This year, there are four catchers widely accepted as top-50 players: Joe Mauer (ADP 20.59), Brian McCann (29.93), Victor Martinez (29.95) and Buster Posey (45.46). Yet despite this general belief, it’s highly unlikely that any catcher will finish the season as a top-50 player.
Andy Behrens recently dug up some mind-boggling numbers that explain this theory. To paraphrase, only two catchers in the past decade (Javy Lopez in 2003, Joe Mauer in 2009) have finished inside the top-50 overall according to Baseball Monster rankings. In five seasons since 2001, one or zero backstops have finished in the top-100 overall.
So why do we continue to draft catchers so high?
We’re putting our 162-game journey on hold Tuesday night, and instead Fantasy Baseball Insiders Tonight is covering parts of several games. Here’s everything you need to know from last night’s action around the league:
HITTERS
Hitter of the day: Cliff Pennington (4-for-5, R, HR, 4 RBI)
Batting leadoff for just the third time this season, Oakland shortstop Cliff Pennington recorded his first career four-hit game Tuesday night against the Rays. After blasting a three-run HR in the third inning, the switch-hitting 25-year-old ripped a ground-rule double to right, scoring two (though he was only credited with one RBI)...
Game No. 12 in our journey to score 162 games this summer featured an Alfonso Soriano spotting and an unlikely performance from a less than desirable pitcher.
Game No. 12 – Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
Carlos Silva pitched the game of his life on Friday against the Astros, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and zero walks in seven innings. The 31-year-old also struck out five.
Silva, who has a 4.70 career ERA, sports a 0.69 ERA and 0.62 WHIP through two starts. Some Cubs fans will tell you his early success is a direct result of Greg Maddux’s tutelage. This Insider, however, is chalking it up to pure dumb luck.
Geovany Soto's 2009 struggles left many fantasy owners searching for a new catcher by mid May. Fortunately, everything points to a bounce back season for the Cubs' catcher.
Following the 2007 season which saw him hit 26 HRs, collect 109 RBI and post a .353 batting clip for Triple-A Iowa, Soto won N.L. Rookie of the Year honors in 2008, blasting 23 HRs, while adding 86 RBI and a .285 batting average, proving his minor league success was no fluke...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
16 Comments