2K12: Bryan LaHair

[Big Tymer]

Seems like projections are on the way up for this guy who is slated to be the new cleanup hitter for the Cubs. Anyone who owns him likely has him real cheap so assume there are others like me who will be keeping an eye on him in ST to see if he can make the most of his newfound playing time.

<b>ZIPS Projections</b>
.262/.324/.469, 24 HRs, 61R and 65RBI

I was surprised by the bullish power projection from ZIPS. As someone who will qualify in both the OF and 1B seems like a decent under the radar target if nothing else. He also tore up the Venezuelan league as well so all in all LaHair had one heck of a 2011 season (53 HRs between AAA and Venezuela).

[onejayhawk]

He has a major spear to his back, in the form of Anthony Rizzo. His leash could be short, and the prospect of loosing him inan only league is real. That being said, his ADP is mid 300s. Since he is the guy with the starting job, that seems quite reasonable.

J

[Judge Jude]

Cubs say he'll bat cleanup.

[Porcello]

Depending on bench constraints a LaHair/Rizzo tandem is very affordable and a cheap way to fill your CI if you miss out on other opportunities. Certainly not a plan I want to bank on, but if I miss my guys it's a worthwhile plan C.

[Ryno84MVP]

Depending on bench constraints a LaHair/Rizzo tandem is very affordable and a cheap way to fill your CI if you miss out on other opportunities. Certainly not a plan I want to bank on, but if I miss my guys it's a worthwhile plan C.

In most auctions, LaHair won't qualify at 1B (14 games in the outfield last year vs. only 4 at first base). I have my doubts that he'll be able to hit enough to keep the clean-up or 1B job past Memorial Day, but in the age of Linsanity, I guess that anything is possible. Rizzo is no doubt the long-term 1B, but if LaHair hits enough, the Cubs can certainly find room for him in their outfield.

[Moonlight J]

I have him at $12 and am planning on keeping him for a few reasons. One - cleanup hitter. 2 - qualifies at OF & 1B a week into the season. 3 - 1B in the NL sucks balls and I already have Votto (dirt cheap final year), Helton $8, and Carlos Lee at $24 and I'm keeping Lee because of reasons one and 2 as well. I'm going to laugh at the rest of the league as they try to find 1B to draft while I roster 4 of them, 2 of them in the OF on draft day.

[Big Tymer]

3 - 1B in the NL sucks balls

I expect we'll start hearing more about this from a valuation standpoint because to me it's been underplayed. Considering a lot of 1B in NL keeper leagues are likely young on cheap minor league contracts (Freeman, Davis, Goldschmidt, Belt & Alonso) or coming off comeback seasons and were bought cheaply last year (Morse and Berkman) it's likely to be a whole lotta nothing for anyone without the position filled. Hence I'd expect talk of LaHair to pick up in a few weeks.

ATL - Freeman
WAS - Morse & LaRoche
NYM - Davis & Duda
PHI - Howard, Thome & Wigginton
FLA - Sanchez

MIL - Gamel & Hart (?)
HOU - Lee & Wallace
StL - Berkman
PIT - Jones
CIN - Votto
CHC - LaHair

LAD - Loney
COL - Helton & Cuddyer
SD - Alonso
ARI - Goldschmidt
SF - Belt & Huff

[Judge Jude]

"I have him at $12 and am planning on keeping him for a few reasons."

That seems like a lot. HQ has 14 1B qualifiers being worth 10+, and 6 more worth 7 or 8. That's 20 - in a 12-team NL league, that's just about as deep as your league will have to go. Now, that counts Cuddyer-Berkman-CLee-DMurphy-Duda, who may wind up elsewhere positionally. But if 1B is really so bad, they probably wouldn't.

Lots of mid- to high-teens options.
The point about frozen young players is valid, but there comes a point where so many get kept that there aren't many teams left without one - and in many leagues, the urgency for many owners comes from getting a FIRST one.

I have Murphy at 1, and expect him to wind up in my MI. But if need be, I'll put him at first.

Interesting set of variables, here, though - looking forward to more feedback.

[Moonlight J]

If I didn't have Votto at $16, I might not keep LaHair but I think he has the job until Rizzo forces him out. I don't think 3rd is terribly deep either so CI options are really going to be thin. I figure he'd come close to or at $12 when factoring in positional scarcity and inflation so I'll just keep him at that price and add another guy that I can move around my roster. To me, in Only leagues, multi-positional players are worth an extra buck or two.

[Judge Jude]

I do like the idea of keeping a guy at a so-so price if there are secondary reasons, which you apparently have.
Just not sure that LaHair at 12 is the right example.

For instance, suppose you'd bid 24 on Ryan Howard in a keeper league, but expect him to go in the high 20s (not worth it this year, maybe a bargain in 2013-14).
But to your surprise, Howard is there for the taking at 18 or so - but you can't bid, because you have LaHair for 12.

That's what they call "opportunity cost."

And the exact prices don't matter here, just if Howard can be had for significantly less than you expected....

[Riff Raff]

@MJ: Smells like trade for what you need. And you're still golden.

[schlesinj]

Small tidbit someone in my league realized. Thome played one game at 3B, so he is eligible at 3B only at the draft in my league.

[Gregg]

Some good points here.

As a Cub's fan I hope both are lights out. Of course my fear is that both will be a bust or worse mediocre. If mediocre we can keep tinkering for years trying to get them good. The Cub's landscape is littered with such player.

So the real question is how much over or less than $12 would LaHair go for in this next auction? Would people be scared off by Rizzo looming? If he is lights out in spring training would he go for 18-20 or more? If he is not so good would he go for 6-7? He is the clean up hitter. I have wasted 5 or 6 bucks in an auction or two. If I had him at $12 I would keep him.

[Sharky]

I expect we'll start hearing more about this from a valuation standpoint because to me it's been underplayed. Considering a lot of 1B in NL keeper leagues are likely young on cheap minor league contracts (Freeman, Davis, Goldschmidt, Belt & Alonso) or coming off comeback seasons and were bought cheaply last year (Morse and Berkman) it's likely to be a whole lotta nothing for anyone without the position filled. Hence I'd expect talk of LaHair to pick up in a few weeks.

ATL - Freeman
WAS - Morse & LaRoche
NYM - Davis
PHI - Howard, Thome & Wigginton
FLA - Sanchez

MIL - Gamel & Hart (?)
HOU - Lee & Wallace
StL - Berkman
PIT - Jones
CIN - Votto
CHC - LaHair

LAD - Loney
COL - Helton
SD - Alonso
ARI - Goldschmidt
SF - Belt & Huff

Don't forget Duda in NY. Qualifies at 1B/OF. Could easily be a top 10 1B.

[Ryno84MVP]

I know that it's early and a small sample size, but...

LaHair has just three singles in 20 at-bats this spring while striking out seven times, while Rizzo is batting .357 with a .971 OPS