Today's Fantasy Rx

We'll continue reviewing potential FAAB-worthy batting prospects in the National League today.

Note: For those of you unfamiliar with FAAB, each team normally has $100 to spend throughout the year on all free agent pickups. Most injury replacements or speculative picks go for a buck or two, hot starters go for $5-$10, top prospects go in the $10-$30 range, and we've seen $90+ bids on top players traded into the league.

Arizona: Ernie Young, 32, OF-R
.330/.438/.713 in 115 AB with 12 HR, 35 RBI, 23 R, 0/3 SB%, and 17:24 BB:K at AAA Tucson(PCL).

Young remains one of the most gifted right-handed power hitters still stuck in the minors. A team like Anaheim could certainly use him, but since they won't even activate the best hitters in their system, I doubt they'll give a chance to another minor league vet. Young could step in for any of the Snakes' outfielders and provide fairly comparable statistics. I doubt he'll see much playing time even if called up due to the excess of position players on Arizona's roster, although if he appears to find a couple starts a week, he'll be worth a couple bucks of FAAB.

Atlanta: Matt Franco, 32, 1B-L
.292/.346/.433 in 120 AB with 3 HR, 18 RBI, 17 R, 1/0 SB%, and 9:15 BB:K at AAA Richmond(IL).

Jesse Garcia and Tim Unroe are performing at a higher level than Franco but the Braves have an opening for a left-handed first baseman. Unfortunately while these stats seem respectable for AAA, Franco's shown little ability to even establish himself as a solid bench player or pinch-hitter. While Atlanta needs to add a starting first baseman, preferably a left-hander with some power, so even if Franco earns a roster spot, you should probably ignore his promotion.

Chicago Cubs: Hee Seop Choi, 23, 1B-L
.274/.383/.487 in 113 AB with 7 HR, 25 RBI, 21 R, 1/1 SB%, and 19:26 BB:K at AAA Iowa(PCL).

Julio Zuleta, Adam Melhuse, Angel Echevarria, and Ivanon Coffie are performing solidly, but Choi is the one AAA position player on the 40-man roster who deserves a promotion. After a mostly wasted 2001 season due to nagging wrist problems, Choi's re-established himself as the premiere power prospect in the organization and the logical successor to Fred McGriff as soon as the Cubs choose to go with a more direct youth movement. Choi shows patience, power, and average, and while he'll likely start off in the 20HR/80RBI range for a year or two, he should mature into a 40 HR threat by the middle of the decade. You should certainly spend significant FAAB on him whenever the Cubs decide to play their kids.

Cincinnati: Brandon Larson, 25, 3B-R
.342/.393/.694 in 111 AB with 10 HR, 29 RBI, 19 R, 0/1 SB%, and 9:23 BB:K at AAA Louisville(IL).

The glut of Reds' outfielders will keep Raul Gonzalez off the roster despite an impressive .346/.436/.516 in 153 AB, so Larson is the next most likely call-up. Cincinnati selected him with the fourteenth overall pick in the 1997 draft and expected him to develop significantly faster than his current pace. However despite continually weak plate discipline, he's certainly hitting with enough power to justify a look in the majors. I don't particularly trust him due to the .39 BB:K, although I'd consider a buck of FAAB anywhere we needed power.

Colorado: Jack Cust, 23, OF-L
.308/.481/.667 in 120 AB with 11 HR, 25 RBI, 36 R, 0/2 SB%, and 40:41 BB:K at AAA Colorado Springs(PCL).

Dan O'Dowd continues to seriously err by keeping Cust in AAA. The Rockies remain in dire need of another major power source in their lineup, and starting Cust in left field should provide a nice boost to their offense. As you can notice by his stunning .33 walk rate and very good .98 BB:K, he's a patient hitter with significant power potential who could hit in any ballpark in the majors. I expect him to be starting somewhere by the end of the year, and he'll be worth significant FAAB to secure his stats for your roster.

Florida: Jesus Medrano, 23, 2B-R
.367/.451/.508 in 120 AB with 1 HR, 16 RBI, 30 R, 18/21 SB%, and 20:20 BB:K at AA Portland(EL).

UT Brian Banks is the best hitter of a weak AAA Calgary crop, and while Pablo Ozuna is also hitting well in limited play, neither player's stats intrigue me at the moment. Most prospects do not traditionally repeat a level while making minor gains, and then follow those years up with significant across-the-board improvement while jumping to AA and a worse hitters' park. He doesn't even own as much power as Luis Castillo, but Medrano could wind up replacing Castillo by the end of next year to give Florida a cheaper yet similar player in the leadoff slot. I'm quite impressed by the BA, BB:K, and SB%, and we'd happily spend almost any FAAB necessary to secure Medrano even if he was promoted today. Middle infielders with significant speed and plate discipline remain fairly rare, so at least keep this guy in mind for next year's minor league drafts.

Houston: Henry Stanley, 24, OF-L
.299/.414/.607 in 117 AB with 6 HR, 21 RBI, 27 R, 3/6 SB%, and 25:26 BB:K at AA Round Rock(TL).

I'm not too pleased with the performance of anyone at AAA now that Jason Lane's in the majors, and Keith Ginter doesn't deserve consideration over Stanley, even if Stanley plays in a better hitters' park. Stanley's rise over the last two years could impress anyone; Houston signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson in 2000, and after a marginally decent year at R+ Martinsville, exploded into a very solid offensive prospect last season at A Michigan. Now Stanley's skipped A+ completely and continues to improve his BB:K and walk rate as he moves up the organizational ladder. In another year or two he might give Houston the speedy centerfielder they've desired - if Stanley can out produce two of Berkman, Hidlago, Ward, and Lane. I like his potential a lot, and while I'm not sure he'll ever start in Houston, spend a few bucks of FAAB if he's called up.

Los Angeles: Mike Kinkade, 29, UT-R
.377/.470/.643 in 154 AB with 6 HR, 30 RBI, 36 R, 3/4 SB%, and 17:26 BB:K at AAA Las Vegas(PCL).

Luke Allen, Chin-Feng Chen, Todd Greene, and Joe Thurston have all impressed despite weaknesses in either power or plate discipline. However Kinkade remains the most potentially valuable addition to a major league roster and deserves another chance in the majors. Few players can cover as many positions as Kinkade since he acquits himself respectably at every position except shortstop. Certainly consider a buck or two of FAAB should the Dodgers realize Kinkade's value as the 25th man on the team.

Milwaukee: Israel Alcantara, 29, OF-R
.255/.356/.553 in 141 AB with 12 HR, 29 RBI, 21 R, 1/2 SB% and 22:31 BB:K at AAA Indianapolis(IL).

I'm not sure there's a single true prospect in AAA or AA as I feel Milwaukee's rushed SS Bill Hall partly due to overly optimistic scouting reports. Jimy Williams' other archnemesis, after Duquette and Everett, offers the most immediate upside for the Brewers, although he lacks a place to play considering current Milwaukee right-handed outfielders like Hammonds and Ochoa. All Alcantara offers is a very solid right-handed power bat, along with acceptable plate discipline and command of the strike zone. A team like the Brewers should find a way to take advantage of his abilities, but he's more likely to spend the year in AAA. However, don't be afraid to spend a buck of FAAB on Alcantara should Milwaukee allow him to improve their offense.

I also came across an interesting discovery while researching this article as Kinkade and Alcantara share a birthday on May 6th, 1973, although Kinkade's from Livonia, MI while Alcantara was born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Montreal: Brandon Phillips, 20, SS-R
.365/.424/.548 in 126 AB with 6 HR, 24 RBI, 21 R, 3/5 SB%, and 12:19 BB:K at AA Harrisburg(EL).

The additions of Endy Chavez, Troy O'Leary, and Wil Cordero to Montreal leave few major league-ready options at AAA, especially as Cordero negates any possibility of promotion of top AAA Ottawa hitter 1B-R Joe Vitiello. Phillips' questionable defense (8 errors in 31 games) almost led me to discuss OF Terrmel Sledge, but Phillips is on a much faster track. I didn't think he'd be a viable prospect until next season after only seeing 265 AA AB in 2001, but Phillips already deserves a promotion to AAA, and I can envision a jump to the majors by August even if Montreal continues to contend. He's a potential five-category middle infielder who's certainly worth a significant FAAB bid, although don't overbid if you're playing for next year since either he, Vidro, or Cabrera could be dealt unless they find a way to move Tatis.

New York Mets: Ty Wigginton, 24, UT-R
.374/.434/.519 in 131 AB with 2 HR, 19 RBI, 19 R, 1/3 SB%, and 17:20 BB:K at AAA Norfolk.

The Mets' almost complete lack of prospects at the upper levels of the system leaves faded prospects like Wigginton as the best bets for advancement. Fortunately for him, his very surprising .85 BB:K provides decent support for his high OPS. I don't expect Wigginton to start in New York anytime in the near future, but he just might wind up seeing some time at third next year if the Mets don't re-sign Alfonzo. He's likely worth a buck or two of FAAB as long as he maintains respectable plate discipline.

Philadelphia: Johnny Estrada, 26, C-S
.398/.436/.626 in 123 AB with 6 HR, 33 RBI, 19 R, 0/0 SB%, and 7:14 BB:K at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre(IL).

Even with other prospects like Marlon Byrd and Chase Utley turning in quality seasons, Estrada's easily the most prepared minor leaguer on Philly despite unacceptable low plate discipline. He didn't have a great year last season as Lieberthal's replacement in Philadelphia, but he's taking advantage of this extra year of development time to refine an apparently gifted power swing. While I wish he possessed a higher walk rate, considering the relatively weak league-wide catching situation, Estrada should be ready to start as soon as next year. Spend at least a couple bucks of FAAB on him if Philly gives him another chance in lieu of Todd Pratt.

Pittsburgh: Dave Post, 28, 2B-R
.317/.395/.446 in 101 AB with 3 HR, 17 RBI, 21 R, 4/5 SB%, and 12:18 BB:K at AAA Nashville(PCL).

Post has put up better numbers than any of the dreadfully underperforming group of hitting prospects at the upper levels of the Pirates' system. He has a career .371 minor league OBP but his career .384 SLG has kept him in the minors. Pittsburgh also has several quality backup infielders, likely leaving Post at AAA for the year. However, if injuries force his promotion and you need to fill a roster spot, he won't hurt you for a buck of FAAB.

San Diego: Kory DeHaan, 25, OF-L
.284/.381/.459 in 109 AB with 0 HR, 4 RBI, 17 R, 7/11 SB%, and 12:22 BB:K at AAA Portland(PCL).

Zero errors in 33 games give DeHaan an edge over several decent AA prospects like Bernabel Castro. San Diego grabbed him in the Major League Rule 5 Draft in 2000 before allowing him to develop in the minors last season. I'm still not sure if he'll ever start in the bigs, but he owns some speed and a decent walk rate. The Padres own several other superior players in the same mold, although DeHaan should receive first shot at any additional playing time if someone like Kotsay hits the DL. Don't expect much and you might be pleasantly surprised with a couple of steals for a dollar of FAAB.

San Francisco: Edwards Guzman, 25, UT-L
.381/.414/.543 in 105 AB with 2 HR, 22 RBI, 13 R, 0/2 SB%, and 6:9 BB:K at AAA Fresno(PCL).

Guzman spent most of last season as the left-handed backup to Benito Santiago in San Diego. A .957 OPS, even in Fresno, should grab the attention of some GMs around the league, and they'll be more impressed once they realize that Guzman can catch fairly well. His upside is probably around the level of Brent Mayne or Greg Myers, but Guzman will be lucky to match the career of either unless his home run power and plate discipline continue to develop. The great OPS makes him FAAB-worthy for a couple of dollars if promoted, although he won't offer much upside as a back-up.

St. Louis: Chad Meyers, 26, UT-R
.194/.437/.236 in 72 AB with 1 HR, 4 RBI, 18 R, 5/5 SB%, and 27:15 BB:K at AAA Sacramento(PCL) and AAA Memphis(PCL).

I long believed that Meyers deserved an opportunity to start in Chicago, either at second or in center, instead of overpaid players like Eric Young and Damon Buford. Oakland dumped him when the rest of their upper level prospects regained their health, and St. Louis gladly added him to their incredibly weak minor league system. You won't see too many players with a .194 BA and .437 OBP, and I'm surprised that opposing managers don't order their pitchers to throw strikes at all costs to Meyers. If he's needed in St. Louis this season, he offers great speed upside while he could kill you in BA, so only FAAB him if you're desperate for steals.

Our roto prospect series will continue tomorrow with AL pitchers.

Today's Fantasy Rx: I should have covered Bryant Nelson yesterday instead of Clemente, but I guessed incorrectly as to the replacement for Manny Ramirez. Boston instead promoted their top AAA hitter, so I'll provide a second Red Sox review on him.

Boston: Bryant Nelson, 28, UT-S
.319/.357/.538 in 119 AB with 6 HR, 15 RBI, 15 R, 0/2 SB%, and 7:10 BB:K at AAA Pawtucket(IL).

We first noticed Nelson in a 2001 Spring Training game when Arizona played him despite his absence from their spring roster at the time. Boston should be rather pleased with his offensive performance at AAA although I can't imagine they're happy with his 10 errors thus far. Nelson should really be limited to right-handed pinch-hitting or DH duties even if it's nice to see him in the majors after toiling in the minors for eight seasons and five different franchises. You should probably ignore his promotion since he doesn't offer much upside, as Boston remains fairly loaded at all his "best" positions.