Conor Jackson (1B - Diamondbacks) - What has happened to Conor Jackson? In 2006 and 2007, Jackson averaged a HR for every 32.3 and 27.7 at-bats. He struggled a bit in 2008, dropping his AB/HR to 45.0 with only 12 HR in 540 AB. But none of that compares to what has happened since that season. After a shortened 2009 season when he hit just 1 HR in 99 AB, Jackson has yet to hit another HR and has gone homerless in 2010. That gives him 203 AB over the last two seasons with just 1 HR. He mentioned he's not trying to hit HR's now (which is pretty obvious), but when you're not producing with other XBH, average, or OBP, you become completely marginalized and have no fantasy value whatsoever.
Derrek Lee (1B - Cubs) - Lee had another 3-hit game last night, his second in two games, and it looks like he's finally getting hot. Lee is hitting just .242 for the season and has 13 XBH for a SLG of .382. Not the best, considering Lee's career SLG is .501. While he has been slumping, his BB/K rate has actually improved from previous years and his AB/HR of 29.7 is just a few HR's away from getting back to his career rate of 20.7. Even his GO/AO rate has remained steady from last year. The hits just haven't been dropping. These 3-hit games are a great sign for Lee owners. I think he's poised for a monstrous June.
Jose Reyes (SS - Mets) - Reyes finally looks like he's breaking out and getting into the swing of things (no pun intended). He has four straight multi-hit games and 5 in the last 6, raising his average from .216 to .238 during that brief time span. He even swiped two bags a couple of games ago, looking healthy on the base paths once again and giving fantasy owners flashbacks to the Reyes we used to own and love. Perhaps its the warmer weather or just enough ABs under his belt to finally get comfortable at the plate, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Reyes continue his hot production and come close to returning to the old Reyes throughout the summer months.
Hisanori Takahashi (P - Mets) - Originally just a stop-gap in the Mets rotation for injured pitchers John Maine and Jonathan Niese, Takahashi has been the real deal in his two games as a starter. He has two quality starts and has pitched 12.0 scoreless innings while giving up 5 hits in each outing and just 1 walk in total. He has added 11 K's as well. We're not talking about starts against two weak offensive teams either. These are starts against the Yankees and the Phillies, two of the best offensive teams in the majors. He has a deceptive motion that seems to be fooling hitters who have never seen him (so you have to wonder just how long it will last once teams start to figure him out). In any event, he doesn't look to be going anywhere at this point and will be a two-start pitcher in Fantasy Week 9 against the Padres in San Diego and back home against the Marlins next weekend.
Ubaldo Jimenez (SP - Rockies) - So much for any hamstring cramps. Jiminez took the mound on Wednesday looking like a legitimate Cy-Young contender. Sure its a littel premature to start talking like that, but Jimenez has been absolutely filthy this year. He has 10 straight quality starts and is now 9-1 for the year, lowering his ERA to 0.88 with 16.1 straight scoreless innings. He has a K/I of 0.86 for the year, 0.34 BB/I, and in incredible 0.93 WHIP. Ubaldo will have to have a blow-up or two at some point in the season - keeping an ERA and WHIP under 1.00 is impossible these days. But this is certainly looking like the big year for Jimenez to breakout and make the leap from household FANTASY name, to just household name.
