Sleeper of the Week

When looking to fill their fantasy rosters, most owners avoid the Detroit Tigers’ lineup like the plague. And with good reason: the lowly Tigers failed to score 600 runs last season, hitting for a league-low .240 en route to a dismal 43-119 finish. But smart owners won’t dismiss Detroit’s bats entirely. Alex Sanchez could turn into a nice - and inexpensive - source of steals in roto leagues. Eric Munson is worth keeping an eye on. And switch-hitting Dmitri Young could turn into a fantastic bargain.

Third base won’t be an easy position to fill in 2004, with the few reliable options left now that Albert Pujols no longer qualifies commanding premium prices. With sixteen games played at the hot corner last season (following just one in 2002), Young will once again have third-base eligibility in most leagues, and could be overlooked in many drafts.

Last season, Young’s production (.297 avg, 29 hr, 85 rbi, 78 r, .909 ops) gave him a 5×5 value roughly equal to Florida’s Mike Lowell (.276, 32, 105, 76, .881). Yet in the first mock drafts being held at the Cafe, Lowell has consistently been going off the board in rounds 4-5, while Young lasted until rounds 13-15. Granted, Lowell might look like the better bet for this season, but the difference between the two should not be as pronounced as this.

If you don’t plan on spending an early pick or a large chunk of your auction budget on a premiere 3B such as Scott Rolen or Eric Chavez, consider picking up Dmitri Young at bargain-basement prices.

Be aware, however, that Young’s value can change dramatically depending on your league’s scoring. In formats that penalize strikeouts, for example, the former first-round draft choice may not be a good option: he fanned 130 times last season, tying him for 12th in the league. On the other hand, if your league includes fielding, Young, who will play most of his games in the outfield (where he compiled a .985 fielding percentage last season), would be a very sneaky choice for the normally error-prone 3B position.