FanHouse Mlbfantasypreviews

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
Old Dirty Bastards. Dirt McGirts. Or, if you prefer, the Gritty McHustles. Perhaps you know that Darren Erstad played college football. If not, you should know that his hustle:dive ratio exceeds even scrappy David Eckstein. I don't have the energy or the chops to out-funny Ken Tremendous, of course, but you get the point. And Erstad is in Houston now, so that doesn't help. The White Sox are stuck in this non believing land where they think their team will continue to compete in an ever improving AL Central. They will not. They do offer, however, some decent fantasy options.

The Breakout
Alexei Ramirez is probably not going to get drafted in a lot of leagues. However, second basemen are always at a premium, and if you can find one cheap, well, you're way ahead of the curve. Ramirez hit 20 homers in Cuba last year and while signed to a four year deal, he's not guaranteed playing time in anything more than the immediate future, meaning he has to produce early and often to keep playing. I like those odds. Draft him late, laugh at the owner who spent an early pick on Dan Uggla and use your early pick to get a bounceback slugger or ace pitcher.

The Bust
No one is getting drafted high enough to really be considered a bust, but I'll take Paul Konerko here. He's aging, people still think of him as underrated for some reason (well, actually, that's probably fair). Anyway, just look at Konerko's career numbers, in terms of power, and you can pretty obviously see the natural progression, where he broke out following an injury plagued 27 year old season and hit his peaked out early in his 30's. Now he's 32 and going to continue trending downward. If you're burning an 8th or 9th round pick expecting a rebound, it's just too early.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
Pronks. Okay, that's probably not the best choice, but I'm terrified that Travis Hafner will fade into obscurity and the nickname will die, so I'm maxing it out now. I know, it's saddening. But not entirely implausible. Fortunately, Ryan Garko -- who seems like he should have a sweet-A nickname and can rake -- could potentially take his place. Anywho, this is a Tribe team that is quite potently potable. They have two aces in C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona (yes, he is legit) and plenty of studs in the lineup, beginning with Grady Sizemore, and ending with a three-bagger whose averaged 20 jimmy-jacks a year over the last three in Casey Blake (note that if your ninth hitter averages 20 home runs, you have a stout lineup).

The Breakout
Well, Ryan Garko, obviously. Right? I've seen some people that aren't as high on the full time first baseman, but I freaking love the guy. And usually, I'm pretty pessimistic. Or just sarcastic. Either way, Garko's second half bumps in home runs and OPS, plus a stout lineup in front of him have me thinking upside of .300/30/100. Maybe I'm greedy, but he's not that expensive.

The Bust
It pains me to say that Travis Hafner might bust, but the problem is that he's still a top three round pick in most leagues. And, in most leagues, he doesn't have more than DH eligibility, which means you're stuck playing him. Since Garko's time away from the bag will probably be for Martinez to be spelled behind the plate, it's tough to predict whether he'll get to play old man in the field. And that's all you hear about Pronk now -- that's he an old young. It's true though; power hitters designed like him decline quickly and holding the bag when it happens will crush your fantasy team. 40 homers might just simply be out of the question.

/wipes tears away

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
"Playmakers." And I don't mean in game either. I mean, sitting around in the offseason, and someone in the front office said, "we need to make a damn play". And that's how the Tigers ended up shipping uber-stud Cameron Maybin to the Marlins for already-stud Miguel Cabrera and overrated sidewinder Dontrelle Willis. Of course, the Tigers make plays in games too -- Boston aside, this might be the most fantasy friendly roster in the bigs. The lineup is straight up stacked and the rotation combines a lot of youthful upside with some solid consistency. Oh, and some chicken. Giddeyup.

The Breakout
There's no one in either the starting lineup or the five man rotation that can be considered under the radar enough to really be called a breakout. However, Jeremy Bonderman is not getting a ton of love this year. That is probably because of his 2-8, 7.00 plus ERA second half of an egg that he laid last year. He got shut down early, pitching only 174 innings and ended up with a 5.01 ERA on the season. Bear in mind though, that Bonderman was coming off a 214 IP season in 2006 and spent the entire portion of the season that he struggled fighting through injury. Biggity, biggity bounce back.

The Bust
Magglio Ordonez is going too high in most fantasy drafts this year. That's because he hit a ridiculous AL leading .363 last year while smacking 28 taters. He will still be good this year, but if you draft him expecting last year's totals, or pay the auction price he will command, then you are going to be at the very least disappointed. Maggs' health used to be an issue, so that's a small risk, but more than anything it will be just too hard for him to repeat 2007.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
The Rebuilders. I was going to make some type of Moneyball joke but that seems absurd. Almost as absurd as anyone that thinks Billy Beane's strategy doesn't work. Ridiculous. However, because Beane's methods involve using little money the A's are cheap, this is a team that looks pretty bare on the surface. But there's fantasy talent to be found, and it can be found cheaply.

The Breakout
Daric Barton has a healthy lead on Dan Johnson (whose mancrush I just can't quit for some reason) on the first base job for this year. And probably for a much longer time than that. Barton hit 13 taters total last year, but four of them were in just 72 at bats during his cup of coffee, but the premium he provides is in his average stats. His back-to-back .389 OBP seasons in 2006 and 2007 at Sacramento make him a pretty desirable (and cheap! my favorite combination) option for most leagues. Keepers especially.

The Bust
Jack Cust came out hot last year because he just absolutely crushes the ball and he hit the scene on a tear. (And this a tough spot -- Rich Harden is just way too easy and no one that could "bust" is getting taken high enough in fantasy drafts ... ahem, Eric Chavez). The longball is sexy, and he can, in fact, mash the hell out of it. But he is streaky as all get out and his average is going to stink. Oh yeah, and he was listed on that little Congressional thing. Anyway, he probably won't be highly sought after, but then again, there won't be many A's starters that are. I'd steer clear of Cust.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
Most undervalued manager in MLB. Manny Acta does get some love, but mostly from "statheads", and he should get much more. Unfortunately, people are too busy being excited about Dusty Baker's return. But that's a whole 'nuther diamond full of clogged bases. Anywho, Acta will have his work cut out for him again this year with a Nationals team that gets a new ballpark but not a new squad. For the Nats, there is Ryan Zimmerman. And then there is everyone else. Zimmerman is a top flight option at third for any fantasy team. After that ... well, Shawn Hill pitched well and under the radar last year, so consider him a nice back of rotation starter. Wily Mo Pena will hit homers and strike out a lot. It's what he does. Towering moon shot --> golden sombrero. Austin Kearns and Nick Johnson always seem ripe with potential, but that's what I said about Chuck too. See how that panned out.

The Breakout
Lastings Milledge was once thought to be the pride of the Mets organization. Then they traded him for not much. In fact, pretty much just a catcher. So that was odd. Milledge still has skills and he strikes me as the type of guy that might play the vengeance card in D.C. He's also locked into a starting role and should have plenty of run. No reason not to gamble on him late in a draft or for cheap at an auction. His speed on the basepaths doesn't hurt either.

The Bust
I mean, really. It's tough to predict one. I would say John Patterson, but he doesn't get enough love to qualify. Instead, let's roll with Paul Lo Duca. Yes, he is a catcher. Yes, he is borderline undraftable. But that "borderline" shouldn't be an issue. Just don't touch him. He goes to a worse offense, he has been implicated in the Mitchell Report, and while catcher "doesn't matter", it does matter not to get a totally horrible one. I bet you can get Rockies backstop Chris Iannetta for the same price, if not cheaper.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
The freakin' Mets. Who else ya gonna meet, eh? Sorry. I wanted to come up with some kind of candy that looked great at first but once you got past the outer edge, you realized how not good it tasted, but I couldn't think of anything. And that might be the 2008 New York Mets. They have very, very, veryveryvery high expectations after bringing Johan Santana from Minnesota for peanuts, changing the face of a geriatric pitching staff that cost the Mets the post season in 2007. The offense boasts Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran, but after that, it's essentially smoke/mirrors and name value. Don't get me wrong -- the good on this team, in fantasy terms, are really good. Wright, Reyes and Santana should go in the first round of every single fantasy draft and Beltran won't be far behind. But if you're planning on building your squad around the Mets role players -- the Moises Alous, the, yes, Carlos Delgados -- then you should probably think again.

The Breakout
It seems perilous to endorse Oliver Perez, but I've done stupider things (too many too even list an example, really.) You could argue that his first half hit rate was lucky, or that the second half spike in WHIP (1.16 to 1.49) is a disasterous sign. I wouldn't contest either, especially since I presented them here. However, I'm going to gamble (cheaply) on the fact that this left handed Hispanic, oftentimes brilliant, but mostly erratic gascan can turn it around. Why? Because there's another left handed, Hispanic, almost always brilliant strikeout artist named Johan -- who might be able to teach Ollie a thing or two about a changeup -- in town now. That's right. Johan's mentoring is going to lead to a monster year.

The Bust
Carlos Delgado, as I have mentioned, is old. Oh, I didn't mention that? Well, he is. And he's now a role player. For several years now, you might have heard that Delgado was an over-hyped version of Richie Sexson. And it's true. Only know he's injured and his power appears to have been sapped. Stay away. There are cheaper and better options at first base.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
"Team to beat." So sayeth Jimmy Rollins, the reigning National League MVP, currently in a war of words with Carlos Beltran of the division rival Mets. There's so much to love about the Phillies in terms of fantasy production, particularly on the offensive end, and particularly given where they play their home games (the launching pad known as Citzens Bank Park). Now ... if only they can figure out that pitching (hint: Adam Eaton is baaaad.)

The Breakout
Look, you can hate Brett Myers for his domestic issues and pranking of youngsters (okay, that part is pretty lovable), but the guy can pitch. He's gone over 200k before ... and if he stays healthy this year, I'm thinking he does it again. It's tough to really compute exactly (although obviously he has the pitching skills) since he was closing, but a 3.03 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in the second half speak to the possibility that he could have a big year. Take into account the hefty 36 percent hit rate he gave up in the first half, and his season stats from last year belie the season he could have.

The Bust
Aaron Rowand didn't hang around, so it's tough to really pinpoint a horrible fantasy option on the Phils. Rollins is going to be very, very good again this year. However, he is also finally going to cost you a first round pick. And with that first round pick, you will probably be expecting 30 home runs, 40-50 stolen bases and 487 runs scored. Personally, I love Rollins. His stats were just flat out beastly across the board in 2007 and he clearly has the skills to continue his performance, but Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes are also sitting out there in the first round with more upside. Rollins isn't going to lay an egg, but I expect a drop-off from last year's MVP performance; we'll be talking about him as a second round performer next year and that makes a huge difference.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
Masters of payroll cutting. Seriously, not even putting the two world championships since '97 aside, the Marlins are the most depressing franchise in the bigs just because ownership doesn't care. Fortunately, that doesn't matter in fantasy; cheap real life players can be worth bundles in our little nerdy kingdom. The biggest offseason news was of course the deal that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller and change. In all fairness, it was a good deal (relative to their franchise position) for the Marlins.

The Breakout
Ohhhh, how I want it to be Maybin. But it's not. Yet. Jeremy Hermida, on the other hand, posted a pretty freaking stout .956 OPS after the All Star Break last season while hitting .340 with 10 jacks over the course of 256 at bats. His wheels might have fallen off a little bit (only three swipes last year) but the guy can still rake and you won't have to cough up too much for his services.

The Bust
Dan Uggla, but only because you have to pay more for him than you would say, Kelly Johnson. Well, that and his OBP and AVG both dipped significantly, though no one seemed to notice because he clubbed 31 homers. I kept waiting for the bottom to fall out of the power surge, and while it didn't last year, I'm not betting on the same thing again in 2008. At least for the price you have to pay anyway.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the...
The old boss. Kind of the same as the new boss. See, when you think about a team with Tom Glavine, Javy Lopez (potentially), John Smoltz, Chipper Jones and Mike Hampton on it, well, you wouldn't be shocked to hear that Dale Murphy is trying out as well. But despite the old age pervading the clubhouse (we call it veteran leadership!), there's secretly a lot of youth on this squad, and a lot -- especially offensively -- to like about the Braves from a fantasy standpoint.

The Breakout
Jeff Francoeur will continually be discounted because of his strikeout totals and perceived inability to take a walk. Well, that and the fact that he only hit 19 homers last year, after 29 in 2006. Still, don't be fooled. The dude is young, but he can mash. And everyone's known how talented he was from day one in the majors. More importantly though, let's consider that he walked nearly twice as many times last year (42 walks! Mock clapping!) and his OBP took a major rise. He's still very much in the growth stage of his MLB career and if you pounce now, you'll be glad you did later.

The Bust
No one is as big a fan of Chipper Jones as I am. But the guy is 36 and he's not going to put up 500-plus at-bats again this year. If you want to own him, you're going to pay for those 500 at-bats. The revived lineup will certainly help, but if I have to pay anything inside the seventh round, I'm going to be hesitant to pull the trigger.

To get you ready for draft season, Fantasy FanHouse will be running through each major league team, covering lineups, rotations and sleeper/busts.

Meet the ...
Losers of the Erik Bedard deal. And they're the ones who got Bedard. The Mariners won't lose if they build on their 88 wins from 2007, but really, that's not going to happen, and now they don't have uber-stud Adam Jones for the future. Still ... Bedard and Felix Hernandez are going to form what could potentially be the best one-two punch in the majors, with stud closer J.J. Putz icing games, and there are certainly going to be useful fantasy offensive options on the 2008 M's -- Adrian Beltre and Ichiro Suzuki stand out -- even if they don't end up winning the AL West.

The Breakout
Adrian Beltre technically broke out in 2004 when he cranked 48 jacks. But he's been raked over the coals since then (guilty), despite hitting at least 25 jacks and swiping 11 bases over each of the last two years. Factor in an 80-point spike in his OPS over the second half -- actually his entire pre/post ASB splits scream big 2008 -- and you could be looking at a steal in the seventh or eighth round.

The Bust
Jumping the shark may have jumped the shark as a phrase, but it's still pretty applicable, especially when there's something that is considered underrated and quickly becomes overrated. Meet Raul Ibanez. He was constantly consistent and under the radar until he busted out for 33 bombs and 123 RBI in 2006. Last year, particularly the back half, was nice, with 15 homers and 56 RBI after the break. However, some of his underlying stats indicate that you might get caught holding the bag if you pull on him too early this year. If you can land him as an OF4 or OF5, the value is certainly worth it, but don't reach.