VERY EARLY 2012 Rankings

[jfg]

I'm pretty scared about owning Bautista next year. I have no choice but to keep him, but his second half scares me.

[Inukchuk]

Don't let the awful start to his pro career fool you. Moustakas can flat out rake and has as good a chance of becoming a top 5 fantasy 3B next season as Lawire does.

Except Moustakas doesn't have anywhere near the plate discipline, power, or speed that Lawrie has right now and is playing in an awful park for offense.

Eh, far too few major league ABs for either to definitively say who's going to be better next season. I'd agree with Tavish that either has the potential to break into the top 5. Admittedly, I'd give Lawrie the edge, but I wouldn't be overly surprised if Moose outpaced him for fantasy value next season.

[mweir145]

Don't let the awful start to his pro career fool you. Moustakas can flat out rake and has as good a chance of becoming a top 5 fantasy 3B next season as Lawire does.

Except Moustakas doesn't have anywhere near the plate discipline, power, or speed that Lawrie has right now and is playing in an awful park for offense.

Moustakas has plenty of power, probably as much as any 3B in baseball.

Yeah, he's right up there with Bautista, ARod, Beltre, Longoria, and Reynolds.

For standard 5X5 fantasy cats SB is probably the only one I would expect Lawrie to win in next season.

Want to bet? I have little doubt that Brett Lawrie will finish ahead of Moustakas in the majority of those categories.

[Tavish]

Except Moustakas doesn't have anywhere near the plate discipline, power, or speed that Lawrie has right now and is playing in an awful park for offense.

Moustakas has plenty of power, probably as much as any 3B in baseball.

Yeah, he's right up there with Bautista, ARod, Beltre, Longoria, and Reynolds.

Yes, he is. There is a pretty good reason he has been considered a plus-plus power guy his entire career.

For standard 5X5 fantasy cats SB is probably the only one I would expect Lawrie to win in next season.

Want to bet? I have little doubt that Brett Lawrie will finish ahead of Moustakas in the majority of those categories.

Sure, what sort of stakes are you thinking?

[mweir145]

I'm pretty scared about owning Bautista next year. I have no choice but to keep him, but his second half scares me.

I've been seeing this sentiment a lot lately and I just don't get it. What is scary about a .257/.419/.477 line since the AS break? The guy is the most patient hitter in baseball (by far) and finished with the league's highest isolated power rate for the second year in a row.

I mean...what's to be afraid of? That he's suddenly going to lose his plate discipline or his power for no reason at all? I can't help but think the original skepticism about Bautista is still beneath the surface for many, despite the fact that he has now hit like the best hitter in baseball for nearly 2.5 seasons. Doubt the guy at your own risk, I guess. It's burnt a lot of fantasy owners (including me).

[MasterX1918]

let it be a sig bet

[mweir145]

Yes, he is. There is a pretty good reason he has been considered a plus-plus power guy his entire career.

Next you'll be telling me that Chris Davis has the most power in baseball for 1Bs.

Sure, what sort of stakes are you thinking?

SIG BET

Missed out on one of those this season. Aussie was too scared to bet on his A's (or we just never got around to doing it, I can't remember).

[Tavish]

Yes, he is. There is a pretty good reason he has been considered a plus-plus power guy his entire career.

Next you'll be telling me that Chris Davis has the most power in baseball for 1Bs.

Next you'll be telling me that because Lawrie hit 9 HRs in 150 ABs he clearly has more power than Moustakas. Oh wait, you already did that. Small sample size FTW!

Sure, what sort of stakes are you thinking?

SIG BET

Sounds good.

[Inukchuk]

I mean...what's to be afraid of? That he's suddenly going to lose his plate discipline or his power for no reason at all? I can't help but think the original skepticism about Bautista is still beneath the surface for many, despite the fact that he has now hit like the best hitter in baseball for nearly 2.5 seasons. Doubt the guy at your own risk, I guess. It's burnt a lot of fantasy owners (including me).

Agreed. I'd have no reservations about grabbing him in the top half of round 1 next season.

[mweir145]

Next you'll be telling me that because Lawrie hit 9 HRs in 150 ABs he clearly has more power than Moustakas. Oh wait, you already did that. Small sample size FTW!

Never said such a thing, but nice try propping up that straw man. I took the entirety of both of their careers (major and minor), age, and level of development into consideration when making the statement that Lawrie has more power. You were the one who ridiculously used Moustakas' MILB power rates to suggest that he has as much power as some of the most powerful sluggers to ever play the game.

Sounds good.

3 out of 5 wins. With one of the categories (SBs) being a virtual lock for Lawrie, I don't anticipate having much difficulty winning this bet. Even if Moustakas is as good a hitter as Lawrie in 2012 (and his plate discipline and swing stats at the MLB level suggest he's not there yet), he's still going to have trouble putting up the necessary counting stats to beat Lawrie. Lawrie will simply be hitting in the middle of a better lineup in a much more offensive park. The only thing that might stop him is in an injury (and the guy does play the kind of ultra-intense game where he might get hurt).