All the busy work behind the scenes had me almost miss the outfielders here in the position battle series. Most of the battles at this point have been decided and managers are settling in to their decisions. Some of those decisions, however, are in the form of platoons and fantasy owners need to know more details. Here’s a look at what seems to be going on during in the final week of spring training and which situations warrant your attentions.

Atlanta Braves Right Field

As much as we try to forget about him, Jeff Francoeur just won’t go away. And it’s not like we can even say he’s like a bad penny, because it’s doubtful he returns even that much in value. OK, maybe a slight exaggeration, but really…who’s grabbing Frenchy in anything more than a crazy, crazy deep NL-only league? But here he is and ready to eat into the playing time of Nick Markakis as manager Fredi Gonzalez mixes and matches against left-handed pitching. It may not be against all lefties though as Markakis batted .273 against southpaws last year and is batting .286 for his career against them. Frenchy’s numbers are comparable, but certainly not better.

Baltimore Orioles Left Field

If the reports are true, then this might not even be a platoon as Mark Viviano of WJZ-TV out of Baltimore says that Hyun-Soo Kim isn’t expected to make the 25-man roster and Joey Rickard has won the left field job outright. Kim’s contract says that he cannot be demoted, but apparently the Orioles are trying to work something out with him. After all, they signed him for $7M on a two-year deal and that’s just not money the team wants to eat. But Kim has struggled mightily this spring, batting just .182 with no home runs, two RBI and six strikeouts to one walk over 44 at-bats while Rickard is killing it this spring with a .386/.462/.579 slash line, six doubles, one home run, five steals and a 7:9 BB:K ratio. A decision likely won’t be made until closer to the end of the week, but if you’re looking for an extra outfielder, Rickard seems like he’s worth more than just a look.

Boston Red Sox Left Field/Center Field

Well this whole situation could be a pain in the butt for fantasy owners as it was announced that Brock Holt will be the primary left fielder against right-handed pitching this year. That puts Rusney Castillo on the short end of the platoon. But wait….there’s more! While you’ve got lefty-swinging Jackie Bradley, Jr. in center field, you also have Chris Young in the mix and manager John Farrell has already said that Young will be in the lineup whenever the Sox are facing a southpaw. Four guys, two spots. That’s no bueno for fantasy owners. Seems like the only Sox outfielder not playing in a part-time role is Mookie Betts……or is he?

Cincinnati Reds Left Field

Unless the Reds are able to trade Jay Bruce, it looks like Adam Duvall and Scott Schebler will be splitting the work in left field this season in a straight-up lefty/righty platoon. Both players have having solid springs as they have combined for seven home runs and 30 RBI. Duval seems to be more of the straight-up power guy who likes to swing for the fences ( 11 K and no walks over 61 AB) while Schebler appears to be a little more patient at the plate drawing five walks over 57 plate appearances and producing a .351 on-base percentage. Surprisingly though, Schebler, a left-handed bat, has fared better against southpaws than Duvall this spring, so that does potentially open the door for additional work for him. Monitor the two moving forward and see if one eventually overtakes the other. Again, the ideal situation for both would be a trade of Jay Bruce, but we’ll just have to sit tight and wait for the time being.

Milwaukee Brewers Center Field

When Rymer Liriano got hit in the face with a pitch and suffered a series of facial fractures this spring, the door opened up for both Keon Broxton and Kirk Nieuwenhuis to not only earn roster spots, but also garner some playing time in a platoon situation. Broxton seemed to be the guy they wanted to keep up, even as just a fourth outfielder, but Nieuwenhuis has pushed his way in with a .280/.357/.420 slash line and solid defense. His 22 strikeouts this spring are atrocious, but he’s made so much contact that he’s been able to sustain a solid on-base percentage. The Brewers will likely use them in a traditional lefty/righty platoon, but should Nieuwenhuis start getting a little unlucky in the BABIP department, his whiffs will shine through more prominently and Broxton could end up seeing more time provided he is seeing the ball well. The Brewers are rebuilding and this job could/should go back to Liriano when healthy, but for now, this is where the team is at in center.

San Diego Padres Left Field

In the spirit of the Mitchell Friedman comment in the movie Major League, the Padres left field situation seems to be up in the air still with names like Jabari Blash and Travis Jankowski as the leading candidates to play. Based on his spring totals and minor league track record, Blash is built into that mold of big power and heavy strikeouts. However, he does know how to take a walk and that is likely what gives him a slight edge over Jankowski who seems to be a solid on-base guy but without the big stick. The two will likely share responsibilities in left to open the season, but Blash could end up with the longer end of the stick based on his power potential. If you’re in an NL-only league and looking for outfield help, Blash should be a good grab early, but Jankowski might outlast him on the 25-man roster if he [Blash] struggles at the plate.

Seattle Mariners Right Field

Seth Smith owners are already well-aware of his need to be a platoon player given the fact that he just can’t hit lefties well. A career .206 hitter versus southpaws, Smith is still a strong option if there is a stronger right-handed bat in the mix with him. That’s where Franklin Gutierrez comes in along with his career .291 average against lefties. The two will work together in tandem, at least until one of them gets hurt – something that is bound to happen with one if not both. Smith should have a little more value given that he will start against right-handers, but either of them should be helpful plug-and-play options in deep AL-only leagues.

Situations to Monitor:

Arizona Diamondbacks

Just being a little proactive here as my confidence in Yasmany Tomas’ glove continues to wane. He’s been killing it with the bat as of late this spring, but there is definitely some concern with his defense and seems like a prime candidate for some late-inning replacements. The club has Socrates Brito who has strong speed, great range and a decent arm, so not only do I think Brito steals some late-game work, but should Tomas struggle at the plate, he could land on the bench for a little while he gets back on-track. Tomas is still the guy to own, but I would definitely consider stashing Brito who could prove to be a very underrated fantasy asset this year.

Chicago Cubs

The crowded outfield makes me nervous. The fact that Joe Maddon is the king of platoons and micro-management makes me nervous. If it wasn’t for the fact that Jorge Soler looks like Pedro Cerrano trying to hit a curveball right now, I'd be second-guessing anywhere I had shares of Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber or Jason Heyward. But Soler should work things out soon enough and given Schwarber's glove, Fowler's streakiness and the usual in-season issues we continue to see with Heyward, there could be a serious playing time issue if Maddon wants to get creative and play the match-ups. I'm not downgrading anyone just yet, but you can bet I'm keeping a very close watch.