Have a great winter everybody....see you next spring!
Ryon Healy (3B) OAK - Healy remains hot, picking up a couple doubles and a walk in the 8-6 loss to LA. Yes, the hard contact rate and BABIP would lead you to believe that some regression is in store, but he's been one of those rare players that seems to have improved at every increasing level throughout his pro career. I think he's easily standard-sized league worthy for 2017, and at just 24, there could be even more upside....his avg HR distance of 405.4 feet is well above average, and he's still theoretically a year or two away from his athletic prime. For Thursday, Healy will be facing LHP Angel Miranda, and Healy hits 328/338/578 vs LHP. He's also just $3700 on Draftkings.
Kennys Vargas (1B) MIN - Vargas homered again Wednesday, giving him 9 in just 43 games for the Twins this season. The distance is well above average at 409 feet, his contact rate has improved, and the hard contact% of over 40% is also excellent. If there are ABs for him in 2017, I think he could be a very solid inexpensive bat, potentially capable of hitting close to 30 HR with an average that shouldn't hurt.
Francisco Liriano (SP) TOR - Liriano continued his excellent September, fanning 10 Orioles during 6 1/3 shutout innings. Following a September 2nd outing in which he failed to retire any of the batters he faced, Liriano has thrown 26 2/3 innings, allowing just 4 ER with 6 BB and 29 K. His velocity this month has been the 2nd highest of any month of his since 2010, and even more surprisingly he's shown impressive control. He clearly still has the stuff to be a successful SP, but his lack of consistency is difficult to stomach at times. I'd expect him to be a fringy SP candidate heading into 2017, and I'm sure there will be stretches where he will be an all-league asset.
James Paxton (SP) SEA - Paxton didn't manage a QS for the first time in four outings, but he still struck out 8 while allowing 3 runs over 5 innings to pick up his 6th win of the year. The massive velocity spike, corresponding increases in chase rate and swinging strike%, and significant control improvement have me very excited for Paxton's potential in 2017. The FIP ERA is a bit unrealistic to expect in the high-2.00's, but the xFIP ERA of 3.41 and SIERA of 3.59 are pretty realistic targets for next year....he certainly should be considered a starter in standard-sized formats next spring.
Bruce Maxwell (C) OAK - Maxwell hit his first career triple Wednesday after coming into the game batting 391/451/522 in September, a month in which he's essentially become the A's starting C. Maxwell is an interesting story, as he was basically a non-prospect for the first 4 years of his Oakland tenure before hitting 10 homers in 193 ABs this year at AAA (he had 15 in 1335 ABs prior to that). His hard contact rate in 77 big-league ABs is 41.4%, so there might be something here. He's a name to keep in mind toward the end of the top-15 to 20 catchers come spring.
