Sleeper of the Week

Following an excellent 2003 rookie campaign in which he hit .307 with 47 runs, 32 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 69 games, many fantasy owners were counting on Jose Reyes to play a key role in their middle infields in 2004. Unfortunately, those expectations were dashed when Reyes ran afoul of the injury bug. After straining his hamstring last spring, the highly regarded sophomore didn’t make his season debut until June 19, and also missed large chunks of August and September with a stress fracture. This year, once-bitten owners are being considerably more cautious about drafting the young Met.

Yet it’s so far, so good for Reyes this time around. He leads all players with six spring training SBs (without being caught yet), has compiled a .357 average (14th in the league) through his first nine games, and above all, has managed to stay healthy.

Unfortunately, there’s a bit more to be concerned about than Reyes’ health. The fact that his BB/K ratio dropped from 0.36 in his rookie campaign to just 0.16 last year is cause for worry, as is his OPS dip from .769 to .644 over that span. Whether the talented switch-hitter can improve his patience and eye at the plate will likely determine whether he can blossom into a star or will remain an eternal prospect.

Nonetheless, there’s reason to be optimistic. Reyes is still only 21 years old, and already far more advanced than the vast majority of players his age. Hitting in front of Kazuo Matsui and Carlos Beltran certainly won’t hurt his numbers as he develops. He’s also lightning on the basepaths, with a success rate of 90.5% in stolen base attempts last season, a number high enough to satisfy even the most hardened of sabermetric SB skeptics. Plus, in leagues where the requirement to qualify at a position is just ten games, he’ll be eligible at both 2B and SS this year. And with owners worried about his health, he may just slip more than he should in upcoming drafts.