Fantasy Baseball Thoughts: Takeaways from Week 18

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Preseason is upon us which means fantasy baseball is nearing an end. The Crackerjacks have mentioned before that the fantasy baseball is a marathon and if you continue using that analogy you have a couple more miles to go.

Your body and mind are tired, and you have one voice on one should questioning whether to see this through to the end. On the other shoulder you hear a voice saying suck it up, you put in all that training for this moment right now. Your momma didn’t raise no quitter.

And the Crackerjacks? Yeah, were the empathetic runners that will pick you up and carry you across that finish line if we have too. Now sack up and finish hard. Here as some fantasy baseball thoughts to help you do just that.

Batters:

• Who in the hail is Caleb Johnson, and what in the hail is he doing hitting HRs in five straight games? I do not know the answer to wither of those questions, but I’m quite confident this will be the last time you hear his name mentioned on this web site.
• Javier Baez had a solid opening week. A kid with pop, eager to show off his skills, at a week position, a nice combination to help you out in these last few weeks, add away if you can overlook a low average and high K rate.
• Adam LaRoche seems to always play well this time of year.
• Billy Butler tends to be a second half kinda guy as well.
• Mark Trumbo, you cut me this year, you cut me deep. But you can totally redeem yourself by keeping this little hot stretch going.
• Chris Davis, if you do not want to hit over .200 this year, fine…but hitting 3 bombs per week from here on out would be nice. You wouldn’t want Caleb Jackson catching you would you?
• Hanley Ramirez found his way back to the DL, I’m guessing Jose Reyes will be next.
• Adrian Gonzalez, your team, reality and fantasy appreciate you trying to step up. You owe it to us to continue that for disappearing for the middle part of the season.
• Similar story line for Nolan Arenado who put together a nice week. Domo Arigato, Mr. Arenado.
• Jay Bruce…this is the first noteworthy week you have had all year. Talk about oweing your fantasy owners.
• Matt Kemp, the last two weeks are what fantasy owners have been wanting from you the past two years. Keep making up for lost time.
• Make sure you have Alex Gordon in your lineup as well, lots of OFs making up for lost time.
• Denard Span remains hot at the dish, it did not translate to any SBs this week, but he should be on your radar for that stat if you need it.
• Everth Cabrera remembered how to steal bases over the past six games. Thanks for that Everth. Because of his awful year without Biogenesis, he is still available in many leagues. So if you need some steals down the stretch.
• Speaking of stolen bases, if you are desperate, might want to give Danny Santana a look as well.
• Nori Aoki will be that last guy I mention for stolen bases this week.

Pitchers:

• Alex Wood had a great week including stiking out a dozen batters last night. For those of you that just added him because of his two start status, you may want to think twice before ditching him.
• Josh Beckett is done for the year with a hip. Retirement rumors are buzzing. If that is the case, tip of the cap to the guy. He was absolutely dominant in his prime.
• Tyler Skaggs, poor kid has zero fantasy value next year as he will be the latest pitcher to go Tommy John on us.
• Anibal Sanchez might not be able to produce for you down the stretch at all as he is schedule to miss about a month with a pectoral.
• Jacob deGrom will be scratched from his start on Tuesday with a shoulder. The Mets should do the right thing and shut the kid down for the rest of the year, sorry fantasy owners.
• Garrett Richards is so money, he doesn’t even know how money he is.
• Joe Nathan, is so not money…that he could have zero fantasy value come this time next week.
• Yu Darvish, the Ks are nice, don’t get me wrong, but what’s with all the earned runs lately? Your July ERA was 4.66, and even worse so far in August. Are you hurt?
• Scott Kazmir, your August has not been kind either. I was worried you might tire down the stretch.   It has been a long time since you have been asked to pitch this much in a season.