As we finish up the first full week of the Major League Baseball season, let’s look back at what, or who, is trending. Several players are doing better than expected and several are doing worse, but remember this is a 162 game season and the trends tend to even out over the marathon that baseball is. This is more about streaks, which can be the difference between picking up a few extra points in batting average or grabbing a few extra stolen bases now since they can be harder to come by in September.

Stock Up

Willie Bloomquist, 3B/SS/OF, ARI

The benefactor of Stephen Drew’s injury is Bloomquist. After Thursday, Bloomy was hitting .348 with1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R and 5 SB. There is nothing in his past that suggests that he should continue this for any length of time, but ride him while he’s hot. As long as he is hitting, he’ll get at-bats, even after Drew returns.

Carlos Quentin, OF, CWS

Quentin is absolutely raking. After six games, he stands at .458/2/10/6. There’s nothing to say that he can’t repeat his monstrous performance from 2008, but he’s going to have to stay healthy to do it and that seems to be a big problem for Quentin.

Howie Kendrick, 1B/2B, LAA

Kendrick was often viewed as a future batting champion with a little pop in his bat, but not this much. After six games, Kendrick has put up .417/3/3/7. He won’t keep that pace up, but this may be the season he finally steps into the elite fantasy second basemen tier.

Brennan Boesch, OF, DET

Boesch is a good player who just needs the chance to play every day. Boesch has posted a .421/1/5/7 in five games and even though he won’t keep up that pace, he will continue to get at-bats as long as his bat is hot.

Alex Avila, C, DET

Avila was being hyped as a future star at catcher before last season. When his 2010 campaign went sour, so did most fantasy owners and Avila’s stock dropped for the 2011 season. He’s having the kind of season many envisioned last year with a .294/2/7/4/1. This is the kind of stuff you’d love to post for your backstop this season.

Alex Gordon, OF, KC

Is Gordon finally breaking loose? He was a much ballyhooed prospect a few years back and it was beginning to look like he was a bust, but perhaps that was premature. After six games, Gordon is riding .379/1/4/7 line for the Royals and may be headed for a big breakout. Watch him closely or stash him on your bench if you have a slot.

 
Stock Down

There are really too many to mention here, and we don’t want to set off a panic amongst Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez, Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford owners, amongst others. We are a little over a week in. Say it again – we are a little over a week in to a long season. Every season has its surprises, both good and bad, but it is too early to foresee these first round studs being complete busts that you should jump ship.

Longoria is injured, unlike the others, and if someone is willing to give you fair value while you don’t believe he’ll be back soon or back to the level he should be, then by all means make a trade. If someone else in your league owns these guys and they’ve hit their own panic button, throw them a trade offer. Don’t be insulting, but something reasonable at least starts the conversation that you are interested.

Good luck, and cheers to the start of another season!