The .210 batting average still makes me dry-heave when I mull over Brandon Moss' viability as a fantasy asset. He gets the occasional outfield start, and he can sub in at 1B whenever the electric Eric Hosmer needs a rare maintenance day, but he almost always slots in at DH. Well, he's almost been inefficient enough to designate for assignment rather than designate him as a hitter. Last night was a brief flash in the pan: he went 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, K in a win over the visiting Seattle Mariners. Moss has his moments, but it would be a career-worst mark for a full season if he finishes the year with an average this low. His current BABIP of .261 is identical to his 2016 BABIP that saw him post the next-worst average (.225) of his time in the pros, so there's no cop-out for his struggles at the dish to be written off as unlucky. Strikeout rate is an abominable 32.7%, and Thursday's outing was his first multi-homer game since May 21; in a year where DHs and power guys are raking like crazy, I know I've been expecting a little more from Moss but he hasn't kept up with the league norm. For perspective, with just one more at-bat, Atlanta C Tyler Flowers has 22 more hits, four more runs, five fewer HRs, and nine more RBI than Moss. Flowers' counting stats are acceptable for a backup catcher off the free agency market, but I'm not wasting my time with Moss at his current level of production.
Let's take a glimpse at what other hitters were doing notable things around the league yesterday:
OK to bench Mookie and his less than 700 OPS since the ASB? All Mookie needs is Popi back. Without him he’s just another OF’er. Have Polanco, Fisher, Parra and Cargo on the bench. Cant do any worse than the daily 0 fers by Mookie, right?
Fisher’s PT is in question with Springer back, Polanco isn’t impressing me at all this season, Parra has been solid for sure. But Betts is an elite fantasy OF who has hit safely in 7 of 10 August games. Is he slumping? Sure. Do you maybe do a little BVP research to stream him as necessary? Have at it. But don’t just write him off as a benchable guy, especially with who else you’re working with. Pick up Eddie Rosario, Jose Pirela or Nick Williams if available if you’re really struggling and drop Fisher or Polanco. Don’t give up on Mookie.
Should I drop Moncada for either Bregman or Nick Williams?
BREGMAN