AL Middle Infielders

[issyg67]

Some questions for those of you who've already drafted/auctioned...

How much would you pay for Miguel Tejada in an AL-only league?

Where is Michael Young going in relation to the other AL shortstops? I'm hoping I can get him a little cheaper than I should be able to because he doesn't have the name of a Jeter, Tejada, Renteria.

How many steals will Orlando Cabrera get with the Angels? I'm thinking he could hit 30, probaly not much more, but at least 20.

Jason Bartlett looks like he has Minnesota's starting job locked up, are you comfortable with him as your MI in an AL-only league?

Jorge Cantu is the second baseman in Tampa Bay, I think he's a sleeper to hit at least .280 and not hurt a team. Any chance he could lose the job if the D-Rays call up Upton (I've heard Upton will play third if he's called up, like last year).

[pedrosanpedro]

We have yet to draft, but in our al keeper league (10 team), Tejada was kept at 31 bucks... Good value imo considering there seems to be a shortage of decent mids available in the auction this year....

Young, in my opinion, lines up right after the three you mentioned, and not too far behind for that matter, and shouldn't be flying under the radar after two very good seasons so i don't think you'll get him on the cheap... 20 - 23 bucks (?) would be good value... course this depends on how many teams are in your league, and your format 4X4 or 5X5

Pencil O-cab in for 20 steals tops....

Bartlett... Cantu..... Have to pass here, don't know enough about them, haven't made my mind up yet... though Bartlett is intriguing..

[issyg67]

Anyone else?

[Surfs up]

I traded to get both early in the off season. I like Bartlett to be a steady all around player. Nice steals and average but very little power. Cantu has added 19 lbs of muscle . Showed some pop last year and i think will hit 12-15 homers.But not a great average. Maybe somewhere around the .265 area. I have both for $4.00 total in my AL only. But if they went to the draft they would god 12-14 each. thats my league. Over pays.

[black_hawk8888]

Young is hotter than fire right now in ST and will be batting 3rd behind Soriano and Blalock and in front of Teixeira. He's #2 on my cheat sheets behind Tejada. He's a lock for 200 hits and .300 average but I think the power numbers will go up and he should get 15-20 more RBIs by hitting 3rd instead of first (99 in 2004 so I project 112-118 in 2005).

[T-Bone Costanza]

Watch out for Tony Womack. I think he's going to be very productive for the Yanks.

[thomasps3]

Bellhorn is another MI that flies way under the radar as well. Good for 18-22 HR, 80+ RBI, although a lower than avg ba at probably 260-270. He'll walk a ton, so he's even more valuable in OBP leagues.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Some questions for those of you who've already drafted/auctioned...

How much would you pay for Miguel Tejada in an AL-only league?

This depends too much on your league setup to answer. # of teams, salary limits, and starting positions need to be identified before a value calculation can be given.

Where is Michael Young going in relation to the other AL shortstops? I'm hoping I can get him a little cheaper than I should be able to because he doesn't have the name of a Jeter, Tejada, Renteria.

Young is ranked as high as Renteria if not higher by most people. I seriously doubt he will sneak by anyone in an AL only auction.

How many steals will Orlando Cabrera get with the Angels? I'm thinking he could hit 30, probaly not much more, but at least 20.

Id pencil him in for 20 steals barring injury. At his age (30), dont expect much of an increase in SBs. Some people really love this guy for this yr, but I dont see it. He's batting 6th or 7th ahead of Molina and McPherson - not exactly prime realty. I think you can do better by waiting and spending less on a less-hyped player. Cabrera is hitting well under .200 this spring.

Jason Bartlett looks like he has Minnesota's starting job locked up, are you comfortable with him as your MI in an AL-only league?

no, but he does have upside potential. I just wouldnt be comfortable at all.

Jorge Cantu is the second baseman in Tampa Bay, I think he's a sleeper to hit at least .280 and not hurt a team. Any chance he could lose the job if the D-Rays call up Upton (I've heard Upton will play third if he's called up, like last year).

I like Cantu a lot - especially now that he will be the DRays fulltime 2B. He's been tagged as the Outstanding Rookie last yr - and for a team with so many outstanding rookies, Id say thats a pretty big feather in his cap. A lot depends on where he bats in their lineup.

Dont shy away from Det's MI this yr - Guillen will be better than anyone gives him credit for even if he falls off a bit from being a top 5 SS last yr. Infante should be more valuable than both Cantu and Bartlett.