Free Fantasy Advice: All-in with Ace(s)?

March 14, 2007
Here at Project Prospect, we’re as into following the big leagues as we are the minors. So we have perspectives on every kind of fantasy question. We’re making an effort to help your team out by providing Free Fantasy Advice once a week.

 

Ronnie from Raleigh, N.C. asks:

I'm currently competing in a H2H keeper league. I have to make a decision between holding onto Justin Verlander and Matt Cain or just Roy Halladay. We use a budget system in our league – not locked roster spots. So with our keeper system, holding onto these two players wouldn’t be any more expensive than keeping just Halladay by himself.

My question: would you rather go into this year with Cain and Verlander, or Halladay and a starting pitcher in the 35-50 range of starting pitchers?

Thanks!

Ronnie

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Ronnie,

This question grabbed my attention easily – I like the general manager side of the equation in your league, addressing overall finance over straight roster spots. Welcome to the big leagues, my friend.

So what does every general manager dream about attaining each and every night? Having that horse of an ace to lead the rotation into battle. There aren’t too many stallions who can make the trot out to the hill better than Roy Halladay.

Since 2002, the 6-foot-6, 225-pound righty has averaged a cool 200 innings per season, but that stretch did include injury-riddled campaigns in 2004 and 2005. That being said, Halladay showed no signs of wear and tear in his 220-inning 2006 season, where Toronto’s ace posted a strong 132:34 strikeout to walk rate with an equally impressive 1.10 WHIP.

Roy Halladay is the best starting pitcher on the planet not named Johan Santana. And I have absolutely no problem dropping him in this case.

Why? More is better. While Halladay may be one of the two best pitchers in the free world to date, Verlander, 24, and Cain, 22, give you a pair of frontline starters – both of which have the potential to one day hold a Halladay-like prowess on the mound.

Verlander won 17 games with a 1.33 WHIP en route to picking up the AL Rookie of the Year Award last season. While he may not have picked up the NL equivalent of Verlander’s honor, Matt Cain posted a 1.28 WHIP in impressive fashion, building up an imposing 179:87 strikeout to walk clip on the hill.

Both Cain and Verlander were featured in Project Prospect’s Top 50 Pitchers under 25 list, ranking third and sixth on the chart respectively. These two will both be dominant forces on the mound beyond the next decade.

Roy Halladay is Roy Halladay. Verlander and Cain are not there yet – operative word being yet. The chance to deal out a Matt Cain-Justin Verlander combo in the future is far too good to pass up, no matter who must be folded away.


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