At this point in the fantasy baseball season, every player’s value is nearly cemented. That means that fantasy general managers know what he or she wants for each player, and what he or she would trade for another. Still, there are a few players that have a skewed value because of a recent streak, positive or negative.
Buying high and selling low are two things you want to avoid, even if you are in dire need. Be sure to check the waiver wire as well.
Each week, XN Sports will have a Buys and Sells column, describing a few players to go after, or to get rid of. We all know to buy low and sell high, but what players should we trade, or who should we go after?
This week’s edition of Buys and Sells:
Buy Low
Jed Lowrie, Shortstop/Second Base, Oakland Athletics
Lowrie is hitting .222 with just four home runs, 26 runs batted in, and 33 runs scored. He has not stolen a base yet this season either. Middle infield is one of the scarce positions in fantasy baseball, and Lowrie was one of the few late round options in fantasy baseball this season. It’s safe to say he is off to a slow start, and has been even worse of late. Lowrie has just six hits in his last 48 at-bats for a horrific batting average of .125. Can he turn it around? Absolutely. Lowrie’s BABIP is currently at .242, which is the lowest in his professional career. That could mean he is just not hitting the ball hard, but that is not the case either. Lowrie’s line-drive percentage is 22.4 this year, which is just one percent lower than last season, where Lowrie hit .290. His batting average is due for massive progression, and the runs batted in will come with it. As far as scoring runs, Lowrie does not suffer at all, because he still gets on base (11.9 walk percentage) and has scored 33 runs so far this year, which is great considering his batting average struggles. Buy Lowrie before his average progresses.
Sell High
Todd Frazier, Third Base, Cincinnati Reds
Frazier has been on fire of late, and his value will never be higher. According to ESPN’s player rater, Frazier is tied with Miguel Cabrera at a rating of 10.40. So far this season, Frazier is hitting .273 with 16 home runs, 41 runs batted in, 45 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. That ranks among the best in baseball as a whole, so why should you sell him? In addition to his value being at an all-time high, Frazier has struck out a lot this season. Now, that could be said for a lot of power hitters, but considering Frazier has never hit more than 19 home runs in a season, his power surge could slow down in a hurry. Frazier’s home run to fly ball rate is 21.1 percent, which means one in every five fly balls ends up over the fence. This is much higher than his career rate of 14.7, so if you believe he is due for regression, some numbers agree. Even if he ends up having a career year, and stays at his current pace, you could still end up with a hefty return from someone in need of power.
Statistics from ESPN.com and Fangraphs.com
