Is Cody Bellinger now a top five first baseman, and a great pick in the first 24 players chosen?
Cody has been a huge contributor for the position in average and in steals and also power. He’s just been tremendous and is a sure fire winner of the weird comeback player award. What has he come back from? This and his former MVP status should be enough to assume that he’s back for good, and let’s all go, right?
The Bellinator does come with some caveats. The first is injury history, which was not assuaged by his month of vacation to a knee issue that wasn’t structural. The second is landing place, of course, for next year. He be a Boras lad, and those guys tend to go for buried treasure, and those big contracts come with some pressure.
Much like last week. lets go through the rater and compare Belly to them and see where he should slot.
Let’s dispense with the obvious: Freddie Freeman is not going after Bellinger. I realize the power is not elite elite, but 23 will help along with a .339 average. If you play in an OPS league, over 1.000 will play too. I’ll continue to look to draft him after the sexy guys are drafted early in the first. And no. Don’t get cute here.
Matt Olson is another no doubter. He probably is having his career year. But his team context isn’t changing, and he’s got 43 HR and leads the league in RBI with 107 already. His impact is so great, I’m in fifth in the Razzball Writers League, (the Sperts leagues baby brother that nobody cares about) and my team besides Matt is so bad they probably would fire me or at least slash my salary. To make a short story long, Olson is over Bellinger.
At this point, you’re like Yo take a stand bruh. Bellinger had to go ahead of Christian Walker, Justin Turner, Yandy Diaz, and the aging and bad team Paul Goldschmidt for next season. Those guys are good mid round targets. The only one I even checked on was Goldie and then I saw that he’s 35 and I’ll just be glad to miss out on that one,
Pete Alonso and Bellinger will be a fascinating debate, depending on how each guy finishes. Currently Bellinger is 3 and Cringey Polar Bear is fourth on ye olde rater. I’m imagining a lot of articles in the preseason about which side you prefer. Sure, I’ll do that!
I would draft Alonso ahead of Cody. Elite power is hard to find, and he’s good for 50 per year. His floor is this season, his upside is 60 HR. I’m not worried about the average in the .220 range this year. He’s crazy streaky, and should bounce back. Pete is the safer and probably more productive player.
This next one hurts. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been my guy for years. He’s a consistent first round target for me. Besides the one year, which followed a huge commitment to fitness and minor league ballparks, he’s been around a .270 hitter with 30HR. Quite useful, but I was thinking the next Miguel Cabrera here. Statcast backs me up. Everything is red, hard hits all up in here, but for some reason he underperforms the metrics.
I will probably die on the Vladdy hill, but you should probably take Bellinger here. Wait a minute while I suck a pacifier shaped lollipop and listen to Fix You. Vladdy tries his best but he doesn’t succeed, and get what you want and not what you need, and I love someone and it all comes to waste……..Vladdy let me fix you!
Notes
Andrew Vaughn is finally hitting. Over .300 the last month, but only three HR and only taking one walk. At this point, I’m never owning a White Sock again. Unless it’s a super fun tube sock with two rings around the top just below the knee. This team is a train wreck. But maybe Vaughn can justify my preseason top 7 1B hype.
If Triston Casas keeps this up, he’s going to be expensive to draft next year. .329 average with 10 HR in the past month will do that. Congrats if you stuck with the guy, he’s for real. Nice to have a big bat pop at first base this year.
Josh Bell seems to enjoy Miami. I’m sure the sleepy nightlife is conducive to a great night sleep, a well rested body, and a positive attitude. Since arriving, he’s batting .310 with four HR in just eleven games. He has streaks, maybe stick with him while the heater lasts. This guy has the weirdest things. Was hitting over .300 with Washington last year, then under .200 for the Padres. This year, .242 with little power for Cleveland, turns it around in Miami. Maybe you can ride this to the finish line.
Carlos Santana is at .172 with a .200 OBP for the Brewers. That’s yucky. Stay away from the 37 year old.
have a great week, and let me know where you would draft Belly! For the record, and I’m realizing I forgot to write this earlier, but I don’t wanna go back and inset it somewhere, I take him in the second. Pair him with a big bat with less speed and you’re off to a great foundational start.
