Ken Giles (RP-PHI): Ken Giles struck out the side in the 8th and picked up his 3rd win of the season. The man who many have dubbed as the closer of the future for the Phillies has now posted a 47:9 K:BB ratio in 32 and 2/3 innings with a 1.38 ERA/2.00 xFIP. Major League hitters haven't quite figured out how to square the ball up against Giles, as they have mustered 1 homer and a 17% linedrive rate against him. His underlying stats suggest we do have a legitimate ace closer in the making, especially the 16% swinging-strike rate, the 40% chase rate, and the equal nastiness against righties and lefties. And while he throws a 97+ average fastball, it is his slider that may be the nastiest pitching in the game; according to Brooks, hitters are 7 for 49 against it with 31 strikeouts and 1 walk! He could easily be a top closer next year if the Phillies move Papelbon. Keeper leaguers in deeper formats should look to stash.
Asdrubal Cabrera (2B/SS-WAS): Asdrubal Cabrera (oblique) returned to the lineup and hit his 3rd homer since arriving from Cleveland. He continues to love life in the NL, posting an OPS over .800 and an EYE over 1.00 through 22 games. He is scoring plenty of runs in a stacked Nationals lineup, and if he continues to get looks in the 2-hole, those opportunities could increase. While ridding the streak is advisable, I'm still concerned about his usefulness beyond 2014. His chase, swinging-strike, and HR/FB rates are all on a 3-year decline. The injury history is also quite extensive, and with this being a contract season and his last chance for a lucrative deal as he approaches 30, there is some extra motivation to stay on the field...for now. Ride the hot hand now but be careful with offseason evaluations.
Travis d'Arnaud (C-NYM): Catchers tend to take longer to develop with the stick than other position players because they have fuller plates. While many wondered whether d'Arnaud could cut it against MLB pitching, he continues to show signs of life at the plate, going 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored against the Braves. He has posted a .795 OPS with 9 homers in 47 games since being recalled on June 24th, numbers approaching with he did in the minors. He has had to battle injuries, balance a focus on defense and handling staffs with his offense, and adjust to MLB pitching (and deal with all of the mispronunciations of his name!). But a light seems to be going off here and it could propel him to a 20-home campaign with a .260 AVG in 2015 as he continues his development.
Matt Kemp (OF-LAD): A shell of his former self in the first half, Matt Kemp continues to pour it on in the dog days of summer, hitting his 16th homer of the season as part of a 2-for-4, 2-run, 2-RBI, 1-BB night. The keys have been his ability to lift the ball--his groundball rate has plummeted from 46% in the first half to 37% in the 2nd--and the rediscovery of his plate coverage--EYE has spiked from .33 to .48. It's bizarre that he isn't hitting lefties as well as righties given his career norms, but as his playing times looks secure, look for that to change. He could easily be a 25 homer/10 steal guy with a .280 AVG next year, which would be in the Matt Holliday range.
Jorge Soler (OF-CHC): The Cubs have called up Jorge Soler from AAA Iowa and he is set to start today against the Reds. Soler has posted an OPS well above 1.000 with 14 homers in 54 games across the AA and AAA levels this season after battling some injuries and looks primed for a big splash. Soler is physically impressive and has significant power potential. I like the plate coverage and contact skills he has shown, and while there will be some adjustment, I don't see it being as troublesome for him as it has been for prospects like Rymer Liriano and Arismendy Alcantara. If you have FAAB dollars left and need offense, I'd go all-in.
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