Buy Low - Buy them now!

Every year, astute fantasy managers win their league by preying on the less-patient managers in their league. You know those managers (I've been accused of being one). The ones that drop a guy if he struggles for a week. The ones that panic when they're in 3rd-to-last place after the first month. As a much more mature, wiser fantasy manager (as I'm sure you are), your job is to recognize which managers you can prey on...and then find the guys you can buy low after the first month. Here are 5 names to get you started.

Ryan Howard, 1B (Phi) - .169 avg, 17 R, 6 HR, 16 RBI - Howard's batting average is atrocious - there's no doubt about it - but the rest of his numbers aren't that bad. Yes he struggled in April, but he struggled in April last year too. Last April, Howard batted .221 with fewer HR, RBI, and R than he had this April. Oh yeah and he still finished with MVP-type numbers last year 94 R/47 HR/136 RBI. With table-setter Jimmy Rollins on this way back later this week from a sprained ankle, Howard will start producing soon. For now, he's still slumping, so get him while the gettin' is good.

Brad Hawpe, OF (Col) - .269 avg, 14 R, 3 HR, 14 RBI - Hawpe's breakout season a year ago gave a lot of fantasy owners sky-high hopes heading into this year. If any of those managers are as impatient as I can be sometimes, they're likely ready to jump ship on Hawpe. Pounce on him NOW. Hawpe is 7-for-16 over the last 4 games with 2 homers and 6 RBI in that span. He's been through this before. Remember his .256 avg and 3 April HRs last year?

Delmon Young, OF (Min) - .263 avg, 15 R, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 6 SB - Delmon smaked 13 HR and drove in 93 runs last year, giving fantasy owners a taste of why he was taken #1 overall by the Rays in '03. After the first month of '08, those same owners likely have a sour taste in their mouths. Young isn't worried, and neither should you be. Last year, Young's best months came in June, July, and August. Consider this too: He only stole 10 bases last year. He's already got 6 this year.

Robinson Cano, 2B (NYY) - .154 avg, 7 R, 3 HR, 8 RBI - Hideous, ugly, nasty, gross: Plenty of adjectives can be used to describe your fantasy team if you banked on Cano to be your star 2nd baseman this year. If you've got him on your team, I recommend riding this one out rather than selling low. Cano's best months are undoubtedly ahead of him. Last July and August, Cano batted .343 with 13 HR and 43 RBI. He's been about as consistent as 2nd basemen come over the last couple years. There's no reason to think he won't rebound.

Hunter Pence, OF (Hou) - .254 avg, 15 R, 4 HR, 16 RBI - After Pence announced his presence with authority (thanks Ebby Calvin LaLoosh) last year, fantasy owners might be wondering if he was just a flash-in-the-pan. Through April, you might've had a convincing argument. However as soon as Pence turned the page on his Bull Durham quote-a-day desk calendar, he's turned the page on his season. Since May 1, Pence has 3 HR and 6 RBI. He's put together a modest 4-game hitting streak and looks to be back on track to matching his numbers from a year ago. Go get him before he gets too hot.