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

Fantasy Baseball Advice: Three Up, Three Down after Week One Action

Week 1 of the 2013 MLB regular season is in the books and I’m ecstatic to present the first Three Up, Three Down with statistics that actually count in fantasy baseball.  The Spring Training Movers pieces were fun and all, but now it’s put up or shut up time for spring studs like Domonic Brown, Julio Teheran and Aaron Hicks.  Will they help lead the fantasy owners that invested in them to a league championship?  Or will they become waiver wire cast-offs come June?  We’ll find out soon enough.

If you're anything like me, you've been glued to your league’s Live Scoring pages all week, tracking every at-bat and inning pitched as if your life depended on it.  By now, you've made note of the players who have been rather sluggish out of the gate while others who have delivered big games have caught your eye.  Perennial aces Clayton Kershaw and Cliff Lee were dominant in Week 1, as expected.  First round sluggers Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Braun (before neck spasms sidelined him for a few games) and Troy Tulowitzki hit the crap out of the ball, as expected.  Since we anticipated those players to perform at a high level, we’ll simply omit their names from the lists below.

THREE UP

Bryce Harper (OF, WAS) - Going into your league draft, you were either a believer that the 20-year-old phenom was worthy of a first-round pick (he was drafted as early as third overall in NFBC leagues), or else you were totally against drafting him that early, even in the second round.  I know many fantasy GMs in the latter camp who are already wishing they took Harper instead of their first- or second-round picks.  To those of you who were able to snag Harper in the third round or later, BRAVO.  One week into the season and Harper has a .360-5-3-5-0 line-- kid’s going to be a beast hitting out of the 3-hole in the Nationals lineup.

Yu Darvish (SP, TEX) -  I’ll spare you from all the clever “Yu” puns that dominated the headlines after Darvish’s start against Houston last Tuesday.  In 8.2 innings of work, Darvish struck out 14 Astros and came within one out of a perfect game.  Granted, this was against a team that finished with a league worst 107 losses last year and did little to improve their roster for the 2013 season.  Still, you simply cannot discount Yu’s performance.  After struggling with walks for most of last season, the twenty-six year old appears to be improving in that area, as Tuesday was his first MLB start where he did not issue a free pass to the opposing team.  Darvish did issue 4 walks in yesterday’s start against the Angels, but still struck out 6 batters and picked up the win after 5 innings of work.  I don’t expect the blister that he’s dealing with to deter him much this season.

Chris Davis on August 10, 2011Chris Davis (1B/OF, BAL) - Chris “Crush” Davis had a MONSTER week against the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins.  He went 10-22 (.455) with 3 doubles, 4 HR and 17(!) RBI.  Yes, Davis currently has more RBI than five teams have total runs scored.  Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Davis has only struck out three times in six games.  Last season, the 27-year-old slugger fanned 169 times (against just 37 walks).  If he can cut down on the strikeouts and improve his walk total, look out.

Other THREE UP Candidates:  Justin Upton (OF, ATL), Michael Morse (OF, SEA), Alexi Ogando (SP, TEX), Matt Harvey (SP, NYM), Jeff Samardzija (SP, CHC), Chase Utley (2B, PHI), Jose Reyes (SS, TOR), Adam Jones (OF, BAL), Tyler Flowers (C, CWS), Dexter Fowler (OF, COL), Jacoby Ellsbury (OF, BOS), Carlos Santana (C, CLE), Jon Lester (P, BOS)

THREE DOWN

Josh Hamilton (OF, LAA) - Fantasy owners that invested a first or second round pick on Hamilton may need to exercise a bit of patience with the Angels $125M slugger.  The 31-year-old’s line to start the season is a paltry .160-3-0-2-0 to go along with a whopping 10 K in 25 AB.  Yikes.  On a positive note, there’s plenty of talent surrounding him, including fellow slow starter from last season, Albert Pujols.  Pujols turned it around after the first month in 2012.  Can Hamilton do the same?

B.J. Upton (OF, ATL) - After starting the season 0-14 with 9 K, Bossman Junior showed signs of life over the weekend with a solo home run and a couple of SB.  Upton should contribute impressive numbers in both categories this season, but man, that batting average (.150) is already an eyesore.

Cole Hamels (SP, PHI) - Hamels gave up 3 HR to Atlanta Braves hitters en route to a Phillies loss on Opening Day.  Things only got worse in yesterday’s start against Kansas City when the fireballer allowed 8 ER in 5.2 IP.  Hamels gave up 9 hits and 4 walks in the outing, which inflated his WHIP to 1.97.  I don’t expect Cole’s woes to continue throughout the season, but he’s sure off to a rough start.  He gets the Marlins next time out (4/13) - a perfect opportunity for him to turn things around.

Other THREE DOWN Candidates:  NL Central Closers (RP - CHC, MIL), Detroit Bullpen (RP, DET), David Price (SP, TAM), R.A. Dickey (SP, TOR), Ian Desmond (SS, WAS), Jason Kipnis (2B, CLE), Aaron Hicks (OF, MIN), Pedro Alvarez (3B, PIT), Brian Roberts (2B, BAL), Matt Kemp (OF, LAD)

==========

Be sure to check out RotoBaller’s complete Waiver Wire Watch List for more guys to look at to help you win your league.

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

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
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
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF