2006 Fantasy MLB Sleeper Picks
Okay, it’s that time of year. Spring is in the air. Spring training is on the way and you are preparing for your league’s Fantasy Baseball Draft. And while most people can adequately prepare the top of their draft board with a list of the best and brightest that major league baseball has to offer, it is the bottom half of the list that will give most people trouble. The bottom half is where you have to separate the diamonds in the rough, from the over-rated former superstars hanging onto one more season, as well as the over hyped rookies and prospects. So if you are too busy watching the World Baseball Classic to do your due diligence on this years crop of potential sleepers, let me help you out with a list of the top Sleeper pick options for the 2006 season.
2006 Sleeper Picks:
B.J. Upton, Devil Rays, SS
It’s hard to call the second overall pick in the 2002 a sleeper pick, but with defense being an issue, he is stuck behind Julio Lugo in the Devil Ray line-up. Still the upside on Upton is high. His quick wrists and strength despite a small frame, gives him a lively bat that could translate to a .300 average and 20 homers over the course of a full season. This five-tool player is also equipped with enough speed to steal +30 bases in a season. Limited to just 159 at bats last year, Upton collected 14 extra base hits and 4 steals. In keeper leagues he is definitely worth the gamble.
Carlos Quentin, Diamondbacks, OF
I know what you are thinking, Carlos who? Carlos Quentin. Arizona’s 2003 1st round draft pick out of Stanford. Carlos under went Tommy john elbow surgery right after college, and recovered well enough to post 42 homeruns and a .316 average in his two years of minor league ball. Carlos is also aggressive enough at the plate to have set a minor league record by being hit by a pitch 43 times in one season. A crowded Arizona outfield featuring Gonzalez, Green and Bynes still stand in the way of Quentin getting substantial playing time, but Carlos will hit his way into the line-up over the course of the season.
Justin Morneau, Twins, 1B
Okay stop laughing. Morneau was over hyped coming into the 2005 season, and then had an injured plague year that accounted for a pitiful .239 average and 22 homers in 141 games. Somewhere halfway between last year’s pre-season hype and his disastrous 2005 season is where the real Morneau lies. If you had him on your team last year and saw him struggle, you will probably ignore him this year, which makes him the perfect sleeper pick for someone else. Roll the die with Justin and he will reward you with a +30 homerun year.
Prince Fielder, Brewers, 1B
It was a hard decision to add Fielder to this list of sleepers since odds are that a good number of people have heard of him by now and he might get over hyped in some leagues. But just in case he slips through amiss a strong group of first basemen, keep Prince in mind for the later rounds. The Brewers traded away Overbay to make room for Prince at first. Though he still needs work with his defense, no one can deny that Cecil Fielder’s kid has power. Already this Spring Prince has sent one homerun past the 450 ft mark. Fielder was consistent enough in the minors to put up +20 HRs in A, AA, and AAA ball. There is no reason to believe that he will not do the same this year at the Major league level.
Justin Verlander, Tigers, SP
Verlander was the second player taken over all in the 2004 draft. Though marked with an enormous amount of talent, Justin had a poor showing in a stint with the Tigers last July. Those two starts produced an ERA over 7.00, which might just help mask the fact that Verlander is one of the strongest pitching prospects coming up this year. This power pitcher will feel right at home in Detroit’s pitcher friendly ball park, so expect that ERA to go down below 4.00 if he pitches for the club this year.
Deep Sleeper:
Delmon Young, Devil Rays, OF
Whether or not the Devil Rays bring Delmon on for a full season in 2006 remains to be seen. Yet in the near future this former first pick over all (2003) will be tearing the cover of the ball. If you want a real gamble with a sky-high ceiling of potential, then Delmon is your man. Once he sticks in the majors, Delmon will out hit his brother Dmitri.
So if you weren’t able to do your homework on sleeper picks prior to the draft, relax, one of these six players is bound to slip through your draft without notice and become a late round sleeper pick for your team. Good luck and happy drafting.
Okay, it’s that time of year. Spring is in the air. Spring training is on the way and you are preparing for your league’s Fantasy Baseball Draft. And while most people can adequately prepare the top of their draft board with a list of the best and brightest that major league baseball has to offer, it is the bottom half of the list that will give most people trouble. The bottom half is where you have to separate the diamonds in the rough, from the over-rated former superstars hanging onto one more season, as well as the over hyped rookies and prospects. So if you are too busy watching the World Baseball Classic to do your due diligence on this years crop of potential sleepers, let me help you out with a list of the top Sleeper pick options for the 2006 season.
2006 Sleeper Picks:
B.J. Upton, Devil Rays, SS
It’s hard to call the second overall pick in the 2002 a sleeper pick, but with defense being an issue, he is stuck behind Julio Lugo in the Devil Ray line-up. Still the upside on Upton is high. His quick wrists and strength despite a small frame, gives him a lively bat that could translate to a .300 average and 20 homers over the course of a full season. This five-tool player is also equipped with enough speed to steal +30 bases in a season. Limited to just 159 at bats last year, Upton collected 14 extra base hits and 4 steals. In keeper leagues he is definitely worth the gamble.
Carlos Quentin, Diamondbacks, OF
I know what you are thinking, Carlos who? Carlos Quentin. Arizona’s 2003 1st round draft pick out of Stanford. Carlos under went Tommy john elbow surgery right after college, and recovered well enough to post 42 homeruns and a .316 average in his two years of minor league ball. Carlos is also aggressive enough at the plate to have set a minor league record by being hit by a pitch 43 times in one season. A crowded Arizona outfield featuring Gonzalez, Green and Bynes still stand in the way of Quentin getting substantial playing time, but Carlos will hit his way into the line-up over the course of the season.
Justin Morneau, Twins, 1B
Okay stop laughing. Morneau was over hyped coming into the 2005 season, and then had an injured plague year that accounted for a pitiful .239 average and 22 homers in 141 games. Somewhere halfway between last year’s pre-season hype and his disastrous 2005 season is where the real Morneau lies. If you had him on your team last year and saw him struggle, you will probably ignore him this year, which makes him the perfect sleeper pick for someone else. Roll the die with Justin and he will reward you with a +30 homerun year.
Prince Fielder, Brewers, 1B
It was a hard decision to add Fielder to this list of sleepers since odds are that a good number of people have heard of him by now and he might get over hyped in some leagues. But just in case he slips through amiss a strong group of first basemen, keep Prince in mind for the later rounds. The Brewers traded away Overbay to make room for Prince at first. Though he still needs work with his defense, no one can deny that Cecil Fielder’s kid has power. Already this Spring Prince has sent one homerun past the 450 ft mark. Fielder was consistent enough in the minors to put up +20 HRs in A, AA, and AAA ball. There is no reason to believe that he will not do the same this year at the Major league level.
Justin Verlander, Tigers, SP
Verlander was the second player taken over all in the 2004 draft. Though marked with an enormous amount of talent, Justin had a poor showing in a stint with the Tigers last July. Those two starts produced an ERA over 7.00, which might just help mask the fact that Verlander is one of the strongest pitching prospects coming up this year. This power pitcher will feel right at home in Detroit’s pitcher friendly ball park, so expect that ERA to go down below 4.00 if he pitches for the club this year.
Deep Sleeper:
Delmon Young, Devil Rays, OF
Whether or not the Devil Rays bring Delmon on for a full season in 2006 remains to be seen. Yet in the near future this former first pick over all (2003) will be tearing the cover of the ball. If you want a real gamble with a sky-high ceiling of potential, then Delmon is your man. Once he sticks in the majors, Delmon will out hit his brother Dmitri.
So if you weren’t able to do your homework on sleeper picks prior to the draft, relax, one of these six players is bound to slip through your draft without notice and become a late round sleeper pick for your team. Good luck and happy drafting.
