The Keeper Corner #259-244

We continue down my 2015 rankings I used for first dynasty league.  For your information, this was a 6x6 league that added OPS for hitters and K/BB for pitchers.  I was in a full rebuild, after inheriting a very poor roster, and used these ranks to value players in deals and transactions.

#259 Nick Castellanos, 3B, DET

$1.71, 67R, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 3 SB, .264 AVG, .718 OPS

Another mediocre season with mediocre contact, and mediocre power from a corner infielder who had his contact ability applauded coming up.  He will be 24 next season, and deserves another chance, this offseason could be a nice time to buy while his price is depressed.

#258 Santiago Casilla, RP, SF

$1.76, 41K, 3W, 28SV, 2.291 ERA, 1.145 WHIP, 2.158 K/BB

Turns 35 years old and has one option year remaining on his deal.  He was an awesome closer amassing 38 saves, and striking out over 9 per 9.  The Giants also had Romo and Hunter Strickland have great seasons in their bullpen.  In all likelihood he comes back and enjoys one more solid season before the Giants move forward with either Strickland or Sergio Romo as their closer.

#257 Denard Span, OF, WSH

$1.82 72R, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 22 SB, .285 AVG, .737 OPS

Back injuries limited him to 60 games.  He actually played very well in those games, and if you stretched his season out to a 150 games pace, it would have likely been his best season.  In a third of a season he beat his homer projection along with having better than expected ratios.  He'll be a free agent this offseason, and as a leadoff hitter his value hinges on the offense he joins.  Another strong season is not out of the question, but It will be determined by his runs scored, something that is not totally in his hands.

#256 David Peralta, OF, ARI

$2.14, 57R, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 6 SB, .277 AVG, .754 OPS

Who saw this coming?  A .312 batting average and a .893 OPS were the core of his monster season.  He also hit 16 homers and stole 9 bags.  According to everything I find when look at his highlights and stat pages, he seems to have more in the tank, and Arizona is only going to enhance the 28 year olds abilities.  I like him a lot going into 2016, and think he has 20/20 potential.

#255 Pat Neshek, RP, HOU

$2.16, 63K, 3W, 3 SV, 2.769 ERA, 0.985 WHIP, 4.846

The 34-year-old didn't match his fantastic projections in Houston, but was a solid reliever.  I couldn't tell you Houston's bullpen plans going forward, but the Astros seem to be finding ways to maximize peoples value.  Perhaps Neshek could back into a few saves next season, but I wouldn't keep him.

#254 Ben Revere, OF, PHI

$2.18, 68 R, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 44 SB, .290 AVG, .661 OPS

Beat his run, batting average, and OPS projections.  He stole far less frequently as a Blue Jay compared to his time in a Phillies uniform, but next season I anticipate him beating his 31 SB from 2015 and continuing his rein as one of the top 3 contact hitters in baseball.  Also, while still below average, Revere posted his best line drive and hard hit rates.  His batted ball profile was always geared towards being a slap hitter, but these improvements could turn him into an excellent leadoff hitter.

#253 Josh Collmenter, SP/RP, ARI

$2.24, 134K, 10 W, 4.014 ERA, 1.213 WHIP, 2.931 K/BB

The swingman in Arizona, you should not own him, and if you do, you definitely should not keep him.

#252 Chris Archer, SP, TB

$2.31, 175K, 12 W, 3.469 ERA, 1.266 WHIP, 2.303 K/BB

Archer rode two elite offerings to a monster season.  He absolutely crushed his projections, led by his 252 Ks. Next year I'd expect another excellent season.  The only question about Archer is about whether he will always be a two pitch pitcher.  When one is failing him, he can meltdown.  Because of this vulnerability, he's not an ace, but when he's on, he definitely pitches like one.

#251 Neftali Feliz, RP, TEX

$2.43, 53K, 4W, 34 SV, 3.33 ERA, 1.185 WHIP, 2.038 K/BB

Feliz was terrible as a Ranger, and then worse as a Tiger.  For once his problems weren't injury related, but that isn't a compliment.  It's time to realize that good Neftali is gone.

#250 Dillon Gee, SP, NYM

$2.49, 130 K, 11W, 3.855 ERA, 1.223 WHIP, 2.729 K/BB

He declined in what appeared to be an age related fashion.  His K and BB rates regressed negatively, and the Mets rotation had no issue booting him when better options came along.  Next year he's the 6^th starter.  I'm not interested in keeping that.

#249 Coco Crisp, OF, OAK

$2.52, 73R, 11 HR, 48 RBI, 22, SB, .252 AVG, .722 OPS

Was hurt last year and only was able to play 44 games.  In those games he looked hurt, so it was basically a lost season for the 35-year-old.  He'll be back in Oakland next season, but I'm not sure in what capacity.  Burns was a great CF and leadoff hitter, Reddick surged and the A's used every bench bat they had in a platoon in LF.  Perhaps Coco can take the LF job back, but there isn't much to base that off of.

#248 Matt Garza, SP, MIL

$2.62, 149K, 11W, 3.843 ERA, 1.236 WHIP, 2.675 K/BB

Pitched poorly all year, and showed diminished stuff for the second season in a row.  Garza is going to have to learn to alter the way he approaches hitters or his job security in the MLB is going to be on the line.

#247 Jason Hammel

$2.68, 152K, 10W, 3.951 ERA, 1.269 WHIP, 2.923 K/BB

Hammel far exceeded my expectations by posting a strikeout per inning while limiting runners at a rate better than his career average.  Hammel has posted two solid seasons in a row, and I see no reason to not expect a third.  The Cubs are well ran and won't be trying to squeeze every last inning out him, regardless of performance.

#246 Tyler Clippard, RP, OAK

$2.70, 75K, 4 W, 6 SV, 2.454 ERA, 1.014 WHIP, 3.28 K/BB

Clippard missed on everything but saves which he accumulated 19 of.  That alone made him exceed expectations.  He will either have to look for a closer role on a team desperate for a closer, as he would be low end, or take better money to be a very good set up man.  While I do like him, as he has proven he can get saves and every closer must be owned, he isn't a top tier closer, and I'm a little concerned about his arm falling off soon from all the use he gets.

#245 Kevin Gausman, SP, BAL

$2.75, 150K, 11W, 3.788 ERA, 1.293 WHIP, 2.781 K/BB

Pitched fewer innings than anticipated because the Orioles decided to use him as a starter and reliever.  He did beat out his WHIP and K/BB projections which is always a good indicator of solid future performance.  This season we finally saw enough of him to start getting reliable pitch f/x information, and what we learned is that he throws an abnormally straight fastball.  I fear this is yet another victim of pitching in Baltimore, but he has flashed his talent on various occasions this season.

#244 Elvis Andrus, SS, TEX

$2.77, 80 R, 3 HR, 50 RBI, 32 SB, .273 AVG, .677 OPS

He traded a few steals for homers, and continued to be a poor SS.  He's only 27 years old but he hasn't shown 40 steal potential in the past two seasons, and there hasn't been much else to cheer about.  His batted ball profile is pitiful, and he has such little power that he'd either need to square up more balls, or start running to first faster.  Its tough to imagine that either of those are happening next season.