Cron turns on in August
WHEN the dust settles on the 2021 season, it will be interesting to see just how many championships were won by Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron.
There was certainly some offseason buzz on Cron when he signed with Colorado. Considered a journeyman by some, he hit 30 home runs for the Rays in 2018, 25 for the Twins in 2019, then shuffled around, with little going on, for the Tigers during the shortened 2020 season. When the Rockies picked him up, the power expectations ran high. Almost too high, as his .275 average and four home runs in April were considered a disappointment.
As the season progressed, things never really got better for Cron. He maintained his average in May, but hit just one home run. When he started to power up in June, the average dipped into the low .230s. It would seem that Cron was one of the few who just couldn’t put it together, even in the friendly confines of Coors Field. Dropped by numerous fantasy squads, Cron became nothing more than waiver fodder for desperate teams. That is, until the calendar flipped to August.
In a dead season for the struggling Rockies, Cron shined like a bright light in August. It was as if all of that preseason hype finally hit him, and he realized what he needed to do. He had a slash line of .387/.463/.828 with 11 homers, 34 RBI, 18 runs scored and 13-21 BB-K over 26 games in August and is primed to offer up the most productive season of his career. A surge like that in fantasy is massive and, for many, a game-changer, especially if it lasts.
Keep an eye on Cron for this final month of the season. As with many Rockies players, his numbers at home are better than those on the road, and Cron isn’t much different. Fortunately, the Rockies play 15 of their final 26 games in Coors Field. Another month like this from Cron and you’ll be buying his jersey with your fantasy winnings.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.