Jay Bruce and Carlos Beltran are good buy low options in the outfield

Over the next week, we will be going over the buy low and sell high options for each position. So far, we have covered the following:

The starting pitchers are here. The relief pitchers are here. The catchers are here. The first basemen are here. The second basemen are here. The third basemen are here.  The shortstops are here.

As with each baseball season, there are plenty of players that are well over or well under their career averages. Finding the players that will either shed their horrid slumps, or cool off after hot starts can be the difference between winning and losing your league.

How does one go about finding the overachievers and underachievers? Season numbers vs. careeer numbers are a good place to start. But everyone has to have a breakout season sometime. What if a players is in the midst of one of those? Sometimes you just have to go with your gut…….and hope you are reading the right column!

Welcome to the last section of the show.  In this piece and in tomorrow’s, we will be looking at the outfielders.  Since most leagues do not distinguish between right, left, and center, I will put them all together, and give you more options.  Due to this, it will be broken up into two pieces.

Carlos Gonzalez (5) during the game against the Texas Rangers Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Buy low options:

Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies: There is likely a very frustrated CarGo owner in your league, and with good reason.  I am not usually one to recommend buying an injured player, especially one without a timetable for a return, but I am making an exception here.  CarGo is an exceptional talent.  His .255 average, eight homers, and two steals belie what he is really capable of.  His value will never be lower than it is now.  If you have an open DL slot, go after him, and enjoy what the last two months of the season bring you when he is healthy.

Jay Bruce, Reds: Bruce is a guy that is having issues finding a rhythm after a DL stint.  It happens to the best of them.  Bruce has not his less than 20 home runs in any major league season, and has three straight 30 homer seasons.  That streak it likely to end, but the former won’t.  Meaning that his six home runs so far is well below what he will end up with.  The .217 average is low even for Bruce, so expect that to climb as well.  It seems like he has been around forever, but he is still only 27, and is still in his prime.  Pick him up before he gets hot.

Allen Craig, Cardinals: After a dreadful April, Craig is starting to come around.  He has a hit in nine of his last ten games, and has his season average up to .253.  The six home runs are also much lower than what he should end up with.   Craig has hit over .300 for each of the last three year with double digit home runs.  I would not be surprised if his average climbs near that again this year.

Jason Heyward, Braves: If a Braves fan owns him in your league, you have no chance.  But to those of you in leagues that have an impartial Heyward owner, it might be worth making an offer.  He will likely never be the .280 to .300 hitter that some people thought he would be, but the double digit home runs and steals are likely.  He has proven to be a second half player, and one of these years, he will likely get close to the hype.  After all, he is only 24 years old.  For the price you can get him at now, it is worth the risk.

Curtis Granderson, Mets: While his 20-20-20-20 days are long behind him, he still can offer you something.  He won’t hit 40 homers like he did at Yankee Stadium either, and he likely will not steal you 20+ bases anymore.  So why buy him?  He isn’t as bad as the .223 average with eight homers shows either.  He should get to 20 homers with ease and swipe a dozen or so bags.  His price is likely pretty low because of the average, but keep in mind, he had a horrendous April.  His average was down to .141 at one point.  He is hitting .361 in June.  Better days are coming.

Carlos Beltran, Yankees: I was not one of the people lauding the Beltran signing.  I didn’t see him offering much this year, but I really didn’t expect him to be this bad either.  Beltran is mired in a 4-31 slump, and his average is down to .214 on the season.  His speed is gone, and his power is waning, but he is a left handed hitter in Yankee Stadium.  Just ask the aforementioned Granderson how enjoyable that can be.  He only has five homers on the year so far, but he should still eclipse 20 for the fourth straight year.

Come back tomorrow for the sell high options!