Every Wednesday, Dapinder joins Pitcher List to outline the best position player buys and sells of the week. He’ll outline the hitters to trust in your lineups and who to shop while their price is high. Make sure to stay ahead of the curve and use the market to your advantage.
BUY
Corey Dickerson (OF, Tampa Bay Rays) – Dickerson could be in for a monster second half. The power is legit; third straight season with an ISO > .200. He has a .265 BABIP which is below league average. I think part of his struggles had to do with adjusting to life away from Coors. Dickerson had to adjust to how the ball moves with different pitch types. Before this season, Dickerson batted .369 against the changeup, .316 against the slider, and .265 against the curve. This year, all three pitches are .194 or below. He did show some signs of life before the all-star break making him an intriguing add. The biggest knock on Corey is that he struggles against southpaws, but that shouldn’t be enough to dissuade you from adding Dickerson if he’s on your wire.
Dee Gordon (2B, Miami Marlins) – If he is still available in your league, scoop him up. It is difficult to say how much the PEDs affected Gordon and how he will perform now. Gordon has blazing speed; the type that can single handedly win you steals. Yelich, Ozuna, and Stanton are terrific batters that will aid Gordon’s counting stats.
Yangervis Solarte (1B/2B/3B, San Diego Padres) – Solarte is hitting .354 over the past two weeks and .295 on the season. His BABIP is a tad high compared to his career average but nothing too crazy. Ride him while he’s hot. The multi-position eligibility definitely adds versatility.
Travis Jankowski (OF, San Diego Padres) – In deep leagues, Jankowski might be your best bet at getting stolen bases. He has 14 this year in 121 plate appearances. He stole 32 across AA and AAA in 2015. Throughout his time at A+ in 2013, Jankowski stole 71 bases! Playing time is an issue but when he does, he usually steals a bag.
Josh Bell (OF, Pittsburgh Pirates) – Bell isn’t a masher, he’s the kind of hitter who will hit for a good average and hit maybe 20 HR in his prime. He walks and he doesn’t strikeout much. He hit .324 with 13 HR this year at AAA and has been given a shot with the Pirates. He may also gain first base eligibility at some point in the season as well. Give him a look!
Luis Valbuena (1B/3B, Houston Astros) – Over the past two weeks, Valbuena is batting .300 with 4 HR. He’s been fortunate this year as he has a .331 BABIP. Ride him while he’s hot. In deeper leagues, Valbuena has intriguing power. Since joining the Astros, he has a .210 ISO. It is still a small sample but Valbuena can be a deep league power threat.
Freddy Galvis (SS, Philadelphia Phillies) – Galvis hit .417 last week with a home run and 3 stolen bases. He’s the hot hand this week. For the rest of the season, expect an average close to .240 with 5 HR and 5 SB.
Denard Span (OF, San Francisco Giants) – Span has 8 SB this year. If he continues getting sufficient playing time, he will challenge for 20. His batting average has been underwhelming. It is likely the product of a below average .282 BABIP. Span’s career BABIP is .318. Span is a worthwhile addition to your OF.
SELL
Jonathan Schoop (2B, Baltimore Orioles) – Schoop has been a nice surprise. Part of his breakout has to do with him cutting down his strikeout rate. The power is real; he stands a good chance at finishing with 25 HR. The batting average is more of an outlier. It is likely due to a generous BABIP (.348). The walk rate is still horrendous which limits his run scoring opportunities.
Evan Longoria (3B, Tampa Bay Rays) – Longoria is on pace to have his best season since 2013. He is two HR shy of tying the amount he hit last season. Longoria’s .237 ISO, is his highest since 2012. The batting average is also likely to regress. He’s running his highest BABIP since 2010. Longoria is also striking out more this year. I have my doubts he continues to hit .289 and keeps up the same home run rate. Explore your options.