TIRED OF SLEEPERS
SonofZim@fantasybaseballgeeks.com
Check out more Joe Pisapia “aka” Son of Zim at http://fanhuddle.com/fantasybaseballhuddle and follow me on Twitter @JoePisapia17 for your fantasy news and updates
Johnny Cueto - Icon SMI
If everyone is calling someone a sleeper then guess what…THEY’RE NOT! A sleeper is supposed to be a player off the radar of 75% of the owners in your league. He should be a player that has great potential and likely also comes with a certain degree of risk. Many of these players are either returning from injury or failed to live up to the hype. If they played well last year, then they are not a sleeper. How can Carlos Gonzalez be a sleeper if he had a great second half and was owned in 80% of fantasy leagues? He can’t be!
So here are some names I personally haven’t heard anyone talk about this spring that might actually perform above expectations but are still under the radar.
A kid who just needed more time…
Johnny Cueto SP CIN
Cueto is filthy, but he lacks focus and maturity. This will be his third full season in the big leagues and at 24 years old this would be the time you might see him take the next step forward. He has great strikeout ability and that is what you want in your fantasy rotation.
A pitcher coming off an injury…
Kevin Slowey SP MIN
Don’t let his inflated ERA fool you, Slowey had a few rough outings early on and did not pitch the second half after landing on the DL. His minor league stats prove he has stunning control (1.94 ERA 361/52 K/BB ratio) and the move to the outdoor park should help.
A closer in waiting…
Luke Gregerson RP SD
This kid knows how to pitch and it won’t be long until Heath Bell finds his way onto a contender. The 25 year old had an 11.2 SO per 9 in his first season in the Padre pen. They don’t have any options as tempting in San Diego and he was lights out in the minors. By July 31st he will be closing games if not sooner.
A catcher who needs some good luck…
Ryan Doumit C PIT
Catchers with career OPS’ of .819 don’t grow on trees and the fact he plays in Pittsburgh almost certainly guarantees he will be forgotten about in many drafts. Doumit has great power an all signs look to him being healthy. He is a steal!
A player who is still useful…
Alex Rios OF CHWS
Rios is not the player everyone thought he would become and that is not to say he is not still useful. He is in a well protected lineup in a good park and does have 15-20 homer and 20-30 steal capability. He is a great late round outfield choice in roto leagues.
A victim of circumstance…
Brandon Wood SS/3B LAA
Wood was blocked to the big leagues but now with Chone Figgins’ exodus to division rival Seattle, he has a clear path to sink or swim. Wood mashed his way through the minors and is still young enough to have a high ceiling. He was talked about by experts everywhere the last two years and now seems like a forgotten man. He shouldn’t be!
A guy playing for a contract…
Adrian Beltre 3B BOS
Adrian Beltre is no great prize. However, he is on a one year deal playing on a great team and we all remember last time he was looking for a big contract he blasted 48 dingers. He is never going to do that again, but at a weak third base slot he would be nice pick especially on the Red Sox.
Call them deep sleepers if you will, but these guys might help you and will cost you very little. If you recall last spring I was asked which young “deep sleeper rookie” to target and the name I gave out was Carlos Gonzalez. So the Zim has gone down to the well before and come up with a full bucket…of awesome.
what about alfonso soriano as a possible sleeper?
Not buying Slowey this season. A wrist injury for a pitcher on his pitching arm could have more of an adverse affect than a shoulder injury. Good stuff though, I agree with you on the whole sleeper issue. Brett Anderson getting drafted around guys like Nolasco is just absurd to me. No sleeper value in that.
Not buying Slowey either. As a die-hard Reds fan I completely agree with Cueto. He strikes tons of people out. The guy typically has one bad inning where he lets up 4-5 runs.
@Sean – A dude with a contract like Soriano’s cannot be classified as a sleeper.
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