Corners Report: Dynamic Duos

Everyone loves a dynamic duo.

Frodo and Sam.

Iron Man and Spider-Man.

Kelder and the toilet.

Apologies if you waited with bated breath for my Corners Report last week. Sunday and Monday, I was waylaid by a nasty bug, and had a lot to catch up on, so I wasn’t able to do the research and write, and basically do anything baseball related.

Stacking players from the same team on fantasy baseball squads is somewhat frowned upon. Teams slump, teams face elite pitchers, and all in the same game, and it’s generally recommended to NOT do this.

If, however, you did a combination of the corner infielders from a team, which team would have been the best one? Or better yet, the top five?

All stats are accurate as of Monday, June 23, and all dollar rankings are readily and freely available on the Razzball player rater, so you could do this yourself, but that’s why I get the big bucks!

Team 5: Cleveland

Jose Ramirez and Carlos Santana total 33.8

Almost 40 Razzball dollars between them. Of course 29.2 of them are from one guy, and his name isn’t the same as a guitarist who played at Woodstock. This team’s top-five ranking is a testament to Ramirez’s dominance this season, which is the same as like the last however many you’d like to count. So basically, besides team 1, Ramirez is more valuable alone than all but four other corner infielder combinations.

Team 4: San Diego

Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado total 35.9

The infield landscape has shifted this year, and there are more elite performers at third than at first. So when Machado has 26.1, it doesn’t take much more than Gavin Sheets, 9.8 of home run driven value to make this list. Another third baseman carrying the sluggards at first.

Team 3: San Francisco

Willmer Flores and Rafael Devers total 36.8

Yes, it’s cheating, and yes, I forgot Matt Chapman. I just wanted Devers in here to highlight that I’m not devaluing him in his cross-country move. Devers will be a popular figure and fan favorite, and the production shouldn’t change. Devers seems to be the DH, which should signal the end of Flores’ fantasy relevance. You want Devers and Chapman going forward (no, not Dom Smith)

Team 2: Tampa Bay

Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz/Jonathan Aranda total 39.7

That little slash mark between Yandy and Aranda means either one of them; it’s about the same value. Maybe name them Jandy Arandiaz and call it a day? This is a great group, got youth with Caminero who is getting better and better, plus Arandiaz and their stellar batting averages. Would not surprise me to see them eclipse team 1.

Team 1: Arizona

Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez total 53.9

Yes, they total fourteen more than any other duo here. That’s what happens with the number one-rated 3B and two rated 1B. Not much has gone right in the rotation in the desert; at least fans can enjoy this dominant performance from the corners while it lasts. And it might! Something clicked with Suarez last season, and it’s happening again with 11 HR in the last month. Enjoyable if you own them, which I do precisely nowhere.

Picks to click:

Kansas City: Maikal Garcia is for real with a 19.6 value, and Vinny Pasquantino is coming down from a massive hot streak (3 for his last 20 though). It could happen, still.

Toronto: If you’ve read this space the past three years, I’m a huge Vlad Guerrero Jr. supporter. He’s going to have a massive power spike here, don’t worry. A slight swing adjustment could do it, and he’s valuable anyway. Addison Barger also contributes. I’d pick these two over anyone except the next team to make the top five at year’s end.

Philadelphia: Unless Bryce Harper’s wrist thing lingers, he’s due for a hot streak in the second half. I’m buying low everywhere I can.

So here you are. It’s interesting to see patterns like this, and how dominant one guy can be in the Rater.

Thanks for reading, and may your week be as good as Eugenio’s season!