Yes, many leagues have already drafted for the 2014 season. However, if you have not, these are some guys you should avoid, either completely, or at least at their current draft posit (Disclaimer: Not all of these players are "busts" per say; however, they should be taken later than their current average draft position.) Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants Posey is the best catcher available; I will not argue that he is not. However, he is not worth of his current average draft position; he is going in/around the fourth round. While he is a very good hitting catcher, there are still better hitters available in the fourth round and catchers who are very good options very late in the draft. First Base: Chris David, Baltimore Orioles The first half of the season, Davis hit .315 with 37 home runs. After the All-Star break, the slugger hit "only" 16 home runs to go along with a miserable .245 average. I am not saying that Davis is the player that he was the second half, but I also do not think he is the player that he was the first half. He will be somewhere in-between. There are other players who I deem as better options in the first round. Second Base: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners Robinson Cano has only four home runs in 152 at bats at Safeco Field. It is not a hitter-friendly ballpark. While he is a great player who will absolutely help the Mariners be a little more relevant, his fantasy value takes a hit with his move to Seattle. Shortstop: Jean Segura, Milwaukee Brewers Segura, like Davis, had a spectacular first half of the season, but dropped off significantly in the second half. He hit only .241 with one home run and 17 stolen bases. The drop in power is no surprise; the 11 in first half was the real surprise. The average and steals are the concerning points. If Segura does not get on base, he cannot steal bases and his fantasy value goes down quite a bit if he loses steals and home runs. Third Base: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates It's simple. He is career .235 hitter. No matter how many home runs he hits, the average is an absolute killer. If you draft him, make sure that the rest of your team is going to hit over .300 to pick up the slack. Outfield: Shane Victorino, Boston Red Sox Despite battling some injuries, Shane Victorino had a great bounce-back 2013 campaign. However, it is hard to believe that someone who had not hit over .280 will repeat his performance from last year. He is a good fourth fantasy outfielder, but not much more than that. Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies I love Cliff Lee's stuff. If you don't, you're just wrong. He eats innings, strikes out a ton of batters, and walks a batter once every ten years. However, he is on the Phillies. It is a miracle he got 14 wins last year and he only has 20 wins the previous two years combined. While the other categories should be there, it is tough to take Lee while pitchers such as Adam Wainwright or Max Scherzer are available and should give you plenty of wins. Relief Pitcher: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves Kimbrel is the best closer in baseball. He will have another phenomenal year. He is not worth of a fourth round pick. Do not pay for saves. Yes, he gets strikeouts, but the most he will contribute is three per night. There are plenty of other closers available later on who will be just fine and not have to be picked so early.
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SAMUEL PERICOLOSam is a graduate of Assumption College where he studied History, Marketing, and Political Science and was a Co-Producer on a weekly sports talk television show. Archives
March 2018
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