Fantasy Toss Up: Santana vs. Posey

[bigh0rt]

So there's been large discussions on the future impact that young breakout catchers Buster Posey and Carlos Santana will have for their respective ball clubs. There has not, however, been an incredible amount of talk regarding these two as fantasy options both going forward the rest of this season, and beyond.

Santana has seen the lion's share of his at bats in the 3-hole for the Tribe, while Posey's place in the lineup has fluctuated, settling most recently into the cleanup spot with los Gigantes. Neither looks to be vacating their spot(s) any time soon.

Posey went through a slump after bursting out of the gate, but has since put together an 18-game hitting streak and boasts a .371 AVG, 8 HR, 33 RBI, and 28 Runs in 178 At Bats.

Santana has seemed more consistent, posting a .270 AVG, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 22 Runs, and 2 Stolen Bases in just 126 AB. Despite batting 100 points lower than Posey, Santana is walking at such a strong clip, he's currently carrying a staggering .418 OBP (.407 for Posey).

Not that anybody who has either of these guys is looking to budge, but who rules the roost the rest of the season of these two for fantasy purposes? For those few fortunate souls who managed to draft or snag both of these guys, which of the two should they be shopping? For those in keeper leagues, who is the better option next year and beyond?

I'd love to hear some thoughts on these two, who have been the ultimate reward to fantasy owners who refuse to take Catchers early, this season.

[AquaMan2342]

I own both in my money league and I'm really trying hard to move Posey right now because his value is high and because I think Santana will be worth more the rest of the season because of the aforementioned K/BB ratio and he's hitting around Choo and Cabrera who have pretty much been missing since his call-up. Can't really go wrong with either one of them though.

[jake_twothousandfive]

I'd be happy to have either on my team the rest of the way. I think they generate pretty similar fantasy value from this point forward for the rest of the season. Maybe Posey gets a slight edge because he plays in a better lineup.

But like Aqua pointed out, Posey's stats look so crazy right now he has a lot of value in trade negotiations. And they're high enough so that it would take a long slump to bring them down to around where most people were projecting them to be.

If someone starts the year really hot it's going to keep his fantasy value looking good long after that hot streak ends. While it takes a while for someone who starts slow (not saying this is Santana) to pump that [trade] value back up. Even if at the end of the season they meet in exactly in the middle, each was probably looked at a lot differently for the majority of the season from a fantasy perspective.

So if I had Posey I'd be looking to deal him for something even better. Whereas if I had Santana I'd just hang onto him.

[thejusman1]

With the decline of Russell Martin, the Casey Blake-Carlos Santana trade looks worse every passing day...

I think both have similar value, and both will be prone to streakiness all rookies experience. Posey might have a smidgen of edge though, because the Giants could add a bat like Hart or Werth which could really upgrade their lineup.

[AussieDodger]

I like both of them, and I own Santana

If we're just talking 2010, I'd give the edge to Posey because Santana has a slight problem with LHP so far this year......

AAA: .237/.370//441, 44% GB, 59 ABs
MLB: .143/.315/.286, 42 ABs

Now he mauled LHP in 2009 to the tune of a 1.091 OPS, so this may be just a blip on the radar, but it's something to keep in mind.

With the decline of Russell Martin, the Casey Blake-Carlos Santana trade looks worse every passing day...

[mweir145]

If we're just talking 2010, I'd give the edge to Posey because Santana has a slight problem with LHP so far this year......

AAA: .237/.370//441, 44% GB, 59 ABs
MLB: .143/.315/.286, 42 ABs

Now he mauled LHP in 2009 to the tune of a 1.091 OPS, so this may be just a blip on the radar, but it's something to keep in mind.

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bi ... ?pl=467793

I don't think that should be much of a concern. Santana has a career .960 OPS in the minors against LHP, so that should reverse itself with time. To me, he's the superior option going forward.

[StlSluggers]

I take Posey the rest of the year. I think Santana is at a bigger injury risk than Posey, so I'd play the safer of the two.

[AquaMan2342]

I take Posey the rest of the year. I think Santana is at a bigger injury risk than Posey, so I'd play the safer of the two.

The timing of this post is awfully strange......

[bigh0rt]

I take Posey the rest of the year. I think Santana is at a bigger injury risk than Posey, so I'd play the safer of the two.

I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DaSh 1s]

I take Posey the rest of the year. I think Santana is at a bigger injury risk than Posey, so I'd play the safer of the two.

You really are going to make a joke of Carlos' injury?