Is it agony? Is it shame? And what the heck are these wet, salty things that keep coming out of my eyes every time Byron Buxton does something great on the field? It has been six tortuous years since Buxton made his big-league debut and yet, it is his current .481/.548/1.185 slash line with five home runs, nine RBI, seven runs scored and one stolen base that probably hurts the most.
I have always been a Byron Buxton fan and he has been on at least one of my fantasy teams every single year. I say “at least” because I know for a fact it’s more, but the embarrassment of being fish-hooked every year keeps me from fully admitting my role as both proud supporter and gullible mark. This season, however, he is nowhere to be found on any of my eight teams.
When draft season rolled around this year, I made a vow to not draft Buxton as I usually did. I wouldn’t say I ever really reached for him, but there were a few times where the paranoia of not rostering him got the better of me and I probably scooped him up a round or so early. This year would be different, though I did leave the door open and said that if he fell far enough in a draft and the value was right, then I would do it. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me six times and I need to seek professional help.
He did not and therefore, I’m like a little kid standing on the sidewalk with his face pressed against the glass of the local candy store while all the other kids are stuffing their faces with chocolates and other treats.
If you find yourself to be in a similar position, get over it. As much as you and I would love to have Buxton on our teams for this impending breakout campaign, the cost of acquiring him is going to be astronomical. Even with the extensive injury history, the price tag is way beyond what you should be willing to spend. Sad and depressing? Sure. But you have to play with your head and not that heart of yours that has been stepped on repeatedly by the Minnesota outfielder.
If Buxton currently resides on your roster, I would suggest you start shopping him around. Yes, you run the risk of trading him during his age-27 breakout, but you also cannot ignore the pain from even just the last four years. Buxton plays all-out and he puts his body on the line to make plays. While yes, that is an admirable quality, it also increases the chance of history repeating itself. Whether it’s a shoulder injury from making a diving catch or a back issue from slamming up against the outfield wall, you cannot ignore the fact that he is incredibly frail.
His value right now is at an all-time high. If someone is legitimately ready to part ways with someone like Mookie Betts or Trevor Story or even a banged-up Fernando Tatis, Jr., you have to give the deal some consideration. Remember, this dude broke a tooth while eating steak! I mean, come on! Even just talking about him is likely putting him at risk.
Quick Cuts:
Keep your eyes open on the Dodgers closing situation as we may be witnessing a changing of the guard or possibly even a committee. Kenley Jansen struggled to open the season as he walked a total of four guys during his first three appearances. Manager Dave Roberts gave him a reprieve and used Corey Knebel on Friday night. It was Knebel’s second save and he looked unhittable for his first four outings. But Roberts went back to Jansen on Sunday, having used Knebel in the seventh, and Jansen looked good, hitting 95 mph on the gun and fanning two hitters for the save. Knebel should probably be rostered in any leagues where saves are in-play and he should definitely be rostered if your league also scores for holds. This is a very fluid situation right now and with the struggles we’ve seen from Jansen in recent seasons, he is no lock for the ninth-inning job.
While the Oakland A’s need to worry about actually scoring some runs and winning games, their bullpen is also in flux following Trevor Rosenthal ’s departure due to thoracic outlet surgery. Most fantasy owners were expecting Jake Diekman to garner the save opportunities, but manager Bob Melvin put the kibosh on that dream when he said, "It's not ideal to use Jake in the ninth inning. A lot of times, his spot comes up before that in the eighth." Melvin then turned around and said Lou Trivino would be in the mix, so if he’s still sitting out there, make your move. But also, don’t count out Sergio Romo , who actually has closing experience. Melvin hasn’t indicated a bullpen committee yet, but stay prepared. Trivino seems to be the guy to add, if he’s still available, that is.
If you’re in need of starting pitching help, then a guy flying way under the radar right now is Pirates’ right-hander JT Brubaker . Yes, I know, the Pirates aren’t exactly going to land him a bunch of wins, but he is fixing to be a fantastic middle-of-the-fantasy-rotation guy because he’s keeping the ratios in check, supplementing strikeout totals and is seeing his early pitch-count increase. He allowed one run over four innings with six strikeouts in his season debut and then went 5.1 innings Sunday with only one run allowed again and he managed to grab the win as well. Don’t be deterred by the team all the time. I’m not saying you go and load up on Pirates, Orioles and Rockies….I’m just saying don’t automatically dismiss someone.