LaPorta in the NFBC

[viper]

Is LaPorta the player to bid the farm on?

In two of my three NFBC leagues, he was already rostered. In my most successful league [I'm at 122 and 2nd place is 98], I find he is available. Although I really do not currently have a true need for him, he is just one slump or injury from being used - Cody Ross is my 6th OF but I have another less useful player I would drop. I have an 11 in steals and only have dropped 3 points in the other 4 hitting categories. I attribute these high score to dumb luck.

To date, I do not see the 2009 version of Cliff Lee and I am beginning to feel this unknown person will not pop up this year. I have almost all my FAAB and my best guess is that LaPorta will go for newly annointed closer prices - i.e., in excess of $300.

Tommy Hansen and Matt Wieters are already rostered. Is LaPorta likely to be the best free agent available in 2009 and, therefore, worth of a huge bid?

[Todd Zola]

I personally do not think he is a difference maker this season unless the injury to Hafner turns out to be serious, and even then there are a ton of options.

The problem to me is his best position is DH. The rookies that come up and contribute right away all seem to have a position and play it well. The ones that get jerked around either are not that great with the glove or have no definite position viewed as their long term home.

[viper]

This sounds like a real baseball response and not a fantasy one. Assuming he gets ABs, would he be a better option to Cody Ross, who is my OF 6th man? I'm crossed between a suspected losing bid of $50 or a $350 bid to maximize my chances to get him as my potential 5th or 6th OF depending on how he hits.

[Todd Zola]

I don't thing he is going to get at bats, so in this case the "real baseball response" is the fantasy response.

[drapes]

Outside of deep only leagues, prospects don't tend to make enough of a difference to drop a guy like Ross with guaranteed at bats and at least a bit of a major league track record that suggests he will be valuable.

Guys like Braun are the exception... look at Travis Snider. Not that LaPorta is either of those guys, but the high K% is a fairly good indicator that he's going to struggle against anyone with a decent breaking ball.

[viper]

never said I was dropping Ross - only that Ross was my current #6 OF. I actually would have been dropping Zack Miner. I decided to go for LaPorta and bid $363 of my remaining $979 [you start with $1000]. The winning bid was $366. Normally I would be upset but in this case I mostly chuckled. The only downside was that the team in 4th place got him.