Top 10 Sleeper Outfielders

The Bourn identity is no secret-speed. Last year, in limited at bats and a host of pinch running opportunities with the Phillies, he swiped eighteen bags. Now, as the center fielder for the Houston Astros in 2008, he'll bat leadoff and get a full time gig to torment NL pitchers. That means a legitimate shot to ascend to major league base-stealing leadership. (That would be the Bourn supremacy, of course.) The 25 year-old outfielder brings a career minor league OBP of .372, which should translate well to the bigs. He had real trouble hitting major league left-handers, checking in at only a .154 clip, albeit from a small hitting sample. The Bourn ultimatum for 2008 would be to improve on that weakness. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) On draft day his runs, average, and steals will come cheap and you'll get starter-worthy production in all three.

Duncan has a couple of glaring deficiencies-he strikes out almost one of every three at bats and is a .209 career hitter against lefthanders. He often sits when a southpaw is on the mound. But if there weren't holes in his game, we wouldn't be talking about him as a sleeper. So here's the upside: Over the past two years Duncan has delivered a home run nearly every fifteen plate appearances. That's some serious pop and at age 27 he's just reaching his peak power years. The first half of last year he raked NL pitching for .288-16-47 and appeared on his way to a breakout season when a sports hernia severely curtailed his production and plate effectiveness. He's a fairly patient hitter and sported a .354 OBP in 2007. He will hit in the heart of the Cardinals' batting order and should have ample RBI opportunities. Duncan will be healthy for spring training and there's potential to put up some serious offensive numbers in 2008. You could do a lot worse for your bench and just might find yourself making him a regular in your lineup as the season progresses. You can get him late in your draft or on waivers in some larger mixed leagues.

Fields was a five-category producer in the minors, where he hit .305 with 19 HR and 28 SB for Triple-A Charlotte in 2006. He picked up where he left off in Triple-A at the start of 2007 before being called up to the south side of Chicago to replace the injured Joe Crede at third. He proved himself to be a solid run producer with exceptional power, which included 23 home runs (one nearly every sixteen plate appearances.) But he also struck out a third of the time and swiped only one base. Guillen inserted the youngster into the lineup in left field for twenty-one games as an experiment, which is why he's being considered here. The Chicago Tribune reported in mid-January that White Sox GM Ken Williams said Fields would be played exclusively at third base in 2008. That creates an issue with Crede (the incumbent third baseman.) So how do we sort this all out? Most baseball pundits believe that the White Sox want Fields to be their third baseman this season and that Crede may be on the move before the opening day. As far as Fields' offensive skills, the power is obvious, but he's a strikeout machine which was the case even in the minors. The major league learning curve may account for his dismal average and there's reason to think that will improve as he gains experience. And Fields says a nagging hamstring injury was responsible for his stolen base drought. There's potential oozing out everywhere here. Monitor the Crede situation during spring training and if it resolves itself in Fields' favor, go get him on draft day.

Fukudome is probably the most visible of the 2008 Japanese import models. He was the 2006 MVP of the Japanese League (.351-31-104). Last year he was limited to 81 games because of an elbow injury, which required off-season surgery. The Cubs believe he is healthy and ready to contribute in the five spot of a solid lineup. It's rather hard to assess players from across the pond as the track record of others making the transition to the North American major league game is mixed. His Japanese League numbers remind one a great deal of Vernon Wells a couple of years ago. But there is also the possibility he could produce more like David DeJesus. Whoever you think he will imitate best this upcoming season will determine your sleeper interest. But when the productive known quantities are off the board, it makes sense to take a shot at a player with definite skills on a decent team. Fududome fits the profile.

The former first pick in the 1999 baseball draft was the feel-good story of 2007 due to his recovery and comeback from drug abuse to productive major-leaguer. The story and stats would have been even better had it not been for a bout with gastroenteritis, a sprained wrist, and balky hamstrings which hampered his performance and limited his playing time. In spite of the physical struggles, Hamilton managed 19 home runs in only 298 at bats. That's a bomb every 15.2 trips to the plate. Extrapolate that over a full season and you've got some huge numbers. The move to the hitter-friendly confines of the Ballpark in Arlington will only serve to enhance the enticing potential. If the years of abuse haven't stolen his prime, at 27 years of age he could be set for a phenomenal season. The talent is there. The opportunity is there. But so is the risk. He certainly appears worth taking a chance on.