Three months into the season, and all owners can count on is that there are going to be changes at the top of the leader board from month to month. The stars are always going to be your stars, but adjusting and adapting based on what is happening in the course of a given period is what separates playoff teams.

Nearing the season’s halfway point, every injury and benching gets scrutinized to the smallest of details. This week has given us plenty to digest. Not only are two stars going to be down or out, others are slated to pick up or lose some playing time.

After spending time last week looking at the National League, it is important to turn to the Junior Circuit. The statistical power is more evident here, as referenced last week. Without as much finesse in the game, home runs and RBI numbers are just bigger. Sure, there are top players in the National League that rival any that the AL will throw out. The change is depth.

Outfielders across the American League have received deserved attention of late. Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury have made pitchers think twice prior to delivering to the plate. Adam Lind and Nelson Cruz have found hitting the ball out of the park to be an easy task. Even Torii Hunter has recovered from what some would call a down 2008 campaign.

With the second month of the season in the books, the last 31 days have shed some light on crowded situations and potential short-term solutions for owners needing offense out of a stagnant roster. Developments from early this month in Baltimore created shuffling in the ranks, and a move on the final day could have ramifications for another team in the AL East.

While most leagues only require one of most positions, the fact that most owners need to find four and five outfielders means that depth is at a premium. Finding offense on waivers is both easier and harder because of the sheer number of players at the position. Take 30 teams playing three outfielders each, and you get the idea.

 

So if you’re struggling and need a quick injection of offense, a move for a player on a hot streak could be just what the doctor ordered.

(Ed. Note--Collin Hager will be taking over the Roaming The Outfield column every week--welcome Collin!)

Fantasy owners are an impatient bunch. We want results and we want them yesterday. When you take into account that behavior as a standard approach, there are times we overreact. A player gets off on a run, and we don’t want to be late jumping on the bandwagon. Maybe we grab them too early, and maybe we shouldn’t have picked them up at all.