What is a fantasy sleeper? A sleeper will achieve greater statistical results for you than his perceived value from mock drafts and overall rankings.
Here are 10 guys to consider on draft day.
Joba Chamberlain
Joba Rules. He is not projected to be a starter and Mariano Rivera is the closer. Why draft him? Because New York went through 36 starters from 2004-2007 and Rivera is 38 years old. And can you recall who was the Red Sox 4th starter at this time last year? Jonathan Papelbon. Things change. In the meantime, draft Chamberlain and keep him in your RP spot and watch him pick up from last season's impressive 0.38 ERA and 5.67 K/BB ratio. Pitchers as talented as this guy do not stay in the 8th inning role for long.
Jeremy Hermida
Philosopher/Left Fielder Manny Ramirez once said, "It's not how you go into a party, its how you go out." Hermida in the second half last season: .340 average, 10 home runs, .401 OBP. Hitting either 2nd or 3rd this season, Hermida will prove that Hanley Ramirez is not the only Marlin worth owning.
Rich Harden
"Harden Owners Anonymous" has spread throughout the country where fantasy owners look to recover from the initial excitement and eventual disappointment of drafting Harden following injury. Harden enters 2008 as a risk. As Mark McGwire once clearly stated, "I am not here to talk about the past" so lets focus on the positives for Harden. He is dominant when he takes the mound. Only 26, he is 15-7 with a 3.19 ERA in his last 38 games (32 starts). Harden is penciled in to start the season against the Red Sox in Japan. Until I hear otherwise, I will look for Harden later in the draft and hope for the best. Or perhaps a Harden group session close to home.
Tom Gorzelanny
A quiet 14 wins and 3.88 ERA in 2007. You wonder how much hype this 6-2 lefty would get playing in New York or Boston. Here's why I like Gorzelanny as a sleeper this year: his numbers would have been even better if the Pirates shut him down in September. Clearly tired, he finished that month with a 5.77 ERA and 1.95 WHIP. A slight injury risk, watch Gorzelanny's progress this spring and make the call.
Zack Greinke
He was third in baseball among pitchers with 50 or more innings with a 2.42 ERA after the All-Star break. Only 24 years old, Greinke's toughest battles to date have been mental. His talent and ability have never been questioned. This is the year Greinke puts it all together.
Evan Longoria
Includes a complimentary Eva Longoria joke (no relation by the way). "Sexy Pick" and "the Desperate Clubhouse Wife" are a few to consider for draft day. However, his play on the field is no laughing matter. He'll hit for average, power, drive in runs and have a high OBP. Look for steals elsewhere. Reports indicate he is probably Tampa's starting 3rd basemen on opening day so stay tuned. There is a potential red flag on Longoria worth mentioning. As we get closer to the season he will be hyped as "This year's Ryan Braun!" But considering Alex Gordon's soaring draft stock prior to 2007 (and actual production) Longoria should come with a warning label. A sleeper pick today but possibly overrated in a few weeks. Draft him accordingly.
Carlos Gomez
Looking for steals late in your draft? Pick up a guy Jose Reyes said was faster than him. Gomez should be the starting CF for the Twins this season. He hit .275 and stole 19 bases in the minors last season. I am reluctant to say that he will make a big splash in 2008. However, he is a nice steals sleeper and more valuable in keeper league formats.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
It is hard to fall under the radar after all the attention "Dice-K" got prior to last season. There is no doubt that Matsuzaka will get drafted in all Fantasy leagues. I included Dice-K on this list because I think people are underestimating what this guy can do in 2008. I look at Josh Beckett in his first season in Boston (16-11, 158 K's, 5.01 ERA) following his time in the NL and it failed to meet expectations. In year two, Beckett adjusted and became arguably the best pitcher in the AL (20-7/194/3.27). With all due respect to pitching in a new league, Matsuzaka had to adapt to a different country, another language, unfamiliar teammates/coaches/umpires AND a new league. While I do not anticipate Dice-K mirroring Beckett's numbers in 2007, I do expect Matsuzaka to make the adjustments, challenge hitters (fewer walks!) and outperform his current 2008 average draft position. Remember, we are talking about a guy who had 15 wins and over 200 K's last year with room to improve.
Wily Mo Pena
All he needs is ‘Mo at-bats. If he got to the plate as many times as teammate Ryan Zimmerman in 2007 (653) Pena could have turned his 13 home runs into 30. Not bad production from a guy who may go undrafted in some leagues. The only reason to avoid Pena this year is in rare league settings that penalize for "looking absolutely ridiculous while striking out by way of the curveball."
Stephen Drew
He had a very disappointing 2007. Sophomore Slump? He hit only .238 with 12 homeruns and 60 RBI's. But there is hope. In 2006, he hit .316 in 209 at bats. He had 9 steals last season and hit 8 of those 12 home runs after the All-Star break. In addition, he hit very well in the playoffs against the Cubs and the Rockies. I am convinced he is closer to what we saw in 2006 than in 2007. He is not a top fantasy shortstop option right now but could provide some nice insurance for your squad. Remember, B.J. Upton hit for a .246 average with 1 HR and 10 RBI's (150 at-bats) in 2006 before he broke out in 2007. Stranger things have happened.
By Jay Higgins of www.DugoutCentral.com

Jessica Gomes
Melanie Fitzpatrick



Comments (1) Add A Comment
Comment
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.