Seattle Mariners: Fantasy Value for M’s Bats After the Smoak Clears
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Mariners got off to a hot start to begin the 2014 season by sweeping the ever-slow starting California…Anaheim… Los Angeles Angels of…really?
Regardless of what you call their first opponent, fantasy owners started jumping on the Seattle bandwagon not only by claiming Mariners, but by drinking Starbucks and listening to grunge music as well.
Managing a fantasy baseball team hopped up on caffeine while mosh pitting with your walls between page refreshes is no way to go through life.
Decaffeinate yourself, turn Pearl Jam down, and make sure to look at the good and the bad with the Mariners.
In the Lineup
- Pros: I like him in deep leagues; he is batting leadoff and has 10/20 potential.
- Cons: He is a rookie, and will undeniably go through slumps at the plate, putting his leadoff spot in jeopardy.
- Pros: He likely has dual-Eligibility at 2B and SS. At either position, Miller and his potential 20 dingers this year is very appealing.
- Cons: He is still young and pitchers and managers will adjust to him. He will surely struggle in stretches.
- Pros: He has been the 2B of all in 2B over the past few years of fantasy. Batting over .300 with around 30 bombs is fantasy gold at that position. Even with regression, 20 HR’s is likely. In leagues that score OBP or Walks, this is you guy because he will be getting his share of free passes this year.
- Cons: In an attempt not to sound like a broken record, read this…or that
- Pros: He is batting behind Cano, so he will see his share of pitches, most likely with Cano and possibly others on base. He is going to be 27 all season, a magical age for fantasy breakouts.
- Cons: His career AVG is .228 and his career high for HR’s in a season is 20…not exactly what I look for in a 1B for my fantasy team.
- Pros: He was cheap this year for a guy that hit 30 HR’s in his last season. He is still available in a lot of leagues. Also, he still has solid bat speed.
- Cons: Hart is 32 and missed all of last season due to knee injuries. I have a feeling he will get his fair share of rest throughout this season to prevent setbacks. Between rest, regression, the move to a deeper park, and the move to the AL is enough to make me ignore Hart in 12-team leagues.
- Pros: A borderline Top-10 3B and you will get what you expect out of him, a 20/10 season give or take and an AVG around .260.
- Cons: Like Flacco, he is solid, but not elite.
- Pros: He is no longer playing for the Marlins. Playing for that team could suck the competitiveness out of any professional. A fresh start and team goals that extend beyond winning 60 games could help the once highly hyped Morrison reach the next level.
- Cons: Morrison’s career high for AB’s in a season is 462. His career high for HR’s is 23. His career AVG in the show is .248. It is hard to be optimistic about fantasy value with that track record.
- Pros: I think splits matter, and Ackley figured something out in the 2nd half last season and has picked up where he left off. He has solid value as a 2B in most leagues, but I am not buying him as an OF.
- Cons: Ackley has a small sample size of being relevant and is batting 7th or 8th in the lineup so far.
- Pros: He is young, has pop, and plays a position that lacks elite depth.
- Cons: He is young, has a high K%, and falls in a tier that will most likely land him anywhere between the 15th and 30th ranked catcher. I like him to be more relevant next year, but this year…meh.
All in all, the Mariners do offer some decent fantasy players, especially in the middle infield positions. However, do not overreact to the first week of results or your team could go from a grande to a crappuccino before you can smell teen spirit. Let the Smoak clear and give yourself three weeks of collecting data on your team before making any impulsive moves.