Are crazy. That’s continuing on the title. They are just nuts. Like the guy who stands on a milk crate carrying a giant sign about the apocalypse crazy. The room Bill James once shared with Chris Davis has a few new occupants. Ryan Kalish’s line is 94/20/82/.271/43 in 582 ABs. That reminds me of this joke I once heard. It made so little sense that it made me laugh. If Kalish got 800 ABs, he’s not approaching those steals. Eric Young Jr. once stole 87 bases in a single minor league season. Bill James has him down for 46 steals in 2011. Kalish’s high for speed in 18 bases in 360 ABs in Single-A Ball. 43 steals? Mmm…K-lish? Or Mmm…K-rayzee? Kalish is an interesting name to look at for 2011 fantasy baseball but he’s a 20/20 guy if everything breaks right. Not a 20/43 guy.
Then there’s Domonic Brown. Bill James has him down for 84/26/94/.288/28 in 548 ABs. Oh. Wait, whaaaa?! He’ll only be 23-years-old and in his first full season in 2011. I’m a fan of Brown, but James has him blowing away every number he ever put up in the minor leagues. Is it possible? Sure, and Tiger Woods and me tag-teaming a young Jessica Tandy is possible too with a time machine.
Another name Bill James stained is Mike Moustakas. I love Mike Moustakas. I already wrote about my 2011 Mike Moustakas fantasy and I’ll post it on Monday. I will probably write more about him after that. Will be mostly praise. But Bill James’ Moustakas line of 74/26/98/.297/2 is slightly bonkers. Can Moustakas reach James’ projections? I suppose, but I wouldn’t count on him coming close to those numbers. What seems to be a recurring theme with James’ projections is the inability to translate minor league or limited major league experience to a full season of major league numbers. This all started in 2009 with Chris Davis’ projections of 107/40/118/.302/8 and continue to this day. Or maybe James is just doing it all for the nookie. Rookie nookie, that is.
