Happy (second) Opening Day! It seems like it’s been too long since I had the opportunity and the privilege to talk some category impact. If you’re new to the site or just forget how this article works, let me offer a quick refresher. Category Impact will offer up anywhere from four to six players that can help you out in a certain category, whether it be stolen bases, home runs, or strikeouts. Some weeks, there will be an added focus on a specific categories, while others will be just players that you will want to pick up, but there will be in-depth analysis detailing exactly what category, or categories, a certain player will be of added benefit.

Even being just one game into the long baseball season, I already have a few players in mind that should have you scurrying to your league’s waiver wire.

Matt Davidson, DH CWS – This was a guy that I liked heading into the 2018 season, but found myself reluctant to pull the trigger on draft night. Well, it would have been nice to have him on a roster or two following yesterday’s output. Davidson made hard contact with regularity in 2017, and he did it again to start off his 2018 campaign. He went 3-for-4 with three home runs, each off a different pitcher, four runs scored and five RBI. That’s one heck of a day for the 27-year-old. While his current pace for well over 400 home runs this season is a bit of wishful thinking, he’s going to be a legitimate power source in 2018, no doubt. He averaged a home run every 17 plate appearances last season, and if he were to accrue 600 plate appearances this year, he would hit 35 home runs this season, much improved from last year’s 26 four-baggers.

He’s a major batting average liability, seeing as not only did he hit .220 last season, but his 37.2 K% is atrocious. During his minor league career he was closer to 30 percent for the most part, and getting anywhere near that mark could push his batting average up closer to a more respectable .240. Regardless, the power is legitimate and he’s a great source of power that is available in a good chunk of leagues.

Jon Jay, OF KC – Did you catch the baseball podcast with me and Nate Miller yesterday? If so, you will know that I like Jon Jay in deeper formats as a safety net for batting average and on-base percentage. Whichever statistic your league values, Jay can be a valuable option for your fantasy team(s). Consider the following:

YEAR

GAMES PLAYED

AVG

OBP

2010

105

.300

.359

2011

159

.297

.344

2012

117

.305

.373

2013

157

.276

.351

2014

140

.303

.372

2015

79

.210

.306

2016

90

.291

.339

2017

141

.296

.374


In his eight year career, he’s hit above .290 six times, and above .275 in all but one season, which happened to be in 2015, his final year with the Cardinals. In terms of his on-base percentage, his mark has been above .350 in five seasons, including three of the last five. Jay is unowned in the majority of fantasy formats, but you can offset some batting average woes by rostering Jay. Sure, he’s not the sexiest pick, because he doesn’t do much in terms of power or speed, but he could be a valuable source of runs hitting in front of guys like Whit Merrifield and Mike Moustakas.

Blake Parker, RP LAA – While Cam Bedrosian likely still gets some save opportunities early in and throughout the year, he didn’t exactly fare well in his 2018 debut. Parker didn’t pitch in this outing, but that tipped the hand of manager Mike Scioscia. With Bedrosian registering just one out, compared to three hits allowed and one earned run, Parker’s job security moved up the totem pole a notch or two. Not only is he a team closer, which is enough reason to roster him, he could be leading the league in saves after the first two weeks of the season. Aside from a three-game set with the Indians, the Angels have favorable matchups with the Athletics again, Rangers and four games with the Royals.

Parker is owned in just 59 and 61 percent of ESPN and Yahoo! fantasy leagues respectively, but if he’s available in your league, snatch him up. Scioscia was holding him out for the potential save opportunity and Parker posted exceptional marks of 11.5 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 67.1 innings last season. Yes, he was bad in spring training this year, but buy in now while you have the chance.

Kole Calhoun, OF LAA – The numbers to know here are 67.2 and 24. Those numbers are in fact the percentage of leagues that Calhoun is owned in on ESPN and Yahoo! respectively. There was some trepidation with him heading into the season, due to a decrease last season in his batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and his OPS. He saw a small uptick in his walk rate, even though his strikeout rate went up from 2016, but still below his 2015 mark. Calhoun has never turned out to be the speed guy that many thought he might be at the big league level, but he is a serviceable offensive option in fantasy leagues, even in a league where power is far from a premium.

On Opening Day, not only did Calhoun triple and score two runs, but he hit his first home run of the season off Oakland starter Kendall Graveman. It’s also worth noting that he hit fifth in the lineup, ahead of Andrelton Simmons and behind future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. That’s a much better spot for his fantasy value, because guys ahead of him, namely Mike Trout and Justin Upton should get on base with regularity (of course, Trout and Upton go a combined 0-for-11 yesterday, but that won’t happen often).

With an improved average this season, Calhoun should be a nice source of power (20ish home runs) and RBI (80ish).