2015 Fantasy BaseballFantasy Baseball

2015 Fantasy Baseball: Mid-Season Deep League All-Stars, Part 2

I’ve already covered my deep league All-Stars at the infield positions, so today I’ll be taking a look at which outfielders and pitchers I deem worthy of setting foot in my clubhouse. Remember, all these players are guys who were drafted in 14-team leagues or more. This means they were taken no earlier than the 350th pick, and some weren’t even drafted at all. But just because they may have gotten overlooked in drafts doesn’t mean they aren’t owed some recognition.

I know everyone is anxious to see who made the squad, so let’s get right into it!

Outfield – Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays (ADP #600)

The Blue Jays really have themselves something special in outfielder Kevin Pillar, and fantasy owners are nodding their heads in agreement.

Mainly looked at as a defense-first option, he’s made strides at the plate, improving his walk rate while cutting down on his strikeouts, which are down 7.2 percent since last year. This new-found approach has led to a .278 average, seven home runs, 37 RBI and 48 runs scored. The defense is still top-notch, but his offense has been a welcome addition to all fantasy teams, especially his 13 stolen bases, which ties him for 11th in baseball.

Once considered the weak link in the Blue Jays outfield, Pillar has cemented his place in their everyday lineup, and thus making him a must-own player in fantasy baseball. Hitting in the best offense in baseball will only continue to give him great value and he should remain a top 30 outfielder for the remainder of the season.

Outfield – Gerardo Parra, Brewers (ADP #508)

Parra spent the early part of 2015 just moseying around, playing in his typical platoon with Khris Davis. His numbers leading up till May 30 weren’t bad at all (.285, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 1 SB), but when Davis went down with a torn meniscus, it opened up a heap of playing time for the 28-year-old Venezuelan.

Since then, Parra has been on a tear, hitting .329/.369/.529 with seven homers, 15 RBI and five stolen bases. He has hit either first or second in 24 of his last 30 games, scoring 22 runs in those contests. The Brewers are ninth in baseball in scoring over that period, and Parra is a big reason why. Fantasy owners may have milked the cow dry, though. Davis returned to the field on July 7, which has already led to Parra sitting out two games, and there are rumors flying around of Parra possibly being traded to a contender. If he were to be traded, it would surely hurt his value, as it’s most likely he’d assume a bench role on his new team. Owners need to hope he stays in Milwaukee, but floating some offers out there may not be the worst idea.

Parra joins teammate Ryan Braun as a top-25 outfielder this season, putting him ahead of fellow Brewer Carlos Gomez, who was, on average, the eighth player taken in drafts.

Outfield – Billy Burns, A’s (ADP #576)

Speed kills, and that’s what Billy Burns brings to the table. His 17 steals are seventh-most in baseball, and he’s done that having played in only 63 of the A’s 91 games. Burns has been a spark plug for fantasy teams, as well as his real life team. Since May 16, the rookie center fielder has hit atop the A’s lineup in 51 games, and Oakland’s record in that time is 27-24. Prior to that they were 13-24, and they even lost the two games Burns sat out with a hip injury on June 26-27.

His legs, average (.303) and runs (38) have helped Burns soar into the top 30 outfielder ranks, putting him ahead of mainstays Matt Kemp (31st, 47 ADP), Carlos Gonzalez (47th, 51 ADP) and Yasiel Puig (117th, 19 ADP).

AL Starting Pitcher – Kyle Gibson, Twins (ADP #416)

The young Twins starter has been nothing short of phenomenal this season. It may have taken a couple of years for him to reach his potential, but it was well worth the wait. After posting ERAs of 6.53 and 4.47 the past two seasons, the former top prospect was left for dead by fantasy owners. It’s not that he didn’t show signs of promise — he had 14 starts where he allowed one run or less in 2014 — but he with those bursts of dominance also came some pretty bad outings. Ten starts in which he allowed five runs or more completely offset the good ones.

Come 2015, and Gibson has been a totally different pitcher, or at least a more consistent one. He’s won eight games and posted a phenomenal 2.85 ERA. However, a cautionary owner would say that though he’s getting more strikeouts, his peripherals don’t show a vast change. In fact, his strand rate (80.6%) and BABIP (.268) are likely to lead to an increased ERA in the second half. For now, though, owners can bask in what has been a highly effective first half for the 27-year-old right-hander.

NL Starting Pitcher – Chris Heston, Giants (Undrafted)

Heston is the only player in my entire lineup who went completely untouched in fantasy drafts — and rightly so. I mean, the guy only pitched in three games last year and had a career 3.56 ERA in six minor league seasons before he got his shot with the big club. His strikeout numbers were never overwhelming either. So, if you were to tell me in April that Chris Heston would be 9-5 with a 3.39 ERA at the All-Star break, I probably would have laughed in your face. Oh, did I mention he threw a no-hitter on against the Mets on June 9? See how I buried that? Gotta be on your toes, people!

Whether or not Heston can keep this up remains to be seen, but his .303 BABIP, 3.23 FIP and 3.43 SIERA suggest his numbers are legit. The Giants rotation is getting quite crowded with Matt Cain and Jake Peavy returning from the DL last week, and Tim Hudson expected back after the break, so now would be a good time to shop Heston around.

Closer – Jeurys Familia, Mets (ADP #405)

Familia is the No. 1 closer in baseball, according to ESPN’s player rater, and it’s well-earned. The 25-year-old has saved 27 games, posted a minuscule 1.25 ERA/0.90 WHIP and struck out a batter per inning. And had Jenrry Mejia not been suspended for PEDs, none of this may have been possible.

He’s been better than everyone, including some high draft choices. Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel, Greg Holland and David Robertson — the first four closers taken in drafts — are currently the 14th, 19th, 26th and 11th-ranked relievers in fantasy baseball at the break. Taking a closer with an early pick is something I’ve always felt sinks a fantasy team, and results like this just pad my theory.

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1 Comment

  1. July 17, 2015 at 1:59 am

    Thoughts on Pillar at $1 in a dynasty league with 40-man rosters and a $400 cap?