Chris Carter: Does Power Outweigh Low Batting Average?

The Houston Astros made the postseason for the first time since joining the American League. The offense looked good and the starting pitchers more than held their own. However, there were some questions in the lineup. The team struggled a bit. One of the main contributors to both the good and the bad on the offense was Chris Carter. The question is, does his power outweigh the low batting average? 

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Chris Carter has been a staple in the Astros offense since he joined the team in 2013. In his final season with the Oakland Athletics, he hit 16 home runs, 39 RBI and a .239 average in 67 games. The following year, first with Houston, he hit 29 homers, 82 RBI and a .223 average in 148 games.

Those numbers look good enough from a first baseman, but there is one stat I want to focus on. That stat is Carter’s 212 strikeouts. That led the league by 13, Chris Davis with 199. To make matters worse, his .223 batting average was the second-lowest among hitters with at least 29 home runs.

However, fantasy owners will argue that the 29 home runs and 82 RBI offset the low average.

The following season Chris Carter had 37 home runs, 88 RBI and a .227 average in 145 games. He had 182 strikeouts and just 56 walks. While the average is low, his .308 on-base percentage is nothing to scoff at.

Of hitters with at least 29 home runs in 2014, Carter had the lowest batting average. Lucas Duda was second at .253. Again, are 37 home runs and 88 RBI greater than 182 strikeouts and a .227 average? The Player Rater says it does. He finished 70th among all players and 17th among first basemen.

This season was more of the same from Chris Carter. While he played in just 129 games, he hit 24 home runs, 64 RBI, 57 walks, 151 strikeouts and a .199 average. The average continues to drop, but so do the strikeouts. As a 10th-round pick, he finished No. 435 on the Player Rater this season. 435. I’m pretty I ranked ahead of him.

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There are many other players in fantasy that are one-stat players, so Chris Carter is not alone. He provides owners with the power numbers while the other stats suffer. The question you have to ask yourself is if those numbers are worth having a below-.200 hitter. My answer is no.

Carter should not be drafted in the top 200 in standard leagues. If he only hits 25 home runs and 85 RBI, he better hit .250 as well. Unfortunately, the fact he won’t hit above .225. I cannot fathom a reason why you need to own Carter. He does have first base eligibility, but the position is rich with talent that Carter will likely go undrafted, and rightfully so.