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So, an old boss of mine used to talk about how she was friends with Chris Coghlan. This was back when Coghlan was kind of hip and new. Back when Coghlan won Rookie of the Year (the kind of ROY where we all groan, knowing that it’s probably another Angel Berroa or Bobby Crosby type selection, soon to fizzle out). Anyhow, my boss went to school with him and bragged about it. So of course, I remember ruthlessly hoping for him to fail, for no particular reason other than seeing her reaction. It was petty, and silly, and ultimately, it totally happened. Coghlan sputtered out of Miami and bounced up and down the minor leagues for a bit before resurfacing in Chicago. Let this post be my penitence. Coghlan has been surprisingly decent this season, posting a nice blend of power (8) and speed (5).  Better still for this column, Coghlan has a .462 OBP over the past two weeks (.571 over the past 7 days), going 12-for-40. His playing time has been a bit sporadic with a crowded outfield now featuring Matt Szczur, but he is still a viable play in deeper OBP formats.

Miguel Sano is being called up from AA Chattanooga, likely to take over at DH for Kennys Vargas who was shuffled down to the minors. Sano is a guy that should be scooped up in all leagues, but he should be of particular interest in on-base formats. Over 5 minor league seasons, Sano has a .373 OBP (and a very solid .937 OPS). Based on his minor league track record, a .350 OBP seems very attainable, particularly if he carves out a good spot in the lineup. With the ability to put 10-15 balls into the seats between now and the end of the season, make sure you grab Sano if he is available.

Jacoby Ellsbury went to the disabled list in late May, taking his Yankees team leading .412 OBP with him. Ellsbury was off to a flying start in 2015 with 14 steals in 37 games, so many owners in OBP formats have missed him for several reasons. It looks like he will be returning later this week, as he played in a rehab game with High-A Tampa last night. He is a career .349 OBP hitter, so don’t expect that OBP over .400 to sustain itself. That said, I own Ellsbury in a few leagues and am salivating to get him back into my lineup.

I actually think that Ellsbury’s teammate Brett Gardner could end his year with a better OBP. Gardner has a .375 OBP on the season, to go with 9 homers and 15 legs. Gardner has been terrific over the last couple weeks, too, posting a staggering .508 OBP (the best mark in baseball by a wide-margin, next highest is Nolan Arenado at .396), going 27-for-61 (.443) with 11 RBI. Like Ellsbury, Gardner has a .349 career OBP, so it’ll be fun to see which player finishes with the higher mark in 2015.