Fantasy Baseball Sleepers 2012: Under-the-Radar Stars Sure to Shine

The fantasy season never ends, and neither does your preparation. It is the only way to build a successful baseball team that will give you bragging rights over all of your friends for an entire year. 

But how do you figure out which players will put you over the top? Everyone is going to feed you lists of elite stars and underrated bargains to keep an eye out for. 

We are going to give you a combination of those two by giving you a list of underrated stars to be on the lookout for. Stars might be too strong of a word, but these players have the potential to be dominant fantasy players at their respective positions in at least one key statistical category. 

Here are three players to keep in mind when you are drafting this year. 

Kurt Suzuki, C, Oakland A's

While Billy Beane spent most of the offseason trading all of his valuable Major League assets, Suzuki was one of the few players with more than two years of experience to stay in the Bay Area. 

His offensive numbers have been declining the last five years, but there is no real explanation for it. His batting average on balls in play went from .310 in 2008 all the way down to .244 last year. He could be having bad luck, or there is something wrong in his swing. 

Either way, catching is not a deep position, and Suzuki should hit at least 15 home runs. He won't drive in a lot of runs or hit for a high average, but his power will make him a valuable addition to your team. 

Sean Rodriguez, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

When the Rays acquired Rodriguez from the Los Angeles Angels in the Scott Kazmir trade, he was supposed to be their shortstop of the future. He had a good bat in the minors and his glove has always been a plus tool. 

He did not have the kind of success at the plate last year to make you think he will be a good fantasy player. He hit just .223 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs. As weak as the shortstop position is after the top five or six players, those are totals that you can't live with. 

But it is important to remember that Rodriguez was just in his second full season, and the American League East takes time to adjust to. He won't be an offensive force this year, but his average should jump up to a respectable .250 or .260, and his home run total should at least double now that he knows he has a starting job. 

Adam Wainwright, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

Before you bash me, yes, I know that Wainwright is a superstar. But coming off Tommy John surgery, his stock is going to be down when you are drafting. This is the perfect opportunity for you to pounce on a potential No. 1 starter when all of the best pitchers are off the board. 

Don't expect dominant results right away. It is going to take time for him to get the feel for his pitches and command back, but by mid-season he should be back to at least 85-90 percent of what he was in 2009 and 2010. 

Wainwright is going to throw over 200 innings, with an ERA in the 2.75-3.00 range, 165-170 strikeouts and double-digit wins. He is going to be the biggest bargain in fantasy baseball this season. 

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