Don't be shellfish...
And just like Lazarus, I’ve come back from the dead.* Well not really from death.* I was just on vacation but after being gone this long I’m sure you’re all saying ‘you’re dead to me’ upon reading this.* I know, it was one of the worst times of the year to leave you.* You’re pushing for the playoffs in head to head leagues or trying to wiggle up your standings at the final turn of the season.* I left you cold, naked and afraid like that one time the boyfriend came in and you were bumping uglies with his girl and you had to hide in the stand up freezer.* I understand no apology will erase this frost-bitten memory for you but hopefully my player of choice this week can put me back into your good graces.* To be fair, JB and I and the rest of the Razzball Football crew have been pretty busy trying to get Commissioners for the 2013 Fantasy Football season in our Razzball Commenter Leagues, so it’s not like we haven’t still been working hard for you, we just changed the shape of the ball.* But with that, I come to you for this fine week 21 with a power crazed man with a sweet home ballpark.* So let me give unto you Darin Ruf for week 21 of the 2013 Fantasy Baseball season…
Firstly and foremostly and let me be clearestly about this: you’re not picking up Ruf for help in your average department.* Though he’s hitting .274 to date and has a very good walk-rate throughout the minors and this year in the majors, his 28.8 K% rate and .353 BABIP screams regression in that department.* But of course, average isn’t the hardest thing to find during this time of year.* Nay, it’s power we seek and power we crave and with Ruf it is power we shall have.* Through 113 ABs this year, Ruf has 7 HRs and a .248 ISO.* Yes, yes, small sample size (obligatory ‘that’s what she said’) but this showing of power is nothing new as Darin hit 38 HRs in AA in 2012.* The kid has a power stroke that even Billy Squier and Mickey Avalon would die for.* The best part of playing Ruf this week is he’s proven to be a bit of a homeschooler so far this year, putting up a .306/.434/.613 slashline with 5 of his 7 bombs coming from those friendly Citizens Bank confines.* Now, this week does have it’s warts, admittedly.* Ruf so far hasn’t really turned it on against LHP this year in the small sample size/that’s what she said frame of mind as well, holding only a dreary 4 hits in 24 at-bats against them and faces 3 this week.* But guess what two of those 4 hits were?* Yup, long dongs.* And given that two of the three are good but not untouchable – Wade Miley and Jorge De La Rosa – there’s no reason to think he can’t keep his home production up and going.* The plus side?* The Rockies have the 8th worst team ERA in the majors and you can blame a lot of it on three of the four pitchers Ruf gets to face with Jeff Manship (7.20 ERA), Juan Nicasio (4.94 ERA), and Chad Bettis (5.06 ERA) slated to start.* Given Darin is only owned in 41.7% of leagues, there’s still time to get in and given he’s a starter from here on out for the out of contention Phils, he might just be a nice bat to pick up for the remainder of the year.* That’s just how Ruf Ryders roll.
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And just like Lazarus, I’ve come back from the dead.* Well not really from death.* I was just on vacation but after being gone this long I’m sure you’re all saying ‘you’re dead to me’ upon reading this.* I know, it was one of the worst times of the year to leave you.* You’re pushing for the playoffs in head to head leagues or trying to wiggle up your standings at the final turn of the season.* I left you cold, naked and afraid like that one time the boyfriend came in and you were bumping uglies with his girl and you had to hide in the stand up freezer.* I understand no apology will erase this frost-bitten memory for you but hopefully my player of choice this week can put me back into your good graces.* To be fair, JB and I and the rest of the Razzball Football crew have been pretty busy trying to get Commissioners for the 2013 Fantasy Football season in our Razzball Commenter Leagues, so it’s not like we haven’t still been working hard for you, we just changed the shape of the ball.* But with that, I come to you for this fine week 21 with a power crazed man with a sweet home ballpark.* So let me give unto you Darin Ruf for week 21 of the 2013 Fantasy Baseball season…
Firstly and foremostly and let me be clearestly about this: you’re not picking up Ruf for help in your average department.* Though he’s hitting .274 to date and has a very good walk-rate throughout the minors and this year in the majors, his 28.8 K% rate and .353 BABIP screams regression in that department.* But of course, average isn’t the hardest thing to find during this time of year.* Nay, it’s power we seek and power we crave and with Ruf it is power we shall have.* Through 113 ABs this year, Ruf has 7 HRs and a .248 ISO.* Yes, yes, small sample size (obligatory ‘that’s what she said’) but this showing of power is nothing new as Darin hit 38 HRs in AA in 2012.* The kid has a power stroke that even Billy Squier and Mickey Avalon would die for.* The best part of playing Ruf this week is he’s proven to be a bit of a homeschooler so far this year, putting up a .306/.434/.613 slashline with 5 of his 7 bombs coming from those friendly Citizens Bank confines.* Now, this week does have it’s warts, admittedly.* Ruf so far hasn’t really turned it on against LHP this year in the small sample size/that’s what she said frame of mind as well, holding only a dreary 4 hits in 24 at-bats against them and faces 3 this week.* But guess what two of those 4 hits were?* Yup, long dongs.* And given that two of the three are good but not untouchable – Wade Miley and Jorge De La Rosa – there’s no reason to think he can’t keep his home production up and going.* The plus side?* The Rockies have the 8th worst team ERA in the majors and you can blame a lot of it on three of the four pitchers Ruf gets to face with Jeff Manship (7.20 ERA), Juan Nicasio (4.94 ERA), and Chad Bettis (5.06 ERA) slated to start.* Given Darin is only owned in 41.7% of leagues, there’s still time to get in and given he’s a starter from here on out for the out of contention Phils, he might just be a nice bat to pick up for the remainder of the year.* That’s just how Ruf Ryders roll.
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