Sell High

1). Carlos Beltran STL OF 28 R 13 HR 32 RBI 5 SB .295 AVG

Beltran’s power surge is completely out of line with the rest of his career. Add in his propensity to get injured and it all adds up to a player you’re better off sending away for a high reward.

2). Bryan LaHair CHC 1B 16 R 9 HR 20 RBI 1 SB .356 AVG

Odds are a 29 year old making his full season major league debut will not continue to hit at this rate. A regression to the mean or median is likely in LaHair’s near future…probably.

3). Rafael Furcal STL SS 25 R 2 HR 16 RBI 7 SB .370 AVG

Furcal should continue to produce solid numbers, but his average and runs should see a bit of a drop off. I’m not as concerned about injury possibilties because he actually entered this season healthy.

4). Melky Cabrera SF OF 21 R 2 HR 14 RBI 5 SB .338 AVG

Cabrera has been known for his prolonged hot streaks and prolonged slumps. Add in less then stellar support around him and it could lead him to seeing less and less good pitches to hit.

5). Carlos Ruiz PHI C 16 R 6 HR 23 RBI 0 SB .340 AVG

Nothing about Ruiz’s profile says he will keep up this pace. You can find similar catcher production on the free agency wire.

Buy Low

1). Albert Pujols STL 1B 10 R 1 HR 12 RBI .197 AVG

After a month long drought and producing numbers that would make Mario Mendoza blush, all signs point to Pujols turning it around and producing at his normal clip! Grab him now at half the price!

2). Ryan Zimmerman WAS 3B 13 R 1 HR 8 HR 2 SB .241 AVG

Zimmerman is on the verge of coming back off the DL, so it’s a perfect time to grab a top 5 3B. Great candidate to produce across the board for your team.

3). Ben Zobrist TB 2B/OF 21 R 6 HR 16 R 2 SB .218 AVG

Everything on the stat line for Zobrist has fallen into place except for his average. Zobrist will produce a 20/20 season and produce these stats at a premium position. Buy low before his owners realize what they actually have.

4). Eric Hosmer KC 1B 16 R 5 HR 17 RBI 1 SB .174 AVG

With how much Hosmer was crushing the ball, a start like this seems completely ridiculous. It’s not possible for this trend continue. With Hosmer’s power and his normal line drive numbers, expect him to start producing at a much higher rate.

5). Brian McCann ATL C 14 R 5 HR 1 SB .231 AVG

McCann went from being the league’s best offensive catcher to just plain “meh” the first few months this year. He’s only 27. He’s going to hit. Grab him because Piggy gonna start going to the trough on the constant.

1). Josh Reddick OAK 23 R 8 HR 21 RBI 4 SB .291 AVG

Reddick is flat out producing across the line in every category. The only question is will he be able to keep this up? He probably won’t keep up this pace, but he at his worst should be solid 4th outfielder.

2).  Jeff Samardzija CHC 38.2 IP 39 K 4-0 3.03 ERA 1.19 WHIP

The man is strait beasting the league. Producing ridiculous strikeout totals while also piling up a solid ERA and wins. He should continue to be a solid starter for the entire season!

3). Carlos Zambrano MIA 41 IP 32 K 1-0 1.98 ERA 1.02 WHIP

The change in location seems to be working for Big Z. As long as he continues to keep his emotions in check, he should produce solid numbers. Some regression should be expected.

4). Chipper Jones ATL 16 R 5 HR 22 RBI  .302 AVG

When healthy Chipper is still a productive fantasy member. Now that being healthy is a big if, but until he gets injured I would slot him in your lineup.

5). James McDonald PIT 44.2 IP 39 K  2-0 2.42 ERA 1.03 WHIP

McDonald’s stuff has always had the scouting community in awe and it looks like he is finally translating that talent into results. He may not get you a lot wins, but he is lesser known commodity that could slot in as a perfect back end to your fantasy staff.

3 Fantasy Baseball Thoughts

1). Josh Hamilton’s production this week is just completely out of this world. Him dropping out of the 1st round looks to be a major coup for those grabbed them.

2) Buy any starting pitcher in Miami. That stadium is the new Petco Park!

3). Two players I would sell high right now are Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal. Both are getting up there in age and simply will not continue this production for an entire season.

We now know that Luck will for sure end up in Indy and and it appears Griffin is headed to Washingto. Which one projects to be a better fantasy starter? In total ability and transition it would seem like Luck would have the edge, but in surrounding talent Griffin has a clear advantage. Add in Griffin’s ability to run and it’s more than likely he should out-produce Luck in fantasy value. After this season, things may change.

How good is Trent Richardson?

Trent Richardson looks to be a class above every player in this draft, at least in fantasy terms. What should fans expect out of him via production? Until we find out where he lands this is still variably up in the air, but with his durable frame and big play ability the sky is virtually the limit for Richardson. It’s been awhile since a rookie running back has taken the fantasy world on tilt. Richardson has the ability to do just that.

Will Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd both succeed or will one flop?

Blackmon’s talent has many scouts drooling, but there may be a couple of questions about his ego. A Dez Bryant comparison seems to be quite apt in this case, as Bryant’s ability has been tantalizing yet still hasn’t led to success on the field. Floyd on the other hand should drop down in the draft to be a mid-late round pick. This should allow him to transition into a better offense and be surrounded by better talent. This could allow Floyd to succeed early on while Blackmon struggles.

Is Orson Charles the next great Tight End?

With the success of Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski, and Jimmy Graham, NFL teams are on the lookout for that next breakout tight end. Charles has the all of the athletic ability you look for in a tight end. He has great hands, quick feet, and great jumping ability. The only question on whether or not Charles will succeed is if he gives a damn enough to want to. Throughout his college career Charles has been dogged with complaints about giving up on plays and even games. Obviously these are strong claims and still are very hard to prove. That being said if a motivated Charles joins the NFL and has the desire to succeed, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he could be a strait beast at tight end.

1). Adam LaRoche 1B  Was  5 Runs 3 HR 10 RBI .333 AVG

Laroche has usually been prone to slow starts, but this season he looks like he might finally be bucking that trend. Perfect player to put in your utility spot.

2). Fernando Rodney  RP TB  4.1 IP 3 K 1 W 3 SV 0.00 ERA  0.23 WHIP

Rodney is filling in admirably for Kyle Farnsworth as Tampa’s closer, racking up saves and even a win for fantasy owners already. If he keeps this up, he might not give up the closer position when Farnsworth gets back.

3). Zack Cozart  SS CIN 8 R 1 HR 2 RBI .342 AVG

Cozart projects to be the perfect backup or even primary shortstop. His favorable offensive production and home park make him a solid acquistion.

4).  Omar Infante 2B  MIA 9 R 4 HR 6 RBI .343 AVG

Infante is straight beasting this season. Some concerns should be noted about his power, but his average should be legit regardless. Solid second basemen skills set!

5). Ardolis Chapman RP CIN 8 IP 15 K 2 W 0.00 ERA 0.38 WHIP

The guy is almost averaging 2 K’s per inning which is absolutely absurd. He is doing better at picking up strikeouts and keeping a low ERA/WHIP than almost all the starters still on the market.

3 Trends to Watch

1). Of Danny Duffy, Jeff Smaradzija, and Johan Santana which one, if not all of them, will keep up their stellar start.

2). Matt Kemp is on his way to at least half of his 50/50 performance, if he manages to go 50/30 I think his fantasy owners will still be quite happy!

3). Which closer could possibly lose his position first? Hector Santiago of the White Sox, Carlos Marmol of the Cubs,  and Joe Nathan look to have a shaky hold on that position at best.

1). Wilson Chandler DEN SF 12.0 PTS 1.0 3PM 7.0 REB 2.5 AST 1.5 STL 1.0 BLK

Chandler fills up the stat sheet. I mean look at that line. He virtually gives you something in every category. Not a bad addition to any sqaud.

2). Isaiah Thomas SAC PG 10.1 PTS 1.2 3PM 3.4 AST 2.3 REB

Thomas looks to be finally done with his cold streak and has turned the corner. His point total from here on out should be pretty solid. The only question could be how many assists and rebounds he racks up.

3). Klay Thomspon GS SG 9.6 PTS 1.5 3PM 2.0 REB 1.6 AST

If you’re in desperate need of points and specifically 3 pointers, look no further then Klay Thompson. He’s been getting playing time ever since they traded Monta Ellis away.

4). Ramon Sessions LAL PG 10.6 PTS 5.2 AST 3.1 REB

Sessions continues to improve and is knocking on the door of the Lakers’ starting lineup. Even when he isn’t starting, he looks to be a solid point guard play.

5). Wesley Mathews POR SG 12.3 PTS 1.7 3PM 3.1 REB 1.7 AST 1.3 STL

Matthews is the hottest player on this list. He has gone from a bench player to playing key minutes. Lately he has also been a beast on the boards. He could be a very nice addition if he keeps it up.

Trends to Watch

1). If and when Andrew Bogut gets healthy, he could be an absolute fantasy beast in that Golden State offensive attack. A lot of rebound and scoring chances.

2). If you are a Nene owner, you have to love him being traded to Washington. He becomes their de facto center around a team that can’t shoot. Should be plenty of opportunities for points and rebounds.

Vincent Jackson TB WR

Jackson gives Josh Freeman a true number one receiver, which was a component he was lacking this past season. He should also open up space for the Tampa Bay running game and give Mike Williams more one on one’s to exploit, albeit he will have to cut down on his drops. The only real person who faces a downside is Jackson himself. Remember at San Diego, Jackson had one of the best QBs and TEs in the league in Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates. Defenses will be able to focus on Jackson a lot more this season so buyer beware.

Peyton Hillis KC RB

Hillis is reunited with his former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in Cleveland. Hillis will be seen more as a complementary back with Jamaal Charles coming back from injuries. That being said, the Chiefs could limit Charles’ carries to try to ease him back into the lineup or possibly even turn Hillis into a goaline back due to his power back style. The final determination on the recovery of Charles will help you decide where Hillis should be taken. With that being said, he could be a great guy to nab late and could fill in as a nice third running back or filler running back.

Robert Meachem SD WR

Meachem finally gets his chance to be a featured wide receiver in San Diego. After spending the last couple of seasons stuck in the muddled mess of quality receivers in New Orleans, he lands in a perfect situation. He has a good QB, a tight end to take pressure off him, and should get plenty of options to show whether or not he is a number one.

Laurent Robinson JAC WR

Robinson came out of nowhere and became a fantasy force because of his ability to find his way into the end zone. However, he heads into a dicey situation in Jacksonville. The Jaguars’ passing attack was worse then anemic last season so drafting Robinson could come with many concerns. Add in the fact that Jacksonville is planning on making Robinson a number 2 and it makes you wonder how much he will produce.

Reggie Wayne IND WR

Wayne’s fantasy value is something to watch. If he gets a rookie quarterback like Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, his production could rise. Remember last year he had Dan Orlvosky and Curtis Painter throwing him the ball. You can also figure that with Indy in the process of gutting its defense, he could face many situations where the Colts will be down by a quite few points. This could lead to the Colts having to pass it early and often this season. Not a bad proposition for owners of Wayne.

Pierre Garcon WAS WR

With Garcon, the Redskins added a number one receiving option for Robert Griffin.  His numbers last season were pretty solid as he posted over 900 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Last year he was opposite of Reggie Wayne, so he saw plenty of one-on-one opportunities.  So there are questions about his ability to make plays as defenses focus on him as the number one wideout. He is a risky bet to produce this next season. Questions about his ability and the quarterback play behind him might make it best to look in another direction.

Brandon Marshall CHI WR

Marshall was traded to the Bears and could not have picked a better landing spot. He finds himself in an offense that features one of the best running backs, no featured wide receiver, and his former quarterback in Jay Cutler. Remember Marshall produced his best two seasons in the league with Cutler under center. With Marshall and Cutler already established repertoire the sky is the limit. The only two reasons to think this won’t work out well is Chicago’s notorious history of not having any good wide receivers and Marshall’s history of off the field problems. That being said, I would expect him to have at least one monster season before the wheels fall off.

No. 12 Long Beach State

Long Beach State has everything you could possibly want. They have the number one non-conference strength of schedule, facing such road conditions as U of L, Pittsburgh, UNC, and Kansas. That experience should allow them to handle the stresses of tournament time. The starting lineup is full of upper-classmen with four seniors and one junior so they have experience. The best part of this squad is stud guard, Casper Ware. Ware is one of the top point guards in the nation and he provides the Niners with an extra dimension that most double digit seeds do not have the luxury of.

No. 14 Belmont

If there is one thing this teams can do it is score. And then score and score some more. Belmont is fourth in the nation in scoring and 17th in field goal percentage. Add in the fact that they are fifth in assists and you can surmise that they have a highly effective offense.  Any doubts should be subsided with Belmont’s one-point loss at Duke and a four-point loss to Memphis. This team can hang with anyone. Add in the fact that Georgetown has struggled with double digits seeds in recent history and this one is perfectly designed for an upset.

No. 12 Harvard

Don’t sleep on the Ivy league. The last two seasons they have made runs to the sweet 16. Harvard has the talent to live up to the Ivy League hype. They ran through conference play with just two losses and recorded a big non-conference win over Florida State. Their style of play will make it a tough matchup for any team they face. Typical of Ivy League school, the Crimson rely more on smarts than raw athletic ability. They will make their opponent work for every single basket.

No. 14 Iona

Can you name the number one scoring offense in all of NCAA basketball? It is the same team that has the nation’s second highest field goal percentage. The Iona Gaels. Iona can flat out score with any team in the nation. Their starting lineups has three players averaging over 13.5 points-per-game so they can score from many different directions. Any team that has the ability to score in bunches has the ability to get hot in the tournament. Don’t doubt the NCAA Selection committee in their wisdom to add this squad. They have the scorers to make a run.

No. 12 VCU

Could this team pull a Butler and make it back-to-back Final Four runs for a mid-major? This is a totally different squad as they return just one starter from 2011′s run. But, similar to last season’s squad they are clicking at the right time. Once again, Shaka Smart seems to have his team tournament ready and on a roll. They have played on college basketball’s biggest stage and know what it takes to get there once again.

1). Corey Maggette CHA  SF 16.2 PTS 4.8 REB 1.2 AST  0.6 STL

Maggette is finally getting the chance to start and is putting up solid numbers in the process. 20 points and 7 rebounds should be the norm from here on out.

2). Luke Ridnour MIN PG 11.5 PTS 1.0 3PM 3.8 AST 2.5 REB 1.0 STL

With Ricky Rubio going down with a knee injury, Ridnour will see his minutes increase dramatically.

3).  Evan Turner PHI SG 8.3 PTS 5.9 REB 2.7 AST

Doug Collins is shortening his rotation, which is great news for Turner. His increase in minutes will finally make him a reliable fantasy option.

4). O.J. Mayo MEM SG 12.1 PTS 1.5 3PM 3.2 REB 2.1 AST 1.0 STL

Mayo is a prime candidate to be traded at the deadline. In the right landing spot, he could produce like the lauded NBA stud many thought he would be.

5). Mike Dunleavey MIL SF 11.2 PTS 1.3 3PM 3.4 REB 2.1 AST

If Dunleavey could ever stay healthy he would be a nice fantasy option.

Top 3 Trends To Watch

1). Pay attention to what players come and go at the trade deadline. Trades always open up minutes for players stuck on the bench.

2). John Wall looks to be himself once again. Solid buy low candidate to nab!

3). I would be monitoring closely the Big 3 and Rondo of the Celtics. Any player could be traded and could see his production change dramatically.

1).  Curtis Granderson NYY OF

Countless times we see players bust out with career years and regress back to their normal levels the next season. Don’t be fooled by Granderson’s production last year. Stay away.

2). Lance Berkman STL OF

Berkman was a tale of two seasons. His first half production saw him hit over 24 home runs with 63 RBI’s. His second half…uh, just seven home runs and 31 RBI’s. Add in the fact that he is now 36 years old, doesn’t have Pujols in the lineup to protect him and just a season ago hit just .250 with 14 home runs and you have a recipe for a huge drop off.

3). Jose Reyes MIA SS

In the last three seasons, Reyes has managed to appear in 126, 133, and 26 games. Not inspiring numbers for someone supposively worth a top 20 pick.

4). Jered Weaver LAA SP

Weaver managed to strikeout 35 less players, pitch around the same innings, and walked the same amount batters yet knocked off a half run off his ERA. Don’t expect as stellar of numbers out of Weaver this season.

5). Paul Konerko CHW 1B

Konerko is on the wrong side of 30. Don’t be caught with your pants down picking him this year. You will be able to find similar first base production later on in the draft.

6). Matt Holliday STL OF

Without Pujols in the lineup, Holliday becomes the guy in St. Louis. Expect his walk production to rise as pitchers avoid giving him anything to hit.

7). Rickie Weeks MIL 2B

Weeks has managed to play in over 130 games just once in his career. Plus, Prince Fielder is no longer in Milwaukee to drive him home.

8). Heath Bell MIA RP

Bell leaves the best pitcher’s park in America. You have to expect his core stats to digress a little bit.

9). James Shields TB SP

Shields dropped his ERA from above five to 2-something. Expect it to find it’s way somewhere more in the middle of that this upcoming season.

10). John Axford MIL RP

Axford saw his strikeout total drop this last season and if he has any screw-up at all, he now has Francisco Rodriguez with a 8 million dollar salary ready to fill in.

Three Thoughts about Drafting

1). The Biggest enigma in this draft is Ryan Braun. Will pressure from all the steroid allegation translate into a intense focus to prove the doubters wrong or a complete collapse?

2). A lot of lists have Mark Teixeira in front of Prince Fielder in their rankings. I don’t know why looking at both their productions last season. Then you can add in the fact that Fielder is in his absolute prime versus Teixeira, who is now 32. Go with the big guy.

3).  I wouldn’t be shocked to see Justin Verlander winning 30 games this season. Plus, their defense got better with the addition of Prince Fielder. Dude is a stud.

1). Gerald Henderson SF CHA 14.6 PTS 4.4 REB 1.8 AST

Coming back from injury, Gerald Henderson is still the Bobcats’ go-to scorer. He also will give you a nice boost in rebounds and assists.

2). Brandon Bass PF BOS 11.6 PTS 6.0 REB 1.0 AT 0.8 BLK

Bass has gone into beast mode as of late, providing fantasy owners with double digit points, a fair amount of rebounds, and a couple of blocks a game.

3). Andray Blatche PF WAS 9.8 PTS 7.2 REB 1.4 AT 1.1 STL 0.7 BLK

Blatche is back from injuries and it’s only a matter of time before he retakes his spot in the starting lineup. Once that happens, expect his numbers to sky rocket.

4). Kenneth Faried PF DEN 8.1 PTS 6.6 REB 1.1 BLK

Faried is filling in nicely for Nene. His production should force him to see even more minutes regardless of whether or not Nene is healthy.

5). Josh Howard SF UTA 8.5 PTS 3.8 REB 1.2 AST

Howard is filling in nicely for Raja Bell. He is basically doubling his production with this increase in minutes.

Three Trends to Watch

1). The time to grab Andrea Bargani is now. With his back issues holding him out for a undetermined time you could get him at a very nice price.

2). It seems like Deron Williams is finding his niche in the New Jersey offense. It’s scary to think how good he could be with a better supporting class.

3). It hasn’t been talked about that much, but Greg Monroe is on the cusp of being one of the league’s top centers. If he could add a couple blocks to his game, watch out!