2022 Aries In-Depth Look

With the 2022 regular season freshly in the books, what better time to take an in-depth look at all 12 signs in the Fantasy Astrology Baseball League! Depending on your take on positional eligibility rules, Aries either finished third in the league, or seventh. Let’s take a look at the discrepancy, while also framing my offensive analysis through the lens of a projected batting order.

I don’t know if Brandon Nimmo is the best choice to lead off in an all-Aries lineup, but he’s definitely the Aries player who had the most experience batting first in 2022. The Mets center fielder started 147 games in the leadoff spot last year, and I see no reason to buck tradition. For the next spot in the order, the Rams manager* has the choice of not one, but TWO batting title winners to choose from. Jeff McNeil, playing second base and left field, hit .326 for the Mets, while Luis Arraez, playing first base and second base, hit .316 for the Twins. Despite McNeil’s superior numbers, I’m tempted to give this spot to Arraez, since he bat exclusively first or second, while McNeil spent time all over the order.

* In a strange twist, Aries was the only sign that did not have an active MLB manager in 2022. The last Rams to manage MLB teams were Brad Ausmus (part of the A’s coaching staff) and Bruce Bochy (who was just picked to fill the Rangers’ managerial vacancy), both in 2019.

Now we move into an area of legendary corner infield depth. Technically, the top scoring Aries third baseman is Austin Riley, but there’s no way he’s going to take the field over Platinum Glover Nolan Arenado of the Cardinals. So that’s third base and designated hitter spoken for, and then we have Riley’s Braves teammate Matt Olson playing first base and batting fifth. So then going by positional eligibility, that leaves no spots for Alex Bregman, cleanup hitter on the American League Champion Astros, and Christian Walker, second only to Riley in 2022 home runs.

Here's the thing, though: Alex Bregman has played plenty of shortstop in his career. None since 2019, when he was 25 years of age and perhaps a little more athletic, but I doubt the instincts ever leave you completely. And while Walker has just one game of Major League experience in the outfield (back in 2018), he has over 100 games there as a minor leaguer. Considering that the top alternates for these two are White Sox outfielder Andrew Vaughn and Yankees shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, it’s no wonder at the gap in eligible-only vs. inclusive approach in the standings. Either way, slugging catchers Will Smith of the Dodgers and Danny Jansen of the Blue Jays will split time behind the plate.

The Astros have used Cristian Javier in the bullpen and as a starter during the 2022 postseason, but he’s the ace pitcher on the Aries staff. Along with fellow Dominican Frankie Montas (traded from the A’s to the Yankees at the deadline), and resurgent Venezuelans Martin Perez (Rangers) and Carlos Carrasco (Mets), the Rams rotation is 80% Latin American. That number might have jumped to 100% if Eduardo Rodriguez hadn’t had to miss time due to personal reasons – as it stands, Alabama native Corey Kluber fills out the fifth spot.

But the Aries bullpen is the sign’s true strength – after that lights out corner infield contingent, of course. Edwin Diaz didn’t quite reach his 2018 peak as far as total fantasy points, but he did have an absolutely dominant season for the Mets. Josh Hader struggled after the trade that sent him from Milwaukee to San Diego, but he seemed to have found that extra gear again in the postseason. Clay Holmes took over as the Yankees closer after the injuries and then subsequent struggles of Aroldis Chapman. And David Robertson finally gets to pitch significant innings for the Phillies, three years after signing an ill-fated, injury-ruined long term deal, bouncing around the league, and then being re-acquired midseason.