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When it comes to Fantasy Baseball, patience is most definitely a virtue. Here in 2013, it is no different.
A handful of big name players are struggling to start the season, making fantasy owners grow tired and impatient. However, don’t do anything you might regret. Be patient with the following guys and you will eventually be handsomely rewarded.
Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers: A second baseman that I was very high on coming into this season, Weeks hasn’t delivered lately. He is batting a dismal .169 with one home run and just three RBI. His steals (4) are somewhat salvaging his fantasy value a bit. I own Weeks in one of my main leagues and I am keeping him active daily. Batting in the heart of a strong Brewers’ lineup, the hits, RBI and average will come, and the steals will certainly be there all year long. Don’t forget, drafting Weeks was a pick that will hurt your team batting average, considering he is just a career .249 batter. Be patient and more production will follow.
Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs: Thank goodness for the breakout in power from Rizzo, or else he would be god awful. Despite batting a poor .173 on the year, Rizzo has still posted six home runs (5th in NL) and 14 RBI. Rizzo is a legitimate candidate to smash 25-30 home runs this year and in time, the batting average will increase. The 23-year old still has plenty of room to progress and is also a terrific buy-low candidate. Heck, try to find someone who is done with owning Rizzo and scoop him. Rizzo will bounceback sooner rather than later.
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Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves: Yes, I know Heyward is on the disabled list after undergoing an appendectomy, but the young talent had been struggling heavily before the procedure. Batting just .121 with two homers and five RBI, many owners are becoming frustrated, especially when you look at where they drafted him. Don’t be foolish, Heyward, once a top prospect, is a rising star in this league and needs to be active as long as he is healthy. Despite a rough start, Heyward is walking, can steal upwards to 15 bags and has great power. Not to mention, that Braves’ lineup is scary good. I love Heyward and truly believe he will finish the season as a borderline top 10 outfielder.
Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians: Kipnis is also off to a slow start, batting .170 with zero home runs and three RBI. He is, however, 4-4 in steal attempts and I’m not too worried about him. Kipnis is a very streaky player. Remember last season when he started the season red hot and then after the All Star break, batted a poor .233. He has the power upside to hit around 20 home runs and certainly can steal 25-30 bags (stole 31 in 2012). Once Michael Bourn returns to the lineup at the lead off spot, Kipnis will have added opportunity for RBI. In a rather shallow position, I think Kipnis will shine at season’s end.
Adam Pfeifer is a featured fantasy sports columnist for Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aPfeiferRS.
