Fantasy Life: 2010 Comeback Players

Written by: Jay Ferraro on 15th January 2010

Fantasy Life: 2010 Comeback Players | read this item

Injuries didn’t just affect the New York Mets last season. Many of Fantasy Baseball’s elite players and first rounder’s left owners crying for their mommies during the 2009 marathon that is the MLB season. Sadly, I found myself crying on my mom’s shoulder as well after my draft, as I made a blockbuster deal to land Grady Sizemore. Not a bad guy to trade for considering he is a top tier player. He hits bombs, steals bases, and when he isn’t doing those things he’s legging out doubles and triples. But after just 106 games, the Cleveland Indians shut him down due to injuries. (Insert expletive).

It’s hard to forget a draft choice that bites you in the butt, and Sizemore took out a big chunk last year. However, there is no way I’m passing on him draft day 2010. I want to focus on a few players that you should not overlook during drafts just because of limited action last year – and a few that you need to be wary.

The 2010 NL comeback player of the year award is on layaway for Brandon Webb. Last season ended for Webb before he could get out of the 4^th inning of opening day. He gave up six earned runs, two bombs, and was shut down for the entire season due to an injury. He’s healthy and playing on his contract year. Don’t over look this guy on draft day or you’ll be sorry. A quick reminder for those of you who may have forgotten: Webb won the 2006 NL Cy Young and was the runner up in 2007 and 2008. He eats innings with 226.2 in 2008 and lead the league with 236.1 in 2007. During his eight year career he has started more then thirty-three games five times and has never had an ERA over 3.60. I’m counting last season as a wash of course. You want him in all mixed leagues and if you’re on the fence about keeping him, I definitely recommend you do. Have I sold you on him yet?

When Ken Williams and the White Sox brought in Carlos Quentin from Arizona following the 2007 season, it worked right out of the gate. In 2008, Quentin made the All-Star team and was being considered the league’s MVP. But after 130 games and 480 at-bats, an injury stunted the break out campaign. He was left with a line of 96 runs, 26 2B, 36 HR, 100 RBI, and a .288 average. Not too shabby, even with the injury. The thing that scares me regarding Quentin is that his injuries flared up again in 2009 and limited him to 99 games. He ended up with 47 runs, 14 2B, 21 HR, 56 RBI, and a .236 average. He is a must-play in all mixed formats because of his power potential if healthy. I would pass on keeping him in your keeper league. I plan on avoiding him like that annoying friend that won’t stop calling.

The 2009 New York Mets were a walking infirmary last season. At times when I visited Citi Field last year, the lineup looked like it could have been the Brooklyn Cyclones. Jose Reyes was another Fantasy elite player that bit the butts of owners all over America. Reyes only suited up for 36 games last season and wasn’t very productive in those games. His line ended up being 18 runs, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 11 SB and a .279 average. Not good at all and some scouts are concerned that we may never see that blinding speed from him again. We have been hearing the same thing from scouts ever since Reyes won the 2002 Futures Game MVP. These are serious health concerns with the speedster and if he ever lost a step or two his value would plummet. You still have to draft him as the guy advertised in past seasons because he is, for now, a superstar. With spacious Citi Field, Reyes could be running for days on balls hit in the gap. Keep him in your keeper leagues and seriously consider drafting him if the price is right

It looks as though the Mets infirmary already has its first patient in 2010 – Carlos Beltran. He will miss all of Spring Training and most of April, so the cries of “here we go again” can be heard all throughout Queens. Beltran’s 2009 season only lasted 81 games the results being 50 runs, 22 2B, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 11 SB, and .325. He was playing like a beast before he was shut down. It’s so disappointing to see this potential Fantasy powerhouse having injury problems already. I’m a huge fan of Beltran and, like Reyes, he has too much talent to pass on draft day. However, unlike Reyes, it’s so hard to draft a guy or keep him when he will start the season on the DL. You can roll the dice with him because he is an amazingly gifted ball player. Keep him if you have him, but I wouldn’t pass over other talented players on draft day to obtain his services this year.

Jay Ferraro is Executive Producer of Baseball Digest LIVE and the Fantasy Baseball writer for BaseballDigest.com. You can reach him here and follow him on Twitter here.

Topics: 2006 Nl Cy Young, Blockbuster Deal, Brandon Webb, carlos quentin, Cleveland Indians, Comeback Player, Cy Young, Draft Choice, Earned Runs, Elite Players, Entire Season, Expletive, Fantasy, Fantasy Life, ken williams, Layaway, Mlb Season, Mommies, New York Mets, Nl Cy Young