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Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers: 8/16/15 – 8/22/15

Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers: 8/16/15 – 8/22/15
Miguel Sano's power and place in the batting order has led to lots of fantasy value

Miguel Sano’s power and place in the batting order has led to lots of fantasy value

Congratulations! You’ve made it through five months without the landlord switching off the lights. Don’t get complacent now. This is when you have to be especially diligent. There could be players out there that can accumulate points for your team. You can also block players from notching points for your opposition. I’m sure you have a pulse on the whole landscape, but hopefully I can be of assistance and lend another eye.

In this weekly column, I will highlight the lower tier players that could be acquired and make an impact for your team.

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RISERS

  • Miguel Sano (3B – Minnesota Twins) – Eight hits, eight runs scored, three home runs, seven RBI, and one stolen base. The rookie has been very productive since arriving to “The Show” on July 2nd – .284/.397/.561, 25 R, 10 HR, 32 RBI and 1 SB. He has struck out 62 times in 148 at-bats though. He’s on pace for 30+ homers over 162 games. Hitting cleanup behind Joe Mauer should provide him with plenty of opportunities for counting stats.
  • Gerardo Parra (OF – Baltimore Orioles) – 10 hits, five runs scored, three home runs, eight RBI and one stolen base. Since being acquired by the Orioles, Parra has hit .271/.311/.482, 17 R, 5 HR, 10 RBI and 1 SB. He’s hitting second, behind Manny Machado and in front of Adam Jones, in a potent Orioles lineup. Manager Buck Showalter loves to platoon, and the Orioles have a lot of depth, but Parra has played in every game since being traded. His defensive prowess will give him a spot in the lineup every day. Also, it doesn’t hurt that he’s been hitting very well.
  • Derek Dietrich (2B/3B/OF – Miami Marlins) – 10 hits, six runs scored, two home runs and nine RBI. On the season, Dietrich is hitting .278/.380/.536 with 29 R, 9 HR and 20 RBI. His versatility gets him into the lineup almost every day, but he usually hits in the bottom of the order.
  • Travis Shaw (3B/1B – Boston Red Sox) – 13 hits, seven runs scored, two home runs and six RBI. Shaw, the son of former MLB pitcher Jeff Shaw, made his MLB debut on May 8th, 2015. He received 15 at-bats then was sent back down. After the trade of Mike Napoli to the Rangers, Shaw was recalled and has made the most of his opportunity. In the month of August, he’s batting .387/.426/.742 with 15 R, 6 HR and 13 RBI. He’s batting fifth or sixth in the lineup. In five minor league seasons, Shaw hit .261/.359/.445 with a high of 21 home runs in a single season.
  • Mike Fiers (SP – Houston Astros) – Did not allow an earned run in two starts. Against the Tigers, Fiers allowed five hits, walked two and struck out five in 5 1/3 innings. Against the Dodgers, he tossed a complete game shutout with three walks and 10 strikeouts. Since arriving in Houston, Fiers has pitched 26 innings, allowed seven earned runs (six in his first game), walked nine and struck out 25. Fiers has always shown the ability to strike out batters, but it’s always scary to trust him because his fastball sits in the 90 mph range, and he loves to pitch high in the zone.
  • Curtis Granderson (OF – New York Mets) – Eight hits, six runs scored, two home runs, five RBI and one stolen base. The Grandyman can…and can…and can. It seems like I write about this guy every week. I guess I should just consider him a stud from now on. He definitely received a boost last week from playing in Coors Field, but Granderson has been good since June.
  • Cameron Maybin (OF – Atlanta Braves) – Eight hits, six runs scored, two home runs, two RBI and two stolen bases. Since a rough April to start the season, Maybin has been a consistent producer. You can pretty much pencil in 12 runs scored, two home runs, 13 RBI and four stolen bases each month. He won’t explode and carry a team for periods, but he’s a steady contributor and batting second in the lineup.
  • Khris Davis (OF – Milwaukee Brewers) – Six hits, six runs scored, three home runs and seven RBI. Since returning from injury, Davis has clubbed 10 home runs. He better keep swinging a hot bat because the Brewers promoted Domingo Santana to the majors.
  • Ian Kennedy (SP – San Diego Padres) – Allowed one earned run in two starts. In Colorado, Kennedy allowed one earned run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out eight, but took the loss. Six days later against the Cardinals, he allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out 10 in six innings for the win. Since a horrific April and May, Kennedy has allowed more than three earned runs in only one start. Kennedy could be a viable option down the stretch as he’s sporting an 8.6 K/9.
  • Nick Castellanos (3B – Detroit Tigers) – Nine hits, two runs scored, two home runs and nine RBI. He’s hitting behind Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez so there could be opportunities to drive in runs. The issue with Castellanos is his huge righty/lefty split. He’s mashing lefties (.363 AVG), but struggles against righties (.216 AVG).

FALLERS

  • Jon Gray (SP – Colorado Rockies) – Got pummeled by the Mets for seven earned runs on eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. Gray was an intriguing prospect coming into the year because he showed well in Spring Training and throws mid-to-high 90s. The one huge concern was having to pitch in Colorado. Gray had three successful starts to begin his year (two in Colorado) in which he did not allow more than two earned runs in any contest. One cannot skirt the power of Coors Field forever, though.
  • Bartolo Colon (SP – New York Mets) – I thought I never had to write about this guy again. Colon the cockroach. After I wrote about him last week, he then allowed one earned run in seven innings. In his most recent start, Colon allowed seven earned runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. He was also hit by a pitch on his right arm, but X-rays came back negative. I could never trust Colon, but he is a wily veteran who can pitch a gem at any time. It still amazes me that at 42, he can still pitch the way he does. Gotta give respect to a guy who has no fear and just challenges you with a mediocre fastball.
  • Kolten Wong (2B – St. Louis Cardinals) – One hit. In the month of August, he’s hitting .145/.224/.145 with 5 R, 10 H, 4 RBI and 3 SB. He’s hitting .274 against RHP, but .215 against lefties.
  • Jon Lester (SP – Chicago Cubs) – Allowed seven earned runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings pitched. He walked three and struck out four against the Tigers. Lester has been prone to the occasional blowup. He’s allowed more than three earned runs in six games this year. Two of those were at the hands of the Tigers. On the year, he has a 3.58 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and has struck out 153 batters in 148 1/3 innings. I’d acquire him if the cost were cheap enough. Some owners may be fed up with him.
  • Trevor Bauer (SP – Cleveland Indians) – Bauer is the anti-Grandyman. I always seem to write about him in the Fallers section. At some point, one can no longer fall, right? Maybe it’s about time to just say he sucks. Anyhoo, Bauer got lit up in Boston for five earned runs on six hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked one…YIPEE! But only struck out one…BOO! As I’ve written many times before, he has the arsenal but lacks the control and mental fortitude. This is his fourth year in the league. He may just be who he is showing himself to be.

Good luck to everyone this week!

Stan Son is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Stan, check out his archive and follow him @Stan_Son

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