DFS PLAYBOOK PRO – An exciting offering from the Alarm is the DFS Playbook Pro. I will be doing a daily breakdown of the hitters – Hitting Coach – while Howard Bender looks into the Pitchers (Pitching Coach). You can find the link to the Hitting and Pitching articles under the DFS Playbook pro tab at the top right of the screen.
OTHER LINKS TO BOOKMARK
My thoughts on the September 1st callus can be found in the August 31st Daily Trends piece.
CUBS ADD JACKSON
Austin Jackson has been dealt by the Mariners to the Cubs for a PTBNL and the number four international signing bonus next year. In a corresponding move the Cubs designated Mike Olt for assignment to open a roster spot for AJax. "I've seen him for a long time in the American League," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "He's a really good player. When he starts swinging the bat really well he's very productive. He's a fine outfielder, good base runner.”
Seems like Austin will see a good deal of work in the outfield since Jorge Soler is likely out until late September with an oblique injury. But, what role will Jackson be asked to fill? With Javier Baez recalled one would think that Chris Coghlan moves back to the outfield pretty much full-time. Every day he’s healthy we know that Dexter Fowler will be out there. Kris Bryant sees time in the outfield every once in a while, and don’t forget that Kyle Schwarber is out there a lot as well.
Jackson is hot too with 16 hits over his last nine games and he’s batting .314 in August, but is there enough playing time for him to be a mixed league option? Schwarber has appeared in more outfield games (23) than as a catcher (19). Fowler has a .353 OBP, 15 homers and 17 steals, and he’s also scored the quietest 85 runs in the league. Coghlan ain’t great but he does have 15 homers, 11 steals and a solid .825 OPS against righties. Add that all up and Jackson certainly isn’t someone to target off waivers in mixed leagues unless you’re in a 15-team league.
The deal leaves an opening in centerfield in Seattle and it sounds like Brad Miller, the shortstop, will get a lot of rope in centerfield as the Mariners want to see if he can handle that spot. Miller has hit a mere .246 this season with nine homers and 12 steals over 419 plate appearances. His walk rate is up to 10.0 percent, a career best, and his line drive rate (21.4 percent) and BABIP (.297) are right in line with expectations as well. Unfortunately his 48 percent ground ball rate hurts his ability to drive the ball deep, his 10.0 HR/F rate for his career is dead on league average (10.5 percent), and his .458 OPS against lefties is dreadful. Added positional flexibility will be nice for Miller no doubt, but until he learns to hit lefties better (career: .220/.265/.296), a daily spot in the lineup is always a risk and his upside will be limited in mixed leagues.
GIANTS ADD DE AZA
The Giants are trying to make the playoffs and they are currently without Hunter Pence, their leader on and off the field (Pence is working
through a strained left oblique that isn’t healing as quickly as hoped). From the sound of things, Pence will be unable to be healthy enough to go on a rehab assignment before the minor league season ends next week (ugh). The Giants are making due, in no small part to a wonderfully performing Gregor Blanco (.281/.373 with 19 runs and six steals in August) and an out of control Marlon Byrd (in 10 games with the Giants he’s hit .286 with three homers, 17 RBIs and a .991 OPS). When Pence returns the outfield will be in good shape but until then having another option around wouldn’t hurt. In comes Alejandro De Aza to do be just that, another option for Bruce Bochy. De Aza is also a nice piece given that he’s likely to become the Giants best option off the bench as a lefty swinger (pretty sure Ehire Adrianza isn’t going to hold him off for that title). De Aza has had an up and down 2015 as he joins his third club, but he’s done one thing well and that is hit righties. In just about 250 plate appearances against righties De Aza has hit .282/.337/.442, slash numbers that the Giants will certainly look to take advantage of. De Aza is a moderate NL-only addition.
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DODGERS ADD RUGGIANO / HEISEY
Who haven’t the Dodgers added?
Justin Ruggiano, a 33 year old outfielder, was designated for assignment back on June 4th after hitting .214 with three RBIs in 36 games for the Mariners. He cleared waivers and was sent to the minors where he found his game hitting .296 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs over 49 games. His reward? He was dealt to the Dodgers in exchange for cold, hard cash. Ruggiano produced a solid .823 OPS against lefties this season, and that’s something he’s always done – hit lefties. Over the course of about 500 plate appearances against lefties he’s hit .266/.331/.505. He’s useful in that role.
Chris Heisey is a Dodgers after he was dealt to the Jays for a PTBNL or cash. If that sounds familiar… the Dodgers released Heisey on August 7th and brought the outfielder back into the fold. Whereas Ruggiano hits lefties, Heisey hits righties passably. Per 500 at-bats Heisey has hit .258-19-55. Passable.
Where does this leave the Dodgers? Something like this.
Yasiel Puig is out with a hamstring injury (DL).
Kike Hernandez is out with a hamstring injury (DL).
Jos Pederson has hit .158 with a .277 SLG in the second half.
Carl Crawford has a mere .663 OPS in the second half.
Scott Van Slyke can’t hit righties (.633 OPS).
At least they have Andre Ethier (.889 second half OPS).
The Dodgers outfield is a mess. Ruggiano and Heisey aren’t the answers. They are nothing other than NL-only adds. Their additions are solid for the Dodgers, but don’t mean much in fantasy.
ROYALS ADD GOMES
Jonny Gomes knows how to fight, as in punch people in the face.
He’s also a good clubhouse guy who can rock lefties. The 34 year old outfielder takes his game to Kansas City as he was dealt to the Royals as the Braves received minor league shortstop Luis Valenzuela. "He's a proven winner," GM Dayton Moore said. "He will give [manager] Ned [Yost] more options. And it adds to our depth as we move forward."
It’s unclear what role Gomes will have, especially since Alex Gordon is returning to the outfielder, so Gomes might just be a clubhouse guy who pinch hits against lefties since he crushes them (a .453 SLG this year and the number is .483 for his career). Gomes is a moderate AL-only add at best.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday at 8 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).