J.J. Hardy won’t run this town any longer. After hitting seven home runs and posting a tremendous .922 OPS in May, Hardy’s followed with an abysmal .498 OPS in June, and an awful .329 OPS in July. Yes, some of this variance is due to fluctuations in his BABIP and home run to fly ball rate, but when you have an OPS that low it is hard to simply dismiss it as bad luck.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Brett Lawrie is finally starting to live up to the hype he had coming into this season. After hovering around a .700 OPS in April and May, Lawrie has an .870 OPS in June. This is especially encouraging because his BABIP and his HR/FB in June are not indicating that he may simply be receiving good luck.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Aaron Hill is something you can’t understand. He’s maintained a career-high .868 OPS in 2012 after posting a career-low OPS the past two years, with .665 in 2010 and .655 in 2011. The only time he’s achieved an OPS above .800 in his career was in 2009, and that was largely fueled by a HR/FB well above his career rate (14.9% in 2009 compared to a career 8.0% average).
Please, blog, may I have some more?Ichiro Suzuki is the epitome of public enemy. In OPS leagues, there are two kinds of SAGNOFs: those who destroy your OPS and those who only have a minimal impact. Ichiro (and every sub .700 OPS player) is the former. Two of the main reasons people have loved him are his batting average and his steals.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Ryan Zimmerman’s summer feels out of reach. Now that he’s supposedly healthy, it’s difficult to be pleased with his .650 OPS. I hate to give up on a 27-year-old with considerable potential, but I’m questioning whether he’ll ever again produce at the near .900 OPS levels he had in 2009 and 2010.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Lance Berkman was a renaissance man. Last year he reached 30 home runs for the first time since 2007 and his .959 OPS was his highest since 2008. I credit this turnaround to him staying healthy, and, despite his age, remaining incredibly talented.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Billy Butler (and his milkshake) brings all the balls to go yard. This year, for the first time in his career, he’s hit his eighth home run before June. Butler has been a perennial candidate to experience a spike in homers because he consistently ranks among the league leaders in hitting doubles, with at least 44 in each of the last three years.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Mark Trumbo’s value can’t get any higher from its current level. He’s delivered a near 1.000 OPS in 2012 and it’s likely all downhill from here. His .381 BABIP is a red flag since it is well above his career average of .287.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Jesus Montero isn’t trying to break your heart. Since arriving on the godforsaken Seattle Mariners, Jesus performed the miracle of allowing King Felix to dominate while throwing pitches as fast as Jamie Moyer, who he resurrected from the dead. He also tried to turn Chone Figgins into a useful player, but realized that was never his destiny.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Giancarlo Stanton has battled injuries and the Marlins’ awkward ballpark this year, but I haven’t completely lost hope. Since arriving in the majors, he’s been a fantastic player in OPS leagues because, aside from his insane slugging, he’s been taking walks at a solid rate.
Please, blog, may I have some more?