The Pittsburgh Pirates have been riding the clutch for the last six years and it seems the damage has been done. Now the clutch is slipping and there might be damage to the flywheel. Some people just don’t realize that it’s much cheaper to replace brake pads than it is to replace your clutch. Especially when your clutch was a first round draft pick.
Since 2011 Andrew McCutchen has been a top ten outfielder in points leagues. From 2012-2015 he was in the top five, scoring 499, 490, 471 and 465 points respectively. The wear and tear on the clutch can be seen in his decline in point production. This season he is on pace for a meager 298 points. Wait, that must be a typo right? Wrong! With 195 points so far McCutchen finds himself right between Yasmany Tomas (197) and Brad Miller (189), both of whom have had about 50 less plate appearances. This means they have both technically been more valuable with better points per plate appearance ratios. Essentially Andrew McCutchen has been useless in 2016. Perhaps even detrimental to your team considering the wasted early round pick. He has had just two weeks in which he scored more than 20 points and is averaging just 11 points per week. Jose Altuve scores 11 points per game! Okay, so that’s not an accurate statement, but has done so several times this season. So have many other hitters. Heck, a grand slam is 9 points with one swting! At this point there’s not really anything you can with McCutchen except put him on your bench. Given his history I would buy low on him, but it would have to be a legit buy low offer.
If you thought that Max Kepler might be listed in Adam Sandler’s next version of the Hanukkah song, guess again. Despite a rather Jewish sounding name, Max, unlike Ryan Braun, Ian Kinsler and Alex Bregman, does not like the menorah. However, last week he lit up the fantasy world by scoring 42 points. The only other players to score more than 42 in a week include Bryce Harper, Josh Donaldson, Victor Martinez, Ben Zobrist, Robinson Cano, Jose Altuve, Jackie Bradley Jr, Mookie Betts, Travis Shaw, Trevor Story, Jay Bruce, Corey Seager, Freddie Freeman, Charlie Blackmon and Joey Votto. Aside from Shaw, that list reads like the “Who’s who of top tier fantasy baseball players. Put it this way, I’m starting Kepler over McCutchen. In related news Jason Kipnis no longer identifies as Jewish.
As bad as McCutchen has been this season, I’ve got a guy that’s been worse. While he might not have been a first or second round pick like McCutchen he was drafted as a top 25 outfielder. If you thought I was going to say Justin Upton, guess again. Instead I’m pointing my middle finger at Jason Heyward Jablome who has been nothing short of a disgrace. He should be dropped in all formats. In points leagues he has less points than Seth Smith, Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Moss. I rest my case.
Here are a few players that when given the opportunity to hit are generating fantasy points.
Matt Joyce, 149 points, 0.805 PPPA
Justin Bour, 172 points, 0.716 PPPA
Yangervis Solarte, 184 points, 0.713 PPPA
Jake Smolinski, 102 points, 0.708 PPPA
Brandon Moss, 176 points, 0.698 PPPA
Tyler Naquin, 157 points, 0.688 PPPA
David Dahl has 3 home runs in just 42 plate appearances. Jason Heyward has 5 in 421. You do the math.
On several occasions this season I have advised you to stash Dylan Bundy. How many of you listened? Exhibit A. Exhibit B. The defense rests.
Don’t forget to play defense. One of the teams I am jockeying with for the last playoff spot had what I’d like to call a closer cluster funk. Unfortunately for him he had all three of Cody Allen, Jeremy Jeffress and Will Harris. Talk about bad luck! During the past few days I scooped up Dellin Bentances, Ken Giles and Tony Watson before he had the chance to grab one. This is going to cripple him at the closer position with no legit closers to pickup. And before you ask why Betances was available it’s because holds are zero points in my league. Even if I weren’t in contention for the playoffs, I’d still make this play. Then I’d be in a strong position to offer him a trade which could benefit me in terms of draft picks or keepers for next season. Sometimes defense is your best offense. Be aware of your opponents’ teams and their holes.
