Note: Cases for both Joey Votto and Chris Davis from Waiver Sharks exclusive comparison blog Fantalytics - can be viewed today over at Knox Bardeen’s website Crooked Pitch. You can find today's Fantalytics - Special Edition Post here.
Crooked Pitch
After years of paying for not always great fantasy baseball advice, Knox Bardeen created Crooked Pitch in 2007 to give away his "expertise" in hopes that the old adage "you get what you pay for" didn't bite him in the ass. Knox is a member of the Fantasy Baseball Writers Association and writes at Fanhouse. You can find him in fantasy baseball arguments on twitter, and as a weekly columnist at Fantasy Pros 911.
FANTALYTICS Volume #3 - FINAL CALL
By: Adam Forsyth
Not only chicks dig the long-ball!
A lot of fantasy managers salivate at the opportunity to grab a pure power option, and with the first base position almost demanding it, it is nice to have some options where the players aren’t solely noted and can contribute across the board in both standard 5X5 formats, as well as in rotisserie leagues.
When reviewing everything that both of these players bring to the table, it’s a decision that you can’t necessarily go wrong should you select either…However, that’s not what we are about here at FANTALYTICS!
We are about making the tough choices that provide you with the upper hand when going into draft day. With that being said, the dual-position eligible Chris Davis provides a couple of valuable tools that Mr. Votto cannot.
The protection that he will receive in the Rangers line-up is insurmountable in comparison to the mix of talent in Ohio. The power upside that Davis provides is much more difficult to attain than the slight difference that may separate them in other categories such as SB’s and AVG.
Davis will fit the mold this year as a dynamic slugger that provides happy owners with a projected line of .285+ AVG 37-102-6.
Enjoy the offensive surplus that the Texas Rangers will provide as well, because as good as their batting is, their pitching is just not there yet. Give them some time though, as they are slowly getting better!
We want to re-iterate. This is today’s edition of “Fantalytics Final Call” To read cases for both sides of the Davis/Votto coin, flip over to Crooked Pitch to see what helped lead us to this exciting fantasy baseball up and comer conclusion!
March 4th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
[…] Chris Davis. But, to find out the “Final Call”, you’re going to have to check out WaiverSharks later […]
March 11th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I’ll have to disagree with you here. Davis hit 10 of his home runs in June and July (he was called up June 25) and only 6 in August and September. He also struck out more than once a game once August started, going from 22 in July to 33 in August. Clearly pitchers made an adjustment. Granted, he can adjust back at them, but the majority of his success last year came as much from the unknown factor as it did from any sort of crazy 60 home run pace.
Votto on the other hand played a full year and really hit his stroke in September after other teams had been seeing him for a full year. Davis still has too much to prove to me to consider him my big time first baseman- Votto is the safer pick. I’d rather take a consistency king like Garret Atkins in the 6th round and then gamble on Votto a couple rounds later.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Well stated, and great points made Greg!
This was a real tight debate for us. In fact one of the 3 core WaiverSharks writers was leaning towards Votto, but the ridiculous display of power that Chris Davis showed to all fields last season persuaded him to the dark side.:) Be certain we will be routing equally hard for Joey Votto, a Toronto native, to have a breakout season - which if his hot spring is any indication - it’s going to happen! The ‘Power Rangers’ K’s could definitely be his achilles heal, but his brute strength could end up providing something special. We can hardly wait to see it all unfold in ‘09!
March 11th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I agree with Greg. I think Davis will struggle to hit .250 and will put up ordinary power numbers, like 20/75. Votto will beat him in every category. Book it!
March 21st, 2009 at 2:41 am
I think some people look at Davis’s half season and chalk it up to luck.
Yes, 300 at bats can be misleading at times. So look at his 3 year minor league career.
Back? Alright, now we’ve established that he had an absolute monster minor league career leading all prospects in HR/RBI from the beginning of 2007 until his mid season 2008 callup. Never hit below .277 for any stop, with a .302 career line.
Davis is legit. Votto is too, but there is no reason to project davis to hit sub 250 and 20/75.
Also kind of silly to try to act like he only had a hot start when he hit .355 in september. Only 3 homeruns, but its not his power thats being quesitoned is it? He had 2 good months out of 3, thats… pretty normal.