Roto Riteup: March 14, 2016

The Roto Riteup has returned for another season on the hallowed pages. Joining me this year will be Blake Murphy and Justin Mason, and we’ll be warming ourselves up over the next couple weeks to ensure we don’t pull a muscle when the season commences.

If you have any new features/ideas you’d like to see in this year’s Riteup, please do let us know in the comments.

On the agenda:
1. Thinking about Keon Broxton
2. James Paxton vs Nate Karns
3. The Cardinals’ SS situation

Thinking about Keon Broxton
The Brewers have something of an open tryout this spring to see who their Opening Day centerfielder will be. Heck, I was a candidate until I heard the job involved running and pulled myself from the competition. Thanks to my withdrawal, it appears Broxton will be the man for the job barring changes over the last two weeks of spring.

Acquired by the Brewers in the Jason Rogers trade, Broxton has an interesting profile for fantasy owners. The right-hander stole nearly 40 bases in the minors last year and is willing to take a walk, but he hit just .256 in Triple-A thanks to a strikeout rate not far south of 30%. Broxton has a little pop and the patience is nice, but he can’t get away with striking out that often if he wants to be a big league regular. Mixed league owners should shy away from Broxton until the last round, but NL-only squads should have a place for him, even if that roster spot is far from secure. A full season of Broxton could net 25-30 steals, but his average will need to sit close to .250 to not be a burden.

James Paxton vs Nate Karns
Earlier this offseason, I wrote elsewhere that Nate Karns was in the driver’s seat and would be locking down a rotation spot with the Mariners. Now, the tables may have turned. Karns gave up two homers yesterday to the Reds over four innings of work, and has struck out just two batters in 13 innings this spring. Paxton hasn’t been a revelation, but he’s at least struck out four batters in nine innings. It’s been very few innings, and while both starters will be relied upon at some point this year, they each have a chance to be relevant options in slightly-deeper leagues should they win the starting job.

The Cardinals’ SS situation
Outside of a trade, the Cardinals are in trouble up the middle with Jhonny Peralta out for up to half of the regular season. As of now, Jedd Gyorko — acquired this offseason from the Padres in exchange for Jon Jay — looks to be in line for the bulk of the playing time at short, and while that’s the most promising option for fantasy owners, his limited experience at the position could force the Cardinals to turn elsewhere. Greg Garcia is another viable option, and he’ll at the very least make the squad as a backup infielder. Garcia hits from the left side of the plate and Gyorko from the right, so could we see a platoon shape up as St. Louis hedges their bets? Garcia was a league average hitter last year over 87 plate appearances despite a BABIP below .265, so perhaps there’s promise in his bat yet.

All owners should be interested in Gyorko should he win the job, as it’s hard to find power up the middle, especially in the later rounds where the infielder would fall. Garcia, however, would be an intriguing option in OBP leagues should he take the reins, but would not provide much in the way of counting stats.