Fantasy Baseball Sleepers 2012: Underperforming Veterans Worth a Late-Round Grab

All it takes is one bad season for fantasy baseball fanatics to cast veterans aside.

We hear it all the time. "He's getting old." "He can't throw anymore." "His prime is behind him."

But veterans who have had success before have a way of bouncing back and proving they still have what it takes to be productive in the big leagues.

Remember when Paul Konerko hit .240 with 22 home runs in 2008 with the Chicago White Sox and he was supposed to be on the downslope?

Well, Konerko has gone on to hit at least 28 home runs in each of his last three seasons, while hitting over .300 the past two seasons.

3. Manny Ramirez, OF, Oakland Athletics

You knew this was coming, right?

Manny Ramirez is a 12-time All-Star and two-time world champion, but the 39-year-old has fallen on rough times lately, becoming too much to handle for the Boston Red Sox and wearing out his welcome with the Los Angeles Dodgers after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs and going on the disabled list three separate times in 2010.

After testing positive for PEDs again in spring training with the Tampa Bay Rays, Ramirez all of a sudden didn't have a baseball career anymore.

But despite all of that, Ramirez is one of the great hitters of this generation and is likely to be far down draft boards this fantasy baseball season. You may as well take a chance on him.

2. Jonathan Sanchez, SP, Kansas City Royals

Jonathan Sanchez was traded by the San Francisco Giants this offseason after he didn't show the consistency they were looking for last season.

Sanchez is always dangerous for fantasy owners in the WHIP area, given he walks a lot of batters, but when he's on his game he can be dominant with his stuff.

Before a rough season in 2011, Sanchez had a solid 2010 in the Giants' run to the World Series. He posted a 3.07 ERA with 205 strikeouts in just over 193 innings.

Sanchez may not give you a lot of wins with the Royals, but I think he'll bounce back this year and be a quality starter who can help you in ERA and strikeouts.

1. B.J. Upton, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

B.J. Upton saw his name in numerous trade rumors last season, but it's a good sign that the Rays held on to him because it shows they still have faith in the former No. 2 overall pick.

Upton has never lived up to his sky-high hype, but he still can help you in home runs, RBI, runs and stolen bases.

Upton is a career .257 hitter, but he still recorded 23 home runs, 81 RBI, 82 runs and 36 stolen bases in 2011. Given his low batting average, he's not going to be ranked highly on draft boards, but he's actually undervalued because he helps you in so many other areas.

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