Fansided

Anthony Gose: Week 1 Stud and Platoon King

By Craig Melissas

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Apr 11, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Anthony Gose (12) makes a diving catch on a fly ball hit by Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (not pictured) in the first inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

There are always a few early season surprises that are worth a trip to the waiver wire, and I believe that Anthony Gose is one of those worthwhile pickups.  There is absolutely no way that he will maintain his .391 batting average or .615 BABIP.  Gose’s zero walks and nine strikeouts in 23 plate appearances are also not encouraging, but I want Anthony Gose for his future speed.

Gose appears to be in the strong side platoon in centerfield with Rajai Davis.  While I am a huge Rajai Davis proponent for his guaranteed 30+ steals, Gose has the advantage of being a lefty hitter, while Davis is a righty.  Due to the fact most pitchers (and people) are righties, this bodes well for his plate appearances.

If Anthony Gose gets in the game, then all he needs to do is get on base.  While he will not continue his current OBP clip of .391, Gose just needs an OBP north of .300 to do some damage.  Here are his stolen base numbers from 2009 to 2014 between the Minors and the Majors:

  • 2009: 76 steals and 572 plate appearances in 131 games
  • 2010: 45 steals and 574 plate appearances in 130 games
  • 2011: 76 steals and 725 plate appearances in 156 games
  • 2012: 49 steals and 668 plate appearances in 158 games (56 games with TOR)
  • 2013: 26 steals and 596 plate appearances in 158 games (52 games with TOR)
  • 2014: 36 steals and 498 plate appearances in 145 games (94 games with TOR)

I expect Gose to be a negative in the rate stat going forward for your team, but he should contribute runs, steals, and even a little pop.  Do not expect a week 1 repeat going forward from Gose, but I think you can count on 1-2 steals a week if he plays on the strong side of the platoon.

Furthermore, he is hitting leadoff in the stacked Detroit Tigers lineup where he will consistently be driven home by the next five hitters.  Gose hits in front of Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, and Yoenis Cespedes.  That is the perfect place to pad your runs scored total.

The best thing about Anthony Gose is that he has a foolproof insurance man in my favorite speedster in baseball.  The right-handed Rajai Davis is on the short side of the platoon, but he compiles incredible counting stats in fantasy despite relatively limited plate appearances.

As for Rajai Davis, I am still a fan of him even at age 34 and generally only starting against LHP.  Rajai Davis got the start on Sunday, and he went nuts.  In five plate appearances, Davis recorded one hit, two walks, two steals, and scored two runs.  When Rajai Davis gets the start and you need steals, then he is still a must play in my eyes.

While some people may be selling Gose for his lack of sustainability, I am still buying him for his wheels.  The Detroit centerfielders will be fast and effective for fantasy purposes when they get in the lineup.

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