Hit the beach for Labor Day this year. Best thing about that place (besides living within driving distance of the Outer Banks and no, it’s not like the show at all) is that there’s something for everyone. Wanna get knocked around by waves? Read? Play a rousing game of catch? Get fried like a lobster? All these are available on one little piece of sand.
I hope these are a bit like the beach. Something for the stretch run? Big picture? Just interesting? I’m trying, I’m trying.
Start off with some hot bats:
TJ Rumfield in Colorado has been making noise to the tune of a .310 average and .455 OBP in his past 30 days. While he has only two home runs, the bat profiles as a good stabilizer, and he was ranked 13th overall in this time frame. Rumfield was a lower-ranked prospect (26th in Colorado), but 1B guys can sink in these rankings. There’s, of course, risk here (XBA on season still .260, down from current BA of .299), but you’re running an equal risk for struggling bats in this small-sample time of year. Rumfield does take walks, so take that good batting average and 15 HR power and be happy, dadgum it! He’s available in 65% of Yahoo leagues, and that seems low based on his production.
Kyle Stowers can hit the long ball. His bat speed and hard hit metrics are all top 5 percentile. His whiff can keep his batting average low, but you’re not worried about that so much anymore. It’s really hard to change your batting average with just a few weeks to go! It’s like dieting before Christmas. Sure, it’s not bad to have, but in the end, is it REALLY going to matter? You may lose a point or two if Stowers tanks, which isn’t nothing, but my guess is that HR is much more closely grouped. I’m not saying to go rush and get Stowers. But he’s available in half the leagues and is as good a bet to produce as anyone. I’ve picked him up to stream over my favorite 1B, which is hurtful but necessary in a H2H playoff situation.
Ryan O’Hearn is slated to return from injury this weekend. If you were counting on him before, feel free to continue doing so.
Now, we move on to the bigger picture items.
Rafael Devers league winner?
.307 with .700 OPS last month, 11 HR, 28 RBI, 25 R in his last 30. Let’s let the stats speak for themselves.
So it’s two years now with disastrous starts and then a respectable finish. This heater is well timed, and I find myself wishing I was more invested. Kudos to you, Devers owners, for your quality work.
Ben Rice is the top-rated catcher who is also 1B eligible. Of course, if you have him, he’s your C, but that cheat code goes away next year. The Razzball ranking is inflated by his position as well. So where does he actually fit?
Rice’s value is still buoyed by his first month. .327 with 10 HR and 21 walks is quite incredible. However, since then he’s topped out at .286, with two months where he’s hit below .200. Looks like the first month was an outlier.
The power is real, though, and his lineup ensures 90 R and RBI potential. He’s a valuable asset, but I’m not sold. For one, the metrics are actually worse this year than last. Second…..there is no second. To this eye, he’s a 6-10 range 1B. The potential for a .245 season with 25 HR and 80 RBI is too strong to break into the top five. Mid-round guy with a chance for more.
6th overall influenced by C. 36-90-90, which is quite valuable with a .259 BA and .878 OPS. Where to draft?
Jose Ramirez won’t be on my teams next season. He’s going to be 34, his numbers are plummeting. Well, that’s not fair. 31 steals save his value. But the contact, specifically the power, is down. If you do want to invest at a discount, you can note that he injured his hamate bone, clearly affecting his swing this year. In fact, that would be a smart play if he falls. For me, though, with his age and an offseason of uncertainty and lockouts, that’s just too much risk to invest in heavily.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having a down year. He’s been a perennial all-star. You want a short list of perennial all-stars who had down seasons?
Mike Schmidt, Andre Dawson, Mickey Mantle, Chipper Jones.
See? It happens! And there’s more! I just didn’t want to bore you. He’s young enough to rebound, and I’m still certain he’s injured. Buy the dip. His talent is so good he can bounce back.
There it is, some for right now and some for the big picture. I hope you found something helpful or interesting! Thanks for reading, see you next week.
