Fantasy Baseball: 10 Players Who Have Disappointed Thus Far in 2011

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The 2011 baseball season is now nearly two months old, and for fantasy owners, it is officially time to start hitting the panic button regarding a handful of highly regarded players.

While players such as Lance Berkman, Matt Joyce, Gaby Sanchez and Michael Pineda have all been pleasant surprises, there have been a number of players that haven't come close to meeting their draft day expectations.

Here are 10 players, most of whom were probably taken in the first few rounds of your draft, that have really stunk it up so far this season,  

Alex Rios, Chicago White Sox

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Rios is batting ,259 in the month of May, and his batting average for the season is still just .197.  That alone should tell you everything you need to know about how bad he was in April.

Rios, who has been dropped to the bottom third of the White Sox lineup, has just three home runs and 10 RBI to go along with his embarrassing batting average.  He has been decent on the bases with four steals, but that isn't enough to make up for his poor production everywhere else.

He is a special talent, which makes it even more puzzling that he has never been able to put it all together.

Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies

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After a breakout year in 2010, much was expected of Jimenez in this season.

However, soon after the season started, Jimenez sustained an injury to his right thump, forcing him to spend some time on the disabled list.

Now off the DL, Jimenez still hasn't been able to get things going. 

While he does have 30 strikeouts in just 29.2 innings, he sports an ugly 6.67 ERA to go along with a 1.58 WHIP.  Furthermore, the Rockies ace has yet to find the win column through his first six starts.

Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

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Broxton is currently on the disabled list with a bone spur in his pitching elbow.  But before being placed on the DL, the Dodgers closer was absolutely brutal.

Although he blew only one save, Broxton struggled with both his velocity and command.  In 12.2 innings pitched, he has walked a whopping nine batters and sports a 5.68 ERA.

Even before getting hurt, there was talk that Broxton's job as the closer was in jeopardy. 

Dan Uggla, Atlanta Braves

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Uggla has shown some pop this season, but that isn't anything unusual.

However, he is hitting just .202 and has only driven in 15 runs.  Somehow, he is still batting cleanup in the Braves lineup, but you have to think that will soon change if Uggla continues to struggle.

Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox

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Dunn has never been known as a player who will hit for a high average, so the fact that he is hitting .203 isn't really shocking.

But just four home runs for the big man?  Now that is surprising.

Dunn continues to get on base at a decent clip, but he isn't driving in runs and continues to strike out a ton. 

If he is not hitting the ball out of the park, Dunn offers very little value, except maybe for leagues that have OBP as a stat.  But even then, he is tough to start right now.

Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins

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Here is how bad Liriano has been. On May 3, he pitched a no-hitter.  Despite that, his ERA still sits at 7.07.

Looking at his numbers, you can see why he is struggling.  Through 35.2 innings pitched, he has walked 27 batters while only striking out 21.  He has lasted more than five innings in just two of his seven starts, and his record currently sits at 2-5.

Before his no-no, there was some talk that Minnesota was considering removing him from the rotation.

Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

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Although he hasn't been as bad as another player you will see on this list, Pedroia hasn't exactly been spectacular, either.

He is hitting just .245 with only two homers and 10 RBI.  The good news is that he is starting to rack up the runs with Boston's lineup heating up, and he also has swiped seven bags.

But many fantasy owners drafted him to be a run producer, and he hasn't done that up to this point.

I will say that out of everyone on this list, he is the player that I am least worried about.

Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals

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Carpenter started the season off on the right foot and posted very respectable numbers during the month of April.

But May has been a different story—he simply isn't fooling anyone.

Since, Apr. 29, Carpenter has allowed 42 hits in just 26.1 innings over the course of four starts.  He has also walked two or more batters in all four of those starts.

His strikeouts are decreasing, his WHIP is increasing and I'm not sure if things will be getting better anytime soon.

Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins

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Ramirez, who was a consensus top-two pick this spring, has really gotten off to a slow start this season.

While he does have eight stolen bases, the rest of his numbers are very disappointing.

He is only hitting .204 with two home runs and 14 RBI.  He recently was removed from the three-hole in the lineup and is now batting second. 

Things will undoubtedly get better, but how long will it take?  Fantasy owners are beginning to get anxious with Han-Ram.

Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox

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What can $142 million buy you?

Well, it bought the Red Sox an eighth-place hitter who seems like he couldn't hit a beach ball, let alone a baseball.

I have some experience with how bad Crawford has been—I drafted him with the eighth pick in a 16-team league earlier this spring.  The heroics of Lance Berkman and Jose Bautista have kept me afloat, but along with many other fantasy owners, I need this guy to start producing.

Up until May 5, Crawford wasn't even hitting over .200.  He has struggled to get on base all season, and has only walked six times.  His poor on-base percentage hasn't allowed him to steal as many based as many people thought he would.

Let's pick it up a little bit, Carl, shall we?