Albert Pujols or Johan Santana?

cubfanindy · Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject: Albert Pujols or Johan Santana?

Any interest topic has come up in my keeper baseball league. We have dissolved one team, and an expansion team will be joining the league. After an "expansion draft" with castoffs from the other 15 teams in the league, we have a five round draft for everyone. At that point all players from the dissolved team will be available, and the expansion team gets first pick.

So the point is this: the dissolved team had both Albert Pujols and Johan Santana. Our scoring system benefits power and strikeouts. Who would you take?

It's a tough call. For my team, I take Santana. I have Todd Helton who will be healthy and resurgent this year, and if he isn't or gets hurt, I can slide Berkman in at first, which I can do anyway if Hunter Pence or any of my outfield prospects bloom early. My needs at 1B aren't that great, and there's always room for a great (probably the best) SP. They're the jello of fantasy baseball.
For an expansion team though? That's a tough call. It's win/win really. Probably Pujols. It's a very close call, and Pujols is actually 1 year younger. Surprising he's only 27. It seems like he's been around forever. Still, there may not be a pitcher who I would rather build a pitching staff around than Santana, and honestly, starting pitchers have more trade value than even the great Pujols, because EVERYONE needs starting pitching.
If I'm assuming he's never trading him, I'd go with Pujols. That's an unrealistic assumption to make though. There are many owners in the league who would overpay for either one, but especially for Santana. Everyone needs a starting pitcher. Not everyone needs a first baseman.