X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

ADP Champs or Chumps: Yasmani Grandal & Rougned Odor

Isn't it amazing? We spend the entire offseason hatching grand plans about how we are going to dominate our leagues. No detail is left unexplored. When Opening Day comes around, we are mentally prepared to treat it as the first step in our inevitable march toward fantasy immortality.

Then, a few games are played and all of our preparation goes out the proverbial window. Tanaka got rocked! Stanton didn't hit a homer! My year is over! As much as we seem to enjoy fretting about our stars, we also take more notice of strong performances on Opening Day than we would on some random date in June.

Four different players hit two homers in their club's opener. One of them was a pitcher whose offensive statistics don't matter in fantasy. Another was Khris Davis, who I offered an opinion on during the offseason. That leaves catcher Yasmani Grandal and second sacker Rougned Odor for the analysis below. Let's get started!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

The Fantasy Jury is Out

Yasmani Grandal (C, LAD) ADP: 147.5

It would be pointless to analyze a one game sample, so I'll use 2016 data until 2017 numbers become more relevant. Grandal's .228/.339/.477 triple slash line in 2016 wasn't spectacular, but 27 bombs in just 457 PAs caught everyone's attention. Grandal always flashed power, but he was more of a 25 homer guy until last year. What happened?

He did a lot to improve his power profile, actually. He hit a few more flies (37.3 percent FB% in 2015, 39.2 percent last year) and made them count with a HR/FB surge (16.3 percent in 2015 to 25.2 percent last year). HR/FB can be difficult to trust, but Grandal's spike seems mostly real. It is easiest to pull home runs, and Grandal pulled a lot more flies (27.1 percent) than he did the previous year (18.4 percent). Statcast also trusts his power, as Grandal's 13.9 percent Brls/BBE ranked 20th in all of MLB last year. He may not have a 25 percent HR/FB again, but Grandal seems to have taken his power game to another level.

Grandal's .228 average last year was poor, but the underlying .250 BABIP may inspire some to bet on a rebound. Don't. Grandal is vulnerable to the shift (.227 when shift was on, .289 when it wasn't), allergic to line drives (17.9 percent career LD%, 16.1 percent last year), and runs like the catcher he is. His career BABIP is .274, and I'd be shocked if it is even that high in 2017. He also struck out 25.4 percent of the time last year, further dragging down his average.

Thankfully, that stat should regress in his favor. Grandal has an excellent eye, posting a 14 percent BB% backed by a 23.3 percent O-Swing%. He is so patient that he frequently watches strike three go by, dooming him to a higher K% than his SwStr% seems to support. Still, his 10.1 percent SwStr% is nowhere near bad enough to sustain a K-rate over 25 percent.

Grandal hit seventh on Opening Day, suggesting that LA's endless depth may rob him of the counting stat opportunities a hitter of his caliber would get on another team. The net result is a talented, yet flawed, fantasy asset. Most of his owners paid for him accordingly, so he gets a Champ tag.

Verdict: Champ

 

Roughned Odor (2B, TEX) ADP: 43.3

I had no idea Odor was this popular on Draft Day. His 33 bombs and 14 steals combined for a nice fantasy package, but his .271 average wasn't special, his .296 OBP was terrible, and his seven CS took a big bite out of his value in leagues that use Net Steals. His 66 percent success rate also means that he probably won't run as often in 2017, especially if Texas stays in the race. If that is the case, all he has is power.

Odor's power seems similar to Grandal's at first. He had a modest increase in FB% (39.7 percent to 42.2 percent) relative to the year before, making most of his gains in the HR/FB department (11.8 percent vs. 17 percent). Unlike Grandal, however, nothing in his profile supports the spike. He pulled an impressive number of fly balls (31.4 percent), but he did that in 2015 too (27.2 percent). Statcast was also unimpressed, as Odor's 8.4 percent Brls/BBE was very meh. The fly ball-heavy profile supports 20 HR or so, but his price requires a lot more to make up for the expected loss of speed.

Did I mention he's a batting average risk? Last year's .297 BABIP was close to the league average despite a low 17.6 percent LD% (career 15.9 percent). He also kept his IFFB% under control for the first time in his young career (8.2 percent last year, career 13.7 percent). Both figures could regress, turning him into a .250 hitter before his atrocious plate discipline is even considered.

His 3 percent BB% was horrific, and the underlying 41.8 percent O-Swing% suggests that it is a fairly accurate representation of Odor's ability. His 21.4 percent K% was league average despite this, but his SwStr% (12 percent) was not as fortunate. His aggressiveness at the plate (54.3 percent Swing%) can help him end PAs before he has a chance to strikeout, but this is the kind of profile that surges to an unacceptable K% in a hurry.

Odor hit 5th on Opening Day, the last batting order slot with any real fantasy value. If he hits like I think he will, he'll lose it before June. Heck, Jurickson Profar may even force him to the bench so speedster Delino DeShields Jr. can play everyday. If you own Odor, all is not lost. His two-homer opener should allow you to trade him for value before everyone realizes just how shaky his profile really is.

Verdict: Chump

 

More Player Outlooks




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Justin Tucker2 hours ago

Facing More Sexual-Assault Allegations
Yanni Gourde2 hours ago

Undergoes Sports-Hernia Surgery
John Tavares2 hours ago

Matthew Knies Could Return On Saturday
Danton Heinen3 hours ago

Returning To Pittsburgh
Marcus Pettersson3 hours ago

Drew O’Connor Traded To Vancouver
Filip Chytil3 hours ago

Shipped To Vancouver
J.T. Miller3 hours ago

Rangers Acquire J.T. Miller From Vancouver
Alex Bregman4 hours ago

Tigers And Red Sox Emerge As "Co-Favorites" To Land Alex Bregman
Nolan Arenado4 hours ago

Cardinals Unable To Find Trade Partner For Nolan Arenado
Dejounte Murray14 hours ago

Suffers Torn Achilles
Dallas Goedert14 hours ago

Will Be Good To Go Against Chiefs
DeVonta Smith14 hours ago

Expected To Play In Super Bowl
Tampa Bay Buccaneers14 hours ago

Josh Grizzard Promoted To Offensive Coordinator
Dejounte Murray15 hours ago

Suffers Potentially Serious Injury
Pete Alonso16 hours ago

Reds Showing Interest In Pete Alonso
AJ Green17 hours ago

Returns To Bucks Lineup
Khris Middleton17 hours ago

Cleared For Action Friday
Damian Lillard17 hours ago

Good To Go Versus Spurs
Giannis Antetokounmpo17 hours ago

Available Friday Night
Josh Green17 hours ago

Active Friday Against Clippers
Daniel Theis17 hours ago

Sits Out Friday's Game
Jordan Hawkins17 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game Friday
Torrey Craig17 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Friday
Dejounte Murray17 hours ago

Will Play On Friday
Sam Hauser17 hours ago

Returns From Two-Game Absence Friday
Al Horford18 hours ago

Active Friday Against Pelicans
Talen Horton-Tucker18 hours ago

Available Versus Raptors
Isaiah Stewart18 hours ago

Misses Friday's Game Due To Suspension
Zion Williamson18 hours ago

Sidelined On Friday
Jamal Shead18 hours ago

Out On Friday
Kelly Olynyk18 hours ago

Ready To Face Bulls
Gradey Dick18 hours ago

Available Friday
Immanuel Quickley18 hours ago

Returns To Action Friday
Dante Exum18 hours ago

Available With A Minutes Restriction Friday
Mackenzie Blackwood18 hours ago

Faces Blues Friday
Connor Murphy19 hours ago

Set To Return Saturday
John Tavares19 hours ago

Returns To Practice Friday
NYI19 hours ago

Adam Boqvist Claimed By Islanders
VEG19 hours ago

Brandon Saad Moves To Vegas
Jordan Greenway19 hours ago

To Remain Out On Friday
Israel Adesanya21 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nassourdine Imavov21 hours ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Vinicius Oliveira21 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Saudi Arabia
Said Nurmagomedov22 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Saudi Arabia
DeVonta Smith22 hours ago

Not Practicing Again On Friday
Mike Davis22 hours ago

Looks For His Fifth UFC Win
Farés Ziam22 hours ago

Fares Ziam Looks For His Fifth Win In A Row
Connor Clifton23 hours ago

Will Not Play On Friday
Egor Zamula23 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Emil Heineman23 hours ago

Not Traveling With The Team
Mark Kastelic23 hours ago

Will Not Return On Saturday
Félix Bautista23 hours ago

Felix Bautista Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day
Juuse Saros23 hours ago

Battling Illness
Logan Cooley23 hours ago

Out Indefinitely
Ilya Sorokin1 day ago

Extends Winning Streak On Thursday
Brandon Hagel1 day ago

Tallies Three Points In Victory
Mark Scheifele1 day ago

Scores Twice On Thursday
Jorge Polanco1 day ago

Re-Signs With Mariners On One-Year Deal
Kaan Ofli2 days ago

Looks For First UFC Win In Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Naimov2 days ago

Opens Up UFC Saudi Arabia Main Card
Jairzinho Rozenstruik2 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Saudi Arabia
Sergei Pavlovich2 days ago

Looks To Snap Losing Streak At UFC Saudi Arabia
Shara Magomedov2 days ago

Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Saudi Arabia
Michael Page2 days ago

Moves Up To Middleweight At UFC Saudi Arabia
Max Scherzer2 days ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Toronto
Dallas Goedert2 days ago

Being Rested Again On Thursday
DeVonta Smith2 days ago

Misses Practice Again On Thursday
Justin Tucker2 days ago

Accused Of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior
Dylan Cease2 days ago

Cubs A Team To Watch On Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease2 days ago

Mets Showing Interest In Dylan Cease, Michael King
Ja'Marr Chase3 days ago

Extension A Priority For Bengals This Offseason
Matthew Stafford3 days ago

Plans To Play In 2025
Dallas Goedert3 days ago

Sits Out With Ankle Injury
DeVonta Smith3 days ago

Dealing With Hamstring Injury
Carlos Estévez3 days ago

Carlos Estevez Signing With Kansas City
Max Scherzer3 days ago

Blue Jays The Favorites To Land Max Scherzer
Ha-Seong Kim3 days ago

Agrees With Rays, Expected To Return In May
Ryan Pressly3 days ago

To Compete For Ninth-Inning Role In Chicago
Michael King3 days ago

Cubs Have Shown Interest In Michael King
Andrew Novak3 days ago

A Value Play At Pebble Beach
Stephan Jaeger3 days ago

A Risky Option At Pebble Beach
Adam Scott3 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Play At Pebble Beach
Sahith Theegala3 days ago

Looking For Bounce-Back At Pebble Beach
Russell Henley3 days ago

In Great Form Heading Into Pebble Beach
Tony Finau3 days ago

Struggles Continue Ahead Of Pebble Beach
Will Zalatoris3 days ago

Back In Action At Pebble Beach
Jason Day3 days ago

A Course Horse At Pebble Beach
Sam Burns4 days ago

In Great Form Ahead Of Pebble Beach
Hideki Matsuyama4 days ago

Looks To Stay Hot At Pebble Beach
NFL4 days ago

Mike McCarthy Won't Coach In The NFL In 2025
New Orleans Saints4 days ago

Kellen Moore In "Strong Position" To Become Saints Head Coach
Marcelo Mayer4 days ago

Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer Invited To Spring Training
Jazz Chisholm Jr.4 days ago

Expected To Play Second Base In 2025
Justin Thomas4 days ago

Eyeing Victory At Pebble Beach
Detroit Lions4 days ago

Lions Hire John Morton As New Offensive Coordinator
Washington Commanders4 days ago

Kliff Kingsbury To Stay With Commanders
Cleveland Browns4 days ago

Browns Not Interested In Trading Myles Garrett
Collin Morikawa4 days ago

A Reliable Pick At AT&T Pro-Am
Scottie Scheffler4 days ago

Making Season Debut At Pebble Beach
Davis Thompson4 days ago

Treading Water Heading Into Pebble Beach
Nick Taylor4 days ago

Trending Way Up For Pebble Beach
Justin Rose4 days ago

Cannot Be Counted Out At Pebble Beach
Taylor Moore4 days ago

Attempts To Put Torrey Pines Behind Him
Shane Lowry4 days ago

Tries To Rebound After Torrey Pines
PGA4 days ago

Sungjae Im Can Contend Again At Pebble Beach
Ben Griffin4 days ago

A Bit Of An Unknown For Pebble Beach
Josiah Gray4 days ago

Begins Throwing Program, Targeting Late-Season Return
Matt Fitzpatrick4 days ago

An Intriguing Option For Pebble Beach
Russell Wilson5 days ago

Steelers Unlikely To Re-Sign Both Russell Wilson, Justin Fields
Josh Allen5 days ago

Picks Up Wrist Injury In AFC Championship Loss
A.J. Brown5 days ago

Finds The End Zone In Strong Outing
Saquon Barkley5 days ago

Posts Three-Touchdown Performance
Ben Joyce5 days ago

Expected To Open Season In Closer Role
Jose Altuve6 days ago

Willing To Move To Outfield
Ryan Pressly6 days ago

Traded To Cubs After Waiving No-Trade Clause

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP