I have to be honest: I have a hard time getting into fantasy hoops. It’s like a bridge between the best (fantasy football) and the original (fantasy baseball). So let’s get on with a little fantasy baseball.
It’s that time of year again. Spring rolls around, the days get a little longer and the bats and balls come out. And we fantasy geeks start talking about on-base percentage and a pitcher’s WHIP (wins-hits over innings pitched).
So let’s break right into the preview. Most drafts are about two weeks away. I thought I’d break it down by position from catcher to relief pitcher and give you some guys on the way up and guys on the way down. Anyone can tell you to pick Johan Santana. I felt the best knowledge would be those players who should be avoided and those players who may be a steal.
Let’s get it kicked off with the catchers:
On the way up:
I like the Rangers’ Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the guy with the longest surname in the majors. He came over from Atlanta in the Mark Teixeira deal last season and finished with a .266 avg./11 HRs/33 RBI in 93 games. He should be more versed in the AL with half a season under his belt. Right now he’s being ranked anywhere from 6th to the mid-teens. I’d mark him down for around 6th or 7th around guys like Jorge Posada and Kenji Johjima. And since I’m such a daredevil I’d take him before both of those proven guys.
Cubs’ Geovany Soto could be a steal in many drafts. The Chicago rookie is a heavy hitter who will be counted on by the big club this season to add some pop to an already dangerous lineup. He’ll be hitting around guys like Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, so he’ll have plenty of chances.
Padres’ Josh Bard is a guys who can hit for average and get you double-digit home runs … and you can get him for a bargain. If you’re going pass on the big boys like Russell Martin and Victor Martinez, Bard may be the kind of guy you’re looking for. He may split time with Michael Barrett for a time, but soon he’ll be producing too much for San Diego to keep out of the lineup on an everyday basis.
Astos’ J.R. Towles is another guy who you can wait on and get late. He’s a young player who could post numbers in the neighborhood of .280/15/65 for a floundering Houston team. Like Soto and Bard, he’s not likely to threaten Victor Martinez, but don’t grab someone like Johjima in the middle rounds when you can get this guy late and likely get the same production.
On the way down:
Don’t pick Jorge Posada. The guy had a career last season and he’s going to go high in most drafts; too high for me. Posada, who will be 37 in August, hit a career-high .338 with 20 home runs last season. He won’t be doing that this season. I see him going back to his .277 days of 2006 with maybe 16 home runs, definitely not worth at top-5 catcher pick.
Like Posada, Orioles’ Ramon Hernandez is getting a little long in the tooth (32 in May). His numbers have been on the decline since 2005, and now with Baltimore rebuilding, he’ll likely lose at-bats to rookie Matt Wieters. Not a good situation. Avoid him.
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