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Outfielder Shuffle Up: Mookie Betts, superhero

Outfielder Shuffle Up: Mookie Betts, superhero

The idea is 5x5 value for rest of season. What's happened to this point is merely an audition. I didn't rank anyone on the DL, or anyone in the minors. Everyone seems to be more optimistic on injury returnees and hot prospects (hi, Buxton) than I am.

The prices are unscientific in nature, and players at the same price are considered even. I'm just looking for a way to show the pockets of value as I see them. I don't look at old prices when I construct these -- it's all from scratch. I don't even see the point of looking back there; live in the present, look to the future.

I welcome your respectful disagreement. Obviously you will feel passionate about what you don't agree with, that's why we have a game. The discussion can be deep and illuminating if you want it to be.

And remember the golden rule -- a player doesn't gain value because you like him, nor does he lose value because you don't like him.

Prices now, comments later tonight. I reserve the right to make changes in this list during the first 24 hours. Win the debate, win the rank.

If I missed someone, let me know. I'm on Twitter, @scott_pianowski.

$34 Mike Trout
$33 Bryce Harper
$32 Mookie Betts
$29 Yoenis Cespedes
$27 Kris Bryant
$23 Charlie Blackmon
$23 Andrew McCutchen
$22 J.D. Martinez
$22 Giancarlo Stanton
$21 Starling Marte
$21 Ben Zobrist
$20 George Springer
$19 Ian Desmond
$19 Ryan Braun
$19 Lorenzo Cain
$19 Jose Bautista
$19 Chris Davis

The lovely thing about Betts is that he's currently the No. 2 hitter in 5x5 value but he's not playing close to his peak. His average and OBP are down from last year. He's been rather mediocre on the road. But the context is just about perfect -- he's the leadoff man for a loaded offense (MLB's best right now) in a hitter-friendly park, he's a young player with fresh legs (anyone can get hurt, but youth is how to bet) and he has a wide range of skills. I don't understand how he made it into the Second Round of our Yahoo reboot draft; heck, maybe I should have taken him mid-first.

I’m glad Stanton isn’t on any of my teams. People sure love their spectacles. Sure, he’ll hit some homers, knock in some runs. The batting average is at risk with all the strikeouts, and even at his best he probably won’t help you there. He’s probably done running, and I’m not going to throw a parade for someone who scores 20 runs in 42 games. First-round pick? Sucker play. (Yes, I realize I said much of the same for Cespedes in the last year and change. You win, Cespedes.)

$18 Dexter Fowler
$18 Nelson Cruz
$17 Hanley Ramirez
$17 Mark Trumbo
$17 Stephen Piscotty
$17 Gregory Polanco
$17 Carlos Gonzalez
$16 Hunter Pence
$16 Christian Yelich
$16 Jackie Bradley
$16 Marcell Ozuna
$15 Adam Jones
$15 Leonys Martin
$14 Steven Souza
$14 Adam Eaton
$14 Melvin Upton
$13 Josh Harrison
$13 Michael Saunders
$13 Matt Kemp
$13 Justin Upton
$12 Rajai Davis
$12 Odubel Herrera
$12 Jay Bruce
$12 Michael Conforto
$12 Wil Myers
$12 Brandon Belt
$12 Billy Burns
$12 Cameron Maybin
$12 Khris Davis

I don't know who is making the call, but the Mets are idiots every time they sit Conforto against lefties. If you want him to develop against them, let the guy play against them. In the meantime, it takes a chunk out of his fantasy value, since we want counting stats, even if it helps his efficiency numbers . . . Cargo has been ice-cold after a hot start, but the Rockies have a heavy chunk of Coors Field games once the Boston series is over. It's a good time to buy on a lot of their key players who have underperformed; Blackmon, too . . . I have some key shares of Oakland's Davis, so I hope the moon shots keep coming. But he's a huge average risk, his K/BB rate stinks, and he's not running at all. There's some value here, but he's basically the outfield's version of Chris Carter . . . The quickest way to validate Herrera is to look at his contact and plate-discipline rates.

$11 Gerardo Parra
$11 Miguel Sano
$10 Colby Rasmus
$10 Kole Calhoun
$10 Randal Grichuk
$10 Brett Gardner
$10 Jacoby Ellsbury
$10 Nomar Mazara
$10 Danny Valencia
$10 Jason Heyward
$10 Carlos Beltran
$10 Joc Pederson
$10 Yasiel Puig
$9 Yasmany Tomas
$9 Brandon Guyer
$9 Matt Holliday
$9 Curtis Granderson
$8 Ben Revere
$8 Steve Pearce
$7 Trayce Thompson
$7 Brandon Drury
$7 Kevin Pillar
$7 Billy Hamilton
$7 Alex Gordon
$6 Joey Gallo
$5 Brandon Moss
$5 Jeremy Hazelbaker
$5 Melky Cabrera
$5 Adam Duvall
$5 Chris Owings
$5 Jose Ramirez
$5 Coco Crisp
$5 John Jaso
$5 Daniel Santana
$5 Paulo Orlando
$5 Brad Miller
$5 Derek Dietrich
$5 Jarrod Dyson
$4 Jayson Werth
$4 Denard Span
$4 Angel Pagan
$4 Mark Reynolds
$4 Mallex Smith
$4 Joey Rickard
$4 Matt Joyce
$4 Seth Smith
$4 Ryan Raburn
$4 Nolan Reimold
$4 Domingo Santana

The Braves should let Smith hit first or second, let him run into mistakes, let him grow. You've been had, Atlanta . . . I wish Miller would hike up the average, because I love the position flex and the category juice . . . The second I hear the Dodgers make a commitment to Thompson, I'm pushing him up to double digits.

$3 Avisail Garcia
$3 Kirk Nieuwenhuis
$3 Marwin Gonzalez
$3 Steven Moya
$2 Jon Jay
$2 Nick Markakis
$2 Marlon Byrd
$2 Austin Jackson
$2 Drew Stubbs
$2 Eddie Rosario
$2 Ryan Rua
$2 Norichika Aoki
$2 Ichiro Suzuki
$2 Jorge Soler
$2 Rafael Ortega
$2 Aaron Hicks
$2 Lonnie Chisenhall
$2 Ender Inciarte
$2 Mikie Mahtook
$1 Michael Taylor
$1 Alex Presley
$1 Chris Coghlan
$1 Chris Young