Some players lull us to sleep with their consistent performance and can be gotten cheaply. I traded for both Teixeira (prior to joining the Yanks) and Brandon Phillips. Tex became sexy again when he was signed by NYY. Hallady was like that 3-4 years ago. Anyone else recognize the phenomenon? Who else is now unsexy?
Note: I'm not saying this actually affects their ADP but maybe trade value. Also guys that have never had breakout popularity don't count, they're just undervalued (ie Ted Lily).
Oswalt maybe, he had a 3.XX ERA until he blew up in the last 2-3 games last year. No reason he shouldn't have a 3.XX ERA.
Expanding on my original thought, it's usually players who people feel like they have found their ceiling and there's no more upside to hope for. Like for B-Phillips, he's a 20/20 guy and because he'll never go 30/30, people now value him as if he's a 15/15 guy.
This was my first thought when thinking of unsexy players
On a serious note, the premise for this thread is solid, and here is my thinking. Usually the guys who go from sexy to unsexy seem to be veterans over 30 (i.e. Paul Konerko) who put up a couple less than stellar seasons and are expected to fall off a cliff (which does happen to a significant number of power hitters).
A guy like David Ortiz could be a new trend of sexy to unsexy type, a guy who had a lousy season (albeit one he pulled out of total shambles by smacking a ton of 2nd half HR's and driving in oodles of RBI's) and is suspected by some to have been a former PED user. Take a look at comments in blogs, and if I remember correctly even comments in threads on here, people were attributing his awful start to last year to him no longer "juicing."
The third type of sexy to unsexy type, and a type I love to take end game flyers on, are post hype blue chip prospects. A guy like Delmon Young 3 years ago was being described as a future fantasy stud, keeper gold, etc. While he isn't a perfect example because he still posts an awful BB rate and has some other statistical concerns, he is being completely ignored which to me is a mistake given his "tools," and his uptick in ISO and HR/FB. If it were to "click," with him by chance, he has the raw tools to be a very useful fantasy player. Brandon Wood, Homer Bailey, Joba Chamberlain/Phil Hughes, Cameron Maybin, Alex Gordon, etc are all guys who come to mind that were even as recently as last year considered keeper stars who happen to be getting slept on in a big way this season. In the cases of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain part of that is the uncertainty of their roles this year, that said, they are both going quite late for guys with nice k rates and some serious upside.
Nick Markakis is the poster boy for this IMO. Seemed like after '07 everyone was pumping him up to be some 25/25+ caliber player and then became disappointed when the combo potential wasn't cashed in on. Sure he's still a solid player and one everyone would be glad to have on their team, but he's not sexy by any means.
Alex Rios is another, although I'm not sure why he's so undervalued these days when he still has a shot of being a 20/20 player, especially in a hitter's park.
Hal·la·day, n. 1. every fifth day in Philadelphia. 2. a day of rest for the bullpen. 3. innings eater. 4. doc. 5. ace.
Really? You aren't sure why Alex Rios is undervalued?
B-Chad wrote:Pedroia's LD rate of 20% is reason to believe he'll maintain a higher BA then Cano. It should also be noted he hits more FB's then Cano, which means that even if he posts a lower HR/FB then Cano, he should come in reasonably close to Cano in HR's
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by jmohlengraft » Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:17 pm 
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