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Spring Training 2009: Hot & Not Players (AL)

March 26, 2009 — Allow me to immediately and emphatically qualify this MOTY Talk entry, right here and right now for 2009, just as I did for the Spring Hot & Not last year.

Yes, it’s Spring Training. And you know as well as we do that most pitchers are just building arm strength, trying out new pitches, not wanting to tip their stuff to the opposition. And veteran hitters are just getting their timing down, working their way into every day shape, avoiding any pre-season injuries and dings (Sorry, Julio Lugo).

You gotta take Spring Training stats with a deer-lick sized grain of salt.

But some guys are fighting for rosters spots or starting positions. Especially young guys. And there are veteran players hell-bent on coming back from injuries and down years — with something to prove. So there are reasons not to avoid Grapefruit and Cactus League numbers as well.

Okay, enough “italicized” chatter. Let’s jump right into the 2009 American Leauge “Hot” and “Not” players’ — stat lines through March 23rd.

American League — Hot

Okay, so there are some guys here who aren’t a surprise. The point isn’t to reaffirm your decision to draft Josh Hamilton or Grady Sizemore in the first or second round … “Dude! Hamilton is crushing the ball this spring!” Really? You think? No, the point is to find guys you were worried about. Or had written off. Or didn’t even know.

Like, maybe, Mark Teahen, who’s started 6 games at 2b this spring. Yes, Teahen … second base. Or Mike Jacobs, a new Royal, who just happens to be leading the AL in homers so far. Or what about Brandon Wood? Does he finally breakthrough and earn a spot (re: start hitting major league curveballs) in the Angels’ order? WiHaloFan has some thoughts on Wood’s future over at Halo’s Heaven.

Really good news here is that Paul Konerko looks healthy. And so does his Spring Training stat line, considering that on average he’s going 174th in ESPN leagues and 224th (19th Round) in Yahoo! leagues. So he might be just the type of 1b bargain who can help your team.

He might even be an early front runner for Comeback Player o’the Year.

And if not him, what about VMart? Or Mike Lowell. CPoY’s tend to be guys you would never think of in a million years. Hence, the “Comeback.” Keep an eye on all three of these guys. (Especially Lowell, something’s telling me … yeah, I know. This is supposed to be a 25 min. ab list. But Lowell’s spring — in just 19 at bats — is worth noting.)

As for “breakout” players, 5 words — Nelson Cruz and Wladimir Balentien. Cruz is the 203rd average pick in ESPN leagues. Absurd. Like taking candy from a baby.

So those are the bats. Let’s head out to the mound.

Clay Buchholz is trying to pitch his way into the Red Sox rotation. And landing in the top dog spot thus far is a nice way to do it.

Veteran Brett Tomko is making a hell of a run at making the Yankees roster. He’s not worth a fantasy draft pick — probably won’t even make the team. So, it’s not like I'm saying he’s any Cliff Lee, but Cliff Lee wasn’t worth a fantasy draft pick 365 days ago either. Stranger things have happened.

If you weren’t a Kevin Slowey fan by now, you better get on the train — fastly. On average, he’s going 120th in ESPN leagues. He won’t go that cheap much longer.

And if you own, or plan on drafting, George Sherrill for some cheap saves, you better get Chris Ray as an insurance policy. He's back from injury. Putting up pretty good numbers through 7.1 spring innings. And looking poised to take his job back in Baltimore.

Sorry, George. I’m just saying.

American League — Not

Again, like the Hot list, the Not list for Spring Training isn’t to be taken as locked in stone, bad omen stuff. Most of these guys are going to be just fine, thank you very much. But if you were concerned about anyone coming into 2009, and they show up here … they may not have turned things around or recovered from an injury as you might have hoped.

Maybe.

Did Eric Chavez retire about 3 years ago? Or does it just seem like it? Talk about a guy whose career just plummeted a few years ago. What a tough struggle it’s been to watch him battle all his injuries.

And, like last year with Rocco Baldelli, it’s almost unfair to have Vlad Guererro on the list, since he's only had 8 at bats. But, he’s only had 8 at bats. Obviously, the Angels are just bringing him along VERY slowly. Just wish it wasn’t so painfully slowly for us fans.

As for Travis Hafner, unfortunately, he doesn’t even look like a last round flier pick now. That’s a 0.143 avgerage and 0.421 ops in 28 ab’s. Ryan Garko/Kelly Shoppach owners have got to be feeling more confident about those picks.

But of all the Not Guys, the one most disappointing to me personally is Denard Span. After a nice 2008 campaign in 347 ab’s last year, we have him projected as a nice breakout candidate for ’09. And not because of numbers like the one’s he's put up in his 51 plate appearances this spring.

Enough beating up on hitters … for stats we’ll all forget in a few weeks. Let’s call out some hurlers for their poor spring stats.

I mentioned it in the beginning of this Talk, but it deserves another utterance — most pitchers are just building arm strength in Florida and Arizona. They’re trying out new pitches. And not showing hitters their best stuff or new pitches before the games really count. So they’re grooving a lot of fast balls just trying to get their work in.

Still, there’s a difference between grooving fastballs and giving up walks.

And then there’s Dontrelle Wills … Brother, what happened?! What did the Marlins know that the Tigers never saw coming? The D-Train can't even find the tracks anymore.

Obviously, a lot of the pitchers on the Not list are there because they haven’t pitched very many innings — like B.J. Ryan, Dan Wheeler and George Sherrill. But that, like with Vlad Guerrero, is worth noting.

But the one huge eyebrow raise of this list has got to be Cliff Lee. Though his horrid 2.31 whip/12.34 era just remind us all to fall back on that oft-chanted mantra: "Spring doesn't matter. Spring doesn't matter. Spring doesn't matter …"

Okay, so there’s a look at the Junior Circuit for Spring ’09. Take a bathroom break, refresh your beverage, do what you gotta do. Then let's hop on over to the National League Spring Training Hot and Not.

Shawn

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Spring Training 2009: Hot & Not Players (NL)

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