First-Half Fantasy Busts
By Philip Lasseigne
Besides hoisting the league championship trophy at the end of the season, there is no more enjoyable night for fantasy baseball regulars than draft night. Few things are more rewarding in a fantasy season than constructing your fantasy squad. But between the guaranteed fantasy producers (Pujols, Hanley Ramirez), the sleepers (Ubaldo Jimenez, Gaby Sanchez), there are players on every league member’s team who turn out to be flat out busts. According to players’ average draft slot in 2010, here is a list of this year’s biggest fantasy baseball busts. (Note: All Average Draft Positions are from ESPN fantasy leagues and stats are based on the All-Star Break)
15) Gordon Beckham- Although his average draft spot was 90, Beckham has had an extremely underwhelming season, even for those who drafted him to fill a utility role. His .237 average, along with his single digit stolen base total has allowed him to find a place on the waiver list in many fantasy leagues.
14) Adam Lind- Coming off a stellar 2009 season, Lind’s average draft spot was 42 in the ESPN fantasy leagues, and his production hasn’t even come close to earning that slot. A paltry .216 average along with 42 RBIs and 12 home runs in a lackluster Blue Jays lineup classifies Lind as one of 2010’s biggest busts.
13) Javier Vazquez- After finishing fourth in the Cy Young balloting in 2009, Vazquez was traded to the Yankees. Being relied on as their fourth or fifth starter, he was expected to rack up the wins with the Bronx Bombers’ loaded lineup. Not so much. His .500 record, along with a 4.45 ERA has earned him the infamous title of being one of 2010’s biggest busts.
12) Chone Figgins- After years of being a run-producing and stolen base machine in the Angels’ lineup, Figgins has struggled mightily in Seattle. His stolen base numbers are still high and the number of runs he has scored is decent, but his .228 batting average and .324 OBP doesn’t warrant regular playing time.
11) Aramis Ramirez- The customary cog in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup has battled injuries and inconsistency in the middle of a frustrating year for him and Chicago’s north siders. A career .282 hitter, Ramirez entered June batting .213 with a sub .300 OBP to go with only 11 home runs and 37 RBIs. While the power numbers may increase in the second half, his other numbers are a huge disappointment.
10) Aaron Hill-Another disappointing Jay, Hill hasn’t come close to duplicating his 2009 numbers. His .195 average, along with his home run and RBI numbers that are fewer than one-third of his totals last year, have made him an unpopular pick in fantasy leagues’ free agent market.
9) Curtis Granderson- A five-tool player, Granderson was expected to start producing immediately in the middle of the Yankees’ potent lineup. To give an example of how poor his season is, he has single digit home runs, an RBI total still in the 20s, an average of .237, and an OBP of barely above .300. At this point, Colby Rasmus is a much better center field option.
Mark Reynolds- Throughout Reynolds’ career, it’s either been a home run a strikeout, and this year he’s heading to the dugout with his head down more often. His 20 home runs and 56 RBIs are certainly fine on a team, but his .215 average, equally poor OBP, and the little else he contributes to the box score makes it hard to start him on a daily basis
7) B.J. Upton- One of the most frustrating players in baseball has not disappointed this year. His strikeout total is high, to go with only 7 home runs. His stolen base numbers are as high as would be expected, but his .231 average is far below what is expected from a player drafted as a top 50 player in the ESPN leagues.
6) Josh Beckett- Normally one of the top pitchers in most fantasy leagues, Beckett has underperformed in 2010 to say the least. In only eight starts before landing on the DL, Beckett has one win to go with a bloated ERA of over 7 and a WHIP of 1.66. Not quite what owners would expect with their team’s ace.
5) Pablo Sandoval- The Giants’ beloved Kung Fu Panda has struggled in his sophomore campaign, batting .271 to go with only six long-balls and 38 RBIs. He has a chance to bounce back in a big way in the second half, but has to be classified as a bust when his 34th overall draft slot is taken into consideration.
4) Brian Roberts- Roberts’ season was basically over before it began, with him landing on the DL in only the second week in April. It’s been rumored that he’s close to returning for weeks now, but considering he has spent virtually the entire season on the DL and was one of the top second basemen taken, Roberts is an easy choice for being a fantasy bust.
3) Matt Kemp- Taken 8th overall on average in the ESPN leagues, Kemp’s statistics are far from those of a top 10 pick. He has a sub-.260 average along with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs, which are fine numbers, but not for a top-tier fantasy player. The Diamondbacks’ Chris Young has superior numbers, and was taken, on average, as the 194th player.
2) Grady Sizemore- After a very disappointing 2009 season, a lot of fantasy owners took a chance on Sizemore early in their drafts, hoping that he would come back in a big way in 2010. Wrong. Before having his season ended due to injury in May, Sizemore was batting .211 with no home runs and 4 stolen bases.
1) Jacoby Ellsbury- Facing a lot of hype as a top-20 fantasy player, Ellsbury majorly underachieved before breaking his ribs in an outfield collision in mid-April. His return has been speculated to be soon for a while, but fantasy owners should cut their losses and realize that one of their top picks went for naught.
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