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2010 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Designated Hitters
Written by TG Fantasy Baseball Staff
February 20, 2010

Feature Article

Arizona Diamondbacks

Jason Kubel (Projected Value: $21)
Kubel (27) put it together last year and contributed power and average to the Twins’ lineup. The former top prospect is living up to expectations and should get even better if he can stay healthy as he enters his peak performing years.

Boston Red Sox

David Ortiz (Projected Value: $12)
Ortiz (34?) had a brutal start to the 2009 season, but returned to his former self, a feared AL slugger. He ranked at or near the top of the league in both homers and RBI over the last four months: he hit six or more home runs in each of those last four months. Papi probably will not hit .300; he might hit 30 HR and drive in 90 - 100 runs.

Chicago White Sox

Adam Dunn (Projected Value: $22)
Dunn hit "only" 38 HR last year, ending his streak of five consecutive seasons with 40-plus home runs. Expect him to retain his skill set, which includes the 40 HR, driving in 100+ runs, and he might bat .260. He has solid fantasy value.

Paul Konerko (Projected Value: $12)
Konerko (34) rebounded from a poor 2008 to hit .277 with 28 homers, and 88 RBI in 2009. A streaky hitter, he batted only .243, but with 12 HR after the ASG. Expect him to overachieve one more time as he enters a contract year.

Cleveland Indians

Nick Johnson (Projected Value: $4)
Johnson (31) finished 2009 with eight home runs, 62 RBI, and a solid .291/.426/.405 batting line. Pencil him in as the Yankees’ DH. He has limited power, but he can drive the ball, so he will get RBI opportunities in the Bronx – if he stays healthy.

Travis Hafner (Projected Value: $0)
More than a year removed from arthroscopic right shoulder surgery, Hafner expects to have no playing time restrictions in 2010. Last season, he played more than three days in a row just once. Hafner can help AL-only Leagues with his power, but his shoulder issues make him an injury risk.

Detroit Tigers

Victor Martinez (Projected Value: $19)
Martinez (30) batted .303 with 23 home runs, 108 RBI, 88 runs, and a .381 on-base percentage during his season with both Cleveland and Boston. He moved into the middle of an already potent Red Sox lineup to hit .336 with 20 extra-base hits, 41 RBI, and 32 runs in 56 games. He qualifies as both a catcher and first basemen in many leagues. Who wouldn’t want him for either spot?

Houston Astros

Jack Cust (Projected Value: $0)
Cust (31) batted .240/.356/.417 with 25 home runs and 70 RBI in 2009. He must lose at-bats and become more of a part-time player this year.

Kansas City Royals

Billy Butler (Projected Value: $13)
Butler produced great stats for a 23-year-old first baseman: a .301 average with 21 home runs and 93 RBI. He solidified his position as Kansas City's No. 3 hitter after the ASG with a .314 average, 13 homers, 55 RBI, and a .540 slugging percentage. And there’s more where that came from.

Los Angeles Angels

Bobby Abreu (Projected Value: $28)
Talk about consistency! Abreu (36) has had 11 seasons with at least 15 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 96 runs scored. In addition, he has driven in 100+ runs for seven consecutive seasons. Can he continue? Don’t bet against it.

Minnesota Twins

Josh Willingham (Projected Value: $10)
Willingham (31) started last year on the bench, but became the Nats' everyday left fielder in June. He ended the season with a .260 average, 24 home runs, and 61 RBI. Willingham can also play first base (1 game in 2009).

None

Manny Ramirez (Projected Value: $28)
Yes, Manny missed 50 games because of a suspension, so his stats took a hit. And at age 37, you cannot expect an upward trend to develop unless he wants to risk getting suspended again. That being said, wouldn’t you want this thumper on your team for 145 games this year?

Johnny Damon (Projected Value: $24)
Damon turned into a power option in 2009, thanks to the short right field fence at Yankee Stadium. He has stayed reasonably healthy into his mid- and now late-thirties, and he can steal the occasional base while batting close to .300.

Magglio Ordonez (Projected Value: $22)
The Tigers honorably played Ordonez (36), knowing that too many at-bats guaranteed him an $18 million contract for 2010. He responded by hitting .410 with six doubles in September, securing his fourth .300 average in the last five seasons. About the power: can he expect to hit more home runs this year? Probably, but don’t bet on 20.

Vladimir Guerrero (Projected Value: $16)
Vlad (34) batted .295/.334/.460 in 2009 with 15 home runs in an injury-plagued 2009. He went on the disabled list twice, first for a torn chest muscle from April 18 to May 25, and again for a strained left knee from July 10 to Aug. 4. Expect him to hit well in 2010 - just no longer at an elite injury-free level.

Jorge Posada (Projected Value: $14)
Posada (38) returned to prominence in 2009 after an injury-riddled 2008. He hit .285 with 22 HR and 81 RBI. He will DH more and catch fewer games in 2010, so he should experience less wear and team. Expect similar offensive numbers from him in 2010.

Jose Guillen (Projected Value: $10)
Guillen (34) played only half a season last year, and made two trips to the disabled list (right hip, back, and knee). He expects to be ready in time for the '10 campaign when he could hit a dozen home runs. However, before you draft him, consider his age and the likelihood that he will end up on the DL again.

Hideki Matsui (Projected Value: $0)
Matsui knocked 28 balls over the fence for the Yankees in '09, and he stayed healthy for the entire year. He probably will not play in the outfield in Los Angeles - he can concentrate solely on hitting, and he makes for an excellent middle-of-the-order hitter.

Mike Sweeney (Projected Value: $0)
Sweeney (36) might emerge as a DH/PH who can contribute to a team’s average. Think about him during the season if/when you need someone from the waiver wire.

Randy Ruiz (Projected Value: $0)
Ruiz (31) made a claim for regular at-bats in Toronto. If he gets them at the DH spot, he might duplicate what Jack Cust did in Oakland, i.e., become a late-blooming home run hitter. In addition to the 10 HR that he hit for the Blue Jays, he hit 25 HR and had 106 RBI for Triple-A Las Vegas prior to getting called up by Toronto.

Philadelphia Phillies

Jim Thome (Projected Value: $0)
Future HOF Jim Thome (39) is feeling the affects of age and the occasional back woe, plus he qualifies only at DH now. With the Twins this year, you can nevertheless expect to see him hit 20-25 long balls with an average around .250.

Seattle Mariners

Ken Griffey Jr. (Projected Value: $0)
Griffey (40) had his lowest career single-season batting average in ’09 – but he showed with his power stroke that he still has something left in the tank. He might hit between 15-20 HR again in 2010.

Tampa Bay Rays

Hank Blalock (Projected Value: $3)
Blalock batted .234 with 25 home runs and 66 RBI in 462 at-bats (123 games) in 2009. He had not played in 100 games since 2006 because of injuries. He can hit with power or he can hit for average, but he has not done both in the same year in the recent past. If he leaves Texas, his chances for power results will diminish.

Willy Aybar (Projected Value: $0)
Aybar (27) can play just about anywhere in the infield and has hit double-digit home runs (10, 12) in a part-time role over the past two years. Consider him a late-round AL-only pick.

Texas Rangers

Michael Young (Projected Value: $24)
Even though he was sidelined in September with a hamstring injury, Young (33) finished 2009 with a .322 average, 22 home runs, and 68 RBI. Consider him a quality hitter and a solid starting option at third base – as long as he is healthy.

Toronto Blue Jays

Edwin Encarnacion (Projected Value: $5)
Encarnacion (27) hit .225 with 13 HR and 39 RBI in 85 games between Cincinnati and Toronto in 2009. (He took a step back in his development after hitting 26 home runs in 2008.) When will he truly bust out? He hasn’t yet, and you will be taking a risk if you draft him.