TCB March Madness 2013: Marwin Gonzalez vs Nolan Fontana

TCB's Astros Fan Favorite March Madness Tournament is underway. From now until the end of Spring Training, 64 players will face off in a head-to-head public vote to determine who advances to the next round, and who will eventually be crowned the community's favorite Astros player. For more details, click here for the introductory post.

The rules are simple: Determine which player you think should advance to the next round by voting for that player. Arguments made for an advancing player in the comments section below may be used in that player's description for the next round. Vote subjectively, objectively or by using your trusty magic eight ball. Votes will last exactly 24 hours..

In this match-up:

15 - Marwin Gonzalez

Acquired in the 2011 Rule 5 Draft, Marwin Gonzalez proved to be a valuable fill-in for the infield. In 431 innings of defensive work he provided average to above average defensive value at shortstop, second and third base. A utility infielder that can fill in all over the field and provide positive defense is something this team has lacked since Eric Bruntlett played for the team.

Vs

46 - Nolan Fontana

Nolan Fontana had 222 plate appearances in Lexington in 2012, and he drew 65 walks. Do the math - that's a hair under a 30% walk rate, which helped his OBP (.464) more than double his AVG (.225), despite a healthy .302 BABIP - all despite skipping straight to Lexington after being drafted in the 2nd round. He's a defense-first shortstop with a questionable hit tool, but his patience at the plate has raised a lot of eyebrows. But it's no fluke, as his final year at the University of Florida saw him draw 48 walks to just 27 strikeouts, with a 284/406/444 line. -Anthony