My personal duty as a fantasy sports guru is not to give you obvious information. I think everyone knows that Arod, Irod, and Pmart are all studs and should all be consider with either $50 bids or a top five overall draft selection. Who are the sleepers though, Those rookies or guys with minimal experience who will blossom into All-Stars by June, the guys destined to 'blow up', the players you can not just be left at the curb without. There are prospects galore who only need an opportunity as well as quality surronding them to become bonifide studs in a matter of weeks.
Peter Gammons in his espn.com column revealed his list of the top 20 players to breakthrough in 2001. The list is as follows:
1- Lance Berkman 2- Eric Chavez 3-Matt Morris 4- Tomo Okha 5-Dmitri Young 6-Adrian Beltre 7- Ben Petrick 8- Paul Wilson 9- A.J. Burnett 10- Rondell White 11- Randy Wolf 12- Latroy Hawkins 13- Juan Pierre 14- Juan Encarncion 15- J.D. Drew 16-Doug Davis 17-Vernon Wells 18-Peter Bergeron 19-Jim Parque 20-Jeff Weaver.
Now a brief rundown of each.
Berkman - The Astros traded Roger Cedeno, so the coast is clear for Berkman. Hit 21 HR's, 67 RBI, in 353 AB's. He will also set you back only 570K in the CDM CHALLENGE. With Enron Field in the equation, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Chavez - Look for the Oakland third sacker to blow up similar to Troy Glaus last year. He is now an undisputed starter and is projected in the 30 bomb/100 RBI range. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Morris - Gammons thinks this is the year for him, but the rotation is crowded and Matt is probably relegated to the bullpen for at least the start of the season. Also let's see how the elbow holds out.
Okha - Did well in 12 starts with the Bosox in the second half. Not a big K guy though. Probably not bad to full out your starting staff though.
Young - Reds LF, will get you .300, 20 bombs, 90 RBI.
Beltre - Dodgers 3B, classic fourth year breakout potential. Warning though, Adrian blew out his appendix in his native D.R. in the offseason. The subsequent operation resulted in complications, three weeks in the hospital, and cost him 15 pounds. So temper your expectations and don't be surprised by a slow start.
Petrick - Rockies Catcher. Goes for 500K in CDM. Finally the man in COL. With the shortage of quality offensive catchers + Coors Field, he is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Wilson - TB SP. History of arm problems with the Mets well documented. Finally came around last year.
Burnett - FLA SP. Gammons thinks he will emerge a la Ryan Dempster. Kind of a Turk Wendell like free-spirit. Worth a late flier.
R. White - Now with the Cubs, could achieve a mini Andre Dawson 'thank God I'm out of Montreal' breakout. Potential for 20+ bombs, but doesn't run much these days.
R. Wolf - PHI SP. Decent NL starter.
Hawkins - Good news, he's not a closer. Not-so-good news, it's with the Twins and his career ERA is over 5.
Pierre - Must have for the SB department, not to mention he's with COL. And not to offend the 54 million Americans with mental disabilities, he?s been working out like a MANIAC this winter. Crowded OF to contend with, but still HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Encarncion - DET OF. Fourth year, this should be his .300/20+ bomb/20 SB breakout.
Drew - Most of us knows the story here. Costs 810K in CDM. RECOMMENDED.
Doug Davis - Rangers SP, not crazy about him.
V. Wells - Trying to make TOR OF, see what happens.
Bergeron - Anyone named Peter Bergeron ought to be playing for the Habs. Still battling for the MON CF gig with Milton Bradley, the man behind CANDYLAND and CHUTES AND LADDERS.
Parque -CWS SP. Decent hurler on winning team, when DET players aren't trying to choke the life ought of him.
Weaver - DET SP. Still a work in progress.
Now for guys who didn't make Gammons list, but should not be forgotten.
Gabe Kapler and Ruben Mateo - TEX OF's. They both go for 600K in CDM. Kapler's the one who?s been on the muscle mag covers and Mateo's the one coming off the broken leg (so check his progress in ST). Considering the power packed lineup they're in - BOTH RECOMMENDED.
Ichiro Suzuki -First Japan position player to jump the pond. Unlike pitchers, who have the advantage of the hitters not knowing them, he's going to have to learn MLB pitching. 750K in CDM. His JL stats the last three years had him the .350, 15 bomb, 15 SB range. Take about 40 points of the BA and that's what you should get this year.
Ben Sheets- MIL Rookie SP. Your Olympic Hero. Will be in the rotation, his stuff is supposedly very nasty.
Kerry Wood -Buy him if he's low. Second year after surgery usually bodes better.
Jimmy Rollins - Phillies rookie shortstop, 20-something SB's, 10 or so HR's the last two years in the minors. Only costs .36 in CDM.
So there you have it, hope you will find the hidden gems, the key to winning your fantasy league.
