Nick Swisher or Alex Rios

[Sour Masher]

Forgive all the threads. Our keepers are due soon, and I've been dealing like a mad man. This is likely the last one.

I have two offers on the table. One is for my Emilo Bonifacio $7 and my Archie Bradley for Alex Rios $12. The other is for the same duo for Nick Swisher at $11. Both Rios and Swisher are on expiring deals. First, I assume I should take one of the deals, right? Second, if so, which one? Rios has more upside, but I see Swisher as safer.

14 team mixed h2h points league, 30 man rosters.

[Stephen]

You summed it up for me - Rios has more upside, Swisher is safer. I really like what they are putting together in Cleveland and I think he'll put up numbers similar to what he put up with the Yankees.

My only hesitation is how quickly do you have to make a decision? If Bonifacio wins the 2B job I could see him earning more profit for you at 2B than the two outfielders.

So far in spring it's shaping up like this:
Bonifacio: 8/22 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 SB
Izturis: 1/18 1 Run

If it's a competition then Bonifacio is clearly winning it. Even if he isn't the starter he's one of those guys that will play almost everyday, but that's not ideal.

For my money, Izturis is the idea utility infielder/defensive replacement, but they don't ask me.

I think I may have just given you more questions than answers.

[Sour Masher]

Well, I'm glad you chimed in, because I thought I may be the only one who liked Bonifacio. Most seem to be down on him, and rotoworld saying the jays had to promise izturis the 2b job to get him to sign doesn't help. But yeah, I don't see this as such a lopsided deal either. As you say, Boni will likley play every day etiher way, and should pick up 2bmen elg either way at some point. A couple of friends in my league think I should pounce though, as they are not high on Boni, who they think will hit in the bottom 3rd of Toronto's stacked line up.

I have until Sunday to decide. What is really making me hesitate is that the Rios owner will almost certainly not be a contender. Barring a miraclous auction and massive luck, he really has no shot. He's building for the long term. So, if he doesn't deal Rios pre-auction elsewhere, I'm pretty confident I can land Rios for Bradley straight up during the season.

[Stephen]

I saw that on Rotoworld too, but I just can't imagine the Jays would promise a non-superstar player that they'd start. It just seems like a bad management decision all around. At best I figure they told him he'd have every opportunity to win the position. As it is, he's doing nothing with that opportunity.

I wouldn't blame you for trading for Swisher or Rios at all at $11, but I'm actually fairly high on Boni this year.

Swisher with 1B and OF eligibility is a nice bonus too.

[Sour Masher]

One last question--I like Boni too, but I do worry about his counting stats if he is destined to always hit in the bottom 3rd of the line up. Any shot he pushes Melky or someone else down to hit at the top of the order?

[Stephen]

There is always a chance, but I wouldn't worry too much about position in the line up with that roster in the AL. Whether he bats 1st or 9th he's going to get opportunities to score runs in that line up and if you're counting on Emilio Bonificio for RBI then you're defeated before you even begin. With the team you have you aren't really going to have to worry too much about RBI anyway.

Batting 1st only matters once per game. He'll be batting ahead of Reyes, Cabrera, Bautista a lot. There are worse places to hit.

[cavebird]

And, on top of that, remember that lineups are fluid. Reyes is no stranger to the DL. Boni could end up leading off a lot, too.

[Erik]

Rios is the Bret Saberhagen of hitters. He's not very good in odd-numbered years.

[Sour Masher]

Rios is the Bret Saberhagen of hitters. He's not very good in odd-numbered years.

I thought that too, for some reason, but it doesn't really play out that far back or that dramatically. Yes, he wasn't good in 2011 and was good in 2012, and overall, his stats are better in even years, but the fluctuations are not as dramatic as I think many believe and seem to often be related to injuries rather than some voodoo curse. For instance, 2007 was one of his top two years, along with last year.