Mauer to Loney to d'Arnaud

[DOUGHBOYS]

What is the difference between a player with these kind of numbers:
.324/62/11/47/0
And a player with these kind of numbers:
.299/54/13/75/3

Not much, right?
If liking more average, the first player is the choice.
If liking the extra rbi, the second player is the choice.
But, it's not as simple as that.
The first player is a well respected man. Has been for years. His lack of power is overlooked because he plays catcher.
He is Joe Mauer.
The second player is not so respected. He floats around in drafts till taken well into the 20 rounds. He doesn't have a Catcher position to fall back on like Mauer does. His position is first base.
He is James Loney.
Is position worth 21 rounds in a draft?
That is the space between Mauer and Loney in the first 50 rounder.

I thought about this with the news that the Twins will make Mauer a full time 1B next year. This coming year will most likely be the last that Mauer is drafted in single digit rounds. Being a Catcher does make that much difference. A 1B without power is a luxury on a fantasy team. Sure, there will be those that will choose Mauer thinking that less wear and tear of being a 1B may improve his power. Trouble is that Mauer plays in a cavernous park where he has hit nine homers over the last three years. I'm pretty good at math and know that's three per year.
For this year, Mauer may get a slight bump up my lists. Only because his chance of injury becomes slighter. Still, Mauer is mostly drafted for his average. He plays on a team of stiffs. There won't be many that will score on his hits and there won't be many to drive him in.
He'll be a 1B playing catcher on our fantasy team. If Twins do happen to get on base in front of Mauer, pitchers will pitch around him to get to the next hitter.
I had him on Main Event teams last year. He's a little like Joey Votto in the driving an owner crazy department. A box score of 4-0-3-0 becomes almost normal. And if it's 3-0-2-0, that missing at bat are pitchers not pitching to Mauer with runners on base.
Still, he does provide what most catchers do not, batting average.
After next year, he becomes a more expensive James Loney, unless the kids in the Twins system prove they are for real and give Mauer some help in that gawdawful lineup.

Speaking of catchers, I don't trust rookie catchers. Never have, never will. Travis d'Arnaud will be a catcher on many lists this year. I don't remember the last catcher that 'got it' as soon as he hit the Major leagues. I guess hitting-wise, we can say Rosario got it, but he's such a bad receiver that he too may follow the Mauer trail to first base.
Besides being annoying by beginning his name with a small letter, d'Arnaud is being touted as a defensive catcher. Defensive catchers take pride in their work. They are constantly being told by management that the glove and working with pitchers come first, hitting second.
Fantasy players want to tell management to shuddup. But can't.
I won't be a bidder on d'Arnaud this year. It usually takes catchers a few years before they 'get' everything and hitting is usually last. I know some fantasy managers that are still waiting for Carlos Santana and Matt Wieters to break out.
They still haven't played up to their hype.
And at this stage, I don't think d'Arnaud has a chance either.

[headhunters]

wow- short memory. seems to happen in even years. McCann 2006, soto (roids?) 2008 posey 2010 Rosario 2012

[DOUGHBOYS]

wow- short memory. seems to happen in even years. McCann 2006, soto (roids?) 2008 posey 2010 Rosario 2012

You sort of made my point for me.
Only four catchers over the last eight years 'got it' right away.
And one of those was probably steroid driven.(Soto)
And one of those will probably not be a full time catcher next year and will probably be 'Mauer'ed the year after. (Rosario)