Ok gamers, with 2 months in the books for the 2015 fantasy baseball season, there is a lot to mull over.  One of my favorite things to do is analyze the best value picks at each position, which constitutes any player who is over performing based on the price you paid for him or where you drafted him.  Sometimes identifying under performers is like shooting fish in a barrel, so let analyze which players are giving rosters the best value at the 8 week mark.   Naturally these can be debated, but the arguments are compelling.

CATCHER – Stephen Vogt

You can try to debate this, but good luck.  Vogt is the top rated player with catcher eligibility in baseball right now and went undrafted in most leagues.  If you snatched him up good for you, because he would be a stud at any position let alone catcher.  He’s 7^th in all of baseball with 38 RBIs, has a .411 OBP and has shown no signs of slowing down.

FIRST BASE – Lucas Duda

Coming off a stretch where he hit 5 HRs in 6 games, Duda has been a staple in the Mets offense all season.  The only player in the line up that has power Duda hasn’t been getting very much to hit this season, making the most of his .394 OBP to pile up the counting stats.  You ignored the 30 HRs he hit last season and justifiably so, but they shouldn’t be ignored again especially because he doesn’t kill your other offensive categories.

SECOND BASE – Devon Travis

I’d normally leave an injured player off this list, but Devon Travis was putting up record breaking numbers before his injury.  He still has more HRs, RBIs and runs than guys like Jimmy Paredes with 20 fewer ABs.  He was likely drafted late if drafted at all and is a five category contributor.

THIRD BASE – Alex Rodriquez

I don’t love A-rod, but you have to give him his props.  He’s come back to the game clean, after more than a year’s absence, no one likes him and experts predicted him to have a malnourished stat line, but all he has done is hit… and hit  a lot… for power.  I still don’t like him, and you don’t have to… but his stats thus far make him a tremendous value pick at 3B.

SHORT STOP – Brandon Crawford

Aside from the Golden State Warriors, Crawford is the only thing worth talking about in San Francisco right now, and currently the top ranked SS in fantasy.  SS has not been a kind position to gamers this season, with tons of injuries and gross under performance.  So Crawford’s ascension to the top of the rankings, though more of a product of players like Reyes, and Tulowitski stepping back statistically still demands recognition.  His pace may continue, but you should expect other short stops to start out pacing as well.  Honorable mention to Johnny Peralta who is currently the 2^nd rated SS.

OUTFIELD –A.J. Pollock

Unlike many others on this list Pollok was drafted somewhere outside the top 100 versus not being drafted at all.  I love his 20/20 upside and the combination of speed and power makes him a viable fantasy asset and currently the 6^th best OF in the game.  His contributions to your roster are making the sluggish starts of Andrew McCutchen, Adam Jones, YasielPuig and Michael Brantley a little more bearable.  I really think his ceiling is even higher than where he’s playing right now.

STARTER – Dallas Keuchel

I would be a fool not to have Keuchel at the top of this list although Shelby Miller and Chris Archer were great value pick ups in the crap shoot that is mid tier pitching.  Keuchel however has be a surefire lock down flame throwing ace who will be a CY Young candidate when all is said and done.  Keuchel doesn’t pile up the strikeouts, but he boasts a sub 1 WHIP and a sub 2 ERA when combined with 7 wins is way better than owners hoped for when they drafted him.