2009 Second Base Fantasy Baseball Sleepers, Busts, and Prospects

Sleepers

Robinson Cano, Yankees. Cano is not a sleeper in the traditional sense. Everyone knows who is he and the numbers he is capable of producing. I am calling him a sleeper because I feel that he has been dropped too far down the rankings after his sub par season in 2008.

Now don’t get me wrong, his stats were awful by his standards. His average dropped 35 points, he hit five fewer home runs, and drove in 25 fewer runs, but this guy is far too good of a hitter to stay down. We are talking about a 26 -ear-old kid who has already had a season where he hit .342, and drove in nearly 100 runs.

Do you remember Michael Young back when Michael Young was actually good? That is what you can expect from Cano. And at a position with only maybe five good options, he is someone to target if you miss out on the first group of elite guys. Look for him to get back to around .319/18/85 for the year.

Clint Barmes, Rockies. He certainly has had a roller coaster career already as he approached age 30. Barmes has had some stretches of fantasy greatness, and longer stretches of fantasy gloom. Most of his troubles have stemmed from his inability to stay healthy, starting in his rookie season, and continuing even through last year. Barmes comes into camp as the definite starter at second base for the Rockies, and based on that he has some value. But the guy has had some great hot streaks over the years, and perhaps now that he knows he is the man at second, he will feel comfortable and be able to recapture some of his old glory.

You can draft Barmes very, very late, and is a great low risk/high reward type of player for 2009. If all goes well, you could be looking at a .290 hitter with 20/20 type of production, and in the last few rounds of a draft, that is very rare especially at a middle infield position.

Chris Getz, White Sox. Getz is definitely turning some heads in his bid to win the starting second base job for the Pale Hose heading into the season. Currently, he is hitting .364 this spring and looks like the frontrunner to get the gig. Getz isn’t an elite prospect, but he looks like he can contribute to a fantasy team if he gets every day at bats.

He projects to be a .300 hitter in the majors, with the chance to be a 15 homer, 25 steal type of guy. He isn’t someone you have to draft unless you are in a 14-16 team league with huge rosters. Keep watching the Spring Training news though, if you hear he wins the job, he could be a nice surprise in the always tough to fill middle infield positions.

Busts

Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox. Ok, I expect to take some beatings over this one, but hear me out first before you start leaving nasty comments. It isn’t that I think Pedroia isn’t a great player. The guy had a magical season, and is a role model for all who have been told they aren’t good enough, big enough, or fast enough to play a game. He won the MVP trophy in a year where it seemed that no one else wanted it.

The reason I am calling Pedroia a bust is because I believe that he is being drafted too high for his likely production in 2009. If you look at the rest of his career, including the minor leagues, he never hit for the kind of power that he did last year. He had also never stolen more than seven bases in a season (although one year in the minors he stole 7 in just 66 games, but still). His previous career high in runs was 86 (He had 118 in 2008). This just all leads me to believe that Pedroia will take a step back this year.

According to Mock Draft Central his average draft position (ADP) No. 27 overall and has been taken as high as No. 14. I just feel that if you take him that high, there is a good possibility that you will be disappointed. I’m sorry Red Sox fans, I hope I’m wrong because I love the way the guy plays, but that’s how I feel.

Rickie Weeks, Brewers. Why does this guy keep getting a chance from fantasy players? OK, I know why.  In 2005 between the minors and majors, Weeks hit 25 homers, stole 25 bases, and drove in 90 runs.  However, fast forward to 2009: Weeks has been injured every year, was sent back to the minors in 2007, the team traded for someone to push him for playing time in 2008, and he hasn’t topped 16 homers since. 

Weeks’ batting average has also been out of the .230s once in the past four seasons.  Outside of his stolen bases, Weeks isn’t helping you too much.  He’s had knee injuries, wrist injuries, and has just been generally ineffectiveness.  Unless your league has a middle infield spot, I don’t see a reason for Weeks to be on fantasy rosters.

Mark DeRosa, Indians. DeRosa hit his career high in home runs at age 33, and that isn’t something that excites me.  He has been a career utility player up until the last few years when he has had regular work.  His average has always been in the .290 range, but his power has never been anywhere near that level.  DeRosa now moves from Chicago and the National League to Cleveland and the American League. 

You should expect DeRosa to have his numbers to take a step back in 2009.  Expect a .285 average, 14 homers, and 75 RBI.  Unless your name is Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens, you don’t normally get better as you reach your mid-30s.

Prospects

Gordon Beckham, White Sox. Beckham has been ranked as the 20th prospect in  Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list, and he had an incredible career at the University of Georgia.  In his senior season, Beckham hit a ridiculous.411 with 28 homers and 77 RBI, with 17 stolen bases in 71 games.  He is a shortstop by trade, but with the move of Alexei Ramirez to short, Beckham appears to be the heir apparent at second when he is ready. 

You obviously can’t expect him to repeat his college numbers, but this kid has "superstar” written all over him.

Matt Antonelli, Padres. Antonelli was a hot prospect in 2007 when he hit 21 homers, stole 28 bases, and drove in 78 runs in 131 games.  However, Antonelli took a whopping step back in ‘08 when he hit .215 with only seven homers and drove in 39 runs in 128 games.  So will the real Matt Antonelli please stand up?  Antonelli projects as a .275 hitter with 20/20 potential, but 2009 will be a huge season in deciding his future. 

There aren’t many good prospects at the position, so he is worth keeping an eye on this year.  He could turn into a hot commodity again, or he could fall off the prospect map.

Anderson Hernandez, Nationals. Hernandez has been on the radar for some time now, but he has yet to show much offensive ability.  He is basically a singles hitter, with only a little bit of speed.  Hernandez goes into the season as the starting second baseman for the Nationals, but this will be the season that make or break year for him.  Hernandez has the capability to steal 30 bases, and could hit around .275, but unless he improves he isn’t worth a roster spot right now.

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