Freddy Sanchez

Sanchez was having a typical performance of his last year (.289/.332/.397) before suffering yet another shoulder injury while diving for a ball in June, and it cost him the rest of the season, as he continues to battle the same problem year in and year out. He's resumed throwing during the offseason and is expected to be ready for the 2012 season, but Sanchez remains a big injury risk without much upside. Still, he can help out in batting average and will enter the year as San Francisco's starter at second base.

Offseason shoulder surgery delayed the start of Sanchez's 2010 season, and he finished the year batting .292 with seven homers over 431 at-bats. After finding himself in a platoon midway through the season, Sanchez batted .330 the final two months, securing his status as the team's starting second baseman, a role he'll enter 2011 once again occupying. He underwent yet another shoulder surgery during the offseason, though he's fully expected to be ready for Opening Day. Sanchez will have an everyday job and should hit toward the top of the Giants' order, but he's a huge injury risk and lacks the speed and power to be much of a fantasy asset.

Sanchez got off to a terrific start last season, batting .333 over the first two months of the year. Injuries to his shoulder and knee affected his play over the rest of the year, as he was held to just 457 at-bats. His performance really fell off after getting traded to the Giants (6.19 OPS), and Sanchez was eventually shut down in September with a torn meniscus in his left knee. The injury required surgery, but he should enter 2010 at full health. After signing a two-year, $12-million contract during the offseason, Sanchez will remain the Giants' starter at second base. If healthy, he can be a major asset in batting average, but Sanchez offers little power and speed, and with a weak San Francisco lineup suppressing his counting stats, he's hardly a great option in fantasy leagues.

Beset by a host of ailments, Sanchez endured a frustrating 2008 season in which he finished with a mostly hollow .271 average. The Pirates' second baseman put up career lows in OBP (.298) and slugging percentage (.371). Although he refused to blame persistent shoulder pain that prevented him from making relay throws from the outfield, Sanchez was ineffective at the plate -- he batted .226 through the All-Star break. He also complained of a metal shard in one of his eyes that doctors had problems correcting. Following the break, Sanchez offered a glimmer of hope in 2009 by hitting .348 through year's end. Because he really only helps fantasy owners in batting average during a typical season, Sanchez probably shouldn't be looked at as anything more than a lower-round fantasy draft choice. There's some potential value in deeper leagues, by only if he's 100 percent healthy.

The Pirates rewarded Sanchez for winning the National League batting title in 2006 by failing to sign him to a long-term contract and switching him from third base to second. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, the gutsy infielder didn't take things personally. Sanchez went out last year and proved his 2006 campaign was no fluke. It wasn't easy, however, as the second sacker missed most of spring training with a knee sprain and hit .224 in April. Predictably, Sanchez went on a mid-season tear and raised his batting average to as high as .318 in early September. From a fantasy perspective, you could do worse at second base than Sanchez. He managed a surprising 11 home runs while driving in more than 80 runs (81) for the second straight season. Sanchez is still gunning for that big pay day - not that he's motivated by money, but it never hurts.

Not even Joe Randa could stop Freddy Sanchez from leading the National League in batting (.344) last year. Despite hitting .291 for the Pirates in 2005, the team decided that Randa would provide more power from the third base spot and signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal to start in front of Sanchez. The 36-year-old Randa couldn't stay healthy, however, and forced Pittsburgh to play Sanchez. The rest is history, as they say, and Sanchez went on to have a storybook season in which he played shortstop in the All-Star game at PNC Park. He should hit about .300 again in 2007, but let's face it -- Sanchez is a one category player. He totaled just six home runs and stole three bases. Sanchez's versatilly may be his biggest asset -- he qualifies not only at third base with 99 games, but also at second base (23) and shortstop (28).

Sanchez overcame a history of injuries to put together a strong first season at the major-league level in 2005. He didn't hit for power (five homers in 453 at-bats), but finished with a .291 batting average. Starting at third base for most of September and October, Sanchez hit .328 with four homers and 16 RBI. With the addition of Joe Randa at third base, Sanchez will serve primarily as a utility infielder to start the year.

After missing more than three months last year while recovering from right ankle surgery, the 26-year-old Sanchez was sent to the Arizona Fall League to get some much-needed playing time. Sanchez boosted his stock within the organization with a strong showing and could compete with Jose Castillo for the starting second base job in spring training. In any case, with veteran backup infielder Abraham Nunez gone, Sanchez has a good chance to head north as a utility player and possibly more if he looks good this spring.

Sanchez, who can play second or short, was batting .341 in Triple-A when Pittsburgh obtained him from Boston last July. Foot issues ended his campaign prematurely, but after minor offseason surgery, the Hollywood-born infielder is poised to make a run at the Pirates' second base job. Second is a pretty thin position in fantasy-land, so he's not a bad sleeper candidate if he can win the job outright over Bobby Hill.

Sanchez, 25, will get a full season at Triple-A Pawtucket in 2003 now that Boston acquired Todd Walker to play second. Sanchez started at Double-A Trenton and was promoted after hitting .328 (.403 OBP) in 311 at-bats with 19 steals. Keep an eye on him in the minors with an eye toward the second base job in 2004.