Players Who Were Undervalued
Michael Lins
3-31-08

Every year, there are players that are vastly underrated. Astute, or sometimes lucky owners, grab these players late in the draft and riding their stats, along with the core of the team, to win the league title.

It sounds like an easy enough concept, but who are these players?

Here is at look at a few that definitely will make owners in deeper leagues happy.

Geoff Jenkins - OF
How owners let 300 or so players get drafted before Jenkins in most drafts is very surprising. True, he has been injury-prone and is coming off a season in which he only had 420 ABs. But with those 420 ABs, he managed 21 HR's and 64 RBI. Coming to Philadelphia will only help his numbers. Jenkins will hit 6th or 7th in the line up, so don't expect large numbers in the runs scored category, but do expect 25 HR's and 75 RBI's to go along with a .280 avg. NOt spectacular, but the upside is a possbile 30 HRs and 85-90 RBI's from a player taken near the end of most drafts, if taken at all. Jenkins will outperform 30 or so OF's selected before him.

David DeJesus - OF
DEJesus is another OF who was left on the boards too long. Owners who grabbed him late will be rewarded with a .290 avg, 100 runs, 10 HR and 10 SB, as well as 55+ RBI. His power numbers are low, but late in a draft, who else is going to give you 100 runs scored, plus a shot at a .300 avg? NO ONE! He's one "boring" OF I'll take every year!

Tom Gorzelanny - SP
Ok, he's on the Pirates, I know what you are thinking, but you should use that to your advantage. Pittsburgh being a small market team has hid some real late round value here. In the last two year, Gorzelanny has posted ERA's of 3.79 ('06 in 61.2 IP) and 3.88 ('07 in 201.2 IP) Yes, the large spike in innings is cause for concern; however, Gorzelanny is a pitcher coming into his own. He'll turn 26 during the season and is one of the pitchers better young arms. While owners grab arms like Phil Hughes, Ian Snell, Johnny Cueto, Jon Lester and Homer Bailey, hold off and grab someone who will outperform them all and make a nice starter for the back end of your rotation. In Pittsburgh, maybe you can't expect many wins, but 12 seems reasonable. Add 140K's a 3.80 ERA and a 1.34 whip and you have a reliable back end starter with some upside.

Aubrey Huff - 1B
Yes, I have given up on the .300, 90, 30, 90 season; however, I still see the potential there for Huff, who has been falling as late as Jenkins in most drafts. he is coming off a sports hernia operation and is a notoriously slow starter, but Huff has the skills to put up a .280, 70, 20, 80 season, which would reward many owners who snatch him late in their drafts. Huff has the talent to improve, but these numbers should be a minimum for Huff, with an upside of .295, 80, 27, 90.

Randy Wolf - SP
Wolf had surgery to repair shoulder irritation. The surgery was minor. Wolf remains a high risk, high reward player, capable of 175Ks and a dozen wins, as well as a sub 4.00 ERA and Whip of 1.35. By drafting him with a pick between 350 and 400 in any draft, owners eliminate the high risk. If he doesn't work out, drop him! You can find a replacement of that draft spot on the waiver wire, but if Wolf does return, he's in San Diego, with no pressure and pitchers like Greg Maddux and Trevor Hoffman to help "tutor" him, not to mention a spacious ballpark, where his fly balls will be tracked down and caught. The high upside and relatively young age (32 this season) make Wolf a very nice late round flyer.