Placido Polanco

Polanco was limited to just 303 at-bats last season due to a wrist injury earlier in the season and then a back injury that ultimately forced him to finish on the disabled list. Polanco didn't do much with the bat when he was in the lineup, but he maintained a contact rate in line with his historical average. A low BABIP (.274) helped to push down his batting average, which gives some hope that his batting average could rebound toward his career average of .299 this year. Of course, he needs to stay on the field to be of much value, and at 37 years old the likelihood of injury is only going to increase. Still, Polanco could be a nice speculative pick in the end game as Miami's starting third baseman after signing a one-year deal with the Marlins.

Polanco struggled with injuries for the second year in a row last season and failed to top 500 at-bats for the first time since 2006. Polanco continued to display his solid contact rate when he was in the lineup, but he also made a lot of outs in the air because he lacks the power to muscle the ball out of the yard. Polanco had surgery for two sports hernias after the 2011 season and his recovery in the offseason has gone well. He'll open the year as the Phillies' starting third baseman, but given his recent injury history it will be surprising if he makes it through the year fully healthy.

Polanco played through most of the 2010 season with a painful bone spur in his left elbow that forced him to miss some time and to receive multiple cortisone shots to stay on the field. Despite the injury, Polanco was one of the most consistent hitters the Phillies had all season. He's one of the best contact hitters in the game and figures to score plenty of runs again this season hitting in front of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Polanco had surgery on his elbow to remove bone spurs in late October and is expected to be ready for spring training.

Despite a slightly off season at the plate, Polanco remains one of the best contact hitters in the game. He only managed to hit .285 last season, but a .315 post All-Star break clip showed that the 34-year-old infielder still has his stroke. While the batting average took a slight dip overall, Polanco actually showed improvement in the power categories by reaching double-digit homers for the first time since 2004 and eclipsing 70 RBI for the first time in his career. Polanco will be moving over to third base after inking a three-year deal with the Phillies this offseason, and while his lack of power doesn’t make him an ideal option at the hot corner, his eligibility at second base and solid batting average contribution will make him a decent multi-positional play in most leagues.

Polanco makes contact. That is the name of his game and it gets him an average around .300 every season. Polanco also scores a lot of runs thanks to his spot as the number two hitter in a lineup that can produce a lot of runs. He won't do much else other than hit for contact and score runs, however, so temper your expectations. As long as the Tigers keep him in the number two spot in the lineup he should continue to provide plenty of value as a solid option at second base.

Polanco reached career highs in batting average, RBI, runs and hits last year. He isn't a patient hitter, walking only 37 times last season, but he also rarely strikes out. Polanco should continue to be a valuable asset in fantasy leagues this season because of his ability to hit for contact and the Tigers' ability to drive him in.

Last year, Polanco put together the season we have come to expect from him: a near-.300 average, no power or speed to speak of and solid defense at second base. Unfortunately, he was also sidelined for a time because of a separated shoulder caused by an awkward landing on a dive for a pop fly. He came back from the injury at the end of the season and performed decently so there should be little concern for his health now that he's had the offseason to rest. Expect more of the same in 2007.

Polanco hit .338 in 86 games with the Tigers after coming over from Philadelphia. He was the toughest batter in the major leagues to strike out, with one whiff for every 22 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he doesn't hit for much power and his steals are dropping every season, making him a contributor only in average and runs.

Polanco had another good year for the Phillies, playing mostly second base. His 31 home runs from 2003-2004 are more than he hit in his entire professional career to that point (25). This shows he has progressed as a hitter, but fantasy owners shouldn't expect to see him duplicate those numbers. A free agent, Polanco might land a good contract, and he is a quality, versatile defender who hits for average. Just don't expect much power or speed out of him from now on.

Despite injuries late in the season, Polanco posted his highest slugging numbers with 14 home runs and a .447 slugging percentage. Polanco was also used at third base near the end of the season when David Bell was injured. He will be hard pressed to match the home run total and RBI total (63) of 2003, but he is a versatile infielder.

Polanco moves from third with the signing of David Bell. Polanco's career .296 average won't hurt you at second base. He stole 12 bases two seasons ago but offers virtually no pop. If you're stuck looking for a second baseman (although you may have to wait for him to play 20 games there this year for him to qualify) in the end-game, he's not a bad selection.