It seems a sly Sox fan has tried to jinx the new Yankee Stadium by burying a David Ortiz jersey in the bowels of the structure. Assuming this isnât the most elaborate episode of âPunkâdâ ever, we can chalk it is as a bad joke.
If you think the Boston Buryer was trying to get one over on us, check out some of these early-season stats, which eventually are sure to be exposed as April tomfoolery.
Don’t let our skepticism keep you from plucking these guys off the waivers, in the rare event they are there. But just be advised to expect a significant dip in their blistering pace. Mark Reynolds, 3B, Dâbacks â We agree, he is an impressive young talent. But do you really believe he is going to challenge for the home run and RBI titles? Yes, when he does hit homers, they tend to stay airborne for ages (hit a 445-footer last week vs. the Dodgers), but he still strikes out a lot and is too young to think he will remain consistent. Lock him on to your keeper roster, but if youâre in a redraft league, start talking deal now while Reynolds is among the league leaders in power numbers.
Nate McLouth, OF, Pirates â It seems as if McLouth has been the potential âbreakout playerâ for several years now. Has he finally broken out? We tend to believe he has improved, but nowhere near to the levels his numbers reflect. He carried a .391 average into the weekend, this after a career-best .258 last season. This is only his third full year, so a dramatic jump in average is not out of the question, but expect that jump to be closer to 20-30 points, not in the 80-100 range.
Jeff Keppinger, SS/3B, Reds â Looked pretty good in limited time last year, but his .342 average is a little too healthy. With his future undetermined upon the return of Alex Gonzalez, use Keppinger as a temporary fill-in and only hold on to him if you have the extra roster space.
Edwin Jackson, SP, Rays â He doesnât look like the same pitcher who went 5-15 last year with a 5.76 ERA. But weâre betting, deep down, he still is that pitcher. Find a sucker if you can. If you canât, either dump him or let him sit on your waiver wire.