The All-Underappreciated Fantasy Team

Many people who play fantasy baseball put an emphasis on having better stars than all the other teams. At face value, that makes total sense. Having Bryce Harper, Anthony Rizzo, and Chris Sale after the first three rounds is much better than, say, Andrew McCutchen, Dee Gordon, and Joey Votto (so far this year, that is. I fully expect all three of the latter to bounce-back after their tough starts). Winning a league, though, comes down to so much more than who you took in the first three rounds. Digging through the free agent pool, streaming starts when you need to, managing injuries, etc. are all crucial to winning a fantasy title.

Since those aforementioned "stars" receive all the glory in fantasy, I am going to shed some light on the players that can be just as important when trying to win your league title but are severely underappreciated. This is my "All-Underappreciated Fantasy Team". Featured on this team will only be players who are currently owned in less than 50% of ESPN standard leagues (I do recommend adding Ryan Madson, Fernando Rodney, or even the injured Brad Boxberger  if you need saves, as they are owned in less than 50% of leagues, but I will not be putting any closers on here):

C - Miguel Montero, Chicago Cubs
With Kyle Schwarber out for the season, Miguel Montero figures to catch most nights for the Cubs. The veteran wields some power (15 homers in just under 350 at bats last season) and hits in that loaded and explosive Cubs lineup. Montero's power numbers will most likely compare with Matt Wieters' by the end of the season. Wieters was drafted as a top 200 player on average. In most leagues, Montero went undrafted.

1B - Chris Carter, Milwaukee Brewers
Carter hit 66 home runs between 2013 and 2014. Sure, he struck out a ton, but that doesn't matter in most fantasy formats. In only 129 games last year, he swatted 24 homers. In Milwaukee now (he spent the previous three seasons in Houston), Carter projects to play in a lot more games this season. He has played in all but one of the Brewers games so far, and he is off to a hot start at the plate. His average could destroy your team (.199 last year), but if you need power, he is a great option. I never remember seeing first base so thin with talent before, making Carter more attractive.

2B - Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore Orioles
Schoop is off to a slow start but he has a lot of pop in his bat, especially for a second baseman. Last season, Schoop finished tied for 10th in home runs from the position. Considering he had 100 to 200 less at bats than just about everyone in front of him on that list (except Stephen Drew), it is safe to assume his power total will increase this year. Additionally, being featured in that potent Baltimore lineup does not hurt his value one bit. Schoop could easily finish top five in 2B HRs, which makes him very valuable.

3B - Travis Shaw, Boston Red Sox
This one was easy, and by tomorrow Shaw will probably be owned in more than 50% of ESPN standard leagues because of his stellar showing at the plate today. He hits behind David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez, which should give him plenty of RBI opportunities. Modeling his swing after the great lefty first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Shaw swings a powerful bat and is off to a stellar start. It also helps that he has first base eligibility in addition to his third base.

SS - Jonathan Villar, Milwaukee Brewers
My second Brewer on the list made it by a hair over Jose Iglesias (DET) and Asdrubal Cabrera (NYM). Villar makes it because of his speed potential. Last season, in only 116 at bats, Villar swiped 7 bags. Each of the previous two seasons he stole over fifteen. Now at 24 years old, Villar has an everyday job in Milwaukee and if he can improve his OBP with a more disciplined approach, his steal totals may take off.

OF (3) - Joey Rickard, Baltimore Orioles; Michael Saunders, Toronto Blue Jays; Marcell Ozuna, Miami Marlins
Rickard and Saunders were lucky enough to land atop two of (if not THE two best) the best lineups in baseball. Rickard, who currently boasts a .327 average, has Manny Machado, Adam Jones, and Chris Davis hitting behind him. Saunders has Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion hitting behind him. If you are thin in the outfield and looking at the free agent pool, don't look any further than these two. If they can hold on to those lead off spots, the runs should pour in. Saunders even has some pop and could hit 12-15 homers with a decent average. Rickard is a little less known, but his spot in the lineup is secure so long as he continues to hit. He has shown no signs of slowing down.

Ozuna is looking to re-find himself after a stellar 2014 season turned into a horrible 2015 where he saw a demotion back to the minors. His current average is under .200, which is certainly alarming, but he is only 25 years old and has the power to return to being a 20 home run hitter. He got off to a nice start today after belting a home run off of Max Scherzer.

SP (5) - Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays; Jerad Eickhoff, Philadelphia Phillies; Drew Pomeranz, San Diego Padres; Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox; Adam Conley, Miami Marlins

(Just missed: Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians; Rich Hill, Oakland Athletics)

Moore is an easy choice and like Travis Shaw, Moore should be owned in over 50% very soon. Early indications are that he has returned to his pre-injury self. At only 26 years old, it is unsurprising to see a player with so much talent bounce back. Let's hope he stays healthy.

Eickhoff is a personal favorite, as he helped me win my most important fantasy league last season. In his eleven starts as a major leaguer, Eickhoff has a 2.44 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 70 innings. It is a small sample size, but those numbers are outstanding. There will be bumps and he will be tested, but he has met every challenge he has faced so far in his young career.

I have been waiting for Drew Pomeranz to break out for a very long time now. He was brutal in Colorado, showed flashes of excellence in Oakland but was hit with injuries and juggled back and forth between starter and reliever. Now in San Diego, Pomeranz has a firm grasp on a spot in the rotation. He has a minuscule ERA (2.04) and has struck out 25 in 17.2 IP. Once a highly touted prospect, it is conceivable that he may finally tap into that potential in the massive Petco Park.

Rodriguez will be leaned on in Boston, where the starting pitching has been a question mark for some time now. With David Price to anchor the staff, currently the top defense in the American League, a bullpen that (on paper) looks outstanding, and most importantly - Christian Vasquez finally back catching - maybe Rodriguez will have a monster season upon his return from the disabled list.

Conley had an outstanding Spring Training after going 4-1 with a 3.76 ERA through 11 starts his first year in the majors. He strikes a lot out (12.5 K/9 so far in 2016) and his spot in the rotation is secure. He is off to a bit of a rough start, but that is largely due to facing the Washington Nationals twice and the New York Mets once as his only three starts. Once he starts facing the other teams in the division - Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves - his ratios will lower.

Early Observations

The Boston Red Sox have played twelve full games this season. So far, they've shown some definite improvements over last year, but that doesn't mean they're perfect or even meeting their full potential. There are some real concerns with this team too. Here are a few observations I have taken from the Red Sox in the early going:

1 - John Farrell has... struggled
Red Sox fans are begging for some consistency with the lineup. Farrell insists on continuously giving his players excessive days off. David Ortiz taking a day off here and there is understandable. Between his age and the Achilles issues he's had in the past, it is for the best to keep the heart of the lineup healthy. But Dustin Pedroia randomly got a day off against last year's division champion, Brock Holt, the declared "everyday leftfielder", has sat three games in a row now, and of course there was the David Price benching despite him being on regular rest. It is important to note that while this may seem minor, this is a trend that has continued from Farrell's first few years as manager. Additionally, his blunders of letting Chris Young hit against a righty in the 9th inning of a close game Sunday, as well as opting to take Junichi Tazawa out after getting a single out against Toronto on Monday, have been crucial mistakes.

2 - Is something wrong with Jackie Bradley Jr.'s arm?
JBJ had two throws to the plate early this season and both throws were way off. If this was Jacoby Ellsbury, I would understand it. But JBJ is known for his rocket arm and hopefully there is no concern there.

3 - Travis Shaw is a beast
Farrell - STOP PINCH HITTING FOR SHAW. Shaw is hitting .342 and had two monster hits in the last two 9th innings. On Sunday he launched a two run homer off of Toronto closer Roberto Osuna, bringing the Sox within two runs of a tie game. Farrell went on to blow that game. On Monday, Shaw launched a 9th inning RBI double to bring the Red Sox within two runs again. The man is cold as ice and deserves his at bats. If you are going to dub him the starting third baseman, then let him BE the starting third baseman.


4 - Brock Holt is a career .289 hitter against lefties... why doesn't he get to face them?

A big deal was made of Brock Holt being labeled the starting left fielder. He started off hot, hitting two home runs in the first few games. There are rumors about his foot injury keeping him out of the lineup, but if he is healthy, he should be an everyday player. Not a platoon player. Maybe against lefties Holt can alternate between taking Shaw, Ortiz, or JBJ's spot - just to get that extra righty (Chris Young) in the lineup, but Holt can hit lefties and he should be in there.


5 - Hanley Ramirez is fine at first base
Actually, I will go further and say he is great at first base. There was one pop up that cost the Red Sox big time where Hanley probably should have called off Blake Swihart and caught the ball. With that said, Swihart still should have caught it. Other than that, Hanley has been great. He looks like he is having fun and he is hitting. FINGERS. CROSSED.

 
6 - Why did I see so much of Noe Ramirez?
He is putrid. Thank goodness he was sent down.

7 - Mookie Betts has looked awful
 He had a great year last year, a monster Spring Training, and an excellent first game of the season. After that, he has been pretty horrible. It is just a slump, but it is costing the Red Sox runs. Against Tampa Bay tonight he came up with the bases loaded and no one out. He grounded into a fielders choice that easily could have been turned into a double play but instead the ball was thrown home for the force out and no runs scored. It was a huge out, and a microcosm of this slump Mookie is in. I am not worried about him, but perhaps a drop in the lineup might get him going. The Red Sox need runners on for Hanley Ramirez and David Ortiz.

8 - The power still hasn't appeared for Xander Bogaerts
Many projected an increase in power from Bogaerts this year. Granted, he has a solid three run homer already in the early going but he continues to hit balls on a line up the middle. Unless he changes up his swing mid-season, I don't think Bogaerts is going to hit much more than ten home runs.


9 - Runners left on base
One of the most frustrating things about the Red Sox since they traded Adrian Gonzalez (except for 2013, although it happened plenty that year as well), has been the never-ending squandered opportunities. The Sox finished in the bottom half of the league in amount of runners left on base last year and they are on pace to do it again this year. Please start getting those guys in. Of course, a team with a strong offense is more likely to have guys on base which ultimately means they're more likely to LEAVE guys on base. But watching this team, I can't help but always feel like they blow opportunity after opportunity, no matter the final run total.


10 - Stop pitching Kimbrel in non-save situations
I do not know what it is. I don't have an explanation. But the fact is - closers SUCK in non-save situations. They always do. Two non-save situations have ballooned Kimbrel's ERA and caused the Red Sox to lose two games. In save situations, though, he is four for four. This isn't a "Craig Kimbrel" thing, it is a "closer" thing. Just don't pitch them in non-save situations, MLB managers!

Four Moves for the Red Sox

Despite a pretty tough schedule so far in which more than half of their games have been against the Toronto Blue Jays (last year's American League East champs) and in the rest of their games they have faced pitchers like Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, the Red Sox sit at 6-6 in the American League East. Quite a few of those losses have also come in tight games that the Red Sox could have easily won. Even though the start to the season has gone reasonably well, especially against tough opponents, the Red Sox should not wait to improve their roster. They played a similarly-decent April last year and we all know how that ended.

Granted, the return of Christian Vasquez as well as the returns of Carson Smith and Eduardo Rodriguez are (and should) be huge boosts to the team. My guess is Joe Kelly is the odd man out upon the return of Rodriguez, as Price, Porcello, and Buchholz have spots locked up and Wright has looked solid and goes deep into games, preserving the pen (very unlike Kelly). While that is all great news, there is still work to be done. Dave Dombrowski cannot afford to sit on his hands if the Red Sox are still only floating around .500 in May.

With so much depth in the minor leagues, the Red Sox should at least explore some options similar to the ones listed:

1 - The Home Run Deal
Red Sox send: Rafael Devers, Anderson Espinoza, Blake Swihart, Joe Kelly, and Allen Craig (paying most of his salary)
Oakland A's send: Sonny Gray, Jed Lowrie

Why it makes sense for Oakland: 
Billy Beane, Oakland GM, has literally said deciding to extend Sonny Gray is a lose-lose situation for Oakland. He either is great but takes up too much salary, or does not perform up to the contract and takes up too salary. Oakland isn't young and their veteran talent is not good. They're 6-7 right now, but their lack of young talent will keep them from contending. Devers, according to some like Keith Law, is the Red Sox top prospect and has great power from third base. Swihart has always had a strong bat and is also highly valued in the Red Sox system. Espinoza offers a young, potential-filled replacement for Gray (eventually, he is very young) as the top arm in the Red Sox farm system. Joe Kelly and Allen Craig could greatly benefit from a change of scenary - especially Craig who would probably become Oakland's starting 1B (they are platooning Alonso and Canha).

Why it makes sense for Boston:
Devers-Espinoza-Swihart is definitely a monster package, but in Ortiz's final year, it may be worth to splurge a little bit for some high-end MLB talent. Gray is no question an ace and starting pitching is Boston's biggest need. While the farm system would certainly look bare, Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi would still be in the system. The switch-hitting Lowrie would be an upgrade over Josh Rutledge and Marco Hernandez as a utility infielder. Boston fans probably cringe at sending off those prospects and non-Boston fans probably scoff and think that isn't enough - but given the situations of both teams, this deal would make sense. Could the Red Sox regret it at some point? Maybe, but they might win a World Series out of it.

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2 - The Quick Fix Deal
Red Sox send: Koji Uehara, Chris Young
Washington Nationals send: Gio Gonzalez

Why it makes sense for Washington:
 Jayson Werth hasn't been able to hit his way out of a paperbag since returning to the lineup and while Michael Taylor had a great Spring Training, it hasn't yet translated to the regular season (.146 BA). Chris Young has been putrid as well, but that is largely due to him only facing RHP so far (aside from JA Happ, who he scored a double off of). The return of Ben Revere and the contract of Jayson Werth may cause Washington to balk at Chris Young in this hypothetical offer, but if they're worried Werth can't contribute then maybe CY isn't a bad option. Gio has a $12mil option at the end of this year, but Washington may elect to move him while he has some value to free up a spot for top prospect (and arguably the top pitching prospect in all of baseball) Lucas Giolito. Gonzalez has been great so far, but against two of the worst teams in baseball. Giolito could be an upgrade in the rotation and adding Uehara would greatly bolster a pen that is incredibly slim outside of Papelbon and Kelley (the former of which is off to a slow start himself). Uehara is a FA at the end of the season, so Washington improves their bullpen without committing to a long-term contract and frees up a spot for an elite prospect SP.

Perhaps Washington would be more interested in Josh Rutledge? Hardly an appetizing player, but a change up from Danny Espinosa might be in order, as he hasn't been able to hit in the early going either.

Why it makes sense for Boston:
Once again, the Red Sox need starting pitching. While Gio is no Sonny Gray, he isn't a slouch either. This deal is really dependent on Carson Smith getting healthy and being effective, because Koji has been incredibly important in many of the Red Sox's early wins. While it would not be my first option to trade Chris Young at such a low value, giving Rusney Castillo another shot or giving Andrew Benintendi a call could be a nice boost to the lineup. A healthy Smith with Junichi Tazawa and Craig Kimbrel should still be a shut down 7-8-9.

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 3 - The Trash-for-Slightly-Less-Trash Deal
Red Sox send: Pablo Sandoval, Rusney Castillo, Joe Kelly, and Allen Craig
San Diego Padres send: Matt Kemp, Andrew Cashner

Why it makes sense for the Padres:
If Pablo Sandoval's shoulder is really not a made up injury and actually a huge problem, then this is a pointless exercise (well... it was kind of already pointless anyway so lets continue). The Red Sox would certainly have to eat a TON of money in this deal, even with bringing in the massive Kemp contract, but Dombrowski has never winced in the face of spending crazy cash. The Padres liked Sandoval before he became a huge bum on the end of Boston's bench, maybe they can rekindle that intrigue if Boston eats a lot of salary? It would be a low-risk situation for SD anyway, even with giving up two players, IF the Red Sox ate a decent amount of those contracts. The other three guys, as mentioned before for Craig and Kelly, really need a change of scenery. There may be some solid baseball left in Craig and Kelly may be able to master his 98 mph fastball, but I don't think either case will occur in Boston. Kemp's departure would open an opportunity for Rusney in a much less-stressful atmosphere. It seems Boston has given up on him anyway.

Why it makes sense for Boston: 
The Red Sox payroll would be horrifying - but it already is, it isn't my money, and they charge like $400 for a 12oz beer, they can afford to keep spending. A healthy Kemp would be inserted right into the heart of a loaded lineup and spare us of the Holt-Young platoon (probably meaning the end of Chris Young). The Sox could use some pop from the right side of the plate and Kemp is off to a hot start. Now granted, Cashner looks awful but would he really be any worse than Joe Kelly? He has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, let's see if our manager, who is hailed as some pitching god, can figure him out.

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4 - The Never, Ever, Ever, EVER-Going-To-Happen-Fantasy-Wish-I-Was-Joking-Deal
Red Sox send: Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Blake Swihart
Pittsburgh Pirates send: Andrew McCutchen, Gerrit Cole, Jordy Mercer

Why it (really doesn't) make sense for Pittsburgh:
While the Pirates have been competitive the last few years, they seemed to have hit a wall while the Cubs have gotten astronomically better. They're in a position where they need to improve but are very close to World Series contention, even more so than the Red Sox. Mookie isn't quite Andrew McCutchen (yet) but he is damn good and that outfield would still be a force to be reckoned with. Bogaerts is an insane upgrade at shortstop over Mercer. Cervelli has been very solid but Swihart should be able to lock down the job with his bat. Eduardo is ABSOLUTELY NOT Gerrit Cole, but perhaps a call up of top prospect Tyler Glasnow would help mitigate the damage of losing Cole. It comes down to would Pittsburgh rather have Cole and Jeff Locke or Rodriguez and Glasnow. MLB-level talent-wise? Yes, Pittsburgh takes a step-back. But in 2-3 years? That might make their franchise.

Why it makes sense for Boston: 
For the final time, the Red Sox need starting pitching. Gerrit Cole would be an incredible addition. McCutchen would be worshipped in Boston just as Mookie is. Mercer can ride the bench while Boston calls up Yoan Moncada and transitions him to shortstop! Maybe this fantasy is out of control now.

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Now that was fun but....
Why Deal 1 wouldn't happen - aside from that being a RIDICULOUS amount of talent being given up by the Red Sox, Oakland may just opt to keep Gray and ride it out. They're in second right now despite the sub-.500 record and even with Espinoza's potential, he is still a long way away from an MLB mound. Red Sox pitching prospects seem to never pan out anyway. Additionally, if Gray becomes available, the Red Sox will not be the only team bidding for his services, making a deal even less likely.

Why Deal 2 wouldn't happen - Washington is far more likely to simply keep Gio and put Roark back in the pen when the time comes to call up Giolito. They do need bullpen help, but there are cheaper options than giving up a solid SP like Gonzalez. Additionally, Chris Young or Josh Rutledge are not enough to convince a team to give up a good SP for a reliever who is 41 years old. Even if it is Koji Uehara. Finally, Washington is off to a great start. Why would they want to mix things up?

Why Deal 3 wouldn't happen - There is just too much dead money in this deal to make anything work. A 1-for-1 between two teams who have a guy that needs a change of scenery is doable. But a 4 for 2 with hundreds of millions involved? This would just never happen. Additionally, the four players the Red Sox would be trading have shown NO signs of life. They have all been miserable. It would make no sense to take on their contracts while simultaneously parting with Kemp.

Why Deal 4 wouldn't happen - it just wouldn't. And my question revolving around a combo of Cole and Locke or Rodriguez and Glasnow was misleading, because the Pirates could simply move Locke to the pen and call up Glasnow anyway.