Many of my fans have accused me of having no school pride.
Because I don’t root for UCLA unconditionally, a couple of
you told me last week that I should be working at Taco Bell instead
of being a sports editor.
Well, I’ve finally decided to show some school pride.
No, I am not going to camp out in front of a rainy Pauley
Pavilion and play mindless drinking games.
No, I am not going to look stupid by wearing a blue wig and
painting my face blue.
It’s the end of February, and that can only mean one thing
““ it’s time to get ready for fantasy baseball.
And to show my school pride, I will reveal to the world which
Bruins should be drafted.
For those fans who hate me because I don’t always root for
UCLA, there are sports at this school other than basketball and
football. I follow and support them a lot more than any of you.
One of these sports is baseball, and for those of you who
don’t know, there are plenty of Bruins in the pros.
And fantasy baseball is the perfect place to show my Bruin
pride.
For those of you who are fantasy baseball and UCLA fans, there
should be nothing better than to win a fantasy baseball league with
UCLA alumni on your team.
Granted, Troy Glaus might be the only real star in the big
leagues UCLA can currently brag about, but there are several Bruins
who can be valuable to your fantasy teams.
Even Glaus can be more valuable than usual this year.
The Angels’ third baseman will likely be very underrated
this year, despite being a three-time All-Star.
When healthy, he’s good for 30-40 home runs. This year,
with an improved Angel lineup, he’s good for even more RBI
than usual (if all goes well, think 110-120).
Despite all of that, The Sporting News has listed Glaus as the
11th best third baseman in the majors, according to its fantasy
rankings.
Other publications have him at sixth or seventh, but that is
still low for a three-time All-Star who is primed to have a career
year.
Another Bruin you want on your team is Dave Roberts, Dodgers
center fielder.
He may only be an average hitter, at best, but he does something
very few do nowadays ““Â steal bases. Roberts stole 40
bases with a batting average of only .250 last season. That number
can easily go up with a better year at the plate.
And since so few players steal bases, one player who steals 40
bases can earn you a lot of rotisserie points.
Since outfield is usually a power-hitting position, grab Roberts
when he’s still available in the middle and late rounds.
Depending on your league set-up, other Bruins can be
valuable.
If you’re a serious fantasy baseball player and are in a
league where you can make lineup changes daily, Eric Karros is a
good player to have.
Karros hit .366 against lefties last year, so whenever the
A’s are playing against a left-handed starting pitcher, start
Karros.
In some leagues, this could also help you worry less about
drafting a first baseman early, allowing you to fill other
positions.
And if you’re looking for sleepers, none have more
potential than Garrett Atkins.
If you’re looking for someone to put on your bench who can
blossom into a valuable player, the Colorado outfielder is your
man.
Coors Field makes every hitter look good. And all it takes for
Atkins to play regularly is Larry Walker to get injured, like he
does every year.
So remember, on fantasy baseball draft day, show some Bruin
pride. I mean, without the need to use profanities, jump up and
down, or wear a cheesy Bruin Den shirt.
E-mail Gilbert at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.