Micah Hoffpauir - Fantasy News & Updates
Micah Hoffpauir - Fantasy News & Updates
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Hoffpauir has been valuable on occasion but not to the degree that he should be widely owned. He even represents a questionable starting option in NL-only formats, so owners should look elsewhere for late-season help in the outfield and at first base.
Bradley, who was batting .196 this month after hitting .311 in August, was lifted from Thursday's 7-4 loss to Milwaukee after he singled in the sixth. "I don't know [how long]," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "If he feels better tomorrow, we'll get him in there." Micah Hoffpauir started in right field in the first game of the Cubs' series against the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals.
While Bradley's checkered health record is well documented, this particular injury isn't considered serious. The veteran right fielder, who went 1-for-2 with one run scored before departing, is expected to rejoin the Cubs lineup on Friday, Sept. 11. Micah Hoffpauir replaced him in right and went 1-for-3 with a solo homer, his ninth.
Hoffpauir was batting .233 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 81 games with the Cubs this season. His demotion paved the way for the return of Geovany Soto, who was activated from the DL Friday.
A much-needed big day for Hoffpauir, who entered Sunday with just three hits in his last 20 at-bats. Even with the solid output, the versatile second-year man from Lamar holds little value outside of NL-only formats, as his playing time is sporadic and he's batting only .248.
Hoffpauir found himself in the lineup of Game 1 of Sunday's day-night doubleheader with the Cards after Derek Lee (neck spasms) was scratched from the starting lineup. Hoff has only tallied 68 at-bats on the year, but he's shown that he can swing a heavy stick when given the chance, as evidenced by his 8 jacks and meaty .452 slugging percentage.
Lee had to come out of Saturday's game because of neck spasms, and was to receive treatment all day. He could be at first base for Sunday's second game. Micah Hoffpauir got the start and first and hit cleanup in Lee's absence.
Bradley, who had two hits Monday night but is still hitting just .238 -- including .194 from the left side -- said he was able to look at video tape to see what he needs to fix. He noticed he was in a bad position to hit the ball. "Early in the year, my swing didn't feel good, so I was making adjustments trying to find my swing," Bradley said. "But at the same time, I really didn't have rhythm yet, so I couldn't really know where my swing was at. So once I found my rhythm and got my swing, then I had bad positioning and wasn't standing in the box right." Micah Hoffpauir took Bradley's spot in right field. He was in the No. 5 slot.
Hoffpauir, who went deep twice during the three-game set with Detroit, has shown he packs some pop. However, the 29-year-old is batting just .229 this month, which means it's likely he'll be relegated to part-time play again when the Interleague schedule ends.
Hoffpauir has pop to spare, but a lack of playing time severely limits his fantasy utility. Should playing time every open up in more than one-at-bat increments, his .456 slugging percentage and five homers in 114 at-bats suggest that he could help NL-only owners. For now, though, he's strictly a backup and pinch-hitter, albeit a pretty good one: he's gone 7-for-23 (.304) in that role.
Although he is performing well in limited playing time, Hoffpauir does not receive enough at-bats with Derrek Lee back on track at first base.
Hoffpauir has earned the start at first base in Chicago's past three games with Derrek Lee battling the flu. With five multi-RBI games to his credit, Hoffpauir makes for a worthwhile short-term pickup in all formats.
This marks the second straight game that Lee has missed due to the flu, and he was sent home before the game. The less-stricken Scales is available to pinch hit, if necessary. The flu hit at a bad time for Lee, who has hit safely in his past seven games, including a homer Saturday, and has batted .444 (12-for-27) during that stretch. Micah Hoffpauir started at first base in Lee's place, while Aaron Miles got the nod at second.
Due to injuries to Derrek Lee and Milton Bradley, Hoffpauir has been a relatively steady fixture in the Cubs' lineup this year. The 29-year-old bopper has been more than up to the task, hitting .309 with a meaty .559 slugging percentage and 13 RBIs in 26 games. He might not play enough to be a real force in NL-only leagues, but he's just one injury away from steady playing time.
Lee was examined by team orthopedic specialist Dr. Stephen Gryzlo on Monday, and has shown improvement since he was sidelined May 6 with the stiff neck. Barring any setback, Lee could be back in the lineup Tuesday or Wednesday, May 13 when the team plays host to the Padres. The slumping first baseman was batting just .209 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games, and was hitting .294 in five games this month before he was benched with the neck problems. Micah Hoffpauir should continue benefiting from the extra playing time in the meantime.
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