Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes is slowly making his comeback from his battle with hamstring injuries. He played in a minor league game on Sunday and went three for five with a stolen base. He even seems to have his speed back.
He said he was clocked in 4.18 seconds running out a ground ball to first. He said he regularly was timed at 4.2 before he was hurt.What he doesn't have back is his starting job.
Just where Byrnes - in the second year of a three-year, $30 million contract - would play is another problem. The Diamondbacks' outfield is set with Conor Jackson in left, Chris Young in center and Justin Upton in right. Melvin has talked about Byrnes relieving all three at times.The worrisome part of that quote is that Melvin seems to have Byrnes slated as the 4th outfielder. That's fine, and probably a good place for him coming back from injury, but it seems that fantasy GM's participating in mock drafts over at Mock Draft Central are picking Byrnes in the 13th round with an average draft position of 155.69.
It seems as if folks are drafting him with the recollection of his 20/20 season in 2006 or his 50 stolen base performance in 2007 while totally forgetting about his injury laden 2008 campaign of 206 at-bats with a batting average of .209. Not to mention the fact that Byrnes is 33-years-old. In the 13th round, it's OK to draft a guy with upside who's coming off of an injury plagued season; just like Byrnes. It's even OK to draft him in the 13th round if his upside is high enough. However, it's not OK to draft this guy that high if he doesn't even have a starting job.
Byrnes needed 562 at-bats in '06 to to bop 26 homers and steal 25 bases. He needed 626 at-bats in '07 to steal 50 bases while hitting 21 home runs. How many at-bats do you think a healthy Eric Byrnes will get as the fourth outfielder in Arizona behind Jackson, Young and Upton? Let's not even mention the fact that Byrnes is only one minor league game into his comeback. What if he's not 100% healthy by Opening Day?
There are many outfielders who would be safer selections that currently have higher ADP's, including two-thirds of the Diamondbacks outfield that Byrnes is backing up. If you can grab Byrnes super late feel free. But taking him in the 13th round before guys like Justin Upton (215.63), Denard Span (220.42) or Coco Crisp (260.08) is just silly. Stop the madness!
