Injuries unfortunately are a big part of sports. They are unplanned, unpredictable events that can change the course of a season or even a career.
As a fantasy owner, you must be prepared, especially at the corner infield positions, to look beyond the superstars. Already this spring, you have seen injuries to Top 10 third basemen such as Hanley Ramirez (out about eight weeks with a torn ligament in his right thumb) and David Wright (sidelined with a left intercostal strain).
You have seen Alex Rodriguez’s value decline over the last several years because of injuries, and now may have to deal with him not being around for much of, if not the entire, season. You have seen productive first basemen such as Ryan Howard (broken toe last year) try to regain their power after serious injuries (Achilles tendon in 2011). And you have seen young stars such as Evan Longoria (played in just 74 games last season) and Ryan Zimmerman (nagging shoulder injury required four cortisone shots last season) try to keep themselves on the field for a full season.
All of these players are still worth drafting early and often (maybe wait a bit longer on Ramirez and take a late-round flier on A-Rod) because you know what they can do, but you must keep their past injuries in mind and look at other viable options to have on your roster in case they fall apart. Here’s a look at some of the best backup plans:
THE OTHER THIRD
Aramis Ramirez, Brewers: Once a shoe-in to miss a ton of games each year, Ramirez has played 149 games each of the last two seasons and has 344 hits, 53 homers, 198 RBIs and a .303 batting average over that time. Take him as early as the sixth or seventh round.
Mike Moustakas, Royals: Hit .242 with 20 homers and 73 RBIs in his first full big league season. He won’t win you a batting title, but he’s 24-years-old and is one of the cornerstones to the franchise. He’s only going to get better. Take him in the middle rounds.
Pedro Alvarez, Pirates: With power good enough for 30-plus home runs, the 26-year-old won’t be helping your team batting average for as long as he continues to imitate Adam Dunn’s strikeout swing. Worth a shot in the later rounds.
Martin Prado, D’Backs: Reliable and durable option who won’t give you a ton of power, but will give you a little bit of everything else you need (and he is eligible as an outfielder, too). Solid mid-round pick.
Manny Machado, Orioles: In 50 games at an unfamiliar position last season, Machado had seven homers, 26 RBIs and a .262 batting average. He’s 20 and he still is learning, which means he has a ton of upside and is worth a late-round pick.
FIND ’EM FIRST
Freddie Freeman, Braves: Young (23) and powerful (23 homers, 94 RBIs), and in a lineup with Jason Heyward and Justin Upton. If you miss out of Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols or Joey Votto, Freeman is a solid mid-round option.
Ike Davis, Mets: Though he hit .201 before the All-Star break last year, Davis hit .255 with 20 homers and 49 RBIs in the second half. With not too much support/protection in the lineup outside of Wright, he may not see the best pitches (so he will continue to strike out a lot), but he should be able to best his .227 batting average while equaling his 32 homers. Solid mid-round pick.
Eric Hosmer, Royals: Struggled in his sophomore season, hitting .232 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs and a .663 OPS. Nevertheless, he’s 23 and one of the building blocks for Kansas City. Don’t sell the farm to get him, but if he’s available in the mid-to-late rounds, take a shot and hope the elite potential he showed in 2011 returns.
Anthony Rizzo, Cubs: In 87 games last season, the 23-year-old hit .285 with 15 homers and 48 RBIs. Though he did strike out 62 times, Rizzo looks like he can be a reliable power source, a potential keeper for years and a player worth drafting in the middle rounds.
Mark Trumbo, Angels: Roto Files touted him as a solid pick in the outfield last week, but luckily Trumbo is also eligible at first base — taking a few starts from Pujols. He hit .268 with 32 homers and 95 RBIs last season. He’s a free-swinger who tends to strikes out a lot (153 times last season), but he has a ton of pop (32 homers). Solid mid-round pick.
Adam LaRoche, Nationals: Reliable player with solid career numbers: 197 homers, 684 RBIs and a .268 batting average. He had a career-year at age 32 last season, hitting .271 with 31 homers and 100 RBIs. LaRoche is a solid veteran presence on a team on the rise. Wait for the middle-to-late rounds, but be happy to have him on your team.
Chris Davis, Orioles: In his first full season with the Orioles, Davis had his best year as a pro, hitting .270 with 33 home runs and 85 RBIs. He struck out 169 times in 139 games, but he’s worth a late-round pick just to have that kind of power source available.