Fantasy MLB: Jays’ positional battles
Posted May 9, 2011 10:25 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Catcher: J.P. Arencibia vs. Jose Molina
It’s the story of a young slugger versus a wily ole veteran better known for his glove.
Jose Molina is a long-time backup who matched a career-high with six home runs last season. This season, he has boasted a solid .262 average with four doubles and a home run in 12 games played.
Sabermetrics tells us that Molina is a valuable player. Perhaps the statistic that most identifies this is WAR, which symbolizes Wins Above Replacement, a statistic that tells us how a player compares to the average replacement option.
So, is J.P. Arencibia better than the average replacement player?
A popular sleeper pick entering the season in fantasy leagues, Arencibia got off to a fine start with two home runs and five RBIs in his opening game. However, in the ensuing 22 games, he boasts just two more home runs and six more RBIs. With an average down to .247, is his offence worth enough to offset the added defence offered by Molina?
The answer is yes, as Arencibia entered Sunday’s game with a WAR that is more than triple Molina’s. The reason is the rookie’s power as 10 of his 21 hits have been of the extra-base variety.
As for Arencibia’s fielding, he actually isn’t all that bad. Despite two errors, he has caught 25 per cent of would-be base stealers. Not bad for a player who is in the lineup for his slugging.
Third Base: Edwin Encarnacion vs. Jayson Nix
It’s the story of a player with all of the potential in the world trying to fight off an overachiever.
Edwin Encarnacion has teased many managers throughout his career thanks to his potent bat that last season blasted 21 homers in just 96 games. The drawback has been some of the worst defence in baseball that has led to the moniker E-5. Plus he is a streaky hitter with a career .257 average.
Considering Encarnacion is only playing because of his power, the fact that he has yet to blast a home run this season makes him possibly the least valuable player in the league. This is supported by a negative WAR that ranks second worst of all the hitters on the Blue Jays.
On the other hand, Jayson Nix has been a pleasant surprise for the Blue Jays before suffering a left shin injury. In just 45 at bats, Nix blasted two home runs with nine walks and three steals. The 28-year old also boasted the third highest WAR on the team.
Though he has endured some setbacks in his rehab from the injury, once he is healthy Nix deserves to start at third base.
Rajai Davis vs. Corey Patterson
Coming from the A’s, Rajai Davis was supposed to answer the team’s need for a leadoff hitter. The lone setback for Davis over the years is that he requires a high batting average in order to reach base. In other words, unlike Ricky Henderson (another former Oakland A’s star who then played for the Blue Jays), Davis does not draw walks.
Well, this season Davis is batting just .182, which explains why he is now batting ninth in the lineup. As a result, he has the worst WAR on the team.
When Davis went down with an injury early in the season, the team called on Corey Patterson to fill his role at the top of the lineup. Patterson has been everything that Davis has not.
He is reaching base more than 30 per cent of the time, has two home runs, 13 RBIs, and three steals with a .264 average. As a result, Patterson has a positive WAR and is likely to play a somewhat regular role for the remainder of the season.
However, if Travis Snider gets out of the early rut and is recalled to the major leagues, Patterson has proven to be a more valuable option than Davis this season.
