RADIO
Another week of fantasy baseball is in the books, and that means that for those of us playing in leagues with weekly rosters, it's time to cast our eyes forward to the coming week. Just like last week's article, I'll be breaking down my top offensive streaming picks for Week 3 to get you ready for your upcoming games. The rules are the same: all these players will be owned in fewer than 50% of leagues (I use the ESPN numbers myself because they're easiest to access), and I'll try to cover a couple of different positions to make sure no owners get left out in the cold.
1) Chris Owings (SS)
2014 Line: .297 BA, 0 RBI, 4 R, 3 SB, 0 HR
Ownership: 14.1%
Opponents: Mets, (at) Dodgers
The more I see from Chris Owings, the more I like. He's off to a hot start, not only posting a high batting average, but displaying the consistency a hot hitter is likely to have. He's registered a hit in seven of his 10 games so far, and has already shown a willingness to take the extra bag once on base. With New York's bullpen struggling, and a weakened rotation, Owings could have a nice start to the week. The Dodgers are similarly diminished without Clayton Kershaw. I see no reason why Owings won't continue his early-season success in Week 3.
2) James Loney (1B)
2014 Line: .194 BA, 4 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB, 0 HR
Ownership: 9.6%
Opponents: (at) Orioles, Yankees
I love a player who gets a seven-game week in the same week that many teams are reduced to as few as five games due to travel. Especially for a hitter who provides the majority of his value through batting average and RBI/R, those potential extra at-bats are a huge boon. While not bottom feeders, neither the Orioles nor the Yankees has a rotation which particularly scares me. As a hitter who's actually performed measurably better on the road than at home over the course of his career (.301 vs. .267 batting average), I think Loney will fare particularly well against the Orioles and the hitter-friendly park in which they play. Hitting fifth or sixth in a strong Rays lineup, Loney could be a temporary fill-in who offers both batting average help and a handful of RBI on the cheap in Week 3.
3) Grady Sizemore (OF)
2014 Line: .364 BA, 1 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB, 1 HR
Ownership: 36.2%
Opponents: (at) White Sox, Orioles
Like I talked about in my last article, for as long as he's healthy, I'm a big believer in Grady Sizemore, and this week he’s healthy. He'll be playing in two very favorable hitters parks in Week 3, and against two rather poor rotations (Chris Sale excluded, of course). If you need an outfield bat, Sizemore is a prime example of the type of player you should ride while hot (or in his case, while healthy). Add him with confidence for Week 3.
4) Marcell Ozuna (OF)
2014 Line: .344 BA, 3 RBI, 4 R, 0 SB, 1 HR
Ownership: 9.4%
Opponents: Nationals, Mariners
As you should guess by now, I'm a big believer in playing the hot hand, and there are few openly available players who've come out the gate hotter than Marcell Ozuna. He's logged hits in eight of his 10 games so far and already has a home run to his credit. That home run is no fluke coming from a player with three separate seasons of 22+ home runs in the minor leagues. He'll enjoy home-field advantage in all six of his games, something especially valuable against a Mariners team which will have to fly across the country to face him. While it is true that his home park may not be the most hospitable place for a power hitter, nevertheless I'd take a chance on Ozuna and his bat while he continues to rake.
