Welcome back to the 2015 Last Word on Fantasy Baseball Guide. Over the next several months we will be releasing player profiles, projections, position rankings, and a number of other articles that will help you dominate your fantasy league this season. Whether you play rotisserie or head-to-head; whether you have a standard draft, a snake or an auction league, and whether its keeper league or a one-year deal; we have all the fantasy information you need.
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Fantasy Profile: Mike Napoli, 1B, Boston Red Sox
LWOS Rankings 20, Captain’s Values $4.57
Mike Napoli opted for facial reconstruction surgery, Maxillomandibular advancement, during the off-season because of a sleep apnea disorder that was causing him to lose sleep. The surgery was a success and Napoli has reported that he is sleeping soundly for the first time in 8 years. He also received treatment for his thumb and toe. Napoli will miss Spring Training while he continues to rehab but is expected to make Opening Day as the full time 1B for Farrell and Co.
Napoli has a ton of power but has struggled to stay healthy the last 4 seasons. From 2011-2014, Napoli has missed an incredible 110 games due to various injuries. However, when Napoli is on the field, balls tend to get hit far and not come back. With a career .491 slugging % and a career 19.7% FB/HR ratio, homeruns have never been a problem for Napoli. Contact rate is enough for a .250-.260 batting average as well. Power hitters tend to strike out more than the average player and this is evident (career 26.6 K%), but OBP leagues should take notice of Napoli’s above average walk rate (career 12.5 BB%).
I’m really interested to see if this surgery is going to help him dramatically. Could this surgery help Napoli post career high numbers in his mid-thirties? How much did his sleep apnea disorder really hold him back? Keep an eye on him, as he could possibly be a steal towards the back end of your draft.
| Year | Team | Pos | G | PA | AB | R | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| 2011 | TEX | 1B | 113 | 432 | 369 | 72 | 30 | 75 | 4 | 58 | 85 | 0.320 | 0.414 | 0.631 | 1.045 |
| 2012 | TEX | 1B | 108 | 417 | 352 | 53 | 24 | 56 | 1 | 56 | 125 | 0.227 | 0.343 | 0.469 | 0.812 |
| 2013 | BOS | 1B | 139 | 578 | 498 | 79 | 23 | 92 | 1 | 73 | 187 | 0.259 | 0.360 | 0.482 | 0.842 |
| 2014 | BOS | 1B | 119 | 500 | 415 | 49 | 17 | 55 | 3 | 78 | 133 | 0.248 | 0.370 | 0.419 | 0.789 |
| 2015 Projection | BOS | 1B | 545 | 461 | 66 | 24 | 74 | 2 | 75 | 162 | 0.249 | 0.360 | 0.455 | 0.815 |
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**All stats courtesy of Fangraphs
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 02: Mike Napoli #12 of the Boston Red Sox in action against the New York Yankees in a MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium on September 2, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 9-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
