Empty the Bench

The drafts are over, but the early weeks of a fantasy season are often more critical than those pre-season rankings and selections. Each year there are multiple waiver wire and free agent additions that contribute to an eventual championship. No matter how well you drafted, if you remain stagnant as a fantasy owner you will not win a competitive fantasy league.

One of the best ways to stay on top of all the options out there is to maintain a well stocked, informed ‘Watch List’. The following players could make good immediate adds, but we recommend all fantasy players add these starting pitchers to their watch lists and remain ready to pounce if the early returns show promise. Those of you in NL and AL-only leagues, several of these guys might already be gone. However, all of them are available in over 50% of Yahoo! 12-team mixed leagues.

Conor Jackson, First Base, Arizona Diamondbacks

Conor is a legit blue-chip prospect, the first-round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2003. According to a quote on Rotowire, “He’s the most professional hitter they have in their lineup,” one scout observed. “He hits so many line drives.” Jackson is known for putting good wood on the ball, hitting it on a rope to both gaps and having great power to both fields (enough to break a few of Chone Figgins’ fingers). It should only be a matter of time before Jackson is batting in the 4th or 5th spot in the Arizona lineup and leading the team in RBIs. With the roster so loaded with young talent that can get around the bases (Chris Young, Carlos Quentin, Stephen Drew, et alii), the upside for this guy is very high.

Jackson had 15 home runs and 79 RBIs and a .291 average in 485 at-bats last season, and a not-so-bold prediction for 2007 would be 25 home runs and 95 RBIs with a decent average. From a fantasy perspective, it is a bit of a knock on Jackson that he is only 1B eligible and there are so many great options at the position. For now, stash Conor on your bench or watch list in mixed leagues and feel comfortable using him as a solid injury replacement with very good upside.

Johnny Estrada, Catcher, Milwaukee Brewers

Estrada is 30 years old, but a change of scenery and his place in the batting order could mean increased production in 2007. He got jerked around by the Diamondbacks in 2006, but the Brewers seem to have more appreciation for his skills and have placed him 5th in the lineup, a position that should give him plenty of RBI opportunities and at-bats from the C position for fantasy relevance.

Estrada is moving out of Chase Field, a hitter-friendly park, but Miller Park is still a pretty decent place to hit. The move up the batting order could mean another 70+ RBI season, and he should see 450+ at-bats, so double-digits in homers and an average around .300 sounds reasonable. Estrada was hitting very well this preseason, so if the production keeps up early and you’re in dire need of a catcher, you could do a lot worse than Estrada.

Chris Duncan, Outfield/First Base, St. Louis Cardinals

Duncan wasn’t a big prospect coming into 2006, but he was one of the better rookies out there. He worked his way into the lineup mid-season and wound up hitting 22 home runs in 280 at-bats; hitting in front of Albert Pujols sure is sweet. Despite the fact that Duncan should continue to see his fair share of hittable pitches, don’t go looking for a 35+ HR season in 2007 because the extraordinary power surge does not have minor-league precedent. Something in the neighborhood of 27 doesn’t seem out of the question though.

He didn’t hit in the opener, and they may continue to bench him when there’s a particularly nasty lefty on the mound, so anybody who makes the add should be conscious of that. Rotisserie managers may be able to use it to their advantage though because by staying on top of it you can ensure that you only get quality at-bats (20 of his 22 home runs came against right handers). As it stands now, Duncan is just on the fringe of fantasy relevance in 12-team mixed leagues, so put him on your watch list.

Chris B. Young, Outfield, Arizona Diamondbacks

The other Chris Young is one of baseball’s brightest young players, easily one of the top five offensive prospects out there. He played sparingly last season, but Young should have a full-time gig in center field for Arizona this year. He has a legitimate five-tool skill set, with great speed and nice pop. In 100 minor league games last season (a year that was shortened due to early injury), Chris has 21 home runs and 17 stolen bases.

When it’s all said and done, Young should be in the conversation for National League Rookie of the Year. He has good plate discipline that has been steadily improving so far, which will be very important in making the transition to the bigs. The ceiling right now is probably around 20 home runs and 25 steals, but I expect a more modest 18 homers and 22 steals. Assess your league type and size, and if you think those kind of stats would be useful, give Young a look. I strongly recommend him in NL-only leagues, but he isn’t exactly flying under the radar and may already be gone in most of those.

Ty Wigginton (yahoo), Everything, Florida Marlins

If you can only find time for Wigginton in the outfield, don’t bother. You can do a lot better. But if you need a backup infielder, at multiple positions, he’s your man. The key to Ty’s value is his eligibility in the OF, at first, at second and at third. Word is he’s also been trying his hand at shortstop and closer in spring, so keep an eye on that development. In all seriousness, with this season’s extremely weak crop of second baseman he makes a very nice reserve at that position as one of the few 2Bs capable of racking up 25 homers.

In 2006 Wigginton had 444 at-bats in 122 games and finished with a very respectable 24 home runs and .275 batting average (.326 in the second half). Hopefully he can get everyday at-bats so that he can match or improve upon those numbers. There is reason to believe he will because he comes into the season as the starting first baseman and everyday cleanup hitter. Even if you are stacked at second, Wigginton makes a fantastic bench player who allows you to have a backup option at multiple positions with just one roster spot. At the very least, put him on the watch list and have your trigger finger ready when the inevitable injury bug bites.

Ronny Paulino, Catcher, Pittsburgh Pirates
Paulino is a 25-year-old who has been highly touted and showed a ton of promise last year, so he’s probably gone in NL-only leagues, but should be monitored closely in mixed formats. Ronny finished the 2006 campaign with a nice .310 batting average, and never hit below .285 in any month- providing nice consistency from an often tumultuous position. Batting 5th this season will also help in that regard. The .360 OBP was a nice touch, good for 8th in MLB among all catchers with at least 300 plate appearances. Last year was his first full season in the majors, so don’t worry too much about the paltry home run total (6). The kid hit 13 homers in 276 minor league at-bats, so he’ll be a double-digit home run player in the near future if he stays healthy.