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Seriously.. Everyone was all over this over 8.5 today.. There isn't even gona be 8.5 hits jesus christ why did i tail this play.. I loved the under so i figured the over was a lockComment -
Latos will occasionally throw a gem. Fade him next time.Comment -
Danny Valencia batting cleanup tells you all you need.Comment -
LmaoComment -
Valencia didn't get much respect in fantasy drafts this spring despite batting .290 with 18 home runs and an .864 OPS last season. It's about time that changes.
Danny Valencia met the Athletics' fabled standard of imperfection (Island of Misfit Toys, anyone?) as a corner infielder with no power, at least not against right-handed pitchers, when they plucked him off waivers from the Blue Jays last August.
But a funny thing happened when they began playing him every day: He mashed. It didn't matter that he was facing righties regularly or playing in a bigger home park than ever before. He homered 11 times in 183 at-bats for Athletics, giving him 18 home runs in 345 at-bats overall.
Project that over 600 at-bats, and you get 31 homers -- or more than all but four third basemen (the ones you'd expect -- Nolan Arenado, Josh Donaldson, Manny Machadoand Todd Frazier) hit in 2015. And it's not like he stopped hitting doubles during that time. His ISO in 2015, which is simply slugging percentage minus batting average to make sure that the latter doesn't skew the former, was .229. Kris Bryant's was only .213.
No power, you say? Turns out Valencia was one of the best power hitters at his position last year -- and in enough at-bats for you to take notice. It helps that the Athletics don't seem to be making contingency plans, actually unloading one in the form of Brett Lawrie this offseason.
Valencia is a legit hitter. Maybe not a legit 4 hitter, but much better than people give credit for.Comment
