MLB's 40 Most Shocking Cold Starts; How Concerned Should Their Teams Be?

We are just three-plus weeks into the 2012 MLB season, but already we have some players far out-performing expectations and at the same time players who have been big disappointments thus far.

Some players are notoriously slow starters, while some players are simply in an early-season slump. However, for some players the slow start is a legitimate cause for concern and could become a serious issue for their team moving forward.

So here is a look at the 40 most shocking cold starts in the MLB, and how concerned their respective teams should be about that player's early-season performance.

C Russell Martin, New York Yankees

Stats: .195/.379/.273, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R

Signed off the scrap heap last offseason, Martin was a pleasant surprise in hitting .237 BA, 18 HR, 65 RBI last season.

He got off to a hot start last year as he hit .293 BA, 6 HR, 19 RBI through the end of April, but it has been a different story this year. The Yankees don't have much in the way of other options, as Chris Stewart and Francisco Cervelli are best served as backups, so it looks like Martin will break out of his slump or continue to flounder in the lineup.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

C Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs

Stats: .140/.204/.260, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 7 R

Never a highly regarded prospect, Soto came out of nowhere to win the Pacific Coast League MVP in 2007, and he carried that over into the 2008 season when he hit .285 BA, 23 HR, 86 RBI to capture NL Rookie of the Year honors.

Since then, he sandwiched a good year in 2010 between a pair of horrible seasons in 2009 and 2011, and he is once again struggling in 2012.

With top catching prospect Welington Castillo big league ready and current backup Steve Clevenger hitting well, it could be only a matter of time before Soto loses his job for good.

Appropriate Level of Concern: High

C Kurt Suzuki, Oakland Athletics

Stats: .227/.235/.303, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R

The Athletics had question marks up and down their lineup entering the season, but one player who they at least thought they could count on was Suzuki.

Over the past three seasons he's averaged .252 BA, 14 HR, 68 RBI and he opened the season in a run-production role. He has since been bumped to sixth in the order, and could continue to slide down if he does not start producing.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

1B Yonder Alonso, San Diego Padres

Stats: .217/.304/.300, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

A key part of the package the Padres received from the Reds for Mat Latos, the team was confident enough in the skills of Alonso that they dealt fellow first-base prospect Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs for reliever Andrew Cashner.

Now, Alonso is struggling and Rizzo is demolishing Triple-A pitching to the tune of .373 BA, 7 HR, 19 RBI through 75 at-bats.

Did the Padres make a big mistake? Time will tell.

Appropriate Level of Concern: High

1B Ike Davis, New York Mets

Stats: .123/.174/.262, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R

After a solid rookie season of .264 BA, 19 HR, 71 RBI in 2010, it looked as though Davis was headed for stardom with a .302 BA, 7 HR, 25 RBI start through 36 games last season.

However, an ankle injury ended his season abruptly and he has not been the same to open the 2012 season. The Mets will stick with him for the foreseeable future and hope he can turn things around, but with 21 strikeouts in 61 at-bats it does not look good.

Appropriate Level of Concern: High 

1B Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals

Stats: .225/.321/.465, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 12 R

Third in AL Rookie of the Year voting with a .293 BA, 19 HR, 78 RBI season last year, Hosmer is at the center of the Royals' youth movement and perhaps the most promising young player in the organization.

He is off to a slow start this season, but his minor league track record and solid approach at the plate means he should be a perennial .300 hitter. There is no reason to think he won't turn things around.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

1B Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels

Stats: .222/.282/.319, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R

Coming off a .299 BA, 37 HR, 99 RBI campaign that would be a great season for most but was a down year by Pujolsian standards, Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million deal to join the Angels and immediately made them bonafide contenders.

Problem with that is, he has done nothing so far this season. While there is no reason to panic over a 17-game stretch from one of the greatest ever to play the game, a hot streak sure would ease the minds of Angels fans everywhere.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

2B Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

Stats: .267/.337/.413, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 14 R

While his average is not all that bad and has been climbing, Cano has elevated himself into the game's elite over the past few seasons so expectations are understandably elevated.

Other players have stepped up to fill the production void, namely Derek Jeter and his .420 average, but over a full season the Yankees will need Cano to be one of their primary run producers if they are to be legitimate contenders, and he undoubtedly will be.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Zero

2B Jemile Weeks, Oakland Athletics

Stats: .200/.253/.341, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 9 R

Dubbed as the team's only untouchable player in trades this offseason, Weeks posted a .303 BA, 2 HR, 36 RBI, 50 R, 22 SB rookie season and was the Athletics' most promising player entering the 2012 season.

Hitting atop the Athletics' order, he has struggled mightily. That has been the case for most of the Athletics' lineup as Yoenis Cespedes leads the team with a .242 average. Weeks should come around, although likely not to the .303 level of last season.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low to Moderate

2B Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: .189/.302/.392, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R

Weeks launched a three-run home run on Tuesday, so perhaps that is a sign he is turning things around, but so far it has been a disastrous start to the season for Weeks.

Counted on to be an offensive leader in the wake of Prince Fielder leaving town, he has done nothing of the sort to this point and his average is lower even than his similarly under-performing brother.

Coming off back-to-back solid years, Weeks can be expected to round into form soon.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

SS Clint Barmes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Stats: .179/.220/.339, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R

The Pirates are scoring runs at a record-setting low pace right now, so it is hard to point the finger at one person on their offense, but offseason signing Clint Barmes has been absolutely horrible.

That said, he was hitting .089 heading into Tuesday's game and is on a nice 6-for-11 steak right now, so perhaps he's righting the ship. If not, the Pirates overpaying on a two-year, $10.5 million contract is going to look even more foolish.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate to High

SS J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles

Stats: .188/.260/.348, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R

Coming off a season in which he led AL shortstops with 30 home runs, Hardy has been a big disappointment in what has been a surprisingly productive Orioles lineup.

He likely performed outside of himself last season, but there is no reason to think he won't rank among the league leaders at his position in most offensive categories before all is said and done. He's certainly not as bad as he's playing right now.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

SS Tyler Pastornicky, Atlanta Braves

Stats: .234/.294/.362, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R

The Braves let veteran Alex Gonzalez walk in free agency, instead deciding to turn shortstop over to 22-year-old Pastornicky. They kept Jack Wilson around for insurance, albeit minimum coverage at best.

Coming off of a solid .314 BA, 7 HR, 45 RBI, 27 SB season between Double-A and Triple-A last season, Pastornicky will be given every chance to secure the job, but he will need to pick things up by midseason or the contending Braves will look for a stop-gap replacement.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

SS Jose Reyes, Miami Marlins

Stats: .217/.276/.349, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 6 RBI

Reyes picked a good time to have arguably the best season of his career, as he parlayed a .337 batting average and the NL batting title into a six-year, $106 million contract from a Marlins team looking to make a splash while moving into their new stadium.

Health has always been the biggest question surrounding Reyes, so the fact that he has been healthy thus far is a plus. Health doesn't mean much when you're not producing, but as long as he stays on the field he should pick it up soon.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

3B Aramis Ramirez, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: .191/.253/.338, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 10 R

Seeing Ramirez come off of one of his most productive seasons in years in which he hit .306 BA, 26 HR, 93 RBI, the Brewers snagged him in hopes that he could help ease the loss of Prince Fielder.

Instead, he has been a black hole in the lineup spot formerly occupied by Fielder, and at 34 years old the chances he approaches last season's numbers again seem slim. Still, it's unlikely he'll experience quite that precipitous of a drop-off, and he should run into a hot streak soon.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low to Moderate

3B Ryan Roberts, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: .182/.262/.291, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R

Roberts essentially came out of nowhere last season to hit .249 BA, 19 HR, 65 RBI, 18 SB as he filled in nicely at third base for the departed Mark Reynolds.

However, it now looks as though he could fade into anonymity as quickly as he made a name for himself. Seeing as his breakout season came at the age of 30, it seems unlikely he'll approach last season's numbers again.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Very High

3B Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

Stats: .204/.267/.296, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 10 R

A slow start to the 2012 season has brought about questions regarding Youkilis' commitment to the game from new manager Bobby Valentine, as it has been a tough beginning to the year for the 33-year-old third baseman.

After posting an average of .297 since becoming a starter in 2006 and never hitting below .279, Youkilis saw his average slip to .258 last season, so this could be more than just a cold start. He won't be as bad as he is right now, but his days as a .300 BA, 20 HR, 90 RBI guy could be a thing of the past.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate to High 

3B Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

Stats: .224/.324/.345, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 10 R

Having signed Zimmerman to a massive 11-year, $135 million extension this offseason, there is no question that the Nationals view him as the face of their franchise.

Zimmerman has tended to heat up as the weather gets warmer throughout his career, and while he has never started quite this slowly, he should pick things up as the season progresses.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Very Low

LF Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals

Stats: .197/.296/.352, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R

The second-overall pick in the 2005 draft, Gordon was a can't-miss third base prospect out of the University of Nebraska, but after an average season of .244 BA, 11 HR, 40 RBI through his first four big league seasons it looked as though he had in fact missed.

However, a move to left field and a make-or-break year brought out the best in Gordon and he hit .303 BA, 23 HR, 87 RBI, 101 R out of the leadoff spot for the Royals last season.

That was with a .361 average on balls in play; he was as big a regression candidate as anyone in the league.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Very High 

LF Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals

Stats: .205/.250/.386, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 9 R

Now the Cardinals' biggest name hitter following the departure of Albert Pujols, Holliday has scuffled early in 2012, but his teammates have managed to make up for his early-season struggles to put the Cardinals in first place.

There is a good chance the Cardinals will wind up regretting the seven-year, $120 million contract they gave Holliday prior to the 2010 season. Since Holliday is just 32 years old I doubt it will be this year that they start regretting it.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

LF Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs

Stats: .234/.250/.250, 0 HR, 10 RBI, 2 R

After a 6 HR, 18 RBI spring it looked as though Soriano was ready to step up and lead the Cubs offense in 2012, following the departure of Aramis Ramirez.

Instead, he has once again struggled to make consistent contact with 16 strikeouts through 64 at-bats. Adding to those woes, he has yet to hit a home run. He has been a disappointment since joining the Cubs, but if he is not hitting home runs he has absolutely no value to the team.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

CF Marlon Byrd, Boston Red Sox

Stats: .125/.183/.125, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

In the final season of a three-year, $15 million contract with the Cubs, most people expected Byrd to finish the 2012 season somewhere else, and despite his horrific 3-for-43 start the Red Sox acquired the 34-year-old earlier this week.

He'll get everyday playing time with Jacoby Ellsbury on the shelf, and he has gone 3-for-9 in two games since joining Boston. Perhaps a move to a team expected to contend and the fact that it is a contract year will mean a turnaround for Byrd, but his start has been a different level of bad.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate to High 

CF Cameron Maybin, San Diego Padres

Stats: .167/.273/.303, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 11 R

In the majors since the age of 20 in 2007, Maybin finally broke out last season with a .264 BA, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 40 SB season in his first year with the Padres.

That was enough for the team to lock him up as a franchise cornerstone on a five-year, $25 million deal, but he has struggled out of the gates to open the year. Still just 25, he has plenty of room to improve, but with a limited track record of success there is at least some reason to be worried.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

RF Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: .203/.354/.359, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R

Bautista literally came out of nowhere to emerge as one of the most feared sluggers in all of baseball, and with a .302 BA, 43 HR, 103 RBI line that included an AL-high 132 walks, he had an 8.5 WAR.

His plate discipline is still there, with a solid on-base percentage, there is no denying his power. With an improved surrounding cast expect Bautista to do a 180 on this season very soon.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

RF Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

Stats: .241/.290/.310, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R

With 56 home runs before his 22nd birthday, there are few players in the league with more upside and more pure power than Stanton.

That said, there may be no bigger surprise in all of baseball so far this season than the fact that Stanton is without a home run. A new, spacious home field could have something to do with it, but he has too much raw power to not be a perennial 30-HR guy for the next decade. 

Appropriate Level of Concern: Very Low

RF Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays

Stats: .180/.329/.377, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 10 R

The versatile Zobrist opened the season as the Rays right fielder, but with the return of B.J. Upton from injury he has shifted back to second base where his offensive production has ranked in the top tier at the position.

However, he has not been himself thus far this season after averaging .267 BA, 19 HR, 86 RBI, 20 SB, but since he's in his prime at 31 he's a good candidate to pick things up moving forward.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low to Moderate

SP Josh Collmenter, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: 4 GS, 0-2, 9.82 ERA, 5 BB, 16 Ks, 18.1 IP

A 15th-round pick in 2007, Collmenter worked his way through the Diamondbacks system and earned a spot in the rotation early last season.

Though he does not have dominating stuff by any means, he went 10-10 with a 3.38 ERA to finish fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2011.

However, he's been hit hard this season, giving up a league-high 20 earned runs and six home runs. With plenty of minor league starting pitching depth he could be one more bad start away from a demotion.

Appropriate Level of Concern: High

SP Jeremy Guthrie, Colorado Rockies

Stats: 4 GS, 2-1, 5.92 ERA, 10 BB, 5 Ks, 24.1 IP

Acquired this offseason to head the Rockies staff following the trade of Ubaldo Jimenez at the deadline last season, Guthrie has not been the rotation leader the team hoped for.

With he and Jamie Moyer fronting the Rockies staff, it could be an interesting season in Colorado this year, and if nothing else he will need to be a 200 innings, 4.00 ERA guy for the team to succeed.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

SP Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves

Stats: 4 GS, 0-2, 9.37 ERA, 10 BB, 8 Ks, 16.1 IP

Through four starts last season, Jurrjens was 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA on his way to a 12-3, 1.87 ERA first half, but it has been the exact opposite so far this season.

His slow start was enough for the Braves to demote him to Triple-A in hopes he can figure things out and return to form. This is certainly not a good sign, but luckily for the Braves the move corresponds to Tim Hudson coming off of the disabled list.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Very High 

SP Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 4 GS, 1-2, 5.64 ERA, 10 BB, 14 Ks, 22.1 IP

A solid start (7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER) on Tuesday dropped Latos' ERA from 8.22 to 5.64, but it has still been a troubling start to his Reds career.

The Reds gave up four solid young players to acquire Latos in hopes of him shoring up the rotation, but his move from spacious Petco Park to the launching pad that is Great American Ballpark could expose him for the pitcher he really is, as he's allowed 10 runs in 10.2 innings of work at home so far.

Appropriate Level of Concern: High

SP Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

Stats: 4 GS, 1-2, 8.20 ERA, 9 BB, 24 Ks, 18.2 IP

Following a rough spring training in which he posted a 5.70 ERA, Lincecum has been even worse to open the 2012 regular season as he has yet to post a quality start.

Prior to his last outing in which he went five innings and allowed one run to pick up the win, he had a 10.54 ERA, so things have gotten better. For the Giants to succeed, he will need to be the ace he has been the past four seasons, and he's been too good not to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low to Moderate

SP Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins

Stats: 4 GS, 0-3, 11.02 ERA, 13 BB, 12 Ks, 16.1 IP

Liriano looked to be the game's next superstar pitcher when he took the league by storm with a 12-3, 2.16 ERA rookie season. However, that year ended with Tommy John surgery and while he was solid in 2008 and 2010, he has struggled mightily in between.

He posted a career-high 5.0 BB/9 last season and that number has spiked to 7.2 BB/9 early on this season, while his strikeouts are at an all-time low.

He is set to become a free agent at the end of the year, and perhaps that will be enough to push him to step his game up, although he simply does not look like any more than a fifth starter at this point.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Very High

SP Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians

Stats: 4 GS, 0-2, 6.65 ERA, 12 BB, 15 Ks, 21.2 IP

Tabbed as the Indians' Opening Day starter after posting 12-10, 3.21 ERA, 158 Ks last year, Masterson opened the season with a terrific 8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 10 Ks outing against the Blue Jays.

Since then, however, he has failed to last beyond the fifth inning and allowed 15 ER in 13.2 innings. The team is 1-3 in his starts despite holding a 9-6 record. The team needs the 27-year-old to anchor the staff, and he will need to figure it out soon if they want to keep pace in the AL Central.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

SP Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels

Stats: 4 GS, 0-4, 7.23 ERA, 8 BB, 16 Ks, 23.2 IP

When the Angels signed C.J. Wilson this offseason, many pointed to the Angels rotation as the class of the American League as he joined Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Santana.

While the other two have been solid along with Wilson, Santana has struggled.

He appeared to have taken the next step with 28 wins and a 3.65 ERA over the past two seasons. However, he has struggled early, and with the team's fifth-starter situation also an issue, Santana will need to pull his weight moving forward.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

SP Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers

Stats: 4 GS, 1-2, 8.24 ERA, 6 BB, 23 Ks, 19.2 IP

Scherzer is among the most inconsistent players in all of baseball, as evidenced by his 2011 season when he had 16 quality starts in which he had a 1.57 ERA and 17 non-quality starts with an 8.08 ERA.

He has the potential to be the team's No. 2 starter, but he has yet to prove capable of performing on a start-by-start basis. So far this season he has struggled in each of his four starts.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

SP Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

Stats: 4 GS, 0-3, 7.32 ERA, 5 BB, 21 Ks, 19.2 IP

Coming back from Tommy John surgery after missing all of last season, Wainwright has been far from his previously dominant self to this point.

The troubling thing is that his stuff has been good enough to rack up the strikeouts, but he has also been hit very hard, allowing 24 hits and five HR over his 19.2 innings of work. He is no doubt still shaking off the rust, and he had a quality start of six innings and one run allowed in his last start, so he is heading in the right direction.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low to Moderate

SP Randy Wolf, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: 4 GS, 1-2, 7.17 ERA, 9 BB, 13 Ks, 21.1 IP

In the absence of Prince Fielder, the Brewers will rely much more heavily on their strong starting rotation this season as they look to repeat as NL Central champs.

While Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo and Shaun Marcum have been solid, Wolf has struggled early after winning 26 games with a 3.93 ERA in his first two seasons with the Brewers.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate

RP Heath Bell, Miami Marlins

Stats: 6 G, 2-of-4 Sv, 7.20 ERA, 3 BB, 5 Ks, 5 IP

An All-Star in each of the past three seasons while tallying 132 saves with San Diego, Bell signed a three-year, $27 million contract to join the Marlins this offseason.

However, his career in Miami began with a thud as he blew his first two save opportunities. He has thrown a pair of perfect innings to lock down two saves in his last two outings so things look to be back on track.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Low

RP Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals

Stats: 7 G, 0-of-1 Sv, 11.37 ERA, 4 BB, 10 Ks, 6.1 IP

Holland was among the best setup men in all of baseball last season, posting a 1.80 ERA and 11.1 K/9 over 60 innings of work, tallying four saves as well.

With Joakim Soria shelved for the season, Holland had a chance to close but he lost that job to Jonathan Broxton and is now looking to get back to business as the 26-year-old still has plenty of upside.

Appropriate Level of Concern: Moderate to High

RP Glen Perkins, Minnesota Twins

Stats: 8 G, 0-of-1 Sv, 7.36 ERA, 2 BB, 10 Ks, 7.1 IP

After three seasons of struggling to post a 5.05 ERA while bouncing between the rotation and bullpen, Perkins emerged as the team's most reliable reliever last season.

With a 2.48 ERA and 9.5 K/9 over 61.2 innings of work he earned a four-year, $11.85 million contract, but he has been rocked so far this season—with just one outing in which he did not allow a baserunner—for a 1.50 WHIP.

Appropriate Level of Concern: High