It’s been a rough last couple of seasons for Grady Sizemore. After accumulating 27.4 WAR from 2005-2008 — making him the fourth most valuable position player in the league over that same period — injuries have crippled the superstar outfielder. Despite his recent struggles, the Cleveland Indians have once again enlisted Sizemore’s services for the 2012 season. It’s been quite a while since Sizemore made an impact on fantasy teams. Should fantasy owners expect more of the same in 2012?

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Mike Napoli was one of the most valuable fantasy catchers last season. Hell, Napoli was one of the best “real-life” players in baseball last season as well. How did this happen? Well, Napoli was finally given the opportunity to shine. Ryan Doumit looks to be in a similar situation next season, as the Minnesota Twins may utilize him in a similar manner. Opportunity knocks for Ryan Doumit in 2012, but can he answer the call?
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Even the best fantasy players post poor seasons. Often times, one owner’s disappointment can be another owner’s opportunity. Fantasy baseball is such a “what have you done for me lately” game, that some owners will give up on premier talent after a down season. While it’s never easy to make a deal in fantasy — particularly when the players involved are considered elite — sometimes it pays to inquire whether a certain player is available in your leagues. Here are some of those elite players that could be available at a lower price in your leagues right now.
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Many fantasy analysts will tell you middle infield is the shallowest position in fantasy baseball. If you can’t get one of the top guys at shortstop or second base, you’re likely going to take a chance on a young prospect or a bounce back candidate. Gordon Beckham is one player that fits that mold perfectly. After being one of the most highly touted rookies following his 2009 campaign, Beckham has collapsed the past two seasons. With the future of his playing career potentially in the balance, is Beckham worth betting on next year?
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You can definitely call it a comeback. After three extremely injury-riddled seasons, Erik Bedard finally stayed relatively healthy in 2011. While he only threw 129.1 innings, Bedard managed to start 24 games — his highest total since 2007. In those starts, Bedard flashed signs of the pitcher that posted back-to-back 5 win seasons from 2006-2007. Even though Bedard eventually fell to the injury bug again, he proved that he’s still a solid fantasy option when healthy. After a relatively healthy season — for him — is Bedard a strong pick in the late rounds again, or should you let another owner deal with the headache?
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There might not be a more up and down player in fantasy than Kelly Johnson. After establishing himself as a useful fantasy second baseman in 2007-2008, Johnson completely fell off that radar at the position after a dreadful 2009. Just when it looked as if Johnson’s usefulness as a fantasy option was at it’s lowest point, Johnson responded with an incredible comeback season; in which he was worth 5.9 WAR. In the same environment that Johnson excelled in 2010, he faltered in 2011. A change of scenery may have helped his value down the stretch, but it makes Johnson one of the riskiest fantasy players entering the off-season.

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Thirteenth place. That’s where Alex Rodriguez finished among third basemen in my most competitive fantasy league this season. That was behind the likes of Emilio Bonifacio, Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Roberts. Hell, even the oft-injured Chipper Jones finished above Rodriguez in my league. To add insult to injury, both Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright finished lower than Rodriguez due to injuries limiting their playing time. Heading into next season, that’s unlikely to happen again. Of course, Rodriguez dealt with injuries as well — so perhaps he should be cut some slack. At the same time, Rodriguez is getting older and hasn’t reached 600+ plate appearances the past four seasons. Heading into 2012, is Rodriguez a good sleeper candidate among third basemen — or is this finally the year he drops off considerably?
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The fantasy season is coming to a close. Whether your team dominated all the way through the playoffs — or stunk from the beginning — it’s always important to review your teams at the conclusion of the season. What went wrong/right? Most of that analysis can be done simply by looking at your draft results. Waiver-wire pickups and trades can have a significant effect on your team, but you acquire most of your players through the draft. If you happen to draft well, you have a chance at winning your league. Draft poorly, and it’s almost impossible to climb out of that hole.

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Welcome to Championship Week in Fantasy Baseball. If your team is currently fighting for the league trophy; this article is not for you. Nope. This article is for the majority of fantasy owners that fell short of the gold this season. Did you fight valiantly only to fall in the playoffs; or did your team crash and burn from the start? In either case, something went wrong for your team this season. Even though the sting of defeat is still fresh, there’s no better time to look back on your draft to figure out why your team isn’t fighting for the gold this season.
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Good things come to those who wait. If that’s true, then Matt Moore better be really really good. Even though Moore was regarded as one of the top — if not the top — pitching prospect in the minors, the Tampa Bay Rays waited until September to call up their top prospect. Owners have waited all season to use utilize Moore, and now that he’s finally arrived, it’s time to determine how much value he can provide to fantasy teams going forward. Read the rest of this entry »