Houston Astros Jordan Schafer back in lineup

Some good news for Houston Astros fans. Center fielder Jordan Schafer is back in the line-up after sitting out Tuesday’s game with tightness in his left oblique. The CF is enjoying an incredible 2012 campaign thus far with eight steals, a 106 wRC+, a .351 OBP, and some great defense.

ZiPS projects a 1.7 WAR season, 0.8 WAR before the season, as his projected OBP went up by ten points. Schafer has been a pleasant surprise for the ‘Stros through the first month, and we’ll see if he is legitimately this good. Either way, his defense and positional value are important for the club, and Schafer has been a key piece for the team so far. The fact that he’s back will greatly aid this team as they take on the New York Mets today.

The 25-year-old left-handed hitter played in 82 games last season for both the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros, and he finished the season with a 0.7 WAR. Schafer stole 22 bases but had an extremely low .073 ISO and had an 83 wRC+. His ISO is at .080 this season, but his BABIP is at .400. That’s something to keep an eye on as the season goes forward.

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