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It's Time To Face Your Fears
The only thing to fear about making Yasiel Puig a high pick in your fantasy baseball draft is Yasiel Puig himself. Blessed with talents on loan from a higher source, Puig has all the tools necessary to be considered a perennial five tool player. The question remains, does he have the self-discipline to reach his full potential?
In trading away outfielder Matt Kemp, the Dodgers demonstrated they believe Puig is ready to take the next step in his development. Only time will tell if they made the right choice. It does seem like Puig is his own worst enemy, and the only way for him to become an elite ballplayer is to get out of his own way.
After a huge spring training, Puig made his major league debut in June of 2013. If you were lucky enough to beat your fellow fantasy baseball owners to the punch and pluck him off of the waiver wire, he was pure fantasy baseball gold. He made an instant impact, batting .436 with seven home runs over the month of June. Puig experienced some growing pains along the way, but his overall numbers were impressive. He finished the season with a .319 BA, 19 HR, 42 RBI and 11 SB - good enough for second place in the voting for NL Rookie of the year.
Statistically, Puig’s sophomore season was a bit perplexing. His 2014 offensive numbers were very good but when contrasted to his production from 2013, Puig’s batting statistics were lower in several categories. The most glaring was his lack of home run power. Puig hit three fewer home runs in 2014 than he did in the 2013 season, even though he had 176 more plate appearances. His batting average, OBP and OPS were all lower in 2014 when compared to his rookie campaign.
Puig carries around some excess baggage that affects both his real life and fantasy value. He is infamous for mental lapses and gaffes that have shortened or even ended potential big innings. Some of his antics have caused him to be benched or removed from games. Based on his recent history, fantasy baseball owners should be prepared to endure late season month long slumps, which can prove costly in head to head leagues. Puig batted just .214 after September 1st in his rookie season and .216 during the month of August in 2014.
I’m optimistic that Puig will bounce back in 2015. His statistics should more closely resemble his rookie season. Even though his slugging percentage was down last season, Puig’s fly balls actually traveled farther on average in 2014 as compared to 2013. The batted ball distance on Puig’s fly balls was 294.25 feet, up from his 289.86 foot average in 2013, a good sign that he should hit more homeruns this upcoming season. Although his 2014 19.4 K% was still too high, it’s moving in the right direction and was more than three points lower than his K-rate for the previous season.
Puig has also become more disciplined at the plate as the 2.2% rise in his BB% in 2014 indicates. Without the lingering effects from a hip flexor strain which bothered him for a big chunk of last season, Puig’s offensive production could be get a major boost, especially if his patience at the plate continues to improve.
In Summary
Puig should once again be a late first round to mid second round pick in fantasy baseball drafts this season. At RotoBaller we have him ranked as the 6th best OF, right behind the top tier. Can he keep his head in the game long enough to carry the Dodgers and your fantasy baseball team to a championship? Will he point his bat towards Castle Greyskull and reignite his power stroke? Puig has vowed not to be a distraction this season. It’s true! Just check out his Instagram account. With that kind of a guarantee coming straight from the “horse’s mouth”, I guess you can put your fears aside and focus on making Puig one of your top picks.
