Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Every season there’s usually one or more teams from which that I fail to acquire a representative player.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing - though I’d never recommend against not owning a player from a team just because the team collectively stinks.  Such odoriferous rosters usually yield several values with lovely bouquet.  The Nats this year looked like a source of plenty of bargains with sweet-smelling upside.

In addition to several starting players that reliably produce (Austin Kearns, Chad Cordero, the new catching duo of Paul LoDuca and Johnny Estrada), the Nationals were jam-packed with hidden value.  Here were my top "sleepers" for the Nationals this season:

Nick Johnson, 1B - I am expecting a .280 season, 25 HR, with possibly 75 RBI, bouncing back to where he was the first 22 weeks of 2006.  Tom Ross of Get Off Kong! managed to secure him for only $6.  SIX!  I wanted to bid higher, but at that point, I didn’t have much cash available, and it would have been my DH.  But this was a crime.  A crime!  Figure that he and Adam LaRoche produce equally - and he went for $16 ($25 last year).

Jason Bergmann, SP - He was high on my watchlist, but was snapped up in the 4th round of the minor league draft - 4 spots before I would have selected him.  I instead went with Jon Lieber, who doesn’t have the upside.

Wily Mo Pena, OF - Star cross’d career? Check. Injury in Spring Training to open the season on DL? Check.  Been a "failed prospect" several times over?  Check.  Still only 26 with tremendous bat speed and huge power? Check.  Moving into a smaller ballpark?  Check.  A perfect late-round sleeper, especially in our keeper league.  I actually nominated him with a chance of getting him, but the one other team that could bid on a hitter outbid me. He went for $8.

Matt Chico, SP - Penciled in as the No. 4 starter yet again this season, the former Diamondback prospect was much better in Spring Training this season, with different footwork and fewer walks allowed.  He’ll be better this season (though that may not be very helpful in Rotiss).  He was selected with the final pick of the 4th round of the minor league draft.

Ross Detwiler, John Lannan, and Collin Balester, SPs - The Nationals pitching ranks are looking up.  I was targeting Detwiler, specifically, to help out once Patterson broke down again in May.  Jim Bowden solved that issue by releasing him and bringing Odalis Perez on board.  Detwiler and Lannan each went to Stanimals for $1, and Balester went with the seventh-overall minor league pick.

On the Scout Team:

Garrett Guzman, OF - Rule 5 pick that was able to be sent down to AAA, he may not be more than a No. 4 OF, but I’ll keep an eye on him.

Justin Maxwell, OF - Could also end up contributing, especially if further injuries strike or a trade is made.

Tyler Clippard, SP - Sent down to AAA when it was expected he would be the No. 5 starter, he could come back and contribute.

Joel Hanrahan, RP - Lights-out in Spring Training, with 14 shutout innings and stellar K/BB ratio.  While technically a long reliever, he may get a shot in a bullpen with a starting closer that is maxing-out at 87 mph (Cordero), and the top-two most heavily used relievers in MLB last season (Jon Rauch and Saul Rivera).

And then of course:

Felipe Lopez, MI - The anti-sleeper.  At one point this offseason, some blogger joked that Manny Acta must have caught Lopez sleeping with Acta’s wife, as Lopez is in the doghouse’s basement, locked in a box like the Gimp from Pulp Fiction.  With no hope of an opening (or a trade, in all likelihood), of course he gets selected for $7, which isn’t so bad I guess.

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