Roto Riteup: July 31, 2013
Today’s Roto Riteup is especially designed for the trade deadline. Since nothing else trumps deadline news, here’s one angle for viewing some of the players who are most likely to be moved by the end of today.
Alex Rios
Rios, last 47 games: .259/.299/.349, 2 HR, 14 SB; .315 BABIP
Rios, season: .272/.324/.428, 12 HR, 22 SB; .307 BABIP
Rios has lost all power over the past two months, leaving him with a lower average despite a higher BABIP. Bad times.
Jake Peavy, now a Red Sox
Peavy, vRHB: .218/.261/.376, 4.57 K/BB, .240 BABIP
Peavy, vLHB: .265/.304/.488, 4.40 K/BB, .311 BABIP
Peavy has not done well against lefties this year, and this is the most pronounced split of his recent career. Part of this is fluky, and part of it is not. Be a little wary of starting Peavy against lefty heavy lineups, but don’t bench him unless you have an innings limit.
Michael Morse
Morse, first 25 games: .248/.303/.535, 9 HR; .254 BABIP
Morse, 30 games since: .255/.322/.377, 2 HR; .325 BABIP
Morse’s power problems were mostly caused by nagging injuries, but the big right-hander always seems to have to be playing through something. Morse could be a stud in the second half if he’s traded to a team with a small ballpark. While his defense is absolutely dreadful, he could hit a bazillion homers in he were to be traded to the Reds, who are in the market for a right-handed bat.
Bud Norris
Norris, vRHB: .241/.305/.315, 3.06 K/BB, .313 BABIP
Norris, vLHB: .306/.365/.494, 1.46 K/BB, .323 BABIP
Norris has the sort of limited repertoire (fastball/slider) that causes poor platoon splits, but what stands out as particularly interesting is the BABIP numbers, seeing that they are virtually the same. Norris can look brilliant against lineups featuring mainly right-handed hitters, but boy can he suck is up against hitters of the opposite hand. Norris’ name is getting thrown around a lot this deadline season, and while he’s not an unattractive trade candidate due to the years of control left for his new team, he’s not a guy I’m trusting to go out night-after-night for my roto squad.
Zach is the creator and co-author of RotoGraphs' Roto Riteup series, and RotoGraphs' second-longest tenured writer. You can follow him on twitter.
I have been offered Chris Johnson in exchange for Chase Headley. I know Headley has been on some of your buy low lists, but its the end of July and we have seen zero power or counting stats.
if it’s a keeper league, no. if regular, I’d probably pull the trigger.
he’s been hitting better lately and chris johnson is waiver wire fodder in anything shallower than 14-team. i wouldn’t even consider it unless it’s an insanely deep league.
I get that it’s over >300 PAs now, but .425 babip just isn’t sustainable for a mediocre hitter. and he’s doing it with less power than he showed last year.