The Month of May brings warmer temperatures, and hotter bats. As we get set to venture into the next 25 days, knowing just who is heating up could be the difference maker in your roster moves. let’s take a look at our Fab Five Fantasy Gems.
David Freese – 3B – STL: Freese has been very hot as of late as he has had five multi-hit games in the past six. His current line is .360/.408/.539 with 3 homeruns and 19 RBI.
Freese is definitely worth a pickup, especially if you are hurting at 3B since he is just getting started. But if you need more than just his current line to convince you how about his .308/.384/.532 line with 68 HR, 305 RBI, 99 doubles, 12 trips, and 13 SB in only four years in the minors.
If that’s not enough, Freese and the Cardinals face the Pirates, Astros, Reds and Nationals in the coming week, making for a very tasty fort night.
Kevin Kouzmanoff – 3B – OAK: Another 3B option for those of you in the market is the San Diego cast off Kevin Kouzmanoff. Currently Kouz is hitting .278/.316/.370 with a pair of homers and 17 RBI.
Kouzmanoff, doesn’t look like very much on the outside, or even when you look at his five year total, but keep in mind he did hit in the cavernous hell pot known as PETCO, and he was still an average 20/20 hitter. He faces some unstable pitching in Texas and Los Angeles in the coming week, so he could make for an interesting grab.
Scott Hairston – OF – SD: Hairston has been getting regular at bats, and is a 5 category player who could give your lineup a boost in the month of May. Currently he is hitting .250/.348/.500 and should continue to see more time until Kyle Blanks gets his act together.
Who would’ve thought the Padres would be so damn good this early? Well one of the nicer surprises has been Hairston, and there are probably a handful of managers who know that every year this guy makes a sudden hot impact on fantasy before leveling out for good. The Padres have 12 games at home vs, 8 on the road after the series in Houston—which should be very favorable for Hairston—and, for some inexplicable reason, the Padres are better at home. I would take a chance on him if you are in the need of a fill-in outfielder.
John Buck – C – Blue Jays: Looking for an available catcher for a fill-in role on your roster? The veteran Buck is currently hitting .225/.267/.513, but don’t get fooled by a set of numbers that look anemic…they’re only stats, and Buck’s latest performance could be an indication he is just warming up.
Yes, he has had a slower start to the season than a turtle meandering his way around, but that .225 BA is an improvement from his .194 average just six days ago, so his stock is slowly rising. Remember, we’re not saying he is a solid long-term pickup, rather a nice fill-in guy if your catcher is slumping or off in the coming days.
James Loney – 1B – LAD: Loney has been on fire as of late hitting 2 homers and 11 RBI in the past four games. His overall line is .339/.373/.473.
The Dodgers have a penchant for providing RBI opportunities to good hitters, and that is exactly what you are looking at with Loney. He is not known for extensive power, but he can drive in runs and get the extra base hits that are always crucial in fantasy. Loney is another five tool player that does come with a little bit of reliability. He is currently riding a OPS of .846 and he even has four pilfered bases…worth a look if you ask me.
Over the next couple of days there could be a lot of fantasy production out the aforementioned players, but what about players on the mend? Get the latest MLB injury and news updates to complete your research before heading into the weekend.
