Prior to 2010, Chone Figgins was viewed as a viable third-base option, bringing speed to a position that rarely brings any. Of course, that was before he signed with the Mariners, who promptly moved him to second base and saw him struggle at the plate.
However, from 2005-2010 (not including Figgins in ’10 since he played 2B), there were seven seasons where a third baseman posted 25 SB or more:
- Chone Figgins – 62 – 2005
- Figgins – 52 – 2006
- Figgins – 42 – 2009
- Figgins – 41 – 2007
- Figgins – 34 – 2008
- David Wright – 34 – 2007
- Wright – 27 – 2009
Bringing that type of ability to a position that generally doesn’t offer it certainly gives him a leg up on the competition, especially at a spot on the diamond that fantasy owners view as weak.
As we enter 2011, he is not going to be eligible at 3B from the outset, but it won’t take long for him to regain eligibility there. That is important to keep in mind.
He struggled overall in 2010, hitting .259 with just 62 R. Yes he still got his 42 SB, but considering he brings no power (he’s never hit more than nine home runs in a season and has just seven total over the past three years) and RBI potential, he needs to produce in these other categories.
The runs are a function of a poor offense. We’ve seen Ichiro Suzuki struggle to score runs in recent years, so should it have surprised anyone to see Figgins fail as well?
The Mariners did little to improve an anemic middle of the lineup, adding only Jack Cust this offseason. While they could see an improvement in Justin Smoak and an offensive upgrade by calling up Dustin Ackley, is it really enough?
The answer, flat out, is no. It is hard to imagine the Mariners generating a significant amount of offense once again, meaning that Figgins’ ability to score runs is once again going to be in question.
Yes, it is fair to expect an improvement in the average department. He is a career .287 hitter and posted a BABIP of just .314 in ’10 (since 2003 he had posted a mark below .331 just once). Expecting him to hit .280 is certainly fair.
Again, is it enough to get us interested?
Considering he will continue to have eligibility at 2B and add 3B back into the mix, he certainly does bring value with him.
The fact that he should once again steal 35-plus bases alone gives him value. The fact that he will have eligibility at a weaker position just adds to the allure. However, you need to be in a very specific situation to opt to draft him:
- You need to have more than enough power
- While he may score runs, it is no guarantee so you need to have yourself covered there as well
There are clear-cut holes to his game, so proceed with caution. If you have a stacked offense and need some speed, he’s the perfect choice. If you have a questionable option at 2B or 3B and want to provide some depth, then absolutely.
Drafting him as your starting 3B is tough, unless you are getting significant power from a position that you don’t normally expect to get it.
Does he hold value? Absolutely, but only in the right situation. I would consider him a fallback option, but one of my main targets on draft day.
If he were a lock to score 100 runs it would be a different story, but unfortunately, that’s just not the case in Seattle.
He has a current ADP of 92.10, which just seems extremely too high to me. Outside of the position, you can argue that he has a similar upside to Rajai Davis (.284, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 66 R, 50 SB in ’10).
In fact, with Davis expected to open the year in the leadoff spot for the Blue Jays, there is reason to think that Davis will outscore Figgins (though the addition of Scott Podsednik could change that). Davis’ ADP is 292.73. Just keep that in mind.
What are your thoughts of Figgins? Is there a scenario that you would target him? What do you need to have in order to do so?
**** Make sure to order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****
Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:
- Buchholz, Clay
- Butler, Billy
- Choo, Shin-Soo
- Ethier, Andre
- Freese, David
- Hughes, Phil
- Jaso, John
- Johnson, Chris
- Morrow, Brandon
- Uggla, Dan
- Reyes, Jose
- Suzuki, Kurt
- Wieters, Matt
- Willingham, Josh
- Young, Michael
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