Thus far we’ve explored four potential bustout players that could bring home that fantasy hardware. The first four still continue to look pretty darn good since the last few weeks where they were discussed. Cameron Maybin is showing incredible discipline in AAA (and the production is starting to follow). Nolan Reimold had an outstanding June where his production decreased, but his average (.320) and OBP (.420) were outstanding. Dexter Fowler has taken a step back, but I still think he has the tools to be great, and Madison Bumgarner has allowed one earned run over his last 19 innings in AA.
The final two are intriguing and one of them is surging, so you might have to act fast if you are going to land the next great superstar.
Colby Rasmus – Two years ago, this guy was an untouchable in the long-term keeper leagues. Ranked as a top 5 prospect, Rasmus was heralded as a guy who could do it all. Thus far, 10 HR’s and a .282 avg. is pretty darn solid in his 245 at-bats. If anything else, keep this guy on your radar for next year and don’t hesitate to reach to get him in the ’09-10 draft. In Yahoo! he plays two positions and while he’s not exactly a speed demon, he does pretty much everything else well. His 2008 was a bust, but at 22, he’s proving doubters wrong by going through a July tear including three homers in five games.
Daric Barton – Ok, I figured I would throw this up there just in case one of my co-fantasy owners was just looking for names. Truly, this guy is as big a bust as there has been in the last couple of years.
Jeremy Hermida – It wasn’t too long, that folks were lumping him in the same category as Nick Markakis. That hasn’t panned out (yet), but don’t be surprised when it does. He’s only owned in 23 percent of the Yahoo! leagues out there and thus far his numbers look grossly mediocre. What’s interesting to me is that his walk rate has nearly doubled this year and even though he is continuing to strike out at a high rate, his batting eye is definitely improving. For a 25-year-old slugger, that’s never a bad thing. If you look at his second half power surge over the last two years (17 homers in a little over 400 at-bats), I think it’s reasonable to put him at a guy who is capable of 12 homers over the final 80 games and I wouldn’t be stunned if he puts together one of those torrid runs that puts his homer total closer to 15-17. He has always been streaky and that run is coming. Call it a hunch.
Others to consider: Mat Gamel – I don’t care what Casey McGehee is doing, anyone who has watched this guy hit knows that he’s going to wreck the ball at the big league level soon (too bad he’s not in the AL); Jarrod Saltalamacchia – If you need a second half catcher, don’t hesitate to go after Salty. He’s another reasonably young player who only has 700+ career at-bats. He’s in for a big second half.
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