Sleeper of the Week

Fantasy baseball can be a frustrating game. One day your 2B/SS looks like the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award, the next he’s trying to explain just what he was carrying when he fell and broke his clavicle. Clint Barmes’ freak injury (how heavy was that hunk of meat, anyway?) certainly left many fantasy owners with a Rocky Mountain-sized hole in their middle infields, and those owners will have a hard time finding even the faintest trace of a silver lining in this situation. There is one positive aspect to all this, however: more playing time for Eddy Garabito.

So far, Garabito has made the most of his opportunity - far more than anyone could have expected. Since making his big league debut on May 27, the 28-year-old second baseman has hit an impressive .362 with an OPS of .864. He hit his first home run on June 18 off Sidney Ponson, and has three stolen bases in his last ten games. His success so far can’t be attributed entirely to Coors Field, either. His road OPS is a solid .852, just 27 points below his mark in Colorado.

In eight campaigns in the minor leagues, Garabito has posted an average of .265 and an OPS of .692. He’s picked up the pace of late, though, hitting .298 with a .779 OPS at AAA Ottawa last season. That year, he also posted a career-best 0.83 BB/K ratio. He’ll never be a mistaken for a power hitter, but he boasts considerable speed, with an average of 22.5 swipes per minor league season. Look for him to keep running at the major league level as well.

Eddy Garabito may not be a long-term solution at 2B, since his playing time may drop substantially once Barmes is back in uniform. For now, however, he’s worth a look, and if he keeps hitting at his current pace, it won’t be easy for manager Clint Hurdle to leave him on the bench even when Barmes is back.