Stock Up
Carlos Pena, 1B, CHC – Pena is the kind of player that will give you your money’s worth every time he swings. Unfortunately, he misses a lot more than most other players and his career .240 batting average is the kind of thing that scares a lot of fantasy owners away, despite the huge power. Right now is the time to add the big fella, as he has hit .265 with eight home runs and 14 RBI over the last two weeks. That kind of average is very palatable when you are considering the power surge. Ride his hot streak but be ready to cut bait as the big numbers tail off.
Ty Wigginton, 1B/2B/3B/OF, COL – Wigginton is eligible all over the diamond and has a nice power stroke. Over the last two weeks, he’s posted .298/7/12 with 10 runs scored. As long as the Rockies are giving him regular at-bats, he’ll be an asset to your team, but you definitely want to get in on this current run.
Jhonny Peralta, 3B/SS, DET – Peralta continues his unlikely hot hitting. Over the fortnight, he is mashing to a .396/4/13/8 tune. Few shortstops are performing at a very high level, so Peralta might be more than a short-term hot streak, he might just be your rest of the season solution. Grab him if he is sitting on your waiver wire.
J.J. Hardy, SS, BAL – Hardy has found his swing again and is rewarding his owners. He is hitting .340/5/10/10 over the last two weeks so enjoy the ride, just don’t expect it to last for a long time. Be ready to find a replacement when he falls back down to Earth.
Danny Espinosa, 2B, WAS – Espinosa is another middle infielder who is on a hot streak. Right now, he is in the middle of a .294/4/11/7 run with three steals to boot. He’s a solid play if you are desperate.
Chris Getz, 2B, CWS – Yet another middle infielder who is exceeding expectations, Getz is doing most of his damage with his legs. Over the last two weeks, he has posted a .388/0/2/7/6 line and provides a lot of help in the steals category for those needing a few more. The average is also surging right now, just don’t expect any power.
Jemile Weeks, 2B, OAK – While we are on the run of middle infielders, let’s stop and visit Rickie Weeks’ little brother. Jemile is a good average/speed guy, but will offer much less power than his big brother Rickie. Over the last two weeks, Jemile has posted a .292/0/4/7/5 line and will pile up the steals as long as Oakland keeps rolling him out at 2B each night. The A’s traded Mark Ellis to the Colorado Rockies, so it seems like their plan is to stick with Weeks.
Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL – Freeman has found his groove recently and his numbers are showing it. He posted .292/3/9/6 over the last two weeks and has even been moved to the heart of the Atlanta batting order. He’s a great long-term keeper, but grab him for his power surge right now.
Brandon Beachy, SP, ATL – Beachy is back from the injury that cost him six weeks of playing time. He’s back with a flourish, striking out 20 in the two appearances since his return while allowing only two runs over those 12 innings pitched. If he’s available, pick him up more for his ratios than for the strikeouts, which aren’t likely to continue at that rate.
Stock Down
Adam Dunn, 1B, CWS – Dunn is suffering his worst MLB season for no obvious reason. Over the last two weeks, he has managed two singles, a double, 16 strikeouts, and no other stats of use to your fantasy team. Is the change of leagues hurting his performance or maybe the designated hitter role? Whatever has turned him from a consistent slugger to someone playing himself out of the league, it is time to find another alternative. Dunn looks done.
Hunter Pence, OF, HOU – After Pence went on a 23 game hitting streak, the back problems flared up and have rendered him helpless. Since the hitting streak, Pence has gone 9-for-38 with only 3 RBI and 2 runs scored in nine games played. Sit him on your bench until he gets past this injury.
Joe Mauer, C, MIN – Mauer has been battling injuries all season and it looks like he will be hitting from the 1B and DH slots from here on out. Mauer is the best hitting catcher in baseball when healthy, but he isn’t that right now. If someone in your league is willing to pay close to full value on him, pull the trigger.
Jay Bruce, OF, CIN – Bruce is struggling in June after picking up NL Player of the Month honors in May. He’s scuffling right now, so sit him until he finds his form again.
Zack Greinke, SP, KC – Greinke was zooming along at 6-0 in his first seven starts since starting the season with a cracked rib injury. Then the last two weeks saw some awful numbers pop up to the tune of 1-2 with an 8.79 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Since his strikeouts are still there, don’t worry. In fact, this might be a good time to buy low.
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