Red Sox Fantasy Baseball 
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Septemer 13, 2011

The catcher position is generally forgotten in fantasy baseball. It is rare to find the Brian McCann and Buster Posey types in the waiver wire around this time. With such a low amount of relevant catchers in fantasy, It's likely that the one "Diamond in the Rough" is already gone.

However, if you're still looking for help from the catcher position, keep an eye on Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Only in his fourth season, Salty has shown his raw power this season hitting 16 homeruns and 51 RBI in only 320 at bats. His availability in over 90 percent of fantasy leagues is due to his plateau status with veteran catcher Jason Varitek. However, Varitek is in the final stages of his career while Salty is barely entering his prime. With no other obvious choice to challenge Salty for the starting gig, look for him to be the everyday starter at catcher for the Red Sox, sooner rather than later.

Grab him now and he will help in power numbers though keep in mind that those numbers won't be consistent because of his limited playing time. But also remember that you're picking up a potential top-tier catcher in fantasy for years to come.

For Red Sox fans, Salty is an extremely popular player. Until early 2011, there were unrelenting comments about the length of his name, with a 180-degree crescent of letters highly visible on the back of his jersey. Salty catches for ageless Tim Wakefield, the famous knuckle-baller, showcasing his mobility behind the plate. The initial Red Sox Nation expectation was that Salty would be a new Lou Merloni. Salty's recent power-hitting has been an awesome surprise. Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk is the last true power hitter for Boston in the catcher position.

— SV