Contact Sport

Today I'm going to go over some of the usual suspects who have stellar BA's that are supported by their CR. The first list is obvious and though their AVG's might be too good to be true they will not have any problems being at the top of the charts all year long.

The Studs

Chipper Jones: .406 AVG, 90% CR. Absolutely insane. Finishing the year over .350 shouldn't be out of the question at this rate.

Lance Berkman: .393 AVG 88% CR Enfuego. Avg too high to sustain but CR ensures he'll be top of the charts in September.

Furcal, Pujols, V-Mart, Tejada: All have an AVG between .366-.340 and CR's between 88-92%.

The above guys should keep up high AVG's for the foreseeable future.

Next Group are guys who are hitting very well but one might wonder...
Is it for real?

Xavier Nady: .340 BA, 80% CR. Though the CR isn't horrible, it shouldn't be enough to sustain that high of an AVG. Expect a move back down to the norm. Nady is a career .270 hitter. He could better his career AVG but I wouldn't expect a finishing AVG of .300.

Aaron Rowand: .336 BA, 74% CR. This one is easy. Decline to happen. Career .288 AVG. He could still be around his career AVG though. But his contact could use some improvement. Especially to carry at this pace.

Ryan Theriot: .333 BA, 90% CR. Well looky here the career .286 hitter is looking like he can stay above .300. Who doesn't love "The Riot"?

Justin Upton: .326 BA, 71% CR. The rate doesn't sustain the AVG. He should most certainly come back down to Earth a bit. The one thing he does have going for him is that his brother somehow inexplicably is able to hold a higher AVG than his CR supports. Whats with these Uptons anyway? BABIP masters?

Conor Jackson: .325 BA, 92% CR. As you were Conor. You've been on the good side of this list for the last couple of years now. Keep up the good work young man, you're gonna be a star!

Kevin Youklis: .313 BA, 84% CR. Reasonable enough. He might dip to the .285-.290 range but i don't think we'll hear any griping from owners.

Kosuke Fukudome: .312 BA, 81% CR. Should regress a bit, but I have faith in his hitting background to think that he stays in the .290-.300 range.

Ryan Church: .319 BA, 75% CR. Well, this hot item should see a drop in BA. To shop or not to shop? That is the question.

Ian Kinsler: .316 BA, 85% CR. That's my boy blue! Maybe not a .316 hitter all year but the hopes are high for a .285 and up. Right on or more than owners were banking on. Really has taken his leadoff role to heart.

Geovany Soto: .315 BA, 73% CR. Oh, my favorite one so far. I didn't draft him when I wanted to and I'm looking for anything to make me feel better. This is a start. The CR doesn't support the AVG. Small decline ahead. I still should've drafted him when I had the chance. Doh!

Matt Kemp: .313 BA, 73% CR. Not gonna cut it. Drop-off ensuing. Still is kind of a freak at this stat though. Maybe he hung out with the Upton Bros. when he was little.

Casey Kotchman: .309 BA, 93% CR. Yahtzee! We have a winner.

Nate McClouth: .307 BA, 87% CR. Looks like we are here to stay.

Josh Hamilton: .306 BA, 85% CR. Decent chance of keeping it up, though .285-.290 would be more reasonable.

An AVG likely to increase...

Robinson Cano: .188 BA, 89% CR. Beam me up Scotty!

Jose Guillen: .207 BA, 76% CR. Though AVG inevitably has to climb the 76% CR will put a cap on it. .270 this year? He still has to produce to get there though.

Gary Sheffield: .208 BA, 76% CR. A climb? Sure. To the top of the mountain? No.

Carlos Pena: .209 BA, 66% CR. Ohh. Chicks dig the long ball though Carlos.

David Ortiz: .240 BA, 84% CR. Unless the knee is going to ruin the whole season, the AVG should climb up above the knees...or something like that?

Ryan Garko: .231 BA, 85% CR. Scour the wire in case he's there. Numbers shall improve.

Ichiro: .282 BA, 92% CR. .282 is low for this guy. Hold on your ship is about to ascend...quickly.

Delmon Young: .266 BA, 82% CR. With your amount of HR you better improve that AVG. Yes I'm bitter.

Vladimir Guerrero: .271 BA, .84% CR. A rise would be no surprise.

Eric Byrnes: .221 BA, 85% CR. Make sure to pop your ears as you go up.

Ryan Howard: .171 BA, 61% CR. Yes a rise from .171 is certain but any thoughts of this guy not hurting your AVG are fantasies at this point. Man I love when GOTOS is right. Good call Brett and Jay.

Rickie Weeks: .188 BA, 82% CR. Half-way respectable CR. Obviously an incline is on the way, but how much for this streaky hitter? 82% can push him above .260??

Mark Teixeira: .261 BA, 87% CR. AVG will rise. Promise.

Prince Fielder: .241 BA, 83% CR. See Teixeira.

Stephen Drew: .264 BA, 86% CR. Yup, a spike is on the way

Ryan Zimmerman: .239 BA, 81% CR. Don't bail now, a little better days are on the way.

Chris B Young: .238 BA, 70% CR. Apparently this is what you get. Hope you like it.

Mark Reynolds: .230 BA, 61% CR. Ouch! Thus the term sell-high. Well past that point now.