By Kevin Kleps, Fantasy Baseball Correspondent
You might have thought, "it’s only May." But as the calendar marches on, that excuse is no longer valid.
For big-league managers and general managers, "it's only May," can serve as an honest, measured assessment or a pie-in-the-sky, unrealistic view of a team that’s bound to underachieve all season – and might not have been that good to begin with.
The same can be true for us "fake" executives.
We think our Travis Hafners or Ryan Howards are bound to turn their seasons around. And we think the opposition’s Carlos Quentins and Nate McLouths are destined to fail.
The May excuse is no longer allowed. We’re one-third into the season, June has arrived, and we now have a pretty good idea if we need to make a trade or if our team can contend without a roster overhaul.
With that said, let’s change from fake GM to fantasy scout and look at 16 batters who have surprised us with their productivity this season. Half of these guys can be expected to sustain their success, and eight are likely to fall off the fantasy map.
Which category pertains to your player? Glad you asked.
Next month, we’ll take a look at the pitchers who have exceeded expectations in the same manner.
BUY
Carlos Quentin, OF, White Sox
He enters the weekend second in all of baseball in RBI (48) and tied for fifth in home runs (14). He’s also batting .299 with 36 runs scored. He’s probably not going to drive in 150 runs, but he’s a rare find – a waiver-wire acquisition who is a must-start in any format.
Josh Hamilton, OF, Rangers
The troubled former No. 1 overall pick of the then-Devil Rays gave us a glimpse of what was to come last season, when he batted .292 with 19 homers and 47 RBI in 298 at-bats with the Reds. He’s been even better in the American League, compiling an MLB-best 58 RBI while batting .324 with 13 homers, 35 runs, 15 doubles and three triples. Like Quentin, he’s a must-start. Unlike Quentin, you should expect 150 RBI.
Nate McLouth, OF, Pirates
’Tis the season for outfield surprises. After totaling 25 homers and 66 RBI and never batting better than .258 in his first three major-league seasons, McLouth enters the weekend hitting .311 with 12 homers, 39 RBI, 43 runs, 17 doubles and five steals. Will he keep up the pace? Probably not. Should you bench him? Definitely not.
Xavier Nady, OF, Pirates
The Buccos aren’t very good, but with McLouth, Nady and Jason Bay, their outfield sure is. Nady is hitting .321 with nine homers, 42 RBI, 30 runs and 16 doubles. He was decent last season – when he batted .278 with 20 homers and 72 RBI – and at 29, he is in his prime. He won’t hit 30 homers, but he should drive in 100, hit at least .280 and be worth a weekly start.
Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers
This one wasn’t totally unexpected, not after he had a combined 34 steals and 34 homers in his first two seasons. But if you would have known Kinsler was going to bat .294 with seven homers, 32 RBI, 45 runs and 15 steals in the first two months, you certainly would’ve drafted him ahead of Robinson Cano. He’s gotten better as the season has gone along (six homers, 20 RBI and eight steals in May), and he should finish the year as a top-three or top-four player at his position.
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
Another second baseman who gave us a hint of things to come. Pedroia batted .317 with 50 RBI as a rookie, and he’s driven in 27 runs with 32 runs scored, six steals and 16 doubles in the first two months of 2008. Two reasons to be wary: He entered the weekend batting only .265 in May, and his average has dropped 20 points in nine days. Still, he’s a must-start at a weak position.
Geovany Soto, C, Cubs
Congratulations if you had him in your Which Player Will Lead All Catchers in RBI on May 29 Poll at the beginning of the season. Other than Quentin, Soto, with nine homers, 37 RBI, a .299 average and 17 doubles, might be the biggest surprise on this list. Two negatives: He’s struck out a whopping 48 times in 177 at-bats, which hurts his value in points-based leagues that penalize players for strikeouts, and he’s cooled off in May (.267 batting average). Regardless, he’s catcher who should drive in 90 runs, which makes him an automatic start in any format.
Bengie Molina, C, Giants
He’s picked an odd time (he’ll be 34 on July 20) to have a career resurgence. Molina matched his career high with 19 homers and had a career-best 81 RBI last season. He’s been even better in Year 2 as a Giant: a .333 average, six homers and 36 RBI (second to Soto among all catchers). I wouldn’t expect him to sustain his 108-RBI pace, but that doesn’t mean I’d take him out of my lineup.
Who is going to fade in the second half? Click on to Page 2.
