Upstart Reds lineup could provide a fantasy boost

Just let them play. That’s the thought of current Reds GM Walt Jockety, who this off-season has done some of the best work in the league by focusing on the young players who showed in 2008, that they could stick as everyday major leaguers.

Much like the 2003 champion Marlins, who shed Cliff Floyd, Charles Johnson, Kevin Millar and power hitting Preston Wilson for a young Juan Pierre and Miguel Cabrera, The Reds will call on young talent to carry the load.  And much like the 2003 Marlins, The Reds of 2009 will rely on an acquired catcher with ample experience.

Seeing the Similarities?

Add on the fact that they have some of the best young starters in the game, mixed with veteran hurlers and you can see that this team might be able to compete in the N.L. Central.

No matter how the cookie crumbles; Fantasy Wise, this team has a lot of Promise buried in the late rounds, and into the waiver wire.

Say you’re looking for speed late in the draft. How about Willy Taveras? Sure, he ONLY had 68 steals in 2008, but he will be batting leadoff for Dusty Baker. Most likely we should see an increase in hits and runs, because of the park he plays in. In Deep AL only leagues, Taveras  has tremendous value. He should be available in the tenth round as well.

Now you have speed covered, so your looking for some power. How about Edwin Encarnacion? With Alex Rodriguez’s start to the season uncertain, why not take this kid who at 25 years old smacked 26 long balls and 68 RBIs. In his mid twenties, he will be in his power prime, no doubt about that. He has the talent to be a top ten third baseman, but he is falling to the 15th-20th round.  Encarnacion will hurt your average, but will most likely move into the fifth spot of the lineup.

Want another 25 year old to watch? How about Joey Votto. Votto had better numbers last season than Rookie of the Year Geovany Soto. Though he is at the stacked first base position, Votto is one of the more consistent players in Major League Baseball.  In his past five professional seasons, Votto has hit .295, while averaging averaged 22 home runs, 89 RBIs and 13 steals, despite constantly changing competitive levels. It’s because of these numbers that cause me to believe he will have a second year explosion, rather than a sophomore slump. Votto is hanging around in the sixth or seventh round in deep leagues. This is a guy to get if you aim for speed instead of power in the early rounds. If you miss out on Ryan Howard, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols or Mark Teixeira, then Votto is your guy. 

Jay Bruce, who I am now donning “The Kid” will be a reach in a lot of leagues, but hey he still has some good value. In standard ten team leagues, Bruce is going late in the ninth round. The only question would be is he going to be a power hitter, or a gaps hitter with a higher average. The Reds envision him as a gaps hitter. If you’re taking Bruce, it should be done hoping that he uses his gap power and helps with RBIs, AVG, Runs and hits. If you need a home run producer, Bruce shouldn’t be the guy you take. Sure, he could have 15-25 homers, but in his sophomore year, he will be more of a Magglio Ordonez type hitter, who spreads the ball around.  Despite the love of Bruce alongside the Ohio River, the most valuable player fantasy wise on this squad has to be Brandon Phillips.

After a gold glove performance in 2008, and missing the three final weeks of the season, Phillips still added his perennial 20+ Homers and 70+ RBIs. What I love about Phillips is his base running ability. He is a Brian Roberts type fantasy player, with power. Though he will never draw walks, and is a free swinger (His average is never predictable), Phillips is consistent in every other statistic. I think he is more valuable than an Ian Kinsler, because he has played in 140+ games for the last three seasons.

Other Reds hitters with value in 2009:   

Ramon Hernandez, C- Hernandez has a lot of power potential, especially with the short porch at Great American Ballpark. Many fantasy experts believe that he can get back to his 2006 type performance, where he hit .275 with 23 long balls and had 91 RBIs. In mixed standard leagues with ten teams, Hernandez could and should be the first backup catcher off the board. In his first season in Cincinnati he should put up better numbers than rookie Matt Wieters, who will most likely replace him in Baltimore’s lineup.

Chris Dickerson, OF- Dickerson is slated to be a starting outfielder in 2009, but it is really hard to gauge how the youngster will respond to a full amount of playing time. In only 31 games last season, Dickerson swatted 6 homers and drove in 15. With a full season, he has potential to hit 20+ homers. This is a guy to watch on the waiver wire if you are in small leagues, or to possibly take with your last pick in the draft. Dickerson won’t steal as much since the signing of Taveras, but it isn’t out of question to believe he can steal 20 bases. 

Jeff Keppinger, SS- Most fantasy owners are split on Keppinger because of his weak 2008 average.  Keppinger will most likely split time with Alex Gonzalez, who is a better defensive option, but Keppinger is one of the best contact hitters in the business. If you’re looking for someone to spike your average, Keppinger can be that guy late in the draft and off the waiver wire.