Fantasy Baseball Sleepers...

[ogarza]

Just wondering if anyone has any fantasy info to share...i know some of ya are in a league together and might not wanna show your cards but I have a draft tonight and wanted to gain any info I could...as far as injured players, breakout guys, busts or sleepers...

I hear there is a young pitcher named Zimmerman with Nats that is projected to be a stud.

[ogarza]

anyone....anyone at all, have something to say about fantasy baseball

[gizmo]

I like Chris Davis from Texas and I think Kevin Kouzmanoff will have a big year,he had a very good 2nd half last year and no pressure in SD.

I like Zimmerman also but as later round picks I am looking to get Clayton Kershaw,Edwin Jackson,Brandon Mccarthy.

I also am looking to grab after I get my first 2 position players,I want at least 2 of these 4.Chris Carpenter,Rich Harden,Ricky Nolasco and Yovani Gallardo.

There is not to many years when I need sleepers unless there are alot of injuries,I am in 2 leagues with 12 and 13 teams but we use both leagues so that may be easier.I would rather pick the guys with some kind of track record than pick up the other guys as free agents and stash them away on bench.

anyway good luck

[ogarza]

thanks for the input gizmo...Im was already looking long and hard at most of those...with davis, carpenter, harden and gallardo...all seem to be a bit under the radar and can be had in middle rounds...

[BillMill71]

Not sure of your league categories or structure, but some interesting things I saw in my league (14 team mixed 5x5 roto) with guys who have been doing this 10 years.

1) Get a Strong OF or 2 early
2) If you dont have one of the top 6 or so pitchers, wait till later rounds (Dice K Round 5, Felix Hernandez Billingsly Shields Round 6, Volquez Round 7, Verlander Chamberlain Dempster Round 8, Harden Round 9, Gallardo Josh Johnson Vazquez Carpenter Hanrang Round 10
3) Pass on the early 2 B taken and go for Dan Uggla in like round 6
4) Dont worry about SS early, take one later like Peralta Round 8 Stephan Drew Round 9 Tulowitzski Round 10 M Young Round 13
5) Know your leagues eligibility rules. Sandoval from SF is C eligable in ours and went in Round 16, Mark Teahan may play 2nd and was taken in Round 22
6) Guys who dropped: Fielder, Hamels and Quentin to late 3rd, D Ortiz to late 5th, J Dye Round 10

Some interesting late sleepers (Round 20 +) - A Rowand, A Sanchez, Smoltz, C Getz, Y Escobar, C Cordero, J Willingham, B Wood, A Galarraga, H Kendrick, M Cuddyear, M Teahen, C Ross, I Stewart, W Rodriquez, R Johnson

[ogarza]

great info billmill...i am in a roto league and have actually won it 4 years in a row, but have a newborn this year and have done zero research (due to lack of time)...I usually try to get the thin positions early (2b,ss,catcher)...i always wait on starters while I take top notch closers early, if I secure 3 of top 12 I usually assure myself 1st or 2nd in that category...my prob has always been steals, I hate grabbing guys who are just SBs specialists and seem to suffer for it at the end...the past 2 years Ive came from behind with great FA pickups or a favorable trade...just seems tougher this year and I dont feel as confident...couple guys I was going to wait on while I strenghten other spots

Doumit at C
Davis or Votto at 1B
Ludwick, Ethier at OF

Just not sure if they will be enough...what do you think will be SBs gems late in draft, guys I can nab in 15th round or later to at least get me a decent share of steals

[mavskidd02]

great info billmill...i am in a roto league and have actually won it 4 years in a row, but have a newborn this year and have done zero research (due to lack of time)...I usually try to get the thin positions early (2b,ss,catcher)...i always wait on starters while I take top notch closers early, if I secure 3 of top 12 I usually assure myself 1st or 2nd in that category...my prob has always been steals, I hate grabbing guys who are just SBs specialists and seem to suffer for it at the end...the past 2 years Ive came from behind with great FA pickups or a favorable trade...just seems tougher this year and I dont feel as confident...couple guys I was going to wait on while I strenghten other spots

Doumit at C
Davis or Votto at 1B
Ludwick, Ethier at OF

Just not sure if they will be enough...what do you think will be SBs gems late in draft, guys I can nab in 15th round or later to at least get me a decent share of steals

As for steals:

guys like Bourn (HOU), Tavares (check injury info before drafting), Gomez (MIN), and Ellisbury (depending on how far he drops are great guys to grab in the later, even last spot roster guys, just for a few weeks here and there to keep you in the race for steals.

Another option is to go pro-hitting and simply punt steals. I know punting one category or another is a bad move, but if you simply can't get there, the difference between a few points won't kill ya'. Last year (ESPN has SP,RP) i punted saves in one of my leagues, and when with SP,RPs like Liriano and Guthrie. It's just an idea.

There are also some big power guys who steal a decent amount of bases, here's a link to a story about big guys who grab a decent amount of SB's:

2008 MLB Rankings-Fantasy Steals: Guys Who Steal 10+ Bases You Wouldn’t Expect Welcome to Fighting Chance Fantasy Sports

[BillMill71]

great info billmill...i am in a roto league and have actually won it 4 years in a row, but have a newborn this year and have done zero research (due to lack of time)...I usually try to get the thin positions early (2b,ss,catcher)...i always wait on starters while I take top notch closers early, if I secure 3 of top 12 I usually assure myself 1st or 2nd in that category...my prob has always been steals, I hate grabbing guys who are just SBs specialists and seem to suffer for it at the end...the past 2 years Ive came from behind with great FA pickups or a favorable trade...just seems tougher this year and I dont feel as confident...couple guys I was going to wait on while I strenghten other spots

Doumit at C
Davis or Votto at 1B
Ludwick, Ethier at OF

Just not sure if they will be enough...what do you think will be SBs gems late in draft, guys I can nab in 15th round or later to at least get me a decent share of steals

Make sure your early round picks are 5 tool guys then, like first group: Hanley, Wright, Sizemore, Braun, Utley, Beltran Second group: Rollins, Longoria, Kinsler, Soriano, Berkman Third Group Holliday, Markakis, Rios, Kemp, McLouth (although I dont like him).

I like getting one of the other steal guys mentioned, but if not you can find guys like the below who give you a little bit of everything

Guys like Coco Crisp (my favorite), or Delmon Young, Justin Upton (should steal more), Butler, Rickie Weeks, Randy Winn, Dukes.

Once again depends how deep you league is, mine is 14 teams with 10 offensive starters (4 OF and DH)

[BigWeiner]

Here are my targets and a sleeper. The league we do for BC is points based, which makes things totally different, but for a standard 5X5, this is who I like
C Victor Martinez . Posada
1B Votto . Helton
2B Cano . Fontenot
SS Peralta or Hardy . Cabrera
3B Zimmerman . Gordon
OF Pence, Bruce, Cruz, Milledge, Werth, J. Upton . Span, Crisp, Maybin

[wayne1218]

anyone....anyone at all, have something to say about fantasy baseball

I'll be honest. Most guys here that are really into Fantasy Baseball are all drafting in 1 of the 3 drafts we are having this weekend. I'm sure they don't really want to play their hand here and give out all their sleepers with others watching. They are not stupid and i guarantee a few guys here that i KNOW have good opinions, don't want to and can't give it.

[peave]

Yes indeed. LOL

[BigWeiner]

What about Stephen Strasburg?

[gizmo]

late guys with steals that you may be able to use in your everyday lineup I like Milledge this year and Maybin

[BigWeiner]

late guys with steals that you may be able to use in your everyday lineup I like Milledge this year and Maybin

I drafted Carlos Gomez last year and he was worthless

[BigWeiner]

Here's my theory on Fantasy Baseball, draft NL pitchers and AL hitters, and only draft players on good teams. If deciding between John Lackey and Felix Hernandez, always take Lackey, because he's on a team that's gonna win. If deciding between Lackey and Billingsly, take the NL pitcher. Also stay clear of injures, don't even bother, if a players hurt, don't pick em, let someone else get the "great value" If you drafted Gilbert Arenas, you know what I'm talking about. Once injured, always injured, probably used steriods.