We (me) have gone over the catchers, 2nd basemen, shortstops and 3rd basemen to target, cause I have to do everything around here! Look at me, throwing shade like a beach umbrella! That makes sense…if you don’t think about it! That’s what I want my bumper sticker to say, and then when I step out of my car, I want my clever t-shirt to say it too, “That makes sense….if you don’t think about it.” How can I arrange my life so this happens? I need a personal assistant. “So, it says you worked as Kanye’s assistant and you bought mirrors for nine months straight….” That’s me checking the CV of my favorite imaginary assistant. Okay, so this post is all the outfielders that are being drafted after 200 overall that I have uber-sexy feelings for. Last year, I featured Aaron Judge, Domingo Santana and Joc Pederson, who I’ve featured every year since 1924, but not this year! Now, this is a (legal-in-all-countries-except-Canada) supplement to the top 100 outfielders for 2018 fantasy baseball. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2018 projections. Anyway, here’s some outfielders to target for 2018 fantasy baseball:
Delino DeShields (ESPN 223; Yahoo 204) DeShizz is now challenging Joc Pederson for the longest streak on the outfielders to target post. Good news is it means there’s still a lot of promise with him. Bad news is I would get carpal tunnel listing the bad news. However — again with some stank — HOWEVER! there was a reason why I once thought he could have a 10/40/.270 season. He’s still 25, and if he weren’t to break out until the age of 27, he’s still two seasons from his peak, which means two more years of DeShizz sleepers!
Lewis Brinson (ESPN 247; Yahoo 338) Let’s get in a time machine for a second. You interrupting, “So, I can make out with my much younger mom?” Eww. No, so we can think about Brinson prior to his poor showing on the Brewers last year. *gets in time machine, heads back to 2017 preseason, you looking around* “Wow, this inauguration is crowded!” *pull back to reveal we’re at the inauguration for the new manager at a Chick-fil-A in downtown Phoenix* So, now that you’re back in the 2017 preseason, what do you think of Brinson? “Well, I still know everything from the future, so nothing’s changed.” Forget it! Before Brinson’s brief stint with the Brewers, he was a top ten prospect with a 20/20/.280 type outlook. Yes, he was bad in Milwaukee last year, but it was in only 47 games. He still tore up Triple-A and he’s only 23 years old. Plus, this year he should start, and have an everyday job.
Willie Calhoun (ESPN 278; Yahoo 227) Here’s a popular pick around these parts to get some of Willie. I don’t contest the allure. Projections have him down for 28/3/.275 in a full season (can see every rookie hitter’s projections at the Prospectonator). Also, if you’re lucky, you can get Calhoun and DeShields and have room in your hatchback for groceries. (They’re small, y’all! Or maybe that’s sm’all.) Calhoun does have all that promise, but the Rangers might keep him down until June. Or he’s up by mid-April, hard to say.
Randal Grichuk (ESPN 287; Yahoo 322) In the 2nd half last year, he hit 13 homers and .265 in only 189 ABs. In another words, he’s going to hit 55 homers this year. Don’t fight this WWE champion, The Prorater, you will never win!
Michael Taylor (ESPN 299; Yahoo 230) I already gave you my Michael Taylor sleeper. Since that blessed day, his ADP and general consensus on him has not moved at all. Appizzarently, I wasn’t able to convince any of you. As Annie Hall would say, well, la di da. Last year, in only 399 ABs, he went 19/17/.271, and now he has an everyday job. If you can’t see the bonsai forest through the mini golf landscape, I can’t help you.
David Dahl (ESPN 305; Yahoo 244) Can I just put it out there that I don’t think Dahl sees 250 ABs this year? No? Well, too late, I already have. We’re waiting four years for the Rockies to play Tapia! The Rockies never play rookies — Roockies? — unless they’re on the left side of the infield. It’s why I’d be hesitant on Ryan McMahon too. If you don’t hit like an All-Star from Jump City with the Rockies, they never play you. Legit have no idea why the Rockies run their organization like this. If Tulo, Story or Arenado struggled their rookie years, I’m not sure they ever would’ve played for the Rockies. I bet Gerardo Parra will play more than Dahl, which should never happen. So, why list Dahl? Well, if I’m wrong about playing time, I love Dahl.
Albert Almora Jr. (ESPN 438; Yahoo unranked overall) Yahoo ranked Almora for their outfielder rankings above Cameron Maybin, but then in their overall rankings, they ranked Maybin but not Almora. Insert white guy blinking meme. None of this is to say Almora is any great bet for a huge season, but you just know Maddon’s going to play him way more than anyone is anticipating.
Jake Bauers (ESPN 443; Yahoo unranked) The Rays should be ashamed of themselves for what they did this offseason. It’s like all they had was hard candies in an old woman’s purse, then they took the candies out of their wrappers, rewrapped Metamucil into the wrappers and handed them out like candies. That makes sense…if you don’t think about it! Bauers went 13/20/.263 in Triple-A last year in 132 games, so the Rays go out and sign Carlos Gomez and trade for Denard Span. Pretty ridiculous, but hopefully Bauers is up by June. God knows with a name like Jake Bauers, he’s ready for his clock start.
Mitch Haniger (Yahoo 232) There should be a sub-category of player that will produce if he’s healthy; a sub-category of player that will produce if he lowers his Ks; a player that will produce if he hits less ground balls; one that just needs to play, etc. etc. etc. And which sub-category of player is safer. Is it safer to go for a guy that just needs to stay healthy? He doesn’t need to change his approach, chase less pitches, adjust the launch angle or have an injury in front of him to get on the field. This is a long way of saying Haniger just needs to stay healthy.
Stephen Piscotty (Yahoo 236) The excitement of Piscotty playing every day gets real short-lived when you look at his last full season with 22 HRs, 7 SBs and a .273 average. Oops, this is supposed to be a positive post on why I’m drafting these guys late. Okay, um, well, the A’s should play Piscotty. Lowercase yay, playing time! There’s gotta be more, right? *looks to Piscotty for the answer* Piscotty doesn’t know! Piscotty doesn’t know! Damn you, Piscotty and your blissful ignorance. Nah, Piscotty was once considered on the verge of a breakout, and that was only last year at this time, and he’s only 27 years old.
Derek Fisher (ESPN 312; Yahoo 320) The projections of Fisher for 162 games: 83/25/86/.245/20. *gulps* That reminds me of another aqueous Astros player, Kevin Bass. Yuli could return and push Fisher to the bench, but if Fisher performs, Gattis, Reddick, Yuli or Marwin could go to the bench instead. The lure of Fisher is there, just needs to be kept in a free-flowing stream and he will thrive, especially if the tide of change becomes still. Damn, I sound like the fantasy baseball Ernest Hemingway.
