Los Angeles Dodgers Hitters: 2015 Team Preview
October 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) reacts after striking out in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in game one of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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My favorite value on the Dodgers is actually their new leadoff hitter, Jimmy Rollins. The veteran SS is coming off of a very effective season where he displayed both power and speed with a 17-28 HR-SB combo. Along with J.J. Hardy, I am strongly targeting Rollins on my teams, and here is why he is still a fantasy option.
Yasiel Puig is very confusing to me. While I am not doubting his incredible talent or worthiness of a top 25, he is a very up and down player. Check out his monthly batting average in 2014: .276 in March and April, .398 in May, .248 in June, .351 in July, .216 in August, and .284 in September. While average will fluctuate, especially with these small sample sizes, Puig was dreadful in June and August.
In his 53 games in June and August, Yasiel Puig hit 0 homers, drove in 9 base runners, stole 3 bases, and scored 23 runs. That is scary bad. He was useless for 1/3 of the season. However, it is important to remember that Yasiel Puig is still only 24, and he will continue to develop. I prefer the mercurial star in roto leagues because of his extreme streakiness.
Adrian Gonzalez is an RBI wizard. I have documented his penchant for driving in batters in this excerpt, but I think that Gonzalez is also a decent bargain at 1B. It seems like he is a fifth rounder at this point, and I prefer him over Prince Fielder, Chris Davis, and Joey Votto. Adrian Gonzalez has a nice floor, and he may be the best bet in baseball to reach 100 RBI’s (once again).
Joc Pederson’s fantasy worth will ultimately come down to his playing time. Keep a close eye on him throughout Spring Training because he could be an elite power-steal combo soon. I would treat Joc Pederson like last year’s hot prospects, Gregory Polanco and Jorge Soler. While you cannot bank on the rookie for production, you do not want to be left out in the cold if the elite prospect is a difference maker.
Tanner Bell of Smart Fantasy Baseball has created all of the projections seen in this post. You can read about how he develops his projections here. His projections are invaluable to this site. You can also visit his site at www.smartfantasybaseball.com.