2009 Sleepers

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Fantasy Baseball, Cheap Alternatives

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 64 Comments

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Admit it, you stay at the Luxor because it’s adjacent to the Mandalay Bay at a third of the price (and they have inclinators instead of elevators!).  You see a bottle of Acme Store Brand Tomato Sauce Medley and you think that’s not aftertaste, that’s a persistence of flavor!  Photoshop — bleh!  You have scissors and paste!  Cellphone?  You can yell really loud.  This, friends, is the economy of our times, so why not use some of that thriftiness towards fantasy baseball?  Sure, everyone would like to have ten first round picks and start Miguel Cabrera at their Utility spot, but it’s just not feasible.  You need some cheap alternatives.  Anyway, here’s some players that are going very early in fantasy baseball drafts and their cheap alternatives:

Adrian Gonzalez – Yes, his homers have been trending up, but he plays his home games in Petco and his average is trending down.  He also needed almost 700 plate appearances last year to accumulate 36 HRs.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

1st Basemen to Target, 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 58 Comments

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I already did the catchers, 2nd basemen, shortstops, 3rd basemen, outfielders and starters to target for 2009 fantasy baseball.  I skipped the 1st basemen on purpose because I don’t think you should be taking a flier on 1st basemen.  You need some anchors for your hitting.  Then someone commented yesterday asking for the 1st basemen to target and the course of Razzball history was changed forever, like when Marty got into that DeLorean.  I haven’t changed my mind that you shouldn’t be taking a flier on a 1st basemen, but sometimes things are out of your control or you need a corner man or a Utility guy.  This is a supplement to the top 20 1st basemen of 2009 fantasy baseball.  If you’re feeling especially industrious, click on the players name to read more about them or to see their 2009 projections.  Anyway, here’s some 1st basemen to target for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Chris Duncan – Colby Rasmus has moved above him on the depth charts, but I think Duncan still gets 300 ABs and nears 20 HRs.  Unless LaRussa doesn’t want anyone coaching his pitching staff.  Dave Duncan, “Muahahahahahahaha…” Pause.  Duncan, “And you know that!”

Mike Jacobs – He’ll probably hit .250 and batting in the Royals order will do him no favors, but he could hit 30 HRs and have one of those lucky BABIP years and end up hitting .275.  Though I wouldn’t team him up with a Dunn, Krispie or Uggla-type.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Casey Kotchman, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 48 Comments

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Because Casey Kotchman is most noteworthy (in my eyes) for having the longest known case of mononucleosis, it makes sense he’d be considered a sleeper.  Only, not necessarily, a fantasy baseball sleeper.  More like a Prince Valium one.  After the trade to the Braves last year, Casey Kotchman hit 2/20/.237.  “Write him off as a once interesting prospect that never reached his potential,” says some random crotchety old baseball scout.  I hear ya, random old baseball crotchety scout, but I find something making me keep come back to him.  Sorta like my man-wood for Alex J.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Kendry Morales, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 46 Comments

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Remember the blonde chick from the The Real World:  Hawaii, who, like, totally fell for Colin?  She was the cute girl with the young grandmother body.  You know who I’m talking about?  Cool.  Yeah, she’s not Kendry Morales.  Kendry Morales is the doode that the Angels are putting in as their starting 1st baseman.  Joly Hesus!  A prospect that is going to be playing 1st for an AL team that scores runs like an NL team!  How did you miss that, right?  Pretty easily.  He’s sizz-ucked in his limited time in the majors.  In 127 games in the Majors, he’s sitting on a career line of 12/45/.249 with no speed.  If you were a Benihana chef, you’d cut the tail of those numbers and flip ‘em into your hat.  So what is it that I like about Kendry Morales that makes him a 2009 fantasy sleeper?

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Closer Battles for 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 55 Comments

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Usually I wait until the 1st of every month to go over who’s closing where and who’s backing them up.  You know, the Donkey-Corn/Brain Freeze/$12 Salad post.  See, you are familiar with my work.  Great, I love how you do whatever you do too.  Being in the heart of fantasy baseball draft season, my diploma from The College of Fantasy Baseball at Charleston says I must do some early closer updates for 2009 fantasy baseball.  I’m not going to mention guys who are completely safe as of right now.  One generalization before I get to these closer schmohawks.  You want anyone getting saves.  Yes, you do.  Trust me.  You may think Lindstrom will return in 2 weeks and be fine getting 25 saves this year.  You may be right.  But if Leo Nunez starts the season as the closer, there’s just as good a chance that he keeps the job all year.  Last year, you swore Chad Cordero would get the job back from Rauch and there was no reason to grab Big Jon.  You swore Huston Street would take back the job from Ziegler.  You also missed out on good closers.  Anyway, here’s some closers to watch for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Matt Lindstrom – Strained rotator cuff.  I would still put him on my bench because he could bounce right back.  Or not…

Leo Nunez – Could easily end up with 35 saves or 5.  There’s the fun!

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Lastings Milledge, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 61 Comments

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If I may jump into the cavern of your noggin for a moment, you’re probably thinking, “Lastings Milledge — isn’t he that failed prospect the Mets gave up on?”  Slow your roll there.  He’s only 23 years old.  Or maybe you’re thinking, “I could’ve sworn I remember seeing Milledge on my league’s waivers last year.”  You’re right; Milledge clogged up outfields last year with non-digestible tools causing many to drop him.  Through the end of July last year, Milledge was at 7 home runs, 13 steals and a .237 average.  re: those numbers, They’re awful!  Don’t go back and look again.  You’ll go blind like the Blind Art Garfunkel on American Idol.  Yet, through all of this, I still think Milledge is a 2009 fantasy sleeper.  Hear’s Y as an illiterate wood right.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Starters to Target, 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 77 Comments

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We’ve gone over whether or not you should grab a starter early, Rudy’s fantasy baseball strategy says sure, why not?  My fantasy baseball strategy says not so much.  Whichever strategy you subscribe to, you’re still going to need some late round value.  The top 20, 40, 60 and 80 starters for 2009 fantasy baseball can be found under the 2009 fantasy baseball rankings.  As I used to call Cliff Notes in college, this is a companion piece.  If you click on some of the player’s names, you’ll see whole posts dedicated to these doodes with 2009 fantasy baseball projections.  Anyway, here’s some starters to target for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Manny Parra – I hesitated to put Kershaw on this list because of his walks, but the same could be said about Parra, and, in a roundabout way, I just did.  The deciding factor was Kershaw is a bit more expensive at drafts than Parra.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Outfielders to Target, 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 82 Comments

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Even if you draft one or two outfielders in the top 100 (which you should), you’ll still need to identify some late bargains.   The top 20, 40, 60 and 80 outfielders for 2009 fantasy baseball can be found under the 2009 fantasy baseball rankings.  This is by no means all the outfielders I’d draft for one of my teams.  This is a list of guys that will go late and could provide some healthy returns.  Where applicable, click on the players name to read more about them or to see their 2009 projections.  Anyway, here’s some outfielders to target for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Colby Rasmus – Razzle-Dazzle, baby.  Razzle.  Dazzle.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

3rd Basemen to Target, 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 100 Comments

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I suggest you grab a 3rd baseman before leaving the top 100, but that’s not always possible.  So, if you miss out on one,  this list is guys that can be had later in your drafts.  Look at this as a supplement to the top 20 3rd basemen of 2009 fantasy baseball.  Where applicable, click on the players name to read more about them or to see their 2009 projections.  Anyway, here’s some 3rd basemen to target for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Ryan Zimmerman -  “For today’s game of Jew or Not a Jew… Ryan Zimmerman.”

Pablo Sandoval – He’s not fat, he’s jolly.  I still prefer him more as a catcher, but in deep leagues I could see the case made for Sandoval as a 3rd baseman, especially with the loss of A-Rod.

Please, blog, may I have some more?