Fantasy Baseball Sleepers for 2008
These Players Come Cheap and Will Help Your Roto Team
These players will fly under the radar in most leagues. Picking one of them up could help push your team over the top.
First Base - James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers. In most leagues, Loney won't be drafted until at least ten other first basemen are gone. But if you look at his numbers, his age, and his development trend, he looks like he should be a fine fantasy player in 2008. He's already shown that he can hit for average, batting .331 last year. He's also got the potential to smack 25 homers and drive in more than 100 runs. In just 344 at-bats last season, he had 15 round-trippers and 67 RBI. He could be a stud.
Second Base - Kelly Johnson, Atlanta Braves. Second base is a pretty thin position, so you will need all of the help that you can get come draft day. In 2007, Johnson hit .276 with 16 home runs, 68 RBI, and 91 runs scored. He's not a great base stealer, but he can get you 15-20 in that category.
Third Base - Edwin Encarnacion, Cincinnati Reds. His full season stats were pretty respectable in 2007, but the key here is trend. In the second half last year, Encarnacion was better than respectable; he was damn good. In just 246 second half at-bats, he hit .309 with 10 home runs, 40 RBI, and scored 34 runs. If he can put together a full season as strong as his second half, he could be the best deal in the draft.
Shortstop - Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay Rays. In 2007 with the Twins, Bartlett hit .265 with 7 triples and 23 stolen bases. With the young, speedy Rays, he should be even more productive. Look for 30 steals, 85 runs and a batting average between .280 and .290.
Outfield - Michael Bourn, Houston Astros. Okay, this one is a longshot. But he'll be a cheap choice in auction leagues and he'll still be around in the late, late rounds in draft leagues. Bourn's most attractive feature is his speed. If he can get 450 at-bats, he'll steal at least 40 bases, maybe 50.
Outfielder - Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox. Quentin will finally be a full-time player this season; he'll be working in left-field for the White Sox, and he could be a breakout star this season. He has the talent to be a .300 hitter with 20+ homers. Draft him in the late rounds or monitor his progress as a free agent. If he starts strong, take a low risk flyer on him.
Outfield - Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates. In just 322 at-bats last year, McLouth hit 13 homers, scored 62 runs and stole 22 bases. His average (.258) and RBI numbers (38) also weren't bad given the fact that he only played about half of a season. This spring, he is hitting well and should win a starting job.
Starting Pitcher - Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks. Yeah, he's 60 years old and he's got a bad back and all that. But he's still Randy Johnson, so take advantage of everyone else's fear. Remember, as much as he struggled in New York, he still won 17 games in 2006. Injuries and surgery ruined his year in 2007, but with only 16 more wins to reach 300, expect Mr. Johnson to fight like hell this year and get at least 10-12 wins. He'll be a great fifth starter.
Relief Pitcher - Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals: Soria pitched 69 innings in 2007 and struck out 75 hitters. He's also got good control for a flamethrower, walking just 19 batters. Look for Soria to give your fantasy team at least 25 saves and 100 Ks, which means he'll be better than guys like Joe Borowski or Todd Jones in terms of ERA and strikeouts.
For more fantasy advice, check out:
Top Fantasy Baseball First Basemen
Top Fantasy Baseball Second Basemen
Top Fantasy Baseball Third Basemen
Top Fantasy Baseball Outfielders
