Shane Victorino, RF, Philadelphia Phillies
Victorino made a name for himself in 2007 mainly by going wild on the basepaths. That doesn’t mean the rest of his stats aren’t solid. It just means that most of his numbers from ’07 compare favorably to those in ’06, except for the especially large increase in stolen bases and a minor power surge.
Victorino, dubbed the Flyin’ Hawaiian, lived up to his name by snagging 37 steals compared to only 4 the previous year. His home run total doubled from 6 to 12 in an increase of only 41 at bats.
So he bats for a decent average in the .280 to .290 range and can fly on the basepaths. What’s not to like?
There’s just one thing. Before you draft, be sure to check out Victorino’s health status and make sure his preseason injury report card is clear. In 2007, Victorino suffered a calf injury in late July that landed him on the DL. In August and September, Victorino had only 47 AB and stole only 5 bases and hit only 1 home run.
Bottom line: Let’s hope Victorino repairs himself during the Hawaiian winter and comes back to his pre-injury form. If he does . . .
Projection: 86 R, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 44 SB, .291 AVG
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