Book is still out on Chris Carter
With it looking more and more likely Chris Carter is going to end up as the Astros' starting left fielder, it's time to start assessing his Fantasy value and whether or not a change of scenery is going to make a major difference.
Looking at Carter's spring numbers, I don't think he's changed much from the hitter he was with the A's. He still has great power (slugging .554 in 21 spring games), but he continues to hit for a so-so average (.268) and is striking out a lot (20 Ks). He slugged .514 in 67 games for Oakland last season, but he also struck out 83 times.
It's going to be a plus for Carter that he will play regularly with the Astros. He's also expected to hit in the heart of their lineup and the short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park should definitely play big for the right-handed slugger.
But I'm not sure all the positives are ready to wipe out all the negatives for Carter. Looking at his minor-league stat line (.283/.378/.535/.913), you can see the kind of potential Carter brings to the table. But the Astros aren't expected to contend this season, so Carter's RBI potential could also be limited. I still view him as nothing more than a late-round flier in deeper Fantasy formats.
