2 guys that will be your comeback players of the AL and NL
Photo courtesy of Keith Allison.
Well, there are certainly a good handful of players that have a shot at this year. Some guys, like Roy Halladay Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee (in wins, anyway), Erick Aybar and Dan Uggla just under-perfomed. Others, like Carl Crawford, Brian McCann, Victor Martinez, Troy Tulowitzki and Jacoby Ellsbury dealt with injuries more serious than those suffered by Lee and Halladay. Lastly, guys like Shane Victorino, Paul Konerko, and Ichiro Suzuki had down years in 2012, but might just be getting old.
The key to a good bounce back player in fantasy baseball is not just guessing right at which guy(s) will bounce back, but using it to your advantage to make the steal of your draft. One does not simply nab a potential bounce back candidate early in the draft and celebrate his success. If you take Roy Halladay in this year’s draft say in the 2nd-3rd round (where he is typically taken) and he bounces back, then you simply netted yourself nothing on every other year he has been drafted as you got exactly what you hoped for.
I have a list in front of me, where Roy Halladay is ranked 53 overall. Clearly this list has him projected to somewhat return to form. I personally will pass on Roy Halladay in the 5th-6th round, just not enough upside for me. However I have another list where Doc is ranked as the 76th overall pick. Roy is most likely not going to return to the No. 1 pitcher in baseball status, and therefore his ceiling is probably 4th round. Pitchers with 4th round upside can easily be selected in rounds 8-10. Adam Wainwright, Mat Latos and Max Scherzer, to name a few, might be as good or better that Doc next season. However if you are drafting and Roy Halladay slips to the 76th pick overall, take him!
Getting a good bounce back player is like playing a game of chicken, you want to wait, and wait, and wait, then jump from the car before it runs off the cliff and is destroyed on impact!
So without further adieu, here are my 2013 AL / NL comeback players:
(BONUS!) I have decided to go with 2 players from each league to give you a little variety.
- American League: Shane Victorino and Erick Aybar
- National League: Carl Crawford and Brian McCann
As an extra bonus, I am going to tell you that these guys should be targeted around pick 120, or somewhere close to Round 12 (obviously depending on your league’s size). You want to wait, but you don’t want to wait too long, because someone else is bound to nab them before you do.
Oh and my last little bonus. If you need a pitcher in Round 12, take Timmy Lincecum if he is available. He is much like Halladay as he will never grade out as the top pitcher in baseball again, BUT is a steal in Round 12.
I hope you get one of these guys and they make the rest of your league mates think “how did he know…?”.
We’re two days away from our February 18th Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit:
13 Dollar Players Who’ll Triple Your Money
12 Bargain Bin Outfielders
11 Pitchers You Shouldn’t Touch With a 60’6″ Pole
10 Spot Starters Who’ll Jump to the Next Level
9 Guys to Give You a Complete LIneup
8 Geezers Over 35 Who Still Have Their Giddy Up
7 Sleepers
6 Hitters with Plate Skills
5 Prospects with 2013 Fantasy Baseball Value
4 Middle Infield Late Rounders
3 Triple Crown Category Winners