Fantasy Baseball Thoughts: How Things Look After Week 10

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Week 10 — give or take week — is probably the half way point in a lot of fantasy baseball formats. If you are sitting pretty at or near the top of your league, do not mail it in, as the players and stats that got you there may be trending south. If you are on the outside looking in, keep grinding away and don’t be afraid to take some chances on the trade market.

Now, onto some of Week 10’s fantasy baseball thoughts.

Batters:

• Kendrys Morales was signed by the Twins…fantasy wise he proabaly would have had more value in hitters park, but you should consider him in deeper formats when he starts playing.
• Jon Singleton was called up by the Houston Astros earlier in the week. I do not think he will do what George Springer is doing but the two home runs he hit his first week are a good sign. He is a big boy with big pop, he will even steal you a base here and there, especially with an appealing walk rate throughout the minors.
• Starling Marte was not benched, he had a conscious unplugging from the starting lineup.
• Welcome back Josh Hamilton, you went .348 with a HR and an SB in your first week back after missing almost two months. Never count this guy out, he is a must own and a must start until he proves otherwise.
• Josh Willingham is not a must own or a must start, but he continued to remind people this week he can produce fantasy value when healthy as well.
• Brandon Moss does not sit enough to shy away from him in fantasy. He is hitting a HR in every 13 at-bats right now, put that on a plate and sauce it up with a biscuit.
• If you own Miguel Cabrera in weekly lineup formats, you may want to search the net on updates before your lineups lock later tonight, he left last night’s game with a tight hamstring.
• Adrian Beltre looks to be doing just fine without Prince Fielder.
• Curtis Granderson looked like he knocked some rust off this week. He hit two HRs yesterday and more than double his SB production this past week. Keep an eye on him in deeper formats.
• Anthony Rendon finally slowed down as he was unable to play the last two games in a week where he still managed three HRs and seven RBIs. Keep an ear out for updates as he is a must start 2B when healthy.
• Some people worried about Xander Bogaerts playing time when Stephen Drew resigned with the Bo Sox, but competition has a tendency to bring out the best in some. Bogaerts is still useful fantasy depth in all formats with his position flexibility.
• Speaking of position flexibility, the All-World fantasy utility man Ben Zobrist showed signs of life this week with two HRs and a SB.
• Daniel Murphy is one of the most underrated fantasy performers….for the second straight year? Jump on board people.
• Some one dropped Todd Frazier in one of my leagues this past week, I’m shaking my head still.

Pitchers:

• What to do with Justin Verlander is a hot topic these days. At this point, I think you have to keep him and hope he turns it around in the 2nd half. I still think he sprained his throwing hand on Kate Upton and has yet to recover. Totally worth it, if that is the case.
• I think Scott Kazmir is closer than Joe Flacco to being elite at this point in their respective careers.
• Homer Bailey owners awoke from his mega-contract hangover this week.
• Henderson Alvarez, owned in 30% of Yahoo leagues right now. I know he gets graded low because he does not have strike out stuff, but surely he deserves better than 30%. Give him a look people.
• Ian Kennedy is only owned in 73% of yahoo leagues? You do not have the low strikeout potential excuse here, his K/9 is 9.94, an xFIP under 3, what else do want in a pitcher?
• Chris Tillman, what happened there?
• Chris Archer has been outstanding over his last five starts, he is still available in too many leagues right now too.
• Marcus Stroman looks a lot better as a starter than coming out of the bullpen.
• Cody Allen has not been officially named the closer of the Cleveland Indians, but…he is now the closer for the Cleveland Indians. Five straight saves, with six strikeouts, one walk, and zero hits should clear up any confusion there.
• Speaking of closers, Chad Qualls has actually looked like a pretty solid closer himself lately, weird.
• Sonny Gray’s stats are not trending in an appealing way. I like him in keeper leagues, but in redraft leagues, read this, and then this.
• Ditto for Yordano Ventura who was cleared to throw after having an MRI on his elbow last week. In his last start, he only struck out one batter…ruh roh. Abandon ship!
• Jordan Zimmerman is back, hope you didn’t push the panic button after a rough May.