Sleepers: New York Yankees

The Shallow

Nick Swisher – Outfield (LF/CF)

If I had a crystal ball I would definitely ask the fantasy Gods what to expect of Swish this season. The reason is that Swisher went from a solid multi-position fantasy contributor to somewhat of an afterthought after the Yankees opened up their deep, greasy wallets and added the biggest everyday free-agent available, first baseman Mark Teixeira.

With Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady already guaranteed starting corner outfield spots, along with the probable platoon situation in CF, with rookie speedster Brett Gardner, and the enigmatic Melky Cabrera, it leaves Swish as the odd man out. While Joe Girardi should be able to find Swisher a bunch of at-bats by relieving one or two of the aforementioned corner outfielders, as well as spot starts at 1B, CF, and even DH if need be, one way or the other, he is still stigmatized as being a bench player to start the season.

Last year didn’t go as planned for the 28-year old Ohio State University product, as the bearded wonder was hoping to have his power stats padded by playing half of his games at the launch pad facility known as U.S. Cellular Field on the South Side of Chicago. Unfortunately, the former first round pick of the Oakland A’s didn’t capitalize and needed a big August (seven HR’s) to salvage respectable power numbers.

It’s safe to say that his line of .219-24-69 frustrated any fantasy managers that owned him in 2008. It’s probable that anyone that held onto Swish was turned off by the oft-whiffing, sub-standard power production, and will shift their allegiance to players like Jack Cust, Jayson Werth, Rick Ankiel. While it may be a stretch, with the potential of more AB’s this season, even Marcus Thames could provide similar numbers.

So, what makes Nick Swisher a sleeper? Well, the Columbus, Ohio native brings much more to the table than all that negativity. He has the potential to work out in a Yankees uniform. He has excellent defensive abilities no matter where he plays on the field as his .991 fielding percentage indicates. What makes this number even more remarkable is the fact that he has only played one position in more than 75 games in one season on three occasions.

In a star-studded line-up, Swisher won’t be depended on to knock in 100 runs, nor does he have to bash 30+ taters. On the other hand he may be expected to come in cold after a day or three off, move people around on bases, and use his speed and savvy on the bases to score runs by the bunch. The short porches of Yankee Stadium are built for his “all-or-nothing” type swing and while he’ll have to cut down his whiffs (3.92AB/K) if he wants to be effective, he’ll have to break his susceptibility to streaks unlike in his past.

It’s a bit of a stretch to expect him to be a viable number three, or even a number four OF if he platoons, as the position is so deep. But, keep in mind his position eligibility (especially for those in LF, CF, RF type leagues), and don’t forget that he thumped out 35 HR’s and 95 RBI’s in 2006, so the rewards that he could bring (25/85 numbers with 80+ runs scored wouldn’t be outlandish) exceed the minimal risk. Watch the way Girardi handles him early on in the season, and pounce if it looks like he’ll get to the plate with any regularity.

The Deep

Mark Melancon – Relief Pitcher

You’ve got to be special to be considered a “Deep” sleeper in a relief pitching role. Especially when it isn’t really known if this 23-year old is the “heir apparent” to the dynamo known as Mariano Rivera. With Joba Chamberlain settling into the role of a starter with the club, Melancon will more than likely be groomed as the closer of the future for the most loved and hated franchise in baseball.

With stuff that has been compared to that of Joba, Melancon has worked his way back, and is fully healthy after missing the 2007 season due to Tommy John surgery. He showed no ill-effects from the surgery, as his return garnered extremely positive results: 8-1, 2.27 ERA, 3 SV, a 4.05K/BB ratio and a 0.96 WHIP, which was achieved by rocketing through the Single-A, AA and AAA ranks in finishing up a fine campaign.

His mix of pitches is what is impressive, as he has three extremely dependable and solid major league pitches that he can throw at any time. Melancon's above average fastball, which has excellent command and pinpoint location, is definitely his go-to pitch.  He follows that up with a power curve that is just a filthy out pitch for the right-handed fire-baller, and closes out with an average slider that he uses approximately 10% of the time.

It may be too early to announce him as the next savior, especially when the Yanks have been blessed for the past 14 seasons with the dependable arm of Mariano Rivera. Regardless, Melancon will continue his development with a full season in AAA-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to be exposed to more pressured situations.

Exposure to pressure situations and closing out games in Yankee Stadium are two totally different things though, as I’m sure that the adjustment phase will be treacherous no matter who steps into the role. One way or the other, this season or two of preparation will allow him to take the necessary steps toward at least the notion of being that go-to-guy upon “The Panama Express”, making his final curtain call.

Melancon could receive a call-up at some point of this season with a middle relief, or set-up role, being the duty, and will likely make the 2010 roster in a full-time set-up role. This will enable him to get his feet wet and prepare him to close out games at Yankee Stadium. I’m sure, like every pitcher to have done so before him, he will consider it the privilege of a lifetime.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 4th, 2009 at 6:21 am and is filed under Outfield, Pitchers, Sleepers, The Shallow & The Deep. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.