My original post today was going to be about how players such as Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez will have their normal gaudy stat lines before the season’s end, but considering the drama that is unfolding regarding Armando Galarraga’s “perfect game,” I figured I would chime in on the impact this all has on fantasy.
(AP)
My guess is that after last night’s performance, Armando Galarraga will be the most-picked up fantasy player over the next week. Yes, I was just as distraught and upset as everyone watching the final out and the now infamous “imperfect call.” But the fact of the matter is that in fantasy baseball terms, the perfect game makes very little difference at the end of the day.
Depending on what kind of league you are in (rotisserie, head-to-head, points), you were still going to get the same type of scoring results whether Galarraga recorded 27 consecutive outs or not. Regardless of the historical implications, you were still getting the same W, CG, SHO, ERA and K totals, the only thing that would have been effected (minimally) would have been Galarraga’s WHIP.
My point here is that Galarraga’s gem of a start is just as valuable in fantasy as it would have been if he had been awarded with a perfect game, the same as Roy Halladay’s and Dallas Braden’s were earlier this season.
Now, onto the original idea.
Fantasy baseball and fantasy football are two totally different beasts. By this I mean that you generally have the same 10-12 guys in mind for the first round of a Fantasy baseball draft for a good number of years, whereas in football players move in and out of the first round very easily. Case and point, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. Both players have been perennial first round draft picks, and to take it a step further, both are usually within the first three names called on draft day. With the exception of Peyton Manning, no football player has had that kind of fantasy consistency over that same stretch of time.
Looking at both Pujols and A-Rod’s stat lines this season, you could say that neither is having the kind of year they are used to, and while both aren’t stinking it up, they aren’t giving owners the kind of production that merits a top pick.
Pujols had a 12-game stretch recently where he failed to hit a home run, and in 11 of those contests he also failed to drive in a run. Outside of a three-home-run performance earlier this week, Pujols would have nine home runs this season, a total he reached on May 1 of last year.
On the same note, Rodriguez has seven home runs this season, which isn’t awful, but considering the price owners paid for the star slugger, there needs to be more power here. Rodriguez had the same seven home runs he has this June 3 that he had last year on June 3, the difference being he missed the first month of last season with a hip injury.
Am I worried about either Pujols or Rodriguez? Not particularly. But what I am saying here is that because baseball is such a long season, it seems as if we overreact a bit too much when players aren’t performing to the best of their ability. There are bound to be stretches of mediocrity and slumps just like there will be a 10+ home run month for these guys at some point this season. For the most part, first round picks are first round picks for a reason, they will have the 30+ HR and 100+ RBI come seasons end.