Manager Dave Martinez indicated Wednesday that Starlin Castro is the most likely candidate to open the season as the Nationals’ No. 3 hitter, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reported on March 11th, 2020, which was approximately two and half years ago. You remember March of 2020, it lasted 365 days and was followed by a year of April and we’re now about halfway through a year of May, and I believe May is a leap year. So, roughly 800 days ago, Starlin Castro was penciled in as the Nats’ three-hole hitter, and that alone was reason to give him a closer look. David Wright in 2013 was the last three-hole hitter that wasn’t worth owning for counting stats (that I remember, and my memory is all over the map; I’ll remember thinking in the 6th grade The Peanut Butter Solution was someone with peanut butter in their underwear, so I tried to do a “Peanut Butter solution” rather than go to the bathroom, but I can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday). For whatever reason, David Wright’s three-hole year in 2013 has stuck with me and he should’ve stuck it in his two-hole with a Peanut Butter Solution it was such crap. Wright’s 2013 runs and RBIs respectively were 63 and 58 (was in only 112 games, but still). Another crazy stat from that egregious lineup was Eric Young Jr. had 68 runs with a .254 average and 43 steals (so moving into scoring position and still no runs) and that was in 508 ABs! HA! What in the actual eff. Some of those leadoff at-bats came for the Rockies in Coors too, because he was traded to the Mets after 57 games. How is that line by Eric Young Jr. even possible? Mathematically, that Eric Young Jr. is the craziest line in the history of baseball, please prove me wrong, so I can stop thinking about it. Seriously, how does one steal 43 bags and only score 68 times! He also had 7 triples and two homers! Okay, moving on. So, what can we expect from Starlin Castro in 2020 fantasy baseball and what makes him a great dart throw?
Last year, pound for pound, the Nationals had the best three-hole hitter. Their collective line was 127/40/143/.308/8 in 620 ABs. Sure, I’m walking behind Juan Soto carrying his cape, and the only way Starlin Castro is getting 620 ABs this year is if the Nats play one of the games in this shortened season that goes into extras for 475 innings. The Nats also have a newish lineup this year vs. last year, but they are still a great offensive team. Even if Starlin Castro only gets 350 ABs in a 100-game season, if he hits third, he’s going to be in about as good a situation to succeed, and sometimes all you need to succeed is a good situation. In the top 500, there’s at least 100 guys who are interesting because of their situation vs. them being good. Basically, the entire Rockies team is good because of their situation. Okay, besides situation, Castro’s 2nd half last year in only 74 games and 285 ABs, he hit 16 homers and .302 with a 15.4% K-rate and fairly neutral BABIP of .310. You don’t need me to point it out, but that’s what I say right before pointing it out, that was in as bad a situation as you get. Hilariously, the Marlins runs and RBIs from their three-hole hitter was 75 and 77 respectively. Nearly half of what the Nats did! You put Castro with 16 homers and .302 average in that Nats lineup, and you know what you get? Last year’s Howie Kendrick, and on our Player Rater for last year Kendrick was ranked 180th overall. Considering Castro has an ADP about hundred spots after that, he’s a great late round flyer and you should take that dart throw.
