago now, but it was four seasons ago that Pineda burst onto the fantasy scene after which he was traded to the Yankees, to never be seen again until last season. If he is still available in a league, pick him up now! Danny Salazar has been solid this year and two old guys getting into the mix, and Wandy Rodriguez did so well I picked him up myself. King Felix had just an average week for him, and that is why he is the King.
Chicago Cubs Batters
Anthony Rizzo is a stud! Man crushes are all over anymore and that is even with Kris Bryant hitting his first home run of the season. Rizzo had another good all-around week. Kris Bryant slumped with the average but hit his first home run. But here is the thing about Bryant, bad week with the bat with only a .222 average, but five walks still gives him a .344 OBP and he still totaled 27 points for the week. Miguel Montero continues his hot bat and after a very slow start he has been a big bat in the clean-up spot. Addison Russell keeps hitting and Jorge Soler, even as people still think he is struggling, hit .320 this week. Starlin Castro and Chris Coghlan are the regulars who are struggling and need to kick it up a notch.
Chicago Cubs Pitchers
A team ERA of 6.37 is not going to win many games and the record showed it with a 2-5 record this week. Even with this bad stretch the Cubs are two games over .500 and tied for fourth in the National League with the Washington Nationals for a Wild Card spot. Only two Cubs pitchers were worth starting this week. Jason Hammel picked up one win and 23 points while Jon Lester put up 22 points and picked up his W. The rest of the starters and relievers had bad weeks, and likely hurt your fantasy team if you played them.
CCO Fantasy Leagues
CCO League
Daverj’s Batsmen continue to win with a convincing win over FL JimBoC 345-277. There are four teams at 4-1 including the two teams tied in the Waveland division, The Wrong Team and since_2015Castlesworld. Tied for second in the Sheffield Division behind the Batmen, sits CubfaninSeattle John and Myrtle Beach Mermen. Only three teams are at 3-2 and that rounds out the eight playoff teams right now. But eight teams sit at 2-3 just 1 game back and four teams are two games back at 1-4 needing a win this week to not fall too far behind.
CCO Fans League
Three teams are tied for first in both the East and West divisions at 4-1. The playoffs are also 3-2 in this league, but with four teams tied, two are on the outside looking in right now. Five teams are one game back at 2-3, while four teams are two games back at 1-4 and one team is still looking for the first win on the season as the GM looks to have gone on vacation.
We do have one new team owner in this league over the weekend, and if anyone is interested in taking over another team, let me know. It will guarantee you a spot next year and a chance to see how the league works, even if you are in a big hole for this season.