Fantasy Baseball: 10 Struggling Players to Pick Up Before They Heat Up
With the first full month of the season just about behind us, we've seen a number of players step into the spotlight and make their names known.
To the same token, a number of players that we've grown to love, and in the case of fantasy baseball players, that we've grown to count on, have let us down in comparison to their true potential.
Some fantasy owners are quick to rush to judgment and drop players to avoid an early decline in the standings.
At the same time, baseball is a marathon that takes us all the way through the dog days of summer into the fall.
If a player has a consistent track record of success, there's no real reason to think they may not make it back to form in time to produce some significant numbers
Edwin Jackson
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Edwin Jackson hasn't always been known as a very consistent pitcher as his pitch count tends to hover higher than would be preferred and his walks can at times get out of control.
Jackson got off to a relatively solid start, winning his first two starts while giving up only four total runs.
In his last two starts, he's given up 12 runs and lost both decisions to vault his ERA up around 5.00.
The White Sox are in a funk right now, but their offense has enough talent to get the team back on track, and if they're able to have some things go their way, Jackson may be up to the task of providing productive innings.
Magglio Ordonez
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A career .311 hitter, Magglio Ordonez has struggled significantly this season as he currently sits with a .196 average and just one RBI.
In past seasons, he has struggled to gain form early, and much like the White Sox, the Tigers are having some struggles as they wrap up the first month of the season.
With a .217 slugging percentage, Ordonez may not currently warrant much of a chance in a fantasy lineup.
However, a career slugger of over .500, even if he doesn't approach his 15-season average, he should progress enough to provide value for an owner in need of an extra player.
Vernon Wells
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Needless to say, Vernon Wells' debut in Anaheim hasn't gone as he would have planned.
He's currently batting .176 and has only four RBIs in 22 games played.
With batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage all more than 100 points below his career average, it's clear that this is a slump that cannot become a trend that holds for the duration of the season.
When you average out his 13-year career, his second-half numbers are a bit better than his first-half numbers, so if he can regain some respectability early this summer, he should be able to parlay it into success as August and September come around.
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Francisco Liriano
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Francisco Liriano's struggles this season could be attributed to many things.
For starters, his offense has been anemic and failed to provide ample run support, which adds pressure in itself.
Aside from that, the organization actually spent much of spring training encouraging Liriano to focus less on missing bats and trying to emphasize pitching to contact.
At 1-3 with an ERA north of 7.00, Liriano isn't showing the form that he did in 2010 when he went 14-10 with a 3.62 ERA.
The Twins are banking on Liriano's success as they look to decide whether or not he is their long-term ace or a valuable trade chip. You'd have to believe that Liriano will rise to the occasion as he looks to increase his value to the Twins or any other interested franchise.
Jayson Werth
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Most fantasy owners haven't yet dropped Jayson Werth from their teams, but if his struggles continue, some may not be so kind.
Werth signed a massive contract with the Nationals during the offseason and has been immensely disappointing so far in 2011.
Batting just .200 and having only five RBI to his name, he's certainly not living up to his $126 million contract.
He is no doubt feeling the pressure to produce, and while his struggles may continue in the short term, he'll likely turn a corner as his batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage have all been higher in the second half of his seasons.
Brett Gardner
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While he may not be one of the most highly-regarded Yankees, Brett Gardner has been a very important piece to many successful seasons that the team has had in recent years.
Gardner is striking out more than usual and taking far less walks at the plate thus far in 2011, and his on-base percentage is reflecting that.
With a career OBP of over .350, his current .197 percentage will likely increase as he regains his form, and when he does, his current .140 batting average will certainly climb with it.
Dan Uggla
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Another superstar on the move in 2011, Dan Uggla is yet another new face who hasn't lived up to the billing.
Uggla's numbers across the board have been below average this year.
Batting under .200, he has seen on-base percentage and slugging take a significant hit.
He's another player that most owners haven't dropped yet, but if he becomes available, he shouldn't be free for long as his current WAR of minus-0.3 will certainly jump as he becomes more comfortable in his new home.
Alex Rios
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The Chicago White Sox have been struggling mightily over the last couple of weeks, and Alex Rios hasn't been an exception.
The two time All-Star has a career batting average of .279 and slugging percentage of .441, a far cry from his current .160 average.
In a current 1-for-24 slump, Rios is clearly discouraged by his production, but he has been consistent enough in his eight-year career to give owners the confidence that he'll provide value at some point down the road.
Mike Aviles
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The Kansas City Royals have been one of baseball's biggest surprises so far in 2011.
With a 12-10 record, they find themselves near the top of the AL Central and have certainly exceeded expectations.
Their success is due in part to the production of Mike Aviles. Despite batting nearly 70 points below his 2010 numbers, he has already driven in 14 runs and hit three home runs.
Aviles is available in most leagues and would be a solid addition to a roster in need of infield depth.
Joe Mauer
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As one of the highest paid players in baseball, Joe Mauer is definitely feeling the pressure to succeed in front of his hometown fans.
Mauer's durability over his career has been a question, and many are already questioning just how long he'll be able to crouch behind the plate before being moved to a less physically-taxing position.
He's currently on the 15-day disabled list and while he's eligible to return later this week, manager Ron Gardenhire has been conspicuously quiet about when the star catcher will be able to return.
If fantasy owners need to make a move and put Mauer on the chopping block, he'd be a worthwhile pickup as he is a great hitter and will undoubtedly return to form whenever and wherever he returns to the field.
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