Tale of the fantasy tape: Dodgers vs. Giants

Tale of the fantasy tape: Dodgers vs. Giants

Which NL West rival has superior fantasy assets?

February 28th, 2017

The battle between the Dodgers and Giants is expected to be the most heated in the Pacific time zone this season.
Los Angeles has finished first in the National League West for four years running, but it hasn't claimed a World Series title since 1988. Meanwhile, San Francisco has won it all three times over the past seven seasons.
• 2017 Fantasy Player Preview: Dodgers | Giants | Full rankings
But who has the edge in 2017? Find out below as we compare the fantasy value of their key players for the upcoming campaign.
Catcher: Although took a small step backward last season (.288, 14 homers), he's still the gold standard among fantasy catchers. The lifetime .307 hitter holds a sizable advantage over , who is a useful power source at the tail end of mixed-league drafts but also carries a career .238 average.
Winner: Giants

First base: Although he is sometimes stifled by his pitcher-friendly home park -- where he's hit just 26 of his 80 career home runs -- deserves a spot in all mixed-league lineups after posting a career-best .868 OPS and 0.7 BB/K ratio last season. Belt has a narrow edge over , who showed signs of decline in '16 by producing a sub-.800 OPS for the first time since '05.
Winner: Giants

Second base: With stellar plate discipline and top-notch contact skills, Joe Panik should rebound from his '16 struggles -- which were fueled by poor batted-ball fortune (.245 BABIP) and reported vision issues following a concussion. But Panik's expected '17 fantasy value trails that of , who could produce 20 homers and 90 runs as a fixture atop the Dodgers' lineup.
Winner: Dodgers

Shortstop: needed just one full season to prove that he is one of the game's most talented players and a viable second-round pick in mixed leagues. The youngster should outperform steady-but-unspectacular (.275 average, 12 homers in '16) by a wide margin.
Winner: Dodgers

Third base: was one of the biggest breakout performers of '16, producing 16 homers and 40 steals after opening the season on waivers in virtually every league. But with just one season of mixed-league relevance under his belt and regression possibly on the horizon, Nunez should be selected after (.296/.364/.492 slash line from '14-16) in '17 drafts.
Winner: Dodgers

Left field: Although both clubs are unsettled at this spot, the Dodgers get the edge. The combination of high-upside youngster (.870 OPS in '16) and veterans (career .822 OPS) and (lifetime .846 OPS vs. LHP) should provide more fantasy production than the Giants' inexperienced duo of (.726 OPS in '16) and (.751 OPS in '16).
Winner: Dodgers
Center field: Despite persistent struggles against left-handers (.469 OPS vs. LHP in '16), has the necessary power to produce 25 home runs and 70 RBIs this season. Pederson is a better fantasy asset than , who hit .266 last year and has compiled just 23 stolen bases since the outset of '15.
Winner: Dodgers

Right field: Once one of baseball's iron men, is now more of a wild card after playing just 158 games across the past two seasons. But with a .284 average, 22 homers, 97 RBIs and 88 runs scored in that span, Pence can be selected ahead of . The Cuban-born outfielder should slide to the final rounds of mixed-league drafts, given he's posted a .260/.323/.425 slash line since the outset of '15.
Winner: Giants

No. 1 starter: is a bona fide mixed-league ace, but he cannot match the fantasy production of . The Dodgers southpaw was an elite fantasy option despite missing more than two months with a back injury last season, as he finished with astonishing ratios (1.69 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 15.6 K/BB) and 172 strikeouts over 149 innings.
Winner: Dodgers

No. 2 starter:Rich Hill (2.12 ERA, 1.00 WHIP in '16) is a mixed-league ace on a per-start basis, but his lengthy injury history leaves him behind in fantasy rankings. With a 2.73 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP across 166 starts since the outset of '11, Cueto has overcome unremarkable strikeout numbers (7.6 K/9 rate from '11-16) to rank among the most reliable hurlers in baseball during that span.
Winner: Giants

No. 3 starter: While will need to produce a worthy follow-up to his successful rookie season (3.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) before fantasy owners can consider him as an early-round option, his immediate success gives him a slight edge over talented southpaw Matt Moore. Battling through control and injury problems, Moore has produced an unremarkable lifetime 3.91 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.
Winner: Dodgers

No. 4 starter: Still just 20 years old, has the skills to make massive strides in his second season after overcoming a .358 BABIP to post an impressive 3.39 ERA as a rookie. Even though the Dodgers may limit his innings, Urias is a preferred '17 option to inconsistent veteran Jeff Samardzija (3.81 ERA, 7.4 K/9 rate in '16).
Winner: Dodgers

No. 5 starter: Though both clubs entered Spring Training without stability at the back of the rotation, the Dodgers' fifth-starter candidates (, Alex Wood, , ) have greater fantasy potential than the Giants' (, , ).
Winner: Dodgers
Closer: The Giants made a notable bullpen upgrade when they added top-flight closer (1.80 ERA, 0.91 WHIP from '13-16) in the offseason. But like every other stopper, Melancon cannot match the fantasy value of . With a lifetime 2.20 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 13.9 K/9 rate, Jansen should be the No. 1 reliever on every '17 draft board.
Winner: Dodgers

Setup men: While neither club possesses a setup man with game-changing fantasy value, both have multiple relievers with the skills to contribute in deep formats. This position can be labeled a draw, with and likely to be the best options from their respective clubs.
Winner: Push

Final verdict: As the Dodgers prepare to challenge for a fifth straight division title, their deep and talented roster gives them a 10-4 win (with one tie) over the Giants in this Tale of the Fantasy Tape.