Fantasy Baseball: Can You Rely on Alcides Escobar?

Alcides Escobar entered June hitting a mere .216. His struggles continued into June as he went hitless in eleven at bats in three games to start the month. Escobar would then go on a tear the rest of the month picking up 29 hits in 84 at bats (.345) to give him a .305 average for the month.

He added 15 runs, a home run, eight RBI and seven stolen bases.

His play has spilled over into July as he has started the month 11 for 38 (.289) with seven runs, six RBI and a pair of stolen bases. Perhaps it just took him some time to get comfortable playing in the American League. Perhaps the Royals’ youth movement has boded well.

Whatever it is, it’s working.

As you might have expected, Escobar’s turnaround has coincided with improved luck at the plate. After posting a BABIP of .250 in April and .240 in May his BABIP ballooned to .337 in June. Much more fitting of a number for a player with Alcides’ speed.

His BABIP for July has been equally solid at .314. Escobar had a mark of .343 for Triple-A Nashville, followed by a .346 mark in his cup of coffee with the Brewers in 2009. He had high expectations in 2010, but struggled mightily.

The speedsters’ .264 BABIP did not help matters.

His overall numbers are now .251-42-1-27-14. They aren’t tremendous numbers, but they are adequate numbers for your middle infield (MI) slot to satisfy your runs and stolen bases categories.

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