The start of the MLB season always brings surprises from unlikely sources. Unexpected batting averages, home run counts, and RBI totals leave us scratching our heads when they come from the player with no name. Highlighted below are some of these big surprises.
Jorge Cantu (FLA): Lots of people wrote Cantu off, saying he wouldn’t be a big factor in 2009. 8 home runs and 32 RBIs through mid-May have silenced these folks. Cantu hasn’t had any problems at the plate and, despite missing a few games due to a wrist injury, he has shown that he hasn’t bothered him and has produced very good numbers. Cantu is second in the National League in RBI behind only Albert Pujols. Given that he was written off by some fantasy forecasters, Cantu’s strong production behind Hanley Ramirez has come as a surprise, and owners who were able to recruit him haven’t been disappointed.
Ryan Zimmerman (WSH): Let’s face it: When a story comes out of Washington, most of the time it’s not pretty. Zimmerman is the exception. Riding a 30-game hitting streak since May 12, Zimmerman has been the only bright spot outside of the national capitol this season. Surrounded by an ever-changing lineup and an even less stable bullpen, Zimmerman has been consistent in the 32 games he’s played. With his 30-game hitting streak, he has 8 home runs, 26 RBIs and a solid .364 average.
Adrian Gonzalez (SD): Gonzalez has proven he’s a worthwhile fantasy option and can produce a 30 HR, 100 RBI line in the terrible hitting conditions in San Diego. This year it seemed as if Gonzalez’s numbers had to drop considering the pathetic lineup surrounding him. However, González is off to a strong start and is the league leader in home runs through mid-May with 15 home runs. His RBI numbers don’t compare to other big hitters in the league, as he only has 29, which is the fault of the guys in front of him who just don’t get along. The surprise here is that opposing pitchers are throwing the ball anywhere at the plate to Gonzalez. He’s the only guy in that lineup to have done anything this year, and pitchers should avoid him altogether. Going forward, it will be noteworthy to see if teams just avoid him, or if he somehow keeps getting thrown around and improves his numbers.
