Fantasy Baseball: 4 Players Whose Value Will Plummet If They're Traded

Fantasy baseball owners need to stay on top of trade news, as deals involving stars like Carlos Beltran can change the values of players.

An inter-league trade puts any player at an immediate disadvantage, as he has to learn a whole new set of opponents very quickly.

A trade to a contender can vastly help production, and a shift in ballparks could have extreme effects on statistics.

Here are four players whose values will plummet if they are traded.

Melky Cabrera

Melky Cabrera is enjoying a nice resurgence in 2011, hitting .295 with 12 homers, 25 doubles and 14 steals.

Cabrera has drawn interest from several teams, most notably the Philadelphia Phillies, who are searching for a right-handed outfielder.

In the City of Brotherly Love, Cabrera would most likely be part of a right field platoon with young prospect Domonic Brown.

That situation is much less attractive than his current gig, where he is the starting center fielder and regular No. 2 hitter on the Royals.

Hiroki Kuroda

Hiroki Kuroda has a full no-trade clause, and has indicated his preference to remain on the West Coast.

That said, the 36-year-old right-hander been linked to the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers and Red Sox.

None of those teams are on the west coast, so he may not end up there anyway.

But fantasy owners should be wary regardless. All four of those teams are in the AL, and all but the Tigers play in very hitter-friendly stadiums.

Kuroda will likely experience a rise in ERA and WHIP if traded to the AL, but would probably see a small increase in wins away from the hapless Dodgers.

Jeff Francoeur

Jeff Francoeur is another one of Kansas City's outfielders who might be shipped out of town this summer. He is rumored to be a target for the Boston Red Sox 

On the Royals, Francoeur is the starting right fielder and bats in the middle of the order. 

On the Red Sox, Francoeur would be at best a platoon right fielder who bats toward the bottom of the order, and at worst just a right-handed bat off the bench.

Fraceoeur is a legitimate fantasy outfielder now, but would get far too few at-bats in Boston to be a viable option there.

Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran is a tricky case and definitely a guy to watch as the deadline approaches.

At first glance, a trade appears to be the best thing that could happen to the All-Star outfielder who plays half his games in the spacious confines of Citi Field.

Except that the front-runner to acquire Beltran is the San Francisco Giants.

AT&T Park is notoriously tough on left-handed hitters, and Beltran would see his power numbers drop on the shores of McCovey Cove.

Plus the Giants don't exactly have a dynamic offense as is. Beltran would likely experience a drop in runs and RBI totals since the supporting cast in San Francisco leaves a lot to be desired.