Our first week here at FantasyPros911.com has been a smashing success and a heartfelt thanks go out from us to you for making it happen.  One of the things we look to provide is top-notch customer service.  And one way to do that is give you what you’re looking for in our articles.  I could not help but notice that our top two performing articles had the word “sleeper” in it and as they say down here in North Carolina, “My momma didn’t raise no fool!”

So, I present the top 10 Sleepers and Busts.  But instead of a boring list, here are the all-time, real world sleepers and busts and their 2009 fantasy equivalent.  Well, sort of; I do not consider this a definitive list of fantasy sleepers and busts.  Instead, these are guys that caught my eye for one reason or another.

  10. Timber Sleeper – Justin Upton 

Did you know that a sleeper was a heavy horizontal timber for distributing loads?  Me neither.  But no one swings the lumber on this list like Justin Upton.  Injuries and an abysmal contact rate in 2008 have him with a 193 ADP on our January 5 list.  But this is a guy with the potential to deliver a 900 OPS, as he did the first and last months a season ago when injuries were not a factor.

9. Wall Street Bust – Milton Bradley 

Wall Street and the banking industry saw revenues soar based on unsustainable fundamentals.  It’s the same way with our pal Milton Bradley, not to be confused with Milton Friedman.  A .396 BABIP is about as unsustainable a fundamental as you’ll find.  If that’s not enough, what are the odds he’ll have back-to-back 400 AB seasons for the first time in his career now that he won’t be able to DH for 97 games?

8. Sleeper Car – Chris Iannetta 

It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time when train travel was the most luxurious form of transportation available.  And these luxury trains would always feature a sleeper car, where people could sit back, relax and catch some Zs while the train rolled on.  So, I invite you to sit back and wait until the middle of the draft when you can catch Chris Iannetta, he of the 165 ADP.  As soon as he reads the memo that Coors Field is a good hitters park, he’ll be on the express to stardom.

7. Blackjack Bust – Aramis Ramirez 

Is there anything worse than sitting at the blackjack table and seeing the dealer with a face card and you have 13?  You can just feel that 10 coming from the deck and you picture the dealer raking your chips as you bust.  Which brings us to Aramis Ramirez and his ADP of 30.  Ramirez had a very nice three-year run from 2004-2006 but has declined the past two seasons.  His Marcel projection for next year: .287-25-95-78-2.  That’s a nice line but it’s nowhere near 30^th pick of the draft nice.

6. George Washington Slept Here – Daniel Murphy

 Lodgings would try to attract customers by hanging out a sign which read, “George Washington slept here.”  The Mets have not been very accommodating to Daniel Murphy, as they made him learn how to play the outfield at the major league level last year.  You think they would try to make it up to him by putting him back in the infield at second base, but no such luck for fantasy players or Mets fans.  But this is a guy not rated among the top 200 in ADP who hit .315 last year and could find himself batting between Jose Reyes and David Wright, which would do wonders for both his Runs and RBI totals.

5. Jane Russell Bust – Xavier Nady

Jane Russell is the buxom brunette in the film, “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” which also featured Marilyn Monroe.  Fantasy owners prefer players with well-defined roles which Nady (1/5 ADP: 142) currently lacks.  He finds himself fighting for playing time in the outfield/DH spots with Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Brett Gardener, Melky Cabrera and even Jorge Posada.  Jane Russell had a second career in TV commercials pitching bras.  Perhaps Nady can give some support to the flagging Pittsburgh offense if the rumored trade goes through.

4. Woody Allen Sleeper – Asdrubal Cabrera

Woody Allen is the man with no identity in the science fiction/comedy film Sleeper.  Meanwhile, rumors have it that even his Indians teammates can’t pick Asdrubal Cabrera out of a police lineup.  And his nose is kind of funny, too.  Cabrera is unranked in the last ADP, but is someone to keep an eye on as he has position eligibility at 2B and SS and he finished the season with a .320/.398/.464 line in his final 233 plate appearances.

3. John Lennon Bust – Ty Wigginton

John Lennon was arrested for possession of hash in 1968 and was fined the equivalent of $360.  But years later, the U.S. government, concerned that he was an undesirable radical, organized a campaign to kick him out of the country due to the bust.  Ty Wiggington has been kicked out of his adopted home of Houston, where he put up a .343/.390/.691 line.  An unsigned free agent, Wigginton’s 152 ADP seems mismatched with his .234/.316/.380 road numbers.

2. Rip Van Winkle Sleeper – Randy Johnson

Rip Van Winkle is an old man who sleeps through the American Revolution.  Randy Johnson is an old man whose career has spanned the SABR revolution.  Johnson faces an uphill battle trying to become a successful power pitcher at the age of 45.  But with last year’s success combined with the move to a more pitcher-friendly park in San Francisco, Johnson - currently not among the top 200 in ADP – could provide a nice boost in strikeouts at very little cost.

1. Homer Bust – Orlando Hudson

The Greek poet Homer is perhaps most famous for the Iliad and the Odyssey.  Whichever team signs Orlando Hudson will feel like they are living out a Greek tragedy.  Considered a two-way star at second base, Hudson’s abilities on both sides are seriously overrated.   Click here for a more in-depth look at Hudson.

Do you feel more confident picking out sleepers or busts?  Give an example of your best work in this department from prior years and also who you slot into the category this season.

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written by BrianJoura, January 11, 2009

Thanks KZ! And a special thanks to Paul who got everything laid out right after I messed up originally.

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written by BrianJoura, January 11, 2009

Thanks for reading and commenting BigO! And a big shout for clicking on the link. Everyone else should do the same...

Western NC, huh? I've spent some time in Boone and Asheville. Love to visit but don't think I could take living there full-time.

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written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , January 11, 2009

Excellent read; love the visual aids!

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written by big o, January 11, 2009

brian :
nice piece .
and so is the one you did for mets on-line .
i've spent some time in western north carolina .
usually it's the brother who uses that quote (in defense of family honor) .

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