Here are some players that have started off their seasons rather slowly in recent years. If you own them, be patient. If someone else owns them, wait a couple of weeks and trade for them.
RF Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia Phillies – OK, I cheated a little on this one. Abreu’s career April average is .286 and May is .282, serviceable numbers. June is when this hitter takes off, however. April’s stolen base numbers and power numbers aren’t great, but in May these numbers go up. He’s a pretty solid bet to start every single game in your fantasy league.
2B Bret Boone, Seattle Mariners – Boone’s batting average is pretty consistent: April, .276; May .264; and June, .266. It is Boone’s power that fluctuates from the beginning of the season to end. Once the month of April has past, Boone begins to hit for home run power. He has a career 26 bombs in April and 46 in May! He maintains these power numbers throughout the year so after April, Boone should be a good addition.
3B Eric Chavez, Oakland A’s – Much like the entire A’s roster of previous years, Chavez digs himself a hole early on and then mashes like heck later in the season to produce the stats that you want. His home run power is pretty much evenly distributed over the months, but his batting average in April (.258), May (.256), and June (.262) is atrocious. If you can stomach his batting average, go for the power that he will provide. The final three months of the season, Chavez is a definite MUST OWN because he produces where he is needed.
1B Aubrey Huff, Tampa Bay Devil Rays – Huff sure can rake, just not in April. For his career, Huff is a .223 hitter in April with only eight homers. In May, Huff begins to get things going. June, July, and August are the months that you must own Huff. If you do, you will gain a few points in your leagues.
2B Jeff Kent, Los Angeles Dodgers – His career batting average is .275 in April, but he has absolutely no power. Fantasy owners should wait until May and June for him to get hot in all four of the categories that he’s good for (minus SBs).
1B Derrek Lee, Chicago Cubs – Lee is a very good fantasy option, a first baseman with pop and stolen bases. However, like Huff, he does not typically hit in April, with a career .234 average in that month. May is not much kinder to him, but he begins to get things going in June and July.
SS Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies – As should be expected, Rollins’s stolen base numbers are pretty much evenly distributed throughout the year, except in April. Fantasy owners should avoid him this month, but May treats Rollins really well. He has had his most power and stolen bases, plus his highest batting average (but only .280).
1B Mark Teixeira, Texas Rangers – This is only the third season for this young slugger, but I’ll go out on a limb. In April, Teix is absolutely dreadful, a .205 hitter with no power. In May, he’s slightly better, but still bad with a .244 average. When the calendar turns to June however, Teix’s numbers are at a superb level with power and RBIs and a decent batting average.
SS Miguel Tejada, Baltimore Orioles – Miggy is notorious for being a second half player, especially the last month of the season. This all comes with an expense in the front portion of the season. His career April batting average is .257, while his power is absolutely non-existent: 18 homers in April over the course of his career. In May, Tejada hits like he is capable of doing, and from June to September he is the shortstop to own.
CF Vernon Wells, Toronto Blue Jays – Going by three years’ worth of stats, Vernon is absolutely atrocious in April batting average wise. He has a career .228 average, but in May the number goes up to .317. His power, however, in April is pretty good and rather consistent throughout the year. His is also consistent with his stolen base figures.
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