If you don’t feel like eating a burger after reading this, you might be a vegan. Even if this has as much to do with food as a colonoscopy. Now that I’ve made Jake Burger the subject of this week’s column, I know what I’ve been craving (hamburgers, not colonoscopies).
Berger will start the 2023 season with the White Sox, where they were a first-round pick in 2017.
He stood out with his power numbers, hitting 25 home runs and 52 RBIs in his first 88 games, but his .214 average and 102 strikeouts in 323 at-bats gave him an Adam Dunn impression.
During that period, he had the sixth-highest strikeout rate and fifth-worst on-base percentage among players with 300 or more at-bats.
But in August, Berger was surprisingly traded to Miami (with five more years of control), and his season really got interesting from there.
He appeared in 53 games for the Marlins, hitting .303 with nine home runs, 28 RBIs, 27 RBIs, and an .850 OPS, improving his batting average from .214 to .250.
Yes, his power generation has noticeably decreased. He went from hitting dingers in 7.7 percent of his at-bats to just 4.2 percent. Sure, the new ballpark may have been a factor — Guaranteed Rate Field is a home run paradise for right-handed hitters, Lawn Depot Park less so — but it’s not just the venue.
Berger reduced his strikeout rate from 31.6 percent with the White Sox to 21.7 percent with the Marlins (in fact, his strikeout rate began to drop more than 5 percent in his final month in Chicago).
His contact rate increased by nearly 4% and his zone contact rate increased by nearly 5%. His line drive percentage improved by about 6% and his fly ball percentage decreased by about 8%.
Does this mean Berger has become a contact hitter and has lost his power? That’s not true, his power is legitimate.
According to Statcast, Berger ranked in the top 1% of the league (7th overall) in maximum exit velocity (198.2 mph).
He was 25th in average exit velocity of 91.9 mph and 24th in hard hit percentage (49.6 percent). He was seventh in barrel appearance per plate appearance (10.7) and sixth in fly ball/line drive exit velocity (97.8 mph).
Don’t doubt his power!
But you have to question his .303 average after the trade. His .354 BABIP indicates that luck was on his side, making it more likely that he will end the season closer to the .250 mark (he is a career .251 hitter).
Burgers have other appeals as well.
He has a great chance to be Miami’s No. 4 hitter (or at least a middle-of-the-field hitter) and should have a good chance of scoring runs.
Last year, he had a batting average of .282, four home runs, and 10 RBIs when hitting third base, a batting average of .320 when batting fourth, and a batting average of .275, 11 home runs, 27 RBIs, and an OPS of .942 when batting fifth.
Perhaps Berger’s best feature is his average draft ranking of 161.88 points, according to Fantasy Alarm. He was drafted about 90 spots below Alex Bregman (77.25), who batted .262 with 25 home runs, 98 RBIs, 103 RBIs and an .804 OPS, and 70 spots below Nolan Arenado (89.33), who batted .266. It is also below. He has 26 home runs, 93 RBIs, 71 RBIs and a .774 OPS.
Last year, Berger played in 141 games and had a .250 batting average, 34 home runs, 80 RBIs, 71 RBIs and an .806 OPS. Even if you miss out on a top third baseman like Jose Ramirez, Austin Riley, Rafael Devers, Gunnar Henderson, or Royce Ruiz, you can get a guy like Bregman or Arenado who can do the same in the seventh or eighth round. There’s no reason to be complacent. later.
Delicious burger! Sorry, what I meant to say was “Target Burger!”
guide to madness
draft preview special
Part 3/5
Roto Rage’s Jarrad Wilk ranks corner infielders. He will be the starting pitcher next week.
first base
1. Freddie Freeman, LAD
2. Matt Olson, Atl
3. Bryce Harper, Phi
4. Pete Alonso, New York
5. Vladimir Guerrero, Thor
6. Paul Goldschmidt, StL
7. Christian Walker, Ali
8. Cody Bellinger, ChC
9. Triston Casas, Boss
10. Josh Naylor, Cle
11. Thin Spencer Stair
12. Nathaniel Rowe, Tex.
13. Christian Encarnacion Strand, Shin
14. Spencer Torkelson, Detective
15. Yandy Diaz, RB
16. Alex Bohm, Phi
17. Colonel Nolan Jones
18. Vinny Pascantino, KC
19. Ryan Mountcastle, Bal Island
20. Salvador Perez, KC
21. Anthony Santander, Bar
22. Josh Bell, Mia
23. Reece Hoskins, Mill
24. Jose Abreu, Hou
25. Justin Turner, Thor
26. Brandon Drury, LAA
27. Thailand, France, the sea
28. Luis Arraez, Mia
29. Anthony Rizzo, New York
30. Jaymar Candelario, Shin
31. Alex Kirillov, Min
32. Joey Meneses, Was
33. Andrew Vaughan, CWS
34. Ryan Noda, Oak
35. Isaac Paredes, TB
36. Mark Canha, Det.
37. Luke Lally, Sea
38. Kyle Manzardo, Cre.
39. Elefris Montero, Col.
40. Carlos Santana, Min
41. CJ Cron, FA
42. Patrick Wisdom, ChC
43. Wilmer Flores, SF
44. Jake Cronenworth, South Dakota
45. San Francisco, LaMonte Wade
46. Mark Vientos, New York
47. Quique Hernandez, LAD
48. J.D. Davis, SF
49. Nolan Chanuel, LAA
50. Seth Brown, Oak
51. Garrett Cooper, FA
52. Brandon Belt, FA
53. Gio Urshela, Det.
54. Joey Gallo, Was
55. Ramon Urias, Bar
third base
1. Jose Ramirez, Cle
2. Austin Riley, Atlanta
3. Raphel Devers, Boss
4. Gunnar Henderson, Bal
5. Lois Lewis, Ming
6. Manny Machado, SD
7. Ellie de la Cruz, Shin
8. Josh Jung, Tex.
9. Alex Bregman, Hou
10. Nolan Arenado, StL
11. Jake Berger, Mia
12. Thin Spencer Stair
13. Nolan Gorman, StL
14. Noelvi Marte, Shin
15. Kim Ha-sung SD
16. Max Muncy, LAD
17. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pitt
18. Elefrys Montero, Col.
19. Bar Island Jordan Westberg
20. Junior Caminero, TB
21. Michael Garcia, KC
22. Alex Bohm, Phi
23. Jorge Polanco, Sea
24. Matt Chapman, SF
25. Colonel Ryan McMahon
26. Jaymar Candelario, Singh
27. Eugenio Suarez, Ali
28. Wilmer Flores, SF
29. Luis Rengifo, LAA
30. Chris Taylor, LAD
31. Isaac Paredes, TB
32. Jared Triolo, Pitt
33. Patrick Wisdom, ChC
34. Gerardo Perdomo, Ali
35. DJ LeMahieu, New York
36. John Bartty, Mia
37. Josh Rojas, Sea
38. Bretty Batty, New York
39. Willi Castro, Min
40. Mark Vientos, New York
41. Curtis Mead, TB
42. Yoan Moncada, CWS
43. J.D. Davis, SF
44. Quique Hernandez, LAD
45. Dr. Zach McKinstry
46. Jordan Diaz, Oak
47. Gio Urshela, Det.
48. Luis Urias, Sea
49. Ramon Urias, Bar
50. Andrew Monasterio, Mil
51. Nicky Lopez, CWS
52. Dr. Matt Bierling
53. Jean Segura, Cle
54. Michael Bush, ChC
55. Kyle Farmer, Min
This week’s team name
Vaughn in 60 seconds
