Shortstops for $1: Pennington and Betancourt

I think everyone is in agreement that shortstop is the [insert name of favorite anorexic celebrity] of positions in fantasy baseball.  Once you get past that 2nd tier, it can really turn into a crapshoot.  So if you’re not going to grab one of the big names out there, then why not do some bargain shopping and bulk up elsewhere.  Here’s a pair of $1 options that may draw some interest…

There’s nothing real flashy about A’s shortstop, Cliff Pennington, but half a dozen home runs and 29 stolen bases for a buck isn’t all that bad.  Sure it comes with a measley .250 average and a weak OBP, but if it were any better , then we wouldn’t be having this discussion and you’d be opening up your wallet a little wider on draft day.  The switch-hitting Pennington comes into camp this season having proven himself enough to maintain the starting job in Oakland and could, at the very least, maintain those totals for another season.

It certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm to believe that he could increase his walk rate and decrease his K%, thus bringing that OBP up to a more respectable level.  His minor league totals dictate that he’s a more disciplined hitter than we saw last year.  But Pennington’s strength is in his legs, so if he does improve his on-base skills, then perhaps we could see an increase in steals this year.  With Coco Crisp and David Dejesus in the lineup, it’d be difficult to see him get a crack at the leadoff spot, but I don’t see a problem with him swiping 30+ bags from the 9 hole.

When the Brewers acquired Zack Greinke in a deal with the Royals, they also added an experienced shortstop in Yuniesky Betancourt.  Certainly not the best guy out there, but in deeper roto leagues, he could have some value.  Betancourt’s biggest issue is found in his inability to draw a walk.  I mean, a career 3.4 BB%?  Unreal.  But he’s a great contact hitter with a relatively low strikeout rate, so if he can get even just a little luckier, then perhaps we could see a return to the .280ish batting average he had back in Seattle.

But where Betancourt may really be able to help, now that he finds himself in a better hitter’s park in Milwaukee, is in the power department.  His 16 HR and .146 ISO last year weren’t too bad for a bargain basement shortstop and he was on the verge of cracking double digit home runs back at Safeco Field as well.  I’m not saying that he’s going to suddenly broach the 20 HR barrier, but with a few adjustments to NL pitching, I think he’s got a strong chance of atleast repeating last year’s power totals.