Ray Flowers and Vlad Sedler take counter positions on a single player, one for, one against. Which one of our experts do you agree with? Does either strike a knockout blow? Is there a TKO? Is there a need for another round? Two or our best analysts give their thoughts on a player for the upcoming season allowing you to be the judge as to which side makes the stronger argument, for or against the player.
Tim Anderson
By Ray Flowers
Tim is 25 years old, and he might just be what he is – an extremely gifted athlete who may never pick up the nuances of the game of baseball. His walk rate of 3.4 percent is horrible and, when combined with his strikeouts, his 0.13 BB/K ratio is even worse. In all honestly, it’s embarrassing that a full-time player in baseball has a mark that low. Given his approach, that .258 batting average seems like the top end of expectations, and his .286 career OBP is ghastly. So why have any level of interest in the guy? The way we record points in 5×5 fantasy baseball doesn’t penalize a guy like Anderson as much as it should. What we are left with is a guy with a league average batting mark the last two years of .249, with an average of 18 homers, 60 RBI, 74 RBI and 20 steals. Yes, nearly 20/20. In fact, he is one of two shortstops with 35 homers and 40 steals the last two seasons (the other is Francisco Lindor). I bet that Vlad will point out his batting average, his on-base percentage, his terrible approach, and every bit of that speak from Vlad is completely legit and irrefutable with Anderson. Do I like Anderson’s game? No. Would I want him on my real-world team? No. Do I think he’s going to improve in 2019? Not really. But again, in a 5×5 setup his power/speed combo, not to mention his spot in the lineup on a daily basis (299 games the last two years), means that his numbers will allow him to, at least be, a passable middle infield option. Sometimes volume trumps skills, at least to an extent, and that is brought home to roost with Anderson who has a game I detest. Still, it’s impossible to argue with the production the last couple years, his obvious athleticism and his age which, at least in theory, gives some hope of moderate growth.
By Vlad Sedler
It’s a real shame that Anderson has yet to truly live up to his minor-league hype and first-round prospect status. The fact remains that Anderson may never. No one is doubting that there’s value in a hitter who accumulates plate appearances. Exactly 606 of them in each of the past two seasons is nothing to sneeze at. Neither is the fact that he was one of only ten hitters to go 20-20 last season (20 HR, 27 SB to be exact). Now that we’ve got the ‘good’ out of the way, let’s focus on everything else that Tim Anderson is as a fantasy player. Among the 50 or so players with 1,200-plus plate appearances over the last two seasons, Anderson ranks among the worst in runs scored. His 75 per season puts him on par with the likes of later-round afterthoughts like Kole Calhoun, Josh Bell and Andrelton Simmons. This, despite him seeing at least one-third of his at-bats from the leadoff spot. But Anderson only leads off against left-handed pitchers. He is a putrid, easy out against righties with his .280 wOBA and 75 wRC+ against them well below league average. In regards to on-base percentage, Anderson and Alcides Escobar are the only two hitters to rank among the bottom ten in OBP over the last two seasons. His .279 OBP over the last two years is worse than every hitter in baseball with 500 or more PA except for Escobar and fellow bum, Chris Davis. Do you really need more? He saw a major improvement in his walk rate (up to five percent), but that is still well below average after averaging under three percent in his previous two seasons. Add in the fact that he will likely hurt you in average (.247 the last two season) and you’re likely overpaying at his mid-February ADP of 132. Sometimes a bad real-life player can be a good stats accumulator and a fantasy asset. At his price, I’d way rather grab a middle infielder with upside like Rougned Odor or a safer, established veteran like Robinson Cano.
