Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove - AL

January 28, 2010 @ 00:00:00

By Tim Heaney
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

Also see: Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove - NL

KFFL delivers the fantasy baseball spin on each Major League Baseball Hot Stove deal that matters in your fantasy baseball league. Check back for frequent updates to the Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove!

Third basemen

Miguel Tejada, Baltimore Orioles (signed)

The old man returns to Camden. Despite his batting average and BABIP climbs being supported by increased groundballs, not even a return to Camden Yards should make you overly confident in his homer game. In what could be his last season with shortstop eligibility, Tejada comes in as a low-end mixed starter there.

Shortstops

Mitchell Hilligoss, Texas Rangers (traded from New York Yankees)

Once a decent prospect coming out of Purdue, Hilligoss has spent three years in Single-A ball. He hasn't capitalized on his talent yet.

Outfielders

Rick Ankiel, Kansas City Royals (signed)

His still-frustrating platoon splits won't keep him from starting in KC, but Kauffman Stadium saps homers, which takes away from Ankiel's best potential. He'll also receive less help from the Royals' low-level, albeit ascending, offense. Hoping for 20 jacks is about all you can do; he isn't going to aid your team anywhere else.

Randy Winn, New York Yankees (signed)

He'll have a good chance at topping the two homers he hit during his pathetic 2009 season, when the switch-hitter struggled against lefty bats. He'll need to turn that around if he enters platoon duty with Brett Gardner in left field. Winn, however, might have a shot at taking the job outright this spring. He boasts enough speed to amplify his AL-only intrigue and make him useful at times in deep mixed.

Greg Golson, New York Yankees (traded from Texas Rangers)

The Bombers are taking a flier on the speedy Golson. His plate skills haven't developed yet. He'll probably compete for a roster spot during Spring Training but may start out at Triple-A. The Yanks' positional logjam means he's purely speculative in ALs right now.

Designated hitters

Jim Thome, Minnesota Twins (signed)

Reports say the Twins plan to use Thome (23 homers in 434 at-bats last year) as a part-timer or pinch hitter. Even with their logjam at the DH and outfield slots, it'd be hard for them to ignore his bat, especially with no fielding strings attached. This move tightens outfielder Delmon Young's 2010 leash and makes Thome a potential AL-only steal - one with whom you should still remain level-headed when bidding.

Starting pitchers

Ben Sheets, Oakland Athletics (signed)

Oakland's Opening Day starter earned positive reviews in his recent throwing session, easing concerns over a repaired torn flexor tendon in his throwing elbow. The righty enters a favorable pitching ambience, but his lengthy medical chart should prompt drafters to temper their 2010 investment; Sheets' K performance also dipped in his last two healthy-ish seasons. He's late-round material in deep mixed games.

Also see: Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove - NL

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Tim Heaney

Since the Boston University alum joined KFFL in 2006, his work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly and Yahoo! Sports, among numerous publications.

Tim competes in Tout Wars and LABR and appears every Wednesday on 1570 AM WNST in Baltimore, as well as frequently on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio.

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