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Fantasy Baseball: The stretch run, chasing upside, and how to handle the rest of the season

 

Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash

It's August 15th and if you're still reading this, congratulations: you have made it this far.  Fantasy baseball is a grind, especially for those of you who play in daily lineup leagues.  If your teams are anything like mine, you've had your share of heartbreak and you're looking for that little spark to get you going.  Just within the past month or so, I've lost Jazz Chisholm, Chris Sale, and Fernando Tatis.  At this rate, you have a better chance of finding a $20 bill lying under your couch cushion than finding the spark plug to jolt your team into playoff contention.  Alas, you're reading this because you looked for that $20 bill and couldn't find it, so let's see if we can find you a spark plug or two:  

  • Vinnie Pasquatino, 1B, Royals:  A few days ago, I mentioned Vinnie as a key pickup you could make if you were reeling from the Tatis news.  By now, he's very likely gone.  If you play in a savvy league, Vinnie is most likely rostered by someone else, but I implore you: if your trade deadline has not passed, try and get this man.  Of the many rookies to be called up this year, Vinnie was known in particular for his approach at the plate.  Even earlier, all of the underlying numbers supported his experience in the minors.  Now, with a few weeks of experience seeing major league pitching, Vinnie is coming alive.  What would I trade for him?  I'd be willing to be aggressive -- there is surely someone with a name brand that is letting you down (Jonathan India, I see you).
  • Vaughn Grissom, SS, Braves:  Like Vinnie, I think Vaughn is most likely gone, but just check.  And if your trade deadline hasn't passed yet, see if there's a small deal you can make for Grissom (maybe a struggling starting pitcher that has some name brand appeal but isn't putting it together in re-draft).  Most folks keep pointing to Ozzie Albies returning soon, but while that may be true, rosters expand on September 1st and I think Grissom is here to stay.  Like William Contreras, I think the Braves will just find a way to keep a hot bat in the lineup.  I am not worried.
  • CJ Abrams, 2B/SS, Nationals:  Yes, I am willing to be heartbroken again.  CJ Abrams was a top prospect in the Padres system and .  He has done well in several AAA games since being sent to the Nationals:  In eight games, he hit .290 with two RBI, but is sporting a .314 average and 28 RBI over the course of the season.  He's not going to help you with counting stats other than stolen bases, but given how scarce stolen bases can be, he's worth pursuing.  Thanks to his injury, I dropped Ramon Laureano for Abrams and didn't think twice about it.  A few weeks ago, Laureano was not only red hot but also the source of too many trade rumors to count.  They never materialized and so we're left with him being on a team that just doesn't have a good lineup context.  Abrams also doesn't have the best lineup context, but it's better and he's going to get the playing time with Luis Garcia going on the injured list.  In a game of upside, Abrams has it, so go get it and take the chance.
  • Paul DeJong, SS, Cardinals:  He may be the most accessible of the group we've seen here today.  Over his past 48 at bats, DeJong is hitting .292 with 4 home runs and 13 RBI.  He's hitting well.  Do I buy it?  No, I sure don't.  Ride the wave, however.  He's got a great lineup around him and has shown that he can be streaky as hell.  A word of caution:  I just wouldn't get your hopes too high.  We're talking about a player who still has a .192 average for the season, which is right in line with his 2021 average (.197).  I think he can help your team, but only as long as this hot streak lasts.  Grab your surfboard and go.  

Honorable mention and fully worth considering:  

  • Dan Vogelbach, but I don't buy it for too long.
  • Darick Hall, but you're gonna have to put up with him being platooned. 
  • Luke Voit, but I have some doubts about how long he can fuel his anger of a particular trade into on-field success.
  • Nick Gordon, who I think is interesting as hell, but I am just waiting for a larger sample size before getting too invested.  Of this group, I rank Gordon 1st, but his playing time needs to solidify before I really jump off the cliff.
Who did I miss and who do you want to see covered next?

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