Fantasy Baseball is coming quicker than a Aroldis Chapman 100-miles-per-hour fastball. In preparation of another competitive fantasy season, check out my Top 5 “players over 35” for the 2014 season.
Fantasy baseball draft strategy 2014: Top 5 closers
No. 5: RHP Hiroki Kuroda (NYY)
Kuroda is coming off a solid season for the New York Yankees. The 39-year-old Japanese right-hander went 11-13 with a 3.31 ERA in 32 starts. He pitched more than 200 innings for the third-straight season. His season would've been better had it not been for a rough patch from the middle of August on. Kuroda went 0-6, with a 6.56 ERA over his last eight starts for the season. Fantasy owners should be cautious of Kuroda in the later months due to his age and arm fatigue. Otherwise he is a great third pitcher in any rotation.
Fans and analysts have been raving about Kuroda since the start of Spring Training. While you should only take Spring Training with a grain of salt, people do seem to be impressed with Kuroda's stuff on the mound. David Lennon, a baseball columnist for Newsday who has covered the Yankees, appeared on the Lori Rubinson radio show on WFAN Radio in New York and gave Kuroda an “A+” for his performance thus far. I expect Kuroda to go 16-8, with a 2.98 ERA and pitch more than 200.0 innings for the Yankees in 2014.
No. 4: OF Alfonso Soriano (NYY)
I was working at a job last year and a co-worker said, “Soriano isn't going to do anything with the Yankees.” This was right after the 38-year-old outfielder was traded to the Yankees. I said, “you watch. He's going to finish the season with 30 home runs.” Everyone at work laughed a little after that.
But I was right in the end. Soriano hit .255 with 34 home runs and 102 RBI in 151 games between the Cubs and Yankees in 2013. Despite the abundance of outfielders in New York this season, Soriano is going to be a regular in the lineup. The short porch in Yankee Stadium give help Soriano's power and increase his home run totals. I expect Soriano to hit .260 with 35 home runs ad 90 RBI this season.
No. 3: RHP R.A. Dickey (TOR)
2013 was a down season for the Major's best (and possibly only) knuckle ball pitcher. Dickey, 39, went 14-13 with a 4.21 ERA. It's a far cry from his Cy Young award winning season in 2012 with the Mets, though there were some positive signs. He led the American League with 34 starts and threw 224.2 innings. He even won his first Gold Glove award.
With his first season pitching in the American League East completed, Dickey hopes to move forward as a better pitcher. He's trying to increase the speed of his knuckleball, saying he hopes to have it at 77-78 MPH by the start of the regular season. I think Fantasy owners will see more success from Dickey this season. The former all-star will go 18-9, with a 2.91 ERA. In 221 innings, he should strikeout 176 batters.
No. 2: OF Carlos Beltran (NYY)
Beltran will be “belting” home runs for the Yankees this season. At age 36, Beltran had a great season for the Cardinals in 2013. He hit .296, smacked 24 home runs and drove in 84 RBI. The former American League Rookie of the Year also hit 30 doubles, collected 164 hits and scored 79 runs. His addition will produce nothing but positive things for the Yankees. Yankees' scouts and media members are marveling at Beltran, believing he has more in the tank. The team expect him to be over his past injuries and have a successful season.
I expect Beltran to hit .295, smack 35 home runs and drive in 110 RBI for the Yankees in 2014.
No. 1: DH David Ortiz (BOS)
You can never count out David Ortiz. He has proven to be a clutch hitter time and time again in his Major League career. The nine-time All-Star hit .309, smacked 30 home runs and drove in 103 RBI for the World Series champion Red Sox in 2013. It was the third-straight season that Ortiz hit better than .300, proving the big guy can still produce at the plate. In fact Ortiz has averaged 28 home runs and 92 RBI every year since 2008. Don't expect Ortiz to slow down, especially since the Red Sox are trying to become the first time since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win consecutive World Series titles.
I expect Ortiz to hit .308, smack 36 home runs and drive in 111 RBI for the Red Sox in 2014.
Is there another aging veteran you would add to this list? Is there one you'd subtract? Let us know in the comments below!
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