When I was 20 years old, the most important decision that I had to make was whether to grab a case of Yuengling or Miller Lite to contribute to the weekend festivities. For Carlos Correa (+58.8%), the decision to commit to the 96 mph four-seamer or the 82 mph hook while in the batter’s box could mean the difference between a deep postseason run or more disappointment for his team’s long-suffering fans. Fortunately for the first place Houston Astros, Correa, the most added player in fantasy baseball over the past week, is capable of much more than the typical 20-year-old. In just 133 plate appearances in Double-A this season, he produced a .385/.459/.726 triple slash line with 7 home runs, 25 runs scored, 32 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. After his promotion to Triple-A, he put up a .276/.345/.449 line with 3 home runs, 19 runs scored, 12 RBI, and 3 stolen bases across 113 PA. Correa doesn’t turn 21 until September. I bet he’s never even had an Irish Carbomb, but he’s able to turn on an inside fastball and smack it 400 feet down the left field line and knock a low-and-away slider into the right-center field gap. I guess that would be impressive to some people. Expect some growing pains from the young shortstop who’s been compared to A-Rod and Manny Machado, but Correa’s talent is off the charts. Even elite prospects can take 2-3 years (or more) to figure things out at the big league level, but Correa’s capable of making an immediate fantasy impact. Think 8 homers, 10-12 steals, and a .265 average from here on out, or a top 6-7 SS in fantasy terms.
Here are a couple of other significant adds and drops in fantasy baseball over the past week:
Chi Chi Gonzalez – 42.2% owned (+25.6%)
I’ve always been under the impression that Chi-Chi’s was a celebration of food, yet I’ve never tried the elusive fried ice cream. Someday. But this Chi Chi has been a celebration of deception in 2015. Among the 310 MLB pitchers who have amassed at least 20 IP this season, there are just 4 who have produced a negative K-BB% – Taylor Matzek, David Buchanan, Eddie Butler, and Chi Chi. His 0.80 K/BB, thanks to a 3.32 K/9 and a 4.15 BB/9, is the 2nd worst mark to Matzek among those same qualifiers.
Why is Gonzalez such a hot commodity? His 0.42 ERA and 1.06 WHIP are ratio assets to say the least. He hasn’t allowed a home run yet, which is not an unusual occurrence for him (no higher than a 0.47 HR/9 at any stop in his career). His current 52.3% GB% is terrific. On the flip side, his 95.8% LOB% and .197 BABIP are wildly unsustainable, as his 5.18 xFIP and 5.62 SIERA indicate. Look for some fried ice cream elsewhere. TRASH.
Trevor Plouffe – 35.0% owned (-8.7%)
Plouffe is like the Rodney Dangerfield of fantasy baseball – he just don’t get no respect. Among all MLB third basemen since the beginning of the 2014 season, Plouffe is 5th in RBI (113), 9th in HR (23), and 10th in runs scored (94). In fact, his production has exceeded that of Pablo Sandoval (96 RBI, 22 HR, 88 R) during that time period in fewer plate appearances (829 for Plouffe, 862 for Sandoval). Hitting behind Dozier, Mauer, and Hunter (and possibly über-prospect Byron Buxton) should provide him with plenty of RBI opportunities from here on out. Plouffe goes the dynamite. TREASURE.
