Fantasy Dr X: Strike Zone

Draft day: Overlooked "Devils"

Come Draft Day, many great teams and players will quickly grab your attention. Teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Rockies, Dodgers, Mets, and Angels are just some that you have an array of players to choose from. However, when is the last time you thought about the Rays? That's right, not the old Devil Rays anymore, and some of us just can't seem to remember or even notice that they've changed quite a bit. Well, here are some players on this squad that I believe will be overlooked on Draft Day; which, by the way, would be a big mistake. By Lawrence Barreca.

    * When you think of the elite first basemen in the majors, what names come to mind? Albert Pujols? Prince Fielder? Derrek Lee? How about Carlos Pena? I spoke about Pena to a friend of mine a couple of days ago, and he said "Carlos Pena hit 46 home runs?  When did this happen?" Some people like my friend tend to forget that Pena was one of the elite hitters in the American League, hitting for a .282 average and 46 homers; not to mention that he also racked up 121 RBIs and 99 runs scored. Pena hit just as well as any top first baseman in the league, and for this reason he should be drafted in lower rounds than people expect. I did a mock draft, and I picked him up in the 6th round. Pretty late for a guy that hit 46 homers. Do I think it was a fluke? Not a chance. The guy can flat-out hit and should be drafted higher than many expect.

  * The Rays may have strength in the infield, but the real source of power comes from two of their three outfielders: Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton. Many know of these two star youngsters, yet many do not know their real worth. Crawford is a guy that can hit for average (he hit .315 last season) as well as steal a base at any time. His base running ability gives a bonus to fantasy owners, because steals usually mean points galore. Upton is the perfect offensive catalyst, hitting .300 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs. He also racked up 22 stolen bases, meaning he not only gives you points for base hits, he gives you points for homers, RBIs, and steals. Another note: Upton may be eligible at second base as well, which gives a fantasy owner versatility in the lineup. Look for these guys in the first 5 rounds to give you a solid outfielder for your team.

* We all know that second base is a position that can come hard to get, especially with the lack of depth there.  Many great second basemen are grabbed in the earlier rounds, so why not look for a guy in the late rounds instead of wasting an early pick. Akinori Iwamura, the current starter for the Rays, is that guy. He had a quiet year, mainly because of an injury that benched him for a good amount of time; however, he still hit 7 homers and a .285 average.  He is a guy that no one wants or thinks to grab within the top-10 rounds, so why not grab him late and get your pitchers, catchers, and outfielders while you can? Draft him late, especially if you don't mind not having power every day at second base.  

* One weak link of this team last season was the starting pitching, yet there was, indeed, a light at the end of the tunnel. Scott Kazmir and James Shields had good years, and in '08 they are looking to improve even more. Now, with the addition of Matt Garza and the upcoming David Price, the future of the Rays' rotation is looking strong. Kazmir will be an early pick; however, Shields and Garza may not go until much later rounds. I'm not saying to grab them early; I'm just saying that if you need one more pitcher to complete your fantasy rotation, one of these guys may still be available.    

* Finally, let's talk about the bullpen. It was a horrid sight to watch last season, but new off season acquisition Troy Percival looks to change that. Percival went 3-0 last year, posting a 1.80 ERA as a reliever. Look for him to replace former closer and new setup man Al Reyes. Reyes was one of the top closers last year until an injury hurt his season last year. With Dan Wheeler and Reyes setting up Percival, look for the Rays' bullpen to shut down opponents in the later innings.

Well, the Rays have definitively showed improvement, and they have a boatload of talent that always seems to go unnoticed. Maybe this will make you pay attention a bit more to the guys out there that you never see or hear of every day. On Draft Day, just think about how many picks you may be able to save thanks to the Rays.

Visit us at Fantasy Maniaxs for more!