Sleeper of the Week

Third base is a fairly thin position this season, especially with players such as Eric Hinske, Adrian Beltre and Aramis Ramirez failing to live up to their potential in the early going. Supposed savior Mark Teixeira has shown that he won’t be ready for the big show until he learns to hit pitches that don’t simply move in a straight line. Robin Ventura, Jeff Cirillo, Fernando Tatis aren’t having the bounce-back seasons many fantasy owners had hoped for. The list goes on…

With so many disappointments, where should a fantasy owner turn for help at the hot corner? How about Ty Wigginton?

Many were predicting that Wigginton would struggle early on, even though he hit over .300 in 46 games last season, but so far, the 25-year-old has proved his detractors wrong. Through the season’s first thirteen games, Wigginton is hitting .341. Perhaps even more encouraging are his two home runs and four doubles; last season, Wigginton only managed fourteen extra-base hits.

Ty Wigginton won’t produce a rookie season like Albert Pujols’, obviously, but he should continue to put up very respecable numbers. With so many teams hurting at the hot corner after putting their faith on Teixeira and other underachievers, it’s surprising that the Mets’ starter is still available as a free agent in so many leagues. If you’re among the owners who could use a boost at this hard-to-fill position, or simply need a capable backup, give Wigginton a shot. If he keeps playing at this level, he won’t be on many waiver wires much longer.