If you’re still focused on fantasy baseball, pat yourself on the back for either making it into the playoffs or at least being in the playoff hunt. Here’s an interesting, and possibly false, stat. I started the season with thirty-one followers. I am currently down to eighteen. Seventeen of those eighteen have put themselves into a playoff position by reading my posts. The one follower that is not is my wife. She doesn’t even play fantasy baseball, she just reads my posts every week to make sure I am actually writing a post when she asks me to do something and I tell I can’t because I have to write an article. Ok, so I don’t really know how many followers I had or still have, or how many have actually benefited from my guidance, but I do know this. One hundred percent of my readers that are in the playoffs are actually in the playoffs. They’ve done studies, you know. 60% of the time, it works every time.
Do you know what the name Gary Sanchez makes me think of? If you thought I was going to say “one of the hottest players in fantasy baseball leagues” you’d be mistaken. And if you guessed “someone that will be on the other side of the wall once Donald Trump takes office”, you’d also be wrong. The name Gary Sanchez makes me think about the upcoming release of Narcos Season 2. That just goes to show you how unfocused I am when it comes to baseball. But while I’m on the topic I guess I should throw the kid a bone. In the last three weeks only four batters have scored more points than Boy Gary. Those four players are Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, Kris Bryant and Joey Votto. How’s about that company? There should be no league where Sanchez is available, but if for some reason he’s on the wire in your league, grab him and invite me to join it next year.
I see no reason to make any further mention of the four players listed above with more points than Sanchez. These players are known studs and the only time I really like to talk about studs is when they are being duds.
Shockingly, Jose Altuve has not been the best 2B in points leagues over the last three weeks. As a matter of fact there are four second basemen that have scored more points than Joselito during that time. Who dares outshine our shining Astro? Brian Dozier has 74 points, Trea Turner has 69, DJ LeMahieu has 66 and Addison Russell has 65. Jose has 62. It is likely that they are all owned, but if Turner or Russell are available, I’d grab them. This season shortstop has been deeper than it has since as far back as I can remember. Next year I think Addison will make the position even deeper. Speaking of Altuve, I heard he’s high up on the list of replacements for Kenny Baker’s role as R2D2.
Alex Gordon scored 46 points in week 20. Before he went on the disabled list back in May he had a total of 53 points in his first five weeks! In the eight weeks after returning from the DL, leading up to his 46-point week, Gordon also scored just 53 points. I do not recommend trusting this guy with your playoff hopes and dreams. If you ignore his 46-point illusion he has averaged only 7.8 points per week. Gary Sanchez scores more with one swing of the bat! Plata o plomo?
Personally I think that Jose Ramirez might be the most valuable player in points leagues that went undrafted. The dude is eligible at every position except 1B and catcher. He is averaging 16.1 points per week and is currently a top 15 OF, top ten 2B, top ten 3B and top ten SS. Ramirez is averaging more points per week than Buster Posey (26 ADP), Carlos Correa (12 ADP), Jackie Bradley Jr., Gregory Polanco and Mark Trumbo, who leads the Major Leagues with 38 home runs. And I think Ramirez’s name has a high probability of being listed in the cast of extras for the next season of Narcos.
Lastly I’d like to mention a player that I highlighted in the preseason. Nick Markakis should be more than 50 percent owned in points leagues. He’s not flashy and he’s not going to win the week for you all by himself, but he is consistent. He is currently averaging 14.1 points per week and that places him 62nd amongst hitters. It also puts him just ahead of Todd Frazier, Eric Hosmer, Jose Abreu, Jonathon Lucroy and Andrew McCutchen. That’s all I’m going to say about Markakis.
Oh yeah, Melky Cabrera is averaging 14 points a week. I told you to own him in points leagues too.
