I just read, “On March 6th, manager Mike Matheny said Ryan O’Hearn could begin the season in a platoon at first base with Ryan McBroom,” and I cackled multiple times. There’s something legitimately funny at just about every third word in that news blurb. March 6th? Was that this year? March 6th was pre-Covid and I don’t remember anything about that — cackle #1. Mike Matheny is just a cackle waiting to happen every time I hear his name because he’s such a terrible manager. Imagine even calling him manager. Matheny makes bad managers scratch their heads. Woofity woof woof and cackle #2. There was no cackle #3, then, onto cackle #4: “Could begin the season.” Dude, what season? You’re making me cackle like a gee-dee fool! Okay, moving on! Cackle #5 was at the thought of a platoon with Ryan McBroom. If McBroom doesn’t make you laugh every time you hear his name, you’re dead inside. Check your pulse. The only reason O’Hearn and McBroom should platoon is because Matheny is so dumb and can only remember the name Ryan. “Um, yeah, starting at 1st today is…um, that Irish kid…What’s his name again? Ryan something.” 1st base coach, “McBroom?” Matheny thinks, then, “You wanna clean the bathroom at a McDonald’s?” So, what can we expect from Ryan O’Hearn from 2020 fantasy baseball and what makes him a great dart throw?
Last year was not a good one for Ryan O’Hearn. In 105 games, he hit 14 homers and .195 in 328 at-bats. That makes me do the Michael Scott grimace. Not good, brah. But there’s some hope, homey. His .230 BABIP was about sixty points off where his numbers should be. His previous year should help us stay a bit more optimistic: 44 games, 12 HRs and .262 average with a .293 BABIP. His xBA both years weren’t, how do I say, good, but, honestly I’m not sure why. He had the 61st best exit velocity last year, right above Austin Meadows, and his 42.4% hard contact last year and 42.3% the year before aren’t egregious. League average was 38%, and league average for soft contact was 17%, but O’Hearn’s was 14.3% (which is better than 17%, said Mr. Exposition). At 26 years of age, O’Hearn has only shown 45 grade power in games, but grades out at 60 in raw power, so there’s more there (in theory). He pulls or centers up most pitches, and, with his good-enough Launch Angle of 14.4 in his career, he should be able to put up around a 38-40% fly ball rate. 60-grade power and a 40% fly ball rate gives us something much closer to a 20+ HR/FB%, which takes us to around 15 homers in 65-70 games, and a .250+ average with upside on both fronts. Assuming Matheny forgets his McBroom in the McDonald’s bathroom and looks at O’Hearn more often than not, if for no other reason than he’s the lefty who hits righties well, then O’Hearn could surprise as a cheap late power corner bat and a great dart throw.
