Iced Tea, lemonade, a 7/11 Slush, a cold beer, or a margarita. Everyone has their favorite go-to summer drink. I’m a huge iced tea guy myself. Nothing better than checking your fantasy team on the front porch after work with a nice cold iced tea. Except this time of the year, I’ve found myself a new go-to drink. I’ve long been a huge fan of Gatorade, but this August I’ve been sippin’ on straight Baderade nonstop. Literally have not been able to get enough of this stuff, so I’m a little shocked to see it so readily available out there still (16.8% ownership on ESPN, 14% on Yahoo). So until then, I will continue raving about how great Baderade is and why my friends should try it out too.
Harrison Bader has been red hot in August, hitting .348 with 2 HR, 4 2B, 12 R, 7 RBI, and 3-for-3 in SB attempts through 14 games. Coincidentally, this streak started immediately following the departure of Tommy Pham on July 31st. This has opened up a prime opportunity for Bader to shine with every day playing time, which he certainly has so far. Through 51 plate appearances in August Bader has a .957 OPS, a .405 wOBA, and 157 wRC+. Though a limited sample size, it shows that Bader should continue to be effective at producing runs in a red hot Cardinals offense.
He may typically bat in the bottom third of the Cardinals order, but that lineup is potent enough to provide ample opportunities for Bader to create runs. In fact, the Cards have scored the second most runs since the All-Star Break with 139. Additionally, they are tied for 3rd in home runs with 35, and are 4th in the league with an .809 OPS through 27 games. This is a red hot offense, and Bader is certainly reaping the benefits.
If you have a need for speed, look no further than Harrison Bader. He is 12-for-14 in SB attempts this year, and his 60 grade speed hints that this will be a common trend. Since he hits in the bottom third, the Cards will allow him to be aggressive since he won’t be taking the bat out of their best hitters’ hands. Bader has been a full 5 category contributor thus far in August, and I think this is glimpse of things to come. So do yourself a favor and go pick up Baderade while it is still available!
