No time to digest our 1,000 player updates in the past week since the start of spring training action? Well, here's a quick rundown of the top 10 risers and fallers in an early spring edition of our Fantasy Power Players, which we will do every week of the regular season.
This week's top gainers | ||
Position, player, team | Spring stats (through March 8) | |
1 | 3B Ryan J. Braun, MIL | .600 AVG, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB |
With 3B spot open, the 'next David Wright ' comes out swinging. | ||
2 | 1B Dan Johnson, OAK | .133-1-2-3-0 |
Mark Kotsay's bad back makes him starting 1B ... at age 27 no less. | ||
3 | LF Terrmel Sledge, SD | .400-3-7-3-0 |
Came in to hoping to win LF job; he might have done it in Week 1. | ||
4 | SP Braden Looper, STL | 1-0, 1.42 ERA, .240 BAA, 2 K, 1 BB in 6 1/3 |
So far so impressive for closer-turned-middle reliever-turned starter. | ||
5 | RF Brad Hawpe, COL | .333-1-5-4-0 |
Like Johnson, another age-27 slugs way out of possible platoon. | ||
6 | RP Henry Owens, FLA | (1-0)-0.00-.308-2-1 in 4 innings |
If season started today, Owens just might be the Marlins' closer. | ||
7 | LF Chris Duncan, STL | .292-2-6-6-0 |
Just in case you had questions about his power, he answers it early. | ||
8 | SP Rich Harden, OAK | (0-0)-0.00-.143-5-0 in 2 innings |
Ks are nice, but just the fact he's healthy and on track is paramount. | ||
9 | SP Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS | (0-0)-0.00-.182-3-1 in 3 innings |
Most impressive part of spring is how well he's building up his arm. | ||
10 | C Jason LaRue, KC | .400-3-4-4-0 |
Early HRs show LaRue can be late-round steal in AL-only leagues. | ||
Honorable mentions: OF Hunter Pence, HOU; 3B Alex Gordon, KC; SP Micah Owings, ARI; SP Josh Beckett, BOS; SP Adam Loewen, BAL; DH Jonny Gomes, TB; OF Shannon Stewart, OAK; SP Matt Chico, WAS; SP John Maine, NYM; SP Fernando Nieve, HOU; SP Adam Wainwright, STL; OF Geoff Jenkins, MIL; 3B David Wright, NYM; SP Yusmeiro Petit, FLA; SP Mike Maroth, DET; SP Ramon Ortiz, MIN; SP Jason Marquis, CHC; CL Joe Borowski, CLE; 2B Esteban German, KC; OF Jason Lane, HOU; SP Shawn Hill, WAS; SP Erik Bedard, BAL; DH Sammy Sosa, TEX; OF Josh Hamilton, CIN; 1B/OF Brad Eldred, PIT; SP Daniel Cabrera, BAL. |
This week's top decliners | |||
Position, player, team | Spring stats | ||
1 | SP Josh Johnson, FLA | DNP (forearm), out until at least June | |
Another reason why we warn you about overpaying for young arms. | |||
2 | OF Gary Matthews, LAA | .154-1-2-1-0 | |
Might we have found reason for last year's surprising breakthrough? | |||
3 | SP Kris Benson, BAL | DNP (shoulder), might be out for year | |
Had hoped rehab would help him avoid surgery; had recent setback. | |||
4 | 1B Nick Johnson, WAS | DNP (leg), out until at least June | |
News kept getting progressively worse as spring camp approached. | |||
5 | SP Mike Hampton, ATL | DNP (elbow, side), out until at least late April | |
Was turning the corner on TJ surgery and then gets a side injury. | |||
6 | OF Mark Kotsay, OAK | DNP (back), out until at least mid-May | |
Back problem to sideline him 2-3 months, make him more worthless. | |||
7 | RP Taylor Tankersley, FLA | DNP (shoulder), out until at least mid-April | |
Injury not considered serious, but knocks him out of closer's mix. | |||
8 | SP Ricky Nolasco, FLA | (0-0)-0.00-.143-1-0 in 2 innings | |
SP injuries force him to start instead of close; that hurts his value. | |||
9 | SP Philip Humber, NYM | (0-1)-45.00-.429-0-2 in 1 inning | |
One inning to start spring may have punched his ticket to Triple-A. | |||
10 | SP Keith Foulke, CLE | DNP (elbow), retired | |
He never made it to spring, choosing to hang it up before camp. | |||
Honorable mentions: SP Jered Weaver, LAA; 2B Mark Grudzielanek, KC; OF Shawn Green, NYM; OF Jeremy Hermida, FLA; RP Shinji Mori, TB; SP Jerome Williams, WAS; SP Homer Bailey, CIN. |
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