After a stellar .297-91-27-91-17 season (at multiple positions) which made Ben Zobrist a household fantasy name, what can we expect from him next year? Zobrist has always been a good hitter in the minor leagues, but 2009 came as pretty much a universal surprise. After a career year like that, it’s important to have realistic expectations going forward.
Looking around the league, you may be surprised (shocked) to find Jason Bartlett hitting .376-29-6-23-12. He’s been a pleasant surprise at the shortstop this year, but only those who picked him up early seem to know about him. If he still happens to be available in your league, you should snap him up, and yesterday.
One of the less heralded fantasy performers this season hails from Toronto. 2B Aaron Hill is a big reason that the Blue Jays are leading the AL with 176 runs scored and hold a 19-10 record. Did you know he’s put up a .357-22-6-24-2 fantasy line thus far? In a standard 5×5 league, that makes him more valuable than Chase Utley (though not Ian Kinsler, who has just been white hot). What’s behind this breakout, is it for real, and how long can it last? Read more…
The Seattle Mariners have inked closer Chad Cordero to a minor league deal. Cordero has a lot of saves already, but overuse has led to some severe shoulder problems. This could be the end of the line for him, or he could bounce back and be an effective reliever; Cordero will be just 27 this season. Read more…
Don’t forget about Joba Chamberlain. He’s been a top setup man for the Yankees, giving him some minimal fantasy value, but that’s about to change. The New York Yankees are depending on him to be a major fixture in their revamped starting rotation this season.
What a difference a year can make. Victor Martinez, almost unanimously the first catcher drafted last year, has slipped a lot due to a year in which he missed much of the season with a torn hamstring and an elbow surgery. Yes, that’s a lot of DL time. Ouch. Incredibly, he came back to play with one month left, and showed that he can still hit, posting a .288/.358/.475 line in 67 PA in September.
Chad Billingsley had an excellent 2008, posting 16 wins with 201 strikeouts and a 3.14 ERA in 200.1 innings. In just his age 23 season, and his first as a full-time starter, he showed the ability to dominate and really anchor a pitching staff. As a very good pitcher in a very good pitcher’s home park, he’s an exciting fantasy player.
If you didn’t consider him a top fantasy pick last year, now you know differently. Chase Utley is a five-category contributor at a premium position (the keystone corner is the shallowest fantasy position). But this offseason, he is coming off of major hip surgery, which will cost him about a month of playing time. What does that do to his fantasy value?
