Finding cheap stolen bases in your fantasy league is what SAGNOF is all about, and sometimes that means rostering a risky player here and there. You know who I’m talking about. They’re the guys you see once you scroll down into the triple digits. The ones with the minus sign next to their name on $ values. In the last post (Part 1), I looked at three outfielders whose playing time situations made them nice options for stolen bases without breaking your bank. This week, we’ve got two more outfield candidates for quality steals numbers at a discounted price: Ben Revere and Cameron Maybin. Both are centerfielders with a 40-steal season under their belts, but both are also coming off of 2013 seasons that were plagued by injuries. While Maybin and Revere are most likely going to see their values depressed in this year’s draft, I think they are a gamble worth taking as a fifth outfielder in most mixed leagues thanks to their speed on the basepaths.
Ben Revere – 2013: 22 SB in 336 PA
A foot injury derailed Revere’s 2013 season, forcing him to miss the entire second half. We’ll never know, but I don’t think it’s too big a stretch to think that had he played the full season, he might have touched the 40 steals mark for the second time in his young career. Revere got off to an icy start, hitting just .200 in the month of April. He began seeing less time at the lead-off spot in the lineup and it was at this low point that he became waiver wire fodder in a lot of leagues, despite the fact that he had still managed five steals during that time. Revere then picked things up in a big way, chalking up a .312 average in May to go along with another five stolen bases, and a red hot .354 average in June. The steals came to life in June as well, as Revere swiped 10 bags in 14 attempts. A fractured foot from a foul ball did him in though, and it was painful to watch the 25-year-old outfielder lose his season in the midst of a hot streak like that. 2014 brings a clean slate, however, and Revere should find himself atop the Phillies lineup and starting in centerfield on Opening Day. Despite the nasty injury, he’s one of my favorites for this year given his ability to provide solid batting average, stolen bases, and runs from a fourth or fifth outfield slot.
Cameron Maybin – 2013: 4 SB in 57 PA
Those numbers aren’t a typo, and they were especially painful to write given how high I was on Maybin heading into 2013. Still, I’m sure it wasn’t as painful as the tear in Maybin’s PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Pacific Coast League) which cost him the majority of the 2013 season. Prior to the knee injury in June, Maybin played in just 14-games due to a wrist injury that cost him the majority of the first two months of the season… phew. So while we don’t have a lot to work with here and Maybin’s 2013 season reads more like a hospital bill than a stat sheet, I think there is still reason to believe that a healthy Maybin can provide some value as a basestealer. He’ll be buried in the bottom third of the Padres lineup and has disappointed fantasy owners since his breakout in 2011, so he surely won’t cost you much in this year’s draft. It’s hard to believe he’s still only 26, and as much as I’ve been burned by him before, there is still some upside left. If he is indeed healthy and plays a full season, I think 25 steals is a safe bet with the possibility for much more. While PetCo is not exactly where the hitters go despite the change in dimensions, Maybin does have enough pop in his bat to make him more than just a one category player. Don’t get too cute with this one, but don’t forget about him either.
Mike also writes for TheDynastyGuru. If you’re a tweeter on Twitter he’s @643ball.
