Top 5 fantasy baseball Yankees

In the fantasy baseball world walks are nearly worth nothing, defense unaccounted for, and for some inexplicable reason pitcher wins are still valued. Those are all assuming a league holds the standard 5x5 structure (W, SV, ERA, WHIP, K | R, RBI, HR, SB, AVG), but most leagues are arranged that way. It’s a crazy world, completely different from that of normal baseball. So, who are the most valuable Yankees in the fantasy vortex thus far in 2015?

1) Andrew Miller

Coming into 2015 the Yankees closer position seemed up in the air, something to be decided on the fly. But, Joe Girardi made up his mind quickly, with the help of some amazing Miller performances. It’s obvious now that Miller is the New York Yankees closer and he is excelling in the role. He has nine saves on the season, which are very hard to come by in fantasy baseball. After 12.1 innings of work he still has not allowed an earned run. His .57 WHIP and 21strikeouts round out his outstanding fantasy worth. Miller is a highlight for the Yankees pen, and the cornerstone of Yankees fantasy baseball success.

2) Mark Teixeira

Over half of Teixeira’s hits this season have been home runs. Once you get over that initial shock, understand he only has 16 hits for a .216 average in 2015. The eight home runs are worth a lot in fantasy though, certainly enough to forgo worrying about his average. Other than leading the team in home runs, his 18 RBI also top the list of Yankees. Though he won’t be stealing you any bags, Teixeira has put in one of the more impressive and strange seasons thus far. He is the most valuable fantasy bat in the lineup—a true testament to the difference between fantasy baseball and baseball baseball.

3) Michael Pineda

Though I have my personal qualms with quantifying and valuing the pitcher’s individual win category, the fantasy world remains insistent on it. So, Michael Pineda’s three wins are not only relevant, but also highly prized. His 1.12 WHIP, and team leading 32 strikeouts don’t hurt either. Masahiro Tanaka has a lower WHIP and ERA, but the strikeouts and wins push Pineda into the three spot on this list.

4) Brett Gardner

Gardner, though only logging 65 at bats this season, he has six steals. He’s also scored 15 runs and is batting .308, the second highest average on the team. He even put one over the fence erasing all goose eggs from his fantasy scoreboard. A lot of people may be surprised to see him over Jacoby Ellsbury, but that’s the reality of fantasy. It’s not about the big names. It’s about the astoundingly slim, selective, and objective statistics. And thus far in 2015 Gardner has been the fourth most valuable fantasy Yankee player. But don’t worry, the next pick will probably be even more of a surprise for many.

5) Chris Young

Yes, Ellsbury isn’t even on the list! Neither is Alex Rodriguez! Or Chase Headley! Or Brian McCann! I’m not sure if that is good or bad for the Yankees. But, it certainly is good for Chris Young. I have him below Gardner only because of the steals being 5-0 in Gardner’s favor. Steals are the hardest stat to come by in fantasy, so for me their value holds a lot of weight. However, Young still has been fantastic. He has one of the best averages on the team at .305. Five home runs and 11 RBI don’t hurt either. A few steals could come, but he won’t be breaking the bank there. He’s the hot hand on the team. Over the last seven Yankees games he’s hitting .412. It’s no secret that Girardi must find ways to get him into the lineup, and he has also worked his way into the Yankees fantasy lineup.