Baseball is upon us and some players got off to great jumps while others are tagging along behind. There were some incredible performances this week. However, with every great performance there is an opposite one. This MLB Status Check will focus on three players who were drafted high with the expectation for good production, three players who were drafted high and failed to produce, and three players who have exceeded expectations and may be available on the waiver wire. Each player earned the ranking in each category. However, keep in mind, this is a weekly update and fantasy numbers can change in the blink of an eye. Don't panic much if a player slumps a little to start the season off; panic if you see their name under ‘way too hyped'.

Lived up to the hype:

David Wright (3B - New York Mets) - Wright has started the season the same way he ended it: on fire. He's now got a 20-game hit streak and is off to a great start. He is proving that he was worth a first round pick and is in a lineup where he can continue putting up great numbers. His stat line for the week are as follows: 6/13, 3 runs, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, and a .462 AVG. He's already helped fantasy owners out in a big way and should continue to do so. He's a must start fantasy player and rivals only A-Rod as the best 3B in fantasy baseball.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (SP - Boston Red Sox) - Matsuzaka sure turned things around. He had no control in the opener, but was superb in his second start of the season. He looked like a completely different pitcher than in his first start, but he still has a lot to prove in order him worth all the money Boston invested in him. As stated, control was the main reason for the turnaround. He walked five in the opener and zero in his second game. His numbers for the week are as follows: 1 win, 6.2 IP, 2 hits, 0 BB, 9 K, 1.35 ERA, 0.30 WHIP. He had great numbers and should be a solid fantasy pitcher. However, he still has to live up to the giant check Boston had to sign for him.

Jake Peavy (SP - San Diego Padres) - Peavy did it all this week. He pitched great and he helped his team out on offense by driving in some runs. Peavy is one of the most solid Opening Day pitchers out there. He's now 3-0 with an ERA of 0.45. This week was a standard Opening Day start for Peavy. He was brilliant. His stat line is as follows: 1 win, 7 IP, 3 hits, 3 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA, and a WHIP of 0.86. He has shown once again why he is one of the best pitchers in baseball and is a must start.

Way too hyped:

Justin Morneau (1B - Minnesota Twins) - AL MVP? Not if he keeps playing like this. Morneau is hitless in 12 at bats with a sole RBI. He was expected to be the centerpiece of the Twins' offense, yet he is off to an extremely slow start. Morneau is loaded with talent, but hasn't showed much of it yet. His numbers for the week are as follows: 0/12, 0 runs, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, and an AVG of .000. That is about as bad as it can get. Morneau is a great talent, but he hasn't done much this week. Keep him in your starting lineup; he's too good to slump for too long.

Ryan Howard (1B - Philadelphia Phillies) - Howard has yet to do much offensive damage. It has only been three games, but he has yet to do anything with the bat. Howard is one of the best pure power hitters in the game, therefore his slump will not last very long. He did get a few hits to raise his average in a comeback win, but he has to produce more in order to keep owners from hitting the panic button so early. His numbers for the week are as follows: 3/10, 1 run, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, and a .300 AVG. He's a power hitter who will produce monster numbers in the end. He's in a small slump but it's just a matter of time until he gets out of it and puts up monster numbers.

Matt Holliday (OF - Colorado Rockies) - Holliday was a top 10 draft pick, but he's playing like a guy you ponder about picking up off of the waiver wire. The Rockies' offense seems a bit sluggish right now, and it seems like Holliday's bat is the main reason for the offense not clicking. Holliday was the runner up for NL-MVP; therefore he's a proven player. His stat line for the week is as follows: 1/10, 0 runs, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, and a .100 AVG. He's not playing up to his potential. He's a fantastic player and is guaranteed to hit .300/35/100 this year. He should break out of his slump soon. Keep in mind, it's only the first week of the season.

Keep an eye on:

Rich Harden (SP - Oakland Athletics) - Harden has gotten off to a tremendous start. He has only pitched two games, however, they were both against the Boston Red Sox. Harden has given up only one run in a total of 11 innings. He's faced Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, and others and yielded just a single run. He is still on a pitch-count in order to keep his arm healthy, but so far he looks like the Harden of old. He was unable to hold get a win in his second contest, but that was only because of a lack of offense. His numbers for the week are as follows: 0 wins, 5 IP, 4 hits, 4 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA, 1.60 WHIP. His WHIP was a little high this week, yet the rest of his numbers are very solid. He faced one of the best offenses in the league and gave up only one run. Impressive.

Yunel Escobar (SS/3B - Atlanta Braves) - Escobar is on fire. He is playing better than anyone could have predicted. He's already tallied nearly a fourth of the RBI total he had last season. Escobar is also extremely valuable because he's eligible to play 2B, 3B, and SS. That kind of versatility can add a ton of value to a fantasy team. Speaking of value, his numbers for the week are as follows: 6/16, 3 runs, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, and a .375 AVG. He's one of the hottest players and could be a great pickup if he's still, somehow, available in any leagues. He most likely won't keep this pace up, but he should be talented enough to be a very solid fantasy player.

Xavier Nady (OF - Pittsburgh Pirates) - Nady's Opening Day helped put his name on the list of great players who produce on the first day of the season. Nady belted two homeruns and has had a great overall week so far. He is prone to injury and lack of playing time, but if he could stay healthy then he could win a spot to start for good and put up great numbers. His stats for the week are as follows: 6/14, 4 runs, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, and a .429 AVG. He won't keep hitting at this pace for the rest of the season, yet he should be able to out produce his numbers from last year. He hit 20 HR, 72 RBI, with a .278 AVG last season; he could become a 30/90/.290 hitter if he can keep playing this well. Keep an eye on him if he's available on your waiver wire.