Roto Chronicles: American League, Sept. 29

Shortstop—Reid Brignac, TB

Next year will be a big season for Brignac, if he gets the opportunity in Tampa or not. The incumbent shortstop, Jason Bartlett, is a free agent after the season, leaving a chance that Brignac could find himself with an opportunity if Bartlett should not re-sign.

Brignac has seen his status drop over the past two seasons, as his batting average and power numbers have plummeted to a .250 average and nine home runs this season, but just two short years ago, Brignac was hitting over .300 with 24 home runs and 15 stolen bases between Single and Double-A.

The power numbers, though down, are a bit misleading, because he missed time with a broken wrist this season. He also had trouble with an uncharacteristic 26 percent strikeout rate, which directly led to the decrease in batting average.

If he gets the shot in Spring Training next season at playing in Tampa, and you see his strikeout rate hovering around a usual 16-20 percent, Brignac is a solid sleeper pick.

Outfield—Travis Snider, TOR

This one should not be a surprise to anyone that has seen this guy hit. Snider, listed among the top-10 prospects in the entire league, climbed three levels of minor-league competition to land in the Blue Jays' outfield as a regular to end the season.

He started in High-A Dunedin before a quick promotion to AA New Hampshire, where he hit a modest .262 with 17 home runs before another promotion to Syracuse led to a .344 batting average and two home runs there. Then, with Toronto, Snider hit .301 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 73 at-bats. That’s a lot of movement in one season.

Put it all together and his numbers are .279 with 25 homers and 104 RBI.

Scouts rave about Snider’s potential as a run-producing, middle-of-the-order bat that will produce not only power, but also a good average to boot. My only concern is of his major issues with the strikeout, 177 times in 560 combined at-bats.

This will certainly be a limit on his batting average, as it was in his time at AA, where the majority of his at-bats occurred, but to counteract this, Snider has a tremendous BABIP track record of just under .400.

While I like his potential, I am not 100 percent sold enough to spend a higher draft pick that I am sure he will command in 2009. Regardless, there is no doubting his tremendous potential and the fact that he will be a force in the league for years to come.

Outfield— Nolan Reimold, BAL

Nagging injuries have slowed this young slugger's career. Drafted in the second round of the 2005 amateur draft, Reimold is soon to turn 25 and is yet to make it out of AA. That will change next year, after Reimold had a productive full-season for AA Bowie.

In over 500 at-bats, he hit .284 with 25 home runs and 84 RBI. He also showed plus on-base skills, with a 0.77 BB/K ratio.

Reimold will start the 2009 season in AAA, awaiting a call to the big club, as the Orioles are again set to start the season with a Luke Scott, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis outfield. Even with that said, I am not going to rule him out of earning or taking a job from someone.

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