Written by TG Fantasy Baseball Staff
March 21, 2008

Baltimore Orioles Aubrey Huff (Projected Value: $0) Huff performs better after the All Star Game. Check out his historical stats. Except for the year when he played for two teams (2006), Huff saves his best for the second half of the season. If you draft him, do not trade him before the All Star Game. Trade for him after the All Star Game. He also might have another cumulative .300, 25-home run season in his future. Boston Red Sox David Ortiz (Projected Value: $49) Big Papi, Red Sox DH David Ortiz, had a great year in 2007 - even though he hit 19 fewer home runs than in 2006 when he hit 54. He also drove in 117 in 2007, 20 fewer than in 2006. He hit .332 in 2007, much higher than his .287 from the year before. He had surgery on his right knee this fall, from which he is expected to fully recover. You can expect him to hit 40+ home runs again! Chicago White Sox Jim Thome (Projected Value: $11) Thome has hit 30 or more home runs in 11 of the past 12 seasons. (He smacked 35 round-trippers last season.) Even though the 37-year-old thumper goes on the DL too often, he still produces enough for you to consider drafting him. Cleveland Indians Travis Hafner (Projected Value: $14) Hafner put up decent numbers as the Indians’ DH last year: 24 home runs and .266 average, which both were large drop-offs from his 2006 numbers (42 HR, .308 Average). He did drive in 100 runs. Expect a rebound from the 31-year-old slugger. Detroit Tigers Gary Sheffield (Projected Value: $13) No one scares a pitcher more than Sheffield, one of the most fearless hitters of our era. The 39-year-old DH smacked 25 home runs last year and even stole 22 bases. Expect more of the same, and even a bump in his average from .265 to close to .290 – IF he stays healthy. Kansas City Royals Billy Butler (Projected Value: $6) In his first taste of the major leagues, Butler batted a solid .292 with eight home runs and 52 RBI in 92 games - mostly as DH. The Royals plan to make him their everyday first baseman in 2008. The 21-year-old prospect has great upside. If you can draft him, do so. Billy Butler (Projected Value: $6) In his first taste of the major leagues, Butler batted a solid .292 with eight home runs and 52 RBI in 92 games - mostly as DH. The Royals plan to make him their everyday first baseman in 2008. The 21-year-old prospect has great upside. If you can draft him, do so. Los Angeles Angels Vladimir Guerrero (Projected Value: $29) Vlad produces like few others, even if his numbers have been declining – slowly. He did not hit 30 home runs for only the 3rd time in his 11-year career: “only” 27 dingers. He has stopped stealing bases. On the other hand, he still batted well over .300 and you can expect that to be sustained this year, along with a revival of the 30 HR/125 RBI numbers. The addition of Torii Hunter in the lineup cannot hurt. Milwaukee Brewers Jay Gibbons (Projected Value: $0) Gibbons’s injuries and involvement with performance enhancing substances should play factors in your deciding to draft him this year. Besides, he opens the season with a 15-day suspension, but it might not matter anyway. He seems to have lost his power stroke. Minnesota Twins Jason Kubel (Projected Value: $8) Kubel qualifies as superb sleeper in any Fantasy league on Draft Day. The 25-year-old outfielder probably will not bat against left-handed pitchers because of his .236 average against them. He can still hit a decent number of home runs and bat close to .300. New York Yankees Hideki Matsui (Projected Value: $22) The 33-year-old Matsui puts up solid numbers: average close to .300, 25 home runs, and 100 RBI. Expect him to do it again, only because he always does (barring injury). Johnny Damon (Projected Value: $16) Damon failed to score 100 runs for the first time since 1997. In addition, the 34-year-old outfielder lost his center field job to Melky Cabrera. Well then, how did he get motivated enough to steal 27 bases? He did come through in the second half of the season by batting .296. If injuries do not hamper him, he will produce, in center, left, or at first base. Shelley Duncan (Projected Value: $0) Duncan bashed out seven home runs (many of which were of the dramatic sort) and 17 RBI while hitting .257 for the Yankees last year. Expect the 28-year-old reserve player to get at-bats at first base and the outfield. Consider him a sleeper in AL-only leagues. None Garret Anderson (Projected Value: $12) Anderson posted excellent numbers in the second half of last season: a .305 average with 13 home runs. Can the 35-year-old outfielder hit 20 home runs for the season again? Probably, and he might hit close to .300. He also might lose at-bats to Juan Rivera or Reggie Willits after the Halos’ acquisition of Torii Hunter. Draft him as your fourth or fifth outfielder. Kevin Millar (Projected Value: $8) Millar will hit around 15 home runs, drive in 65 runs, and bat around .275. At 36, he probably will not be doing that for many more years. Although, if he gets on a hot streak, he can carry a team by himself – which he might have to do with the Orioles. Draft him if you need a backup corner infielder. Jason Giambi (Projected Value: $0) Giambi is slipping. The 37-year-old DH, and maybe first baseman, batted only .236 last year in the Bronx. Can he come back to hit 30 home runs? That is asking for a lot, especially as he probably will not play the field that often and has not got 500 at-bats since 2003. Consider him an injury-risk sleeper. Mike Sweeney (Projected Value: $0) Sweeney remains interested in re-signing with the Royals, but the odds of him re-signing are long. The 35-year-old DH hopes to hook up with a team soon, maybe as early as this week. He says, "My back is great and my knee is just fine. I'm probably in the best shape of my career." Exactly how healthy is that, Mike? He has not had 500 at-bats since 2001. Oakland Athletics Jack Cust (Projected Value: $7) Cust came out of nowhere at age 29 and a reputation as “maxed out in the minors” to hit 26 homers and 82 RBI in 395 at-bats. He hit .256 for the year and might have trouble doing that again, especially as he ended ’07 by hitting .193 in September. Yet he remains a power threat and can hit 30+ home runs if his name is on the lineup card every day. Frank Thomas (Projected Value: $3) Thomas, the 39-year-old DH, produced yet again. He hit 26 home runs, drove in 95, and batted .277. How does he do it? You should consider him an injury risk, but at the same time, consider his offensive output before deciding what, and if, to bid. Seattle Mariners Jose Vidro (Projected Value: $0) Vidro put together a good season for the Mariners last year. The 33-year-old DH and occasional second baseman hit .314 – his highest average since 2002. He provides only a strong average (no stolen bases) and is getting older, so draft him for help in that category only. Jeff Clement (Projected Value: $0) Clement performed well at Tacoma in ’07, and caught the eye of Seattle manager John McLaren when he hit two clutch home runs for the Mariners as the season was winding down. Consider the 24-year old prospect and backup behind Kenji Johjima as a No. 2 AL-only catcher. Tampa Bay Rays Jonny Gomes (Projected Value: $7) Gomes, 27, had 17 home runs, 20 doubles, 49 RBI, and a career-high 12 stolen bases, while batting .244 last season. He has walloped 58 homers between 2005-07 - the most of any Rays player during that span. Despite that, he has to demonstrate that he can hit for a higher average, or else he will be sitting on the bench more often than not. Draft him for his power stats only and consider him an overall sleeper.

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