RADIO
It's week six and it's raining Bryce Harper home runs! Harper homers, as they are affectionately called in our nation's capital. Now, if you're expecting a passage on how to get the most out of Harper's sky-high value, you're out of luck. This is not a fluke. Of course, one shouldn't expect the young Harper to hit six home runs every week. But he's the real deal and any trade involving him would likely be a rip off for his current owner.
With that being said, there are some real bozos who are lighting it up at the plate right now. Guys who will be generally worthless contributors for most of the season can be capitalized upon during brief streaks of brilliance. Get rid of these guys while you can and swindle some legitimate sluggers who will provide all year long.
Sell High Candidates for Week 6
Marlon Byrd (OF, CIN)
Now in his 15th season with his 8th MLB team, Marlon Byrd's value is quickly dwindling. His .264 BA in 2014 was his lowest in a full season (over 100 games played) in his entire career. His .213 so far in 2015 is not a positive sign going forward. Yet, somehow in the last five years, Byrd has found some late-career power. A
fter hitting 49 HR over the past two years, Byrd is off to another powerful start to 2015 with 6 HR through 30 games. Odds are, Byrd's average will regress towards his career mark. But I wouldn't count on it. The man is getting old. Best case scenario, he hits 20 HR again and bats somewhere near .250. In the deep outfield spot, that's not incredibly useful. Pawn Byrd off on a fellow owner who needs a power boost before you end up dropping him altogether.
Kolten Wong (2B, STL)
Yahoo Sports declared Kolten Wong a more valuable option that Robinson Cano for all of 2015 this week. That's just wrong. Sure, Cano is off to a rough start on the season with the Mariners while Wong is slashing .336/.380/.518 with 4 HR, 17 RBI and 3 SB. This elite pace unsustainable, and Wong's value is completely up in the air. In 2013, Wong batted .153 in 62 PA and slashed .249/.292/.388 in his first full MLB season last year.
It's easy to believe that Wong will regress at some point to his pedestrian rookie numbers, but there's not enough material to work with. He was a highly touted prospect, but many thought it would be a few years before the 24 year-old reached the next level of hitters. It would be wise to continue to follow that train of thought. These numbers may be a reality for Wong in the future, but likely not for the remainder of this season. Deal Wong while his value is red hot.
Kendrys Morales (1B/DH, KC)
Morales' .302 BA in 2015 is nowhere near what he has hit in seasons past. His average over the past three campaigns in .264, not to mention he's been plagued with injuries for years now. Finally on a loaded roster, Morales is benefitting from the talent around him in Kansas City, slashing .302/.357/.473 with 4 HR and an MLB top-ten 24 RBI. We all knew that the power was there.
But, the question remains: will this pace be sustainable? It's possible. Still, there are a litany of reasons why it may not continue. Morales could injure himself, as he has in the past. Also, his fantasy contribution is very dependent on the proficiency of the batters around him on one of the streakiest teams in the league. Morales owners should be happy with his production thus far, but should also be very weary moving forward. Shop him around a little bit and see if you can find a less stressful option in return.
Buy Low Candidates for Week 6
Josh Harrison (OF/3B, PIT)
Josh Harrison has been a train wreck this year for the Pirates. He's batting .173 on the season, with only a glimpse of effectiveness in the power department. Over the past couple weeks, he's been losing reps to Jung Ho Kang, as the utility man has been slumping especially hard lately. After becoming a surprising All-Star and MVP candidate in 2014, it's now starting to seem like his last campaign may have been a fluke.
I doubt that. Sure, the 27 year-old is still struggling to find consistency at the plate. But he won't bat like this all season. Maybe he won't achieve his .315/.347/.490 slash line of last year. Many owners are likely getting tired of waiting for Harrison to heat up this time of year. Buy in now. Harrison can play almost any position on the field and will find his way into the lineup until he finds his stroke once again.
Matt Kemp (OF, SD)
May has been rough for Kemp. He's slashing .154/.190/.179 on the month with no counting stats of which to speak. Typically known as one of the league's streakiest hitters, he's clearly trending downwards at the moment. Not only does he have a reputation for long slumps, but he also carries a variety of other concerns, including injury history and various clubhouse issues. Maybe this is one of those patented down years for Kemp. Or perhaps you can get the steal of a lifetime. There's little chance that we will see a resurgence of 2011 Kemp. But Kemp is one of the most solid outfield hitters in the league when he's healthy. It seems like he might have a good thing going with the Padres this year.
Ian Desmond (SS, WAS)
Desmond has been an embarrassment for the Nationals this year, in the field and at the plate. Though his NL-leading 9 errors in the field have no impact for fantasy owners, the shortstop clearly doesn't have his head in the game right now. He's slashing .238/.293/.362 on the year so far with only 2 HR and no SB. Desmond, who was one of the highest ranked players at his position this year, is clearly falling short of expectations. Let's no forget Desmond has delivered 20 HR 20 SB seasons for three years straight now. Finding that type of production at the SS position is incredibly rare and there's no reason to expect that shouldn't return soon. Don't let Dezzy's woes in the field dissuade you. He's always been a poor defender. Look for his confidence at the plate to return any day now.
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