Peddle this fantasy baseball player before he shatters

Let me run some numbers by you.

BA: .305

R: 51

HR: 17

RBI: 59

SB: 13

If that’s sitting on your fantasy baseball team right now, it’s time to let someone else deal with it.

Sheesh, aren’t you trying to win? Why hang on to across-the-board production? You don’t need that garbage.

Not from a soon-to-be 34-year-old who splashes on a little Reckless Abandon (by Calvin Klein) before he heads to the ballpark and is in the midst of the best statistical season of his career.

This statement isn’t bold. It shouldn’t come as a shock. It’s long overdue, in fact. But too few are willing to do it.

Swap Torii Hunter for everything you can.

The thought will never cross the mind of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim general manager Tony Reagins. Hunter is a phenomenal player, a winner. In real baseball, you couldn’t ask for more. In fantasy baseball, you’re begging: Please, no more!

There are few insane outliers here. He’s good. Pretty good.

Hunter has demonstrated growth in OBP and walk rate for the balance of this millennium. His average on balls in play is only a shade more than 15 points above his career norm and has been trending upward, even though his line-drive rate has never been outstanding (nearly 17 percent). He’s making contact at about the same rate that he has for the past four seasons.

Overall, his plate discipline has shown wonderful growth, as long as he carries on this way. The percentage of home runs per flyball (nearly 22!) is probably unsustainable but inspiring. His walk-to-strikeout rate (0.67) is about 15 points higher than the top mark of his career.

Of course, we’ll take more of his career-high batting average (he has never hit .300), OBP (never been above .350) and slugging percentage (previous best: .524). Anyone would welcome more home runs, RBIs and stolen bases from him at their current rates – all of which would establish lifetime bests.

I doubt he’ll keep all this up … but even if he does – or has it in him to do better - that’s not why you should trade him.

THIS (click here for pain, please!) is why you should trade him.

Hunter has played in 71 of the Halos’ 76 ballgames this year. He took the field for 160 in 2007 and 154 in 2003. He hasn’t appeared in more than 148 in any other season. He always misses a little time. Twice (in 2000 and in 2005) Hunter’s name graced his club’s box score on fewer than 100 occasions.

This past Sunday, Hunter took a much deserved seat on the pine. “My legs are a little heavy,” he explained. “I’m still feeling it from hitting the wall three or four times in the last month. It’s a good time to take a day off because in the second half, I don’t plan on taking any days off.”

No one plans to visit the emergency room. I love the guy … but he thinks outfield walls are made of cotton candy.

Let someone pop a couple of underperforming players into your Torii Hunter vending machine before it’s too late.