If you came here for NFL Draft coverage, you’re in the wrong place. However, I do enjoy the adjectives given to the young “glass eaters” of the gridiron. If your team drafted a guy with “oily hips” or “elite wiggle” you’re winning. If anything can tie into oddly descriptive words for twenty year old men, it’s OPS! Two weeks ago in this space, we recommended adding Christian White Walker, Trey Mancini, and Maikel Franco. The latter has come back down to earth since his hot start, but Walker and Mancini are still raking. Along with most of the top SP getting rocked this year, the 1B position has been chaos as well. Walker, Mancini, Pete Alonso, and Daniel Vogelbach are all in the top 10 at the position. Hunter Dozier is eleventh. If you drafted Edwin Encarnacion, Max Muncy, or Jesus Aguilar hopefully you stashed one of these other “plug and play guys” until they figure things out.
We’re a month into the season, most teams have played around 25 games. It’s important to keep in perspective when evaluating your team and what players to drop or hold. Hand up, I regretfully dropped Jose Martinez in one league where I was desperate for a 1B after losing Matt Olson to injury. He started slow and was losing playing time unjustly to Harrison Bader and Tyler O’Neill. They’re both injured and Martinez is taking advantage, he’s 11 for his last 23 and his OPS has climbed to .802. He only has 1 HR on the season but the power is coming. Luke Voit is another hitter who readers were asking if he should be dropped. He looks like Brock Lesnar in a uniform and is currently riding a 12 game hitting streak to go along with 7 HR on the year. He’s leading this yoked Yankees team that has fifteen guys that could be described as “a rolling ball of butcher knives.”
Adds:
Raimel Tapia, OF, Rockies – He has a .924 OPS on the season with 3HR in his last 4 games. Ian Desmond is washed and Tapia is poised for a break out. He’s 25 years old, he hit .302 with 11 HR and 21 SB in AAA last season.
Michael Chavis, 3B, Red Sox – Chavis could pick up 2B eligibility soon along with his natural 3B position, he has a 1.002 OPS in 18 AB along with 2 HR in his last three games. He’s provided a much needed spark in the Red Sox lineup.
Josh Reddick, OF, Astros – Similar to the aforementioned Trey Mancini, everyone has owned Reddick on a hot streak and dropped him two weeks later. It’s that time of the season to add him, he has multiple hits in 4 of his last 6 games. He has a .951 OPS and hits in a fantastic Astros lineup, play him while he’s hot.
Drops:
Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Nationals – I tend to have a shorter leash with the older players not producing, and there are plenty of better 1B options.
Brian Dozier, 2B, Nationals – He’s been slightly better of late, but still only hitting .183 with a .632 OPS on the season. I’m dropping but you can hold if you’re desperate for a MI.
Values:
I’m going to keep speaking a Verdugo breakout into existence until it happens. If given the opportunity to play every day, he has the tools to contribute across all categories and is in a stacked lineup.
Alex Verdugo, OF, Dodgers
Matt Adams, 1B, Nationals
Brian Goodwin, OF, Angels
Sell:
Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers – 0 HR and a .661 OPS, if anyone is buying off name recognition alone I’m selling for a hitter with functioning legs.
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