More players to watch during the Dog Days of August highlight this week’s Week That Was.

Brad Miller: Brad Miller went 2-4 with 2 runs, 4 rbi and 2 dingers Saturday in the Bronx.  His big game was overshadowed by the Austin/Judge coming out party but do not miss out on Miller if you have the chance.  On the year, the former SS now 1B has 22 bombs in only 384 AB.  When you add in the fact that he has been money over the last 30 days – 9 dingers and a .290+ average – you have a guy who could easily carry you to a title if you can pry him away from his current owner or if you play in a shallow league where somehow he is still available.  

Jedd Gyorko:  Jedd Gyorko hit his 17th dinger Saturday, adding two runs and two rbi to his stat line to help the Cards break the Cubbies win streak.  Unlike Miller, roto owners could be sleeping on Gyorko given the crowd in Stl.  Ten homers in the last month, .300+ over the last week and a bunch of Cardinal injuries say that Gyorko will be on many a winning roto team come game 162.  [FN:  the advanced metrics support the power outburst as Jedd is hitting the ball in the air more and hitting it harder than he did in the first half].

Scooter Gennett:  Scooter Gennett went 4-5 with a run and anrbi Saturday for the Brew Crew.  Quietly, on a team heading nowhere fast, Gennett is doing the job.  On the year, Scooter is hitting .280 with 10 dingers and 8 swipes in only 357 AB.  With an increased walk rate showing his maturity and a BABIP in line with career numbers (showing lack of luck), Gennett’s coming out party seems real.  I am buying for the last 6 weeks and you should too!

Cheslor Cuthbert:  Last week we wrote: “Until Mike Moustakas got hurt for the second time, few people paid attention to Cuthbert.  Well, pay attention now.  Cuthbert went 2-4 with a run and rbi in the win Sunday.  On the year, the rookie is hitting a cool .296 with 9 HR.  More importantly, he is showing no signs of slowing down.  In the last 30 days, the rook hit .330.  Yes, the BABIP is a little high but at this point, it seems the correction will come in 2017.  Ride the wave now!”  Well I hope you listened because the Royal rookie had another strong week hitting .340+ with a dinger, 5 runs and 4 rbi.  Who wouldn’t take that production week in and week out?

Sandy Leon:   Anybody notice that Sandy Leon is hitting .390?  Yep, you read that right.  Oh, he must only have like 20 AB right?  Nope!  Leon has posted that .390 average over 123 AB while playing baseball’s most demanding position.  Can this continue?  Of course not.  That said, he can continue to be very good.  Before shuttling back and forth between AAA and the majors, he was a consistent hitter.  Indeed he hit .300+ at A, AA and AAA in his last full season in the minors.   Again, the .390 average will come down and the .475+ BABIP cannot last but can he hit .300 or at least produce nicely in the Sox offense down the stretch?  Yep, he can.  

Howie Kendrick: Howie Kendrick went 2-5 with a run and rbi Saturday to continue his hot streak.  The professional hitter who has played all over the diamond this year has hit over .340 in the last month with 15+ runs and rbi.   Can he stay hot?  Well, considering that he hit .285+ in all but one year since 2006 (and that was .279), why not?  The price is still depressed but it should not be.  I would be happy to own Howie K in all formats.

Ryan Schimpf:  Last week we wrote: “The Padre rook continues to rake.  Sunday, Schimpf hit dinger number 10.  Do not be deceived his season-long .215 batting average.  Over the last 30 days, the rook has hit 9 HR with 28 RBI and a .350+ OBP.  That is the kind of stuff of which roto titles are made!”  Well, if you listened and bought Schimpf, you were rewarded with 3 dingers, 9 RBI and a .350+ OBP.  If you have another chance to land Ryan this week, do not sleep on it.     

And now the moment you well, may or may not be waiting for, the Baron of Bottom of the Page pontificates -- a/k/a Schultz says: “With the trading deadlines of MLB and all legitimate roto-leagues having passed, the ability to rapidly improve one's team has shrunk exponentially. In the absence of a league-wide blind spot towards a legitimate player, it will take the promotion of a considerable talent from the minors to substantively add to this year's free agent pool. Only problem with this theory is that the notable stars of the AAA system have pretty much all received their call to the Big Show. If, for some reason, Yoan Moncada or Danby Swanson are brought up to the main roster, it will be in September and will not likely result in significant playing time. Unlike the 2013 season, when Billy Hamilton's 13 September steals altered some league's standings, the 2016 season does not seem primed for a fate-altering call-up. 

However, if you on board with the theory that the future does not have to be now, there may be some work for you to do in the last couple months of the season. With all the focus being placed on Lucas Giolito, who has been kinda dreadful as a major leaguer, his counterpart Reynaldo Lopez has flown a bit under the radar. Similarly unimpressive as a National, like Giolito, his minor league numbers are noteworthy - an ERA just over 3, a 1.16 WHIP and a strikeout per inning. The two rookies may be underwhelming now but they are destined to be the Nats next Strasburg/Scherzer power combo.

 

Similarly, future stars like Jose Berrios, Sean Manaea, Tyler Glasnow, Julio Urias and Jameson Taillon are struggling at the major league level but that is simply because they are learning how to pitch in the pros. If you are in a keeper league and can snag any of them for bargain value, you might be setting yourself for something great in the years ahead.”

 

Response:  Solid keeper league advice.  Of course, Schultz, genetically predisposed to be anti-Yankee, conveniently ignores the Austin/Judge duo who not only will get their playing time in NY, did something Saturday that had never been done before – each homering in their first at bat in the bigs in the same game!