Last week we asked for some reader input about various Fantasy baseball myths, and Jeff San Gabriel of Concord, CA, was kind enough to broach this age-old and classic argument: is it better to go for the sticks or the arms? He writes:
The biggest myth I've encountered in Fantasy baseball is that you can win with high-priced pitching. Conventional wisdom suggests that winning teams concentrate their high draft picks or auction money on hitting, and then hope for the best with cheap and free agent pitching. I've tried to buck this trend by going the opposite route: acquiring high-priced pitching and sleepers on offense. In 10 years of Fantasy baseball play, this method has proved to be unreliable; pitching is harder to predict than hitting, and it's too difficult to play catch up in the power categories. I've tried to be contrarian and win with pitching (like in real baseball), but it just doesn't work. I hate to say it, but the tried-and-true method is the best.
I, too, have tended to believe (mostly erroneously) that pitching can carry a team. My teams almost always dominate in pitching, but I have a hell of a time trading for or drafting high-ceiling bats. My team (keeper league) has been competitive for about six years now, and the one year I did win it all, sure enough, it was my offense that carried me.
Let’s hear from some other readers on this topic: hitting or pitching and why? What’s the perfect mix either in an auction or salary league or straight draft when it comes to splitting your resources or picks?
MINI SPIKES
As our topic of the week is rather short, let’s throw in some recent observations from around the diamond:
Pedro Martinez went winless in May through six starts, the first time in his career he made at least five starts in a month and didn’t win any of them. But it’s not as if he’s struggling. Through those five no-decisions and one loss, he pitched at least six innings every time out and has only surrendered two earned runs in his last 24 IP, trimming his ERA to 2.50. He should have a hell of a lot more to show than five wins through his first 11 starts.
Pat Burrell, rumored to be heading to the Yanks in a three-way deal that will send the D-Train to Philly, is 0-for-5 in his past two games, dropping under .280 for the year. But he’s on pace to top both 40 homers and 120 RBI, so his owners are probably pretty darn happy. A move to the Yankees may cut into the right-handed hitting Burrell’s pop, however, as Yankee Stadium isn’t exactly as homer-friendly as Citizens Bank Park, especially for righties.
Looking for reasons the Braves have slipped behind the Mets this year? How about the fact that the Jones boys – Andruw and Chipper – hadn’t gone yard in the same game this season until Wednesday night? When that pair connects in the same game, as they have done 51 times (the most of any active duo), the Braves are virtually unbeatable, with a 45-6 mark.
When the Braves face the Dodgers, the level of familiarity is nearly unprecedented. Check out the top four hitters in LA’s lineup: former Braves Rafael Furcal, Kenny Lofton and J.D. Drew and batting third is former Georgia Tech star Nomar Garciaparra. It’s an Atlanta love-fest.
The demise of Bobby Bradley didn’t get a lot of airplay, so let’s explore that one. He was taken eighth overall in the 1999 draft by the Pirates, so naturally expectations were high. Unfortunately, a litany of injuries ravaged his promising career. It wasn’t until 2004 that Bradley finally reached Double-A and pitched over 100 IP in a single year. Last season, Bradley was promoted to Triple-A and pitched mostly out of the bullpen, but he absolutely stunk the joint up with a 13.14 ERA and a walk total – 30 in 12.1 IP – that would make even Rick Ankiel blush.
In July, the Bucs cut Bradley loose to make room on the 40-man roster for Zach Duke. But there was talk that Bradley planned to pursue a grievance as he claimed he was hurt at the time of his release. Dr. Andrews, however, had found nothing wrong with him.
At any rate, Bradley resurfaced this spring, penning a minor league deal with the Florida Marlins. He went to training camp and lasted all of one day before leaving, and he hasn’t been heard from since. Pirate pitcher Sean Burnett, a long-time friend of Bradley’s, has said that Bradley is essentially done with his career. All told, he won 18 minor league games in six years as a Pittsburgh farmhand.
MAILBAG
After we pegged Mark Teixeira as our Fantasy Disappointment of the Week last week, Steve Burkett of Ann Arbor, MI, wondered about one of Teixeira’s teammates as a rival. He writes:
What is wrong with Michael Young? I haven't seen any articles saying what a disappointment he's been. Two HRs so far with a third of the season gone after hitting 22 and 24 the last two years. The batting average is close, but I used up a second round pick on him. This is unreal.
Spikes Up responds:
Hi Steve,
While Young's power numbers are down, I would hardly qualify him as one of the big disappointments in the game. Believe it or not, he actually got off to a worse start last year, power-wise, but by the end of May, he was off and running. So far this season, he has yet to turn it around. Certainly batting in front of Teixeira is not providing the help it has in the past; also, Young is tied for the league lead in grounding into double plays.
On the plus side, think about this: he's on pace for 55 doubles and six homers. That's 61 extra base hits. Last year, Young had 69 XBHs. That's not a huge difference. Also, June was Young's best power month last year. So be patient. Twenty-five homers looks like a long shot now, but 15 to 20 should be within reach with a darn nice BA thrown in. That's not too shabby. [Since our correspondence last Monday, as if on cue, Young homered and doubled on Tuesday. Keep complaining…it works!]
NEXT: Spikes Up returns next week, June 12. Basketball fans should check out Three in the Key. It’s recently switched to Thursdays and will next appear on June 15.
Comments? Questions? Criticisms or witticisms? You can reach me at rob@creativesports.com if you’d like further information or have a question you’d like me to answer in an upcoming column. Have a suggestion for a column or want to hear analysis about a particular player? Feel free to write. I might even answer!
Rob Blackstien is a freelance writer and the principal of Pen-Ultimate (www.pen-ultimate.ca), a Toronto-based writing and editorial services firm. Position Battles, a column he writes for www.rotoworld.com, also appears on usatoday.com and foxsports.com.