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22
Jan
2009
Live it, Love it, Let the Hype Begin! PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Fantasy Baseball Blog
Written by Sean   
Every fantasy baseball fan I know loves this time of year, for we all know hope springs eternal.  As we begin this New Year, the preseason fantasy baseball magazines are beginning to appear on our newsstands and our computers screens are being filled with articles of the up and coming star players.  Grandeur of the great seasons ahead appear in our heads.  The hype has begun.
I present to you my version of the All Hype Team – Hitters Only.  These are the players that are skyrocketing up our mock draft boards. How high will they go!   (Number in parenthesis represents earliest pick last week on mock draft central) :

C - Matt Wieters (65) – the hype machine says he will be better than Mike Piazza, Johnny Bench and maybe Babe Ruth rolled into one. He hasn’t played above AA and we still don’t know if he will start the season in the majors yet he has gone as a 65th pick (sixth round) in a 12 owner mock.

C - Mike Napoli (85) –  He can swing. We all know that after 20 homers in 227 AB’s last year,  but do we really believe he can hit for average? .273 in 2008 but .228 and .243 in 2006 and 2007.  If you believe, you too can grab him in the seventh or eighth round.

1B - Joey Votto (49) - At age 25, he has almost jumped into the elite first baseman category being drafted as high as the fifth round

3B – Evan Longoria (10) – The AL 2008 Rookie of Year. Is his sophomore year worthy of heading into the first round?    Is he Ryan Braun?

CI – Chris Davis (36) - Watching Bull Durham we found out Crash Davis holds the minor leagues record for homers so why shouldn’t we believe Chris Davis will hold the Major League record by the end of 2009. 

2B – Dustin Pedroia (11) – The is the reigning MVP, but is he a fantasy stud too?

SS – Stephen Drew (46) – Now climbing into the fourth round.  Didn’t I write an article just a few weeks ago wondering if he was worthy of a sixth round pick? 

MI - Alexei Ramirez (30) – 2008 runner-up AL rookie of the year. Is the cuban missile really the second coming?  Last years stats in 480 AB were .290/21/77/65/13.  Position scarcity is driving him as high as the third  round.

OF – Nelson Cruz  (93)-  His 2008 major league stint was .330 in 115 AB with 7 HR and 26 RBI.  So that must translate in 2009 to .330 in 575AB with 35HR and 130 RBI.  We are choosing to ignore his 2007 stats of .235/9/34/35/2 in 305 AB.

OF - Shane Victorino (32) - Should he really steal his way up to the third round?

OF - Jacoby Ellsbury (40) - Coco Crisp is gone from Boston and now Jacoby is being anointed Jose Reyes in the outfield.

OF - Elijah Dukes (138) – last weeks news said he will be competing against Lastings Milledge for playing time but that’s not stopping him from going as high as the 12th round. 

OF- Delmon Young (122) -  After his first year in Minnesota his stats of .290/10/69/80/14 proves last year wasn’t his breakout year so it has to be this year.. right? 

Do you believe the hype?  Are they really worth being taken as high as where they are being drafted?   Let us know in the comments below.  Post or email me you choices for the pitchers and I will post them in the weeks to come.

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written by Doug, February 13, 2009
Sorry, not anonymous-Draftaholic
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written by a guest, February 13, 2009
I would like to add to the hype machine but not with the rookies. Chris Young OF, hyped because of what he once did and still has ability to do. Connor Jackson hyped because he improved but will he be viable? Carlos Delgado hyped over last year's come back, does he have enough to do it again? Rickey Nolasco-hyped because his stats are very close to Harens and let's not forget KC's SS sensation last year, his age is up there but he did wel. Was last season only a sign of things to come?
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written by Larry Yocum, January 24, 2009
Sorry, but I totally disagree. Longoria is seriously being overdrafted. I'm seeing him go in the back of the first round into the second in expert mocks and there is just no reason for that to happen. He doesn't steal enough bases to warrant it and he strikes out far too much to expect a huge jump in average. Everyone remembers the bombs from the postseason and the hype, but perhaps they should look up his average from the postseason as well. I think he should be a 4th-5th rounder at best for a guy likely to hit about .280 and not steal any bases, but I'm seeing him go way too early in drafts.
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what the hell gives ?!
written by big o, January 23, 2009
how was my name omitted from this list ?
last i heard, that was ME hitting
.353/44/138/21

when i play at PetCo they RAISE the price of fish tacos by 2 bucks apiece.

and when the 1st drops of rain, kicks up the infield dust, and that cool,sweet smell first enters my nostrils ....
then, and only then , you might have a chance to pick me off 1st.
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written by SeanAgranov, January 23, 2009
I almost always prefer hitters to pitchers so yes I would agree they are going too early. I was actually in a mock on another site yesterday where Cliff Lee went round 10 pick 8. Lidge went in the 8th and K-rod mid 4th. The key is the hype is almost always not worth it cause you can gain value elsewhere. Tony, Rhett and Lenny discussed the article on the BTR show today it was a great listen, go catch it if you can.
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written by norb_55, January 23, 2009
No one but Chris Davis' mom would pick him at #36 overall! That is crazy.
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written by SeanAgranov, January 23, 2009
David I disagree with you. They are both great players but for the value at that draft positions you can normally take someone who will give you better stats for the up coming year. If you are only in keeper leagues then Wieters and Longoria both raise up accordingly.
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written by Shai, January 23, 2009
Earliest draft position for these three:

Brad Lidge #46 (4th round)
Cliff Lee #43 (4th)
KRod #32 (3rd)

I think that these are all too early.
Do you agree Sean??
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written by ChuckAnderson, January 22, 2009
I enjoyed Victorino being undervalued the past two years, oh well, time to move on
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written by kevinorris, January 22, 2009
Elvis Andrus- that's all I have to say right now.
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Pitchers
written by H.Doyle, January 22, 2009
As far as pitchers goes, #1 hype hero right now has to be the reigning NL Cy Young winner. Lincecum went from a mid-round consideration to Top 3 mixed league pitcher in one year? And don't get me started on those scary pitch/innings counts...
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written by David Rasmussen, January 22, 2009
Longoria and Weiters are not going too high. Most of the rest are.
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written by tonycincotta, January 22, 2009
Nice article will respond today on the podcast at 4:00 est.
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written by Yogi, January 22, 2009
Great article Sean. We hate it when Lenny, Tony and others hype our hidden gems from the "end game" to the middle rounds. But, I love it when people are taking gambles in the early rounds. Long live the "hype machine". Don't care much about being the first one on my block. I prefer to be the first one in my league(s).

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