MLB Showdown Cards

MLB Showdown 2014: Corner OF 300 Under

                Alright it is the later rounds. You solidified the infield and you filled most of the top of your order in. You have to find a final contributor and you kept a corner outfield spot open.  What do we have in store for you?

                Power hitters you have a few bottom of the order options. Josh Willingham as an 8, 18-20 HR, 17 2B, with speed B(14) and LF/RF+1 for 300 points can be a decent 5 hitter if you are cheap. I like him more as a 6 hitter when you plan on punting on 7-8-9. He walks a ton with a 3-14 so don’t both putting speed in front of him. Marlon Byrd as a 6, 16-20 HR, 13-15 2B with speed C(11) and LF/RF+0 for 240 points is a fun 6 hitter if you are cheap and punting or 7 hitter if you want to put more points in. He can absolutely steal cheap runs when people are stretching for innings with their starter. An interesting guy who it tough to find a spot for is Bryce Harper as an 8 OB, 19-20 HR, 18 3B with speed B(17) and LF/RF+1 for 200 points. Avisail Garcia as a 6, 17-20 HR, 14-16 2B with speed B(17) and LF/RF+1 for 200 points may be more valuable if you already have another LF/RF+0. In deeper leagues I would look into Oswald Arica as a 6, 17-20 HR, 16 3B, 14-15 2B with speed C(12) and LF/RF+1 for 170 points. You are going to want to punt after him.

                Paying 280 points for Matt Joyce doesn’t make Pingers happy but they will do it for his 9 OB, 20 HR, 18-19 2B with speed B(14) and LF/RF+1. Melky Cabrera is also getting a look as an 9 OB, 20 HR, 19 3B, 16-18 2B with speed B(15) and LF/RF+1 for 300 points. Josh Hamilton is the best deal for a 7 hitter as an 8 OB, 19-20 HR, 15-18 2B with speed B(14) and LF/RF+0 for 240 points. Money Ballers are fighting for all the same players here when it comes to taking a discount.

                Speed players are going to want Norichika Aoki as an 9, 20 3B, 19 2B, 18 1B+ with speed A(20) and LF/RF+1 for 260 points. The problem is everyone in the league is going to want him as a lead-off hitter. Carl Crawford is going to over produce for someone who is ambitious taking his 8 OB, 20 HR, 19 3B, 16-18 2B, 14-15 1B+, 7-13 1B with speed A(22) and LF/RF+1 for 250 points. He can bat second and fifth and get both RBI and runs if speed is around him. People will doubt him because of OB 8. Don’t be that person this is the opposite of Jayson Werth. Ryan Braun is a similar player but to a lesser degree as a 7 OB, 19-20 HR, 17-18 3B, 14-16 2B, 13 1B+, 8-12 1B with speed A(19) and LF/RF+1 for 260 points. This is a much worse pick since it is not +20 speed but if you have the points and others have been picked don’t be shy. Ichiro as a 7 OB, 19-20 1B+, speed A(21) with LF/RF+2 for 50 points does a lot of good things for a speed team looking to punt. He even singles at 9 so he can get some cheap RBI.

                There are a million sub 100 point bench players so find what you need. Prioritize one what the weaknesses are of your starting corner OF guys. This is also an efficient spot to get the cheapest pinch runners and hitter. Defense is much less important.