Summer is The Season for Fantasy Baseball: MLB Hitters

by Steven Adams

With the start of summer and a Spurs championship all but clinched, it's time to focus on fantasy baseball. For you managers out there who have forgotten about your team, this should catch you up. Players are broken down by what you can look forward to this summer.

The Best

1.You finally use your vacation time! No more thinking.

These are players who are automatic and should never be out of the lineup.

1. A-Rod: Strippers make you forget playoffs.

2. Albert Pujols: slow start over. Last month: .364, 9 HR, 21 RBI

3. Magglio Ordenez: hitting .362 with 56 RBI

2. You got to the beach/pool and it's skimpy bikini day.

These players have totally surprised you in the good way:

1. Eric Byrnes: showing great stats in every offensive category

2. Victor Martinez: leads MLB catchers in hitting

3. Kevin Youkilis: career year so far

The Middle

3. Outdoor barbeque.

You've got a little shade, an ice cold drink, and flame-broiled meat. These players are nice, like potato salad, but you wonder if it won't give you indigestion later.

1. J.J. Hardy: more homeruns this season than entire career

2. Sammy Sosa: So he has 46 RBI, but his average is starting to sink

3. Chipper Jones: great numbers but has a knack for finding the disabled list

Getting worse

4. Sunburn.

You should have gone up a few SPFs. These players have hurt early on, but by the end of the summer, you'll forget all about it.

1. Alfonso Soriano: 3 HR day may signal his breakout

2. Manny Ramirez: numbers are low but are bound to pick up

3. Johan Santana: 6-6 record right now, but he gets better as the season goes along

5. Back to work/school/slowly dying.

There is no use denying it anymore, it's time to let go of these players.

1. John Maine: after hot start, hitters have figured him out

2. Julio Lugo: moved to the bottom of Boston's order will reduce his only value: steals

3. J.D. Drew: nothing new really: spends more time on DL than RF

Bonus: found in the sand with a metal detector.

Players with potential who may be found in the free-agent bin:

Brendan Harris, SS, Tampa Bay: super hot since June

Hunter Pence, CF, Houston: hurt lately, but hitting his way to starter in Houston

Dmitri Young: coming on strong, but be ready to drop him if he cools off

Steven Adams shares his thoughts on the world of sports at bigdaveonsports.com, your one stop for sports on the web.

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