Fantasy Baseball 2017 Preview: SS Sleepers, Busts & Overview
It is never too early to begin prepping for a fantasy season, especially when it comes to the long, long haul we call baseball. This is the first of many articles I will write to help you prepare for your season. These are intended to spark ideas, and to give a general outline of the position so that you can fill in the blanks and apply your own thinking to build a team perfect for you.
This is the shortstop preview.
The Top Five
1. Manny Machado, Orioles: Machado is an absolute beast, so even though he doesn’t steal anymore at a position where SBs are a big factor, it doesn’t keep him from occupying the top spot. He is an elite power hitter period, let alone for a middle infielder. He has a chance to hit 40 bombs, and it’d be surprising if he doesn’t hit 35. The potential is there for steals, since he had 20 in 2015, but prior to that he hadn’t topped six, and last year he had none. He consistently hovers near .300, and he’s likely to hit triple-digit runs scored. Total, first-round monster.
2. Carlos Correa, Astros: Correa is one of the game’s brightest stars, and might come a little discounted after a 2016 campaign that was a minor letdown. Correa slashed .274/.361/.451 with 20 home runs and 13 steals. It’s hard to imagine a 22-year-old posting a season like that and people being disappointed, but that’s how good Correa looked in 2015. There’s no reason to believe he can’t reach that potential in one of MLB’s better lineups. He has an excellent approach at the plate; it’s rare to spot talented, young players who can walk at an 11.4 percent clip before their 23rd birthday. Those on-base skills will serve him well in slumps, and keep him from being a sinkhole. With the talent surrounding him, his biggest gain will be in runs scored. I LOVE Correa in 2017.
3. Corey Seager, Dodgers: Seager is tough to rank comparative to Correa, and you can easily flip-flop these two if that’s your preference. Seager had a full season to work in 2016 and killed it, batting .306 with 25 homers and 72 RBI. He’s the same age as Correa. Seager has more raw power, might be in a better lineup, and will likely hit for a bit better average than Correa. Where he lags way behind is stolen bases, which is more scarce than power these days.
4. Francisco Lindor, Indians: Speaking of steals, you can probably snag Lindor a little bit later than the first three SS on the list, and get nearly as much in return. Lindor is a batting average stud from whom you can expect .300 or better. He’ll probably steal 20+ bases, and swat around 15 home runs. He sported an OBP just three points behind Correa, so the power disadvantage didn’t stop him from being a wreaker of havoc. He’s also just 22 years old, so his ceiling hasn’t been reached.
5. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: This position is all about youth, and yet Bogaerts, despite entering his fourth full MLB season, is just two years older than Correa, Seager and Lindor. Bogaerts had a reputation as an elite contact hitter with limited power and speed upside. A better real-life player than fantasy asset. In 2016 that changed. He smacked 21 home runs, stole 13 bases (better than you’d think these days), and scored 115 runs in a crazy good offense. His situation has remained the same, and there’s always the potential for him to run into more home runs. The top of the SS position is very, very stacked.
Some Sleeper Candidates
1. Addison Russell, Cubs: I hope this isn’t cheating, because I’m aware what a huge prospect Russell was, and still is. The thing is, he hasn’t blown up like other young prospects – think Correa, Seager, Lindor – so there won’t be the same rush to snap him up. He’s only 23 years old, and he hit 21 home runs in 2016 while driving in 95 runs. Russell benefits from being in the Cubs’ ridiculous batting order, so regardless of his lineup position he’s going to be in position to score runs and drive in runs. All he needs is to boost his batting average a bit, which his minor league track record suggests should happen.
2. Marcus Semien, Athletics: Semien isn’t likely to get much love, seeing as how he plays in Oakland for a team that likely won’t score much, and he’s never hit better than .261 in his career. With that said, if you whiff on the big guns at this position, Semien can be a pretty helpful player in a Roto format. This guy hit 27 home runs in 2016, an excellent total for a SS, and added 10 steals. His floor is 15 home runs and 10 stolen bases, and at 26 there’s room for him to set career highs in either or both. He’s never going to hit for high average, and he’s going to strike out a bunch, but for where he’ll go, you can do much worse.
Beware Bust Potential
1. Brandon Crawford, Giants: Crawford’s on a very good team, and he’s one of those guys whose big season helped a lot of people, so he’s built up good will. Don’t fall for it. His breakout 2015, which featured 21 home runs, is not only a misrepresentation of who he is – even that guy is not special anymore. Aside from 2015, the most homers Crawford has ever hit is 12. He never hit for power in the minors, and he doesn’t steal either. He’s pretty much waiver wire fodder, and he’ll get drafted in lots of leagues.
How Many Deep?
Great: 5
Very Good-Good: 5
Fringe Starters: 8