NL OF: Deep, Deeeeep Finds for Your Playoffs

Disclaimer: Yesterday, the author wrote the words organized below. This morning, a doctor person surgically repaired the author’s faulty body. During the day, he will rest in bed, likely incapacitated, lest he be tempted to incoherently, and probably embarrassingly, address your comments. He apologizes for the inconvenience this delay in correspondence may cause.

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Unless you’re in a year-long roto league — or, wait, are there year-long points leagues? Is that a thing? — you’re probably neck deep in playoffs. Maybe some of you are vying for the championship. Maybe some of you are trying to avoid last place and a sexy calendar photoshoot as punishment for it, as I just successfully did last week.

The RotoGraphs staff has published several pieces recently focusing on waiver wire finds to help your playoff push. For roto leagues specifically, we’ve reached a point where a couple weeks’ worth of standard performance may not affect runs, runs batted in (RBI) or batting average, but a sudden burst of home runs of stolen bases can make all the difference.

After digging through the scrap heap, I found yet more players (strictly National League outfielders, mind you) that can help owners trying to catch lightning in a bottle. However, some the following names could also help in shallower leagues and are worth keeping in mind as dynasty or keeper considerations.

Speed

Aaron Altherr, PHI (1% Yahoo!, 3.0% ESPN)

I’ll be frank: for someone who tries to keep up with prospects and non-prospects alike, I knew nothing about Altherr. (In fact, I knew nothing, Jon Snow, about many of the names on this list.)

Once, Altherr stole 37 bases in 458 plate appearances (48 per 600) across two Single-A levels (because the Phillies have three Single-A affiliates). Then, a year later, he stole 25 in 471 plate appearances (32 per 600). Another year, a handful fewer swipes (26 per 600) and yet fewer swipes another year more (15 per 600).

So the dude’s been trending the wrong direction with age. That’s to be expected. Now 24, his best baserunning days are probably behind him. However, he has upped his stolen base frequency this year against his toughest levels of professional competition.

He has stolen two bases in the last two weeks, which is not particularly exciting. But when you consider the other players who have stolen as many or more recently — well, most of them are already probably owned. He’s not flashy nor exciting, but sometimes you have no other choice. He’s probably the Hail-Mariest Hail Mary on the list.

Michael Bourn, ATL (2% Yahoo!, 2.3% ESPN)

Bourn definitely does not classify as a dynasty consideration — in fact, he’s quite the opposite. He’s no longer the burner he once was, and at 32 years old, you can’t really blame him.

Still, his 17 steals across 422 plate appearances represents a fairly large improvement over last year’s rate and remains on pace with 2013’s rate. Matching Altherr’s two steals the last two weeks, he also exists as a universally unowned, fairly unsexy waiver wire add who could help earn you an extra point in roto leagues down the stretch.

Power

Adam Duvall, CIN (0% Yahoo!, 0.4% ESPN)

Duvall has hit three home runs in 20 plate appearances. Obviously, that’s a bit anomalous. But his power is legit; check out his home run totals (and rates per 600 PAs) during his career:

Duvall, drafted out of college, has taken a long time to develop. Or, I imagine that’s what personnel in the Giants’ organization said to justify trading him to the Reds after limiting him to 77 Major League PAs despite obvious power and acceptable plate discipline.

Now on a new team with a thin lineup, Duvall should be able to crowd Skip Schumaker out of a job in left field and keep it long-term. Meanwhile, he could another two or three home runs from hear on out — and another 20 next year.

Justin Ruggiano, LAD (1% Yahoo!, 0.9% ESPN)

I always liked Ruggiano for his power-speed combination, but he simply never panned out the way I expected despite several opporunities due to inconsistency (in short stints) and playing time issues associated with injuries and performance. At 33 years old, he, like Bourn, is far removed from dynasty discussions.

Now with the Dodgers, it looks like Ruggiano has adopted a platoon role in which he has flourished. In his career, he has hit 24 home runs in just more than 500 PAs versus righties. If he continues to face only righties, he should have plenty more opportunities to pad his stats.

He may only get another 20 to 30 plate appearances through the season’s end. Still, considering he already made some small-sample-size magic happen in the last two weeks — three home runs in 18 PAs — he seems like as good a gamble as anyone to make magic happen again.

Both

Scott Schebler, LAD (0% Yahoo!, 0.4% ESPN)

Schebler is the second Dodger, least-owned outfielder and perhaps most interesting outfielder on this list. His power and speed are both a bit modest compared to the rest of the names here, but his Minor League numbers are still appealing:

Schebler’s home run rate fell 50 percent this year, but at 24 years old, I chalk up the decline more to developmental growing pains than a certifiable loss of power.

The Dodgers have so much outfield depth that it’s actually silly. But, somewhat ironically, the closest thing they have to a starting-caliber outfielder is Andre Ethier. Joc Pederson has experienced his own growing pains and Carl Crawford is a walking injury time bomb. Meanwhile, between the perpetually buried Scott Van Slyke, the burning pile of cash in the form of Alex Guerrero, the un-nicknamed Chris Heisey and even Ruggiano, it’s a wonder how anyone sees any playing time.

Still, Schebler does, and in his first 21 Major League PAs (almost all against righties) he hit two home runs and stole two bases. He essentially fills the same role as Ruggiano — lefty outfielder with decent power and speed who faces righties — so they will both struggle for reps. In fact, Ruggiano could be as much a “Both” kind of waiver wire add as Schebler is.

Add Schebler or Ruggiano and you sign off on gambling on the Dodgers’ revolving-door outfield. But if sacrificing playing time to gamble on a few home runs and stolen bases won’t kill you, they could be the keys to your success.

Epilogue

For owners in shallow leagues: I probably wouldn’t prefer any of these players to ones you already own. But if you’re still waiting for Jorge Soler to come around, well, maybe it’s time to cut bait and take a chance on a wild card if you can afford to do so.