Geoff Blum

After 12 seasons in the majors, Blum finally appeared to be winding down his career, starting just 42 games for the Astros in 2010 down from more than a 100 just one year prior. When Blum left Houston via free agency, the Diamondbacks inexplicably gave him a two-year deal. We're a little surprised that general manager Kevin Towers made a multi-year commitment, but the versatile veteran will come off the bench for his new club this season. He's more valuable to the D-Backs with his leadership than he is to rotisserie players with his bat.

Blum wound up getting a lot of at-bats at third in 2009, much more than the team expected heading into spring training. When Aaron Boone had surgery for an aortic valve replacement, Blum's competition was officially removed from the picture. His batting average hovered in the .240s for the second consecutive year, which doesn't help even when you factor in his improving plate discipline. He signed a modest contract to continue his role as a reserve infielder with the Astros in 2010, but don't expect him to receive more than 375 at-bats again.

Blum’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but his value to the Astros comes more in his ability to play a number of positions than it does at the plate. He logged time at all four infield spots last year, getting the majority of his time at third base. Blum hit .240 with 14 homers and 53 RBI in 325 at-bats, so there's a little bit of pop if you can stomach the .250 career batting average. He’ll return as a utility infielder and while he’s very valuable to the Astros, it will take an injury to one of the regulars to make him more relevant to the fantasy world.

Blum replaced the struggling Marcus Giles as San Diego's starting second baseman during the second half of the 2007 season. He posted serviceable numbers, hitting .252 with five homers and 33 RBI in 330 at-bats. Blum signed with the Astros in November and should fill a utility role. If an injury opens an everyday role, Blum could be a viable option in deep leagues.

Blum saw a lot of playing time at shortstop for the Padres in 2006 because Khalil Greene missed two months with a finger injury. He flashed a good glove and put up serviceable offensive numbers. He'll aim to revise that utility role with the Padres again in 2007.

Blum didn't produce much offense for the White Sox, but his reasonably solid glove at third base allowed them to rest Joe Crede's back down the stretch, and more than earned him a championship ring. Now back in San Diego, he should see another 250+ at bats thanks to Vinny Castilla's creaking joints and unsuited-to-Petco bat.

Remember Brandon Backe's great postseason? Credit Blum, since Backe got to Houston in a trade for him. Blum was to be Tampa Bay's third base solution but responded with the worst season of his career, and the Rays let him go in the offseason. Now with the Padres, his bat won't help.

Blum's ability to ooze mediocrity at a number of positions turned out to be a major drag on the Astros' offense in 2003. The Astros made a number of self-inflicted missteps to damage their chances of winning the NL Central, but giving Blum 449 plate appearances (most in lieu of a more productive Morgan Ensberg) had to rank highest on the list. Fortunately, the Astros rectified that mistake by dumping him on the Devil Rays, where he's a threat to start everyday at third base.

Blum's playing time over the last few seasons is indicative of major league managers' tendencies to avoid risk with the known veteran mediocrity rather than to take a chance with a slumping prospect. Blum is your prototype “can't hurt you” player to take at the end of the draft, but he's also the type of player who will do very little to help you.