Bay and Drew

Jason Bay and JD Drew of the Red Sox seem to be making headlines on a daily basis. This is the kind of news that haunts many new and seasoned fantasy owners into thinking they are worth a high draft pick.

Here are reasons why one of these guys should find himself in a high draft pick while the other should still be drafted lower in the draft.

Starting with JD Drew, we see he has had a nice 2008 season with 109 games played hitting 19HRs and driving in 64 all while batting a solid .280AVG. People will look at his numbers and think it was fairly impressive but if any smart fantasy owner should realize is this player shouldn't be making a spot on fantasy teams early in drafts. This is the kind of player that will cost you a fantasy championship if you draft him too high. The big number that is telling of his downfall is the games played. This guy simply can not stay healthy for an entire season. If you look at this overall statistics throughout his career you will see that he has never played in more than 146 games in a single year. In ten years of full time play he has logged 5 seasons with under 109 games played. The next 5 range from 135 games played to 146. He just isn't durable. For all the hype this guy gets from his fat contracts and his appearances in the headlines, he isn't a legit OF in fantasy land. He should be drafted as a 3rd/4th OF in mixed leagues.

Moving onto the Canadian Jason Bay. This former 4th/5th rounder in fantasy drafts from 2005-2006 should make a run back to this type of draft position. He has proven in the past he can stay healthy and play on a daily basis while putting big numbers. It seems Bay has found a nice home in Boston and it now seems he will provide the Red Sox with a nice bat that can give fantasy owners a comfortable feeling when drafting him in the late 3th to 6th rounds in 2009. Look for people to reach a little on this player but remember, don't go reaching too far for him. He has the pop to give you power and also chip in 8-10SBs but he won't give you the numbers for a second round player.

Manny & Bay

Unless you live under a rock you already know about the big deal that sent future hall of famer Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers and brought Jason Bay to the Red Sox from the Pirates in a 3-team deal. Here is a quick breakdown.

Owners of Manny who are in AL-only leagues are feeling a huge hit in their power numbers and, in most leagues, you will have the rights to Jason Bay. For owners in NL-only leagues who owned Jason Bay and have the rights to Manny should be ecstatic. Manny is going into a very explosive lineup that can provide some huge RBI chances for Manny in the 4 slot. With Pierre, Kemp, and Martin batting in front of Manny the chances of RBI's. With Manny being in a position where he is happy and motivated this could be a huge final two months to the season. Get ready for some production!!

Jason Bay is going into a very productive lineup and it is time for owners of Bay to see if he can produce on the big stage/media frenzy that comes with Red Sox nation. But with the green monster and the people that surround him in the lineup Bay could also be in for a huge 2 months. Expect a bump in runs, RBI's, and HR's if he can take advantage of the green monster.

Jason times 2

Jason Bay of the Pirates started out slowly but is now finding his swing. In the past week he has accumulated a .300+AVG, with 2HR's, and a SB. Owners who panicked should take this as a learning experience, never ever let the first few weeks of the season cloud your judgment on players who have a history of putting together productive numbers over the course of a MLB season. Owners who found a way to grab him from someone or even off waivers should be laughing to the bank.

Jason Giambi of the Yankees is finding some comfort while trotting the bases. In the past 10 games he's added 4HR's, 11H's, and has even given the Yanks and owners a SB. For AL-only leagues, you should have him in your lineup. For mixed leagues, if you have a bench spot or a player who is struggling right now, take the plunge and grab Giambi and ride his hot bat. Giambi is still capable of giving you HR's and RBI's, just don't expect any of his MVP numbers while in Oakland, those days are well behind him.