Fantasy Baseball 2012: Can Derek Jeter Still Get It Done?
April 3, 2012 · Ryan Lester · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Derek Jeter has failed to reach .300 for two straight years, which was something that he only did three times in his Hall of Fame career prior to 2009.
He also hit just six home runs last year. Will he continue to decline, or does he have at least another good year ahead of him?
Aside from the lack of home runs last year, he had a pretty solid .297-84-6-61-16 line in 131 games.
The player who normally isn’t fazed by anything seemed to press a bit while he was in pursuit of his 3,000th career hit.
He stumbled out of the gate, posting a pre-All-Star Game line of .270-42-3-24-8 in 289 at-bats with a .683 OPS.
He caught a lot of heat for ducking out of the All-Star Game festivities, but you certainly can’t argue with the results. Following the break he posted a .327-42-3-37-8 line in 257 at bats with a .811 OPS.
Can that hot finish carry over into 2012? Maybe, but I think the days of a .800-plus OPS are behind him.
You’re not drafting him for his power, though. If he can get you 10 to 12 home runs it will be nice, but the long ball isn’t his game. Never has been, actually.
Jeter should give you a solid average around .300 with a bunch of runs scored and a fair share of stolen bases.
Jeter’s Mock Draft Central ADP is 120, which puts him at the end of the 10th round in 12-team leagues. He’s also the eighth shortstop to come off the board in their rankings.
Pretty fair value for him.
Don’t buy him for name value. If you want to get one of the big guns at short, make it happen. If you want to wait and address other needs, Jeter is a nice safe choice.
In the Yankees’ potent offense and favorable ballpark, he should put up another solid season.
If you’re more interested in Jeter’s track record of girlfriends, you can check out the photo evidence here.
2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
2012 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Rankings
2012 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
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