Fantasy Baseball 2012: Hitters Watch List for May 14-20

Here's a countdown of eight surging hitters (and two slumping wild cards) who should fare well for the week of May 14-20.

American League

1. OF Josh Hamilton, Rangers

Hamilton's production curve from April 29 alone is the stuff of legends—nine HRs, 20 RBI, 10 runs, .429 batting; and with that, he has earned a permanent spot on this weekly list...even if he should go 0-for-45 starting today. How good has Hamilton (18 HRs, 44 RBI, 30 runs, two steals, .402 batting) been this season? Outside of Matt Kemp and Justin Verlander...there is no 2-for-1 trade involving one hitter and one pitcher that would yield commensurate value for Hamilton right now.

2. 2B Robinson Cano, Yankees

Cano (batting .370 since April 29) is steadily recapturing his fantasy mojo at a time when the Yankees are fighting with four other teams for AL East supremacy and struggling to find consistency with their starting rotation. Does Cano (three HRs, 14 RBI, 18 runs, one steal, .299 batting) have the capabilities to carry fantasy teams on his back for the next 30 days? Absolutely. From a short-term perspective, though, he's a stronger lock for success against the Orioles, Blue Jays and Reds this week.

3. 3B/OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays

There's a reason why Bautista crushed 97 homers and 227 RBI for the 2010 and '11 seasons (combined). There's a reason why he was a consensus top-four pick in fantasy drafts. There's a reason why he has more walks than strikeouts, despite a paltry batting average of only .198. Early slump aside, all signs point to Bautista being a true fantasy force by season's end, an educated guess/gut feeling made more credible last weekend, when he belted three homers against the Twins (including two on Friday). This week, Bautista draws the Rays, Yankees and Mets.

4. 2B Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox

This is a no-brainer pick, given Pedroia's 14-game hit streak and stellar season numbers (five HRs, 25 RBI, 18 runs, three steals, .319 batting). This endorsement, however, comes with some trepidation. On Wednesday, Pedroia (.381 OBP) and the Red Sox are slated to face Seattle's Felix Hernandez (3-0, 2.29 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 58/16 K-BB ratio), followed by two Rays front-liners and then a good, long look at Phillies aces Cole Hamels (Friday) and Cliff Lee (Sunday). Consider this the ultimate test of fantasy fitness for Pedroia.

5. SS Alexei Ramirez, White Sox

Forget about Ramirez's .199 batting average so far this season. Forget about his .189 average in the last 15 days. Ramirez (one HR, 14 RBI, nine runs, two steals) may be mired in a terrible slump, but his age (30), skill set and track record (per-season averages of 18 HRs/77 RBI/13 steals from 2008-11) suggest a turnaround will come sooner than later. In fact, fantasy owners should prioritize trading for A-Ram in the low-pressure 2B/SS slot, knowing that he won't be this mediocre for an entire campaign. And if that's the case, his days of being an AL-only dynamo will be numbered.

National League

1. 3B David Wright, Mets

The halcyon days of 30 homers/30 steals from 2007 may be gone for Wright, but that may not be a deal-breaker with fantasy owners enjoying his 90 RBI/95 runs/.340 potential in his age-29 season, a tribute to his remarkable adjustments to National League pitchers and cavernous Citi Field. Wright is batting .451 in the last 15 days—a modest upgrade from his .402 seasonal average. For Week 7, Wright tackles pitching from the Brewers, Reds and Blue Jays.

2. OF Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies

I swung a blockbuster trade for Gonzalez earlier in the week, surrendering Jose Reyes, Gio Gonzalez and Ricky Romero in a 3-for-1 switch; and regardless of how the other stars fare from this point forward, I couldn't be happier with the swap (It helps that I had amazing pitching depth before the deal). David Wright, Matt Kemp and Josh Hamilton have taken the baseball world by storm, for sure, but Gonzo's short-term (four HRs, .340 batting since April 29) and season numbers (seven HRs, 28 RBI, 26 runs, six steals, .300 batting) have very few peers, too. This week, Gonzalez gets the Giants, Diamondbacks and Mariners.

3. 1B Bryan LaHair, Cubs

I've been reluctant to endorse a hitter who's spent the better part of six seasons in Triple-A ball (2006-11), but you can only keep a good man down for so long. From a 15-day perspective (four homers, .327 batting), LaHair has been dynamic; from a seasonal standpoint (eight HRs, 18 RBI, 14 runs, .354 batting), he's been a beast. And now, with tail firmly tucked between my legs, I'll join the ever-expanding legion of LaHair believers...as he takes on the Cardinals, Phillies and White Sox this week.

4. 1B/OF Yonder Alonso, Padres

The day will come when Alonso converts his prodigious doubles rate into 25-homer seasons in the big leagues; but for now, fantasy owners should only be concerned with Alonso's progress as a .300 hitter and sneaky-good source for RBI and runs. After all, it's not like any GMs invested a draft pick on the 25-year-old wunderkind—they simply reacted quickly to Alonso's earlier-than-expected breakout in San Diego. As far as undrafted free agents go, Alonso has been a nice find for owners that can never have enough corner-infield assets.

5. OF Justin Upton, Diamondbacks

Sure, Upton is batting just .222 since April 29, but I feel much better about his season-long prospects than three weeks ago, when a thumb injury threatened to curtail a year full of promise. Even the best hitters aren't immune to slumps these days, and Upton is a prime candidate to break out this week against the Dodgers, Rockies and Royals.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.