Printer-friendly

Contact Author

August 20, 2012

Value Picks

Second, Short, and Catcher for 8/20/12

by Josh Shepardson

Departures
It should come as no surprise that as a much-ballyhooed prospect that got off to a hot start, Manny Machado (Yahoo! 50%, ESPN 84%, CBS 79%) saw his ownership level rise to a level that disqualifies him for continued inclusion in Value Picks. Even with a couple of 0-fers over the weekend, Machado has made about as seamless a transition as the Orioles could have hoped for from a guy jumping from Double-A to the majors. His strikeout rate is right in line with his minor league levels, but his walk rate is way down. Don't let the walk rate fool you, though; his chase rate headed into Sunday was at 33.3 percent, just a bit above the league average of 30.5 percent. We aren't talking about a total hacker here. He's still really green, and he's hitting in the bottom third of the Orioles lineup, so if someone wants to overpay in a redraft league, let them. Otherwise, ride out his hot streak and hope Machado is able to take advantage of expanded rosters and perhaps some weaker pitching opposition in September.

Hanging On
Before Sunday's game, Geovany Soto (Yahoo! 24%, ESPN 11%, CBS 24%) was penciled into the “Departures” section with Machado. A 3-for-5 effort on Sunday—his second multi-hit game in his last three starts—earned him a reprieve. There are still reasons to be cautious with Soto—namely his strikeout rate. In his last 10 games, he has struck out 14 times over 37 plate appearances (38 percent strikeout rate). He is also just barely above the Mendoza-line, hitting .204 on the season. All that said, he's still a part of the highest-scoring offense in baseball, he's getting regular playing time, and he has a history of performing at a much higher level. Those are enough positives to hold out a bit more hope that he can help fantasy teams in AL-only and two-catcher mixed leagues down the stretch.

Sticking Around
It was a brutal week at the dish for Stephen Drew (Yahoo! 19%, ESPN 15%, CBS 34%), and he even “earned” two games out of the starting lineup headed into the weekend. He got fly ball-happy last week and saw his strikeout rate balloon in that tiny sample size, but shortstop stinks, and Drew is too talented to cut yet in large mixed leagues using a middle infielder.

He remains healthy, and he continues to do his thing, so Chris Iannetta (Yahoo! 5%, ESPN 1%, CBS 15%) remains a Value Pick. He has started six of the Angels’ last seven games and smacked his sixth home run of the season on Wednesday.

A sizzling August has continued Zack Cozart's (Yahoo! 23%, ESPN 27%, CBS 57%) run of alternating good months with bad ones. In 77 plate appearances in the month of August, Cozart is slashing a scintillating .301/.338/.534 with three home runs. Since striking out in 28 of 110 plate appearances (26 percent strikeout rate) in May, Cozart has shaved a bit off of his strikeout rate each month, and he is striking out in just under 13 percent of his plate appearances in August. He seems to be settling in nicely at the major league level and, barring an injury, should be a solid middle infield option the rest of the season.

The Mets and fantasy owners have gotten reliable, steady work from Ruben Tejada (Yahoo! 17%, ESPN 27%, CBS 33%). He offers fantasy owners almost nothing beyond his batting average, but he has consistently hit for average against both left-handed and right-handed pitchers, at home and on the road, and from month-to-month. Tejada finds himself slotted in either the leadoff spot or the two-hole for the Mets when he starts, which allows him to pile up at-bats and make the most of his standout fantasy category. It's tough to move the needle in batting average at this point in the season, but owners that are in a tight battle for points in that category should look to Tejada to help get them over the hump.