CBRACKE
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You are probably sick of hearing about Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols already and it’s still weeks from most league drafts.
If you’ve looked at my rankings recently, you can tell that I’m very concerned about Pujols elbow. It’s difficult to be optimistic considering he opted against surgery to correct a strained ligament in his elbow after he met with specialists regarding the injury. While the numbers suggest otherwise, the injury has actually been an issue for him since 2003. He claims he won’t adjust the way he prepares for the season this spring, but there are certain people who feel otherwise.
In the following article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, manager Tony LaRussa will consider relying on the “Pujols Rules” to help him monitor the superstar slugger’s health and keep him in the lineup for the majority of the season. “He’ll probably have less at-bats in spring when camp ends than in previous years,” LaRussa told the Post-Dispatch. While Pujols remains adamant that the elbow injury is a thing of the past, his manager is more realistic in his assumption that his star is only one awkward swing or one diving catch at first away from tweaking the injury severely.
On top of limiting him this spring, LaRussa went as far to suggest he’d consider routine days off for Pujols during the season, citing the possibility of Sundays before a day off. What are fantasy owners to make of this possible strategy?
You’ve already seen me adjust my rankings to put Pujols behind a handful of other options at first base and even if Albert plays the majority of spring training I’m sticking to my guns on this one.
If healthy, Pujols figures to lead first baseman in batting average, but the Cardinals lineup is much less potent than it’s been in recent years and there is no question about the fact that not having surgery on an obvious problem having an effect on his numbers is a questionable decision. Don’t think it’s that big of an issue? See his significant enough slide in all five major roto categories last season.
As someone who drafts at the back end of most of my drafts this season (don’t worry, this means I finished well in most of my leagues) I’ve been asking myself the question, “At what point do I have to accept the risk and take a guy who has been an offensive monster his entire career?” The keeper element of my leagues makes this decision a much different one since many players typically available at the back end of the first round are actually kept. I still believe that I trust as many as five other first baseman as much or more than Pujols this season and given the fact there will be significant value still available at the end of the first round, I’m determined to take a pass on the Pujols Rules this season.
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