If Derek Lee Gets Injured, Pick Up Micah Hoffpauir for Your Fantasy Team

If the Cubs' Derek Lee gets injured, think about picking up Micah Hoffpauir for your fantasy team. Micah Hoffpauir will be Lee's primary backup and should take over the starting spot if Lee goes down. This guy's a beast and many Cubs fans are already advocating that Hoffpauir take over for Lee anyway. If you're looking for cheap pickups for your fantasy team as the year goes by, keep an eye on Derek Lee's health. If Derek Lee gets injured, be sure to pounce on Micah Hoffpauir.

Micah Hoffpauir will get a lot of at bats
As a left-handed bat, Micah Hoffpauir will get a lot of playing time if Lee gets injured. Hoffpauir will be Lee's primary backup and should get nearly all the at bats against right-handed pitching. For your fantasy team, you need a guy who's going to get a lot of at bats. The Cubs will score a lot of runs this year, meaning many times batting through the lineup. Plus, Lou Piniella is going to run Micah Hoffpauir out there to see what he can do.

Micah Hoffpauir will hit a lot of home runs
Micah Hoffpauir hit 25 home runs in only 290 at bats last year for the Iowa Cubs, the Cubs' AAA team. When he came up to the Cubs late in the season, he hit .342. Additionally, Micah Hoffpauir has crushed the ball in spring training for the Cubs in 2008 and so far in 2009. If Derek Lee gets injured, Lou Piniella will park Hoffpauir in the middle of the lineup and let him do what he does best, hit home runs and drive in baserunners.

Once Derek Lee gets back from an injury, Micah Hoffpauir may not give him his job back
Like Ryan Howard when he took over for an injured Jim Thome, the same situation could happen if Derek Lee gets injured. Micah Hoffpauir gives the Cubs what they need anyway, power from the left-hand side. A left-handed bat is what the Cubs need come play-off time anyway. The league will see what Micah Hoffpauir can do if he gets the chance to play everyday. If this scenario plays out, as a fantasy team owner, you just got the steal of the year.

I think Micah Hoffpauir should be starting regardless of Derek Lee's situation, but the Cubs aren't going to go down that route right now. As a fantasy team owner, you can still take advantage of Micah Hoffpauir's skills if you follow the injury wire and pick him up if Derek Lee goes gets injured this year. Keep an eye, you'll be glad you did.