Sleeper Watch

Need speed in your lineup? Don’t want to pay what it will take to add Juan Pierre or Ichiro to your roster? Why not pick up a bargain in Alex Sanchez?

Sanchez is an entirely one-dimensional fantasy ballplayer. He won’t hurt you in batting average, where he posted a respectable .287 last season, but his lack of power and runs are definite drawbacks, as is his pedestrian .318 obp. His runs and rbi might increase slightly as the Tigers slowly improve, but if you’re drafting Sanchez, what you’re looking for is steals.

With 52 stolen bases last season, Sanchez finished third in the majors behind Pierre and Carl Crawford, yet he’ll again be available at bargain basement prices in many leagues. If you can compensate for the hit in the other categories, his swipes will go a long way toward anchoring your squad. Sanchez also works very well in a platoon role in both roto and head-to-head leagues, particularly those with daily lineup changes, providing an infusion of speed when desired.