Closing Time: Bud Norris, last Angel standing
Just how desperate are you for saves? Your Bud Norris stance will answer that question.
The big names in the Angels bullpen are all hurt right now. Huston Street, shoulder. Andrew Bailey, shoulder. Cam Bedrosian, groin. Troy Percival retired eight years ago.
Enter Norris, who we know well from his mediocre starting days. Perhaps he can become another failed starter who shines in relief. He’s piled up 12 strikeouts over 10.2 innings of work, and two handshakes over the last three games.
Monday’s save against Toronto wasn’t pretty. The Jays put two runners on base, but Chris Coghlan’s bunting follies turned into a strikeout. Then a sharply-hit infield grounder turned into a double play.
Norris junked his slider for a cutter this year, and he’s spiked his swinging-strikeout rate. No need to get snobbish about Norris’s starting resume; he’s missing bats and pitching at the end of ballgames. His ownership tag jumped to 16 percent over the last few days, but there’s more room on the bandwagon — even if it turns into a temporary bandwagon. We just want the numbers — or in this case, one specific number.
• Everyone knows Jason Heyward is a superb defender, and he’s supposedly a heck of a guy in the clubhouse. Maybe this year he’ll add a third thing to the mix, quality offense.
Heyward’s homer Monday was part of a 14-3 laugher over the Pirates. It’s his third homer in four games.
Heyward’s walk rate is down a speck and he’s been unusually aggressive at the plate through three weeks, but maybe those are good things. Some batters get themselves in trouble by watching too many hittable strikes in the early phase of the count; this year, Heyward is trying to avoid that. (Heyward’s also made some mechanical changes at the plate, but hey, I didn’t write The Science of Hitting. You can decide what those mean to you.)
Heyward swiped 54 bases from 2014-2016; he has just one this year, but should chase into double digits. The Cubs normally slot him in the No. 6 position; not ideal, but this is an elite offense. You can kick the tires in 59 percent of Yahoo leagues.
• Monday’s Cubs-Pirates game wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops in the fantasy world. Some owners decided it was a good time to try Pittsburgh righty Chad Kuhl, who entered the game with a 2.60 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Nine runs and 12 baserunners later, those ratios are in the dumpster.
Let’s not kick Kuhl to the curb just yet. He’s made 18 starts in the majors, and the three against Chicago have been miserable — 12 IP, 27 H, 21 R. He’s acquitted himself well elsewhere. Perhaps Kuhl will get back on track for the weekend start at Miami.
• Like Kuhl, Amir Garrett wrecked his ratios with one horrific outing. And again, we have to consider the opponent. Garrett was lit for 10 runs (nine earned) at Milwaukee, with three homers. The unstoppable Eric Thames cranked two, and Hernan Perez also went deep.
Garrett’s been one of the hardest calls this spring, because his minor-league resume isn’t anything special. Nonetheless, an outlier performance like Monday is worth throwing out. I still think he’s worth stream consideration, at minimum, when he faces St. Louis and San Francisco over the next two weeks.
• I don’t blame fantasy owners for ignoring Perez these days — he’s been starting inconsistently as Milwaukee’s super-utility guy. But Monday’s game reminded us of what Perez can do: homer, double, stolen base, nifty play in the field.
Perez’s .209/.292/.419 slash is a mess, no argument. But he has several potential paths to a starting gig — if someone gets hurt or slumps — and let’s not forget how useful he was in 2016 (13 homers, 34 steals in 123 games). Maybe this says “watch list” more than anything else, but I suspect Perez is going to be a fantasy asset at some point this year.
• Austin Hedges was all over the prospect clipboards for about four years, and he was handed a starting gig in San Diego this spring. All he did for two weeks was strike out, but he’s found his stroke over the last five games — four homers, nine RBIs. It’s easy to fall in love with that beautiful, looping follow through — at brief glance on the weekend, I mistook it for Wil Myers. Hedges is also a terrific defender, which marks his territory in the lineup.
Okay, the .183 average and wonky K/BB ratio are going to dissuade a few people. Nonetheless, Hedges is currently the No. 2 catcher in fantasy value, strictly on the juice of his pop and run production. Petco Park isn’t a hitter’s funhouse, but it’s been homer-friendly in recent years. If dissatisfied with your catchers, Hedges is worth consideration. San Diego has three more games to go in the Arizona launching pad.
• Joey Gallo is another power-abundant player who’s fighting contact issues. He’s at six homers, .219 average, 26 strikeouts. But please notice the speed flashing; Gallo swiped his third bag in Monday’s loss to the Twins.
Even when Adrian Beltre returns, Gallo might have a spot somewhere in this lineup. Perhaps he’ll get a look in left field, where the Rangers have a revolving door (and a nightmare .161/.257/.210 slash). Gallo is unclaimed freight in 60 percent of Yahoo leagues.
• Miguel Gonzalez throwing an eight-inning gem (2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) comes as a surprise, but the Royals are the easiest target going. Kansas City has the worst offense in the majors, and it’s not remotely close. Check the stats: 47 runs (17 clear of Toronto), .199 average (24 points from mainland), .577 OPS (56 points shy of the White Sox).
Maybe you can take advantage of KC on the weekend, when Phil Hughes and Ervin Santana come calling. Blake Snell gets them in early May. Go where the runs aren’t.
