Sleepytime Third Basemen

Scraping the bottom of the barrel

HEALTH REPORT

Throat still scratchy. Cough still insistent. But fingers are working, so here’s some more on third base.

THE BARREL BOTTOM

The Position X Position draft-at-a-glance pages in the printed Fantasy Baseball Guides had quick hits on potential breakouts among those who might last until the endgame in AL- and NL-only leagues. That group was called The Barrel Bottom.

Last year the third base Barrel Bottom was Carter Kieboom, who I imagined might get a chance to play third and might realize at least some of the potential he once seemed to have. Instead, he injured his forearm in spring training and ended up having the TJ in May.

Kieboom is in the mix for the third base job this year, battling Ildemaro Vargas and Jeimer Candelario for playing time. Somehow, he doesn’t turn 26 until September, and somehow, for all the time he’s been around, he only has 414 plate appearances (with a .197 batting average). But he has walked 11.1 percent of the time. Expectations can’t be lower. PICK

Patrick Wisdom, Cubs: As much as he plays he’ll hit homers, walk, and strike out. He had a very bad year with the glove last year, too. When he and Christopher Morel platoon it’s like two sides of a very limited coin. PAN

Isaac Paredes, Rays: In the one league I’ve drafted so far he went 288th, drats, but his ADP is about 360. He’s labored against righties so far in his career, but last year his OPS was .701. Not great but it can play with good defense and a strong bat against lefties. PICK

Brendan Donovan, Cardinals: He’s not going to play third, obviously, but he could see plenty of at-bats at second. He’s patient and makes contact but has no power and below-average speed. If he gets the at-bats he’ll have value if he can keep his batting average up, but his is not the profile of a guy you should be playing except in an emergency. PAN

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J.D. Davis, Giants: Vets going to San Francisco don’t all work out, but the net result is often enough better than expected to take note. Davis can hit, he’s had good enough OPSes the last two years, but where once he feasted on fastballs, now they feast on him. Without defensive value and with collapsing contact skills his position is tenuous, but there’s a puncher’s chance he’s found the Fountains of Lourdes by the bay. MEH

Bobby Dalbec, Red Sox: I had him at $6 and that was too high. He’s blocked at third, first, and DH, shouldn’t be playing the field anywhere anyway and has struck out in more than a third of his plate appearances. If Triston Casas fails to step up or if Dalbec is traded there may be more at-bats for him, which gives him a bit of upside at a really low price, but the odds are better he isn’t going to get enough at-bats to be playable in any format. PAN

Brett Baty, Mets: He’s only had 68 plate appearances above Double-A so far, so he’s likely to start the season in Triple-A this year. He’s shown great strike zone judgment coming up and for an aspiring slugger he hasn’t struck out at an alarming rate (or struck out more versus better pitchers). His expected role should keep his price down, but he’s only blocked by Eduardo Escobar, so with some fireworks in Syracuse it’s conceivable he’ll be promoted quickly. It’s a good situation to speculate on. PICK

Josh Donaldson, Yankees: When a younger guy has a bad year you look to an injury or a distraction to explain it, but when a guy on the far side of 35 has a bad year it’s not hard to seize on the goon squad to explain it. Donaldson was worse in every way last year and he missed time early in the season with Covid, so there is that. And he missed time late in the season on paternity leave, so there is also that. But he turns 38 in December. So there is the goon squad. PAN

Spencer Steer, Reds: Not a top prospect, but he’s shown patience and contact skills coming up and a bit of power. That can play in Cincinnati, and he’s likely to get a chance to play for Cincinnati, even though he didn’t show much in his cup last year. That makes him kind of a sleeper. PICK

Brian Anderson, Brewers: His recent injury history has been grim, but when he’s been healthy he makes contact and will work the count. The situation in Milwaukee is fluid, lots of platoon possibilities, but there is a chance of regular at-bats with health. MEH

And the last word is:

Elly De La Cruz, Reds: If Spencer Steer doesn’t pound the cowhide, um, I mean hit enough, top prospect De La Cruz could get the call. I think he’s two big steps behind the other prospect on this list, Brett Baty, but he’s quick enough to maybe catch up. Still, I would not count on it this year. PAN

Here’s the endgame list for third base:

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We’ll be moving on to pitching next week. Lots of pitching.

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Sincerely,

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