Hot Starts

By Robby Wellington – Staff Writer

Considering that Alfonso Soriano and Manny Ramirez were my first two picks (with Alex Gordon my “late round steal”), you won’t find any of my guys on this Hot Starts list. Below are 11 of the top 50 fantasy hitters so far this season, according to Yahoo! I rate each of them on a scale of 1 to 10, one being trade them ASAP for whatever you can get and 10 meaning hold onto them for dear life. Remember, no matter how much you love Josh Hamilton and think he’s legit, there is probably an owner out there who loves him even more. Shop your hot starts aggressively and see if anyone overpays.

Jose Reyes and Alex Rodriguez – 10/10

I would trade Soriano and Ramirez for either one of these guys. If I drafted today, I would probably go 1. Reyes 2. Pujols 3. A-Rod

Ian Kinsler – 6

I am always suspect of anyone named “Ian,” but have to admit lesser players have had some pretty big seasons at Ameriquest. 25/15 with an average in the 300s and great peripherals seem to be reasonable for this up-and-comer.

Derrek Lee – 7

Burned by Mr. Lee last year, I thought he was a good third round gamble this year. While he has yet to hit a home run, his average and speed are certainly there. He may only hit 25-30 bombs, but his other numbers should hover around his impressive 2005 totals.

Eric Byrnes -6

Mr. Byrnes won my approval when, in an unprecedented fashion statement, he folded French cuffs over his blazer on Baseball Tonight. Last year he quietly put up career numbers in homers (26) and steals (25) and is well on his way to surpassing that total this year. I would set the over/under at 27/32 with decent peripherals.

Russell Martin – 8

The new Jason Kendall, Russ Martin has impressed early on and with 20-steal potential. He is probably deserving of a spot after the big three assuming he puts up decent peripherals.

Kaz Matsui – 3

I liked Kaz as a fantasy sleeper in Colorado and owners had to love his early season steals. However, with a bulging disc landing Kaz on the DL, his days of running wild may be over. His owners will probably just have to wait this out.

Rickie Weeks – 7

Weeks has shown off his power/speed combination atop a solid Brewers’ lineup and has an outside shot of reaching 30/30 this season. Look for his average to be respectable, as well.

Luis Gonzalez – 1
Luis has already peaked. See if you can still move him and then cut bait in shallow leagues.

Barry Bonds – 3

Barry! Barry! Bonds is still a great hitter and will remain motivated until he surpasses Hammering Hank. After that, the man is going to be about as motivated as I am to get tested for HIV. Don’t get stuck with Bonds late in the year.

Josh Hamilton – 4

Josh “The Hammer” Hamilton (sorry Alex Gordon, you don’t deserve the nickname anymore) was on my fantasy team twice already this season. Unfortunately, both times he was dropped before even playing a game. He is probably the biggest question mark on this list, and while his talent is undeniable, there is probably someone out there who would rather roll the dice with this success story. Plus, Cincinnati has a crowded outfield and there is always the “off the wagon” factor. Hitting a home run undoubtedly feels great but I would venture to guess that injecting heroin feels even better.