Back in 2008, I was scratching, clawing, and doing everything I could to win my fantasy baseball league. That league was and still is a total points league and my buddy Odie and I were fighting it out to the end.
I was picking up guys like Ryan Raburn, Juan Uribe, and Mike Aviles. That’s how desperate I was to win. I actually won that year by one point and the real star for me down the stretch was Aviles.
Aviles has disappeared since the end of 2008
The New York native burst onto the scene for the Kansas City Royals in 2008, hitting .325 with 10 home runs, 27 doubles, and an .833 OPS in 102 games. Aviles hit .330 or better in June, July, and August. He wasn’t a slouch in September either as he hit .308 that month.
Despite not seeing a pitch he didn’t like (only 18 walks in 441 plate appearances), Aviles looked like he could be solid player for the Royals for years to come.
Fast forward more than a year later and that hasn’t happened as it seems like Aviles has fallen off the face of the earth.
The 2009 season was a disaster for Aviles. He got off to a .197 start in April and believe it or not, it actually got worse in May. The 28-year-old hit only .159 during the month and eventually found himself on the disabled list.
Aviles went on the DL with a forearm strain and was never heard from again. His forearm injury turned into an elbow injury, which ultimately resulted in Tommy John surgery in July.
Aviles is now rehabbing and is expected to rejoin the Royals in the middle of the season. He played a very solid shortstop defensively in 2008 (15.6 UZR), so hopefully he can return to form and end the Yuniesky Betancourt era in Kansas City.
Maybe I could pick up Aviles mid-season and he can lead me to another fantasy baseball title.
One can dream right?
You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg
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