Billy Burns: New Billy, Same Blazing Speed

Mar 6, 2014; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Oakland Athletics outfielder Billy Burns (19) is caught in a run down between first and second base in the sixth inning of their spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

On Monday, the Oakland A’s purchased the contract of a 25-year old outfielder from AAA named Billy Burns.  Calling up a speed demon only seemed logical after rosters expanded in September.

The exciting thing about Billy Burns is that he already has 54 stolen bases on 60 attempts.  That is game-changing speed.  Unfortunately, only three of those steals have come in his most recent 28 games in AAA.

I would hope for Billy Burns (great name, especially for a speedster) to have a Billy Hamilton September 2013 impact, but that is optimistic.  For those who forgot, Hamilton stole 13 bases in only six September starts, seven pinch running appearances, and 22 plate appearances.

While stolen bases are not a guarantee, there is a very strong chance that Burns could run if he is able to get on base.  In 2013, Billy Burns swiped 74 bags in 121 games between A+ and AA ball in the Nationals system.

The only potential issue could be if Burns can hit at the Major League level because he was a mediocre bat in the minors.  At AA, Billy Burns slashed .250/.333/.330 with a wRC+ of only 94 (where 100 is average).  However, the silver lining in these statistics is that a .333 OBP is certainly high enough to do damage, but it will difficult to maintain that OBP against polished MLB arms.

On the other hand, Burns saw his numbers decline at AAA where he played 28 games and only stole three bases on four attempts.  Besides the far lower steal rate, Billy Burns slashed a very poor .193/.254/.211.

It will truly be a guessing game to see if Burns gets enough plate appearances, pinch running attempts, or even ends up on base enough to be a worthy fantasy player.  His meager bat means he will probably just be a pinch runner in 2014.

The most interesting thing about owning Billy Burns is that he is one of a few players that you can still have in your fantasy lineup even if the A’s do not start him because of the pinch running opportunities, but this is a risky play and only necessary if you are really desperate for steals.

You would probably better off acquiring Jarrod Dyson (33 steals) or surprisingly red hot Jordan Schafer (26 steals).  Billy Burns could you get those bases, but he will probably be awful at the plate and not get enough starts.

I picked up Billy Burns in a deep league because of the elite one category upside, and I had dead weight on the roster.  I would recommend the same if steals are a big area of need and you really have a roster spot to spare.  While Burns could be productive, do not drop a useful player to acquire him.

Burns is the type of player you want to keep a close eye on to see if he ever acquires a starting outfield position for his fantasy baseball potential.