2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

I delved a little more towards the mixed league sleepers yesterday, but I was unable to stay away from deeper AL- and NL-Only sleepers.  However, one can easily see any starting pitcher mentioned as a sleeper as necessarily a mixed league one given single league formats shouldn't be rostering anything but good starters or those with noticeable upside potential.

C Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies:  Ruiz was a sleeper last season following his 29 doubles 2007 season.  Last season, he slugged .300 and was the exception to the rule that doubles count.  He did this while increasing his walks and decreasing his strikeouts.  I'm betting on the batting eye and not last year's AVG and SLG.

OF Rocco Baldelli, Boston Red Sox:  I would never count on him in mixed leagues, but he is a must-draft in deeper AL-Only formats.  As the main back-up at all three outfield positions, Rocco should be good for 300 ABs.

SP Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies:  A sub-4.00 ERA for a Coors pitcher along with 172 Ks is someone to roster.  The biggest question is how his reverse home/road splits regress.  Do his road splits improve towards his home splits and make him an elite starter or do his home splits regress back towards his road ones and make him another Coors bomb?

RP Jesse Chavez, Pittsburgh Pirates:  The AAA closer was recalled last August and struck out 16 hitters in 15 innings of work.  Through 8 2/3s Spring innings, he has struck out 15 and notched two saves.  Of course the 10 earned runs are something else.

SS/OF Jerry Hairston Jr, Cincinnati Reds:  Expected starting SS Alex Gonzalez is out with a hamstring issue and previous reports always mentioned him limping.  Last year's from-nowehere return to fantasy relevence by Hairston looks likely to repeat in 2009 as SS-eligibility and an unsettled LF situation gives him all the opportunity he needs.