MLB Showdown Cards

MLB Showdown 2013: Utility Player

                Utility players are always interesting. The idea of draft flexibility and in game flexibility are interesting options. Guys like Buster Posey and Carlos Santana are Utility players to save the wear and tear of their position. People like Ben Zobrist and Emilio Bonifacio can hit and have the ability to play various positions so their managers rotate them around.  This years class is maybe the deepest we have seen.

                Power players do not have many great options. Brandon Moss, Mike Carp and Darin Ruff are all LF/RF/1B options. Ruff being only 300 points for an 8, 18-20 HR is a decent deal. Chris Carter is a 7, 17-20 HR LF/RF/1B for 260 points as a speed C(10). The real interesting options are Evan Gatis as a 5, 180 point C/LF/RF  15-20 HR or Mark Trumbo as a 5, 160 point 14-20 HR 1B/LF/RF player. Matt Carpenter is an interesting lead-off option. Get on base for big bats. I don’t think Buster Posey is playable in this set. He is not an efficient player.

                Pingers usually don’t like utility players because you pay extra points for an extra position. Chris Johnson as a 9, 20 HR, 17-19 2B speed B (15) 1B/3B for 310 points is not the greatest deal.  Money Ballers are much more excited. Carlos Santana as a C(+3)/1B for 350 points as a speed C(12), 20 HR, 17-19 2B is a targeted player. Matt Carpenter is a lead-off hitter for some but Money Ballers like him. Craig/Cuddyer/Nava are all 1B/LF/RF for 370-390 points for 10, 20 HR, speed B’s.

                Small Ballers always like Zobrist as a 9 for 350 points with 20 HR, 19 3B, 16-18 2B. speed A(18)with SS/2B/LF/RF eligibility. He may walk a bit much, walking up to 11. Bonifacio as an 8, speed A(22), 20 3B, 18-19 2B, 17 1B+ for 240 points playing 2B/CF/LF/RF.  Jose Iglesias has SS+5 and speed A(21) as an 8 which will be interesting for 240 points. I see him on a lot of teams.

                There are 18, 5 OB players under 100 points and 8, 6 OB players under 100 points.  Sean Rodriguez as a 7, 100 point player who plays 1B/LF/RF. There are a ton of options. Mostly point saving and cheap fielders.