Spring Training is underway, which means Fantasy Baseball is right around the bend.
Every season introduces fresh faces that determine a teams’ fate. Here is a positional breakdown on possible saviors for your roto-squad:
Catcher — Pablo Sandoval, SF: after an August call-up, Sandoval hit .345 in 41 games, scoring nearly half the times he reached base. He also carries 1B and 3B eligibility, offering depth to any owner that scoops him.
First Base — Conor Jackson, Ari: Jackson hit .300 with 75 RBI’s and 87 runs. Throw in 10 stolen bases and you have yourself a non-traditional four-tool first baseman. His only flaw is a lack of power (10 HR’s in 540 AB’s). If the majority of first base studs happen to be gone, Jackson would fit nicely.
Second Base — Mike Aviles, KC: I can’t remember the last time I thought of drafting a Royal with a bat in hand. Aviles put up solid numbers through 102 games in ’08 (.325 BA, 10 HR’s, 51 RBI’s). Expect Aviles to bat near the top of Kansas City’s batting order where he should score close to 80 runs.
Third Base — Mark Reynolds, Ari: Reynolds absolutely smashes the ball (28 HR’s) if he makes contact (.239 BA, 204 K’s). The ceiling is high for Reynolds, though. He showed flashes of stud in ’08 driving in 97 runs, scoring 87 times and swiping 11 bags. But, don’t expect Reynolds to chip in much with his awful batting average.
Shortstop — Alexei Ramirez, CWS: the 27-year-old Ramirez experienced a minor breakout last season (.290 BA, 21 HR’s, 77 RBI’s). But Ramirez lacked in other areas (18 BB’s in 488 AB’s, .317 OBP, 65 runs). If he can improve his plate discipline, Ramirez could very well top 100 runs.
Outfield — Elijah Dukes, Was: his talent has never been questioned. It’s his health and attitude that concerns owners. After an awful May, Dukes was a man on fire (.287 BA, 13 HR’s, 42 RBI’s, 10 steals in 61 games). He also owned an OBP well over .400 throughout this period. Even if Dukes misses time, he is still a five-tool impact.
Pitcher — Johnny Cueto, Cin — Johnny C. burst onto the scene in his first start of his career (7 IP, 1 hit, 10 K’s). From there, it wasn’t too pretty. Cueto finished with nine wins to 14 losses and flirted with an ERA near five for the majority of ’08.No doubt Cueto has the stuff to dominate (158 K’s to 68 BB’s), but can he keep his composure on the mound. With the potential to win 15 games and collect 200 strikeouts, Cueto is worth the gamble.