Fantasy Q&A: Time to sell high on Samardzija?

Tweet a question to @Fantasy411, and yours might be chosen for our weekly Q&A. Here are this week's best inquiries.

With Jeff Samardzija's rumored trade to the Blue Jays and the American League East, is it time to sell high?
-- @HokieMase

It could be time to sell high on Samardzija, but not because he will likely be traded this summer. The 29-year-old is having the best season of his career by a wide margin, with a 1.68 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, but his 2.79 FIP suggests his ERA is due to rise in the coming weeks. The main reason that fantasy owners should look to sell high on Samardzija is that an inevitable regression will likely take him out of ace status. But as far as a trade goes, a move to another club this summer could improve his fantasy value. It is true that Samardzija's ratios would likely rise on a team such as the Blue Jays, but he would surely win more games with their powerful offense behind him. Also, a move to a pitcher-friendly ballpark in the National League, such as AT&T Park in San Francisco, could help him win more games and maintain low ratios.

I was offered Nelson Cruz and Justin Verlander for Carlos Gomez. I'm inclined to reject. Crazy?
-- @TheBaseballGuy1

Even though this offer is a fair one, you are not crazy to reject it. Cruz is off to a great start, but a cold spell could be in his future. He is on pace for more than 50 homers, and he has never hit more than 33 in a single season. If Cruz's power fades at some point in the summer months, it could also bring his .294 batting average closer to his .269 career mark. Gomez is an absolute stud. He has 30-30 potential, and even if his batting average falls, it should settle in close to .300. To swap Gomez for Cruz, you would need to come away with a second player who can definitely help your club, and Verlander is not that player. The 31-year-old was not a difference maker in mixed leagues last season, and this year he can be benched for tough matchups in shallow leagues. His strikeout rate is down, his walk rate is up, and his five wins are a very favorable total for a starter with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. You should ask the other owner to pair Cruz with a pitcher who has less name value but better 2014 results.

Charlie Blackmon for Francisco Rodriguez and Alcides Escobar? Losing Hanley Ramirez to the DL. Could swap K-Rrod for Tim Lincecum, Tony Cingrani or Zach Britton.
-- @lilsdad418

This is likely not the best that you can do for Blackmon. The Rockies outfielder has been a top-five fantasy hitter so far in 2014, but his numbers in May show that he is not an elite batter. Trading Blackmon right now is a great idea, but he is likely worth a better shortstop than Escobar. The 27-year-old is having a nice year, but he offers little outside of stolen bases, and his career track record shows a lot of inconsistency. Rodriguez is having a good season, but he has shown some troubling trends lately, allowing seven runs in his past seven outings. A better trade scenario would be to offer Blackmon for a shaky closer such as K-Rod and a secure shortstop such as Jean Segura, Elvis Andrus or Starlin Castro. Or you could aim for a secure closer such as Sergio Romo and pair him with a lesser shortstop, such as Escobar or J.J. Hardy.

Is it time to trade away Wil Myers or keep him? Who should I try to get if I'm lacking RBI, steals and runs?
-- @doubleimage22

Myers appears to be going through the classic sophomore slump, but a closer look at his numbers suggests that a summer surge could be coming. The 23-year-old has posted similar strikeout and walk rates in his two seasons, and the drop in batting average and homers is mostly the result of a lower BABIP and HR/FB ratio. There does not appear to be an injury holding Myers back, and his Minor League track record shows that the power is there, so he is a candidate to go on a homer binge at any point this season. The return on Myers in a trade right now would likely be disappointing, so patience is the best option here. As for your second question, Jason Kipnis could be a good trade target, as he will swipe plenty of bases and get involved in run production from the heart of Cleveland's batting order.

Is Pablo Sandoval worth keeping? Or should I trade him away for someone better?
-- @lukeporter13

If there was ever a time to trade Sandoval, this is it. After more than two years of ordinary production, the 27-year-old has collected five homers and 12 RBIs in his past seven games. Because Sandoval had stellar fantasy seasons in 2009 and '11, he tends to carry some weight in trade talks. Putting him in a package right now to get a more consistent third baseman such as Kyle Seager or Matt Carpenter would be a great idea. It would also be wise to consider a trade for Aramis Ramirez, who is coming off the DL soon and is known for heating up in the summer months.