Josh Reddick has been on a tear since returning from a concussion injury with an OPS over 1.500, two homers, and three steals (although his return sent future OPS Monster Derek Fisher back to AAA, sad trombone). Last year I recommended him when he was also coming off the DL (you don’t have to click on that link but I included it for posterity’s sake and so you won’t call me out. Of which there was a 0.0% chance of happening).
Reddick, 30 years young, is in his ninth big league season. He’s made some journeys around the majors, some might call him a journeyperson…or journeyman if we want to be gender-specific. Drafted in the 17th round out of Middle Georgia College by the Red Sox in 2006 he made it to the majors by 2009 at age 22; while he was in Boston for parts of the next three seasons it wasn’t an impressive stay so in December 2011 he was traded to the A’s for Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney.
Reddick then proceeded to have his career year at age 25 with a line of 85/32/85/11/.768. That OPS really stands out as low for all those homers but those 11 steals helped it go down easier back in ’12. Anyhoo, power hasn’t been Reddick’s game as he has homer totals of 12, 12, 20, 10 in his last five MLB seasons. Reddick has hit eight this year already; I’m buying that he’s getting to 20 minimum (like most every major leaguer) and chipping in 5-7 more steals. His OPS this season is .846 which beats his best MLB season by .060, aided by his 15 doubles and three triples thus far. Hitting in Houston seems to suit him better than Oakland (or his short stint in Dodger Stadium) which makes sense going from pitcher parks to a hitters park.
Injuries of the nagging variety seem to follow Reddick around (fractured thumb, strained wrist, hyper-extended knee, right oblique, razor burn, titty twister) so he comes with that disclaimer but who cares as long as he’s hitting? Add him just to hit righties and Always start him against righties (one example, all his homers this season are against them as are 81 of his career 104).
Reddick signed a four year, $52 million contract this past off-season, so he’s definitely going to be a part of Houston’s lineup as long as he hits. Since he’s been back he’s batting second right in between George Springer and Jose Altuve, which I don’t have to tell you is a prime spot to hit in. I’m actually surprised he’s only owned in only 40% of Razzball Commentor Leagues; less surprised in the fact that he’s only owned in 20% of Yahoo! and 27% of ESPN leagues; after Wednesday’s 2R, 3RBI, 2 Steal game those percentages are going up. I added him as I wrote this article anywhere he was available (so if we’re in the same league, sucks for you). Get in before he gets hurt again.
Top OPS past 14 days (min 30 ABs as of this writing):
This week’s top ten is a whizzbanger of a list; this is first top ten list I probably wouldn’t have guessed one of them, so I have to share the whole list: Jose Ramirez, Curtis Granderson, Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, Michael A. Taylor, Trey Mancini, Justin Turner, Gary Sanchez, Matt Joyce, Anthony Rendon. More than half this list is owned in 95%+ of leagues; the others I’d add in this order: Mancini, Taylor, Granderson, Pederson, Joyce.
Mancini was a 20 homer guy in multiple minor league seasons and is on pace for 30+ this season. He should be owned in way more than 59% of Yahoo! and 69% of ESPN leages, but both those numbers are climbing and by the time this posts he’ll probably be on 10-15% more teams, so me telling you to add him may very well me a moot point (quick story; I worked customer service in a call center in my younger days. On one call a woman was yelling at me about something I can’t recall and responded to me by saying it was a “mute” point. I corrected her and got in trouble with my manager for correcting her. But c’mon, “mute point” makes no sense and I feel better that she doesn’t go around embarrassing herself saying mute point while everyone makes fun of her behind her back. Also, I wasn’t long for customer service).
I keep a fondness for Michael A. Taylor as he was the focus of my first Razzball post all the way back in early 2016 (no link to that one, just take my word I recommended Taylor a year and two months too early). Granderson has been on fire so I’d look to add him immediately (and then drop him once he goes 1/4). Joyce hits righties like our lede boy so if you’re in a super deep league he’s probably…still available (1% owned in Y! and ESPN); but if you have the time, inclination, are an Oakland A’s fan and related to him you might want to add him up.
Weekly Josh Bell & Ryon Healy update: Who doesn’t need help at first base? Bell keeps his solid season trudging along (he’s going to be on a lot of “sleeper” lists next year methinks) with a line of 6/4/8/1/.926 the past two weeks and his Pirates are home against the Giants and then travel to Philadelphia this week. Healy has a solid line with 6/4/10/.735; his ownership in ESPN is still not high enough for me at 58% (Yahoo! is better at 76%). Both these guys can find a home on your teams; or trade your starters for upgrades at other positions and add them up.
Lastly: I took this while watching the Nationals-Cubs game earlier this week:
Dusty Baker just doesn’t change. I love it. I doubt that Max Scherzer even has a pitch count; if he allows two base runners past the 7th Dusty maybe makes the call to start warming somebody up, but with that bullpen it’s harder to blame him. The Nationals announcer didn’t see any problem with them having the top four pitchers in pitches thrown per start and that pitch counts were silly. I’d like to point to exhibit A, B, and C; Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano. I get the feeling Scherzer is not finishing that contract so I’m just going to enjoy the heck out of the Mizzou product until his arm falls off. As summer is now in full effect don’t let the heat keep you in your seats, get out and enjoy the sun while its shining, Razzballers and Razzballettes!
