Breakout Season Pick of the Day: Jed Lowrie

Ryan Spilborghs had a homer and an RBI groundout Friday in the Rockies' 6-3 win over the Mariners. He's hitting .328/.397/.734 with five homers and six steals. He should be owned in mixed leagues. I think he is going to produce this season, but what pressure. Look at Corey Sullivan. Not a big window for Ryan with Dexter Fowler in the wings. It is even tougher in major markets. Look at what LA did with Ethier and Kemp waiting in the wings last season. They went out and signed Andruw Jones. Foolish or what?

I also just like this kid Murphy on the Mets. Good swing, natural hitter, lots of contact. Like him a lot. Traded him over the winter for a front line starter thinking the Mets would bring in a bat like Burrell and make him sit. Now they hook Sheffield, a waste I think as I say in my last post. Truth is that some of these young kids make for the excitement you want on your fantasy team.

Curtis Granderson breaks out big time with 20/20 plus electricity in Detroit. People forget he started off last season on the DL and never recovered. Decimated the Detroit team as they played with IRod 'I never take a pitch' at lead off and Miguel the Cavernous starting the season oafish and sluggish. Not this year. Granderson is grand.

My next surprise pick is Jed Lowrie, pictured above at Stanford. Hey, 46 rbis in 260 at bats for the Bo Sox? Play that out over a season in Beantown. Homers? Don't expect lots of those from a SS but think what Pedroia did in his second season. And in middle infield, if Emanuel Burris hits, and SF lets him run, this is a guy who put up 70 steal numbers in the minors. And there is not a lot of power left in the SF lineup. They have to run if they get on. Only way they will score.

Shin Soo Choo. Sneaky power. Under the radar in Cleveland. But so once was Crispy Coco. If his second half was real and can be replicated, you get 25/100/15 numbers from an unheralded outfielder. Without the pressure of someone breathing down his neck. Same way that Jayson Werth will do that playing full time in Philly. But he never has played over 130. Maybe managers know something we do not. People are talking about Nelson Cruz again, but isn't he like 29 already? How many years can you have potential before you wind up like Jason Botts, Jeremy Reed, and Chris Snelling?

For teams playing under the radar, a young rookie might make it. But you come to the Big Apple, if you are Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner, and don't cut it, you are gone in a New York minute. That is why Phil Hughes has such a short leash.Why the Mets once foolishly traded Scott Kazmir for a one year fix that did not, Victor Zambrano. In the NY lights, you better shine in a hurry.

Just dawned on me that Livan is a Met. Sheff is a Met. Castillo is at second. Too bad they did not sign Renteria and Floyd again to pinch hit. Then they could have had five guys from the 1997 Florida Marlins championship team. Note I said 1997. We are talking 12 years ago.