2K14 Carlos Gonzalez

[Mithrandir]

How much would you pay for CarGo this season in a regular roto 5x5 league?

He is always so tantalizing but just can't seem to stay healthy enough. Or is he worth every dollar because he will put up the numbers and if he gets hurt you can probably find a replacement OF'er that, when combined with CarGo, will give you a very good season overall.

He went for $56 in my 14 team mixed in 2013..with a $300 budget.

[chancellor]

Wow...I wouldn't go near that price for him. I know the studs go for outrageously high salaries, but he's not a guy I'd be willing to really bid up. If I'm going to jack up the bidding, I not only want statistical studliness, but reliability as well.

[kldub4life]

I expect that his variation in cost is as wide as anyones. The reason being you have guys that will bet on him playing 150+ games and posting something like a .300 30/30 100/100 season, then you have those who think the injury risk is too high and maybe their league settings make it to where that risk can hurt you alot, and they don't figure at least replacement level in his absence. Personally I believe when he is on the field he is the best 5/5 player in the NL.

[joncarlos]

I am very leery of the Rockies plan to play him in CF. He couldn't get through 150 games even without that burden.

The problem is that you have to pay a price (a top 10 pick, $30+ in an NL league) which makes it hard to return a profit. Of course, he's one of the few people who could return a profit on that investment which is why you pay it.

[kldub4life]

JC,

I know the talk has been that Gonzalez will be in CF but I do not think that will be the case come opening day. I don't see another legitimate LF but I see one outstanding defensive center fielder in Drew Stubbs. Maybe Corey Dickerson will be able to start in left but I don't think so.

[Don Quixote]

JC,

I know the talk has been that Gonzalez will be in CF but I do not think that will be the case come opening day. I don't see another legitimate LF but I see one outstanding defensive center fielder in Drew Stubbs. Maybe Corey Dickerson will be able to start in left but I don't think so.

Stubbs has power and speed. He plays a good CF and RF, probably not as great as the media hacks here in Cincinnati said but still very good. The problem is that he's a hacker offensively, no plate discipline and lots of fishing for sliders and changes away. He had a good enough rookie year with the Reds but never progressed; in fact, he slid backwards quickly, with an appalling amount of strikeouts for a leadoff guy.

IF Stubbs can gain some semblance of plate discipline, he can be a quality center fielder. If not, look for CarGo to have to assume the mantle.

[senorsheep]

To start the season, I think it will be:

vs. Righties: CarGo in CF, Blackmon-or-Dickerson (LH) in LF, Stubbs (RH) off the bench.
vs. Lefties: CarGo in LF, Stubbs (RH) in CF, Blackmon-or-Dickerson (LH) off the bench .

I expect that will remain the case unless and until one of the Blackmon-Dickerson-Stubbs trio establishes dominance over the others. If CarGo experiences *any* kind of fielding-related leg or oblique problem, he'll probably go back to LF full time, although given the size and configuration of the Coors Field outfield, I'm not sure that LF is significantly less punishing than CF. I'd prefer to see him in LF, but CarGo's major injuries have typically been swing-related wrist and finger injuries, so I'm not terribly concerned about the impact of him playing CF for roughly 2/3 (or whatever) of his starts.

Yet...

[james33]

Is it really the case that CF is more dangerous than LF/RF? You've got more hard stops to avoid running into the wall in the corner outfield positions.

[kldub4life]

I have heard Drew Stubbs, and Marlon Byrd both say that CF was marketedably harder on your body.

[joncarlos]

I have heard Drew Stubbs, and Marlon Byrd both say that CF was marketedably harder on your body.

Yeah, it's a lot more wear and tear which worries me on a guy with durability issues. Sheep does make an interesting point that CarGo's injuries haven't been hammy/knee/quad related, so maybe it's much ado about nothing. But it's still one more red flag for me.

[BuckyBuckner]

Is it really the case that CF is more dangerous than LF/RF? You've got more hard stops to avoid running into the wall in the corner outfield positions.

I think it's more running because you are backing up LF and RF on all plays to the outfield as well as more ground in CF to cover.

[Don Quixote]

I have heard Drew Stubbs, and one other guy (can't remember his name) both say that CF was marketably harder on your body.

I think you mean "markably" rather than "marketably".

One thing I remember about Stubbs in Cincinnati is an excessive willingness to take on walls. The wall almost always won, but I admired his lack of fear while regretting his lack of judgment. He's the kind of player you really want to like, even if you don't like his team, but he'll drive you nuts with the wall-banging and the strikeouts.

[Don Quixote]

Actually, I think he meant "markedly" and not "markably" or "marketably".

I think you're right.

[kldub4life]

Yes you are Mr. Diablo!