Roto Riteup: March 28, 2016

Starting today, the Roto Riteup is back on a daily basis!

On the agenda:
1. James Paxton vs Nate Karns, redux
2. Hyun Soo Kim on the chopping block
3. Shane Green: Tigers’ fifth starter
4. Some banged up catchers

James Paxton vs Nate Karns, redux
The battle for the Mariners’ fifth starter spot is maybe the most fantasy relevant spring training competition, as the upside of each player has a chance to impact all leagues. We have just a couple days left before the season starts, but Paxton took the mound yesterday and got slaughtered by the Cubbies, who pretty much ran out their opening day lineup. Paxton’s spring ERA now sits above 10.00, but Karns hasn’t yet done his part to ensure Pax is demoted before April. Karns will start for the M’s today, and it seems as if he can lock down the job with a merely decent performance. Karns is the best choice for fantasy owners due to a higher K-rate and a more durable history, but neither isn’t a safe bet for anything more than a $1 to fill out your squad.

Hyun Soo Kim on the chopping block
The Orioles signed Kim to a two-year this offseason, but no longer seem interested in honoring that pact. Kim is hitting under .200 this spring, and with Nolan Reimold healthy, Ryan Flaherty smashing the ball, and Rule V selection Joey Rickard forcing his way into the conversation, the club doesn’t feel comfortable handing the job over to the Korean import. Kim cannot be sent to the minors without his approval, and frankly, he has little reason to grant such consent to the organization. Kim originally was projected to hit at the top of the Orioles’ order and provide some on-base skills to the power-happy team, but if he even starts at this point, he’ll be in the bottom third. If you haven’t drafted yet, stay far away from Kim.

Shane Green: Tigers’ fifth starter
While nothing is certain, it appears as if Green will make Detroit’s Opening Day rotation, mostly due to an injury to Daniel Norris. You may remember Green as the man who had an ERA just south of 7.00 last year, but it’s important to realize that he put together 23 impressive innings to start the year, and was a quality starter for the Yankees in 2014. Green has struck out 14 batters in 13-plus innings of work, walking three and allowing four earned while touching the upper 90s on the radar gun.

Some banged up catchers
Buster Posey was forced to miss yesterday’s game due to a hip problem, but it sounds as if it’s not a real issue, and the benching was extremely precautionary. Posey is expected to play today, so if he misses the game, it will tell us that something more could be up.

Another NL West catcher is having a bit more serious injury bout: Yasmani Grandal may not be ready for Opening Day due to a forearm injury, and though manager Dave Roberts is optimistic he’ll be prepared, things don’t sound all that promising. Grandal has a chance to break out this year if he can just stay healthy, but this is not a positive start. If Grandal can’t make it back by April 3, expect Austin Barnes to make the squad; he can be an interesting DFS play when filling in for A.J. Ellis.