Assuming the Big 3 and Cano are gone, I am thinking about going with Votto. It's a redraft 12-tm H2H, but with 8x8 categories (BB, 2B, and OPS are the extras). He murders these categories.
The knee injury. It's easy to overlook the tear he was on before he got hurt, missed 50 games, and had no power when he returned. He had 44 doubles in 347 AB, with 94 walks. His BB% has been increasing every year since 2008 (from 10 to 19.8%). He had a 1.041 OPS, and has had another season prior with 1.021, so it wasn't some huge outlier.
The power is my only concern, and that is linked to a knee injury. However, it's not like it was a shoulder or wrist injury. We've seen what the shoulder did to A-Gone. I think with the time he's had to fully rehab, the power will come back (27-30 HR). Great ballpark, great L/R splits, Choo at top of the lineup now. What is scaring people?
yeah.....I am not going to try to talk you out of Votto in that spot.
Assuming you are correct that Cano is gone, I see 4 legit options in that #5 spot: Votto, Pujols, Kemp and McCutchen. You couldn't really go wrong with any of those choices.....and none of them stand out as clearly the best in the group....and none fill a scarce position.
So if you like Votto the best, go for it. And you don't have to worry that you are making a mistake.
With those categories specifically I'd go after Votto. He BB's more than those guys, hits as many or more 2B (44 even with the injury) and has a higher OPS. Those stats also heavily devalue SB. To be honest I'd heavily consider taking Votto #1 overall in that league. I'd follow him up with Ortiz as your CI much earlier than most would draft him, he is absolutely elite with those settings too.
Ender wrote:With those categories specifically I'd go after Votto. He BB's more than those guys, hits as many or more 2B (44 even with the injury) and has a higher OPS. Those stats also heavily devalue SB. To be honest I'd heavily consider taking Votto #1 overall in that league. I'd follow him up with Ortiz as your CI much earlier than most would draft him, he is absolutely elite with those settings too.
I agree on Ortiz in this format...He's really low to begin with in Y! ranks (72 overall, #10 1B I think). Zobrist is another OPS/BB beast I will be coming after early and often (#71 Y!).
Even if Votto only hits 20 home runs, he's probably still the best pick there.
Team Izzy C Mauer 1 E5 2 Cano 3 ARam S Rollins CI LaRoche MI Altuve O Melky, Pagan, Morse, Hunter, Ruggiano SP Lee, Fister, Estrada, McCarthy, Lohse RP Chapman, Jansen, Frieri, Fujikawa Bench 1 Hart S Cabrera O Eaton U Ortiz P Marcum P Miller P Fernandez