Is it time to drop Justin Morneau in standard leagues?
By Mike Marteny
Apr 17, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez (16) at the batting cage. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
We are now two months into the baseball season. We are roughly a third of the way home. There are some stars who are struggling, and some better performers sitting out on waivers in your standard league wire. You are in the middle of the pack, and have an itchy trigger finger. I get it. We have all been there. Some of us revisit that place every season.
Just like you can’t go on autopilot if you have a lead, you have to continue to be dilligent if you are in the middle or back of the pack as well. You have to work the wire to win the league.
But who do you drop? Nobody wants to be the one that drops a guy that goes on a hot streak. But at the same time, you can’t afford to just sit there and waste away in the middle of the pack. You need to do something. If you can’t find a suitable trade partner, you will have to work the wire for what you need.
I get it that you form a bond with the players that you picked, but fantasy is no place for feelings of nostalgia and loyalty. Just because Aramis Ramriez helped you win a league title a few years ago does not mean you have to keep rolling with him.
Here are some players that can be dropped in standard leagues. If your league has more than three bench slots, feel free to hang on to these guys. But in standard leagues, bench slots are usually too important to use on slumping players. The players listed here are owned in 75 percent or more of ESPN leagues.
This piece will focus on corner infielders. The outfielders and catchers are here. We will do middle infielders tomorrow.
Jun 3, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) is hit by a pitch during the fifth inning. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
First Basemen:
Justin Morneau, Rockies: Morneau was a feel good story in April. A former MVP that seemed to be washed up, only to resurface with a new team and have a monster month. That said, this is not the Morneau of 2007 folks. That guy is gone and not coming back. Morneau is in an awful slump right now. He is hitting just .167 in the last two weeks with one home run and just 2 RBI. How much longer before Michael Cuddyer starts stealing at-bats at first base due to the crowded (not to mention hot-hitting) Rockies outfield?
Eric Hosmer, Royals: Hosmer is hitting just .203 over the last two weeks, but his season average is still at .270. The thing that hurt with Hosmer is the complete lack of counting stats. He has just one home run and zero stolen bases. He was supposed to put up 20/20 seasons without breaking a sweat! The struggles of the Royals are baffling considering all of the young talent they have, and they may eventually turn it around to have respectable seasons, but I am having my doubts now.
Mark Teixeira, Yankees: Is his wrist at fault for his recent struggles? Perhaps. Is it healed? Maybe, maybe not. Wrist injuries tend to linger, and can end up getting worse. Tex is in the midst of a pretty bad slide. He is just 7 for his last 35 ,and that includes his 3-9 stretch over the last two days. Maybe it’s the cynic in me that thinks that the wrist will continue to cause issues. It may well be that the worst is behind him, but if there is someone out there that can help you more, I would strongly consider letting Tex go.
Jun 2, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Mark Reynolds (7) hits a 2-run home run. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Try instead:
Jon Singleton, Astros: Normally I would not recommend a rookie, especially one that just made his major league debut. That said, Singleton looked pretty good in his first game, including drawing a bases loaded walk off of Angels lefty C.J. Wilson. Oh, and he hit a 413 foot blast for his first major league hit. He is owned in just over half of ESPN leagues. He might be worth picking up to see if he can build on his debut.
Mark Reynolds, Brewers: Lyle Overbay would seem to be the odd man out now that Aramis Ramirez is back. Reynolds will probably only sit against the really tough righties. Why? he has five homers in the last two weeks, and the Brewers need offense. The .217 average over that span could hurt, but with five homer and 12 RBI, he is much safer, even in the average department, than Ryan Howard.
Jun 2, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria (3) flips his bat. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Third Basemen:
There really aren’t any heavily owned third basemen that deserve to be dropped in standard leagues. The only ones hitting under .270 over the last two weeks are Manny Machado, Brett Lawrie, and Anthony Rendon. Lawrie and Rendon are both eligible at second base as well, and that position eligibilty is very nice to have. Especially with only three bench slots. And Machado, well, were you at your peak at 22 years old? I think not. He is way too young to give up on, and even in redraft leagues, he is worth hanging on to. None of these guys are hitting below .210, so you really aren’t losing that much in average.
Evan Longoria has just one home run over the last fortnight, but again, you can’t hardly drop him. Trade him maybe, but dropping him outright is a bit harsh. Matt Carpenter only has 3 RBI and a steal with no homers over that span, but he is hitting .365. And he is eligible at second base. I really don’t see anyone over the 75 percent threshold that I would drop.
I know what you’re thinking. That’s fine and good, but are there any possible hidden gems at third in standard leagues? Maybe. Take a gander at one of these guys. And if you are fortunate enough to own Rendon, Carpenter, or Lawrie, you can easily slide them over to second and beef up your middle infield a little.
Lonnie Chisenhall, Indians: He has been given an extended run with Carlos Santana out, and he has made the most of it. Chisenhall is hitting .353 with three homers and a whopping 15 RBI over the last two weeks. Cleveland will have to find a place for him even when Santana gets back. Santana was showing signs of breaking his season-long slide, so Cleveland will keep throwing him out there to see if he can. Chisenhall will likely see a run at DH.
Trevor Plouffe, Twins: The .259 average is nothing to write home about, but he does have three of his five homers on the season in the last two weeks. If you own one of the guys in a slump, or are waiting on Nolan Arenado or Carlos Santana, he is a worthy stop-gap.
Come back tomorrow for the middle infielders!