Last week we spotlighted some of the more noteworthy position battles this spring, and this week we’re going to take a look at a few more that will be worth keeping an eye on especially as late-round draftees/flyers. 

Fantasy Baseball Add/Drops for the Week of March 15th

Spring training is in full swing which means it's fantasy baseball draft time.  Whether you have yet to draft or are already trying to fine tune your roster, here are some adds/drops to consider for this week.

Spring baseball games are here! What a great time to be a baseball fan – unless of course you drafted early and grabbed your favourite closer Joe Nathan in the 5^th round! Maybe you have a Fielder sized man-crush on Brandon Webb or Jose Reyes? With both having delayed starts to the spring with no real timetable in sight for a return, whatchagonnado? I am not immune to the folly of the spring, having personally drafted the Big Puma in an NFBC league with no pickups - fingers are crossed that his cleaned out knee will be up and firing come opening day, but who knows? These are the stresses that befall the fantasy baseball manager before the season proper is even underway.

How should we deal with such stress? Should we go Miggy C and grab a cold one? Not a great idea as you know it’s so hard to stop at just one. Should we pull a Todd Helton and grab the artillery, go hunting and bag us some big game? (Note - this didn’t work out so well for Clint Barmes in 2005, so be wary.) Make a better choice – I like to relieve the stress of fantasy baseball planning by going fishing. Fishing for minor league sleepers that is! This week we are running the rule over the corner infield guys. All of you Chipper Jones and Nick Johnson fans should pay particular attention…… 

To recap how this works, we will take a look at “Shallow Hals” – A-grade talent that is not far from surfacing in the bigs, “Deep Sea Fishin’” – players that have talent but may not be ready to help your team just yet, and “Abyss Dwellers” – those players that have raw talent that are not on the radar right now, but given the right circumstance and opportunity could become fantasy relevant. 

Just 23 years old, Smoak is a switch-hitter with a sweet swing and plenty of power. 

Smoak had a solid start to 2009, hitting .328 in Double-A after only a handful of games in A-ball in 2008. To go with his strong average he showed good plate discipline with a BB/K rate of 1.11 while he popped 6 home runs in 183 at bats. Things went awry shortly after as he suffered a strained oblique, forcing him to miss most of June. On his return Smoak moved to Triple-A, but things didn’t go to plan as his power abandoned him as his strikeout rate rose from 19.1% to 22.8%.  

Smoak still needs some seasoning in the minors as his numbers against lefties (.626 OPS Vs .950 OPS against righties) are not up to scratch as yet. When we see Smoak in the majors will depend on both his improvements against lefties and the form of incumbent First Baseman Chris Davis. When that time comes, expect Smoak to put up serious numbers in Texas for a long time.

Deep Sea Fishin’: Josh Bell (3B – Baltimore Orioles)

Originally a shortstop in high school, Bell was immediately converted to third base upon being drafted by the Dodgers in 2005. He found his way to Baltimore as part of the George Sherrill trade. Bell, a switch-hitter, has developing power to go with a patient demeanor in the batting box. 

A walk rate of around 13% combined with an ISO of .201 with the Dodgers in 2009 (.281 in Baltimore following the trade) gives us an indication of why some scouts have talked up Bell in passing comparisons to Chipper Jones. Bell has already hit a pair of spring homers in 2010, so keep one eye on the ageing Miguel Tejada and one on Bell as the 2010 season progresses.

Abyss Dweller: Juan Francisco (3B – Cincinnati Reds)

Juan is not one of those guys to worry too much about in dynasty leagues, but as a potential “quick fix” for home runs in 2010, he might just be the man. You see, Juan swings it hard. In fact, he almost knocks himself in the back of the head when he swings, such is the momentum he gains with his cuts. The problem is he doesn’t always connect with the ball.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2006, Francisco was the Reds Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2008. At 21 years old, he hit 23 Home Runs and 92 RBI while hitting .277 at A-ball Sarasota. He also has a little speed, though it would be fair to say that he hasn’t quite learned how to use it, as he gets caught on the base paths too often.

Over 1982 minor league plate appearances, Francisco has struck out 22.3% of the time, while walking in only 3.8%. Yes, as stated above, he is a hacker. But when he hits them……they stay hit. Francisco had a cup of coffee with Cincy in 2009 (21 at bats including 9 hits - one home run) so he may find his way back to the big club when a need arises. Of course, Scott Rolen would never get hurt would he? Francisco is a lot of fun to watch, and has the potential to be a home run monster if he turns up on the big club, so don’t be scared to watch!

Want to hear more about Josh Bell’s spring training, Justin’s Smoak-ing bat or Juan Francisco’s monster hacks? Then get your mouse clicking on the link below to the best damn fantasy baseball information available anywhere! The Fantasy Pros 911 premium side – projections that are updated regularly, expert analysis on any player you can think of and the best dollar values going around for your NL, AL or mixed league draft.

Until next time when we put up the “Gone Fishin’” sign, Boris is OUT!

Each February, much like those in colder climes check to see whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, baseball fans anxiously await those four simple words that signify the beginning of their spring: pitchers and catchers report.  All is right with the world, thanks in no part to the forecasting of a giant rodent.  Unfortunately for the fantasy baseball player it is a fleeting moment, for that sentence comes with the baggage of uncertainty and the Dopp kit of anxiety.  Why, you ask?  Position battles, that's why.  If you weren't paying attention during the off-season, then you may be surprised come draft day that last year's sure thing is in a battle for playing time due to a trade or free-agent signing.  And that's where we come in. 

As Prince Fielder tries to recover from the horror of being pinged in the butt by a 75 mph Barry Zito fireball, let’s turn our attention to some fantasy baseball deep sleepers. We had so much fun taking a look at minor league relievers last week that it must be time to drop the line back into the water and fish for some starters. These are players to keep an eye on as the spring and the season progresses, as they just might give your team the boost it needs to take the chocolates and the Yoo-hoo shower come championship time in your fantasy league.