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MLB DFS: Simmering Sluggers- Week of 7/29-8/4

By Juan Carlos Blanco

TEMPE, AZ - MARCH 04: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels is seen during spring training on March 4, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - MARCH 04: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels is seen during spring training on March 4, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) /
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MLB DFS: Last Week’s Simmering Sluggers Revisited

                          Sluggers Recommended for Week of 7/22-7/28

CATCHER:

James McCann, CWS

Batting Line from 7/22-7/28: .150 average (3-for-20), one home run, one RBI, one run

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 8.3 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 25.0 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .182
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 20

Quick analysis: Both LD and HC rate took a major dive over the previous period, so lack of offensive success no surprise.

FIRST BASE:

Christian Walker, ARI

Batting Line for 7/22-7/28: .125 average (2-for-16), one RBI, one walk, two hit by pitch, one stolen base, two runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 20.0 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 60.0 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .200
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 19

Quick analysis: Walker continued to put outstanding wood on the ball and kept up a solid LD rate, but BABIP remained stubbornly low. Should break out in a big way if he keeps up that batted-ball profile.

SECOND BASE:

Adam Frazier, PIT

Batting Line for 7/22-7/28: .318 average (7-for-22), one double, one home run, two RBI, five walks, one hit by pitch, five runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 20.0 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 20.0 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .316
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 28

Quick analysis: One of last week’s success stories, he got by with a significant bump in BABIP and another week of solid LD rate.

THIRD BASE:

Nolan Arenado, COL

Batting Line for 7/22-7/28: .217 average (5-for-23), one RBI, three walks, two runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 28.6 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 47.6 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .238
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 27

Quick analysis: Like Walker, Arenado is due for a major breakout, as his BABIP remained surprisingly low again despite excellent LD and HC rates.

Additional Suggestion:

Jake Lamb, ARI

Batting line for 7/22-7/28: .313 average (5-for-16), one triple, one home run, three RBI, one walk, five runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 16.7 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 66.7 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .364
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 17

Quick analysis: Lamb’s LD rate was serviceable but unspectacular, yet his elite HC rate helped boost his numbers all the way around last week.

SHORTSTOP:

Elvis Andrus, TEX

Batting Line for 7/22-7/28: .208 average (5-for-24), one double, two RBI, one walk, one stolen base, two runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 34.8 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 21.7 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .217
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 26

Quick analysis: Andrus ran into more bad luck this past week, as his .217 BABIP is way out of whack when combined with a 34.8 percent LD rate. Low HC rate may not have helped, but a similar LD rate this coming week would likely lead to much more success.

OUTFIELD:

Josh Reddick, HOU

Batting Line for 7/22-7/28: .263 average (5-for-19), two doubles, two walks, three runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 29.4 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 41.2 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .294
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 21

Quick analysis: Had a decent week overall and a close-to-normal BABIP, but he still had a LD rate that likely warranted just a little more success.

Additional Suggestions:

Harold Ramirez, MIA

Batting line for 7/22-7/28: .250 average (5-for-20), two home runs, four RBI, one hit by pitch, four runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 20.0 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 50.0 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .167
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 22

Quick analysis: Solid HC rate carried him to pair of homers, but he’s still running into plenty of misfortune, as evidenced by a .167 BABIP despite a solid 20.0 LD rate.

Joc Pederson, LAD

Batting line for 7/22-7/28: .235 average (4-for-17), one RBI, four walks, two runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 40.0 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 40.0 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .400
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 21

Quick analysis: Most interesting batted-ball profile of the week. BABIP was abnormally high but justified given his LD and HC rates. However, Pederson’s 33.3 percent strikeout rate helped lead to a poor .235 average.

Byron Buxton, MIN

Batting line for 7/22-7/28: .429 average (6-for-14), four doubles, one RBI, four runs

  • Line-Drive Rate from 7/22-7/28: 15.4 percent
  • Hard-Contact Rate from 7/22-7/28: 15.4 percent
  • BABIP from 7/22-7/28: .462
  • Plate Appearances from 7/22-7/28: 15

Quick analysis: Glad I put him on for another week after the injured list wiped out the first week I’d included him. However, perhaps it was just the baseball gods evening things out for Buxton, because both his LD and HC rates this past week didn’t deserve to generate anywhere close to a .462 BABIP.

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