Tell me what is not to like about this guy? 23 years old. Defensive wizard. He hits at the bottom of one of the best hitting line ups in baseball and could..I said could go .300-20-100-100-20 if he has a break out season, although I think 20/20 potential is a lock, the other numbers would be gravy. pik95, guru07>

I have become a Melky apologist.

You might have been able to get him 3+ rounds later

Couldn't risk it.

Is this a joke? Cabrera is nothing more than a 4th OFer in fantasy

What if I told you it was a fantasy league that played 4 Outfielders and was a Dynasty Keeper League where you keep every player? Would round 10 in a 36 round draft be to high?

He's barely a starter in a league where you have to start 4 guys named Cabrera

That's some good #### right there.

It's doubtful he's ever going to amount to much, really.

Of course these are the same geniuses that ran Tony Womack out there as a corner OF for how many games?

good stuff here

Reminds me of a guy I knew once....don't see him around much anymore.....who's entire draft hinged around the performance of one Ray Durham carrying his team to dynamic new offensive heights. 2007 Ray Durham. Needless to say, those 11 homers really didn't bring him to the promised land.

you must have been a huge Kevin Maas fan

I like the pick where you got him. Then again I took Papelbon in the second round, lol.

The Melkman's numbers so far compare favorably to the last great Yankees CF.....Bernabe Williams.....I'm just sayin...

Cano's numbers so far compare favorably to the last great Yankee 2B Alfonso Soriano.....

Really.

In the real world Melky is a little slow for a CF'r. He has an extremely strong and accurate arm, although he takes forever to release the ball which makes his overall throw just good.

In fantasy and offensive production, there isn't much yet. he is young and may develop some power, but he has NO power from teh right side and actuially should not even be playing against lefties. he does have a good ability to battle touch pitches, but he is a line drive swinger.

All I am saying is he is 23 years old and has good speed, some power and will start and play 150 games in one of the best line ups in baseball. 80 runs scored, 15-20 HR's and 20 SB's are not out of the question. And in a dynasty keeper format I like the risk/reward in the 9th round. Of course, this should all be prefaced by the fact that I am a self proclaimed Cabrera apologist and a bonafide fantasy baseball donator.

Dont be surprised if the Yanks make a move at some point and put his 4th OF'er ability on the bench, where it belongs, as a 4th OF.

Man, gulping the haterade today or what? 4th OF today...but in this format, a 2 or 3 tomorrow.

This is a bit overboard.

For a team like the Yankees, he is indeed a 4th OF'er. For a smaller market team, he is starting quality. I just can't imagine the Yankees being happy with his mediocre OBP, horrific SLG, and average defense. 23 years old or not, he has shown nothing, or very little to make anyone (besides complete homers) believe that he will 1) hit 20 HRS and 2) steal 20 bases. Of course he can score 80 runs, that is not an accomplishment in that lineup though.

If he plays 150 games, then yes, he has value...just saying that dont be surprised if he finds himself on the bench at some point.

I am a bonafide collector of first place winnings in every fantasy baseball league I play and I would suggest that Melky's only value would as a value pick late, but not a guy who will help your OPS, HR, SB's etc... He is pretty much a mediocre offensive option, even if he has some improvement (which is logical). Hoping for 15 HR's from Melky would double his total from last year and his OPS of .718 leaves a lot to be desired.

Can he improve, yes. He has some skills with the bat the should lead to some improvement, but he will have to change the type of swing he has and get much stronger to be a very productive offensive player. His 2nd half numbers did not show improvement over the first half and that was a little disappointing. I think getting to an OPS of .750 would be a good goal this year for Melky.

Moops is usually over the top, but he has a point here. I could see a scenario where Damon is hot and Melky grabs pine against lefties or where a CF'r becomes available for trade and the Yanks make a move. Keep in mind that Melky had an atrocious OPS of .641 against lefties (.747 against righties). If I were making my lineup Melky would not start against lefties unless he changed his approach from the right side. a .641 OPS is terrible.

You make some valid points, yourself. You did lose me on the Damon bats v. lefties while Melky grabs pine. The scenario that worries me is Damon gets hot and Melky grabs pine v. righties. I think Damon will get more work at 1B/DH then stealing time from the Melk Man.

I just managed to grab him in the fifth round. I'm pretty psyched about it. He should outperform everyone but Holliday

:bargain:

I would be shocked if the Yanks trade for an OFer this year. As for next year and beyond the Yanks think more highly of Tabata and Jackson than Cabrera.

A couple of things:

- When did 20/20 alone make someone a GREAT OF? There is a current player that has done it 5 times during the course of his career and plays stellar CF. His name is Mike Cameron and he is far from a stud.

- As good as Bernie was, I never thought of him as an all-time great. For me, he is one of those very good players who fall just short of being a hall of famer.

- While I think Melky will become a solid major league player, I don't see him ever developing into a star. Oh yeah, defensive wizard is pushing it, no? At best, he is above average right now with a plus arm. I guess when you are used to seeing the older version of Bernie Williams and Johnny Damon out there, he looks like a wizard. Compared to the rest of baseball, not so much.

I went over board calling him the next great. But a 9th round draft pick in this format is a STEAL. In roto 20/20 in the 9th round is baby.

You are money.

He's not going 20-20. I'm a Yankee fan, and I like Melky, but it isn't happening. He can only hit HR's from one side of the plate (and he's average at best). Plus, there is no way Girardi is gonna run himself out of innings by sending Melky after he turns the lineup over. (I'm assuming he'll bat 8th or 9th)

I don't see him being much of an asset in a mixed league. Even if he does develop, management is still higher on Jackson and Tabata, and they will probably both out-produce him once they are ready.

In the past year we've seen Aaron Rowand, Andruw Jones and Torii Hunter change teams. If the Yanks did not think that Cabrera was an asset to their team...they would have made a move for one of these players.

Melky could lose AB's against righties also, but I do think he is the best defender in Cf right now so as long as he gives you a 750+ OPS he will probably play against righties. Even though Damon is a lefty he has hit both lefties and righties about the same over the past 3 years.

1st base will be pretty filled up with Giambi and Duncan and I see matsui Dh'ing a lot with Giambi doing some as well. I think Damon may end up taking a lot of the LF duties but occasionally slipping into CF. I hope the Yanks can get a guy who hits lefties and can play CF.

They have one. And Melky is his name-O!

I can't believe this thread has 290 views and 36 replies. Yankee fans & haters will argue about anything.

Wilson Betemit or Shelley Duncan?

Someone should set that league up.

They'll both make the team. The real question is Morgan Ensberg or Jason Lane.

I got nothin'

June through August last year, Cabrera hit .325/.375/.482. But his slugging was abysmal at the start of the season, and his everything was terrible to end the season.

Baseball Prospectus has him at a 36% chance to breakout this year, and a 57% chance to simply improve.

He's an odd fantasy proposition of either "sleeper hit" or "non-starter," with the latter being much more probable.

He's having a nice spring.

June through August?

Man, talk about stretching the stats.

Cabrera just went in our 12 team league... in the 21 round

What format?

On pace for 162 HRs!

seriously? what his ceiling? .300, 15, 20? or is that too high?

Honestly IMO .280-15-75

75 steals?

Glad I streamed him for today's game. I'm still going to drop him for Mike Hampton tomorrow though.