Undervalued Players

[Transmogrified Tiger]

In this thread I'd like to list some guys who you think would be good buy low candidates. That could mean they sucked last year and you think you'll turn it around, they could've been very good and you think they'll become great, or maybe you think they'll be about the same and their team hates the player or something. Please provide some reasoning about the players you mention, that makes it more fun for everyone.

 

I'll start with a popular one and one kinda off the map.

 

Jeremy Hermida

 

Hermida will be arbitration eligible for the first time on the notoriously stingy Marlins. He was subpar offensively for a RF, but he was quite good away from cavernous Pro-Player, he's only 25 next year, and he has a phenomenal minor league pedigree. He's not a negative on the basepaths or in right field either.

 

Now for the fun one.

 

Clint Barmes

 

Barmes has been reduced to a part-time infielder for Colorado with Tulowitzki and Baker around. There are things working against him. He has a significant Coors split(although there is the hangover effect), and he'll be 30 next season. However, he had a nice offensive rebound after being hurt. He's a very good defensive SS, and we can be relatively certain he can hit LHP quite well. At best, Barmes plays SS every day and flirts with an .800 OPS there with plus defense while Theriot and Fontenot make the super-bayou platoon. At worst, he pushes Theriot to 2B while being a part of a platoon with Fontenot, replicating DeRosa's production out of 2B. In between you can play with how much time you give Theriot and Barmes to find a happy medium. Either way Cedeno is trade bait for someone looking for talent at SS. DeRosa is either an option in RF or a strong trade chip to a team looking to contend. And, with Tulowitzki, Baker, and Stewart all vying for time in the Colorado infield, plus Barmes being first year arbitration eligible, he shouldn't be super expensive to acquire.

[RedFlash]

Hermida has been a player I've liked long before he became a semi-popular buy low candidate on this board. So of course, I would be on board for Hermida. Barmes isn't a bad idea.

 

Couple of other sleepers.....Shin-Soo Choo of the Indians. He is a career.291/.377/.493/.870 hitter. He is also has the ability to play all three OF. IDK if Cleveland would be willing to trade him, he could be a very solid buy low candidate.

 

While he may not be a sleeper, he would definately be a undervalue pick up in Brad Hawpe. The young man is a career .282/.375/.493/.868. And looking at his numbers at home and on the road in his career, and they damn near clone like. The difference he slugs a little be higher at home, but it's not like he slgs 100 point higher at home then on the road. So, if Colorado makes Hawpe available, I would put him in front of Hermida as to get this ofseason. (And I know there is one Cubs fan, that wouldn't mind Hawpe in Chicago)

[fromthestretch]

I mentioned him in another thread, but how about Ben Zobrist? I'm not sure how undervalued he is, but he doesn't start regularly in Tampa Bay. They seem to value Bartlett's defense over Zobrist's offense, and they have Brignac waiting in the wings.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't see how Choo is a buy low.

 

Over/Under on the Meph/Khalil post?

 

(actually in favor of it, especially now when his value is that of used tobacco spit.)

[imb]

NICK SWISHER

[Tracer Bullet]

can swisher play CF? I know he has in the past.

[SouthSideRyan]

can swisher play CF? I know he has in the past.

 

Not well.

[rawaction]

Edgar Renteria comes to mind. As does Khalil Greene and Felipe Lopez. Nick Swisher.

 

A guy who may be made available who you are not hearing about is Michael Young. He had a worst OPS than Ryan Theriot this year. But his walk rate was tied for the best for his career. 2008 was the first year in 5 that he hit under .313. He kills LHPs. He's not super old, but past his prime now. He'd be interesting. I don't know that he's a buy low guy, but he could potentially be a high reward.

[Post Count Padder]

Let's get Frank Catalanatto and platoon him with Reed.

 

Blue Jays style.

 

Honetly, always a fan of Frankie Cats, and he wouldn't cost much but I don't see room for him on this team.

 

 

Speaking of Hermida and the Marlins, anyone think Cody Ross is undervalued?

[nilodnayr]

We should just retitle this the Jason Michaels thread.

[B]

So Taguchi

[Mephistopheles]

Mike Fontenot

[shnsajax]

Alex Rios

[Schwarber Fan]

Mike Fontenot

 

Seriously

 

dude's a stud

 

any talk of acquiring another second baseman is ludicrous as far as I'm concerned.

[third eye]

Mike Fontenot

 

Obviously assuming sarcasm here, but what do your (or PECOTA's) statistical projections have as his ceiling?

[sneakypower]

Couple of other sleepers.....Shin-Soo Choo of the Indians. He is a career.291/.377/.493/.870 hitter. He is also has the ability to play all three OF. IDK if Cleveland would be willing to trade him, he could be a very solid buy low candidate.

 

how do you buy low on a guy who had a .343/.424/.614 line in the 2nd half?

 

Felix Pie

Sheets, Weeks, Kubel, Jacobs, Cruz, Young have all been mentioned at one point or another

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Which Cruz?

[OleMissCub]

Mike Fontenot

 

Obviously assuming sarcasm here, but what do your (or PECOTA's) statistical projections have as his ceiling?

 

Why do you assume sarcasm? I think Fontenot could be an everyday starter at second for us. He's got just as much pop (if not more) than DeRosa, is better at OBP, and is better defensively. Let Fontenot start at second and put DeRo back in his uber-sub roll.

[Cubswin11]

Alex Rios

 

Rios, as is my pick I would say was a undervalued player 1-2 years ago. My undervalued player is Adrian Gonzalez he is a gold glove caliber 1B, and puts up great offensive numbers playing half his games in a pitchers park. I still think Gonzalez is one of the most underated/non-heard about players in baseball, if he was a Yankee/Red Sox he would be the next Babe Ruth.

[Vanilla Ice]

just because the casual fan does not know of Adrian Gonzalez does not mean he is undervalued

[cbbryan]

How about Carl Pavano?

[SouthSideRyan]

Mike Fontenot

 

Obviously assuming sarcasm here, but what do your (or PECOTA's) statistical projections have as his ceiling?

 

Why do you assume sarcasm? I think Fontenot could be an everyday starter at second for us. He's got just as much pop (if not more) than DeRosa, is better at OBP, and is better defensively. Let Fontenot start at second and put DeRo back in his uber-sub roll.

 

Okay, this is twice I've seen Fontenot described as something better than below average at 2B. He is not a good defender. Where is this coming from?

[sneakypower]

Which Cruz?

Juan

 

I'd have no problems letting Woody walk, taking the picks and signing Cruz for cheaper to be 8th or 9th inning RP.

 

Nelson Cruz would be nice, but he ended the year on a tear for the Rangers and I'd assume they'll just keep him around to replace Bradley.

[Backtobanks]

Alex Rios

 

Rios, as is my pick I would say was a undervalued player 1-2 years ago. My undervalued player is Adrian Gonzalez he is a gold glove caliber 1B, and puts up great offensive numbers playing half his games in a pitchers park. I still think Gonzalez is one of the most underated/non-heard about players in baseball, if he was a Yankee/Red Sox he would be the next Babe Ruth.

 

I don't know how posters can pick Alex Rios as undervalued when it would take a king's ransom to acquire him in a trade.

[sneakypower]

Vernon Wells was put on waivers in August

 

he's the available player from that team to think about; i prob wouldn't though