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Really? Andruw Jones? Really?

This is an article I didn't think I would write, certainly didn't want to write it, but I can't ignore what Andruw Jones is doing in Chicago.

Remember Jones on the Braves? Great fielder, great hitter, exciting, just a great player. Then the Dodgers got him for a bunch of money and he proceeded to go into the toilet. Completely abysmal. As a Dodger fan, I went from, 'Yes! We got Andruw Jones!' to 'What did we do? Just spent a load of money and got nothing.' Complete disappointment. Whatever happened to him from the Braves to the Dodgers seemed to have ended his career.

Not so fast my friend. The 33 year old outfielder is having a bit of a turnaround. So far this year, he is hitting .293, 6 HRs, 9 RBIs, and 3 SBs. I'm not sure he did that his entire time in L.A. If Jones is regaining some of his old form, he is a must watch and a potential waiver wire pickup that can pay off big time. He is owned in about 5% of leagues, so he is probably available for you. Shallow leagues need to watch and see if he keeps up these numbers (if so, then he becomes a must own in almost all formats), deep leagues should seriously consider picking him up and hope he is the old Andrew Jones again.

Why oh why could he have not done this for the Dodgers?

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Rangers Smoak To Get Call

The Texas Rangers will demote 1B Chris Davis to Triple-A Oklahoma City and recall prospect Justin Smoak.  Smoak is expected to start at first base.

This is a must pick up if he is available.  There is no guarantee that he will become a star day one, but he is the type of prospect he can strike gold and end up being a Fantasy All-Star in 2010.

The switch-hitter batted .300 with 2 home runs with 50 at bats thus far in 2010.

Sin City Scout

Prospect Watch: Xavier Paul

Xavier Paul - OF - Los Angeles Dodgers

Paul continues to play well in Triple-A Albuquerque (.386 with 3 home runs and stole 3 bases), but plays the one position the Dodgers simply do not need, unless Manny Ramirez goes down to an injury and hits the DL (which is likely at some point).  It does help that Juan Pierre has moved on, though the Dodgers replaced him with Garret Anderson, Paul could compete if he gets a chance.

Paul is 25-years-old and has played a full season of Triple-A baseball, so he is ready for the big leagues.  He has a nice combination of pop and speed that will please fantasy managers if and when he gets his chance.  He hit 28 doubles, 5 triples, 9 home runs and stole 17 bases with 443 at bats in 2008 and spent a lot of the 2009 season on the Dodger bench and the DL.  Thus far in 2010 he has hit 3 home runs and stole 3 bases while batting .386 with 39 at bats.

In the end we are looking at a .290, 10-15 home-run-hitting, 20-30 stolen base fantasy player if he gets the call.

Sin City Scout

Eye On: Mitch Talbot

A young pitcher with a few good starts under his belt. That describes the 26 year old Mitch Talbot, starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.

His first start for the Indians was against the Detroit Tigers and he wasn't great - 5 innings, 4 earned runs, 6 hits, 5 walks, 1 K. Since then, he has settled down nicely. His second start was against the White Sox - 9 innings, 1 earned run, 0 walks, and 2 Ks (and his first win). This was a very solid outing. Today (4/22) he pitched another nice game against the Twins - 6 innings, 0 earned runs, 3 walks, 3 Ks. The strike outs are not encouraging (7 total in 3 games) but he seems to be able to get guys out regardless. Not to be overlooked in this is that his first three starts have come against good teams. He is showing that he can pitch at this level.

It's early to run out and grab this guy in all formats, but he is worth keeping an eye on. In deep leagues, definitely consider him. The rest of you, watch and see how he progresses. If he can get a few more strike outs, that would give a nice increase to his value, but even as is, if he stays this solid, he is looking like he can help your team.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Prospect Watch: Brett Wallace

Brett Wallace - 1B/3B - Toronto

Wallace hit his 5th home run of the season in AAA Las Vegas and now leads the Pacific Coast League. He is batting .283 with his first 44 at bats of the young season.

Wallace has shown decent power in the past, but not to this extent, so we will have to see if he keeps it up. In 2009 AAA he hit 15 home runs and batted .282 with 425 at bats.

He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st-round (No. 13 overall) and was a key player along with Clayton Mortensen and Shane Peterson, to the Oakland A's for Matt Holliday.  He was subsequently traded to the Blue Jays for top prospect Michael Taylor.

Edwin Encarnacion did go to the DL with a sore shoulder, but Aaron Hill was activated from the DL and thus no call-up.  Nevertheless, if Lyle Overbay continues to struggle (.119, 0 HR's) Wallace could see a call up as early as May.

Sin City Scout

Kotchman's Bat Comes Alive

Seattle first basemen,  Casey Kotchman, has long been touted as a fantasy-starter-hopeful, but has failed season after season.

He has never had over 500 at bats in his career and has averaged just over 200 at bats a season, so injuries and lack of playing time definitely have to be factored in to his lack of success.

The good news is Kotchman is just 27-years-old and is finally getting a chance to be a full-time starter in Seattle and Seattle finally has a solid offense.

Don't expect a huge year by any means from Kotchman, but whether you pick him as a Rent-a-Vet, or as an AL-only starter, or as your backup first basemen, he can hold down the fort at first base by batting around .280 with 20 home runs if he can play a full season.

Sin City Scout
 

Rent-a-Vet: Juan Uribe

Veteran infielder, Juan Uribe is off to one of his best starts of his careerbatting .348 with 2 home runs, 11 RBI's, 9 runs and 1 stolen base.

He is currently slotted as the Giants starting second basemen, but could see time at shortstop and third base as the season goes.

Last year Uribe had solid season for the Giants batting .289 with 16 home runs, so it is possible he can stick on your team as a backup or a low-end starter.

Sin City Scout

The Amazin' Pelfrey

Last year I was excited about the New York Met pitching. I figured that when they added K-Rod, that the already talented (albeit raw) starters would put up some very nice numbers. Well, it didn't happen (except for Santana of course).

For this year, my expectations of Met pitching, were next to nothing. Outside of Santana, I didn't think any of the other starters were worth much of a look except maybe in deep, deep leagues, or in leagues where you get points for high ERAs and losses.

With all that said, there is a starter on the Mets who is looking good. In fact, he is looking down right great! It's Mike Pelfrey.

Now Pelfrey had the 'young up-and-comer' label along with many of his peers (Maine, Niese, etc.), but didn't do much last year. This year though, it is a very different story. He has started 2 games, pitched a total of 13 innings, given up only 2 runs, 4 walks, and 10 strike outs! Me likes. Oh yea, he also talked the manager in letting him pitch in the 20 inning game and he got the save.

Two games hardly makes him a great pitcher, but it is a good sign. Evidently he started throwing a split finger fastball and this new pitch is what has improved his outings. Time will tell for sure, but he is now worth a look in moderately deep formats. He should be available as he is owned in just over 5% of leagues.

After the last few years, the Mets can use some good news. Mike Pelfrey's performance so far is the best news they have had in a long awhile.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Jose Guillen: Fantasy Stud!

There are different reasons why a player is underrated. One of the main reasons is injury. A guy is real good, but doesn't play consistently enough to really show you his skills. Jose Guillen, OF, KC Royals, falls in this category. I have had him on my fantasy teams past and had mixed feelings. When he was healthy and played, he would put up solid numbers (from a guy I picked late in the draft or off of waivers), but when hurt (fairly often), he would struggle at the plate or miss time altogether. The up and down was frustrating.

Well, Jose Guillen is up now. He is healthy and swinging a mighty bat. Through his first 9 games, he is hitting .361, 5 HRs, and 9 RBIs. In my H2H points league, he is in the top 5 for point getters for all hitters! Yes, a fantasy stud! And of course, he is on the waiver wire.

Let's be real for a moment. Guillen will not be a top 5 point person in my H2H league at the end of the year. He won't be top 5 even among just outfielders. What will he be? He will likely be a .275 hitter with 25-30 HRs (based on his history). Well, that's not bad, but that's not great either. Correct. What we are probably looking at here is a rental type player, or a spot starter. Guillen has always been kinda streaky. Right now he is on a great streak and it's worth playing him until the streak fades. The only question at that point is whether or not to keep him for his next streak or drop him. Honestly, if you drop him, he will probably be available on waivers for his next hitting streak.

One last thing. The unknown. Sometimes a guy comes out of nowhere to put up a great year. A good start doesn't mean that will happen, but it is a start. Jose Guillen has talent, even at 33 years old. Maybe he has a last hurrah in store before his declining baseball years.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Rent-A-Vet: Alex Gonzalez

Seems early to be talking about 'renting' a player, but what Alex Gonzalez is doing so far cannot be ignored.

The 33 year old Toronto shortstop has 4 HRs already (1 behind the league lead). Combined with 4 doubles, a stolen base, and a .333 AVG makes him a nice guy to rent.

This 'rental' could end up being more. Gonzalez has shown some flashes throughout his career of having a good bat, but his real issues have always been with his health. As long as he is healthy he could be a nice option at SS. However, he hasn't been able to stay healthy for years. Time will tell.

What can we expect? Assuming a healthy year, we could be looking at a .280 AVG, 20+ HRs (but really, way to early for this). Regardless of where he will end up at the end of the year, he's healthy now and hitting good (and available in over 80% of leagues). Consider him an early rental with a little upside.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Rent-A-Vet: Julio Lugo

"So anyways, I was standing there waiting to use the pay phone and this guy who was on the phone, turns around and tips his hat like this."

"And who do you think that guy was?"

 Julio Lugo and  I was like, "JULIO."

Julio Lugo is relevant once again, how you say. Well in a late spring move the Orioles acquired the former Red Sox and now Cardinals cast off for a bucket of balls. The trade made some sense with Brian Roberts back issues and only Ty Wiggington on the roster to fill in at second if needed, the O's needed and upgrade and Lugo was just that.

Well look now Roberts has been formally placed on the D.L. and Julio Lugo is your starting second baseman in Baltimore. For how long, who knows Roberts did just have an epidural for his back so this could be an ongoing issue.

Now back to Lugo, believe it or not he had a very solid year in 2009 putting up a .284 avg 40 runs 3 HR 21 RBI and 9 SB. He wont help in the power numbers and it looks like the speed numbers are on a drastic decline, but he should be able to score some runs and hit for a decent avg. You could find a lot worse if you are a Brian Roberts owner.

Pick up Lugo for the short term he could surprise you.

The Bay State Scout
(Bay_state_scout@comcast.net)

Number 5 is Alive!

For all of you in deeper leagues, there are a couple of number 5 starters to look at.

Charlie Haeger, L.A. Dodgers: When a pitcher fans 12 batters, you have to give at least a little attention. Well, Haeger struck out 12 Marlins in 6 innings with his knuckleball! He also gave up 3 runs and 4 walks (all in all, a quality start). He is not known to strike out batters at the pace he showed on Sunday, so temper some of those expectations. He plays in a nice pitchers park, a team that has an above average (if not good) offense, in a division that is not terribly strong. All of this gives Haeger the potential for double digit wins. Owned in less then 1% of leagues, he should be available.

Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds: Leake has no minor league experience. None. He went straight from college to spring training and won a spot (over Chapman no less). Not many have done this, but Leake has been given a shot. In his first start he only gave up 1 run and struck out 5 in 6.2 innings. Sounds good. However, he also walked 7 batters. Yep, 7. Amazing that he only gave up 1 run! Still, you have to imagine the guy was battling some nerves. All in all, we're not sure yet what we will get with Leake, but again, a number five starter available in about 98% of leagues.

BONUS: Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals: I've mentioned him before. He's good. In his first start he went 6 innings, 5 Ks, 1 earned run, 3 BB, and got the win. He's still available in 99% of leagues. If your league has any depth at all, grab him now.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Casey At Bat

Alright, go ahead and 'booo' me over the title. It's pretty bad, but just too easy.

Casey McGehee is the third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers. The 27 year old had a nice breakout season last year. He batted a .301 AVG, 16 HR, 66 RBI, and 58 Runs (in 116 games). Solid. What makes him more then just another third baseman is that he is second base eligible in most leagues. I wrote about Gordan Beckham and how his second base eligibility (soon) raises his value, same with McGehee.

Although he had a bad spring, he's performing now that it counts. The Brewers have a decent hitting team (Braun, Fielder), so this give McGehee that much more value. If we start with last years stats, we would walk away with a nice second baseman. The fact that he can improve those numbers is exciting. If he continues to hit (5/11, 1 HR, 3 RBIs so far), he'll make a great sleeper. I like him for a .300 AVG, 25 HR, 80 RBIs, and 70 Runs. Not bad at all for a potential waiver wire pickup! Also, being born in my hometown of Santa Cruz, CA, just makes him all the more appealing.

Second base is starting to look a little deeper then I originally thought heading into the year. McGehee is one of the reasons for that. He is available in more then 50% of leagues, but that number is dwindling.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Grab You Some S-Rod

Reid Brignac won the 'rookie of spring training' award for the Rays. Good for him. However, his primary competition is starting over him. Sean Rodriguez is the starting second baseman on the opening day roster. This is a little sooner then most thought (myself included).

Don't the Rays already have a second baseman? Yes. In fact, they have at least 3 guys who can play the position, and play it well. Ben Zobrist (who had a break out year last year) can and will play some 2B, but will also see a lot of RF to allow others to step up. Reid Brignac can play 2B and likely will get some playing time (at the very least as an infield utility guy). Last, we have the above mentioned starting 2B, Sean Rodriguez.

Why pick him up? First, the Rays have shown a great ability to groom young players. Second, as good as Brignac's spring was, Rodriguez's was better. .420 AVG, 15 RBIs, 6 HRs. Third, he already has the 'S-Rod' nickname catching on.

Good development, good hitter, good defender, good team, good pickup for you! Rodriguez has a chance to be one of the better sleepers of the year. Should be available in about 90% of leagues, but probably not for too long.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Spring Training Updates: Pitchers

Gio Gonzalez - A's
Stats: 1-2 - 2.96 ERA - 25 K's - 24.1 IP.
Outlook: The big prospect didn't do much in 2009, but he did post 109 K's with 98.2 IP.  He has the makings of a very good fantasy starting pitcher, but is still young and still pitches for the A's.

Francisco Liriano - Twins
Stats: 2-0 - 2.70 - 30 K's - 20 IP.
Outlook: He has been brilliant as a starter and talk still swirls about him closing.  Either Liriano may be back to his stud-self and you may want to try and swing a trade for him before the season starts.

Chris Young - Padres
Stats: 2-2 - 3.32 - 21.2 K's - 22 IP.
Outlook: He is a forgotten pitcher by many, but could be a nice veteran fantasy starter.  Plays in a pitchers park, gets K's and he looks healthy.

Dana Eveland - Blue Jays
Stats: 0-1 - 1.80 ERA - 21 K's - 25 IP.
Outlook: He struggled in 2009 after a solid rookie 2008 debut. He was one of the players acquired in the Dan Haren trade, so he has talent.  He is one to keep an eye on in deep leagues or AL-only for now.

Fausto Carmona - Indians
Stats: 3-0 - 1.38 - 12 K's - 26 IP.
Outlook: He has been a bum since winning 19 in 2007, but he looked sharp in Spring Training and is worth a shot if you need to fill in your last SP slot.  FYI: He is not much of a K-pitcher.

Ian Kennedy - Diamondbacks
Stats: 3-1 - 2.88 ERA - 17 K's - 25 IP.
Outlook: The one-time Yankee prospect is looking good for the D'backs and will be in the rotation.

Wade LeBlanc - Padres
Stats: 4-0 - 1.96 ERA - 17 K's - 23 IP.
Outlook: He played well after his call-up in 2009 and has kept it up in Spring Training. Padre pitchers are worth picking up and taken a shot at to improve you ERA and WHIP if he can get into the rotation at some point in 2010. 

Mat Latos - Padres
Stats: 3-0 - 1.59 ERA - 14 K's - 17 IP.
Outlook: Unlike LeBlanc, he is in the Padre starting rotation.  He played solid as a rookie in 2009 and maintains a solid K/9-ratio and that is enough to make as a low-end fantasy starter.

Spring Training Updates: Hitters

Mike Aviles - SS - Royals
Stats: .460 - 0 HR's - 5 triples - 50 at bats.
Outlook: He looks like the same Aviles that had fantasy owners excited in 2009.  He has yet to show his pop, but he is worth a last roster spot.

Julio Borbon - OF - Rangers
Stats: .314 - 1 HR - 3 SB's - 86 at bats.
Outlook: He looks to start centerfield and leadoff for the Rangers.

Chris Davis - 1B/3B - Rangers
Stats: .364 - 2 HR's - 22 K's - 77 at bats.
Outlook: He continues to improve his hitting and cutting down his K's.  This looks like the breakout year for Davis.

John Bowker - 1B - Giants
Stats: .310 - 5 HR's - 75 at bats.
Outlook: He is currently a backup in LF and at 1B.  He could take over for often-injured Aubrey Huff. He is ready for the Bigs either way.

Carlos Gomez - OF - Brewers
Stats: .300 - 0 HR's - 11 SB's - 70 at bats.
Outlook: He has been just about everything the Brewers wanted, though some power is expected.  The one-time big prospect should be back on the radar, especially if you need SB's.

Chris Johnson - 3B - Astros
Stats: .317- 7 HR's - 60 at bats.
Outlook: He looks like he will make the roster, unless the Astros decide to send him down to get at bats, but with Pedro Feliz at 3B and Geoff Blum at 1B, Johnson has a shot to start by seasons-end.

Sean Rodriguez - 2B/OF - Rays
Stats: .460 - 6 HR's - 63 at bats.
Outlook: He will make the roster, but will not likely start...yet.  He showed tremendous power in the minors as well as in Spring Training.

Tyler Colvin - OF - Cubs
Stats: .468 - 2 HR's - 2 SB's - 77 at bats.
Outlook: The former #1 pick had a huge spring and won a spot on the roster.  He will have to wait for injury or major slump to start, but keep on eye on him.

Kyle Banks - OF - Padres
Stats: .407- 3 HR's - 59 at bats.
Outlook: The big prospect had a great spring and will start in LF and possibly bat clean up.

Secret Second

Second Base has been a weak position for a few years now. Yes, there are some good players, but the difference from tier 1 to tier 2 seems pretty big. Generally you draft a second baseman in the first couple of rounds or the last couple of rounds. But wait, there is a guy who can perform like a high end pick that can be had in middle rounds.

His name is Gordan Beckham, second base, Chicago White Sox. Wait, in my league he is listed as a third baseman, not second. Correct. At this moment, he is only eligible at 3B, but his position for the White Sox this year will be 2B. So within a week or two, he will be 2B eligible. This little fact is why you can get him on the cheap. This is why he is a 'Secret Second'.

You see, as a third baseman, he is average. He would not be a top pick, but would make someones fantasy team in most formats. But average 3B numbers translate to pretty good 2B numbers.

Wait, there's more! He's only 23 and has upside. In 2009, he played in 103 games as a rookie. He put up a .270 AVG, 14 HR, 63 RBIs, and 7 SBs. He can increase all of those this year. That would move him up the third base rankings, but will rocket him up the second base rankings!

In my AL only league, I picked him up in during the middle rounds. I already had two third basemans, but with his 2B eligibility coming soon, he will boost that position.

If you haven't had your draft (ummm, better do it soon) then target him for your 2B position in the middle rounds and watch the good stats roll in. If your draft is over, consider getting him in a trade. You might be able to pull off a good deal, as he is only 3B eligible right now. The moment he grabs 2B eligibility, his price should go up.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Reminder - Jaime Garcia

Well, it's finally official. Jaime Garcia has been named the 5th starter for the St. Louis Cardinals. The choice for the spot was between Garcia and Kyle McClellan. With this announcement, McClellan is bullpen bound. In my opening article for the season, I advised watching this race. So now I'm reminding you again now that the race is over. Go grab Garcia.

Why the attention for a #5 starter? A young pitcher for a good team with good defense. Nice combo. Consider, Garcia was the last person the Cardinals wanted to win the job, not because he's not good, but because of his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Being that they chose him anyway, means he really impressed them. Also, he is adaptable. Huh? Garcia can strike people out (almost a batter per inning), but when conditions/situations call for it, he can get the ground ball outs. Yes, his 'A Game' is good, but so is his 'B Game'. Lastly, the proof is there in his spring numbers: 18.2 innings, 4 Earned Runs, 5 Walks, and 16 Ks.

Being that Garcia is still recovering, you must consider that he will probably have an innings limit. This could hurt at the end of the year, but it should be a nice ride until then. I like his upside and believes he should have a spot in leagues that are at least of average depth. Should be a nice late pick with big upside potential. Keeper leagues should value him a little more.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Tout Wars Style League

I am participating in a tout wars style auction league run by Fantasy Baseball Trade Market. This league has writers from multiple sites competing in it and I am going to make sure to keep everyone involved as I go through this season.

First thing, for those who don't know the tout wars scoring system here it is.

Standard rotisserie scoring with your basic 5X5 categories runs, RBI, steals, HR, AVG, wins, saves, K's, WHIP, and ERA. we had 260 dollars for the draft and will have a 100 dollar free agent budget to fill out a 28 man roster. starting roster is 2 C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, MI, CI, 5 OF, UTL, and 9 P.

Well, the draft was interesting it took 4 hours to complete and it was obvious early that bidding was a little high. My goal originally was to land at least one of the big boppers Hanley or Pujols but this plan quickly dissolved.

Once my plan had crumbled I changed direction and decided to spend the big bucks on Lincecum $38 and Halladay $37 which should give me a nice edge in the pitching categories. I now needed to try and piece together an offense with duck tape and sticks, which sucked but I was pleased with the results.

My roster:

Bay state scout (PFB)

C. Chris iannetta $3

C. Jorge Posada $4

1B. Billy Butler $20

2B. Scott Sizemore $3

3B. Aramis Ramirez $15

SS. Derek Jeter $21

CI. Carlos Pena $14

MI. Elvis Andrus $10

Of. Jacoby Ellsbury $27

Of. Alex Rios $15

Of. Matt Laporta $6

Of. Chris Coghlan $6

Of. Raul Ibanez $10

UTL. Hedeki Matsui $1

P. Tim Lincecum $38

P. Roy Halladay $37

P. James Shields $6

P. Carlos Zambrano $3

P. Roy Oswalt $2

P. Jeff Nieman $1

P. Ervin Santana $1

P. Matt Capps $1

P. Jose Valverde $8

BN. Conor Jackson $1

BN. Nick Johnson $4

BN. Kelly Johnson $1

BN. CJ Wilson $1

BN. Joel Pinero $1

Overall I am pretty balanced on offense with high average guys Jeter and Ramirez and 20 home run caliber players Butler and Rios nice sprinkle of speed with Andrus and Ellsbury leading the way. My weaknesses are most definitely saves and I would say RBI but I think I should be very competitive with this team as is. If I am able to pull off a couple solid deals I think I could win this thing but only time will tell.

I will update what is going on for me as I represent the PFB in this league. I will do a weekly article to fill everyone in on my free agent moves and possible trades and keep you all informed of my position in the standings.

Bay State Scout

(bay_state_scout@comcast.net)

Sleeper Ace - Part 2

Jake Westbrook, SP, Cleveland Indians, did not throw a pitch last year in the majors. Tommy John surgery will do that to you. But now over a year and a half has gone by since the surgery and Westbrook is ready to go.

What can we expect? Well, before surgery he was a 15 win guy, his ERA was around 4.00 (some years better, some worse), and he struck out about 1 batter every 2 innings. I think Westbrook can keep his ERA around 4.00, the strikeouts will probably be around the same clip, but the wins is where we might see a little dip. Cleveland is not bad, but they were a little better when Westbrook was last pitching. Still, I'm seeing value.

Westbrook looks to be the opening day starter (Staff 'Ace'), which cuts both ways: On one hand, it shows that the Indians like what they see (plus Westbrook says he is feeling good). On the other hand, as the opening day starter, it is going to pit him against all the other teams aces. This could end up with him having a few losses out of the gate until the rotations start to mix.

In any event, I like Westbrook as a late round sleeper in H2H point leagues and a potential waiver wire pickup in deep roto leagues. When healthy, he is a workhorse (200+ innings), and he could do that this year. The team around him is not bad, but the division is competitive. I like him for 13 Wins, 4.10 ERA, and around 100 Ks. I also believe that the more he pitches, the stronger he will get. So if he is available after the draft, watch his starts closely. He is not a top tier starter, but could absolutely give some value to your fantasy team in deeper leagues.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Heyward Earns Starting Gig

Scout Hoffman (@hoffybiesbol) www.Profantasybaseball.com seniorbeisbol@gmail.com Today there was news out of the Atlanta Braves camp that top prospect Jason Heyward will start the year as the everyday rightfielder. Heyward is a top prospect that has a very bright future. Standing 6'4, 240, he certainly looks the part. Drafted in the first round, 14th overall, in the 2007 he certainly has the pedigree, but will he be relevant in fantasy circles this year? Hewyard has spent the last two years burning through the Braves' system, delivering five category goodness. In less than 900 ABs, he has a line of .318 AVG/164 R/29 HR/125 RBI/26 SB. There is no reason not to see 30/30 upside in him... someday. Some scouts are calling him a 'once in a decade' talent, or the next Justin Upton. While those expectations could be proven true, keep in mind Heyward is only 20 years old. Before you go drafting Heyward in the first round, be sure to take a look at the history books. Only five players have ever driven in 100 runs at age 20, five have had more than 200 hits, six have hit more than 25 homers, and only ten have scored over 100 runs. I fully expect Heyward to become a top pick in the next few years, but temper those expectations for this year. I see him having a year similar to Justin Upton at age 20, but with a few more steals and a full seasons worth of ABs. .274 AVG/79R/18 HR/77 RBI/14 SB seems to be a reasonable expectation. His 219 ADP will likely go down now that he is assured to start the year with the big club, but unless you are playing in a keeper league, be sure not to reach to early for this young star. He is a decent OF3 or an above average OF4.

B.H.L. - Matt Harrison

Big, hard throwing, and a lefty. This is a basic criteria that teams like to see in a pitcher. Clearly, not everyone who meet this criteria works out, but it's a nice place to start. With this in mind, let's answer a couple of questions about Texas pitcher, Matt Harrison.

First, is he big? Yes. AT 6'4" and 240, that would qualify him in my book as big.

Second, is he hard throwing? This spring he has reached 97 on the gun. So again, yes.

Third, is he a lefty? Being that he throws the ball with his left hand, the answer is yes.

Fourth, will he be worth anything to my fantasy team? This is the difficult question. Last year he wasn't so hot (I'm being nice). He started 11 games, had a 6.11 ERA, and 34 Ks in 63 innings. Nothing of interest here. However, he was only 23 years old. So why look at him now? Well, this spring he has been fantastic. So far this spring, Harrison has pitched 9 innings, given up 2 runs, and has 10 Ks to only 1 walk. Very nice. Being that he is only 24, maybe he's turned the corner. After all, he does meet the initial criteria we talked about. So to answer the fourth question, yes, he will be worth something to your fantasy team (or at least he can be worth something).

Last, where should I draft him? Here is the beauty part. You ask people who Matt Harrison is and you will get blank stares. No one knows him (not that he has given anyone much reason to know him), so he should be available late in your draft. With a nice fastball, and some good strikeout number (not to mention pitching for a strong offensive team), he could be a nice sleeper. The one problem with Harrison is that if he pitches poorly, then Tommy Hunter will take his spot as soon as Hunter returns from his injury. Harrison will probably have to pitch well to keep his place in the rotation. With all that said though, we are still looking at a low risk/high reward type player.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Sleeper Ace - Part 1

Every year we have pitchers who are coming back from Tommy John elbow surgery. The question always is, how good will they be? Some come back strong, others fade. Let's take a look at Shaun Marcum, SP, Toronto Blue Jays.

Shaun Marcum had Tommy John surgery in 2008. He did not pitch at all in 2009 as he was recovering. Now recovered, what will we get? To find out (no one knows for sure, but let's speculate a little), we need to look at a few things:

First, how good was he before surgery? In 2007, his first full year in the majors, he put up a 4.13 ERA, 12 wins (6 losses), and 122 Ks in 159 innings. Not bad at all for a young pitcher in his first full season. In 2008, before he got hurt, he had a 3.95 ERA, 123 Ks, in 151 innings. Nice improvement. All in all, he was a good pitcher with all signs pointing to him getting better as he gained experience/maturity.

Second, how old is he? Marcum is 28. His young age is a huge positive as there is a difference between a 35 year old coming back from TJ surgery and a 20 something. At this age, Marcum can recover fully from the surgery and have time to get to where he was and beyond.

Lastly, how does the team view him? It was announced on Monday that Marcum was going to be the opening day starter. They must view him as healthy and pitching well. I guess they like that he has only given up one hit in 5 innings so far this spring. To be fair, they have a fairly inexperienced staff, so Marcum, with his experience before his injury, has a leg up. Still it's a good sign.

So when we put this all together, what do we get? We get a nice pitcher that won't be targeted very much on draft day. Yes a sleeper ace. When a guy disappears for a year (due to injury or whatever) he drops off of a lot people's radar. That is going to be the case with Marcum. But, now that he's healthy, he should not be overlooked. He has shown that when he is healthy, he can pitch very well in the majors. I think a 4.00 ERA. 130 Ks, and double digit wins is well within reason for him this year. Remember, it's picks like this, late in the draft, that really make or break a fantasy team.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Early Draft Reaches

Scout Hoffman (@hoffybeisbol) www.profantasybaseball.com seniorbeisbol@gmail.com Take a look at any draft and you will find a fair amount of reaches and steals. When you look back on your draft it is okay to have a reach or two on your roster, but you would much rather have more steals than reaches. A reach is when a player is drafted much earlier than his value would suggest he should be. There are occasions when reaching for a player is not a bad thing or cannot be avoided. If you are stuck on the turn (last or first pick) of a serpentine draft you will probably have to reach a few times to avoid being left out of a run on a certain position. Certain keeper leagues are okay to reach in as well. If your league has restraints on who you can keep (i.e, top players cannot be kept, or players are kept in the round they are drafted in for next year) you may want to reach for a young player on the upswing later on in your draft. As with any fantasy advice, it will not apply to every league. Look at your league settings, and know your leaguemates before heeding any advice. I will take a look at some draft reaches today, and follow that up with some players you might be able to steal in your draft later this week. Jimmy Rollins (ADP - 20) / J-Roll has seen his average drop nearly .50 over the past two seasons and his steals last year dipped to a five season low of 31. Rollins turns 32 this year and by no means is washed up, but I no longer see him as a second round pick. Being in the Philadelphia lineup will help conserve a chunk of his value. Last year he had the lowest OBP (.296) of any player who scored 100 runs (fun fact, the second lowest belongs to teammate Shane Victorino). He should still deliver a solid across the board line, but there are much better options as a number two pick. Jason Bay (ADP - 26) / Jason Bay blossomed in his 200 game stint with Boston. Unfortunately for Sox fans and Bay owners, he no longer has the Green Monster to take aim at summer long. This year Bay will be roaming the spacious outfield in New York's CITI field and because of this, Bay's power numbers will likely take a hit. In 2009 Bay was in the middle of a lineup that was third in the league in runs scored and outscored the Mets by over 200 runs. With Reyes and Beltran iffy for the beginning of the season it would be a stretch to assume Bay will come close to the 103/36/119 stat line from last year. With numbers closer to 90/25/95/.265/9 Bay does not stick out in a talent rich outfield class this year and certainly does not warrant a third round pick. Manny Ramirez (ADP - 61) / Which Manny are you going to get, the pre-steroid bust masher averaging an HR every 13.4 ABs or the cheater who averaged an HR every 23.1 ABs? Guess which owner is going to use a 6th or 7th round pick to find out? Not me. There is too much baggage and too many unanswered questions surrounding a guy who has talked about retirement, playing in Japan, and playing for five more years in LA all in the past month. When he is on and interested he is one of the best hitters in the game, but the early rounds of a draft are not a time to take major gambles. Pass on Manny and let some other owner deal with a summer of 'Manny being Manny.' Later this week I will discuss a few late round steals that may help you in your upcoming draft.

What You Know: Rick Porcello

My dad told me a story one time about how he was taken out to a fancy restaurant for a business dinner. My dad, not accustom to eating at fancy restaurants, figured he would order something he never had before, you know, something fancy. So he looked over the menu and decided on the squab. When the meal arrived, my dad looked down at his plate and disappointingly saw just one very small cooked bird. He ate it, it was good, but he was still really hungry as the portion was so small. He looked to the guy next to him (who had ordered a thick steak) and the guy, understanding my dad's predicament, leaned over and told my dad, 'Next time, go with what you know.'

Going with what you know can keep you from a bad decision. This is how I feel when I think of Rick Porcello, SP, Detroit Tigers. You know what you are going to get, a good pitcher.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun here as he is only 21, with just one year of big league experience. But, as a 20 year old rookie, he held his own. He had a sub 4.00 ERA, 14 wins and 89 Ks. On top of that, as the season went on, he got stronger. In spring training, he has picked up where he left off - being solid.

Draft charts (mixed league) have Porcello around the 50 spot as to where he ranks with other pitchers. I disagree. Although he is NOT an elite pitcher, what he gives is very valuable. He is a guy who is already good and will probably just improve on his numbers from last year. This makes him a solid pitcher with upside (hopefully in the strikeout department). He will not hurt your roto league team, and the consistency he gives is awesome in a points league. There is a comfort factor with Porcello as you already know he will not be a bust. I put him around the 35 mark in my pitcher rankings.

Now, you may choose to order the fancy, unknown dish, a pitcher with good upside but also some downside (Carlos Zambrano, Ervin Santana, Jorge De La Rosa are examples that are ranked higher or around Porcello). And you may end up with a good choice. But they may also end up leaving you hungry. I say, go with what you know, go with Porcello. He may not 'Wow' you, but you know you are getting a good meal that will leave you satisfied.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Padre Power: Kyle Blanks

I am very disappointed that I haven't heard much about this player until recently. His potential is awesome!

Kyle Blanks looks to be the starting left fielder for the San Diego Padres. He is viewed though as the eventual replacement at first for Adrian Gonzalez (whom everyone assumes will be traded soon). Normally, you don't replace a guy like Gonzalez, he's just too good, but Blanks may actually succeed. Blanks swings a power bat and has shown the potential of a .300 AVG. Power and AVG? Yea, I like it too.

Last year, Blanks played in 54 games. He accumulated a .250 AVG, 10 HR, and 22 RBI during that stretch. Not great, but not bad. However, his minor league record has him batting a consistent .300+. Also, at 6'6" and 285, he has power to spare. 30-40 HR this year is my prediction. One other thing, he has pretty cool hair.

Granted, there are a lot of up and comers in the outfield this year, but few carry the power that Blanks boasts. As a full time player this season he should out perform most rookies and quite a few established player. Bonus, Blanks should be available during the later portion of your draft. I just picked him up in my keeper league (surprised he was available - really, why don't I know more about this kid). I suggest you do the same.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Don't Call Me 'Matt' Latos

Although I think his name needs another 'T', Mat Latos is starting to win me over. Latos is a candidate for the San Diego Padres starting rotation. This 22 year old, 6'6", 225 pound right hander seems to be close to locking up a starting job.

Latos has the 'stuff' to be a good if not great pitcher. My favorite thing that I have heard about him is that he throws around 97 and doesn't miss his targets. The phrase 'finesse pitcher' was used with him, but I don't know any finesse pitchers that throw high 90's. Tom Glavin (best finesse pitcher I've ever seen) would have been a 400 game winner if he threw that hard! Anyway, Latos is young, talented, and plays in the best pitcher's park in baseball. There is a lot to like here. So far this spring, he has pitched 9 innings, has 6 Ks, and has given up only 2 runs. A good start for sure.

What about the bad? Well, he is on a team that probably won't score too many runs. His wins won't necessarily reflect his talent. Also, at 22 years old he will probably be given an innings limit. More then likely he will lose starts at the end of the year. If you own him (and it's not a keeper league) look to trade him later in the season. Also, you can't ignore that in his 10 starts last year, he had 4 wins and 5 losses, a 4.62 ERA. Not great numbers, but hey, he's young. He did have 39 Ks in those 50 innings - respectable.

You have to imagine that he will improve this year. He likely will not reach his full potential, but can be a solid starter. I like him as a flier in mixed formats, and as a nice sleeper in NL only formats. Keeper leagues should give him a good look and probably a bench spot if you have one.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Dark Horse Rising - Alfredo Aceves

When talking about the 5th starter for the New York Yankees, you generally are talking about Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes (with a dash of Chad Gaudin). But a new wrinkle has appeared. That wrinkle is Alfredo Aceves (please, no pasta jokes).

Aceves has been a good bullpen guy for the past two years. Before that though, he was a starter (not in MLB). Coming in to spring training Aceves was not resolved to go back to the bullpen, he is fighting for that 5th spot. Personally, I didn't give him a chance. I was sure it would be Joba or Hughes. However, Aceves has pitched head and shoulders above any of the other candidates.

It's still early, but you can't ignore what the 27 year old, right hander, has done (and what the others have NOT done). Alfredo Aceves has faced 30 batters so far and have retired 27 of them. He has given up 1 HR and 2 singles. That's it. The other candidates seem to giving up those hits and HRs every inning (been a rough spring training so far).

So what do we do with this info? Honestly, I think the cards are stacked against Aceves. The disparity between his stats and the others would need to remain as they are for the Yanks to really have him as the 5th starter. It can be done, but we'll see. If he ends up in the bullpen, then that probably won't help your fantasy team too much, or at all. If he ends up as a starter, well then we must take notice. Whereas you would need to take a Joba or a Hughes higher then you would like in a draft (which I do not recommend), Aceves should be available late. He is worth a late round pick/flier. If he makes starter, you have yourself a nice value for a low pick. If he ends up in the bullpen, you didn't give up much. I say take a chance on this dark horse.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Joba the 'What' (Yet Again)?

By Scout Monkey, http://www.profantasybaseball.com/

New year, same argument. What is Joba Chamberlain? Is he a relief pitcher/future closer or a starter? This debate continues to rage in New York state (my current home) and around baseball.

The arguments for both sides are simple:

He's a reliever - His body of work as a reliever is stellar. He has shown to be one of the best setup men in baseball and should take over when Mo finally retires. His body of work as a starter is average, not bad, but not great. (Not that it matters, but I agree with this argument)

He's a starter - Why take a guy with this much talent and limit him to one inning? Relief pitchers are easier to come by then starters. He may not be the ace of the Yankees, but he doesn't have to be. He's a solid starter and with potential to get much better.

Regardless of how you or I feel, the problem is that this issue is not resolved, not even close. With Phil Hughes and Chad Gaudin still pitching for the Yanks, the question will linger for most of spring training, if not beyond. Your draft is probably coming up soon, and no one knows for sure what we are going to get with Joba - a starting pitcher for one of the best teams in baseball, or a reliever. Depending on your league, one of those could be good while the other a waste.

I say leave this headache for someone else. I'm not against gambling with picks, but this gamble doesn't make sense to me. Unless he is available very late, and you have a deep bench, avoid him. If he becomes a reliever (oh by the way, his first spring start was awful), he will have little value in most leagues. If he becomes a starter (best case scenario for fantasy) he has shown himself to be average. By average I mean, sporadic. He has had great outings (which is the potential that people keep talking about) but he has also had terrible outings. Put the good with the bad, and you get average. Why gamble on a pick to get an average player?

Again, unless he is there very late, avoid him. There are plenty of pitchers with upside that will start this year that should be picked instead of Joba.

Joba the 'What'? How about Joba the 'Not on Your Team'!

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Catching Some Rays - Leslie Anderson

Leslie Anderson is another Cuban ball player that should have an impact in the majors this year, and he has just signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. Like his fellow countryman Jose Julio Ruiz (who is also being scouted for the majors), Anderson can play both 1B and OF. His defensive skills are excellent and he would be a stellar defensive first baseman, but being of average power, he would be a better fit in center or left field.

Anderson is 27 years old, which means he is not the typical major league prospect. He has already shown that he can play ball at a high level. Last year, this lefty batted .381 (not a typo) with an OBP of .490. Now that wasn't against MLB pitching, but in his defense, Cuba has some talented pitchers. Being that he has this much experience, it is not out of the question for him to break camp as an everyday starter. I would imagine that some AAA time would be a good thing, but even if he is sent down, it shouldn't be for too long. Overall, I see him as a Bobby Abreu type hitter - solid in all aspects, a difficult out.

When it comes to where to draft Leslie Anderson, it has to be in later rounds. As much as I like the potential here (I think the Abreu comparison is real), you have to temper expectations for the adjustment to the major league. Keep an eye on what position he will play as that will determine his value some too. He will be more valuable as an outfielder then a first baseman. It's possible that he will go undrafted in all but the deeper leagues, but he should be contributing on someones fantasy team before the year is out, likely before the ASB. If you choose not to draft him, be ready to grab him at this first signs that he has adjusted to the bigs.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Following Kendry - Brandon Wood

A talked about prospect who hasn't put it together in the bigs yet. That sentence could be used for a lot of players. Last year, that was what could have been said (and no doubt was) for Kendry Morales, 1B, Angels. He finally lived up to the hype and became a stud in fantasy. Yes, there are better 1B then Morales, but that list got dramatically shorter. And how good was it for you who grabbed him late or off the waiver wire? This year, we have someone on the same team who could do the same thing. Brandon Wood.

Brandon Wood has been the future SS or 3B for the Angels for what feels like many years now. Well, the future is now, barring injury or a terrible spring, he will be the starting 3B this year. Third base, like first base, is a position that demands attention in fantasy sports. These are positions that teams count on for production. So any starting player at these positions, even unknowns, should be watched closely. Wood, however, is not a complete unknown.

Wood's minor league stats shows great talent, with a good AVG (.280+), and above average power (30 HR potential). But in his 224 big league at-bats over the last 3 years he has only managed a .192 AVG, 7 HR, and 19 RBIs - not very exciting. But his playing time was sporadic at best, not the way to get into a groove. Being an everyday player, he has the potential to start to put it together and be the guy the Angels have been looking for. Which is exactly what happened with Morales last year.

Having two guys breakout in a big way, in back to back years, is unlikely, but not impossible. Even if Wood doesn't reach his full potential, he can still have good value as a late round pick (It's worth noting that Woods has already gone deep in spring training). He's not worth overpaying for, but is worth a bench spot in moderately deep leagues. These are the type of guys that can make your fantasy year - a late pick that produces like a high one. Learn from Morales and take a chance on Wood.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Say It Aint So, Joe

Senior Beisbol (@HoffyBeisbol) Seniorbeisbol@gmail.com www.profantasybaseball.com It looks like 2010 will be a lost season for Joe Nathan. An MRI has revealed a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament in his throwing elbow. He will rest the arm for two weeks before trying to throw through the pain. It is more likely that he will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season. With Nathan gone, the closer role in Minnesota goes from being crystal clear, to very cloudy. As I said on Sunday, Jon Rauch is the only pitcher in the bullpen that has any extended closing experience. Of course that experience was a half season with Washington two years ago. Standing nearly seven feet tall, he certainly has the look of an intimidating closer, but does he have the stuff? If not Rauch, then maybe Matt Guerrier. Guerrier had an outstanding 2009 as a set-up man, his ratios mirrored the now injured Nathan. He walked only 16 hitters in over 70 innings, had an ERA of 2.36 and a WHIP under 1.00. Those numbers may scream 'closer material,' but does Twins manager want to weaken two positions at once by moving his best set-up guy to closer? The other option that the Twins have is to look outside the organization for a closer. There are a few closers out there that could be had, but the price might be a bit high for the thrifty Twins. While they have bulked up their payroll dramatically this year to ensure a good on-field product as they open up their new stadium, I do not see them going out to get Kerry Wood and his $11 million salary from Cleveland. If the Blue Jays were willing to part ways with Scott Downs or Jason Frasor, I am sure the Twins could nab one of them. As a strong believer in not paying for saves, this is a situation that I will be monitoring closely. A lot of times all it takes to become a solid fantasy closer is a manager that gives him the ball in the ninth, and one lucky Twin will be given an opportunity soon.

We're Still Friends - Daniel Murphy

Last year I loved Daniel Murphy. I saw Murphy as a tremendous sleeper. I saw a young guy who already had some success in the majors the previous year and who loves to spend time in the batting cages to work on his hitting. I respected the hard work he was putting in. However, he had a bad year for the Mets, and for me.

This year, my view of him has changed dramatically. But he still has value.

The Mets have already said that Murphy will be the starting first baseman. This hurts his value some as he is not a typical slugger and he plays in a pitchers park - he is not going to be a 40 HR guy, I would be shocked if he hit 30.

If he struggled last year and is not going to put up typical first base numbers, why do I think he has value this year? A starting first baseman for any team needs attention (Last year, those who paid attention to Kendry Morales were greatly rewarded). Murphy will be counted on as an RBI hitter. He will be used in the heart of the lineup. With David Wright and Jason Bay hitting somewhere around him, he should get pitches to hit. There were also some positive signs last year that Murphy was getting over his struggles at the plate. After an abysmal start, he hit at a .280+ avg the rest of the way. Murphy ended the year with a .266 AVG, 63 RBIs, and 12 HRs.

This year, I will give Murphy the .280 avg, I will give him around 20 HRs, and 80 RBIs. There is room for improvement on these numbers (he had a .300+ AVG in his first 50 games in the bigs). He should not be drafted in a shallow league, and would be a fairly late pick in deep leagues. I think Murphy can be a great fill-in for an injured starter on your team or even a UTL guy depending on match-ups. If his average approaches .300, he could turn out to be a solid late round/waiver wire pick. Last year I loved him, this year we'll just be friends.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Spring Injury News

Senior Beisbol (@HoffyBeisbol) seniorbeisbol@gmail.com www.profantasybaseball.com Spring Training baseball is finally here. Unfortunately, so are Spring Training injuries. I never understand why people would draft a month before the season starts, too many things can happen over the six weeks spent leading up to the moment when games start to count. Players win and lose position battles and rotation spots, the last few free-agents finally find teams, and most importantly, players get hurt. In the first week of games there have already been a few notable injuries. None of these guys are fantasy superstars, but all three find themselves on fantasy rosters. Now they find themselves in the infirmary. Alex Gordon - 3B/Kansas City Royals Gordon missed most of 2009 after having hip surgery, but looked fully recovered when camp opened last week. He was looking forward to regaining his job as the everyday 3rd baseman when broke his thumb sliding head first into 2nd base on Saturday and will now be out 3-4 weeks. His status for opening day is in doubt, but he should be back sometime in April. So far in his baseball career, Gordon has been mostly hype and potential. He has not yet displayed on the field what made him the number two overall pick in the 2005 Amateur Draft. A lot of experts were calling him a 'post-hype sleeper,' and were looking for him to post a 15/15 season this year. His thumb injury does not seem to be serious, but any kind of hand injury usually has a lingering effect on power numbers. I would guess the best thing we see out of Gordon is a .250/10/70/15 line. Joe Nathan - CL/Minnesota Twins Nathan has not been diagnosed with anything yet, but when a pitcher leaves camp to have his elbow examined, doctors rarely seem to give positive news. He had surgery last October to remove bone spurs and recently complained of elbow soreness after a throwing session. As a closer, Joe Nathan is one of the best in the game. A model of consistency since joining the Twins six years ago, he has averaged over 40 saves with an ERA of under 2.00 and a WHIP of under 1.00. We should hear more on his elbow in the next few days, but if he is out for any period of time Jon Rauch would make a good speculative add as he is the only guy in the bullpen with any closing experience. Russel Martin - C/Los Angeles Dodgers Martin will miss up to six weeks after an MRI revealed a pulled groin. Martin posted his worst numbers as a pro in 2009, sporting career lows in HR, RBI, R, AVG, and was one above his career low in stolen bases. He was primed for a bounce-back year, coming into camp after gaining nearly 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason. Groin injuries are tricky things. The only way to get better is to rest, and even then they are prone to reoccur. I would guess that this might limit Martin on the basepaths when he returns. This injury should drop him a few slots on the draft board at an already very thin catching position. His backups are Brad Ausmus and AJ Ellis, neither of whom are rosterable even if Martin misses any extended time. With less than four weeks to Opening Day there will assuredly be more Spring Training news. Keep checking back here for more updates.

Enter the Matrix with Big Papi

Sporting my favorite nick name in baseball, David 'Big Papi' Ortiz is a bit of a mystery for this fantasy season. Are we going to get the injury bug version, the slump version, or the clutch hitting monster? Let's listen in on this conversation:

Me: I think Big Papi has some real sleeper potential this year.

Friend: Wait. Isn't he that kid from the Keanu Reeves little league movie, 'Hard Ball'? Boy, that Keanu Reeves can act!

Me: Um... Uh... Wow! No, I'm talking about David Ortiz, DH for the Boston Red Sox. He has the nickname 'Big Papi'.

Friend: Oh. My mistake. Do you think Keanu Reeves has the nickname 'Big Matrix'? Or how about 'Big Excellent Adventure'?

Me: I'm about to be 'Big Vomit' if you don't stop. Look, David Ortiz was one of the most clutch hitter I've ever seen. He hit for high average and great power. But the last time he did that was two years ago.

Friend: How do you know this? Did Rufus come visit you with a time travelling phone booth?

Me: No, I have a memory. The point I'm trying to make is that he has had two bad years since he last was a dominant player. Although he still had 99 RBIs last year, his AVG has gone way down (.238 in 2009) and his power numbers have lowered (28 HR in 2009). But injury has played a big part of that. I think we just may see a healthy David Ortiz this year and he will be a nice surprise for fantasy teams.

Friend: Talk about a nice surprise. How about Keanu Reeves in 'A Walk in the Clouds'? So sensitive. Or what about Keanu doing Shakespeare? He was brilliant in 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Is there anything this guy can't do?

Me: I'm pretty sure he can't hit a curveball *cough* or act *cough*. Anyway, Ortiz is not going to be picked very high in any draft (unless someone is really biased). His value drops a little more as he only qualifies as a DH.

Friend: 'What do you do?' 'What do you do?'

Me: You draft him late. You accept that he is not going to hit .300, probably more like .260, and you accept that he will not be hitting 45 HRs, probably more like 30 (with a reasonable chance of 35+). View him as a classic slugger, low AVG, good HR, and good RBIs. He will never be a top pick again, but I'm not ready to write him off to obscurity.

Friend: Strange things are afoot at Fenway Park. You know, Keanu helped 'Big Papi' on that little league team, imagine what he could do as a coach for 'Big Papi' on the Red Sox. Also imagine what valuable life lessons we could all learn in the process.

Me: You make me sad. I'm leaving now.

Friend: Alright. Party on dude!

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

2010 Mock Draft

Fantasy Baseball - Mixed 5x5 (20 game eligibility)

Participants:

1.Dan
2.Real Chance
3.Andrea
4.Smokin' Balls
5.Bay State Scout (PFB Writer)
6.thetrueguru
7.Clean Streets
8.chata
9.Horton's Who's on First
10.Pro Fantasy Baseball (Sin City Scout)
11.Fireman68
12.Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com)

Round One

R1 P1 Dan Pujols, Albert 1B STL AutoSelect

R1 P2 Real Chance Ramirez, Hanley SS FLA AutoSelect

R1 P3 Andrea Braun, Ryan OF MIL 12s

R1 P4 Smokin' Balls Rodriguez, Alex 3B NYY AutoSelect

R1 P5 Bay State Scout Utley, Chase 2B PHI 25s

R1 P6 thetrueguru Kemp, Matt OF LA 11s

R1 P7 Clean Streets Howard, Ryan 1B PHI 10s

R1 P8 chata Fielder, Prince 1B MIL 16s

R1 P9 Horton's Who's on First Cabrera, Miguel 1B DET 38s

R1 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Teixeira, Mark 1B NYY 16s

R1 P11 Fireman68 Crawford, Carl OF TB 9s

R1 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Lincecum, Tim SP SF 26s

Round Two

R2 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Tulowitzki, Troy SS COL 38s

R2 P2 Fireman68 Holliday, Matt OF STL 5s

R2 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Sizemore, Grady OF CLE 17s

R2 P4 Horton's Who's on First Longoria, Evan 3B TB 33s

R2 P5 chata Borbon, Julio OF TEX Predrafted

R2 P6 Clean Streets Ellsbury, Jacoby OF BOS 15s

R2 P7 thetrueguru Kinsler, Ian 2B TEX Predrafted

R2 P8 Bay State Scout Mauer, Joe C MIN 20s

R2 P9 Smokin' Balls Wright, David 3B NYM AutoSelect

R2 P10 Andrea Martinez, Victor C, 1B BOS 7s

R2 P11 Real Chance Reynolds, Mark 3B, 1B ARI AutoSelect

R2 P12 Dan Rollins, Jimmy SS PHI AutoSelect

Round Three

R3 P1 Dan Bay, Jason OF NYM AutoSelect

R3 P2 Real Chance Reyes, Jose SS NYM AutoSelect

R3 P3 Andrea Upton, Justin OF ARI 3s

R3 P4 Smokin' Balls Sabathia, CC SP NYY AutoSelect

R3 P5 Bay State Scout Gonzalez, Adrian 1B SD 16s

R3 P6 thetrueguru Votto, Joey 1B CIN 11s

R3 P7 Clean Streets Youkilis, Kevin 1B, 3B BOS 16s

R3 P8 chata Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN 6s

R3 P9 Horton's Who's on First Pedroia, Dustin 2B BOS 34s

R3 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Hernandez, Felix SP SEA 30s

R3 P11 Fireman68 Sandoval, Pablo 3B, 1B SF 13s

R3 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Zimmerman, Ryan 3B WAS 7s

Round Four

R4 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Halladay, Roy SP PHI 22s

R4 P2 Fireman68 Haren, Dan SP ARI 7s

R4 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Granderson, Curtis OF NYY 5s

R4 P4 Horton's Who's on First Werth, Jayson OF PHI 42s

R4 P5 chata McCann, Brian C ATL 9s

R4 P6 Clean Streets Greinke, Zack SP KC 23s

R4 P7 thetrueguru Morales, Kendry 1B ANA 14s

R4 P8 Bay State Scout Upton, B.J. OF TB 15s

R4 P9 Smokin' Balls Suzuki, Ichiro OF SEA AutoSelect

R4 P10 Andrea Verlander, Justin SP DET 5s

R4 P11 Real Chance Roberts, Brian 2B BAL AutoSelect

R4 P12 Dan Morneau, Justin 1B MIN AutoSelect

Round Five

R5 P1 Dan Santana, Johan SP NYM AutoSelect

R5 P2 Real Chance Jeter, Derek SS NYY AutoSelect

R5 P3 Andrea Wainwright, Adam SP STL 3s

R5 P4 Smokin' Balls Lind, Adam OF TOR AutoSelect

R5 P5 Bay State Scout Hamilton, Josh OF TEX 15s

R5 P6 thetrueguru Cruz, Nelson OF TEX 24s

R5 P7 Clean Streets Choo, Shin-Soo OF CLE 10s

R5 P8 chata Cano, Robinson 2B NYY 6s

R5 P9 Horton's Who's on First Lester, Jon SP BOS 33s

R5 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Nathan, Joe RP MIN

R5 P11 Fireman68 Abreu, Bobby OF ANA 18s

R5 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Lee, Cliff SP SEA 31s

Round Six

R6 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Dunn, Adam OF, 1B WAS 24s

R6 P2 Fireman68 Peavy, Jake SP CHW 5s

R6 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Hill, Aaron 2B TOR 3s

R6 P4 Horton's Who's on First Lee, Derrek 1B CHC 39s

R6 P5 chata Ramirez, Manny OF LA 5s

R6 P6 Clean Streets Zobrist, Ben 2B, OF TB 42s

R6 P7 thetrueguru Ethier, Andre OF LA 5s

R6 P8 Bay State Scout Ramirez, Aramis 3B CHC 8s

R6 P9 Smokin' Balls Markakis, Nick OF BAL AutoSelect

R6 P10 Andrea Vazquez, Javier SP NYY 14s

R6 P11 Real Chance Berkman, Lance 1B HOU AutoSelect

R6 P12 Dan Victorino, Shane OF PHI AutoSelect

Round Seven

R7 P1 Dan Papelbon, Jonathan RP BOS AutoSelect

R7 P2 Real Chance Rivera, Mariano RP NYY AutoSelect

R7 P3 Andrea Pena, Carlos 1B TB 11s

R7 P4 Smokin' Balls Broxton, Jonathan RP LA AutoSelect

R7 P5 Bay State Scout Figgins, Chone 3B SEA 40s

R7 P6 thetrueguru Lee, Carlos OF HOU 38s

R7 P7 Clean Streets McLouth, Nate OF ATL 18s

R7 P8 chata Pence, Hunter OF HOU 12s

R7 P9 Horton's Who's on First McCutchen, Andrew OF PIT 19s

R7 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Quentin, Carlos OF CHW 24s

R7 P11 Fireman68 Soria, Joakim RP KC 2s

R7 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Bourn, Michael OF HOU 5s

Round Eight

R8 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Johnson, Josh SP FLA 21s

R8 P2 Fireman68 Beckett, Josh SP BOS 4s

R8 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Wieters, Matt C BAL 33s

R8 P4 Horton's Who's on First Hanson, Tommy SP ATL 35s

R8 P5 chata Butler, Billy 1B KC 8s

R8 P6 Clean Streets Hunter, Tommy SP TEX 45s

R8 P7 thetrueguru Bailey, Andrew RP OAK Predrafted

R8 P8 Bay State Scout Gallardo, Yovani SP MIL 19s

R8 P9 Smokin' Balls Soriano, Alfonso OF CHC AutoSelect

R8 P10 Andrea Rios, Alex OF CHW 18s

R8 P11 Real Chance Rodriguez, Francisco RP NYM AutoSelect

R8 P12 Dan Beltran, Carlos OF NYM AutoSelect

Round Nine

R9 P1 Dan Carpenter, Chris SP STL AutoSelect

R9 P2 Real Chance Jones, Adam OF BAL AutoSelect

R9 P3 Andrea Cain, Matt SP SF 11s

R9 P4 Smokin' Balls Uggla, Dan 2B FLA AutoSelect

R9 P5 Bay State Scout Jimenez, Ubaldo SP COL 6s

R9 P6 thetrueguru Street, Huston RP COL 19s

R9 P7 Clean Streets Hunter, Torii OF ANA 5s

R9 P8 chata Kershaw, Clayton SP LA 8s

R9 P9 Horton's Who's on First Nolasco, Ricky SP FLA 33s

R9 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Ramirez, Alexei SS CHW 39s

R9 P11 Fireman68 Young, Michael 3B TEX 8s

R9 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Soriano, Rafael RP TB 36s

Round Ten

R10 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Hamels, Cole SP PHI 42s

R10 P2 Fireman68 Ibanez, Raul OF PHI 14s

R10 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Beckham, Gordon 3B CHW 36s

R10 P4 Horton's Who's on First Valverde, Jose RP DET 19s

R10 P5 chata Garza, Matt SP TB Predrafted

R10 P6 Clean Streets Suzuki, Kurt C OAK 40s

R10 P7 thetrueguru Drew, Stephen SS ARI 10s

R10 P8 Bay State Scout Bartlett, Jason SS TB 17s

R10 P9 Smokin' Balls Bell, Heath RP SD AutoSelect

R10 P10 Andrea Stewart, Ian 3B, 2B COL 35s

R10 P11 Real Chance Cordero, Francisco RP CIN AutoSelect

R10 P12 Dan Hawpe, Brad OF COL AutoSelect

Round Eleven

R11 P1 Dan Fuentes, Brian RP ANA AutoSelect

R11 P2 Real Chance Kubel, Jason OF MIN AutoSelect

R11 P3 Andrea Damon, Johnny OF FA 30s

R11 P4 Smokin' Balls Posada, Jorge C NYY AutoSelect

R11 P5 Bay State Scout Bruce, Jay OF CIN 7s

R11 P6 thetrueguru Aardsma, David RP SEA 12s

R11 P7 Clean Streets Shields, James SP TB 9s

R11 P8 chata Billingsley, Chad SP LA Predrafted

R11 P9 Horton's Who's on First Wilson, Brian RP SF 20s

R11 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Span, Denard OF MIN 38s

R11 P11 Fireman68 Lopez, Jose 2B SEA 9s

R11 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Morgan, Nyjer OF WAS 9s

Round Twelve

R12 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Marmol, Carlos RP CHC 15s

R12 P2 Fireman68 Martin, Russell C LA 7s

R12 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Webb, Brandon SP ARI

R12 P4 Horton's Who's on First Andrus, Elvis SS TEX 14s

R12 P5 chata Cuddyer, Michael OF, 1B MIN 6s

R12 P6 Clean Streets Anderson, Brett SP OAK 5s

R12 P7 thetrueguru Davis, Rajai OF OAK 3s

R12 P8 Bay State Scout Wagner, Billy RP ATL 3s

R12 P9 Smokin' Balls Furcal, Rafael SS LA AutoSelect

R12 P10 Andrea Lackey, John SP BOS 37s

R12 P11 Real Chance Burnett, A.J. SP NYY AutoSelect

R12 P12 Dan Jones, Chipper 3B ATL AutoSelect

Round Thirteen

R13 P1 Dan Guerrero, Vladimir DH TEX AutoSelect

R13 P2 Real Chance Gonzalez, Carlos OF COL AutoSelect

R13 P3 Andrea Soto, Geovany C CHC 35s

R13 P4 Smokin' Balls Tejada, Miguel SS BAL AutoSelect

R13 P5 Bay State Scout Baker, Scott SP MIN 42s

R13 P6 thetrueguru Jones, Garrett OF, 1B PIT 11s

R13 P7 Clean Streets Qualls, Chad RP ARI 38s

R13 P8 chata Rodriguez, Wandy SP HOU 9s

R13 P9 Horton's Who's on First Montero, Miguel C ARI 40s

R13 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Stubbs, Drew OF CIN 37s

R13 P11 Fireman68 Hoffman, Trevor RP MIL 4s

R13 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Iannetta, Chris C COL 6s

Round Fourteen

R14 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Davis, Chris 1B TEX 21s

R14 P2 Fireman68 Dempster, Ryan SP CHC 18s

R14 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Zambrano, Carlos SP CHC 38s

R14 P4 Horton's Who's on First Ludwick, Ryan OF STL 25s

R14 P5 chata Weaver, Jered SP ANA 4s

R14 P6 Clean Streets Escobar, Yunel SS ATL 6s

R14 P7 thetrueguru Franklin, Ryan RP STL 7s

R14 P8 Bay State Scout Francisco, Frank RP TEX 22s

R14 P9 Smokin' Balls Scherzer, Max SP DET AutoSelect

R14 P10 Andrea Kendrick, Howie 2B ANA 26s

R14 P11 Real Chance Lilly, Ted SP CHC AutoSelect

R14 P12 Dan Jurrjens, Jair SP ATL AutoSelect

Round Fifteen

R15 P1 Dan Molina, Bengie C SF AutoSelect

R15 P2 Real Chance Jenks, Bobby RP CHW AutoSelect

R15 P3 Andrea Reimold, Nolan OF BAL 23s

R15 P4 Smokin' Balls Oswalt, Roy SP HOU AutoSelect

R15 P5 Bay State Scout Rasmus, Colby OF STL 44s

R15 P6 thetrueguru Jackson, Edwin SP ARI 7s

R15 P7 Clean Streets Napoli, Mike C ANA 4s

R15 P8 chata Rivera, Juan OF ANA 6s

R15 P9 Horton's Who's on First Cabrera, Asdrubal SS, 2B CLE 42s

R15 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Gonzalez, Mike RP BAL 22s

R15 P11 Fireman68 Cabrera, Orlando SS CIN 4s

R15 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Nunez, Leo RP FLA 13s

Round Sixteen

R16 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Loney, James 1B LA 10s

R16 P2 Fireman68 LaRoche, Adam 1B ARI 8s

R16 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Peralta, Jhonny 3B, SS CLE 9s

R16 P4 Horton's Who's on First Wood, Kerry RP CLE 45s

R16 P5 chata Aybar, Erick SS ANA 5s

R16 P6 Clean Streets Gutierrez, Franklin OF SEA 2s

R16 P7 thetrueguru McGehee, Casey 3B, 2B MIL 29s

R16 P8 Bay State Scout Hardy, J.J. SS MIN 18s

R16 P9 Smokin' Balls Danks, John SP CHW AutoSelect

R16 P10 Andrea Wolf, Randy SP MIL 12s

R16 P11 Real Chance Dye, Jermaine OF FA AutoSelect

R16 P12 Dan Hudson, Orlando 2B MIN AutoSelect

Round Seventeen

R17 P1 Dan Feliz, Neftali SP TEX AutoSelect

R17 P2 Real Chance Kazmir, Scott SP ANA AutoSelect

R17 P3 Andrea Headley, Chase OF, 3B SD 31s

R17 P4 Smokin' Balls Price, David SP TB AutoSelect

R17 P5 Bay State Scout Doumit, Ryan C PIT 28s

R17 P6 thetrueguru Howell, J.P. RP TB 24s

R17 P7 Clean Streets Dotel, Octavio RP PIT 3s

R17 P8 chata de la Rosa, Jorge SP COL 7s

R17 P9 Horton's Who's on First Hart, Corey OF MIL 31s

R17 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Happ, J.A. SP PHI 20s

R17 P11 Fireman68 Capps, Matt RP WAS 3s

R17 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Ortiz, David DH BOS 9s

Round Eighteen

R18 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Harden, Rich SP TEX 11s

R18 P2 Fireman68 Escobar, Alcides SS MIL 35s

R18 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Posey, Buster C SF 3s

R18 P4 Horton's Who's on First Pierzynski, A.J. C CHW 30s

R18 P5 chata Cueto, Johnny SP CIN 11s

R18 P6 Clean Streets Beltre, Adrian 3B BOS 1s

R18 P7 thetrueguru Molina, Yadier C STL 2s

R18 P8 Bay State Scout Cameron, Mike OF BOS 21s

R18 P9 Smokin' Balls Wells, Vernon OF TOR AutoSelect

R18 P10 Andrea Gordon, Alex 3B KC 26s

R18 P11 Real Chance Cantu, Jorge 1B, 3B FLA AutoSelect

R18 P12 Dan Floyd, Gavin SP CHW AutoSelect

Round Nineteen

R19 P1 Dan Weeks, Rickie 2B MIL AutoSelect

R19 P2 Real Chance Matsuzaka, Daisuke SP BOS AutoSelect

R19 P3 Andrea Rodney, Fernando RP ANA 15s

R19 P4 Smokin' Balls Helton, Todd 1B COL AutoSelect

R19 P5 Bay State Scout Liriano, Francisco SP MIN 3s

R19 P6 thetrueguru Scutaro, Marco SS BOS 10s

R19 P7 Clean Streets Johnson, Kelly 2B ARI 18s

R19 P8 chata Prado, Martin 2B, 1B, 3B ATL 3s

R19 P9 Horton's Who's on First Correia, Kevin SP SD 25s

R19 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Porcello, Rick SP DET 39s

R19 P11 Fireman68 Ross, Cody OF FLA 25s

R19 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Cabrera, Everth SS SD 11s

Round Twenty

R20 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Cust, Jack OF OAK 20s

R20 P2 Fireman68 Ordonez, Magglio OF DET 6s

R20 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Izturis, Maicer 2B, SS ANA 31s

R20 P4 Horton's Who's on First Konerko, Paul 1B CHW 36s

R20 P5 chata Sanchez, Jonathan SP SF 14s

R20 P6 Clean Streets Buchholz, Clay SP BOS 30s

R20 P7 thetrueguru Thornton, Matt RP CHW 19s

R20 P8 Bay State Scout Matsui, Hideki DH ANA 7s

R20 P9 Smokin' Balls Chamberlain, Joba SP NYY AutoSelect

R20 P10 Andrea Lidge, Brad RP PHI 7s

R20 P11 Real Chance Gomez, Carlos OF MIL AutoSelect

R20 P12 Dan Hairston, Scott OF SD AutoSelect

Round Twenty-One

R21 P1 Dan Pettitte, Andy SP NYY AutoSelect

R21 P2 Real Chance Hudson, Tim SP ATL AutoSelect

R21 P3 Andrea Pierre, Juan OF CHW 14s

R21 P4 Smokin' Balls Snider, Travis OF TOR AutoSelect

R21 P5 Bay State Scout Santana, Ervin SP ANA 5s

R21 P6 thetrueguru Baker, John C FLA 31s

R21 P7 Clean Streets Drew, J.D. OF BOS 2s

R21 P8 chata Olivo, Miguel C COL 24s

R21 P9 Horton's Who's on First Sheets, Ben SP OAK 7s

R21 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Lindstrom, Matt RP HOU 5s

R21 P11 Fireman68 Harang, Aaron SP CIN 24s

R21 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Barmes, Clint 2B COL 5s

Round Twenty-Two

R22 P1 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Scott, Luke OF BAL 18s

R22 P2 Fireman68 Blanton, Joe SP PHI 26s

R22 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Coghlan, Chris OF FLA 18s

R22 P4 Horton's Who's on First DeRosa, Mark 3B, OF SF 29s

R22 P5 chata Niemann, Jeff SP TB 7s

R22 P6 Clean Streets Slowey, Kevin SP MIN 4s

R22 P7 thetrueguru Bedard, Erik SP SEA 13s

R22 P8 Bay State Scout Davis, Wade SP TB 12s

R22 P9 Smokin' Balls Feldman, Scott SP TEX AutoSelect

R22 P10 Andrea Theriot, Ryan SS CHC 5s

R22 P11 Real Chance Ruiz, Carlos C PHI AutoSelect

R22 P12 Dan Buehrle, Mark SP CHW AutoSelect

Round Twenty-Three

R23 P1 Dan Varitek, Jason C BOS AutoSelect

R23 P2 Real Chance Hernandez, Ramon C, 1B CIN AutoSelect

R23 P3 Andrea Hanrahan, Joel RP PIT 26s

R23 P4 Smokin' Balls Torrealba, Yorvit C SD AutoSelect

R23 P5 Bay State Scout Kuroda, Hiroki SP LA 3s

R23 P6 thetrueguru Moylan, Peter RP ATL 5s

R23 P7 Clean Streets Lowe, Derek SP ATL 31s

R23 P8 chata Teahen, Mark 3B, OF CHW Predrafted

R23 P9 Horton's Who's on First Arroyo, Bronson SP CIN 28s

R23 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Saunders, Joe SP ANA AutoSelect

R23 P11 Fireman68 Santana, Carlos C CLE 4s

R23 P12 Jason Swist (FantasyBaseballSearch.com) Shoppach, Kelly C TB 14s

 
Pro Fantasy Baseball Final Team
 
R1 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Teixeira, Mark 1B NYY

R2 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Sizemore, Grady OF CLE


R3 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Hernandez, Felix SP SEA


R4 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Granderson, Curtis OF NYY


R5 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Nathan, Joe RP MIN


R6 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Hill, Aaron 2B TOR


R7 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Quentin, Carlos OF CHW


R8 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Wieters, Matt C BAL


R9 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Ramirez, Alexei SS CHW


R10 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Beckham, Gordon 3B CHW


R11 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Span, Denard OF MIN


R12 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Webb, Brandon SP ARI


R13 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Stubbs, Drew OF CIN


R14 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Zambrano, Carlos SP CHC


R15 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Gonzalez, Mike RP BAL


R16 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Peralta, Jhonny 3B CLE


R17 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Happ, J.A. SP PHI


R18 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Posey, Buster C SF


R19 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Porcello, Rick SP DET


R20 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Izturis, Maicer 2B ANA


R21 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Lindstrom, Matt RP HOU


R22 P3 Pro Fantasy Baseball Coghlan, Chris OF FLA


R23 P10 Pro Fantasy Baseball Saunders, Joe SP ANA

 
Bay State Scout Final Team
 
R1 P5 Bay State Scout Utley, Chase 2B PHI



R2 P8 Bay State Scout Mauer, Joe C MIN


R3 P5 Bay State Scout Gonzalez, Adrian 1B SD


R4 P8 Bay State Scout Upton, B.J. OF TB


R5 P5 Bay State Scout Hamilton, Josh OF TEX


R6 P8 Bay State Scout Ramirez, Aramis 3B CHC


R7 P5 Bay State Scout Figgins, Chone 3B SEA


R8 P8 Bay State Scout Gallardo, Yovani SP MIL


R9 P5 Bay State Scout Jimenez, Ubaldo SP COL


R10 P8 Bay State Scout Bartlett, Jason SS TB


R11 P5 Bay State Scout Bruce, Jay OF CIN


R12 P8 Bay State Scout Wagner, Billy RP ATL


R13 P5 Bay State Scout Baker, Scott SP MIN


R14 P8 Bay State Scout Francisco, Frank RP TEX


R15 P5 Bay State Scout Rasmus, Colby OF STL


R16 P8 Bay State Scout Hardy, J.J. SS MIN


R17 P5 Bay State Scout Doumit, Ryan C PIT


R18 P8 Bay State Scout Cameron, Mike OF BOS


R19 P5 Bay State Scout Liriano, Francisco SP MIN


R20 P8 Bay State Scout Matsui, Hideki DH ANA


R21 P5 Bay State Scout Santana, Ervin SP ANA


R22 P8 Bay State Scout Davis, Wade SP TB


R23 P5 Bay State Scout Kuroda, Hiroki SP LA