Fantasy Baseball: Band-Aids for Albert Pujols

Obviously losing a slugger like Albert Pujols will wreak havoc on your fantasy team. You simply aren’t going to be able to plug a player in to replace his production (even in his “off” year).

That said, here are some options at first base that can help soften the blow.

Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies:  He’s owned in about half of Yahoo! leagues and hitting .308 on the year with 32 runs, nine home runs, and 30 RBI. Helton may be past his prime, but he’s still productive.

Ty Wiggington, Colorado Rockies:  Wiggington has first base, second base, and third base eligibility (and outfield in Yahoo! leagues). He’s hitting .267 on the year with 24 runs, seven home runs, 24 RBI, and four stolen bases, but has hit better (.279) in June. He’s only owned in about a quarter of fantasy leagues. Helton is a better option, but Wigginton is more versatile and available.

James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers:  Far from a sexy pick, he’s finally coming around. Loney is hitting .291 in June to raise his average to .258, to go along with 17 runs, four home runs, 25 RBI, and four stolen bases. He’ll likely sit against lefties (hitting .167) like he did this past Saturday. Loney is only owned in about 20 percent of fantasy leagues.

Brett Wallace, Houston Astros:  Wallace is hitting .308 on the year with 30 runs, four home runs, 21 RBI, and a stolen base. You’ll be hurting in the home run category, but he should help your batting average as Pujols was hitting .279 on the year.

Carlos Peña, Chicago Cubs:  Pena will help offset some of the power (11 home runs on the year), but he’ll drag your average down with his .218 average. He’s owned in a little over half of fantasy leagues.

Also check out:

• Is Nick Swisher Safe to Use Again?
• The Cutter: Why Dominance Is Shifting from Plate to Mound
• The Need For Speed
• Is A.J. Burnett Due for a Crash?
• Can Nick Markakis Turn His Season Around?