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In the fantasy baseball world, it’s difficult to discern if a player will be scorching hot for a week, a month, or a season. For example, owners who picked up Edwin Encarnacion in 2012 reaped the benefits for the whole season. Managers who added speedster Jordan Schafer last year bemoaned his awful for the second half. Of the players who are currently hot pickups, the following will be legitimate contributors to a fantasy roster for the rest of the season. Count on them for production beyond their recent hot streak.   Kelly Johnson, TB 2B/OF (73.8 percent owned, 57.4 percent owned increase) If you need a second baseman and Johnson is still available in your league, make sure you snatch him up before he’s universally owned. Dating all the way back to his time as an Atlanta Brave, the two-position player has been a solid choice at second. As a ...

After just nine days in the show, Nolan Arenado is already becoming a household name in the world of fantasy baseball. In fact, if Arenado is still on the waiver wire in your league, stop reading this and go pick him up this instant. While Arenado is probably the hottest player flying off waivers, there are plenty of others that are worthy of looks right now as well.  3B Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies In just 31 at-bats in the majors, Arenado has 10 hits with three homers and eight RBI. On May 4, he belted a grand slam off of a slider from Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price. Arenado is certainly proving himself as one of the best blue-chippers to come out of the minors early in the season. If he's available in your league, picking him up is a must.  SP Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City RoyalsWith the Rockies last year, Guthrie had a 6.35 ...

Finding sleepers in fantasy baseball is a process very similar to discovering them just as a fan and/or analyst of the game. Too often, we get caught up in the easily discernible numbers, like batting average, to say that a player is having a breakout season.Thanks to enhanced metrics, as well as a deeper dig into stats, you can tell when a player is doing something different that is sustainable and who is in for a rude awakening as the season moves along. As you look for ways to improve your fantasy team during the season, here are some tips that you can use to add talent without taking a huge risk.  HittersTip No. 1: Follow the BABIPOne of my favorite stats to use when trying to figure out whether a hitter is for real or not is batting average on balls in play (BABIP). It is a common sabermetric stat, but also ...

Giancarlo Stanton looks like Superman, but injuries have been his kryptonite. On a hustle play in extra innings Monday night, Stanton racked up another injury. This time it is a hamstring strain that could cost Stanton a month or more, depending on the severity.The Marlins pushed Stanton to the disabled list on Tuesday morning, even before an MRI could be taken. The Marlins medical staff needs to have clear indication that this is a significant strain.Manual testing, as well as Stanton's assertion that he heard a pop, indicate at least a Grade II strain. That type of injury will leave what doctors call a "palpable defect," which means that someone with their hand on Stanton's leg would be able to feel the hole that the tearing has left in the muscle.The injury is to his right leg, which is his "power leg" when hitting and the same one he had ...

Picking busts is about value.Scratch that. It's about lack of value compared to expected return.In other words, just because Maicer Izturis is hitting .162 and having a truly atrocious season, no fantasy owner in their right mind was expecting much, if anything, from him in the first place, so Izturis was ignored in drafts.When we say "bust," we mean a player with a relatively high average draft position (ADP) but whose performance so far hasn't been worth the pick.And because the focus is on results—or lack thereof—injury doesn't count. You won't find, say, Zack Greinke, Aaron Hill or Joel Hanrahan below, simply because a player can't under perform if he isn't, you know, playing.With that clear, it's time for the All-Early Bust Team as we close out the season's first month.We'll point out the biggest bust at each position as well as a few close calls. Plus, since we like to ...

Last week, two of my three “Buy Low” picks, Carlos Gomez (10-for-18, HR, 3B in last week) and Homer Bailey (8 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 10 K in last start), came through while the third, Ike Davis, finally broke out on Friday with a two-homer game. One of my “Sell High” picks, Barry Zito (2.2 IP, 9 ER, 8 H), also made me look pretty smart in my first week of this feature.   Just in case last week wasn’t a fluke, here’s some advice for next week  …   Sell High J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jays  His six homers and 11 runs batted in this month shouldn’t be much of a surprise. He had eight homers and 19 runs batted in last May and also hit six more long balls in July.  The other months when he’s not red-hot, however, are when you need to ...

Fantasy baseball is in full swing this season as Week 3 is upon us.Waiver-wire adds and drops during this time are crucial in building a team that is bound to keep you—and your wallet—happy come September. This is also a time in the fantasy season that feels to me like a sort of limbo. Some perennial stars are experiencing early-season slumps, and young guys are coming out of nowhere and filling in for those slumping studs. These four young studs are going to be broken down bit by bit in this article in order to assess their value now, and their value come crunch time in August and September.Begin Slideshow

It's been a surprising start to the MLB season, especially in the fantasy world.Chris Davis, John Buck and Matt Harvey, players that most likely weren't the first players chosen on anyone's draft board, have taken the league by storm over the first week.And a few other more recognizable names have let down their managers, both in major league and fantasy baseball.Some may just be off to a rough start. But there are a few players whose struggles should be red flags to any astute fantasy owner.Drop the following five players as fast as you can.Carlos MarmolIf you're a Cubs fan or know one, then you're very familiar with the phrase, "This is finally the year!"That's what many fantasy owners were thinking when taking Carlos Marmol, the Joey Chestnut of closers (he usually manages to get the job done, but the process is painful to watch). He had a reasonably promising second ...

Finding a bunch of players on the verge of a "breakout" season isn't necessarily all that hard. Finding a bunch of almost universally-undrafted players who are on the verge of a "breakout" season? That's a little tougher.Anyone can make a case for the Rays' Matt Moore, the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo or the Mets' Matt Harvey, all young promising players ready to take the step from good to great as breakout candidates in 2013. But each of them were selected in every draft out there, often in the middle rounds.The seven players to follow, however, also may be primed for their own breakouts this season—and still may be available in the free-agent pool. So if you need some help rounding out your roster, or if you're looking for the next who-knew pick-up, dive in. Or at least update your watch list.Only players with an average draft position (ADP) of 260-plus on ESPN Fantasy ...

There is something to be said about anchoring your fantasy baseball team with players that have already reached their potential. That said, there is always a new crop, often made up of younger players, that take their game to the next level. Here’s a look at some National League Central fantasy baseball breakout candidates.  Gerrit Cole, SP, Pittsburgh PiratesCole will start the year in the minors, but he is one to keep an eye on when he gets the call.  Todd Frazier, 3B, Cincinnati RedsFrazier hit 19 home runs in 422 at-bats last year. He showed that he could handle both left-handed pitching (.857 OPS) and right-handed pitching (.817 OPS). He struggled down the stretch, hitting .176 in 74 September/October at-bats. He has power and is part of a potent lineup.  Jason Grilli, RP, Pittsburgh PiratesGrilli has 21 career wins and five career saves, but he has a chance to make a mark ...