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Sleeper Spotlight: Is Ryan Rua A Player Worth Targeting For 2015?
by Ray Kuhn
Ryan Rua is making sure the Texas Rangers cannot ignore him while Jake Smolinski is spending his Spring Training doing the exact same thing. The problem, though, is that both players hit from the right side and play the same positions. So is there room for both players to start the season, and from a fantasy perspective should owners be targeting Rua or Smolinski?
Last season was a year to forget for Texas. There were injuries galore and no healthy player was left unturned. That is how both players ended up spending time with the Rangers last season; 28 games for Rua and 24 games for Smolinski. Both had success as they took full advantage of their chance to make an impression. Rua hit .295 with 2 HR and 14 RBI while Smolinski hit .349 with 3 HR and 12 RBI.
The problem is that with Shin-Soo Choo, Adrian Beltre, Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland now healthy, playing time does not appear to be as plentiful as it was. There is a clear opening in left field that is up for grabs, along with some DH at bats against left-handed pitching. At this point it is unclear if both will actually make the Opening Day roster, although they both deserve to, but we will see each of them in 2015.
As we enter the home stretch of draft season, if I had to give the edge to one player Rua is who I am targeting.
While the accuracy and legitimacy of Spring Training statistics are often, and correctly, debated, there are cases where they must be given some weight. Rua, entering action on Tuesday, had a five game hit streak in which he was batting .429 and on Monday he had two opposite field extra base hits to go along with 4 RBI. For the spring he is hitting .300 with one home run and 8 RBI in 40 AB while striking out 22.5% of the time. Smolinski has done a better job of making contact, striking out 16.6% of the time in 30 at bats, while hitting .367 with 1 HR and 4 RBI.
Rua is the more regarded prospect of the two In 2013 (between A and AA) he hit 36 home runs and drove in 106 runs, albeit with a .238 average. Last season between AA and AAA, Rua rebounded by hitting .306 with 18 HR and 74 RBI in 129 games before his promotion. Strikeouts are a concern, 139 in 2013 and 97 last season (plus another 18 with Texas), but thus far he has shown the ability to manage them.
Smolinski doesn’t strike out as much, his season high was 74 in 2012, the highest average he has hit for was .267 between AA and AAA last season with a career high of 10 HR (in 2014) and 51 RBI (2010 in High-A).
Had Rua spent last season with Texas, Baseball HQ’s Major League Equivalent for him was a .270 average with 16 HR and 67 RBI. As a late round flier, it is hard to argue with those numbers. However, the issue is that at this point we cannot expect Rua to get the 576 ABthose stats are based on.
While Rua and Smolinski both hit from the right side, we must also keep Carlos Peguero and his left-handed bat in mind as well.
In AL-only leagues and deeper leagues, Rua is worth a reserve pick at the very least. I wouldn’t go crazy with the expectations, but this could be a situation to exploit.
Make sure to check out all of our 2015 rankings:
- Catchers
- First Basemen
- Second Basemen
- Third Basemen
- Shortstops
- Outfielders: 1-20 | 21-40
- Starting Pitchers: 1-20 | 21-40
- Relief Pitchers
*** Make sure to order Rotoprofessor’s 2015 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guidel! The guide comes complete with projections of over 600 players, expended rankings, sleepers, Top 50 prospects, Top 40 “New” dynasty prospects and so much more (including constant updates up until opening day). For just $6 you will get everything you need to dominate your fantasy league! For more information and to place your order, click here. ***
Source: http://rotoprofessor.com/baseball/?p=25701
