2021 Scorpio Batters
My reverse-chronological trip through Fantasy Astrology Baseball League history has taken me to the mid-1980s, a period where Scorpio ran roughshod over the rest of the league. From 1985 to 1987, the Scorpions scored the most fantasy point in the league, thanks to the top two Dwight’s in baseball history: Gooden and Evans. So it’s a bit of a shock for me to see this sign in the bottom third in 2021. But the karmic wheel continues turning, and I’m sure Scorpio will be back on top in no time… from a cosmic perspective, at least. Here’s a position-by-position look at the 2021 Scorpio batters.
No catcher can draw a walk quite like Yasmani Grandal, who at one point last season had an above .400 on base percentage with a sub-.200 batting average. Elias Diaz of the Rockies is around as the primary backup, with Rays former top prospect Francisco Mejia waiting in the wings. Scorpio’s top five fantasy catchers in 2021 all come from different countries: Grandal is from Cuba, Diaz is Venezuelan, Mejia was born in the Dominican Republic, and Blue Jays rookie Alejandro Kirk is from Mexico. Veteran Stephen Vogt is the top left-handed hitting option (although Grandal and Mejia are switch hitters). Curt Casali could keep the catching spot in San Francisco warm for Joey Bart, following Buster Posey’s retirement.
Scorpio’s top primary first base option is Eric Hosmer, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations since signing a massive deal with the Padres. Rookies Alex Kirilloff (when he’s not in the outfield) and Lewin Diaz could take over the position in the long term, and Danny Santana has settled in as a rare 1B/CF utility option. Moving to second base, Tony Kemp graduated from bench piece to serviceable starter with the 2021 A’s, and rookie Owen Miller could fill a role with the Guardians moving forward. But the sign would be better off filling second base with shortstop depth in a hypothetical offseason tournament.
Rafael Devers built nicely off his breakout 2019, and his left-handed bat was a big reason why the Red Sox earned a Wild Card spot last year. Even though Kyle Seager never played any first base in his recently wrapped-up career, I have him sliding across the diamond in my official lineups, just because he drastically outperformed Hosmer on the season. Asdrubal Cabrera actually has some experience at first base, as he has transitioned from full-time shortstop to utility infielder. Santiago Espinal emerged as a surprising starting option at the hot corner for the Blue Jays. Joe Panik, Espinal’s one-time teammate in Toronto, is on hand as minor league depth.
Trevor Story remains one of the two biggest shortstop targets on the open market through the lockout after playing out his service time clock with the Rockies. I’ve heard indications that he might be willing to move to second base for his new potential team, which has implications for this Scorpio infield as well. Next in fantasy points on the shortstop depth chart is Amed Rosario, who also got some playing time in center field. But if Francisco Lindor didn’t lose time to injury, he would have certainly outperformed Rosario, for whom he was traded during the last offseason. Veteran Freddy Galvis will likely start in the Fantasy Astrology equivalent of Triple-A.
Going position-by-position doesn’t allow Scorpio to put its best foot forward in terms of outfielders, as Willie Calhoun leads all Scorpio left fielders with less than 600 fantasy points. Marcell Ozuna didn’t get the chance to build on a fine 2020 season due to a combination of injuries and a domestic violence suspension. Rookie Brent Rooker has a chance to play a significant role with the Twins sometime down the line. Luis Barrera and Jacob Robson showed up as #13 and #28 on the top 30 prospect lists of Oakland and Detroit, respectively, as of the end of the season.
Trent Grisham of the Padres is Scorpio’s top-scoring primary center fielder, and according to his MLB The Show 21 player rating, he would earn the starting job. Steven Duggar is a part-time platoon player for the Giants. Former top prospect Nick Gordon (brother of Dee) adds to Minnesota’s staple of Scorpio rookies. Not even Ender Inciarte’s prized center field defense could keep him on Atlanta’s injury-ravaged roster last season. The Braves’ #1 ranked prospect, Cristian Pache, is the only right-handed hitting center field option in the Scorpio player pool.
Right field is where Scorpio really shines. Juan Soto, baseball’s most electrifying pitch-taker, moved over from left field for the Nationals shortly after the departure of Bryce Harper. Joey Gallo split his 2021 season between the two corner outfield spots with the Rangers and Yankees, and he’s also a theoretical option to handle first base. It’s impressive that Dylan Carlson even gained center field eligibility, considering that his Cardinals teammate Harrison Bader is generally considered one of the league’s best with the glove. The most impactful part of Brian Goodwin’s season was when he hit a line drive that fractured the face of A’s ace pitcher Chris Bassitt, effectively putting a nail in the coffin of their 2021 playoff hopes.
Primary designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton didn’t technically play enough games at any one outfield position to qualify, but if you combine his games in both corner spots, he gets to the requisite 20 games total. While he doesn’t need to take the field in order to maximize Scorpio’s 2021 fantasy points, it’s good to know that option is on the table.
No sign from the bottom three is going to have that strong a pitching staff, but Scorpio had some pretty impressive pieces in their rotation, at least. And next time, I’ll take a look at all of them and more!