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Fantasy Baseball Spring Training News and Notes for 3/19/16
Maikel Franco Hits MLB-Leading Seventh Spring Homer
Third baseman Maikel Franco continues his torrid spring, hitting his MLB-leading seventh home run Friday during a 15-12 Phillies victory over the Pirates. The next closest player has four. For the spring, Franco is now batting now a spectacular ?. Since bursting onto the fantasy scene last May, Franco hasn't looked back. As a rookie, he hit .280 with 14 home runs and 40 RBI in 80 games. In 13 spring games so far, he's hitting .324 with seven home runs and 17 RBI. Wowza. With a 30-homer season already on his professional resume (31 in 2013, combined between High-A and Double-A), Franco's spring power display is real and will very much translate to the regular season. RotoBaller's experts were already expecting big things from their 9th-ranked third baseman, but now Franco appears to have designs on topping even those expectations.
David Wright Collects Two Hits in Spring Debut
Third baseman David Wright didn't show any signs of rust during his spring debut Friday, going 2-for-3 in a 12-7 loss to the Nationals. Wright and the Mets have agreed to treat Wright with kid gloves this season in an attempt to keep him on the field for more than the 38 games he played in 2015. Reading between the lines, Wright is going to concede more at-bats and starts to other players this year than ever before, slightly diminishing his already slipping value. If he can simply stay on the field, he's a top-15 third baseman, but that has long been a big if with Wright. If you happen to draft our experts' 17th-ranked third baseman, make sure he isn't the only third baseman on your roster.
The Adam LaRoche Retirement Saga Continues
In one of the more bizarre stories to come out of Spring Training this year, or any year, the fiasco surrounding Adam LaRoche and the White Sox continued Friday when various members of the White Sox addressed the matter with the press. From a fantasy perspective, especially to anyone who happens to have drafted LaRoche prior to his sudden retirement, the takeaway is that the door to his return isn't shut. If the two sides can come to some sort of a compromise once tempers have cooled, LaRoche could return to the team and his DHing duties. After a disappointing 2015, there is no reason to draft our experts' 34th-ranked first baseman at this point. If he's on your team already, monitor the situation but be prepared to cut bait.
Nelson Cruz Hits First Spring Home Run
After starting the spring hitless through his first six games, DH Nelson Cruz's bat is slowly coming to life. In Friday's game, Cruz's eighth, hit his first home run of the spring, he crushing a solo shot in a 7-1 win against Texas. Teammate Franklin Gutierrez also hit a solo home run Friday, giving him the team lead with four. Don't worry though, Gutierrez won't be leading the Mariners in home runs in the regular season as Cruz is simply finding his timing. He may not be hitting right now, but after striking out a career high 164 times last year, Cruz's two walks to three strikeouts is encouraging. Our experts' 15th-ranked outfielder still is as good a bet as any to hit at least 40 home runs in 2016, even with poor showing this spring.
