D-backs taking it slow with Drew: Diamondbacks SS Stephen Drew continues to do agility drills and working his way back from ankle surgery. "I would imagine we'll have to take it rather slowly with him in spring training," general manager Kevin Towers told the Arizona Republic. "I'm hopeful he'll play in some games in spring training. Will he play in our opening game? I don't know. I haven't laid eyes on him other than to see him on video doing some agility drills. We'll have a better idea probably at the end of February when the position players show up. I would imagine he may be in a little earlier than that." Drew suffered his injury back on July 20 sliding into home. There is still no telling whether Drew will be ready for spring training in a few weeks. "We're going to go to spring training, and I know that if I don't feel he's totally ready, I'll push to make sure that he's ready to go the way we want him to go," manager Kirk Gibson said on Friday. (Updated 02/03/2012)
Injury Report
Ankle, hernia - Questionable for start of spring training (Updated - 1/5/12)
Fantasy Analysis
Even though he doesn't know Drew's status, Gibson's not going push Drew. Arizona re-signed both Willie Bloomquist and John McDonald, giving them multiple options at shortstop, giving them options. "I don't think his swing and his bat are as big of a concern as planting, stopping, turning on bases," Towers said. "Those are the areas where he's probably really going to be tested. The challenges probably will be more in the field -- fielding and running." Fantasy owners should continue to monitor Drew's status moving forward. Consider him a late-round choice on Draft Day this spring. (Updated 02/03/2012).
01/27/2012 04:25 2012 Fantasy outlooks: Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona went from worst to first in 2011, but will the breakthrough performances that sent them to the playoffs return in 2012? Scott White dives into the Diamondbacks in a Fantasy team outlook.
Stephen Drew's season is likely to get a late start, as he is still recovering from ankle surgery that he had last July. With his season cut short at the halfway mark, Drew never had an opportunity to overcome a subpar first half. He lacked his usual power and a surging strikeout rate kept Drew's batting average down to a .252 mark. It's not clear why Drew was swinging and missing much more frequently in 2011, but coming into the season, he had a consistent record of displaying above-average contact skills. Drew hasn't panned out to be the .300 hitter he appeared to be in his 2006 rookie season nor the 20-homer threat that he briefly was in 2008, but he should bounce back with a higher batting average and double-digit home runs. Though he could easily miss the first few weeks of the season, Drew is still worth taking in the later rounds of standard mixed league drafts. (Updated 2/9/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
