Eric Chavez

Alex Rodriguez's injury issues forced Chavez into much more playing time than the Yankees anticipated, and he delivered for the most part, hitting .281 with 16 homers and 37 RBI in about half season's worth of at-bats. He's more useful to his actual squad than he is to your fantasy team, however, as he never plays against lefties (going just 5-for-33 against them in 2012) and hasn't had more than 400 at-bats since 2006. At age 35, Chavez will continue his career in the desert after signing a one-year deal with the D-Backs in December.

Chavez helped the Yankees in a limited role in 2011, hitting .263 with 26 RBI in 160 at-bats as a backup at first and third. Chavez's constant injuries will never permit him to return to a starting role, and he missed nearly three months with foot and abdominal problems in 2011. He'll handle a similar bench role this time around, working primarily as a corner-infield reserve with the potential to DH in or pinch-hit as needed.

If there's a player whose outlook could be unchanged in this space from year to year, it's Chavez. Injuries once again wrecked his season, limiting him to just 30 at-bats. He's played just 121 games total over the past three years, and the words "career threatening" were uttered during his most recent case of back woes. He's expected to be ready for spring training (once again), but you'd be foolish to count on him for much production at this point in his once-promising career.

Another year full of injuries clouds Chavez's future. He's recovering from additional shoulder surgery performed in August, and the customary "will be ready for spring training" needs to be taken with a whole spoonful of sodium chloride at this point in his career.

Injuries derailed Chavez for the second straight season, and offseason surgery on both shoulders and his back don't bode well for a rebound. There's some talk that he may not be ready for the start of spring training, and the A's medical staff has a poor history with recent back injuries (Bobby Crosby, Mark Kotsay and others). You'll be able to get him cheap, but counting on him to be one of your corner power sources is unwise.

Chavez battled through all sorts of injuries in 2006, resulting in a career-low .241 average and the lowest HR output since his rookie year back in 1999. His 84 walks helped those in OBP leagues, but that was the extent of Chavez's value last year. He finally got off to a good start (swatting nine homers and posting a 1.079 OPS in April) before the injuries kicked in. A September power surge righted the ship a bit, but he was near worthless for three months. Expect a rebound in a big way.

Despite showing strong HR and RBI numbers, Chavez took a major step back in 2005, shedding 100 points of OPS and posting his lowest such total since 1999. He can't blame the dip on his home park (.854 OPS at home, .734 on the road) or his struggles against lefties (.749 OPS against southpaws, .818 against righties). His now-famous early-season struggles extended to June, and he once again failed to produce in September. To top his position, he'll have to give more than three good months every year. Plans for surgery to clean up his shoulder this winter were shelved.

Chavez gets incrementally better each year. He led the AL in walks despite being limited to 125 games due to a broken hand. If the improvement against left-handed pitchers sticks—.893 OPS in 2004, sub .700 previously—look out. He got off to a slow start again, hitting just .221 in April, but that's the norm for Chavez. He then faded badly in September (.240 BA, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 XBH) which took the luster off an outstanding season in which he had a .952 OPS on August 31. He's pretty consistent year-to-year, but there's another step up as his batting eye improves.

Chavez is consistent year-to-year, and was back to his old self regarding first and second half splits. He still has massive platoon splits against lefties, but he's gotten his K:BB rate back under control. He'll be 26 years old for the 2004 season, so the time is ripe for a step up. There were whispers that a hand injury suffered in May was more serious than indicated, which no doubt played a role in his poor month (.661 OPS). Toss out that month and he would have hit .296.

He regressed a bit against lefties, though he bounced back by drawing more walks. Just turned 25 years old, so better things await him. If he can figure out lefties, watch out. Should be the poster boy for organizational patience with your prospects.