Here is just a small sampling of the player news and notes available to subscribers each day:
Bryce Harper (OF-WAS) - Harper singled twice and doubled in four PA's Thursday, lifting him to .274/.343/.433 on the year. It's not the line we keep expecting from the 21 year-old, but he's now batting .305 with three homers this month, and a strong finish could be a springboard to a breakout 2015. Harper has regressed at the plate this year, posting a .35 EYE versus last year's .65, but you just get the sense that if he can avoid breaking any bones next year, Harper has the upside to hit in the range of .290/.370/.530 as a 22 year-old. That may be a couple years off, but don't count him out from doing that in 2015.
Wilin Rosario (C-COL) - Rosario had a monster game Thursday against Arizona, going 4-for-5 with a double and a game-winning home run and three RBI. Rosario has been a disappointment this year, as that was just his 12th home run to go with a .265/.301/.432. Rosario has nine hits, including two homers, in his last three games, so kudos if you stuck with him. On the plus side, Rosario has been able to improve his BB% from 3.2% to 5.5% this year while shaving six percentage points off his K%. A sore wrist could be part of the reason for the down power year, so if Rosario can enter next year 100%, he could be in line for a career year in his age 28 season.
Dee Gordon (2B-LAD) - Gordon continued his hot hitting Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a double, run, CS, and RBI against the Cubs. He's now batting a respectable .291/.331/.381, and though the OBP still isn't quite what we want to see in a leadoff man, it's enough to make Gordon a lock to be the team's second baseman and leadoff hitter again next year. Gordon now has six consecutive multi-hit games and he's batting .333 overall for the month, though that has come with a mediocre 11:1 K:BB. We really do need to see that .30 EYE come up next year, otherwise, 60+ steals or not, his status as a leadoff man and every day player could eventually be in jeopardy.
Yasiel Puig (OF-LAD) - Puig has first-round fantasy talent, but because the power is not quite there, I don't consider him a top-20 player just yet. Puig is hitting lately though, going 3-for-5 (all singles) in the Dodgers' win Thursday over the Cubs. Puig is up to .297/.383/.477 overall, which is an excellent slash line, but despite the recent HR, the power just hasn't been up to our lofty expectations. He's certainly strong enough to hit 30+ annually, but for now, we wouldn't project much more than 20 home runs in 2015. Remember, he's still learning the game.
Joaquin Benoit (RP-SD) - Benoit is expected to return from the DL on Friday, but he will reportedly be "eased back" into the closer role. That job is Kevin Quackenbush's currently, and he's done a solid job with four saves and a 2.68 ERA. This offseason, it's expected that Benoit will find himself on the trade block, possibly opening the door for Quackenbush to be the closer. Benoit is certainly the best reliever the Padres have, but he's also making $8 million in the last year of his contract, so he'll be shopped around.
Twitter - @vtadave
