Beltre or Soriano

[Ed Whitson]

My league counts traditional 5x5 plus OBP and Total Bases and we need two starters at each infield position, which means both of these positions get rather thin later in the draft. At pick 14 overall, which should I take if both make it to me?

[MeShawn]

I'm no expert, but I think 99% of the people will say to take Soriano, easily. You'll be lucky if he falls that far.

[roto-addicted]

I would agree with taking Soriano. He's a second baseman and second base is not deep at all. I would argue 3rd base is deeper this year. Also, Soriano gets you SBs and I would expect a drop off for Beltre although I think his stats will still be very good and he still will be among the top third basemen. Just my opinion, but either way, getting Beltre or Soraino would be good.

[Pedantic]

I would take Beltre pretty easily. One player's trend is going up and the other's is going down. Even if Beltre experiences some drop-off, I'd still rather have him than Soriano. Stolen bases do not make a top player, especially in a league where OBP is counted.

[Secret Avatar]

I'd be surprised if Soriano is still on the board at 14, but if he is I would grab him. I'm bullish on Beltre this year, but Soriano is capable of posting overall numbers close to Beltre (people forget Soriano was a 40-40 monster just two years ago) and plays at much thinner 2B.

[daweasle]

soriano by a mile.

In a snake draft soriano is an easy first round pick
Soriano is best 2B unless your league counts Ks against you. Otherwise - he's a an #1 at 2B.

beltre plays at a position where there's at least 6 guys equal to or better than him.

(arod, chavez, rolen, huff, lowell, blaylock) <I would take any of these over beltre. EASILY.

Beltre is a perrenial dissappointment and finally had one good year.

[daweasle]

all I'm saying is you can wait till third round or maybe fourth to get one of those guys I listed rather than totally wasting a first round pick on beltre.

You might not believe me now - but I'm telling you it will be a total waste. Save the pick and thank me in September.

[Ed Whitson]

It's not a first round pick, it's a second round pick, 14 overall. And though I agree 2b is far thinner than third, my league counts OBP, and Soriano just plain hurts there. Beltre didn't just have a "good" year, he had a great year with a .334 BA, 48 HR, and .388 OBP which includes a monster second half.

[Pedantic]

I'd be surprised if Soriano is still on the board at 14, but if he is I would grab him. I'm bullish on Beltre this year, but Soriano is capable of posting overall numbers close to Beltre (people forget Soriano was a 40-40 monster just two years ago) and plays at much thinner 2B.

Precisely. Two years ago. I don't get why folks automatically think that Soriano will "bounce back" to his 40/40 days. I see no evidence to support that assumption. Actually, this seems to be the same thing people are doing with Zito, to a lesser extent. "Oh, he's got that crappy season out of his system -- now he'll go back to exactly the way he was before."

(BTW, nothing against you personally, Av, just something that irks me in general.)

[brandnew]

Soriano is terrible in an OBP league... I'd take Beltre, easily, and get some second-tier middle infielders, like Utley, Roberts, Figgins, etc.