More Hot Starts - Real or Not Real?

Here are a few more hitters off to hot starts (I'll get to the pitchers soon.)

Justin Upton - If you've read this blog at all in the last few months, you know that I have a man-crush on Upton. I was projecting something like 20-20 for Upton and I called him my #1 sleeper. I feel pretty confident that he won't keep up his current homerun pace (sorry, no 65-homer season), but I think his lack of steals is sure to change. He's young and he's almost sure to struggle at times this season, but clearly Upton is ready to be a very good major league player. I would increase my 20-homer projection for him to more like 25-30 and I still think he'll swipe 20 bases even though he's sitting on zero right now.
Verdict: Real.

Mike Jacobs - I mentioned Jacobs as a potential sleeper due to his power, with some hesitation due to his potentially low batting average. Basically, nothing has changed. Jacobs has hit five homers already and is hitting .298. I expect the power to continue, but the average to decrease. He's a good player, but he's not going to suddenly become a superstar.
Verdict: Kinda Real.

Corey Patterson - This is a yes and no situation. Is the speed for real? Yes. Patterson could easily steal 30 or more bases. Is the power for real? Kind of. He could hit 20-25 homers, but I would expect something more in the 15-20 range, which isn't bad. Is the low batting average for real? Yes. And that's the biggest problem with Patterson. Proceed with caution.
Verdict: Kinda Real.

Bill Hall - Another batting average issue. The five homers are nice and remind us that Hall hit 35 two years ago. But, I would be very surprised if Hall topped 25 this year and when you combine that with the fact that he probably won't hit over .270, there's no reason to get overly excited. Now, if he still played shortstop, it might be a different story.
Verdict: Not Real.

Raul Ibanez - His early numbers are basically a result of two really good games. I think he'll hit 25-30 homers and drive in about 100 runs again, but his days among the AL leaders in homers and RBI are numbered. Even though I'm saying his start is not for real, that doesn't mean he's not a good fantasy contributor. Don't drop him, just don't think he's going to guide you to your league championship.
Verdict: Not Real.