Mostly MLB Notes: Talking Jay Bruce, the Johnny Cueto trade and a look around the league

Jay Bruce has never fully lived up to his hype as one of the best prospects in baseball, highlighted by a career-low .654 OPS during his age-27 season last year. He was seemingly only getting worse in 2015, when he owned a .162/.272/.333 line on May 15. Since then, he’s hit .309 with 11 homers, 29 runs scored, 37 RBI and three steals over 220 at bats, a span in which Bruce has been a top-25 fantasy hitter. He’s actually hit better against southpaws (.855 OPS) than RHP (.790) so far this season, and despite the horrendous start, his BB% (11.6) is a career high while his K% (22.4) is a career low, so there appears to be some real progress here. Bruce’s batting average is always going to be a problem, but he’s still just 28 years old, and plenty of upside remains. The Reds better ask for a big return if they are thinking of selling him, and fantasy owners should be buying.

Eli Manning is Rob Lowe 2.0 here. 

This news anchor has an interesting theory as to why Amazon is making more money than Walmart. 

Sad to hear this will be their final season, but here’s a funny new Key & Peele sketch. 

Johnny Cueto has dominated at home this season (1.86 ERA, 0.88 WHIP), and he goes from the NL to the AL with his trade to Kansas City. But he goes from a home park in GAB that’s increased HR by 40 percent over the past three seasons, which is an MLB high, to one in KC that’s decreased homers by eight percent over that span, which is a pretty massive difference (GAB has also increased run scoring more so than any other park this year other than Coors Field). Moreover, he shifts from a Reds team that had a good defense to a Royals one that’s arguably the best (albeit one that will be missing Alex Gordon). Cueto will also see a massive upgrade in bullpens, as the Reds relievers’ ERA ranks No. 26, while the Royals’ is first (KC should also provide more run support). Cueto might be the rare pitcher who sees an upgrade in value when moving from the National League to the American League.

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Quick Hits: After hitting two more long balls Sunday, Mike Trout is up to 31 on the year, just five fewer than his career high he set last season in 243 fewer at bats. His defense has bounced back after a hiccup last year, and his base running remains a plus. Trout’s OBP (.405) and SLG (.632) are both career highs. He’s 24 years old. Just absurd…CC Sabathia has allowed 20 homers with a .325 BAA and a 1.64 WHIP over 85.1 innings against right-handers this season…Since May 1, Albert Pujols has been the No. 4 fantasy hitter, when he’s posted a .274-48-26-53 line over 288 at bats…Scott Kazmir is 5-0 with a 0.91 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with a .145 BAA versus the AL West this season…Well this triple play was unorthodox…Since the beginning of July, Robinson Cano has been a top-three fantasy hitter, as he’s batted .337 with five homers, 18 runs scored and 17 RBI over 22 games, so it sure seems like the former elite second baseman is returning to form, yet he’s still not priced as such in most DFS formats…Former top prospect Andrew Heaney has a 1.79 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with a 31:5 K:BB ratio over 40.1 innings this season. He has a 9.5 SwStr% and is quietly living up to his past hype, as one of those six starts even came in Coors Field. Heaney is still owned in just 62% of Yahoo leagues.

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Quick Hits Part Deux: Julio Teheran has a 2.37 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP at home compared to a 6.95 ERA and 1.78 WHIP on the road…Meanwhile, Carlos Carrasco has a 5.37 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP at home compared to a 3.10 ERA and 1.00 WHIP on the road. Carrasco had a 2.30 ERA at home last season. I’m not going to cite his FIP since I still think defense will remain a problem in Cleveland, but Carrasco is absolutely a buy-low candidate right now…Park Factors take a very big sample, usually around a few years, but it’s still a bit odd to see U.S. Cellular Field rank as the fourth-worst hitter’s park in MLB so far this season after increasing run scoring by 10 percent over the past three seasons, with only Coors Field being more hitter-friendly over that span…Carlos Martinez’s 2.16 GB/FB ratio ranks No. 10 among all starters, and among the nine ahead of him, only Tyson Ross has a higher K%. Martinez’s control still needs work, but he’s on the path to becoming elite. It’s pretty crazy the Cardinals have by far the best record (and run differential) in baseball while losing Adam Wainwright (and Matt Adams)…Todd Frazier leads the NL both in homers (27) and doubles (29) and has added 10 steals for good measure. The injured Giancarlo Stanton is still tied for the HR lead, and he’s played in 20 fewer games…Carlos Gonzalez has five homers, eight runs scored and 12 RBI over his last four games. He’s raised his OPS from .699 on July 4 to .823.

Song of the Week: CHVRCHES – Leave A Trace. 

Longread of the Week: The Proposal.

Quick Hits Part Tres: Matt Harvey has struck out four batters or fewer in four of his last five outings and has issued 14 walks over his past four starts (26.0 innings). But his velocity remains strong, and while there’s some concern about an innings limit coming off TJ surgery (which is the obvious excuse for his shaky control that’s been the worst of his career), I’m still buying him moving forward…Brandon Belt has been just the No. 130 fantasy player this year, and his home park will continue to limit his upside (he has one home run since June 20). But his 40.5 Hard% ranks top-10 in baseball, and Belt has the second-most doubles in the National League…The final out of Cole Hamels’ no-hitter was insane…Alex Rios was a top-20 fantasy player in 2013, when he had 18 homers and 42 steals over 612 at bats. He’s combined for 30 homers/steals over the next 691 at bats since, and he currently ranks as the No. 763 player…Gerrit Cole is on pace to win 23 games this year, which would be the most since Justin Verlander recorded 24 in 2011…Over his last three starts, Clayton Kershaw has tossed 26.0 scoreless innings with a 0.54 WHIP and a 38:0 K:BB ratio, which is beyond silly.

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