Has Anybody Seen Joe Mauer And BatMan Together?
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:21 am
My little girl was afraid of monsters. Each night for awhile, she would have me check in the closet, under her bed, and outside the window to re-assure her that she was safe.
Finally, we had to have a talk. I told her that monsters were man-made. A creation conjured up from other humans. Something they could write a book about or make a movie with. I told here that if she believed in monsters, she also had to believe in SuperMan or BatMan, in which case, she would be saved by a Super Hero anyhow.
This had me thinking of how anybody could even compare SuperMan with BatMan. BatMan is sooooo out of SuperMan's league.
He doesn't have a super power.
BatMan drives a car that SuperMan could fly by or even out-run.
BatMan has a BatCave. SuperMan, the Fortress of Solitude.
BatMan has a partner as manly as Kate Upton. SuperMan needs none.
BatMan wears a cape and enjoys being called 'The Caped Crusader. SuperMan thinks a cape looks cool when flying.
There really is no comparison. SuperMan is SuperMan.
BatMan is James Bond, without Bond's self confidence.
James Bond is 007 and he doesn't care who knows.
BatMan is Bruce Wayne, who needs a butler.
What does this have to do with baseball?
I'm in two drafts for 2015. And one name sticks in my craw.
Joe Mauer.
As each round passed in both drafts, I thought to myself that I SHOULD take Joe Mauer.
But, I can't.
Joe Mauer is a monster.
A man created myth that many THINK can hit for power. Because he did one year.
That one year, he was Frankenstein.
And drafters are looking for a sequel. But, like the original Frankenstein, there is no worthy sequel.
That one year, he was SuperMan.
And since, Mauer carries a tube of 'Head and Shoulders' and a lump of Kryptonite in his pocket.
In effect, Joe Mauer resembles BatMan. He has hoodwinked us into thinking he is something special. His partner, all these seasons in fantasy baseball, has not been Robin, but the Catcher position.
BatMan is good at making himself look wonderful. Partner up with a less manly partner or weak position makes him look bigger than life.
Can Mauer hit?
Sure he can. And I like Mauer. That is why I feel like I 'SHOULD' be drafting him.
But why?
He has lost his partner in fantasy baseball, the catching position. At least with the catching position, we could mutter to ourselves, "At least we'll get batting average out of our catcher slot".
Now, he's at 1B.
We don't care about Avg as much here.
What we want is power.
Mauer has as much power as the Penguin.
No wait, Cey had more.
Here is Mauer's line for 2014....277/60/4/55/3
Mauer's only super power for an NFBC drafter is that he hits in the middle of a lineup.
But, don't most first basemen?
Mauer was taken in the 11th round of a 30 round draft.
In the 14th round of a 50 round draft.
Each round, I had thought about him, and just as quickly, dismissed him.
I had to ask myself first, Joe Mauer or Billy Butler?
Both have seen better years. Both have been drafted 'hoping' for more power.
Now, most drafters see them as they are. Batting Average guys in the middle of a lineup.
Butler's line last year was .271/57/9/66/0
They have become pretty much the same hitter.
They used to be drafted in the Adrian Gonzalez portion of drafts. Now, they are lucky to go in the teens rounds with Mark Teixeira. Ahead of James Loney in the 20's rounds.
And really, they are lucky (or we are stupid) to be ahead of Loney.
Here is Loney's line....290/59/9/69/4
If anything, Loney has the better of the three lines among the 1B.
The reason why Loney is available much later is that drafters 'KNOW' he won't have any chance of a power spike.
With Mauer and Butler, drafters hold out hope that Kryptonite has been the enemy, not themselves.
Mauer has run the gauntlet.
In drafters estimations, he has gone from being SuperMan to BatMan.
And now, for me at least, Mauer has gone from BatMan to Bruce Wayne.
He is rich, a philantropist, and all round nice guy.
Those, are not roto categories.
Finally, we had to have a talk. I told her that monsters were man-made. A creation conjured up from other humans. Something they could write a book about or make a movie with. I told here that if she believed in monsters, she also had to believe in SuperMan or BatMan, in which case, she would be saved by a Super Hero anyhow.
This had me thinking of how anybody could even compare SuperMan with BatMan. BatMan is sooooo out of SuperMan's league.
He doesn't have a super power.
BatMan drives a car that SuperMan could fly by or even out-run.
BatMan has a BatCave. SuperMan, the Fortress of Solitude.
BatMan has a partner as manly as Kate Upton. SuperMan needs none.
BatMan wears a cape and enjoys being called 'The Caped Crusader. SuperMan thinks a cape looks cool when flying.
There really is no comparison. SuperMan is SuperMan.
BatMan is James Bond, without Bond's self confidence.
James Bond is 007 and he doesn't care who knows.
BatMan is Bruce Wayne, who needs a butler.
What does this have to do with baseball?
I'm in two drafts for 2015. And one name sticks in my craw.
Joe Mauer.
As each round passed in both drafts, I thought to myself that I SHOULD take Joe Mauer.
But, I can't.
Joe Mauer is a monster.
A man created myth that many THINK can hit for power. Because he did one year.
That one year, he was Frankenstein.
And drafters are looking for a sequel. But, like the original Frankenstein, there is no worthy sequel.
That one year, he was SuperMan.
And since, Mauer carries a tube of 'Head and Shoulders' and a lump of Kryptonite in his pocket.
In effect, Joe Mauer resembles BatMan. He has hoodwinked us into thinking he is something special. His partner, all these seasons in fantasy baseball, has not been Robin, but the Catcher position.
BatMan is good at making himself look wonderful. Partner up with a less manly partner or weak position makes him look bigger than life.
Can Mauer hit?
Sure he can. And I like Mauer. That is why I feel like I 'SHOULD' be drafting him.
But why?
He has lost his partner in fantasy baseball, the catching position. At least with the catching position, we could mutter to ourselves, "At least we'll get batting average out of our catcher slot".
Now, he's at 1B.
We don't care about Avg as much here.
What we want is power.
Mauer has as much power as the Penguin.
No wait, Cey had more.
Here is Mauer's line for 2014....277/60/4/55/3
Mauer's only super power for an NFBC drafter is that he hits in the middle of a lineup.
But, don't most first basemen?
Mauer was taken in the 11th round of a 30 round draft.
In the 14th round of a 50 round draft.
Each round, I had thought about him, and just as quickly, dismissed him.
I had to ask myself first, Joe Mauer or Billy Butler?
Both have seen better years. Both have been drafted 'hoping' for more power.
Now, most drafters see them as they are. Batting Average guys in the middle of a lineup.
Butler's line last year was .271/57/9/66/0
They have become pretty much the same hitter.
They used to be drafted in the Adrian Gonzalez portion of drafts. Now, they are lucky to go in the teens rounds with Mark Teixeira. Ahead of James Loney in the 20's rounds.
And really, they are lucky (or we are stupid) to be ahead of Loney.
Here is Loney's line....290/59/9/69/4
If anything, Loney has the better of the three lines among the 1B.
The reason why Loney is available much later is that drafters 'KNOW' he won't have any chance of a power spike.
With Mauer and Butler, drafters hold out hope that Kryptonite has been the enemy, not themselves.
Mauer has run the gauntlet.
In drafters estimations, he has gone from being SuperMan to BatMan.
And now, for me at least, Mauer has gone from BatMan to Bruce Wayne.
He is rich, a philantropist, and all round nice guy.
Those, are not roto categories.