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

Potential Shortstop Busts for 2017

Kyle Bishop offers his thoughts on three shortstops who could disappoint in 2017. These players are potential fantasy baseball busts to avoid.

Yesterday, we looked at potential breakouts at shortstop. Today, we turn our attention to the potential busts.

Identifying the next big star is undoubtedly more fun, but as any fantasy owner can tell you, steering clear of the players whose performances will disappoint may be even more critical to a successful season.

Editor's note: For even more draft prep, visit our awesome 2017 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. It has lots of in-depth staff rankings and draft strategy columns. You will find tiered rankings for every position, 2017 impact rookie rankings, AL/NL only league ranks and lots more. Bookmark the page, and win your drafts.

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

 

Shortstop Bust Candidates

Jonathan Villar, Milwaukee Brewers (ADP: 21)

Villar was outstanding in 2016, hitting .285 with 19 home runs and 92 runs scored along with a league-leading 62 stolen bases. If he comes anywhere near that production again, he’ll earn his draft cost. There’s likely some regression on the horizon, however. Villar hits the ball on the ground a lot, which will make it tough for him to duplicate the surprising power he flashed a year ago. He hadn’t reached double-digits in homers since 2012, and that was at Double-A. The odds of another HR/FB% near 20% aren’t great. Also not great are Villar’s chances of hitting for average again. While his speed should help keep his BABIP from cratering, it’s difficult to hit for average when you either strike out or pop up in nearly 40 percent of your plate appearances as he did last season.

The likely pullback at the plate will cut into his opportunities for stolen bases. It’s worth noting that in the last quarter-century, a player has stolen 60 bases or more 26 times. On average, their total dropped by 19 the following year.

 

Eduardo Nunez, San Francisco Giants (ADP: 117)

Like Villar, Nunez is eligible at both third and short, and showed unexpected pop to go with a high number of stolen bases. The veteran’s 16 homers nearly equaled his output in the previous five years – all part-time seasons, but the point remains. While he doesn’t have the strikeout issues that Villar does, Nunez also doesn’t walk much, and he hits a lot of infield flies. His career OBP checks in at a pedestrian .314, meaning he’ll have to get the green light an awful lot to replicate his 40 swipes from a year ago. Despite his breakout performance at the plate, his run production didn’t move the needle, as he managed just 140 R+RBI.

Nunez struggled mightily down the stretch in 2016, hitting just .244/.297/.357 after the All-Star break. It’s fair to wonder if he can be productive over a full season, given his lack of a track record in that department.

 

Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers (ADP: 155)

Give Andrus credit for bouncing back from a three-year decline and his nightmarish inning in the 2015 ALDS. The veteran – still, somehow, just 28 years old – set career highs with a .302 batting average and eight homers, while also stealing 24 bases. Even with pedestrian run production (75 runs, 69 RBI), that was enough to put him in the top 10 at shortstop in standard leagues. However, a glance at his batted ball data reveals a hitter essentially unchanged from the previous season, when he hit just .258. Both his stolen base totals and attempts have declined in each of the last four years, and he hasn’t scored more than 75 runs since 2013.

Time for our old friend, the blind player comparison!

2014-16 averages AVG R HR RBI SB 2017 ADP
Player A .273 72 6 57 25 155
Player B .267 69 4 51 22 326

 

Andrus, of course, is Player A. Player B is Alcides Escobar. They’ve been basically the same guy the last few years, but you can get Escobar 170 picks later. Don’t pay a premium for Andrus.

 

More Overvalued Draft Values




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

Dalton Kincaid

Won't Play Against Philadelphia
Harold Fannin Jr.

Ruled Out for Remainder of Week 17 With Groin Injury
Maxx Crosby

to Undergo Meniscus Trim, "Evaluating His Future" in Las Vegas
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable to Return in Week 17 With Rib Injury
Harold Fannin Jr.

Questionable to Return With Groin Injury
Travis Kelce

to Evaluate his Future in the Offseason
Lamar Jackson

Likely to Return in Week 18
DJ Moore

Added to Injury Report, Questionable for Week 17
Josh Allen

No Limitations for Josh Allen Against Eagles
Tyler Herro

Showing Progress but Still Without Timetable
CFB

Jay Hill Expected to be Next Michigan Defensive Coordinator
Zach Collins

Exits Late With Lower-Body Injury
Chris Boucher

Ruled Out Sunday for Personal Reasons
Harold Fannin Jr.

Officially Active Against Steelers
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Suiting Up Against Bengals on Sunday
Chris Olave

Active for Week 17 Against Titans
Tetairoa McMillan

Active for Week 17 Against Seahawks
Gabe Vincent

Out Again Sunday With Back Issue
Green Bay Packers

Packers Not Ready to Name a Starting Quarterback for Week 18
Jrue Holiday

Remains Out Sunday Against Celtics
Green Bay Packers

Packers Expected to Rest Key Players in Week 18
Collin Murray-Boyles

Unlikely to Play Sunday Due to Illness
Tetairoa McMillan

Expected to Play in Week 17 Despite Illness
Tetairoa McMillan

Added to Injury Report, Questionable to Play in Week 17
George Kittle

Highly Unlikely to Play in Week 17
Andrei Svechnikov

Extends Scoring Run With Three-Point Effort
Auston Matthews

Bags Three Points Saturday Night
Alex Laferriere

Records First Career Hat Trick
William Nylander

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Saturday
Zach Werenski

Unlikely to Play Sunday
Ashton Jeanty

With the No. 1 Pick on the Line, Ashton Jeanty Still Expected to Play
Jake Evans

to Miss 4-6 Weeks
George Kittle

is a Game-Time Decision for Week 17
J.J. Moser

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Ajay Mitchell

Cleared to Return Sunday
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic Ruled Out for Sunday
Kyshawn George

Iffy for Sunday
De'Anthony Melton

Sits Out First Leg of Back-to-Back
Jaxson Hayes

Unlikely to Play Sunday
Derrick Jones Jr.

to Return From Knee Injury Sunday
Jock Landale

in Danger of Missing Another Game Sunday
Vince Williams Jr.

Won't Play Sunday
Robert Williams III

Inactive on Sunday
Jerami Grant

to Sit Out Fifth Consecutive Game
Brandin Podziemski

Probable to Play Sunday
Jakob Poeltl

to Miss Another Game Sunday
RJ Barrett

Listed as Questionable for Sunday
Paul George

Probable for Meeting With Former Team
Joel Embiid

Won't Play on Sunday
TreVeyon Henderson

Clears Concussion Protocol, Will Play in Week 17
Ryan McDonagh

Misses Saturday's Action
Jordan Kyrou

Jimmy Snuggerud Back for Blues Saturday
Tanner Jeannot

Misses First Game of the Season
Rasmus Dahlin

Won't Play on Saturday
Elias Pettersson

Ready to Return Saturday
Leo Carlsson

Available Against Kings
Jack Eichel

Still Out Saturday
Ilya Sorokin

Lands on Injured Reserve
Bo Horvat

Returns to Action Saturday
CFB

Michigan Targeting Kyle Whittingham as Next Head Coach
CFB

Texas Leading Rusher Quintrevion Wisner Set to Transfer
Pete Fairbanks

Marlins Agree on One-Year Deal
Brooks Koepka

Leaving LIV Golf
Connor McDavid

Finishes Battle of Alberta With Five Assists
Karel Vejmelka

Battling Upper-Body Injury
Alexandre Texier

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Against Bruins
Alexander Nikishin

Dealing With Apparent Ankle Injury
Denver Barkey

Exits Early Tuesday
Ryan O'Hearn

Pirates Agree on Two-Year Deal
CFB

Jeff Brohm, Eli Drinkwitz "Names of Interest" for Michigan Head Coach

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP