We are now about two weeks from the first regular season pitch in Tokyo, and three weeks from the grand opening day of Baseball in America. Here for your auction-prep enjoyment is the most up-to-date Average Auction Values (AAV), taken from auctions hosted on both FantasyAuctioneer.com and CBSSports.com so far this spring. (Auctions with too many computer players in FantasyAuctioneer mock auctions were removed.) These "market values" for players give us a good idea of how the general public is spending their Fantasy salary cap this season, what players are franchise types, and who are lesser-valued role players or fliers.
It's important to come up with your own values for players and decide who you think is too high or too low on this list. Your strategy should now be coming together, and whether you're in a keeper auction league or starting with fresh rosters, it is absolutely necessary to know what the public is thinking before your auction date. Your league will definitely spend a bit differently, but this list will put your own thoughts on players in perspective. Take a look and you will see a few of your own "sleepers" at good value, who might just bring you Fantasy gold in 2008!
These are the top 300 AAV's for a 12-team, mixed league, 5x5 Rotisserie format, with 23-man starting rosters and a $260 salary cap. Anyone not on this list is basically a $1 player. I've pulled out my own potential "sleepers" at each position to give you an example of value to look for.
Potential Sleepers:
Catcher: Geovany Soto, CHC ($3.90) -- Just look at his numbers last year between the minors and the Cubbies. Project for 130 games at catcher, and in the Cubs' (again improved) batting order. Sure, the young man might bust, but at a shallow position he's worth a low-ball flier.
First base: James Loney, LAD ($10.90) -- Hard to find value at this position, where people overspend for power. Loney is another young guy with good job security and major upside.
Second base: Dan Uggla, FLA ($4.40) -- All he has done in his first two years is average 109 R, 29 HR, 89 RBI, 4 SB, .264 AVG -- so what if Miguel Cabrera is gone, Uggla for four bucks at 2B ... he's money, baby!
Third base: Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD ($2.60) -- Many would go with Evan Longoria ($4) or maybe Ryan Zimmerman ($12), but these are my sleepers and I like the big KOUZ to break out big for the Padres in '08. Even if he busts, we are only talking about a couple of bucks here. Get somebody else as insurance and you'll still have more money to spend on other positions
Shortstop: Rafael Furcal, LAD ($10.20) -- This guy used to go for $20-25 easily, before Rollins/Reyes/Ramirez started threatening the 40/40 club annually. With Joe Torre at the helm, Raffy should be a happy camper and a solid hitter and basestealer this season.
Outfielder: Jason Bay, PIT ($9.60) -- Maybe it's just my Canadian roots, but there is no way Jason Bay has gone from a $30 player to $10 mediocrity because of one down season. Another value pick with Canadian ties would be Toronto's Vernon Wells at just $7.60 -- both of these guys were considered studs in last year's auctions.
Designated hitter: Travis Hafner, CLE ($12.10) -- He's no Big Papi, but the people of Cleveland believe the power of Pronk will return. Hopefully last year was the old exception, and not the new rule, for Hafner.
Pitcher: Carlos Zambrano, CHC ($11.90) -- Could have gone with a starter or a closer, but starters tend to be more stable. At around twelve bucks, Zambrano will probably compete for the Cy Young this year. Experts say his numbers are trending down, but I say never doubt the fiery fireballer!
