Fantasy baseball preview: rookie prospects

Stephen Strasburg was (gasp) demoted to Double-A Harrisburg yesterday. This was Washington’s plan all along. They weren’t going to blow a $15.1-million arm. Too many reasons to play it conservatively. 15.1 to be exact.

Arguably one of the best pitchers in NCAA history, the San Diego State phenom owns a fastball in the upper 90s-100, matched with an effective curveball that will yield him a high strikeout count. The Nationals want him to improve his delivery, plus he needs to develop his changeup. Never really needed this pitch in college, but to be an effective starter at the Major League level, he’ll need more than two pitches. His expected arrival date is mid-season.

Jason Heyward – Another one of the most anticipated prospects, Heyward is likely a starting outfielder for the Atlanta Braves. Heyward has all the skills – power, average, and speed. So far this spring, Heyward is hitting .444 with one home run and three stolen bases. At just 20 years old, the poor guy has been compared to Hank Aaron already (isn’t that a little much for a rookie?). His maturity will help keep the hype in check. And, obviously will help him in other ways too.

Neftali Feliz – This Rangers pup has electric stuff. At only 21 years old, Feliz boasts a 100-MPH fastball, a good curve and changeup. His exact role is TBD, but expect a low ERA and high strikeout count. His spring training outings have been spotty, showing some control issues, but the strikeouts are very nice.

Alcides Escobar – J.J. Hardy’s move to Minnesota made way for the speedy shortstop. Known for his defensive wizardry, Escobar has shown improvement with his bat, boasting a .406 average so far this spring training. No power, but a huge SB threat, and potential for good batting average and runs. Good news for Escobar, and for fantasy owners, is his defense will keep him in the lineup even when his bat shouldn’t, which help him get more comfortable, and more confidence at the plate.

Drew Stubbs – Expected to land the starting CF job, Stubbs gives you power and speed. He started slow this spring, but has improved his batting average to .276 with 5 homers.
With 46 steals in Triple-A last season, he’s likely to get a fair chance at starting, and leading off. Should give you good run production too. Needs to remain patient at the plate. Good sleeper pick here. By the way, has the Reds mascot always had that dorky moustache? I just noticed it. Looks a lot like the Pringles mascot.

Austin Jackson – Another candidate at centerfield, another speedy prospect. The young Tiger could give you decent stats across the board, but he needs to exercise more discipline at the plate, especially in the leadoff role. If you need stolen bases, take a look at Jackson in the late rounds.


Happy feet

Yes, those are my feet on my blog. But they earned it. Look where they are – on the Rockets court! By far, the best tickets I’ve ever had, I also witnessed one of the most exciting games this season as the Rockets nipped the Nuggets on a late Aaron Brooks 20-footer. I really wanted a player to land in my lap. I know people get injured that way, but I was willing to take that risk. That never happened, but the game ball did roll to me and I bounce-passed it back to the ref. That was cool. But the highlight for me was as Nuggets players left the court after the game. I was just a few feet away from them. I shouted to Chauncey Billups, “You’re on my fantasy team!” He paused, and pointed at me for several seconds. Yes, several. I think it lessened the pain of the loss. There, there, Chauncey. There, there.

Have a question for Erin? E-mail her at erskelley@yahoo.com. Also, tune in to Erin's fantasy football advice on Sports Radio 610 every Friday morning during the football season.