These players either draw attention to themselves on the field or catch the imagination of writers or fans who toot that players horn loudly for them.
But remember, for every loud player, there is a quiet player performing as well....
Let's look at a few....
I see 'J Baez' and think of Joan Baez, so I refer to Javier Baez as 'Joan' when performing badly and I own him.
Baez reminds me a little of Alfonso Soriano. Both, can look so beautiful when connecting and so bad at the plate when diving for a curve ball a foot outside.
The difference in the two is that Soriano was stats driven. He was not afraid to admit that he looked at and admired his statistics.
Baez is driven by 'cool'. He just wants to look cool. And, when hitting well, as he is now, he looks cool to his owners too.
Baez has received a lot of accolades for his good start to the season.
His .310/19/7/24/1 line is impressive.
Then again, there is a fellow who has quietly put up the same type numbers with a lot less fanfare.
Here is Mitch Haniger's line....294/12/8/24/1
Note that Hanigers has driven himself in two thirds of the time.
If Haniger keeps hitting and the hitters behind him don't, the walks will start coming.
Sabrs will love the Hell out of that, Haniger's owners will not.
Another loud player is a teammate of Baez, Kyle Schwarber.
Schwarber has been getting headlines for both his weight loss and hitting. As if they go hand in hand.
Schwarber is still a defensive nightmare. He is just a lighter defensive nightmare.
Offensively, he is off to a good start.
If wanting to credit the weight loss for Schwarber's good start, go to town.
Writers have.
Writers are like that.
Schwarber's line goes like this....286/15/7/17/0
There is a fellow who plays in the same division as Schwarber, but doesn't receive the press that Schwarber receives.
Paul DeJong.
DeJong came on like gangbusters last year.
The problem being that St. Louis had a shortstop that came on like gangbusters in Aledyms Diaz, who then faded like water colors left out in the sun the following year.
DeJong is not pulling the same act.
Quietly, he is becoming a mainstay.
Here is his rotoline.....281/15/7/14/0
I'm changing the subject here, mostly because I am boring myself.
I really get worked up over these analysts putting walks on a pedestal and destroying strike outs.
SCREW YOU, ANALysts!
Strike outs are now a huge part of the game.
Get with the times!
I have a little formula I use for the modern day hitters.
If a hitter has a homer for every eight strike outs, I feel that is fair.
This is something I use in placing players on my draft lists as well.
Right now, Yoenis Cespedes leads baseball in strike outs.
Writers and ANALysts are making a big deal about that.
What he does for his fantasy owners is give them five homers and 23 rbi.
For April, he is a two-category player, since the other three categories lag behind.
BUT, the point is that I will take those two categories for a month if a Cespedes owner and hope Cespedes improves in the other three categories.
His five homers and 41 strike outs fall within my parameters.
Yoan Moncada has struck out 40 times. Second most in baseball.
Do you think his owners give a rat's ass that he has 40 strike outs?
Strike outs are like putting extra sugar in a cake. It is roundly criticized, but nobody complains about the end product.
Moncada has six home runs to go along with four stolen bases.
Keep doing what you do, Yoan!
Do you want to be concerned about somebody who is striking out a lot?
Ok, I'll give you a name.
Billy Hamilton.
Here is a guy who should have a shorter swing and be bunting a lot.
Instead, Hamilton is embarrassing himself.
I've seen better swings at a 50 year old play ground.
Hamilton has struck out just nine times short of Giancarlo Stanton's well-publicized 38 times.
The same amount (29) of strike outs as Joey Gallo and Khris Davis.
Hamilton needs contact to survive in the Major Leagues. Stanton, Gallo, and Davis do not.
Hamilton has already gone from first to ninth in his lineup.
And now, he is benched (not rested) more and more.
If not changing his ways, or preferably his swing, Hamilton will be riding pine more and more before being sent to another team.
Here is a list of the top qualifying batters who have the least amount of strike outs in baseball this year...
Joe Panik
Andrelton Simmons
Victor Martinez
Alcides Escobar
Buster Posey
James McCann
Max Kepler
There is no cinnamon in that vanilla!
Seriously, is this the kind of player that Sabrs prefer?
Fantasy players NEED their players to strike out.
Let the ANALysts criticize the strike out all they want, I don't care. Stupid ANALysts.
To me, if a player strikes out, he was doing his best to help out my fantasy team.
Much rather that, than own Joe Panik or Victor Martinez and hope they find a hole in the defense.
Viva La K
