The end of a season is just about the only time where fans and fantasy owners can sit back and appreciate what their favorite players have accomplished. All things are equal then, so all numbers count the same. But, up until that point, there’s an ebb and flow to every player’s season, where hot streaks, cold streaks and fundamental changes should alter how he is viewed by fantasy owners.

There are all kinds of ways to split the numbers and get a deeper sense for a player’s long-term value. One of the easiest, most common ways is to take periodic snapshots of his production. Constantly take looks at the last seven days, the last two weeks, this month, last month, before the All-Star break, after the All-Star break. The numbers and the trends reveal stories and tell you where players have been and where they could ultimately be going. Read more »

Travis Snider is a bright, young talent, and he is blessed with abilities to hit for both average and power. But, perhaps the biggest point in the soon-to-be 21-year-old’s favor is manager Cito Gaston’s preference to see him win the left field job in spring training. And barring some uncharacteristic cluelessness at the plate, Snider should do just that.

If given the opportunity, Snider will prove to be one of steadiest producers of the 2009 rookie class. While his minor league numbers aren’t gaudy, they give great reason to believe Snider will hit for both average and some power right away. There’s some concern over high strikeout totals, but those come naturally for big, powerful hitters. Read more »