The reason that this is such a good time to buy low is because struggling players may be digging their owners in an early hole. These owners will be willing to make moves in order to climb out of that hole. You also want to get these players before they start to get hot and their owners think twice about trading them. If you get them now, you will be the beneficiary of their normal numbers when they do start to perform up to their standards.

I’ve identified a few players that I think are very good buy low candidates that people will begin to go after in the next couple of weeks.

Chris Iannetta-

One promising sign is that he is taking walks. He has a 19.2 BB% which is good for a .321 OBP. The swings and misses have led to a 31.0 K%. His BB% should be somewhere around 13% and his K% should be somewhere around 24%. These numbers will even themselves out soon but in the mean time it’s not helping his owner. Once Iannetta gets his swing straightened out and starts squaring up the ball he is going to take off. Even if you don’t necessarily need a catcher, he is a valuable player that can be had on the cheap.

Brandon Phillips-

An owner may be hesitant to give up on such an early draft pick, but Phillips can be had if you are not afraid of giving up a hot commodity at the moment. It may take a package deal to grab him but what you would get back in return would most likely out-weigh what you would have to give up. Phillips’ struggles are similar to Iannetta’s in that he just has not been able to square the ball up. When Phillips is going good, he has a quick stroke, similar to that of Torii Hunter’s. Right now he just isn’t hitting the ball hard, as indicated by his paltry 10.0 LD%. Position scarcity plays a factor in this instance but Phillips can be had for cheaper than normal.

CC Sabathia-

CC is walking a lot of hitters so far. His 3.90 BB/9 is well above his average from the last five years, which is right around 2 BB/9. As with catchers that take a while to get into a groove, sometimes it takes large pitchers some time to get their delivery on point.  A good sign is that hitters are batting only .254 against him, which is right around his career average. So, a higher number than average are reaching base against him via the walk opposed to him getting hit hard. The thing that has hurt him is that hitters are getting their hits against him with men on base. His 66.4 LOB% is about ten points off of where he ended up last year.