Miguel Montero - Montero has been killing it since Tax Day, hitting in 10 straight starts after a 2-4 on Monday night. He's now hitting 298/373/491 despite a BABIP of .300 and a LD rate of 27.9%, and he's posting the best chase rate and swinging strike% of his entire career. The power numbers are a bit fluky this early in the year in all likelihood, but I think that the extra rest, protection against LHP, and solid lineup around him are going to continue to benefit him all season. He's still owned in just over 9% of ESPN leagues, and I'd be very surprised if he doesn't end up as a top-15 C at the very least, with a top-12 finish being a reasonable bet. He should be owned.
Alex Wood - Wood's rough start to 2015 continued on Monday, as he allowed 11 baserunners to the slap-hitting Phillies in just 4 1/3 innings. His walk rate is up significantly thus far this year, something that is likely predicated on his sizable drop in swinging strike% rather than less overall control....lots of 3-2 counts where he feels compelled to nibble because he just can't get people to miss. His offspeed pitches have been much weaker this year than last, and his usage might point to a bit of a loss of confidence in them as well (FB usage up 11%). This does feel like something that can be turned around, but for the time being I would hesitate to use him in most formats until he can get something else working besides his fastball.
Yasmani Grandal - Grandal was 3-4 again on Monday, making him 7-9 with 2 doubles and a homer over the past three games. Grandal has exhibited a much improved contact rate this year, and should continue to have a significantly increased number of RBI opportunities versus last year hitting in the 7th spot of the Dodger lineup. He's still just 26, so a bit of a power boost wouldn't be out of the question either. I like the upside here.
Jay Bruce - One of the things that I like to look at from time to time to gauge a player's overall health is the stats that we often ignore as fantasy players: defense and baserunning. Bruce is obviously hitting for a poor average to start the year, but with a BABIP under .200 and a typical (for him) LD rate, that should be expected to move upward. He's hit for a fairly consistent HR/FB rate for his entire career....it's just the number of flyballs that have varied significantly. He's hitting the ball in the air much more this year, so that's also a good sign. What I definitely like to see is the sizable uptick is his defense and baserunning....to me, that's a sign that he's feeling better physically, and I also like the 2nd-best chase rate of his career and the best swinging strike% since 2012. Lots of reasonably positive signs for the likelihood of Bruce returning to a 30 HR, 100 RBI guy with a bit of speed thrown in.
Aaron Harang - Harang tossed another quality start Monday, allowing just 5 hits and 1 run to the Braves over 6 innings, walking 1 and striking out 2. The control has been the biggest difference (aside from the strength of the opposing offenses) for Harang this year, as his zone% is the highest that we've seen in 6 seasons. That stat is likely as much a function of the weakness of the opposing teams that he's faced as anything, as his stuff isn't appreciably different than it's been for years. He gets the Mets next on Sunday before facing the D-Backs and Rockies (in Colorado) over the next few weeks....while I might feel comfortable with the first and possibly the second, I can't imagine the third will work out well. By month's end that ERA should be back above 3.00 where it belongs....he's still just a streaming option, and not as good of a one as it might appear most of the time.
