Closing Time: Francisco Lindor, better than advertised

I’m trying to figure out what Francisco Lindor has to do to get everyone’s attention in the fantasy world. Paint a masterpiece? Save a baby from a burning building? Take the Cavaliers to a World Championship? Spend Labor Day with The Keatons?

The 21-year-old shortstop was a Top 10 staple on everyone’s prospect list before the season, though to be fair, Lindor’s defense was the main element driving the story. But that isn’t to suggest he can’t be a factor with the bat. A .284/.350/.402 line at Triple-A, with a couple of homers and nine steals (albeit on 16 attempts) paved the way for Lindor to join the Indians in the middle of June.

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A steep learning curve held Lindor back for his first three weeks (.503 OPS), but the Tribe stuck with him, thrilled with his defense and content to let him find his way on offense. Lindor kept the No. 2 spot in the order all through his opening slump, a testament to the patience of skipper Terry Francona.

Lindor’s offensive game has caught fire in the second half of the year. He’s on a .368/.408/.520 tear since the break, with five homers and five steals. He’s only struck out 26 times. If you rank all the shortstops over the last month, Lindor checks in at No. 3.

Lindor was on base four times in Wednesday’s victory over Milwaukee, collecting three steals along the way. He homered twice last week in the series at New York. A switch-hitter, he’s batting over .300 against both sides of the rubber. His numbers are an eyelash better at home, but he’s still a .292 man on the road.

Some of the fantasy baseball world has checked out, I recognize that. But this guy shouldn’t be unowned in two-thirds of Yahoo leagues. I did a recent Planet Hanley for Kid Lindor swap myself in a smaller league with modest benches; that speaks to my outlier opinions on both players, I suppose.

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• If Lindor is long gone in your league, perhaps a different Ohio shortstop could come to your rescue. Eugenio Suarez has been shockingly terrific since taking over for Zack Cozart in Cincinnati, posting a .298/.335/.481 slash with nine homers in 235 at-bats. The 24-year-old doesn’t have Lindor’s pedigree, which might be why he’s still trading under 10 percent in Yahoo. He does carry the Salfino endorsement, always a fan favorite.

• Seattle’s another team using a kid shortstop and enjoying the results. Ketel Marte’s off to a .333/.402/.452 start through 23 games, and while he doesn’t offer any pop, he does have 11 walks and three steals. With eligibility at both second base and shortstop, he makes sense as a bench option in deeper leagues, someone you can plug in if things get hairy. Mate can usually be found in Seattle’s leadoff spot.

• If it’s a pitching pickup you covet, you could be one of those Medlen Kids. Kansas City right-hander Kris Medlen has returned to action this year, making his first MLB appearances in two seasons. It’s been a long and frustrating road for Medlen, dealing with a pair of Tommy John surgeries. His first 20.1 innings with the Royals have been smooth (3.10/0.98, 5 B, 20 K), and his first turn was a quality start and a six-inning victory earlier this week.

The schedule seems to line up nicely: Tampa Bay; South-Side Chicago (against the Shark Sandwich); Minnesota (Pelfrey). I’m kicking the tires in a few spots, thinking back fondly on Medlen's Atlanta heyday. The control-freak righty is still unowned in 77 percent of Yahoo leagues.