Starlin Castro

[DOUGHBOYS]

We all want to own the next kid before he explodes on the scene. Starlin Castro exploded onto the scene before most owners could put him in their lineups.

He debuted May 7. In his first game, he hit a home run and drove in six runs.

Castro's call to the Majors was made with crossed fingers and desperation from the Cubs. Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot and Jeff Baker were not the answers in the middle of the infield. Castro's future was moved up a few months.

For the most part, he didn't disappoint the Cubs. His BABIP of .346 supported a .300 batting average that the Cubs Management and fans were buoyed by. While booting some easy plays, he showed good range on other balls.

Castro has never hit below .288 in the minor leagues and stole 28 bases there in 2009.

Rudy Jaramillo has been quoted as saying that Castro possesses more hitting skills than Elvis Andrus. A lot more.

That, that is all the good news.



Castro was prone to '20 year old disease'. He made careless errors, bad judgments, and did not impress on the base paths. He stole only eight bases in five months. He was thrown out at the same rate.

After hitting his home run in his first game, he would only hit two more for the rest of the season. His high in the minors was three home runs. Power-wise, what you see is what you get.

Castro will probably start 2011 near the top of the Cubs order. He doesn't have much competition. But, because of that lack of competition, Castro may have less runs and less running opportunities than his owners would like.

Castro may hit close to .300 again next year. Possibly. Even if that is the case,it'll be an empty .300. He won't hit more than five home runs, or drive in a lot of runs, and any stolen bases above the double figure mark should be considered, gravy.

Castro will go far too high in most drafts. Even going in the single digits.

Consider this, before taking him highly next year... Jason Bartlett owners were not pleased with Bartlett's productivity last year. Bartlett was benched from time to time in favor of Reid Brignac and was also nicked up along the way to a mediocre season. He started the year hitting first, ended it hitting last.

Despite all that, Bartlett led Castro in four of the five roto categories.

Rudy Jaramillo has praised other young hitters before, he will again. It is part of his job. Jaramillo and the Cubs would be ecstatic with a slick fielding shortstop hitting .300 for years to come.

Until Castro gets a little stronger and becomes a better base stealer, the Cubs will be happier about owning Castro, than fantasy owners.



[ October 25, 2010, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]

[Raskol]

Quit picking on my picks, Dan. Pick-picker?



Let the record show, however, that I selected him in a double-digit round, albeit barely.



Also, I see 10 HR and 15 SB. Don't ask me why because I either don't know or just won't tell.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Pick-Picker, I like that.

If a pick-picker could pick on players picked, which players would a pick-picker pick on?

[Raskol]

Obviously, Placido Polanco.