Andrew McCutchen: Bringing the 30/30 party to your fantasy baseball squad
Waka Flocka Flame should open the 30/30 club. No models impressed, but they’ll stay for the drinks. Baseball's 30/30 club has 39 members, 4 of whom joined in 2011; Matt Kemp, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ian Kinsler and Ryan Braun.
Andrew McCutchen is one of baseball’s most exciting young players because he has the promise of a 30/30 season in him. McCutchen blasted a career high 23 home runs in 2011 to go along with 23 steals. He’s baseball’s Kate Upton. New. Exciting. Great boobs, maybe. Drafting McCutchen is better than drafting Mark Teixeira or Jose Reyes. More first to the party. Your hipster friends would approve.
Will the 25 year old McCutchen get into the 30/30 club in 2012? The steals side of the ledger is certainly attainable. He's been there already in his young career, swiping 33 in 2010. Fangraphs projects 31 for 2012, Bill James gives him 27. The power will likely be the shortcoming in his quest. Fangraphs projects 24 HRs, Bill James only 19. In McCutchen's 3 years in the big leagues he's gone deep 12, 16 then 23 times. He's trending in the right direction. His HR/FB % has gone from 8.8% to 8.7% to 12.2%. That would need to continue trending upwards, along with FB% (39.1%, 37.8%, and 41.7%). He'll likely have to slug over .500, which he's never done. He was at .456 in 2011. He’s probably a few years of continued power growth away.
Go ahead and let loose with your imagination though. Pretend you’re swaddled in the comforting luxury of the 40/40 club, Jay-Z’s version, not the baseball one that lets Canseco in. Look at that list of 2011’s 30/30 guys again. Kemp’s current ADP is 2.2, Braun’s is 3.5, Ellsbury’s is 9.3 and Kinsler brings up the rear at 24.1. McCutchen’s current ADP is 26.2. You can get him later in the draft and reap the potential 30/30 benefits.
Spend all season rooting McCutchen on as he races around the base paths, Predator dreads trailing behind, exaggerating the action. What a trendsetter that murderous space alien was, by the way, rocking those long dreads in the 80's. Lost to Arnold though, that's why he wasn’t elected Governor then disgraced by his housekeeper lovechild.
Fangraphs also predicts a .287/.378/.486 line for McCutchen, in 2012, with 37 doubles, 5 triples, and 109 runs. It’ll be a good year; the man has to earn his new contract. Pittsburgh never gives out bad contracts. Draft him in the second round in 12 team leagues. He’ll earn the love, 30/30 or not.
Written by Ryan Coombs exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Follow Ryan on Twitter @RMCoombs.
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(September 11, 2011 – Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)
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