Sunday, March 17, 2013

Target & Avoid Pittsburgh Pirates


 

Target Starling Marte

In just over a week Marte’s ADP has gone from 224 to 178. The word is out and people are taking notice. The career .312 hitter in the Minors, Marte is now the everyday LF for the Bucs. I consider him a poor man’s Desmond Jennings while going 100 pick later. Jennings may produce 10 more SB & 10 more runs but Marte will have a better average and more RBI this season. Though spring training stats do not mean much Marte does lead all players in Triples while putting a .406 OBP. The future 20/20 LF has one drawback as most Dominicans do…they swing at everything. They learned you do not get off the island taking pitches. If Clint Hurdle can harness his aggressiveness, which may be 1 year away, the ceiling is high for Marte. If he can produce a league average walk rate his OBP and SB will soar. He should learn to bunt and take more advantage of his speed as the year goes on. As the 49th  OF off the board he is a steal as a 4th outfielder.

 

Avoid Garret Jones

With an ADP of 229 he is nowhere equal to producing at that pick. Not only will he lose ABs to Gaby Sanchez at 1B the crowded Pirates OF gives him little to no opportunity. Sanchez is having a much better spring with 3 HR compared to Jones 0 and Jones does not have an extra base hit. Jones will start the season as the everyday 1B but by early May be relegated to pinch hitting and late inning defense at 1B. He will not even finish the season with 350 ABs and will be lucky to get a dozen HR. Even with his dual eligibility he is not worth more than a last round pick as a back-up CI.

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