Nate McLouth - I really think that Nate McLouth is one of those rare players that has changed their game at the major league level. In the minors McLouth was a speed guy, slapping singles and doubles and racking up about 30 steals a year. He's still running in the bigs, but he's hitting the ball with much more authority now. Thomas mentioned his FB rates in spring training, and after posting an ISO of .135 in five years in the minors, McLouth is at .180 in his three partial seasons in the majors, and he put up a .235 in the second half last year. He singled, doubled, and stole a base yesterday, and he has an extra-base hit in all four games so far this year. McLouth is definitely in my top ten players to take the over on versus their average projection for 2008.
Cody Ross - Cody Ross will be back in the starting lineup today against lefty Paul Maholm, and Ross has enough pop that daily transactors might want to take a chance on him as well. Ross is in his age 27 year this season, and in his major league career he has hit 26 homers in less than a full season's worth of AB's (480). His AVG from last year was fluky (.335 vs. his career minor league AVG of .274), but he certainly has enough power to have value in deeper leagues. He is of even greater value in leagues with daily transactions because of his platoon splits (.052 higher SLG vs. LHP in his career).
Micah Owings - Owings was terrific yesterday, allowing a double, a homer, and two walks in 6 2/3 innings against the Rockies, fanning nine in the process. The control and the homers are issues that will likely prevent him from ever being better than a #2 or #3 starter, but the stuff is there for him to be that. He's definitely a guy I like a bit better than his stats would suggest, partly because he hasn't pitched any pro ball in anything other than extreme hitters' parks.
Chris Young - Young is never going to be a high average guy in all likelihood, but one of the disappointing aspects of his 2007 was the loss of his minor league plate discipline. If the first few games of 2008 are any indication, Young has found his patience again. Young doubled, scored twice, walked twice, and stole a base yesterday against the Rockies, giving him five walks in four games already this year. He walked more than once every eight times to the plate in the minors, so expecting him to walk 80 times a season in the majors isn't asking too much I don't think, and combined with his power, speed, and defense could make him an immensely valuable player. I definitely expect him to take a step forward this year.
Jonathan Sanchez - Sanchez struck out just about everyone that didn't get on base against him, but nine Brewers managed that feat in just four innings yesterday. Seven of them crossed the plate as well, continuing last year's disturbing trend that had Sanchez allowing far more hits and runs than you'd expected given his strikeout rate. Part of the problem might be Sanchez's very low GB%, part of it is the fact that he just doesn't throw many strikes, so he's constantly getting himself into counts where hitters can sit on his fastball, and part of it is probably luck. That third part will turn around, but the first two remain issues that will, in my opinion, prevent Sanchez from fulfilling his considerable potential. The high K rate makes him a worthwhile gamble in deeper leagues, but he will be hard-pressed to meet some of the projections that I've seen posted out there for him.