Welcome back to our National League DH coverage! Joining us will be DH extraordinaire, Cliff Johnson.
“Cliff, what do you think is the hardest part of being a DH?”
“You have to be ready to play from any position.”
“Like 1st base, or catcher?”
“No, like from the far right of the bench, to the spot right next to that, to the spot right next to that, to the spot–”
“Okay, I think I got it. If DHs are always sitting, any ideas why DHs always seem to be named after places where dudes stand? There was you — Cliff. There was Stairs, and there was Chili.”
“Chili?”
“Yes, a Chili stand.”
All right, so the other day we went over the best candidates to DH in the NL East and their fantasy value. Today, you guessed it! So, who are the best candidates for DH on the NL Central teams, and what can we expect from them for 2022 fantasy baseball?
REDS
Eugenio Suarez – Think the Reds and the Brewers might need their own posts they both have so many guys who could DH. If only the Reds had the DH last year, it would’ve saved Luis Castillo from getting an ulcer while watching Eugenio Suarez play shortstop. Also, went over Eugenio in the top 20 shortstops for 2022 fantasy baseball.
Mike Moustakas – Serious question: Will the Reds’ team batting average be .180? No, because India’s gonna hit .350. You’re welcome. Also, went over Moistasskiss in the top 20 3rd basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball.
Aristides Aquino – So, these are in order if they get the DH job for the whole year. Kinda. If The GGOATOAT aka Aristides Aquino gets the everyday DH job, he will get the most value, but it will also kill me because I will explode from excitement. I can’t handle Aristides Aquino being an everyday player. I’m not sure society can handle it. Or sorcery, which my autocorrect tried to correct society to. All of it! I mean, none of it can handle him! He also might hit .175 and become the new Mayor of Dongtown, where I have a summer residence. A small cabin. Okay, being real, Aquino likely would have a 40% K% if he had an everyday job and that would cause him to lose said job. Also, Aristides Aquino is mentioned in this video. Subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Nick Senzel – Went over him in the top 20 2nd basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball.
Shogo Akiyama – TJ Friedl, Kyle Farmer, Joey Votto, hey, can I just list their entire roster? Too bad they chucked Michael Lorenzen out the door, because he could’ve DH’d too. Last year, Shogo had an injury-shortened year and only had two steals and zero homers with a .204 average. Guess how many games his season was shortened to. Go ahead! We’re all friends here! No one will laugh if you’re way off. He had zero homers and two steals. Now guess his games played. Nope, little bit off. He played in 88 games. Wow, what production.
BREWERS
Brewers with five DHs already on their team pic.twitter.com/k8vY2lKHdA
— Razzball (@Razzball) February 10, 2022
Rowdy Tellez – Maybe it’s because I’ve been burnt by this Brewers’ big boy before, buh-buh-buh-buh-but belly up to this Brewers’ bar and not belly up like a beached Biloxi Bluefin. I give that sentence a B+! Any hoo! Rowdy’s in the top 20 1st basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball.
Tyrone Taylor – Might be the biggest addition to the 2022 fantasy baseball rankings if we get to the other side of this lockout and the Brewers actually start Taylor as their DH in a few spring games. If you take your finger and cover the column on FanGraphs where it shows Tyrone Taylor’s age, you could convince yourself he’s on the precipice of a breakout. Sure, he’s been in the minors for ten years, but what? You don’t like stick-to-itiveness? That’s lame. What a hater you are. Tyrone Taylor isn’t a Quad-A player! He’s a Quint-A player. Cinco-A? Don’t mind the flyer late, but for Tyrone Taylor to not just sound like a matinee idol, but to become one, he needs to basically prove every scout wrong in Milwaukee. The 12/6/.247 with only a 21.8% K% last year does hint at what could be, assuming he can suddenly hit righties and not just LOOGYs.
Keston Hiura – Hey, what was I just saying above about the Brewers’ scouts not knowing anything? Here’s one point in favor of that theory! Went over Keston in the top 20 1st basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball.
Mike Brosseau – First off, how does this guy’s parents not name him Mario? Or Whoaiswhat, as in Whoaiswhat Brosseau. It is, ya know. That’s what bros say! If Brosseau is the main DH, then things have gone terribly wrong for the Brewers.
CUBS
Clint Frazier – Now that I see how few options the Cubs have to DH, I’m thinking I should’ve gave Frazier an extra 200 ABs in my projections from the 278 ABs I did give him in the top 100 outfielders. Can’t imagine ever moving him up from the top 100, though. He’s just failed so many times that he needs to actually do something before I can go from “FU red” to fired up.
Harold Ramirez – Not even a Quad-A player, but more like a minor leaguer who is currently on the major league roster. The Cubs could promote Brennan Davis, and move Ian Happ to DH, which might clear up their DH shituation. Right now, Frazier and Ramirez, or Ramifraz, doesn’t feel like an answer. Maybe they sign someone, which seems doubtful.
PIRATES
Michael Chavis – You ever draft Ke’Bryan Reynolds or Oneil Cruz and think to yourself, “Welp, I’ll never see one single at-bat by them because I won’t watch the Pirates?” So, I absolutely looked at Chavis when I was doing my rankings. I remember the exact moment, because I have a standing desk and Chavis made me fall asleep and I hit my head. Grade 2 concussion, and I wasn’t able to catch in a softball game of the Cool Guys vs Nerds, where I was definitely on the Cool Guys team. Pirates hitters’ fantasy value goes like this: Someone has to get at-bats. It’s hard to not see Chavis getting a line somewhere around 17/3/.230 with 55 runs and RBIs. I might have to add him to my rankings, but it won’t mean I like him.
Yoshi Tsutsugo – Went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball.
CARDINALS
Paul DeJong – Went over him in the top 20 shortstops for 2022 fantasy baseball.
Nolan Gorman – First off, what Prospect Itch said, “Gorman breathed some spice into his dynasty stock by sliding over to second base and popping 25 home runs in 125 games across two levels, slashing .279/.333/.481 by reducing his strikeout rate early and adding power later in the year as the K-rate kept dropping all the way down to 19.2 percent after a 31.7% rate back in 2019 at High-A. In short, it’s all coming together for Gorman. I’d still be more likely to sell than buy if he’s considered an elite piece in your league, but that’s mostly because I’ve always thought his top-end outcomes would be closer to good than great. Unlike Grey who sucks or will suck.” That’s not cool! Not sure if the world or the Cardinals are ready for two Nolans on their team. Did the Cards hire Christopher Nolan to manage them and do an Inception on us? Hard to say. Also, hard to say when Gorman will be up. He might need an Edman injury more than the DH.
Lars Nootbaar – Ya know what’s funny about fantasy ‘perts and the new NL DH? It’s like everyone gets one gift that they get to open and no one sees what’s inside, so they can just say what they want it to be. Opening the Cards’ DH slot, “Hey, it’s DeJong!” Someone else, “Hey, look it’s Nootbaar!” The Cards’ DH is a Harry & David gift basket that no one wants. Also, Nootbaar is in the top 100 outfielders.
