Tigersground.com | Detroit Tigers News, tigers Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>If there's ever one thing a fantasy owner is looking for, it's a bargain.</div><p></p>Who can I get on the cheap who will make me look like a friggin' genius late in the year when I'm choosing the lettering for my fantasy trophy?<p>Well, I just happen to have a few guys you may wanna look into for the '09 season. Some may be recognizable names. Others? Not so much.<p>Either way, a majority of these up and coming stars will have huge impacts on fantasy rosters next year, despite being taken in the lower half of most drafts.<p><h3>Top Fantasy Sleepers</h3><p><h4>1. Ryan Shealy, 1B, Kansas City</h4><p>If you haven't taken notice of Shealy's run this September, you should start watching <i>now.</i> All this kid's done since being called up earlier this month is hit seven home runs in 17 games, adding 16 RBI, a six-game hitting streak, 11 runs and a .680 slugging percentage. If he isn't starting for this team come April, it'll only be because he got hurt. Other than that, I can see him hitting 35-40 bombs next season. He's a natural born power hitter.<p><h4>2. Denard Span, OF, Minnesota</h4><p>He's known mostly for his defense, but he's stepped into the leadoff spot for Minnesota and has been the spark the team needed to make a playoff run. His 17 steals, .296 average, 67 runs and 27 extra base hits were crucial inthe second half of the season. They wouldn't have been in the hunt without him. He's basically <b>Curtis Granderson</b> lite. Expecting 30-40 stolen bases and 15 home runs next year wouldn't be out of the question. And who wouldn't want that combo?<p><h4>3. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers</h4><p>You better believe he'll be in the L.A. rotation next season, right from day one. With 100 strikeouts in 101 innings, and pitching a full year in the spacious ballparks of the N.L. West, he'll be a fantasy beast. He'll go earlier in drafts than you may think because of that.<p><h4>4. David Price, SP, Tampa Bay</h4><p>I'm surely not the only dummy throwing Price's name out there before next season. You can see the talent. It's undeniable. He has an overpowering fastball, and the Rays will make room for him in the rotation somewhere. He can pretty much be guaranteed to start the year with the big club, and the legend will grow from there. He's an ace in the making.<p> <p><h4>11. Brandon Morrow, SP, Seattle</h4><p>It's a shame the Mariners were so bad in the second half of the year, because most people missed Morrow's transformation from reliever to starter in the season's final month. He's made four starts in his second coming and posted 20 strikeouts in 23 innings, while allowing only 16 hits in that time. He'll easily be in the team's starting rotation in '09, perhaps as high as the No. 3 role.<p><h4>12. Kevin Slowey, SP, Minnesota</h4><p>In the season's last two months, Slowey allowed more than two runs in a game just three times in nine starts, and two of those were solid three-run outings. He also had two double-digit strikeout efforts in that same period, proving he's going to be in the top three spots of that Twins rotation for years to come. He had a sub 3.00-ERA in two of the five months he played.<p><h4>13. Elijah Dukes, OF, Washington</h4><p>I believe it's safe to say he's passed the point where we have to worry about him <i>too</i> much going into next season. He played just over half his team's games this year, posting 13 home runs, 44 RBI and 13 stolen bases, which would equal out to some pretty nice numbers over 150-plus games. He can be a really nice five-tool player for you if you lock him in your lineup for the long haul.<p><h4>14. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh</h4><p>He's by far the team's No. 1 prospect coming into next season, and with the departures of <b>Jason Bay</b> and <b>Xavier Nady</b> from the Bucs outfield, he'll clearly be the focus of spring training. He's another five-tool guy who'll likely be a fantasy monster once he finds his legs in the majors. It may or may not be this season. Seriously, though, what do the Pirates have to lose here?<p><h4>15. Micah Hoffpauir, 1B, OF, Chicago Cubs</h4><p>We know the kid can hit. He proved that with a two-home run, five-RBI game in the last week of the year. The problem's always been where the heck the Cubs would be able to play him. He's not gonna unseat <b>Derrek Lee</b> at first, but there might just be a spot in the outfield next season, and the team's putting him in right field down the stretch to see if he can handle it. They could easily move<b> Kosuke Fukudome </b>to center, and with both <b>Jim Edmonds </b>and <b>Reed Johnson</b> being platoon players at best, Hoffpauir's big left-handed stick could see more and more time on the big league level next year.<p><h3>Honorable Mentions</h3><p><b>J.R. Towles, C, Houston</b>: He was probably on most of these lists last year as well, but he couldn't hit a lick this season when given the chance. Was he pressing? Is he just overmatched? My money's on the former, as this kid proven he can absolutely kill minor league pitching. He's too good not to hit in a hitter's park like Minute Maid. <b>Brad Ausmus'</b> days behind the plate in Houston are done. This will be Towles' team in '09, for better or worse.<p><b>Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, SP, New York Yankees</b>: Yeah, we've all said it before, and we're all gonna say it again ... at least one of these two is going to be in the New York rotation next season. It just has to happen. The remainder of the staff is in utter shambles. When <b>Chien-Ming Wang </b>and <b>CC Sabathia</b> are the only two solid starters on this team, and one of them isn't even on the <i>team </i>yet (!!!!), your pitching is in dire straits. My money's on Hughes to be the guy who ultimately steps up.<p></p>

If there's ever one thing a fantasy owner is looking for, it's a bargain.

Who can I get on the cheap who will make me look like a friggin' genius late in the year when I'm choosing the lettering for my fantasy trophy?

Well, I just happen to have a few guys you may wanna look into for the '09 season. Some may be recognizable names. Others? Not so much.

Either way, a majority of these up and coming stars will have huge impacts on fantasy rosters next year, despite being taken in the lower half of most drafts.

Top Fantasy Sleepers

1. Ryan Shealy, 1B, Kansas City

If you haven't taken notice of Shealy's run this September, you should start watching now. All this kid's done since being called up earlier this month is hit seven home runs in 17 games, adding 16 RBI, a six-game hitting streak, 11 runs and a .680 slugging percentage. If he isn't starting for this team come April, it'll only be because he got hurt. Other than that, I can see him hitting 35-40 bombs next season. He's a natural born power hitter.

2. Denard Span, OF, Minnesota

He's known mostly for his defense, but he's stepped into the leadoff spot for Minnesota and has been the spark the team needed to make a playoff run. His 17 steals, .296 average, 67 runs and 27 extra base hits were crucial inthe second half of the season. They wouldn't have been in the hunt without him. He's basically Curtis Granderson lite. Expecting 30-40 stolen bases and 15 home runs next year wouldn't be out of the question. And who wouldn't want that combo?

3. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

You better believe he'll be in the L.A. rotation next season, right from day one. With 100 strikeouts in 101 innings, and pitching a full year in the spacious ballparks of the N.L. West, he'll be a fantasy beast. He'll go earlier in drafts than you may think because of that.

4. David Price, SP, Tampa Bay

I'm surely not the only dummy throwing Price's name out there before next season. You can see the talent. It's undeniable. He has an overpowering fastball, and the Rays will make room for him in the rotation somewhere. He can pretty much be guaranteed to start the year with the big club, and the legend will grow from there. He's an ace in the making.

11. Brandon Morrow, SP, Seattle

It's a shame the Mariners were so bad in the second half of the year, because most people missed Morrow's transformation from reliever to starter in the season's final month. He's made four starts in his second coming and posted 20 strikeouts in 23 innings, while allowing only 16 hits in that time. He'll easily be in the team's starting rotation in '09, perhaps as high as the No. 3 role.

12. Kevin Slowey, SP, Minnesota

In the season's last two months, Slowey allowed more than two runs in a game just three times in nine starts, and two of those were solid three-run outings. He also had two double-digit strikeout efforts in that same period, proving he's going to be in the top three spots of that Twins rotation for years to come. He had a sub 3.00-ERA in two of the five months he played.

13. Elijah Dukes, OF, Washington

I believe it's safe to say he's passed the point where we have to worry about him too much going into next season. He played just over half his team's games this year, posting 13 home runs, 44 RBI and 13 stolen bases, which would equal out to some pretty nice numbers over 150-plus games. He can be a really nice five-tool player for you if you lock him in your lineup for the long haul.

14. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh

He's by far the team's No. 1 prospect coming into next season, and with the departures of Jason Bay and Xavier Nady from the Bucs outfield, he'll clearly be the focus of spring training. He's another five-tool guy who'll likely be a fantasy monster once he finds his legs in the majors. It may or may not be this season. Seriously, though, what do the Pirates have to lose here?

15. Micah Hoffpauir, 1B, OF, Chicago Cubs

We know the kid can hit. He proved that with a two-home run, five-RBI game in the last week of the year. The problem's always been where the heck the Cubs would be able to play him. He's not gonna unseat Derrek Lee at first, but there might just be a spot in the outfield next season, and the team's putting him in right field down the stretch to see if he can handle it. They could easily move Kosuke Fukudome to center, and with both Jim Edmonds and Reed Johnson being platoon players at best, Hoffpauir's big left-handed stick could see more and more time on the big league level next year.

Honorable Mentions

J.R. Towles, C, Houston: He was probably on most of these lists last year as well, but he couldn't hit a lick this season when given the chance. Was he pressing? Is he just overmatched? My money's on the former, as this kid proven he can absolutely kill minor league pitching. He's too good not to hit in a hitter's park like Minute Maid. Brad Ausmus' days behind the plate in Houston are done. This will be Towles' team in '09, for better or worse.

Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, SP, New York Yankees: Yeah, we've all said it before, and we're all gonna say it again ... at least one of these two is going to be in the New York rotation next season. It just has to happen. The remainder of the staff is in utter shambles. When Chien-Ming Wang and CC Sabathia are the only two solid starters on this team, and one of them isn't even on the team yet (!!!!), your pitching is in dire straits. My money's on Hughes to be the guy who ultimately steps up.