RADIO
Marcus Semien 2019 Outlook: Provides Elite Upside With Solid Floor
6 years agoMarcus Semien's 89 R, 70 RBI, and 14 SB in 2018 landed him top-10 among shortstops in each of these categories. That's correct, 2018 Marcus Semien was a fringe top-10 fantasy SS. Owners should look past his mediocre slash of .255/.318/.388 in 2018 to understand that he receives massive benefits from the A's lineup. If Semien is slotted in at the leadoff spot, he will reap the benefits of batting in front of great run-producers Matt Chapman, Khris Davis, and Matt Olson. In 2018, Semien batted first or second for a total of 104 games in which he crossed the plate 65 times and batted in 45 runs. This is an elite spot as the A's were fourth in runs scored in 2018 and are poised to have another productive offensive year. However, his spot in the lineup is not concrete, which will affect his counting stat opportunities if he hits in the lower half of the lineup. At the very least, you can count on Semien to be a steady provider as he has posted double-digit home runs and stolen bases in each of his past four seasons. Semien's current ADP of 202 puts him outside the top-20 for shortstops, which is too low for the consistency and upside he provides. Take advantage of the SB totals he'll add and draft him as a high-end backup SS in shallow leagues and a solid starter in deeper leagues.
