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Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Peter Gammons Version

With fantasy drafts fast approaching, Peter Gammons of ESPN is always a good place to go to hear which relatively unknown players are making good impressions in the Spring.  Given the total lack of focus on fantasy baseball, sometimes these are useful for the upcoming season and sometimes they are not.  Regardless of their immediate utility, the information is still worth knowing.

On Cameron Maybin, Marlins' manager Fredi Gonzalez:

"There is no question about his ability; the question we have to answer is whether or not he could be hurt by struggling in the big leagues at this point."

About Reds' rookie pitcher Johnny Cueto:

One scout says [he]"is from another planet. He's like Pedro [Martinez]."

On the Oakland A's burgeoning pitching prospects:

The raves about Oakland's young pitching seems universal. Henry Rodriguez, at 19 years old, has been 96-100 mph with some sink and a changeup....Greg Smith, from the Dan Haren deal, is a sleeper to make the club, a Brian Bannister type.

On Royals' 21-year-old DH, Billy Butler:

One baseball executive says "Billy Butler of the Royals is the best young hitter I've seen all spring."

In terms of 2008 fantasy utility, the Butler information is most likely to lead to positive gains this year followed closely by the Maybin info.  Info on rookie pitchers does not have as much usefulness for the upcoming season, but, in keeper leagues, who doesn't want to take a flyer on the next Pedro Martinez. ?  Or learn about a young flamethrower who will get a major league opportunity because their major league club is in full-blown rebuilding mode?