Sleeper of the Week

Will the real Xavier Nady please stand up? Just a year and a half ago, following a very successful 26-home run, 100-rbi season at A level Lake Elsinore, Nady was considered one of baseball’s hottest prospects. His 2002 campaign, split between Lake Elsinore and AAA Portland, was decidedly lackluster, however. Now, he’s off to a roaring start, hitting .357 for the Padres with ten runs scored after the first ten games.

What’s a fantasy owner to make of these fluctuations? Is Nady worth a pickup, or are his solid numbers a Rey Ordonez-esque fluke? Was he overhyped coming out of the University of California, or is he the real deal?

To answer this, we have to consider Nady’s injury history. Prior to last season, Nady was forced to undergo off-season elbow surgery, yet missed practically no time; it’s reasonable to assume that this was a major cause of his pedestrian play. Now that he’s fully healthy, he may well pick up where he left off in 2001.

Don’t expect Nady to keep up his current pace, and expect him to need some time to adjust to the major league level of play. His pitch selection, in particular, remains somewhat inconsistent. Also, don’t look to Nady as a power hitter just yet. He may reach 20 home runs this year, but anything more would be gravy. Nonetheless, if you have a spot on your keeper roster and the Baldellis and Teixeiras of the league have been snatched up already, Xavier Nady looks like a solid prospect who may be capable of giving you .310, 35-hr seasons down the road.