By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer
Editor’s Note: The following article was written for Yahoo’s baseball draft kit, which RotoWire produces.
The following 10 players benefited from their offseason move:
J.D. Drew – Not only will Drew move from a pitcher’s park to a hitter’s haven, he’ll be batting in the middle of one of the most potent lineups in baseball. He’s slated to hit in the No. 5 spot, directly behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, so a run at 120 RBI isn’t out of the question. Drew, who batted .333 with six homers and 23 RBI in the last 25 games last season, is excellent at going opposite field. All of those hits he lost driving the ball to left field while playing in L.A. will turn into doubles next year at Fenway Park.
Barry Zito – There might not have been a bigger “winner” this offseason than Zito, who signed a $126 million deal to play in a park and a division conducive to pitching. While Oakland’s park is also viewed as pitcher-friendly, over the last two seasons Zito had a 4.38 ERA while throwing at home compared to a 3.32 ERA on the road. The switch from the AL to the NL cannot be underestimated. Just last year, Bronson Arroyo, who relies on a similar arsenal as Zito, saw his ERA dip from 4.51 to 3.29, and his strikeout rate skyrocketed. Switching to the NL, AT&T Park and one of the most pitcher-friendly divisions in all of baseball, Zito has an excellent chance to post his best statistical season yet.
Octavio Dotel – Going to Kansas City is rarely a good thing, but in Dotel’s case, it provides an opportunity to return to the closer’s role. He was never going to pitch in the ninth inning in New York with Mariano Rivera around, so Dotel sees his fantasy value increase despite moving to a team likely to finish in last place. Dotel struggled in limited work last season, but he enters 2007 one more year removed from Tommy John surgery and can be one of the game’s most dominant relievers when healthy. He’s gotten 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings over his career, so a run at 100 Ks and 30 saves is a real possibility.
Mike Piazza – Piazza’s fantasy prospects haven’t looked this good in years. Not only is he slated to bat cleanup at his new Oakland home, Piazza’s a much better bet to stay healthy now that he’s become a full-time DH. McAfee Coliseum is commonly regarded as a pitcher’s park, but that’s mostly due to its spacious foul territory, not for suppressing long balls, so Piazza should approach 30 bombs this year. Getting away from Petco Park is a win in itself, as Piazza hit just .223/.307/.425 there last season. His .332/.372/.564 road line suggests he can still rake, and with health being his biggest question mark, a role as designated hitter is the perfect solution.
Julio Lugo – Previously a valuable fantasy commodity when playing in Tampa Bay, Lugo’s value plummeted after being traded to the Dodgers last season. Now, his fantasy value has never been higher after being signed by the Red Sox to act as the team’s leadoff man. Hitting atop that order, Lugo figures to approach 115 runs scored and see an increase in batting average while playing half his games at Fenway Park. While it seems unlikely Lugo runs as much as he did in Tampa Bay, Terry Francona gave the green light to Coco Crisp last season, as he attempted 26 steals in just 105 games played, so Lugo should still be able to swipe 25-30 bags while playing in Beantown.
Randy Johnson – After undergoing back surgery during the offseason, Johnson’s health remains a concern entering this year. Still, after a subpar 2006 campaign, he has a much better chance at bouncing back with a return to the NL. Johnson will turn 44 at the end of the season, so his days as a star are likely behind him, but the last time he pitched in Arizona he compiled a 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 290 Ks.
Alfonso Soriano – Soriano is unlikely to surpass last year’s 40/40 season no matter where he plays, but his hitting environment undoubtedly improved with the move from RFK Stadium to Wrigley Field. He’ll also find himself batting in a superior lineup while wearing a Cubs’ uniform.
Joel Pineiro – While his role and performance is far from guaranteed, Pineiro’s value increased with his move to Boston because of the possibility he fills the closer’s role. There’s at least a chance Pineiro excels while throwing one inning at a time, as he struck out 20 batters in 24 1/3 innings as a reliever last year. It certainly wasn’t working out for Pineiro while pitching in Seattle, and with the move to Boston, save opportunities figure to be plentiful.
Ted Lilly – There shouldn’t be a drastic change in home park factors moving from Rogers Centre to Wrigley Field, but the league switch is beneficial enough in and of itself. More specifically, the change in division should really boost Lilly’s numbers this season. He’ll move from baseball’s toughest division to pitch in, the AL East, to one of the easiest, the NL Central.
Adam Eaton – The Phillies currently have six starting pitchers, but Jon Lieber figures to be dealt before the season starts. Either way, Eaton finds himself in a better situation than last year, when he was pitching in homer-haven Ameriquest Field. If his finger injury is truly behind him, Eaton does possess some upside. During his previous stint in the Senior Circuit, Eaton demonstrated a solid strikeout rate, and he should be able to pick up some wins in Philadelphia, as the Phillies’ lineup figures to score runs in bunches this season. New teammate Freddy Garcia could enjoy a similar resurgence.
The 10 players that suffered as a result of their move will appear in an article to be posted later this week.
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