Is Clint Barmes Worth Owning?

After going through an 0 for 15 stretch last week, there was reason to be concerned that Clint Barmes great run since Clint Hurdle was fired was coming to an end. Yesterday Barmes got back on track with three hits, a home run and a steal. Today he was 2 for 4 with a double.

There has been a lot made of Ben Zobrist this season and with good reason. Only Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder have more home runs over the last month and it's fair to consider Zorilla as a top 50 guy going forward (I've been rejected on offers of Nick Markakis for Zobrist in one league and Alfonso Soriano for Zobrist in another). Like Zobrist, Barmes has eligibility at multiple positions. In Yahoo leagues Barmes is eligible at second, shortstop and third while he is only a shortstop and second basemen in ESPN leagues. Unlike Zobrist though Barmes isn't drawing a whole lot of attention. He's owned in less than half of ESPN leagues. He doesn't have flashy numbers like Zobrist - his average is a boring .289 and he is in single digits in home runs and steals.

Which is the exact reason to like him. In deeper leagues someone needs to fill the second base and shortstop holes. Barmes is on pace for 19 home runs and 13 steals to go with that ordinary batting average at a position that's tough to figure this year. With numbers like that he is even useful in thinner leagues as a utility guy that can be plugged in when the match ups are right or as a Thursday/Monday fill in.

Having said that, there are a lot of concerns with Barmes. Since Jim Tracy was named the manager, Barmes has been moved up to hit second in the order but he was moved down in the order during the aforementioned cold streak this week. If he isn't hitting second, his value will plummet. Even with Todd Helton and Brad Hawpe protecting him for about half of his at-bats this year, Barmes is chasing 32% of the pitches thrown outside the strike zone to him - well above the league average. He also is not a patient hitter - his walk rate is 5.4% right now and that's actually on pace to be a new career high. Obviously with less lineup protection, you could expect pitchers to pound him outside the strike zone even more. Tracy demonstrated that he will shake things up if he is not getting production and the numbers suggest that Barmes is due for a reality check. His BABIP is .341 which is significantly greater than the league average and his career average. One final stat to watch is that he has been caught stealing 5 times in only 11 attempts. It's hard to see him reaching the 13 steals when he's being gunned down so frequently.

He is ranked 26th over the last month and 107th overall in Yahoo. With those types of numbers he should be owned in ten or twelve team mixed leagues, but don't drool over him.