Another question...maybe crazy, maybe not

[BeautifulBrunette]

Here I am again, trying to figure ways to play the hot bat throughout the playoffs and I wanted to get opinions from you guys. This time, the merits of Eric Chavez vs. Joe Crede.

I've been very frustrated at times this season with Chavez. He's hitting "OK' now but well, I need more than "OK', particularly at this time. (He hit 4 HRs during the month of August). I see the ESPN Player Rater has Crede ranked @ #1 3rd baseman over the past 30 days and #3 over the last 7 days. Chavez is ranked #5 and #14, respectively. Is Crede worth a pickup and park Chavez on the bench? Or, as I have heard out of some camps, is Chavez overrated?

Could I hear some input who you guys think is the better player for me over the next 3 weeks? My weakest offensive category is HRs.

[demoflauchy]

Ride the hot hand, Crede is indeed hot. Get him while he can still give you some good numbers.

[jdh]

I think you have to stick with Chavez. He's been very hot since the all star break, hitting .310 since the all star game, and always seems to get hot down the home stretch in a pennant race. He also hit .322 in August. Benching him would be a pretty bad idea. Yes, Crede has been hot lately, but you don't get those stats if you add him now, and he also bats near the bottom of the order, which means fewer at bats, fewer runs, and fewer RBI chances even when he is hot. Benching a top 3 3B going into the playoffs is a bad move, especially when he has been hot lately.

[Madison]

The A's are pretty hot. Should rub off on Chavez pretty soon. As Jdh pointed out, you don't get what he did last week if you pick him up. You only get what he does from this point forward.

[pkarr5000]

take eric