Giancarlo Stanton (OF - MIA) - Stanton hit his 32nd home run of the year and is now hitting .284/.351/.596. He'd be on pace to hit 40+ bombs if not for a knee injury that cost him a month, but he's shown no ill effects since coming back from it, hitting .288/.322/.694 with 12 home runs in 27 starts coming into the day. Although his walk rate is down to his 2010 level, he's compensated for it by raising his line drive rate over six percent which has increased his BABIP by 23 points.
Aramis Ramirez (3B - MIL) - Ramirez had a perfect night, hitting his 22nd home run while also doubling, singling and walking twice. He is now hitting .300/.364/.534 and has done so by feasting on left-handed pitching (1.019 OPS) and in the friendly confines of Miller Park (.976). Other than a 2010 season that was derailed by a .245 BABIP, Ramirez has been a rock of consistency for the last nine years. Even though he's 34, he's been perennially underrated in drafts and that should be taken advantage of until he shows it shouldn't.
Brian McCann (C - ATL) - McCann had a monster day in New York, going 4-5 with his 19th home run and a double. His line still only stands at .231/.300/.409 after the big game though, as he's suffering through a career-worst season. Although he's hitting a few more ground balls than normal, the rest of his peripherals and batted-ball rates are right in line with his career averages, as the .224 BABIP is the reason that he's struggled. He's an excellent rebound candidate next year.
Dan Uggla (2B - ATL) - Uggla had a perfect day with three hits and two walks, raising his line to .214/.344/.385. Although manager Fredi Gonzalez said last week that he'd lose playing time down the stretch, this was his fourth straight start. While he is striking out at an even higher rate than he normally does, his walk rate is a career-best, so why is he having the worst year of his career? The answer is that only 12.3% of his fly balls have left the yard, which is a solid mark for most players; however, it's down over six percent from last year. Uggla does turn 33 before next season so he's likely on the downside of his career, but he's worth getting at a discount to see if he can get back to hitting 25-30 home runs.
Chris Capuano (SP - LAD) - Capuano allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings in San Francisco with three walks and three strikeouts. Although he's been very gopher-prone (especially outside Los Angeles), his strong strikeout and walk rates have made him a solid option in most matchups this year. While he is 34, there is still got a decent amount of mileage left on his arm as he's thrown under 1200 major league innings due to injuries, so he should be a solid option next year as he will be back in Los Angeles barring a trade. Although he's been very good at home, he's not a great option next weekend as the Cardinals are excellent against left-handed pitching.
There are over 100 player news blurbs posted in the member area each morning. Members can read the rest of today's player news by clicking here. Not a member? Join today.
