If all the experts in the world had baby T-Rex arms, no one would be able to pat themselves on the back. I am lumping myself into the SAGNOF love fest that the grand master Lothario himself, Grey, was part of and preached in the preseason on why Tim Anderson was the mac. Or the PC, whatever your preference in lapputers is. I not only loved the guy two months ago, I love him more now that he is living up to the steals hype and maintaining other stats that make him basically a eight-games-into-the-season stud. Looking over his stats and nothing jumps out as a SSS type thing… Is the OBP higher than it will be in 20, 50, or 80 games? Maybe, but are we certain that he can’t maintain a .350 OBP moving forward? Looking at the back of his baseball card, speed has always been there. As he develops into his body, considering that he is only 24, the power was going to develop from what we saw in the minors. His high total for any other season besides last year was 13 combined for 2016 that encompassed AAA and 99 games with the Sox. But this is the SAGNOF corner of the world, taters are good, but swipes are delicious. He has 5 steals in eight games, and is on pace for a whole lot more if he can keep that vital OBP to a respectable number. He has the license to steal and should continue to do so…but it could get better. He hasn’t hit anywhere but the bottom-half of the order. This has eerie similarities to what we saw last year from Merifield. Sustain great number from the bottom and then boom, move up the order and become an even better kleptomaniac. So while the steals now are fantastic and a boon to his draft day value (thanks Grey!), keep an eye out for if/when he moves up the order and his numbers could from what they are now to even better. SAGNOF rant over, let’s get to the tidbits, and the bits of tid that keep all the girls squirrely. Cheers!
Michael A. Taylor – Almost made the lede, but his hefty .167 batting average looks like a national anchor. Needs to hit because when Murphy comes back and if Kendrick is playing the better, someone is going to lose at-bats. Or for that matter, Brian Goodwin is basically giving you the same thing but at a waiver wire price. So to summarize here, see if Brian Goodwin is available, but before you do look at his stats compared to Taylor and chuckle.
Kevin Pillar – How is he doing in steals since his 3 steal game a week ago? Spoiler alert: he is still on 3!
Niko Goodrum – Post hype prospects make the SAGNOF world go round. In a great position and on a great team to actually do something. The Tigers check all three boxes for a useful gut like Goodrum. Old, injury prone, and rebuilding. He can play all over the pitch (soccer term) and just needs an opportunity. Has seen a game at SS and 1B so far and with added games will have the sexy MI/CI tag. Definitely worth monitoring.
Craig Gentry – He’s this week’s Kevin Pillar, don’t fall for the multiple stat in one day banana in the tailpipe special.
Alex Colome – Struggles in the land of animals that killed the Crocodile Hunter. Two straight blow-ups and a bullpen that gets taxed every fifth game with a start thing. The Rays are a bad scene right now for anything intrinsically valuable from a fantasy standpoint. Colome has one leg out of the stirrup, and he should have been traded offseason to be honest, but Jose Alvarado needs to be the emergency fighter here.
Jacob Barnes – One blown, but it doesn’t make him garbage. That inning was an awful display of fielding and while he threw the pitches, he can’t Bugs Bunny it and play every position. Barnes is still the leader of the committee pack, but Albers and Jeffress could be rostered in most formats without an argument.
Justin Grimm – If you are a speculator on trades and saving future save guys he looks like the dime piece after Herrera currently.
Greg Holland – Don’t drop Noris or Leone just yet, or at least until he proves that he can get in back to back affairs. So give it 7-10 games and than sail on if it appears he is hiccup free.
