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Week 4 of the fantasy baseball season is upon us. You're starting to get an idea of what your rosters' strengths and weaknesses are, and what the guys on your team are capable of.
What comes with that is seeing that some guys may not be in for a good 2016, or that you might have some decent, yet unexciting options. I'm going to name some of those guys and if you have them, it might be time to send them packing.
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Week 4 Players to Consider Cutting
1) Juan Nicasio (Pirates, SP)
Nicasio was a major sleeper pick heading into this season. It wouldn't have been the first time Ray Searage turned a zero into a hero. However, despite one great start to open the season, it looks like Nicasio will stay a zero. He has struggled with his command, and his start on Saturday wasn't any better. He walked four batters and has an ERA of 4.50 so far. The strikeouts are there, but are not worth the damage Nicasio will do to your ratios. Ya gone!
2) Jeremy Hazelbaker (Cardinals, OF)
A trendy waiver pick up after he filled in admirably for the struggling Randal Grichuk, but he seems to have turned into a pumpkin again. He did homer and drive in three on Saturday, but the whole lineup went off so I'm not sure that means he's going to be relevant again. He came out of nowhere, so it's not like we can really expect much here. Grichuk is a much better player too so Hazelbaker's playing time is capped. Back to the waiver wire with you!
3) Cesar Hernandez (Phillies, 2B/SS/3B)
I get it. A cheap leadoff man, no matter on what team, has value in fantasy. Unfortunately, Hernandez has not been very good at all for the Phils. If he can't get on base, he can't steal. If he can't steal, well he's basically useless since he possesses virtually no power. More importantly, Hernandez was dropped to ninth in the order on Friday so his value takes an even bigger hit if that move becomes permanent eventually.
4) Caleb Cotham (Reds, RP)
For anyone who lost Perkins or who had Hoover, Cotham was likely one of your recent pickups. He was one of mine too (Perkins owner here). Unfortunately, he doesn't look like he will pan out. The Reds are a mess in general and Cotham was not effective on Saturday. In fact, they brought him in in the seventh inning. I'm not touching the Reds' bullpen situation with a 10-foot pole. Buh-bye.
Hot Seat
So these are some guys you shouldn't cut just yet, but who would be the first to go on most rosters if you need to add someone else.
1) Shelby Miller (Diamondbacks, SP)
Miller has enough upside to make him difficult to cut outright. However, he's very droppable in my opinion. In deep leagues though, he might be worth hanging on to just a tad longer. His problem is mainly mechanical. If that gets rectified, he could get on track in a big way. The velocity is more or less the same, it's really just about his release and follow-through. The seat is extremely hot here though so if a must-add player presents himself, don't hesitate to drop Miller for him.
2) Steven Souza Jr. (Rays, OF)
There's no denying that Souza has upside and can be a 20/20 threat. However, he strikes out a ton. He also is maddeningly streaky and will kill your average. He will be on the hot seat until he shows some form of consistency. It's not time to automatically drop him - at least not yet. There is upside to be had here, but if there is a better option out there, it might be time to move on.
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