SPECULATOR: Searching for the next Whit Merrifield
Feb 21 2018
An annual preseason rite here in the Speculator space is identifying a breakout performance from the previous season, and constructing a skills profile that might help identify candidates who could take a similar step up in the current year. It's always a fun exercise—and we always find a few hits along the way.
2017's poster boy? Whit Merrifield (2B, KC), who took over Kansas City's 2B job in May and went on to hit .288 with 19 HR and 34 SB; good for $29 in 5x5 earnings. Merrifield went undrafted in many leagues, making his age-28 breakout the type of find that can fast-track you to first place. A scan of Merrifield's 2016-2017 skills gives us a profile for this exercise:
Year AB HR/SB bb% ct% BA/xBA PX/xPX Spd/SBO ==== ...
Almost!
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