30 Minutes to Decide: Start Domingo Santana or Billy Butler This Week?

[cavebird]

I picked up and stashed Santana a few weeks back and now everyone is reporting that he will be up starting tonight. I assume he will play full time in the outfield position formerly occupied by Hoes/Grossman. Billy Butler is, putting it nicely, a mild disappointment this year. No idea if Santana will start hot, looking to catch a little lightning in a bottle (hell, if he were a pitcher, I'd put him in without thinking about it, that's where I really need the help). I have to decide by 10 minutes or so before the first game starts at about 1 Eastern.

I also have to decide whether to start Jaso or Brandon Belt. (I currently have Lucroy at CI, so he slides to C.) Belt is destroying minor league pitching on the rehab assignment that might be cut short, but should definitely be back Friday. So he should get four games this week (Tues-Monday weeks) at minimum, while Jaso will probably play 6 (they play seven games, six against righties).

So, what sayeth the Pen?

[cardboardbox]

I'd take Belt's 4 games over Jaso's 6.

I think I'll go with Butler this week.

Thats my quick no thinking decision!

[cavebird]

Thanks for the input. Using pretty much the same quick no thinking decision-making process, I went with Belt and Santana. I figure Belt is better than Jaso and gets almost as many games (or as many if the Giants decide that having him destroy minor league pitching is a waste of time). And I went with Santana because I am sick of watching Billy Butler be mediocre. At least with Santana, since I am in the theoretical Astros TV market, I have absolutely no way of watching him, so if he sucks, I at least don't have to see it.

[Kevin Seitzer]

Thanks for the input. Using pretty much the same quick no thinking decision-making process, I went with Belt and Santana. I figure Belt is better than Jaso and gets almost as many games (or as many if the Giants decide that having him destroy minor league pitching is a waste of time). And I went with Santana because I am sick of watching Billy Butler be mediocre. At least with Santana, since I am in the theoretical Astros TV market, I have absolutely no way of watching him, so if he sucks, I at least don't have to see it.

If you wanna drive to Houston, I'll offer you a free ticket to come watch Santana.

[cavebird]

If it were close enough to be feasible, I'd be there fairly often. It really isn't much shorter of a drive than the drive to Atlanta. The 5.5 hour drive makes it impossible to just go for a day to go to a game. Nice stadium, however. I've been there a few times.