After 25 minutes of intense Google searching, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt Willy Adames is not William Adama. Though, 24 of those 25 minutes involved me removing a Firefox toolbar add-on that identified Cylons from humans. Meanwhile, searching Willy Adames on Razzball, reveals a flurry of results that tells me he has fallen dramatically in Prospector Ralph’s eyes. He was a top 25 prospect for 2017 fantasy baseball, where PR seemed to be self-soothing, saying things like, “Not the best start to his Triple-A career,” but “…lots of young players take a month to settle into a new level.” Apparently, less players take two years to settle in, because PR dropped Willy Adames all the way to 57th overall on his top 100 prospects for 2018 fantasy baseball. There, he seemed to still be excited about Adames, while couching his comments with much more room for disappointment, mentioning how others now think he’s overrated. Underrated, overrated or simply rated that is the question, after “To be or not to be,” “How do I get my hand unstuck from a Pringles can?” and “Am I the only one that calls diarrhea, ‘The Squirt Locker?'” Anyway, what can we expect from Willy Adames for 2018 fantasy baseball?
One thing I didn’t mention in the opening that I usually mention in these posts is potential playing time. I don’t know if Adames plays. I think he should, but this is also a team that traded away Tim Beckham to be his best self on the Orioles. A reason that still alludes me. I’ve heard the clubhouse cancer argument, but a 27-year-old hitting 20+ homers and .280 surely knocks that clubhouse cancer into remission. If that Beckham example were to hold true for Adames, he’d be a washout — or warsh-out, if someone from Pennsylvania is reading — for five years, then breakout on a different team. If I were the Rays, I’d play Adames over Adeiny, Duffy, really anyone on the infield except Longoria. Will the Rays? I have my doubts, but it will depend on Adeiny’s arbitration, prolly. So, so, SO about Adames (finally!), in Triple-A last year, he had 10 HRs, 11 SBs and .277 with a 23% strikeout rate. Now you know why I buried the lede, that’s-a notta so exciting as they say in stereotypical Italian households. Watching him though, gives me a little bit more appreciation. He looks like Correa. Not his swing or anything, I mean actual appearance (hey, it’s something!). I watched one home run, and he looked off-balance like Amanda Bynes. Most of the highlights I saw were of him fielding. Um, great, he has a good arm. I do think he is way too young still to peg as a 10/10/.275 guy, who is mostly known for defense. He just needs to add ten to fifteen homers to his 15-steal speed, and he’ll be 25/15/.270 without much problem. That’s definitely a draftable shortstop. Of course, I don’t see that from him this year. Sad trombone. For 2018, I’ll give him 47/7/41/.259/9 in 312 ABs and a June promotion.
