With Opening Day just five days away, fantasy baseball players are busy studying mock drafts and figuring out who they should select with their picks. However, there are certain players that look good to the eye, but who simply cannot be trusted to perform well on your fantasy team.
The new ace in Kansas City may have fans excited for an upgraded rotation, but his numbers may significantly drop as he transitions to the AL Central. In spring training this year, Shields was rocked by the Angels, giving up eight earned runs on 11 hits in just five innings. His ERA this spring is currently at 7.90, certainly not a good mark for a pitcher who is looking to establish himself as the staple of a franchise.
Last year, Shields was an inconsistent fantasy option. According to CBS Sports, he exceeded AccuScore projections for 15 weeks, but also failed to meet them 11 times. In 10 weeks alone, he scored five or less points, including two weeks of negative production.
OF Mike Trout
He may have been baseball's consensus Rookie of the Year last year, but Trout may be due for a sophomore slump this season. It was already reported that he showed up to spring training upwards of 15 pounds heavier than when he showed up last year. Trout's agent also voiced his displeasure with the Angels' decision to pay him just $20,000 above the major league minimum.
Teams also began to figure out Trout to a certain degree as the season ended. He hit fewer home runs in August and September then he did in July, and he only batted .257 and was limited to six RBI in the final month of the season. As more teams begin to adjust to Trout, expect the rookie sensation to experience more struggles in his second year.
2B/SS Danny Espinosa
The Nationals are the talk of the town in Washington, D.C., as they are coming off a year where they had the best record in the MLB and pitcher Stephen Strasburg will pitch a full season.
However, their middle infielder, Danny Espinosa, is certainly a risk for fantasy baseball owners. According to ESPN.com, he posted terrible numbers in his walk-to-strikeout ratio (0.24) and his miss rate on swings (32 percent).
He is also a huge risk when it comes to batting average. Last year, he only hit .300 or above during the month of July. He also started the season off poorly, hitting .226 in the first three months. Power numbers aren't his specialty either, as he accounted for only 17 home runs and 37 doubles.
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