On a limb with Jose Lopez...

[GREEDY]

I am going to go out on a limb and say:

Jose Lopez will not only win the starting job in Colorado, but he will compete with Cano and Utley for the honors of top fantasy second basemen in 2011.

Prediction: 88/26/100/.315/5 (600 at bats)

Jose will get off to a solid start in spring training in the dry desert heat, where he can feast on fastballs. Lopez is swinging no matter what... so it helps if the pitch is a straight one. My man is also a solid defender, which is nice because his competition is fairly raw.

Obviously, no one wants to hit in Safeco, and Jose will be downing silver bullets in Coors. He is also entering the prime of his career (27), and Jose should back-door his way into the two hole (I personally wouldn't know how), in a very productive Colorado lineup.

The Wigginton signing doesn't help Lopez, but I cannot imagine Tracy will be able to tolerate Ty's defense with Lopez/Herrera/Young available. Lets just hope Jose's Rocky start is not a rocky one, and he can make a return to the all-star game, and more importantly, my roster.

[AdmiralTrey]

This is the same Jose Lopez that has only hit more than 17 HR's in a season once, has never hit .300 in a season, and has to battle Wigginton AND Eric Young Jr. for playing time, right?

Sure, he might have a bounce back season, and yeah, he's had some very productive seasons in the past, as far as 2B goes, but I personally can't see him having anywhere remotely near those stats.

[Paper Tiger]

If you followed the IF shuffle at Colorado last season you'd probably stay clear of all those guys. I'm very hesitant to draft any Rockies IF because they have one star and fifteen others who are generally considered situational.

[GREEDY]

If you followed the IF shuffle at Colorado last season you'd probably stay clear of all those guys.

Believe you me, I fully understand the #1 hurdle for Lopez will be playing time; my original post had to be the first ever take that dealt more with playing time than actual performance.

I just really have supreme confidence in a crazy aggressive player, with "doubles" power, who makes decent contact, and has a ticket aboard that annoying Safeco train taking him to freaking Coors Field!!!! Oh yea, and the guy is 2B and 3B eligible... I am not sure if there is a player in all of baseball who's fantasy value could be improved by a change of scenery more than Jose's will this season.

Anyone have any Kool-Aid, for some reason I am fresh out

[Paper Tiger]

If he gets 600 AB this year (which he likely won't). I'll put him down for a 80/20/85/.275 season depending on where he bats. That's going to be a mish mash lineup on most nights and I'm not big on CarGo repeating his performance from last season. But, Lopez is 27 and has one big season already under his belt. At second I'm more willing to take the risk. At third I'm not.

[jasongoum]

I bought into him last year, and got burned horribly. Sadly I don't buy into your optimism on Mr. Lopez. I think he "could" do those numbers, but its highly unlikely. I'm guessing; .260/15/75 at best. But cheers on the Kool-Aid.

[Oregon Nut Cups]

In my league, he'll be what he is for the Rockies: a great utility bench bat due to his positional versatility. If injuries occur, he'll get more ABs; if no injuries occur he's a plug 'n' play guy. I would not put high hopes on Lopez for this year for any more than that. He'll be drafted in my league in the late rounds most likely but I wouldn't put too much value/stock in him. To be honest, with his OBP skills the way they are, I'm surprised he didn't get picked up by the Royals.