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2008 MLB Fantasy Tips

Post All-Star Break Projections for Fantasy Baseball Players

Jul 11, 2008

The first half of the 2008 fantasy baseball season is over. Now, it is time to reassess your team and project which players will have a big post all-star break season.

The 2008 MLB season has provided owners with numerous surprises. Every fantasy baseball season has its share of baseball players who have big first halves and then falter, and every fantasy baseball season has its share of baseball players who get off to a slow start and then provide a stats explosion after the All-Star break.

2008 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

Edinson Volquez SP Cincinnati Reds

Before the 2008 fantasy baseball season, young Reds right-handers Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey received a lion’s share of the hype from the experts while Edinson Volquez sat in the shadows. Volquez quietly put up even more spectacular numbers than the impressive Cueto in Spring Training and won a job in the Cincinnati starting rotation. Johnny Cueto’s fantasy statistics have been decent for a rookie (97 K, 7 wins, 4.67 ERA through July 10), but Edinson Volquez has been a legitimate fantasy baseball ace. Through July 10, Volquez has amassed 116 strikeouts in just 110.2 innings to go with his microscopic, league-leading ERA of 2.36 and 11 wins.

Volquez has managed to keep his ERA so low while playing his home games in a hitter-friendly park because he keeps the ball down in the zone. Expect more consistency problems in the second half of the 2008 fantasy baseball season as other teams make adjustments, but do not trade him away. Volquez is for real, and his strikeout numbers will not dissipate even if his ERA and WHIP climb a bit.

Fred Lewis OF San Francisco Giants

Many fantasy baseball experts raved about the speed of Houston Astros outfielder Michael Bourn. Unfortunately, stolen bases has been the only fantasy stat Bourn has produced. As of July 10, Fred Lewis of the San Francisco Giants has a batting average 30 points higher than Bourn to go along with more homers, RBI and 20 more runs scored while playing in a much less hitter-friendly park and in a much less productive offense. Lewis has been no slouch on the bases either, compiling 16 steals himself.

After a scorching start, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce has fallen off significantly, making Fred Lewis and Chicago Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome the most consistent rookie fantasy outfielders in the NL.

Fantasy Baseball Tips for the second half

San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez will not keep up his wicked homerun pace. Even though he typically puts up bigger fantasy numbers after the All-Star break, he has very little support in the lineup this season. Furthermore, the Padres are not in the playoff race so Gonzalez will get pitched around more frequently during the second half of the 2008 fantasy baseball season.
Pittsburg Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit will continue his fantasy prowess hitting in the middle of an underrated Pirates offense. Only an injury will slow down this fantasy baseball stud.
Do not trade Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye. He put up huge fantasy numbers in the second half last season, and the White Sox offense is heating up with the Chicago weather.
New York Yankees shortstop and captain Derek Jeter has had a poor start relative to fantasy baseball, but pick him up if someone is willing to sell low. Jeter’s average is bound to go up in the second half of the 2008 fantasy baseball season. He is too good of a hitter—same goes for his teammate Robinson Cano.

The copyright of the article 2008 MLB Fantasy Tips in Fantasy Baseball is owned by Max Neibaur. Permission to republish 2008 MLB Fantasy Tips in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.