2020 Review: Troubles

Back in the preseason I wrote about Troubles and why you should care about it in the fantasy game. I know no one uses the category, but I still like it as a way to look at those players who tend to slip through the cracks in the 5×5 games (much less so in points leagues). In what follows we will take a look back at 2020 to see who did, or didn’t, perform in the category in 2020.

SOME PLAYERS SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS

Players hit homers.
We know who they are.

Guys swipe bags. Well, a few do.
We know why they are.

Guys produce runs – either with their bat (RBI) or their legs (runs).
We know who they are.

Guys produce a ton of base hits leading to impressive batting averages.
We know who they are.

But what about the “other” guys?

WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?

Years ago, I glanced at my Sports Weekly newspaper to read the fantasy column by John Hunt. There I read the simple yet stunningly appropriate idea of Troubles, which if I remember correctly, and let’s face it I have a steel trap for a mind, was sent in by a reader who had a league that used the category. Perhaps your league might consider adding it this season as well once you learn how easy it is to record.

SO, WHAT ARE TROUBLES?

Troubles are a combination of triples and doubles (hence TR-OUBLES). The formula is mighty simple to figure out, in fact it might be the simplest one I ever share with you. Here it is.

Troubles = Triples + Doubles

Let’s get to the 2020 leaderboard since you don’t need to hear any pontification from me on this one.

2020 DOUBLES LEADERS

Name	G	AB	PA	HR	R	RBI	SB	AVG	H	1B	2B
Freddie Freeman	60	214	262	13	51	53	2	0.341	73	36	23
Dominic Smith	50	177	199	10	27	42	0	0.316	56	24	21
Cesar Hernandez	58	233	261	3	35	20	0	0.283	66	43	20
Christian Walker	57	218	243	7	35	34	1	0.271	59	33	18
Jose Iglesias	39	142	150	3	16	24	0	0.373	53	33	17
Alex Verdugo	53	201	221	6	36	15	4	0.308	62	40	16
Jose Ramirez	58	219	254	17	45	46	10	0.292	64	30	16
Maikel Franco	60	223	243	8	23	38	1	0.278	62	38	16
Rafael Devers	57	232	248	11	32	43	0	0.263	61	33	16
Cavan Biggio	59	220	265	8	41	28	6	0.250	55	31	16
J.D. Martinez	54	211	237	7	22	27	1	0.213	45	22	16
Trea Turner	59	233	259	12	46	41	12	0.335	78	47	15
Donovan Solano	54	190	203	3	22	29	0	0.326	62	43	15
Jose Abreu	60	240	262	19	43	60	0	0.317	76	42	15
Michael Brantley	46	170	187	5	24	22	2	0.300	51	31	15
Jake Cronenworth	54	172	192	4	26	20	3	0.285	49	27	15
Hanser Alberto	54	219	231	3	35	22	3	0.283	62	44	15
Dansby Swanson	60	237	264	10	49	35	5	0.274	65	40	15
Willy Adames	54	185	205	8	29	23	2	0.259	48	24	15
Nick Markakis	37	130	141	1	15	15	0	0.254	33	17	15
Juan Soto	47	154	196	13	39	37	6	0.351	54	27	14
Marcell Ozuna	60	228	267	18	38	56	0	0.338	77	45	14
Jeff McNeil	52	183	209	4	19	23	0	0.311	57	39	14
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	57	208	224	11	28	33	3	0.308	64	39	14
Mike Yastrzemski	54	192	225	10	39	35	2	0.297	57	29	14
Eloy Jimenez	55	213	226	14	26	41	0	0.296	63	35	14
Wil Myers	55	198	218	15	34	40	2	0.288	57	26	14
Ketel Marte	45	181	195	2	19	17	1	0.287	52	35	14
Starling Marte	61	228	250	6	36	27	10	0.281	64	43	14
Tommy La Stella	55	196	228	5	31	25	1	0.281	55	34	14

There were three men with 20-doubles: Freeman, Smith, Hernandez.

Walker (18) and Iglesias (17) rounded out the top-5.

Then there were 15 others with at least 15 doubles.

2020 TRIPLES LEADERS

Name	G	AB	PA	HR	R	RBI	SB	AVG	H	1B	2B	3B
Kyle Tucker	58	209	228	9	33	42	8	0.268	56	29	12	6
Trea Turner	59	233	259	12	46	41	12	0.335	78	47	15	4
Mike Yastrzemski	54	192	225	10	39	35	2	0.297	57	29	14	4
Trevor Story	59	235	259	11	41	28	15	0.289	68	40	13	4
Jake Cronenworth	54	172	192	4	26	20	3	0.285	49	27	15	3
Kevin Pillar	54	208	223	6	34	26	5	0.288	60	39	12	3
Jeimer Candelario	52	185	206	7	30	29	1	0.297	55	34	11	3
Adalberto Mondesi	59	219	233	6	33	22	24	0.256	56	36	11	3
Asdrubal Cabrera	52	190	213	8	23	31	0	0.242	46	26	9	3
Brandon Nimmo	55	186	225	8	33	18	1	0.280	52	33	8	3
Trent Grisham	59	215	252	10	42	26	10	0.251	54	33	8	3
Yoan Moncada	52	200	231	6	28	24	0	0.225	45	28	8	3
Eduardo Escobar	54	203	222	4	22	20	1	0.212	43	29	7	3
Kevin Kiermaier	49	138	159	3	16	22	8	0.217	30	19	5	3
Isiah Kiner-Falefa	58	211	228	3	28	10	8	0.280	59	49	4	3
Cedric Mullins II	48	140	153	3	16	12	7	0.271	38	28	4	3
Garrett Hampson	53	167	184	5	25	11	6	0.234	39	27	4	3

Triples are just rough. In normal instances, 10 triples gets you a shot to be top-3 in the league. That’s over 162 games of course. When you cut the season down to 37 percent of that… that’s when you end up with an even messier leaderboard than normal when it comes to triples.

Tucker led the league with six.

No one had five.

Three men had four: Turner, Yastrzemski, Story.

There were 13 men with three.

2020 TROUBLES LEADERS

So, let’s get to it. Remember, we’re talking doubles + triples.

Name	G	AB	PA	HR	R	RBI	SB	AVG	H	1B	2B	3B	Troubles
Freddie Freeman	60	214	262	13	51	53	2	0.341	73	36	23	1	24
Dominic Smith	50	177	199	10	27	42	0	0.316	56	24	21	1	22
Cesar Hernandez	58	233	261	3	35	20	0	0.283	66	43	20	0	20
Trea Turner	59	233	259	12	46	41	12	0.335	78	47	15	4	19
Christian Walker	57	218	243	7	35	34	1	0.271	59	33	18	1	19
Kyle Tucker	58	209	228	9	33	42	8	0.268	56	29	12	6	18
Mike Yastrzemski	54	192	225	10	39	35	2	0.297	57	29	14	4	18
Jake Cronenworth	54	172	192	4	26	20	3	0.285	49	27	15	3	18
Trevor Story	59	235	259	11	41	28	15	0.289	68	40	13	4	17
Jose Ramirez	58	219	254	17	45	46	10	0.292	64	30	16	1	17
Rafael Devers	57	232	248	11	32	43	0	0.263	61	33	16	1	17
Jose Iglesias	39	142	150	3	16	24	0	0.373	53	33	17	0	17
Wil Myers	55	198	218	15	34	40	2	0.288	57	26	14	2	16
Tommy La Stella	55	196	228	5	31	25	1	0.281	55	34	14	2	16
Donovan Solano	54	190	203	3	22	29	0	0.326	62	43	15	1	16
Willy Adames	54	185	205	8	29	23	2	0.259	48	24	15	1	16
Alex Verdugo	53	201	221	6	36	15	4	0.308	62	40	16	0	16
Maikel Franco	60	223	243	8	23	38	1	0.278	62	38	16	0	16
Cavan Biggio	59	220	265	8	41	28	6	0.250	55	31	16	0	16
J.D. Martinez	54	211	237	7	22	27	1	0.213	45	22	16	0	16
Kevin Pillar	54	208	223	6	34	26	5	0.288	60	39	12	3	15
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	60	221	243	9	34	33	1	0.262	58	34	13	2	15
Ketel Marte	45	181	195	2	19	17	1	0.287	52	35	14	1	15
Starling Marte	61	228	250	6	36	27	10	0.281	64	43	14	1	15
Jose Abreu	60	240	262	19	43	60	0	0.317	76	42	15	0	15
Michael Brantley	46	170	187	5	24	22	2	0.300	51	31	15	0	15
Hanser Alberto	54	219	231	3	35	22	3	0.283	62	44	15	0	15
Dansby Swanson	60	237	264	10	49	35	5	0.274	65	40	15	0	15
Nick Markakis	37	130	141	1	15	15	0	0.254	33	17	15	0	15

Freddie Freeman led the way with 24. He had only one triple.

Dominic Smith was second with 22.

Third was Cesar Hernandez with 20.

The top-3 men in doubles also led in Troubles in 2020. That’s not overly surprising. With such a limited slate of games played in ‘20, it was likely that there wouldn’t be enough triples to significantly upend the doubles leader board.

Trea Turner is the first player on the list with more than one triple. He came in 4^th with 19 which was one ahead of Kyle Tucker who led baseball with six triples. His Triples mark was 18, the same as Mike Yastrzemski and Jake Cronenworth. That last guy, Jake C., is perfect example of what we’re trying to accomplish with Troubles. Cronenworth had a very solid 5×5 season going .285-4-20-26-3, and qualifying at multiple spots was a big boost to his value, but he really was nothing more than a mixed league depth play. He’s top-10 in Troubles though where he gets his due for a solid offensive season.

Tommy LaStella was a similar performer to Cronenworth, a usable piece in very deep leagues, but even then a boring one. However, in Troubles he comes in the top-20 in the league. Same can be said of Maikel Franco, even if he didn’t actually hit a triple.

You can play in a points league and count measures like doubles and triples, but if you are playing 5×5, 6×6 or something along those lines, and have an interest in addition a simple category you can actually understand, maybe Troubles is the answer you have been looking for?

For the entire list, you can click on the link.