The Official Garrett Anderson Appreciation Thread

[Cooner]

i have to agree with Davus here. I love GA, and targetted him in a few drafts to start this year, but he's simply not a top tier OF, and certainly not a 5th rounder. The RBIs and AVG don't make up for the fact that he only contributes to two categories. Now, if he can start getting the power back and hit 30+ dingers, he'll return to top tier status. But it hasn't happened yet and I don't expect it to happen. His hitting consistency is great, and gives him more value than pretty much any other outfielder with his stats, but it's not enough to put him in the top tier.

He's a poor second/good third outfielder who many people got a good bargain on (including me). A full year of Mench seems like a good comparison to me, assuming Mench continues to hit like he has in the past month or so (a rather large, but I'd say good, assumption). To compare the two now really isn't fair to either- Mench has more potential and GA is proven.

[CPHFighter1]

i have to agree with Davus here. I love GA, and targetted him in a few drafts to start this year, but he's simply not a top tier OF, and certainly not a 5th rounder. The RBIs and AVG don't make up for the fact that he only contributes to two categories. Now, if he can start getting the power back and hit 30+ dingers, he'll return to top tier status. But it hasn't happened yet and I don't expect it to happen. His hitting consistency is great, and gives him more value than pretty much any other outfielder with his stats, but it's not enough to put him in the top tier.

"not a top tier OF"
I just briefly scanned the postings, and I didn't see anyone call him a top tier OF. Everyone has been just giving him respect for being a consistent producer and a value pick in their drafts.
"certainly not a 5th rounder"
Maybe not. In my league, the outfielders that went in the 5th round were Brian Giles and Jim Edmonds. I'd say he's comparable in value to Giles.
"he only contributes to two categories"
Since when is 25 HR not contributing? This is especially true in the post-steroid age, and I have never heard his name come up in that discussion. Sure, there are outfielders with more power, but Adam Dunn is not going to hit .310, and he's not going to drive in 120 runs either. He strikes out too much. Thowing out all the other crap and sticking to 5X5 roto (I find it next to impossible to value a player using all that other junk), I would say the only category where he is a liability is stolen bases. He's not going to blow you away in HR or runs, but he won't hurt you either, then his bread and butter are his average and RBI.

My point is that nobody is saying he should be taken in drafts alongside Sheffield, Abreau, or Manny Ramirez. But consistency is worth a lot on draft day, and with this guy, you know what you're going to get. All this talk about him slowing down is due to an injury plagued season (even when he was playing, he was hurt). The guy is 33 and still very much in his prime. I just don't expect a dropoff this year from the .310 25-30 HR, and 115-125 RBI he has been for years. Even if he misses the lower bound of my estimates, he will likely still have been a bargain on draft day.

[CBMGreatOne]

GA HRs by year

2000: 35
2001: 28
2002: 28
2003: 29

It's a career track record, not just 2003

That leaves you with a barely above-average guy.

In Yahoo 5x5 he is the 20th ranked OF. In my 12 team league that's a solid number 2, or very good number 3. That's even in spite of the fact that he's such a "disappointment" to you this year because he's "lost" his power. 2003 was his last full season and he was the 40th ranked fantasy computer. I never said he was an elite player, but you are underrating him saying he's barely above average.

[davus]

GA HRs by year

2000: 35
2001: 28
2002: 28
2003: 29

It's a career track record, not just 2003

That leaves you with a barely above-average guy.

In Yahoo 5x5 he is the 20th ranked OF. In my 12 team league that's a solid number 2, or very good number 3. That's even in spite of the fact that he's such a "disappointment" to you this year because he's "lost" his power. 2003 was his last full season and he was the 40th ranked fantasy computer. I never said he was an elite player, but you are underrating him saying he's barely above average.

All other stuff aside, Yahoo's ranking system is garbage and you really aren't scoring any points by bringing it into the equation.

I respect your opinion, I just disagree with it.

[ThunderSnarfer]

He'll finish with 84-26-118-4-.310, which is fine by me as he is my utility player. I have Bay, GA, Cabrera, Crawford, and Carlos Lee starting, which Vlad coming back soon, i have to trade someone, and since GA doesnt command respect in trades ill probably deal Bay.

[Rhino Tuff]

Cabrera, Crawford, Bay, C. Lee, GA, and Vlad???

What do you play in a 3 man league?

[Cooner]

If Garret Anderson finishes the season with 27-29 HRs, I will take back everything I've said and agree that he is worth a 5th round pick, and that he's an excellent 2nd OFer. That would put him well over the 12 team replacement outfielder's totals in RBIs, AVG, and HRs (which I calculate at 70, 20, and .270 in a league that uses utility players and a few bench spots).

However, his current rate of 7 HRs in 53 games projects him to 20 HRs on the season. If he heats up and starts parking them in the seats, then you're all very right. If not, he is, by definition, a two category player. And I sure want more than that from my 2nd outfielder. You can spout several years worth of evidence pre-2004 that says he'll get up to 27+ on the season. But I'm not convinced until it actually happens- anyone who misses most of a season with arthritis in the back is bound to lose some power.

Please don't think that I'm dissing GA- like I said before, I love his consistency and I targeted him as an absolute steal in many drafts. Everyone who got him loves having him on their team, because they got great value. But to say he's a 5th rounder or a good 2nd outfielder just isn't accurate.

[davus]

If Garret Anderson finishes the season with 27-29 HRs, I will take back everything I've said and agree that he is worth a 5th round pick, and that he's an excellent 2nd OFer. That would put him well over the 12 team replacement outfielder's totals in RBIs, AVG, and HRs (which I calculate at 70, 20, and .270 in a league that uses utility players and a few bench spots).

However, his current rate of 7 HRs in 53 games projects him to 20 HRs on the season. If he heats up and starts parking them in the seats, then you're all very right. If not, he is, by definition, a two category player. And I sure want more than that from my 2nd outfielder. You can spout several years worth of evidence pre-2004 that says he'll get up to 27+ on the season. But I'm not convinced until it actually happens- anyone who misses most of a season with arthritis in the back is bound to lose some power.

Please don't think that I'm dissing GA- like I said before, I love his consistency and I targeted him as an absolute steal in many drafts. Everyone who got him loves having him on their team, because they got great value. But to say he's a 5th rounder or a good 2nd outfielder just isn't accurate.

You should try this discussion in a 8x8 league - he adds nothing to 2b, 3b or OPS either and is a liability in the latter two. Yet certain people still think he is the bomb.

[Trot Nixon]

I don't count OPS in my leagues, so maybe that's why I like him so much.

But a guy that CONSISTENTLY puts up a .300 average, 110-120 RBIs, 25 HRS, 85 runs, is someone that should not go in the 12th round.

Mench could become that type of player, but he doesn't play enough and hasn't proven anything YET.

I like Mench, but you can't put him in a Garret anderson category yet.

I got Anderson in the 7th round yesterday and thought it was a steal!