The dog days of summer have some guys slow down and some take off. Let’s take a look at the Cubs batters the last 30 days. I know we are all excited to continue to watch this offense grow but we are looking at a lot of potentially elite fantasy players in this lineup.
Kyle Schwarber (89 points/3.9 average)
What a great start to this young man’s career, yet when you watch him you think he looks like a grizzly vet. I am sure he will struggle at some point, but right now he is tied Rizzo for the most fantasy points in the last 30 days … and he wasn’t here the whole time. 23 hits with five home runs with 12 walks and two stolen bases, this kid can do it all. He actually moves around in left field better than I anticipated and being catcher and soon to be left field eligible, he is going to be a fantasy stud the rest of this year and into the future.
Anthony Rizzo (89 points/3.7 average)
The kid is a kid no longer (just turned 26) but he is still the leader of this team. 89 points was enough to tie Schwarber for the lead and he did it with a balanced line as well. 26 hits, five home runs, nine walks and three stolen bases as well, what more can we say, he has turned into one of the best first basemen in baseball. You think anyone will trade you Rizzo for Cashner in your fantasy league?
Dexter Fowler (87 points/3.8 average)
As much as Schwarber has changed the look and feel of our lineup, Fowler playing like he did earlier in the season at the leadoff spot may be the biggest reason the lineup is clicking. Of course we might have to consider that having Schwarber hitting behind him as helped Fowler see better pitches and having the umps stop calling strikes on him that are clearly balls is a big part of it as well. Fowler put up points every way possible in a very balanced attack. If you gave up on him, you are wishing you hadn’t and if you were able to pick him up on waivers, good move. Another great trade by Team Theo.
Kris Bryant (72 points/3.0 average)
Think about this, Bryant is slumping right now. If this is what a slump looks like, all I can say is look out. Only three home runs and four doubles in a month, that sounds like a good week for him not a whole month. Yet he was able to drive in 14 runs over the last 30 days, 24 games. That is a pace of 95 RBI and this was a slump. This kid knows how to drive in runs.
Jorge Soler (68 points/3.0 average)
Soler has been struggling as well, but lately has been hitting rockets off the bat. Eventually they will become more airborne and we will be able to see how far they can fly. But for now he has still been a good fantasy player with the potential to be a fantasy stud.
Addison Russell (57 points/2.5 average)
Addison is in his natural position of shortstop and looks to be getting more comfortable every day. He is still so young (21 years old) and we are just starting to see what he can do on a baseball field. He is worth owning in deeper leagues, but smaller leagues he is still not there yet.
Chris Coghlan (51 points/2.4 average)
Coghlan is going to start most every day against right-handed pitchers, for now. But he has picked a bad time to go into a slump and if Castro hits (and I think he will, buy low opportunity) he will take over second base as the main second baseman soon. Coghlan is only worth owning in daily leagues where you can start him when he is starting.
The Rest of the Bunch
The rest have not been worth owning or playing in fantasy baseball. Starlin Castro and Miguel Montero are the only ones of this bunch worth owning. Castro with the thought that he will be starting at second base most days soon and Montero as your catcher but he just came back from the DL.
CCO League Trades
In the CCO leagues we use Friday, August 28 at 12:00pm ET as a trade deadline. I expect we will see a flurry of trade activity leading up to the deadline. But not much going on right now. Just a reminder, teams that are officially eliminated are not allowed to make trades.
CCO Fans Trades last week
• No trades this week.
CCO Trades last week
• No trades this week either – one deal pending.
MLB Best of Last Week
Each week we will review the best performances of the week in all of MLB.
Josh Donaldson is showing why he is one of the best in MLB. Fifty-point weeks from a batter are sure fire ways to win a week. Nelson Cruz keeps proving me wrong in the second half and Matt Carpenter came back to life and continuing his hot or cold season. We are going to get to see the red hot Khris Davis a few more games. And Andrew McCutchen single handedly beat me on Sunday night.
How would David Price look sitting on top of Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester in our rotation? I hope we find out next year. David Price had a better week than our own Jake Arrieta and he was lights out. The next three guys are not owned in many 10 team leagues unless you were streaming pitchers and looking for two start pitchers (I had Jimmy Nelson in my weekly league, wouldn’t have won without him).
Chicago Cubs Batters
The offense is clicking now and there are many useful fantasy players on a team when teams are playing this well. But who would have said that Kyle Schwarber would be our best bat or in the conversation for it back in the spring? 34 points on a solid line that includes only two home runs, but also has one stolen base shows it isn’t just power that is getting Schwarber such big numbers. Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler and Dexter Fowler have been at the top of our lineup all year. But this may have been the best week as a group with all getting over 20 points. After those guys are players who didn’t help you out much and if you still had Starlin Castro in your starting lineup, you were left scrambling on Friday for a new shortstop.
Chicago Cubs Pitchers
The pitching has been there almost every week this year. This week the 3.23 ERA is solid and did what they needed to do with the offense clicking. The 5-1 record wouldn’t have happened if the starters didn’t have such a great week. The starting staff had a 2.50 ERA but the bullpen had a rough week which led to a 4.76 ERA.
Individually, Jake Arrieta was at his best and yet Joe Maddon says he can get even better. 56 points from one pitcher will help you win most every week. Also nice to see Hector Rondon with three saves and a 29 point week to reward you if you stayed with him while he was only getting chances for holds.
CCO Fantasy Leagues
Four weeks to go and the playoff hunt is heating up!!!
CCO League Current Playoff Seedings
- Daverj’s Batsmen 14-3
- What Optimism? Vivid Reality 10-7
- Varmit Cnty Ninji Walkers 12-5
- CubfaninSeattle John 11-6
- FL JimBoC 11-6
- Since 2015 Castleworld 10-7
- Soler Flares 9-8
- The Wrong Team 9-8
A little tightening up of the standings as it is still nine wins to make the playoffs with three nine win teams and one on the outside looking in. While there are now four eight win teams one game back and three more seven win teams hanging on barely.
• Eliminated teams: BigJonLilJon’s LehairoftheDog (4), Riders on the Board (5)
• Technically not eliminated but (6 wins): Team Gramps, Northside Bleacher Bums
• Need to win out, but you say I have a chance (7 wins): Chris K’s Crushers, Waiting on Bryant, Runnin Bredstiks
• One game back (8 wins): Kentucky Ripsnorter, Clark n Addison, Ronnie’s Good Hairpiece
• Has the wins, but losing the tiebreaker (9 wins): Myrtle Beach Mermen
CCO Fans League Current Playoff Seedings
- Dock Ellis D 14-3
- Team Vaughn 11-6
- The Calicubs 14-3
- Woody’s Way 11-6
- Team Doughty 10-6-1
- Joe and Joe 10-7
- Stu’s Studs 9-8
- Old Style 9-8
Nine wins is it in this league as well, but there are three nine win (equivalent) teams on the outside looking in. Two eight win teams and two seven win teams are still in contention.
• Eliminated teams: Mac Daddy (2), Hunt’s Hoser’s (5), Wrigley Field (5)
• Technically not eliminated but (6 wins): New Jersey Hawks, Team Petty
• Need to win out, but you say I have a chance (7 wins): Team Bahr, This Is Next year
• One game back (8 wins): Clark and Addison, Team Gt8000
• Has the wins, but losing the tiebreaker (9 wins or 8 wins and 2 ties): Iowa Hackman, Widespread HisPanic, Oregon Coastal Cubbies