X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Champ or Chump: Eric Thames & Francisco Lindor

Rick Lucks analyzes Eric Thames & Francisco Lindor to determine whether their fast starts will have year-long fantasy value for the 2017 MLB season.

Fantasy championships are never won in April, but it still feels good to be at the top of the standings. Eventually things will stabilize, making it more challenging to make a significant jump in a short period of time. When that happens, you definitely want to be in the hunt instead of an also-ran.

Chances are, whoever is currently enjoying the top spot in your league has at least one of the two fast starters mentioned below. Eric Thames has returned from his South Korean exile to put up video game numbers, while Francisco Lindor has looked like the best player in the AL not named after a fish. Neither has a track record commiserate with his current performance, so you might be able to convince their owners to move them for a fraction of their value.

As always, ownership rates provided are from FleaFlicker formats.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

The Fantasy Jury is Out

Eric Thames (1B/OF, MIL) 89% Owned

Thames entered the 2017 campaign as something of an unknown after becoming a superstar in Korea, but the early results have been incredible: .426/.491/.1.000 with seven homers in just 53 PAs. Obviously his .448 BABIP and 46.7 percent HR/FB are unsustainable, but this is still a profile worth investing in.

Let's start with his KBO numbers. KBO play equates roughly to the Double-A level, which is advanced enough to test a player's skill. Thames slugged .321/.427/.679 with 40 big flies last year, a fantastic line that actually disappointed in the wake of his 2015 performance (.381/.497/.790 with 47 bombs and 40 SB). The steals were likely a mirage, as he never stole a lot of bases in the minors, majors, or Korea outside of 2015. Still, fantasy owners would be drooling over an American League prospect who put up these numbers at Double-A.

The sample size is small, but his advanced MLB metrics also suggest that Thames is the real deal. His 41.7 percent FB% is the mark of a prototypical slugger, while his ability to pull 46.7 percent of his fly balls should make it easier to post an above average HR/FB. Add in an extremely hitter friendly home park, and Thames looks like a 40+ HR bat. He has always had pop, but this is a new level for him.

His plate discipline has also improved considerably. The last time we saw Thames at the MLB level, he struck out an unacceptable 30 percent of the time while posting a BB% of just 5.2 percent. Now, his strikeouts are down to 20.8 percent on the back of a 7.1 percent SwStr%. His BB% is also up to 9.4 percent thanks to a 22.6 percent chase rate. His low 39.1 percent Swing% means that he will take a few too many strike threes, but Thames's greatest weakness has become a strength.

The slightly better than average strikeout rate will prevent Thames's batting average from becoming a fantasy liability, as he seems like a guy who should fall considerably short of a .300 BABIP. He is pulling 75 percent of his grounders right now, a number that almost guarantees opposing teams will shift him nearly every time he's up. He also has a LD% of 25 percent that seems destined to regress toward the league average. All things considered, Thames is probably a .270 hitter.

That's good enough to not hurt you, and 40 bombs would make him a great fantasy asset. Thames started the year as an OF in fantasy but has played mostly first base, giving him eligibility at two spots plus CI. He has played in two games as an outfielder this year too, so he may retain OF status going forward. Milwaukee also hits him in the two slot, which generates plenty of R + RBI opportunities. Don't pay for him as if he can hit .400 with 60 homers, but by all means let his current owner think he's selling high if you can get a discount on him.

Verdict: Champ

 
Francisco Lindor (SS, CLE) 96% Owned

Once a glove-first prospect with little fantasy appeal, Lindor solidified his status as one of the top players in the game with a .301/.358/.435 line with 15 HR and 19 SB last season. This year is starting even better, as Lindor is hitting .358/.415/.684 with four dingers and a steal in 66 PAs. Only the power is in question, as Lindor has already proven himself as a high-average hitter with some wheels.

For all of the talk of a fly ball revolution, most players who historically hit grounder after grounder are still doing so in 2017. Not Lindor. After two seasons of a sub-29 percent FB%, Lindor is elevating the baseball 50 percent of the time this year. He cracked 15 homers last year on volume of PAs (684) alone, so any growth in FB% would make Lindor a legitimate 20/20 threat.

The additional fly balls may cost Lindor a few points of BABIP, but his career .334 mark has some surplus fantasy owners would love to trade in for more power. His .280 BABIP on grounders last year seems sustainable based on his legs, while his .661 mark on line drives seems luck-neutral. Lindor also puts the ball in play, as last year's 12.9 percent K% helped him make the most of his plus BABIP. Lindor might not be a .350 hitter, but .300+ should be no problem even with more flies in his profile.

Lindor hits second for one of the best teams in the AL, generating plenty of counting stats for his fantasy owners. It is still too soon to say that the increase in FB% is real, but Lindor is elite if it is. What's better in fantasy than a five-category stud?

Verdict: Champ

 

More Player Outlooks




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Sauce Gardner

Agrees to $120.4 Million Contract Extension
Marvin Mims Jr.

Could be on Track for First 1,000-Yard Season
Jaylen Johnson

Chargers Place Jaylen Johnson on PUP List
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Kendrick Bourne

Kayshon Boutte Fighting for Final Spots
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
DeMario Douglas

Kyle Williams "Locks" for Receiving Corps
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Finalizing Massive Extension
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Colts Expected to Ease Anthony Richardson Sr. Back in
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Terry McLaurin

Undecided on Whether he Will Report to Training Camp
Colston Loveland

Says his Shoulder is 100 Percent
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
Sam Williams

has Potential to be Elite Edge Rusher
Shemar Stewart

Considering Going Back to College?
Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions Want Jahmyr Gibbs "More Involved" in Passing Game
Jordan Addison

Could be Facing Three-Game Suspension
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Kon Knueppel

Gets Going Monday
Matas Buzelis

Puts Up 28 Points in Win Over Pacers
Reed Sheppard

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
Paul George

Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Najee Harris

Likely to Miss Time at Start of Training Camp
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Collin Morikawa

Misses The Cut at Genesis Scottish Open
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 13th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooks Koepka

Finishes Tied For 32nd at LIV Andalucia
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For 34th at Genesis Scottish Open
Jason Day

Misses The Cut at John Deere Classic
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Cam Taylor-Britt

has Benefited From Addition of Al Golden
Rome Odunze

Could Take Off in Year 2
RJ Harvey

to Get "Significant" Work in Broncos' Passing Game
Jackson Powers-Johnson

More Comfortable Heading into Year 2
Luke McCaffrey

In Line for Larger Role?
Braelon Allen

Jets Viewing Braelon Allen as Long-Term Starter?
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Cleared to Return After Blood-Clot Recovery
Mike Williams

Heading to PUP List
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF