Aramis Ramirez (3B, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in the deepest of leagues for power.

OWNED IN: 55% of Fleaflicker leagues.

ANALYSIS: There can be no doubt that Pittsburgh fans were excited to see one of their best players of the last decade get a chance to contribute for a winning Pirates team - even if he is doing so 10 years too late. Still, the question must be asked - exactly how much is left in this soon to be retired bat?

On the positive side of the ledger, his 10.1% HR/FB is still league average. He also hits the ball into the air at an above average rate - 43.4% of the time. Together, this gives him a solid 11 bombs so far with 20 HR upside - not bad for a guy on waivers this late in the year. He also strikes out rarely - just 13.7% of the time. That should give him average upside as well, though his current .237/.283/.412 triple slash line does not reflect it.

The average is not higher because the shift exists. When you pull your groundballs 63% of the time and lack running speed, your BABIP is going to suffer in the modern game. This has been true for Ramirez, who has a .242 BABIP on the season. Optimists should note that his BABIP has been .293 (career .291) in the month of July, leading to a .288 average on the month. Perhaps he has changed something, or perhaps this is a flash in the pan and will regress soon. Sadly, we may never get a chance to find out.

Ramirez can play everyday today because Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer are injured, but both will be back soon. This could lead to a playing time crunch that leaves Ramirez out in the cold despite the good feelings associated with his return. Harrison, Kang, and Neal Walker pretty much have to play everyday, and the slumping Pedro Alvarez is always a good week away from being allowed to look awful for a month. Filling in for Alvarez is also problematic because Ramirez has never played first base in his MLB career - it may be too late to teach the old dog a new trick. A platoon is also unlikely, as Ramirez has been awful vs. LHP this season (.161 average). If they decide Mercer needs playing time too despite being terrible, Ramirez will rarely see the field.

So what to do with him? He is a fine short term power add in league specific and very deep formats, but consistent playing time for the rest of the season is not guaranteed. Honestly, his 55% ownership rate is way too high, and more owners need to cut him than add him.