Fantasy talk: Allen Craig status report

When the Cardinals lost Albert Pujols last off-season, they knew that they were going to have to find other players to replace his production. Obviously they would have preferred to keep Pujols, but if they had to pick one positive out of him leaving, it opened the gates for Allen Craig, who has always been looming in his shadows. Craig finally got a chance to play everyday in 2012, and took advantage of it. He is turning himself into one of the most underrated players in the game, and should definitely be considered in your fantasy draft next spring.

The Cardinals drafted Craig in the 8th round of the 2006 draft, and sought highly of him. He raked him the minors, constantly hitting 20+ homers while maintaining a batting average of around .300 or so. St. Louis called him up in 2010 and used him in a part time role. He didn't have his greatest season, hitting .246 with 4 homers in 124 plate appearances, but did prove to be useful because of his versatility. At this point he would serve as a utility man, playing mostly first base, third base, and the corner outfield positions. In 2011 he finally got more playing time due to injuries to Lance Berkman and others. He definitely took advantage of it, hitting .315 with 11 homers in 219 plate appearances while being a hero in the playoffs, ultimately helping St. Louis win the World Series. Coming into this season, we all knew that Craig was naturally a great hitter and would see a lot of playing time. We also were excited because the Cardinals were finally sticking him at one position; first base. Craig went on to have a fantastic, under the radar, 2012 season, hitting 22 homers with 92 RBI in 514 plate appearances. Honestly, I can't say that I'm surprised because Craig put up similar numbers in the minor leagues, and if he puts up numbers like this for the rest of career I'm sure that the Cardinals' front office, and us fantasy owners, would be pleased. Obviously that is asking for a lot, and unfortunately for Craig I do not believe he will get any better. I envision him as a guy who can hit 20+ homers per season while driving in 90+ and maintaining a batting average around .310 or so, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Overall, Craig is a great hitter and as long as he's on the field, he is a force to be reckoned with. You should definitely consider drafting him next year as he is entering his prime and we know that he will be getting everyday playing time. Since he is so underrated, I wouldn't try to draft him early, so perhaps in the 6th or 7th round would be right (depending on how many teams are in your league.)