The Big 3 (from last year) And Their Stolen Bases
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 9:28 am
Paul Goldschmidt had a career high in stolen bases last year. I know that because anybody/everybody that has mentioned Goldy, soon talks about his 32 stolen bases.
The nine less homers, the 15 less rbi, and even the 24 point drop in batting average forgiven.
Most players in the NFBC have two things in common-
They are men.
They like statistical surprises that help their teams.
These two things combine to make Goldy's stolen bases, 'A shiny thing'. Men are drawn to shiny things while oblivious to all other objects.
Goldschmidt was taken in drafts with Mike Trout and Bryce Harper last year. The Big Three.
Trout was Trout. And like both Goldy and Harper, his owners were pleasantly surprised by more stolen bases.
If drafters of Trout, Harper, and Goldy would have been told that they would be guaranteed at least 10 more stolen bases over the previous year, there would have been other drafters calling for Greg to implement 'third round reversal' for baseball drafts.
As it turned out, those three did indeed, top last year's stolen bases by more than 10 and Goldy got the lion's share of that attention.
Trout has stolen many bases before. It was no surprise that he stole 30 bases. (Imagine the clamor for Trout at number one if guaranteed his drafters would get the same sb's (30) as Jose Altuve!)
Harper's rise in stolen bases was negated by his lack of everything else.
Harper went 20-20 in the two big categories and his owners were still perplexed. Most of his drafters expected twice the home runs and half the stolen bases.
He was Hell on projections.
The best projectionists, by the way, are found in old movie theatres.
So, the question becomes...What can we expect from these three this coming year?
Especially, stolen base-wise?
Well, Trout is still Trout. He has the stolen base speed. He was helped last year by having Albert Pujols out of the lineup some, as Pujols has stated that he does not enjoy movement on the bases while batting. Trout had eight stolen bases in September, the month in which Pujols missed more games.
With speed to burn, we can count on stolen bases from Trout.
30 AGAIN?
I would lower expectations a little.
Harper and Goldy are opportunistic base stealers. Neither is blessed with blazing speed.
Goldschmidt stole 18 bases in his first four years of professional ball. For him, stealing bases has become not only an acquired taste, but an acquired skill. A little like Jose Bautista busting out and becoming a power hitter after years of dormant power (only without the peds).
It is harder to trust opportunistic base thieves over speedy fellows. Speedy fellows make their living stealing bases.
As fantasy owners, we have to depend on oppotunists to continue being opportunists.
Goldy doesn't HAVE to steal bases to be a star or even help out his team a lot. But, he does.
He is turning 30 this coming year. 30 is a round number that signals to most that a player has gone from youth to aged.
It won't affect Goldy all of a sudden. It serves as more of a reminder to us that the 32 stolen bases last year, will most likely be Goldschmidt's career high.
In Goldy's case, I would hope for half the stolen bases and be happy with that.
From my own personal angle, I believe Bryce Harper runs like a scared little girl. He's got both hands flinging in front of him, most of the time with the fingers extended. Almost as if with every breath he is thinking "Lions, and tigers, and bears, OH MY!"
That aside, I believe Harper will continue to steal bases at the same pace as last year and maybe even have a few more.
Harper's opportunities on the bases is second only to his ego in obtaining those stolen bases.
That's not a slight at Harper. Fantasy owners love bravisimo when it comes to obtaining more stats.
I moved Alfonzo Soriano up my own rankings when he stated that he enjoyed seeing where he ranked in home runs and stolen base categories.
In a way, we root for ego.
Great chant by the way....
"LET'S GO, E-GO!" "LET'S GO, E-GO"...I digress.
It's a reason why I think Harper will pass Goldy in stolen bases this coming year.
If Goldy sees a 50/50 opportunity in stealing a base, he might pass. Harper probably won't.
It wouldn't surprise me if Harper garnered more stolen bases than both Goldy and Trout next year.
In my book,this would make him the first scared girl base runner to steal 30 bases in MLB history.
Salute!
The nine less homers, the 15 less rbi, and even the 24 point drop in batting average forgiven.
Most players in the NFBC have two things in common-
They are men.
They like statistical surprises that help their teams.
These two things combine to make Goldy's stolen bases, 'A shiny thing'. Men are drawn to shiny things while oblivious to all other objects.
Goldschmidt was taken in drafts with Mike Trout and Bryce Harper last year. The Big Three.
Trout was Trout. And like both Goldy and Harper, his owners were pleasantly surprised by more stolen bases.
If drafters of Trout, Harper, and Goldy would have been told that they would be guaranteed at least 10 more stolen bases over the previous year, there would have been other drafters calling for Greg to implement 'third round reversal' for baseball drafts.
As it turned out, those three did indeed, top last year's stolen bases by more than 10 and Goldy got the lion's share of that attention.
Trout has stolen many bases before. It was no surprise that he stole 30 bases. (Imagine the clamor for Trout at number one if guaranteed his drafters would get the same sb's (30) as Jose Altuve!)
Harper's rise in stolen bases was negated by his lack of everything else.
Harper went 20-20 in the two big categories and his owners were still perplexed. Most of his drafters expected twice the home runs and half the stolen bases.
He was Hell on projections.
The best projectionists, by the way, are found in old movie theatres.
So, the question becomes...What can we expect from these three this coming year?
Especially, stolen base-wise?
Well, Trout is still Trout. He has the stolen base speed. He was helped last year by having Albert Pujols out of the lineup some, as Pujols has stated that he does not enjoy movement on the bases while batting. Trout had eight stolen bases in September, the month in which Pujols missed more games.
With speed to burn, we can count on stolen bases from Trout.
30 AGAIN?
I would lower expectations a little.
Harper and Goldy are opportunistic base stealers. Neither is blessed with blazing speed.
Goldschmidt stole 18 bases in his first four years of professional ball. For him, stealing bases has become not only an acquired taste, but an acquired skill. A little like Jose Bautista busting out and becoming a power hitter after years of dormant power (only without the peds).
It is harder to trust opportunistic base thieves over speedy fellows. Speedy fellows make their living stealing bases.
As fantasy owners, we have to depend on oppotunists to continue being opportunists.
Goldy doesn't HAVE to steal bases to be a star or even help out his team a lot. But, he does.
He is turning 30 this coming year. 30 is a round number that signals to most that a player has gone from youth to aged.
It won't affect Goldy all of a sudden. It serves as more of a reminder to us that the 32 stolen bases last year, will most likely be Goldschmidt's career high.
In Goldy's case, I would hope for half the stolen bases and be happy with that.
From my own personal angle, I believe Bryce Harper runs like a scared little girl. He's got both hands flinging in front of him, most of the time with the fingers extended. Almost as if with every breath he is thinking "Lions, and tigers, and bears, OH MY!"
That aside, I believe Harper will continue to steal bases at the same pace as last year and maybe even have a few more.
Harper's opportunities on the bases is second only to his ego in obtaining those stolen bases.
That's not a slight at Harper. Fantasy owners love bravisimo when it comes to obtaining more stats.
I moved Alfonzo Soriano up my own rankings when he stated that he enjoyed seeing where he ranked in home runs and stolen base categories.
In a way, we root for ego.
Great chant by the way....
"LET'S GO, E-GO!" "LET'S GO, E-GO"...I digress.
It's a reason why I think Harper will pass Goldy in stolen bases this coming year.
If Goldy sees a 50/50 opportunity in stealing a base, he might pass. Harper probably won't.
It wouldn't surprise me if Harper garnered more stolen bases than both Goldy and Trout next year.
In my book,this would make him the first scared girl base runner to steal 30 bases in MLB history.
Salute!