We (me) have gone over the catchers, 2nd basemen, shortstops and 3rd basemen to target. Last year, I dedicated this post to one player. I started last year’s post with, “Ahoy, all of youse that are apathetic about Michael Brantley, what follows is a one long love letter to said player, because, really, someone has to!” And that’s me rubbing it in your face that you didn’t listen to me. Sorry, that was petty, said Tom as he filed a lawsuit against Sam Smith. You know who I’m caca-cuckoo on this year? Same first name, same skill set, same set of worries, Michael “Be Mine” Saunders. It should be fun (for me) next year when I point out I tried to get y’all to draft Saunders, but no one wanted any part of him, until, of course, it was too late. Sad story (for you). (By the by, in last year’s outfielder sleeper post: Brantley, Ozuna, Yelich, Springer, Calhoun and Corey Dickerson.) Okay, so this post is all the outfielders that are being drafted after 200 overall that I have uber-sexy feelings for. Now, this is a (legal-in-all-countries-except-Canada) supplement to the top 100 outfielders for 2015 fantasy baseball. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2015 projections. Anyway, here’s some outfielders to target for 2015 fantasy baseball:
Michael Saunders (Yahoo 273, ESPN 317) So, first thing first, I, Grey, freaks all the honeys, but how can I project Saunders for so many ABs? 412, to be exact. Well, Dioner wants out of Toronto, even though he’s currently penciled in as the starting DH. He wants out of our goofy neighbor to the north because even he knows there’s no way he’s getting a bulk of starts at DH. He knows his value comes as a catcher and Russell Martin now has that on lock. Saunders will get time at DH and in left field. There’s some concern he might platoon in left. Yeah, that’s true he’s going to platoon with, um, uh…Kevin Pillar? Steve Tolleson? Okay, so Saunders is going to end up winning that battle. But what’s so great about him? If he plays in 140 games, he will hit 18 homers and steal 20. Oh…OH! That’s what’s going on here. Yeah, he’s a number one outfielder waiting for his everyday playing time. The knee injury that happened in the early spring had me knock him down a bit in the rankings, but I’d still draft him in all leagues as my last outfielder, then just DL him for the first two weeks.
Lorenzo Cain (Yahoo 160, ESPN 213) Really shouldn’t even be listed here, except ESPN dropped the ball when they were ranking him and I can’t let Cain…Sugar! fall through the cracks. For those finding us from Googling ‘Cain…Sugar + crack,’ welcome! We won’t judge you here, but stop rubbing your nose; it’s kinda obvious.
Adam Eaton (Yahoo 200, ESPN 238) Bit of a pickle I’ve got with Eaton since I have him sandwiched in at the 311th pick. Hmm, I have to remember to not write these on an empty stomach. So, I like Eaton, and could see owning him if he falls, but as of right now Yahoo and ESPN are a bit more optimistic on him. By no means is this his ceiling, but he did have 1 homer and 15 steals in 123 games (486 ABs) last year. For comparison’s sake — Comparison, “Thanks for thinking of me!” — Lagares is ranked almost two hundred spots after Eaton and he had 4 homers and 13 steals last year and is a tad younger.
Yasmany Tomas (Yahoo 228, ESPN 241) I see you making the circular motion with your finger by your head to indicate my ranking for Yasmany is crazy. Not cool. We are no longer over-the-internet friends. Oh, and I just went over him in the 3rd basemen to target post, act like you know, MC Lyte!
Joc Pederson (Yahoo 247, ESPN 245) If he gets the starting job, he could be a number one outfielder. Yeah, I said it. Oh, and he does have a starting job right now. How’s dem apples? Delicious!
Steven Souza (ESPN 255) If we remember way back to my Steven Souza sleeper post, I said Souza was the sequel to Desmond Jennings. Yeah, I love Desmond 2, too, said every African freedom fighter, but before we bless the rains down in Africa like Toto to Desmond 2, too, let’s not forget that Desmond The First has already been a constant Desmond 2, too, and is cheaper in drafts than the final season of Lost DVDs on eBay. If you understood that, congratulations you have passed Grey Babble 101. Now until SAGNOF, Donkeycorns and $12 Salads.
Desmond Jennings (Yahoo 245, ESPN 274) I’m kinda done with Desmond, the First, too. I feel you on that. I feel you…Figuratively! Get your damn hands off your computer screen and stop touching my avatar! But — all right, sing it one time, doing the but, yeah, yeah, yeah — Desmond the First is still the First, so he should be drafted.
Khris Davis (Yahoo 198, ESPN 259) I was thisclose to writing a sleeper post on Khris Davis, but I figured since he was solid last year, he would be ranked above where he would still be a sleeper. That didn’t happen. Sometimes during the offseason people forget about a player being decent. Davis wasn’t bad last year; he was bad in April, August and September. I remember owning him for a few months in the middle of the season when he was near the peak of his abilities. Think 6 HRs a month and a .260 average. For those slow on the basic math, six homers a month is 35 homers for the season. So, grab Davis, and don’t leave him alone like Pakalu Papito.
Avisail Garcia (ESPN 290) If nothing else, this post illustrates that you can wait on outfielders in most leagues. Like wait wait. Like wait on a gurney in a government office as you pretend to be injured so you can get disability. I don’t have Avisail’s ADP from last year, or where I ranked him, but nothing changed between then and now, except the shine has come off him because he missed the majority of games last year from a fluke injury. To get you unreasonably jazzed on Garcia, he had 5 homers and 4 steals in the 38 games after he returned from injury. So, that’s about a fifth of the season, which means he’s good for 25 homers and 20 steals. Zoinks!
Dalton Pompey (Yahoo unranked, ESPN 295) He only has 7-homer power at his absolute peak. Grab a sherpa in Nepal, tell him you’re friends with a Beastie Boy and have him take you to the top of Everest and you’d still only find 7-homer power from Pompey. Which is whatever since he could steal 40 bases.
Dexter Fowler (Yahoo unranked, ESPN 357) I admit my love of upside is only dwarfed by my love of Cougars, but when you’re ranking a guy like A.J. Pollock about 200 slots above Fowler, you might want to do some soul-searching.
Juan Lagares (Yahoo unranked, ESPN 385) I’m a Lagares man. I plan on owning him in every deep league. Sure, he’s only a 7-homer, 15-steal guy, but he won’t kill you in average and he’s guaranteed at-bats because like any Methead will tell you, Lagares can rake. (Rake as in field well. The verb rake makes more sense to me as a verb for playing defense. You know you rake up balls like you’re cleaning up the yard. Okay, moving on.)
Domonic Brown (ESPN 403) There’s about another ten outfielders you could draft late, according to ESPN or Yahoo’s rankings. I mean, they have Victorino after the top 400. Yeah, yeah, I know he could get bumped for Mookie or injured, but at 400 overall it’s kinda worth it to gamble on the Once-Flyin’ Hawiian, no? Oh, and as for Domonic, yeah, he was hot garbage on the surface of the sun last year, but here’s the funny thing (not funny), it’s not last year anymore. Crazy, right? I know it’s fun to write players off. It’s even more fun to flip them off, but you can’t go around punching people in the crotch like you’re Cal Ripken. Perhaps Domonic is done, but he’s 27 years old and, at 400+ in the rankings, I’d take a chance for a rebound.
