Categories: Fantasy Baseball

One-Catcher Fantasy Baseball Leagues Are Un-American!

Sunday night, I was invited by FantasyTrade411.com invited me into a mock draft for their 2013 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide (COMING SOON!). A few rounds into the draft, I decided to bite on Indians C/1B Carlos Santana. And as I was looking at my lineup, it suddenly dawned on me that this is one of those one-catcher Fantasy Baseball leagues. I asked the commish, Nick, to confirm it, which he did, and then I went into an old man rant, which I’m going to expound on here.

Two Catchers Makes the World Go ‘Round

First, when our forefathers sat down and created this great game back in 1776, they promised two starting catchers in every pot! They told us, “Ask not what two catchers can do with you, but what you can do with two catchers!” And if a $260 auction pot can make it all these years, still intact, then with Glenn Waggoner as my witness, two catchers shall remain in the starting lineup!

Luckily, Carlos Santana has dual eligibility at catcher and first base this season. Photo Credit: Keith Allison

Jake Ciely, a “special” young man that writes for RotoExperts.com, got a little chippy with me about it, and it took everything in my power to not swat him with my cane. He compared two starting catchers in a lineup to be the equivalent of two starting tight ends in Fantasy Football.

It was at this point, my nurse had to bring me my calming meds.

Two tight ends in a 9- or 10-player lineup in Fantasy Football is nowhere near the same as two catchers in a 23-man lineup. He also tried to explain to me that MP3s were better than 8-track tapes, but I turned down my hearing aid.

In every Fantasy Baseball draft, there are a handful of superstar catchers, for sure, and then there are a couple handfuls of serviceable catchers after that. Finally, the last five to eight catchers are below average, and they usually bring a team down a bit. But let’s be real, they’re not much worse than the 500-AB middle infielders that are ruining rosters left and right. So what, we’re only going to draft nine shortstops now!?!

HUZZAH!!!

My team rebounded, after I realized my mistake, and since I had already missed the boat on first baseman, I moved Santana over to that position, and was able to draft Yadier Molina much later than normal (Round 11).

But kids, please, let’s keep this country great, and use two catchers in your starting lineup.

My Mock Draft Roster

1B – Carlos Santana, CLE
2B – Brandon Phillips, CIN
SS – Ben Zobrist, TB
3B – David Freese, STL
MI – Stephen Drew, BOS
CI – Todd Frazier, CIN
C – Yadier Molina, STL
OF – Carlos Gonzalez, COL
OF – Justin Upton, ATL
OF – Shane Victorino, BOS
OF – Hunter Pence, SF
OF –Torii Hunter, DET
DH – Michael Young, PHI
===========
SP – Madison Bumgarner, SF
SP – Adam Wainwright, STL
SP – C.C. Sabathia, NYY
SP – Josh Johnson, TOR
SP – Matt Harrison, TEX
SP – Edinson Volquez, SD
RP – Fernando Rodney, TB
RP – J.J. Putz, ARI
RP – Tom Wilhelmsen, SEA
===========
OF – Wil Myers, TB
RP – Drew Storen, WAS
RP – Jonny Venters, ATL

David Gonos

David Gonos spent 5 years as a CBSSports.com Senior Fantasy Writer and three more years writing with SI.com. Over the past 17 years, his work has been published on NFL.com, MLB.com, FanDuel, FoxSports.com and USA Today. Since 2001, he has been tracking down the Top 50-plus Free Fantasy Football Draft Tools online. You can contact David Gonos here.

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