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Hey what’s going on here? Is this your annual late round flyers post? Or is this your deep league thoughts post? Why are you messing with us jacka**? No silly Razzits, it’s both. In the Razz spirit of Portmanteuing, I have combined them into one tidy little post since they aren’t that different from each other. I could of gone with Larofldeleghts, but knowing my luck I might be offending someone who used to call the Soviet Union home. I already have a rivalry with our only Hungarian reader after I kicked his goulash to the curb last year in the Razznasty. *smooches* Seriously, I have been short on time, and after reviewing the parameters of each post it only makes sense to compact me down to a smaller size, I’m huge! (Not what she said.) Here, look at this beautiful beast. No, not Nick Capozzi, me! You have been advised. I could lose a few… or 50, my doctor says 50 to start. Okay, enough about my rubenesque physique and more about the corner men, because, really, let’s be honest. Who here wants to read me talking about me?… Yeah, me neither.

I’ll be using NFBC ADP for this post because that’s what I’m invested in this year. If you are using this for the RCL, then you might be rostering bench bats, unless you are a believer in the Dan called Valencia.  I’ll also include their position or future position… if you get my drift. No seriously, there is a player here who will be getting third base status soon enough.

Danny Valencia 3B/OF (243.03) – I know, Grey already went over him, but this is the refresher part of the program. Actually, not much to say here except I’m higher on him. With his dual eligibility and sweet new leg kick via Joey Bats, I’m a buyer… big time. Top-ten third base? Maybe. He’s always hit the ball hard, is a pull-happy righty in a park that was in the top-half for HR% for right-handed hitters, and will be batting anywhere from 4th to 6th in what is looking like a damn good line-up. I’d buy him in an RCL as my 5th outfield or even CI/UTIL. For funzies, I googled Valencia with a translation to English, and besides being the name of a Moorish kingdom, it means valence. Which has something to do with chemistry (no idea, never took a chemistry class), linguistics (the class where I met the guy who introduced me to FBB), and dust ruffle. HAHAHA Danny Dust Ruffle!

Justin Turner 3B (260.84) – Ginger Beard is a bad mofo. Really, would you want to mess with a guy that was made into a chia pet, yeah, me too. He had a real breakout last year and nothing bounces off the page that says he will regress a bunch. Karl de Vries over at Fangraphs did a real nice breakdown, and in the case you are too lazy to go read it, I’ll summarize it for you… He replaced ground balls with line drives but got slowed down in the second half when he got boo-boos that got fixed in the off season. He can take a walk, has a good K-rate, and hits in the middle of a good line-up. If you read Magoo’s post on hitters then these would be good things. He reminds me of a better version of one of the undervalued guys I liked in last years late round flyers who had a 20+ dong season and outplayed his ADP. Yes, you have to click the link… I’m not telling you.

Eugenio Suarez SS/3B (278.05) – You might be wondering why I have him here and not in the middle infidel post. Damn, that is a good question, but I have a good answer, and that is he’ll be in both. Yeah, that’s the ticket. I like this kid. Among all SS’s in the second half last year, he hit the fifth most HR’s, had the seventh best ISO, and his hard contact% is well above league average. He’s only 24 and has a long leash at the hot corner in a hitter friendly park where he is set to bat 2nd sandwiched between B-Ham and Vottomatic. Could also chip 8-plus bags with Bryan Price’s run happy Reds. Be careful, you’ll need to watch the high K-rate and the low walk rate, if those numbers start going in the wrong direction, then be ready to bail because Adam Duvall could be lurking.

Pedro Alvarez 1B (296.28) – As painful as this can feel, I think we are a bit unfair to Pedro. He hit 27 bombs last year while playing in a pitchers park and moves to the top left handed power park in the league. (Plus) He’s in a division with some of the top lefty parks (NY,TOR,TB) and who doesn’t like that? (Plus Plus) The playing time may be cut into as they juggle that line-up around but I’m not worried about that. If they face a lefty then you bench him and platoon. Looking at recent reclamation projects by the O’s (Crush, Paredes, Cruz, McClouth) I have a good hunch about this one. At that ADP, you can’t do any worse for power and if you are in a deep league you will be singing my name like Aretha sings RESPECT every time he hits a dong. If he gets 500 AB’s he’s going to hit at least 30 homers or my name ain’t Nathan Arizona.

Yangervis Solarte 1B,3B (303.34) – Hi there, have you met your deep league CI Yangervis? Oh don’t worry he won’t bite or do much of anything else either. He’s quite boring and feels like he gets hot once a year but a-ha he doesn’t. Okay maybe a little. His low K-rate and high contact rates are what keeps him on this list. Dare I call him a floor player? Maybe. The most boring corner ever? Probably. But if you google only his last name you get this from the Urban dictionary. He should hit for good but not great average and with 15 homer power should be looked at in the deepest of leagues.

Ben Paulsen 1B,OF (311.54) – Last season, this guy got more love from the Hitter-tron than my mom’s old Buick. He’s a definite deep leaguer of my favorite variety. Platoony Tunes. Before you assume it’s just at home then you are wrong. He hit 11 homeruns last year, 5 on the road, in only 325 at bats with 291 of them coming against right-handers. The average was a little bloated because of the high BABIP and with his low contact rates I’m not seeing a repeat there and have him down as a .250ish hitter. The arrival of Mini Donkey also worries me but I think Paulsen is on the good side of the platoon. Weiss will do you a solid and sit him against lefties and if you have daily lineups then you want him in 16 team or deeper leagues….wait did I say Weiss will do you a solid. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.

Mike Napoli 1B (387.99) – I could make mom jokes about slips and America’s favorite pizza topping but I’m past all that. (No I’m not) Once healed last year and shipped off to Texas we saw the return of Napoli….sort of. He’s getting a 3rd or 4th chance in Cleveland and is penciled in to bat fifth. I’m not predicting a world beater but 20 plus dongs is not out of the question since it appears he has a long leash. If you want to get super Platooney Tunes with him you could use him against lefties and forget about it.

Matt Adams 1B (329.60) – This once big love of the FML is back with an alleged new approach. Will it work? No clue, but you could do worse for an upside play. Still looking like he is on the good side of the platoon in St.Louis but with B.Moss looming and Matt Holliday learning to play first I have my concerns. Could be a big year IF he stays healthy. I have to wonder if men with moobs have more back problems? *rememebers appointment with back doctor* No comment, here.

Travis Shaw 1B,3B,OF (447.62) – If the rumors are true we could have a bona fide super sub. He was pushing Panda for playing time and now that Panda has fallen and can’t get up we might see this as a reality. They also talked about him getting outfield reps (less likely), and giving Hanley his monthly two week cat naps (more likely). If I was to tell you that Hanley and Panda will get 600 at bats this year, would you laugh in my face? Yeah, me too. I think you are getting the point here. He’s a great flyer in all 12-team and higher leagues… even the RCL’s. If he starts the season not starting. then now you have your first streamer or batty call slot. Take note RCLers that actually read this far down. You need to be committed to a minimum of 4+ fluid spots to keep churning and burning if you want to win your league.

Tyler White 1B,3B (N/A) – I can’t find him in the NFBC ADP and it doesn’t really matter. Looks like he has 1st base locked up in Houston to open the season as A.J. Reed gets a little more seasoning. Don’t worry guys…and girls, if he plays well he can slot over at 3rd too. In the minors he was a pull hitter who went for extra bases and always had a solid ISO. I think he falls somewhere between a 4020 and Ben Paulsen. If he can pull that ball out of Minute Maid then Reed may have a longer delay than Rudy would like (That’s Rudy’s guy).

Before I go there were three guys from last year’s post that need mentioning. Trevor Plouffe took that step forward I predicted, Luis Valbuena dropped dongs to the tune of 25 in less than 500 AB’s and C.J. Cron disappointed. It’s year three for Cron and with a clearer path he might get to work through his shizz this year. Valbuena should still be good for platooning vs. righties and Plouffe should be good for 20 dongs 75 RBI’s and a .250 BA. I’ll see you all in the next installment of Late Round Deep Thoughts when I go over middle infidels.

P.S. You guys always want to know what I’m listening too and on this night I was cruising my classic old school R&B oldies. To say it the best way I can in my best me way: I just don’t want to be lonely because as long as I’ve got you to bring it on home through the summer breeze then we good. Don’t sleep on the last one, what a great cover by the Isley’s and can you tell me what famous sample the second one is from? Nick the Dick and Grey are not eligible to answer that….too easy.

 

 

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