Fantasy Fundamentals From the Factory

Funny what time does to people. One day you are on top of the rankings and every man's desire. Then one day you wake up and you have been on a 14 day drug binge and you find yourself in the House of Burchett. Where did all that time go? The Fantasy World is no different. One year you are on top of the world the next you are a afterthought to most or at best you are a late round "he's going to turn it around" pick. So in honor of Miss Simms the Bear Creek FP Factory is proud to announce 2010's Simmsational Squad the 5 biggest where have they gone players in the business. Due to the fact that in a game of losers you have no winners players are not ranked in order.

Alfonso Soriano- Last year he was a 2nd Rd. Just three years ago he was a Top 5 overall selection. Now he will be a mid to late round pick somewhere in the 13th to 18th RD and that selection he is overvalued. Soriano simply cannot hit a curveball and he has lost the bat speed to hit any above average fastball. Some of last years struggles had to do with bad luck low BABIP and such but the days of 30HR are over and at this stage in his carrer he would be lucky to swipe 15 bags. WHen the Cubs signed him to the 7 year contract he was the second best player in baseball with the stick now he is a 6th place hitter on a NL team.

Francisco Liriano- Every year is the year he is going to put it together and every year injuries or ineffectiveness and sometimes both have produced nothing of value. Yet because he is a lefty that pounds 93 consistently and is a solid 8K/9 guy he will get selected and like Soriano it is on the name alone. Three years ago Liriano was many peoples 1 or 2 guy now at best he is another "gonna be the year hopeful."

Manny Ramirez- Ramirez has been a 2nd or 3rd round pick the last 10 years maybe more. Fitting of this reward Ramirez got busted if you will with the steroids and now after a .260 2nd half is looking to be selected somewhere after the 5th Rd it would seem. SOme think Manny will rebound while others like myself feel that the fertility drugs where masking a certain aid. Regardless of what camp you are in Ramirez's world has been turned around in less than a year and Ramirez is certainly worthy of a Jammy.

Josh Hamilton- Another player who is worthy of the reward on and off the field. Hamilton was a first Rd selection last year after the story book comeback of 08 but one jump of the wagon and one injury and underperforming season later Hamilton is back in the middle of the draft pack for 2010.

Brad Lidge- Two seasons ago he was perfect. Last season was pathetic. Lidge's 08 and 09 campaigns could be the biggest two season swing in MLB history for a player who remained mostly healthy and in the same role for most of the season. Lidge's career mirror's that of many of today's troubled teens/twenty-somethings Sun-Thursday is buttoned up and focused then hell bent and hair down come Friday and Saturday. Lidge has had 5 really good season but 2 seasons have been as bad as a full time closer can be. Last year Lidge was a Top 4 closer as most owners expected some drop off this season Lidge is near the bottom of most owners wish list and in many leagues is going behind Ryan Madson. Lidge will likely start teh season banged up and possibly on the DL but to go from Top 4 to after thought without losing your job is quite an achievement.