{"playerId":3704,"percentChange":4.9,"averageDraftPosition":189.6,"percentOwned":54.4,"playerRaterSEASON":0.9,"playerRater7DAY":6.3,"mostRecentNews":{"news":"Middlebrooks broke out a slump in a big way Wednesday night, belting a three-run homer and a grand slam in a 15-5 blowout against Colorado.","spin":"Middlebrooks had been in a 5-for-41 slump before busting out Wednesday. He's been extremely streaky when up with the Sox this year, and his .234 average is a major disappointment, but 17 homers and 49 RBI are nice numbers for just over half a season of work.","date":"Thu Sep 26"},"fullName":"Will Middlebrooks","seasonOutlook":{"outlook":"One of the few bright spots for the 2012 Red Sox, Middlebrooks managed 32-homer, 117-RBI full-season paces en route to supplanting fan favorite Kevin Youkilis at the hot corner, though his year eventually wound up cut short at 75 games when his right wrist was broken by an Esmil Rogers 96 mph fastball. Now healed, Middlebrooks should serve as an everyday, heart-of-the-order slugger for the team, though there's a danger he'll be overhyped. He's a notorious free-swinger who could therefore require some adjustments in his first full big league year; be aware that only nine players in history have batted at least .280 while striking out at least five times as often as they walked in a season of 500-plus plate appearances. (Middlebrooks whiffed 5.38 times per walk.) Buying Middlebrooks means banking more on his homers/RBIs/runs output rather than batting average, and his level of plate discipline places him in riskier territory in points-based leagues.","seasonId":2013,"date":"Wed Feb 20"},"playerRater30DAY":5.9,"playerRater15DAY":2.8,"positionRank":23}