Corey Hart is one guy with a lot of variation in his 2008 projections. Hart turned in an impressive year 25 season, his first full year in the Majors. A .295-86-24-81-23 performance has fantasy owners excited about him, but should we count on him to produce those sort of numbers again?
Third base is probably the deepest fantasy position this year, so don’t fret if you missed out on the big names. Here are some picks to stash away and sneaky ways to increase your production from this roster spot.
If you, like me, were disappointed in the demotion of guys like Homer Bailey and still need a pitcher with some upside, you might want to keep an eye on Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez.
I’m usually not too concerned about minor pitcher injuries; look at Josh Beckett’s “avulsion” and trip to the DL last year. However, Kelvim Escobar has admitted to having a tear in his shoulder which could require season-ending surgery. He even brought up the “R” word in discussing it, so you know it’s bad.
Closer is one of those positions that is constantly changing and shifting based on pitcher performance and injuries, so keep monitoring the situation, even during the season. Here’s the latest scoop on who’s been moved into a closer role, and who may be next.
There’s a pretty steep dropoff in talent after Hanley, Jimmy and Jose, and an even steeper one after Carlos Guillen, Tulow and Jeter. Where do you go if you miss out on Young and Tejada too? Not Renteria. Here are some other suggestions you could consider:
Personally, I think this is one of the deeper years at second base. There are plenty of young prospects and lesser-known players who could make a decent impact. The key is to keep watch and know which ones are legitimate and which ones are not.
Spring training is not half over, and there’s already some volatility in the closer market:
Did you miss out on the big three this year? Just wait a bit to draft a first baseman, and you’ll be just fine. If you’re in a particularly deep league, you can keep some of these guys in mind as CI/Util types. Even if you’re not in a deep league, you may want to stash a couple of these guys on your watch list; should they get hot, they could get very hot and make a good short-term pickup.
Ryan Braun burst onto the scene as a 23-year old rookie third baseman last year, and he was so good that he stuck. Not to be confused with Ryan Z. Braun of the Royals, who is a reliever, Braun launched a lot of teams to fantasy league glory last season with his .324-91-34-97-15 performance, in just 451 AB to boot.
