| In every fantasy baseball league, there's | | | | Fantasy Baseball Dugout sees Kennedy as the # |
| always one guy who makes a surprise pick or | | | | 5 starter in the Yankees rotation in a |
| two during the draft. He's usually the guy | | | | crowded pitching corpse that includes Wang, |
| who's done his homework on Fantasy Baseball | | | | Petitte, Chamberlain, Hughes, and Mussina. |
| Sleeper Prospects. He's the guy who reads | | | | Kennedy should win at least 12 games in 2008. |
| Fantasy Baseball Dugout. | | | | |
| | | | # 5 -- Evan Longoria, third baseman, Tampa |
| Fantasy Baseball Dugout is proud to present | | | | Bay Devil Rays |
| its 2008 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Prospects. | | | | |
| The criteria for qualifying as a sleeper | | | | Another name you've heard of, but more likely |
| prospect is that the player was not a regular | | | | because of its similarity to many men's |
| for the 2007 season and that the season was | | | | fantasy, and I'm not talking baseball at all |
| his first in The Show. Most fantasy baseball | | | | here. Longoria was the third overall pick by |
| sleeper players were September call-ups to | | | | the Devil Rays in 2006 out of a stellar |
| The Bigs, but some you probably would not | | | | All-American career with the Long Beach State |
| have heard of unless you were an avid minor | | | | Dirtbags. |
| league fan. | | | | |
| | | | Longoria, who played shortstop in college, is |
| #1 -- Joba Chamberlain, Starting Pitcher, New | | | | seen more as a third baseman in the Bigs. |
| York Yankees. | | | | His lack of speed projects him better at the |
| | | | hot corner where he has soft hands and good |
| Once a hefty 272 pound pitcher at D-II | | | | body control that will likely push Akinori |
| Nebraska-Kearney, Chamberlain lost weight and | | | | Otsuka over to second. |
| was simply dominating at every professional | | | | |
| level in 2007. He's an interesting guy--a | | | | Longoria will get plenty of playing time for |
| Native American member of the Winnebago | | | | the Devil Rays and is the favorite to be the |
| tribe. | | | | AL Rookie of the Year in 2008. Longoria is a |
| | | | .300+ guy with 30+ homers, even in his rookie |
| A hamstring injury hampered Chamberlain and | | | | campaign. |
| he did not make his pro debut until May. He | | | | |
| then made it all look easy. | | | | Last year, Longoria played at AA Montgomery |
| | | | and AAA Durham in one of the best farm |
| Chamberlain started at Hi-A Tampa where he | | | | systems in the MLB. He hit 26 homers while |
| went 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA and 51 strikeouts in | | | | knocking in 97 RBI. Longoria also belted 29 |
| 40 innings while holding hitters to a | | | | doubles. |
| microscopic .181 average. He was promoted to | | | | |
| AA Trenton where he went 4-2 in seven starts | | | | The knock on Longoria is that he can |
| with a 3.35 ERA and a massive 66 K's in 40 | | | | sometimes be too aggressive at the plate, |
| IP's. After three appearances at AAA Scranton | | | | sometimes chasing bad pitches. This led to |
| Wilkes Barre where he fanned 18 in 8 innings, | | | | 110 strikeouts last season. |
| Chamberlain was promoted to the Yanks. | | | | |
| | | | # 6 -- Brandon Wood, SS/3B, Los Angeles |
| You would think that Chamberlain's meteoric | | | | Angels |
| rise would have been too much to put up | | | | |
| similar numbers with the Bronx Bombers. | | | | In 2005, Wood broke into the pro ranks with |
| Nothing could have been further from the | | | | 43 home runs for High A Rancho Cucomonga. |
| truth. Chamberlain worked out of the bullpen | | | | His season with the Quakes pinned Wood as a |
| and appeared in 19 games. In 24 IP's, he | | | | superstar, but his stats since, while good, |
| fanned 34 while walking just 6 and giving up | | | | have been a bit more pedestrian. He hit 23 |
| 12 hits. Opponents were nearly invisible | | | | homers and .272 BA at AAA Salt Lake last |
| against Chamberlain at the plate with a .145 | | | | year. |
| BA. Chamberlain's ERA in the bigs: 0.38. | | | | |
| | | | Wood has power, but also strikes out a lot. |
| Chamberlain has the makings of a closer or a | | | | He fanned 120 times at Salt Lake last year |
| #1 starter. Manager Joe Girardi is going to | | | | before getting 33 AB's with the Angels. |
| be hard pressed to not move him quickly into | | | | Critics site that Wood often tries to pull |
| that #1 starter role in 2008. Watch his | | | | the ball too much which makes him susceptible |
| status closely during Grapefruit League | | | | to outside pitches. |
| games. You could end up with a mid-round | | | | |
| steal in Chamberlain. | | | | The Angels still have Aybar, Figgins, and |
| | | | Izturis in the mix at shortstop, but none of |
| Fantasy Baseball Dugout considers Chamberlain | | | | these guys have the pop that Wood has. |
| to be a top 20 pick among all pitchers in the | | | | Expect Wood to be the Angels third baseman |
| 2008 fantasy baseball draft. He will win at | | | | this season. |
| least 15 games in pinstripes and will be a | | | | |
| dominant strikeout machine with enormous | | | | # 7 -- Adam Miller, Starting Pitcher, |
| upside potential in future years. | | | | Cleveland Indians |
| | | | |
| # 2 -- Clay Bucholz, Starting Pitcher, Boston | | | | Miller has been dominant in the minor |
| Red Sox | | | | leagues, but has been injury prone so be sure |
| | | | to check his status before drafting him in |
| Bucholz is the best home grown pitcher from | | | | March. He only pitched 65 innings last year |
| the Sox farm system since Roger Clemens. | | | | at AAA Buffalo where he went 5-4, 4.82. |
| This guy is certainly no surprise given the | | | | |
| fact that he tossed a no-no in just his | | | | When he's healthy, Miller can be lights out. |
| second major league start last season against | | | | He has hit 97 on the gun, although not as of |
| the Orioles. He likely would have made the | | | | late. Still, his slider is very impressive |
| Red Sox post-season roster had Boston not | | | | and clearly his best pitch. Miller has been |
| shut him down with a tired arm. | | | | more effective as he's matured as a pitcher |
| | | | and not tried to blow his heater by everyone. |
| Bucholz was simply dominant in the minors | | | | |
| last year and is another strikeout machine | | | | We see Miller as an eventual starter, but |
| for leagues who take whiffs into account. | | | | he'll probably start 2008 in the Tribe's |
| Bucholz averaged 12.3 strikeouts per 9 IP | | | | bullpen or will battle the more experienced |
| last year in the minors with AA Portland and | | | | Aaron Laffey for the #5 starting job behind |
| AAA Pawtucket. | | | | Sabathia, Carmona, Westbrook, and BallparkBob |
| | | | lookalike Paul Byrd. We're thinking Laffey |
| All this despite the fact that Bucholz was | | | | will earn the # 5 spot just to add a second |
| not a full time pitcher until 2005 when he | | | | southpaw to the Indians' rotation. |
| was picked in the first round supplemental | | | | |
| draft by the Sox. Several teams stayed away | | | | # 8 -- Daric Barton, first baseman, Oakland |
| from Bucholz because of an April 2004 theft | | | | A's |
| arrest. | | | | |
| | | | Barton was acquired from the Cardinals in |
| The right hander tops out at 95 MPH with his | | | | 2004 in the Mark Mulder deal. After moving |
| fastball and has a 12-6 curve to go along | | | | from catcher to first base, Barton had a |
| with an effective change. Most scouts would | | | | streaky year in 2007 for AAA Sacramento where |
| like to see him rely on his fastball more | | | | he hit .293 with 9 HR's and 38 doubles. |
| and it remains to be seen if he can hold up | | | | |
| for an entire season as he pitched a career | | | | He has no wheels and is not a power hitter |
| high 149 IP's last year and was gassed at the | | | | despite weighing 205. Recently, he's been |
| end of the season. | | | | getting more loft on his stroke, but he's |
| | | | basically a line drive hitter of the Kevin |
| Fantasy Baseball Dugout projects Bucholz as | | | | Youklis mode. |
| the # 4 starter this year for Boston behind | | | | |
| Beckett, Matsuzaka, and Lester. He'll get | | | | A left-handed hitter, Barton will likely be |
| his chances to impress and will probably be | | | | the A's starting first baseman this year |
| the Sox # 2 man by next season. | | | | unless Dan Johnson can beat him out which |
| | | | appears to be unlikely. He's strong and hits |
| # 3 -- Jacoby Ellsbury, Outfielder, Boston | | | | the ball extremely hard so if Barton can pick |
| Red Sox | | | | up more of a homerun stroke, he could change |
| | | | his game and be a 20+ homerun hitter. |
| Ellsbury is another guy who is already well | | | | |
| known, yet still qualifies as a rookie. | | | | # 9 -- Luke Hochevar, Starting Pitcher, |
| Ellsbury relieved a slumping Coco Crisp in | | | | Kansas City Royals |
| the World Series last year and hit a sizzling | | | | |
| .438 in the Fall Classic. This was after | | | | I know, picking a pitcher on the Royals is |
| hitting .361 in September while playing for | | | | crazy, but this one is worth a look. |
| the injured Manny Ramirez. Not to mention, a | | | | Hochevar was the number one overall pick in |
| Pawtucket record of a 25-game hitting streak. | | | | the 2006 draft. His stats last year were, |
| | | | quite frankly, not impressive either--4.69 at |
| Ellsbury hit .353 last year in just 116 AB's. | | | | AA Wichita and 5.12 at AAA Omaha. |
| He won't hit for much power, but is a force | | | | |
| at the top of the lineup for a Red Sox team | | | | But, that's why we call them sleepers. |
| that will score a lot of runs. And, Ellsbury | | | | Hochevar, 24, hits 95 with his fastball and |
| will help your all important stolen base | | | | has a late-breaking curve that can be |
| totals. He swiped 9 in the Bigs last year | | | | devastating. He needs to work on his control |
| and a total of 50 overall with his three | | | | and how well he does with his control will |
| clubs. | | | | determine if he makes the big club in April. |
| | | | |
| The ceiling is high for Ellsbury, but there's | | | | Expect Hochevar to battle Kyle Davies for a |
| no guarantee he will be with the club when | | | | spot in the Royals' rotation behind Meche, |
| the Sox break camp. While it is rumored that | | | | Bannister, Greinke, and De La Rosa. Based on |
| Boston is trying to move Crisp, Ellsbury may | | | | his less than impressive minor league stats, |
| have to wait for a mid-season call up to | | | | you'll be able to pick up Hochevar in the |
| break the starting lineup if the Red Sox | | | | late rounds and he could prove to be worth |
| can't move Crisp. | | | | the gamble in large leagues. |
| | | | |
| # 4 -- Ian Kennedy, Starting Pitcher, New | | | | # 10 -- Jeff Clement, catcher, Seattle |
| York Yankees | | | | Mariners |
| | | | |
| Kennedy is another Yankee who benefited from | | | | Clement can flat out rake. But, there's just |
| exposure in a September call up. He started | | | | one problem, the Mariners don't have an |
| three games and had a sparkling 1.89 ERA | | | | opening behind the plate with Kenji Johjima |
| while holding opponents to a .191 BA. | | | | there. |
| | | | |
| Kennedy rose through the Yank's farm system | | | | Clement broke Drew Henson's national high |
| like a torpedo last year moving from Hi A | | | | school record with 75 career homeruns out of |
| Tampa to AA Trenton to AAA Scranton/Wilkes | | | | Iowa. Clement went on to play college ball |
| Barre, before joining the pinstripers in | | | | at Southern Cal spurning the Twins offer in |
| September. His combined record was 13-3 with | | | | the 2002 draft. |
| 178 strikeouts in 166 IP. | | | | |
| | | | The left handed hitting Clement stroked 20 |
| Kennedy's best pitch is his changeup which | | | | dingers last year at AAA Tacoma with a .275 |
| has a nice run to it. He can hit 92 MPH, but | | | | BA. He was streaky last year at Tacoma and |
| is often criticized for a too slow curveball | | | | his stats suffered from playing at cavernous |
| which can bottom out at a middle-schoolish | | | | Cheney Park in the Pacific Coast League. |
| 69. | | | | Clement slugged over 100 points higher while |
| | | | playing on the road. |