D-Lee: Will He Get the Power Back?

Cubs fans and fantasy owners have been let down by Derrek Lee the last couple of years in the power department. Sure, hitting .320 is nice but you want some HR and RBI out of your first basemen. Last year he only managed 22 HR and 82 RBI. He was still recovering from the wrist injury from '06 and it took him a while to find the power. He found it in the second half of the season when he hit 16 of his 22 HR. It takes hitters a while to come back from wrist injuries and D Lee is proof. However, since he couldn't hit for power he learned to hit for average. He now can spray the ball all over the park. Pitchers don't like pitching to him either. He rarely gets good pitches to hit. Pitchers stay to the outside part of the plate against him and usually way off the plate. He still shows a great deal of patience when pitchers are pitching around him. He walks a ton which will help your R and OBP categories. He'll never hit 40 again but he'll hit 30 or 35 and drive in over 100. I'd rather have a D Lee who hits .320 with 30 HR than a D Lee that hits .260 and 40 HR. I think he'll be closer to the former than the latter. I have him ranked as my no. 6 first baseman among the crop of stud NL first basemen. He's in a hitters park and hits in the three spot in a very formiddable lineup. He'll even swipe you a few bags from the 1B position which is a bonus. I'm expecting a power boost from D Lee this year and so should you.

A Quick Note About My Rankings

My rankings are just that, my rankings. I do not copy other peoples rankings and pose them as my own. I derive these rankings based on my knowledge of the game, the players, the teams and the players previous stats. Also I try to combine the rankings for each position to include H2H CBS points leagues, 5x5 mixed leagues or any other style rotisserie. If you have any questions about players that I have left out, just email me. More posts coming soon.

2008 Second Base Rankings

Of course 2B is not a deep position. We all know that. That doesn't mean you have to go out and draft one of the top 5 guys early in the draft or overpay for them in an auction. There are plenty of cheap 2B out there that are going late in drafts that can give you similar numbers to all but the top 5 guys. Having said that, here are the rankings.

Top 15 Second Basemen

1. Chase Utley- PHI -One of the best hitters in the game at any position. He is the premier player at 2B by far and a big part of a very good Phillies lineup. You can't lose having him as your 2B. He was a little banged up last year, look for a strong effort this year: .305 AVG 34 HR 115 RBI 15 SB.
2. B.J. Upton- TB -This kid is going to be a great hitter for years to come. He's built like Soriano and has his power and speed too. The sky is the limit for him. He's eligible at 2B and OF where he will be playing most of the time. 100 more AB this year for him, he can put up these numbers: .308 AVG 28 HR 100 RBI 30 SB.
3. Brandon Phillips- CIN -We always knew he had potential in Cleveland but he has become a fantasy stud in Cincinnati. Last season was his best year as a pro and this season should be more of the same: .280 AVG 30 HR 95 RBI 30 SB.
4. Robinson Cano- NYY -Another one of the young 2B studs. He hits for average and power. Not sure what spot he will be in the Yankees lineup but he'll hit wherever he bats. If you want SB from you 2B, you're going to want to look elsewhere: .320 AVG 22 HR 100 RBI 5 SB.
5. Brian Roberts- BAL -This speedster is one of the few bright spots on the Orioles roster. Maybe not for long though because the Cubs are still talking to the O's about a deal for him. Depending on if he heads to the CHI or not the numbers here could be different but here are his Orioles numbers: .285 AVG 14 HR 60 RBI 45 SB.
6. Dan Uggla- FLA -His AVG dropped off big time in '07 from '06 but he hit 4 more HR. Fantasy owners want to see him pick his AVG back up and maintain the power numbers. If he does, he moves up the list. I think he'll bring the AVG back up in '08: .275 AVG 30 HR 105 RBI.
7. Ian Kinsler- TEX -This where the 2B position becomes vanilla. Kinsler is a solid player though but very streaky. That's OK for rotisserie leagues but H2H owners want him to be a little more consistent. '08 outlook: .275 AVG 20 HR 75 RBI 20 SB
8. Jeff Kent- LAD -I know he's an old man but the old man can still rake. He was a little nicked up last year and didn't reach 500 AB. He'll probably miss a few games this year too. However, when he plays, he puts up stats. Stats for '08: .295 AVG 23 HR 85 RBI
9. Howie Kendrick- LAA -He hits for a ridiculous AVG but leaves you wanting more in the power department. He probably won't get you a whole lot of SB either. He still puts up respectable 2B numbers. H2H owners may value him a little more than rotisserie owners. I think he will keep improving: .325 AVG 15 HR 70 RBI 8 SB
10. Rickie Weeks- MIL -Overrated as usual. Many experts are putting him at no. 7 or 8 2B but that's a little too high for me. He has to prove to me that he can stay healthy then maybe I'll give Mr. Glass a look. Don't get me wrong, the potential is there but the body is not. If he can stay healthy all season his numbers could be something like this: .270 AVG 20 HR 65 RBI 25 SB
11. Kelly Johnson- ATL -He was a surprised to me in '07. He had a pretty good year but very inconsistent. Very much a hot/cold player. Experts are predicting absurd numbers for him this year but I'm not going to. Nonetheless, a good year for him: .275 AVG 20 HR 65 RBI 10 SB
12. Orlando Hudson- ARI -He's coming back from a thumb injury but the fingers usually heal better than a wrist for hitters. I expect no problems with the hand for him and a normal solid season from Hudson: .295 AVG 15 HR 70 RBI 12 SB
13. Placido Polanco- DET -He locks down your BA category and scores a lot of runs. Very good dependable hitter. Detroit will score even more runs this season and Polanco should too. You would think he would be faster but I think that huge cranium slows him down. '08 stats: .340 AVG 7 HR 70 RBI 5 SB
14. Dustin Pedroia- BOS -All around solid player. Boston is lucky to have a guy like this in a lineup full of thumpers. He is coming into his second full season and should continue to improve as a player: .315 AVG 10 HR 70 RBI 10 SB
15. Aaron Hill- TOR -He was off to a torrid pace last season but just could not sustain it. He's streaky but at the end of the year, he'll but up solid numbers. He won't get you many SB but he'll drive in runs. '08 prediction: .295 AVG 15 HR 80 RBI 5 SB.

Honorable Mentions

--Freddy Sanchez- PIT -Solid 2B but won't wow you. Loses eligibility at other positions this year too. Decent numbers: .305 AVG 15 HR 65 RBI
--Kaz Matsui- HOU -I like him in HOU this year. Although COL was a nice spot for him, I think he'll continue what he did there for the Astros in '08: .285 AVG 5 HR 45 RBI 35 SB.
--Felipe Lopez- WAS -Can he put up stats again like when he was with the Reds? Maybe not but I think good stats for sure: .275 AVG 12 HR 65 RBI 30 SB
--Ty Wigginton- HOU -Eligible at 2B but will play 3B. Cheap source for power in late rounds. Full year with Houston will help: .275 AVG 25 HR 70 RBI
--Luis Castillo- NYM -If he can stay healthy, he'll take care of three categories for you. Has little value in H2H points leagues. Good value in 5x5 leagues. If he stays healthy: .300 AVG 40 RBI 100 R 25 SB
--Mark Ellis- OAK -The A's are going to be pretty bad this year but Ellis is a solid play no matter what. I like him to have another good season: .280 AVG 17 HR 70 RBI 10 SB

As you can see there are some cheap sources of stats for 2B late in the draft. Don't be afraid to hold off until the end and pick up a couple of these guys late. SS rankings will be coming soon. Keep checking back. As always, any questions, comments or rude remarks of any kind email me.

2008 First Base Rankings

It's time for the first basemen. 1B is a key position on your squad. If you don't have a good one you're in trouble. It's a good thing there are so many quality first basemen out there. 1B is also important on my team because I always want to own the power categories. I sometimes like drafting two 1B on my team and use one for my Utility spot. Enough talk, time to get right into it.

Top 15 First Base


1. Ryan Howard- PHI -I think Howard is the best pure power hitter in the game today. He will once again rack up monsterous HR, RBI and R totals this year. His AVG should be around .275 with 55 HR and 145 RBI. He is a freak.
2. Albert Pujols- STL -Albert has slipped a little in the last couple of seasons but is still the most feared hitter in the game. The Cardinals lineup has holes so he most likely won't have much protection. Still great numbers for Pujols: .313 AVG 39 HR 125 RBI
3. Prince Fielder- MIL -The only reason he isn't no.2 is because I want to see him do what he did last year again this year. I think he's going to be the most feared hitter in the league someday soon. Can't go wrong with him: .280 AVG 48HR 130 RBI
4. Lance Berkman- HOU-Berkman is as reliable as it gets. He had a slow start to '07 but came on strong and posted his usual numbers. No reason for that to change with an even more potent Astros lineup: .285 AVG 36 HR 115 RBI
5. Mark Teixeira- ATL -The move to ATL hurts Mark's numbers a little but not much. It's a bigger park but he hits in a good lineup. The young man is still a monster and eats baseballs. I like Teixeira to go for: .290 AVG 32 HR 110 RBI
6. Derrek Lee- CHC -We all know Lee had an off year last season after coming off the wrist injury the previous year. I like Lee to bounce back in the power department. The whole Cubs lineup couldn't hit last year and that just not going to happen again this year. With an improved lineup Lee's number will look like this: .325 AVG 30 HR 105 RBI
7. Justin Morneau- MIN -The young Twins first basemen is the best the AL has to offer at his position. He's a big lefty with power to all fields. The Twins lineup is also improved and with some added protection Morneau should have another big year. I'm thinking: .280 AVG 32 HR 120 RBI
8. Victor Martinez- CLE -Martinez is the Indians best hitter and should have another big season. His double eligibility makes him very valuable. If I drafted him though, I would draft him first as my 1B and see what else happens in the draft to see where you want to play him. Either way, good numbers: .304 AVG 27 HR 110 RBI
9. Paul Konerko- CHW -He had a bad year in '07 and still put up 30 HR and 90 RBI. Look for Paulie to bounce back this season with an improved Sox lineup. Swisher will add some enthusiasm to the team and the White Sox will be better than most people think. Outlook for Konerko: .275 AVG 35 HR 110 RBI
10. Carlos Pena- TB -I doubt that Pena can put up the numbers he did last year and so does just about everyone else. That doesn't mean he won't put up good numbers. Remember how touted he was, he just never matured. Now he's getting it and in bunches. He can potentially top these numbers: .270 AVG 33 HR 100 RBI
11. Adrian Gonzalez- SD -He's the best hitter that the Padres have and an overall solid first basemen. He's finally lived up to his potential and will continue to improve. Too bad the Padres don't have anyone to protect him. Good fantasy numbers nonetheless: .295 AVG 28 HR 95 RBI
12. Nick Swisher- CHW -I think the move to the South Side will definitely benefit Swisher. He's in a better lineup and will be hitting in an HR factory. He's still young and very talented. He disappointed a little last year but look for some numbers close to his '06 season: .270 AVG 30 HR 95 RBI
13. Carlos Guillen- DET -Very versitile player who hits no matter where he plays on the field. Detroit has a dominating offense which Guillen is a big part of. I think he's going to have his best season yet. Would have no problem with him starting 1B for me: .305 AVG 25 HR 105 RBI
14. James Loney- LAD -The big guy started to produce a little last year. People are really high on this guy. Maybe a little too high, he's going way too early in drafts. While he is a little overrated, I think he's still a good player and a viable option at 1B. Let's see what he does in a full season: .310 AVG 22 HR 85 RBI
15. Alex Gordon- KC -The young phenom disappointed last year in his rookie season. A little too hyped you think? Well there is no denying he has talent and I think it will show a little more this year. He's eligible at 3B too which helps. Continued improvement: .280 23 HR 85 RBI

Honorable Mentions

--Todd Helton- COL -I believe we've realized the Helton of old is never coming back. But still a very good hitter: .315 AVG 16 HR 95 RBI
--Kevin Youkilis- BOS -For a big guy you would think he'd have more power, but he doesn't. Again still a good hitter: .295 14 HR 85 RBI
--Carlos Delgado- NYM -Man did this guy get old quick. I know he's been hurt but his injuries linger...like old people. Numbers continue to decline: .255 AVG 23 HR 79 RBI
--Joey Votto- CIN -He's a big dude plus young and can hit. Showed some flashes of greatness late last year. Possible Rookie of the Year? .288 AVG 24 HR 90 RBI potential this season.
--Adam LaRoche- PIT -He took a step back last year but ended up with respectable numbers. He'll try to make a step in the right direction this year. .275 AVG 23 HR 85 RBI
--Ryan Garko- CLE -He's a promising young player. He'll never be a true power hitter but he'll be a very good hitter. Continued improvement from him too: .293 AVG 19 HR 80 RBI

So there is my list of first basemen for 2008. I'll be trying to get the rest of the position rankings done in the next couple of weeks before pitchers and catchers report. If you have any comments or questions just send me an email.

Zito or Zero?

Barry Zito didn't have the season he and fantasy owners wanted him to have in his first season in the NL. Then again, fantasy owners have come to expect disappointment from Zito. Though I didn't own him on any teams, I expected a pretty good year out of him too. He went from 16 W's and a 3.86 ERA in 2006 to 11 W's and a 4.54 ERA with the Giants in 2007. Granted, the Giants weren't a very good team but Zito just never had it all season long. There were games were he looked good and you thought maybe he was going to break out of it. Then the next game he gets rocked. Compare Zito's season with another AL lefty that came over to the NL; Ted Lilly. Lilly had a 15-8 record with a 3.82 ERA and 174 K's. What round did you pick Zito in and what round did I pick Lilly in? HA! Anyways, the Giants aren't going to be much better this year and are a considerably younger team. However on that younger team is some talent. Too bad for them that all of their talent is in their starting rotation. Having said all that, I think Zito will bounce back a little this year and put up some respectable fantasy numbers. He's not going to win the Cy Young again but he can help your team. Zito is going extremely late in drafts. I recently got him in the 21st round of a mock draft and The Fantasy Man got him in the 22nd round of his Experts Draft. There is no risk in drafting him if you can get him that late. If he turns out to be a flop, just drop him and pick up the other pitcher you wanted with that pick. I say give him a shot if you can get him late, there is nothing to lose. My 2008 prediction for Barry Zito: 14 W's 3.81 ERA 155 K's.

Recent Mock Draft Results

These are the results from a mock draft I participated in last week. This draft was for CBS Sportsline H2H points scoring with 21 man rosters. I'm only going to post the players I took because posting the whole draft would take up way to much space. However, you will get a sense of where these players are going in the draft and a little bit of insight into my drafting strategy.

Round 1, pick #1= Alex Rodriguez-3B-I thought about drafting Hanley Ramirez with the first pick because the 3B position is so deep but I went with the top points getter.
Round 2, pick #10= B.J. Upton-2B/OF- I'm not a big position scarcity guy, I just love this guy. He is eligible at 2 positions and is a future top 10 pick.
Round 3, pick #1= Lance Berkman-1B/OF- I also love Berkman's position eligiblity plus he's a guaranteed 30+ HR and thats what counts in this league.
Round 4, pick #10= Jonathan Papelbon-RP- Best player available. Best closer in the game. I'll take it with the last pick of the fourth round. You only need one real good closer in CBS H2H.
Round 5, pick #1= Adam Dunn-OF- AVG matters nothing in this league and walks do. 30+ HR and 100+ RBI. Plus strikeouts don't matter in this league either.
Round 6, pick #10= Cole Hamels-SP- My favorite young pitcher is my ace. On a playoff caliber team and could lead the league in Ks.
Round 7, pick #1= Torii Hunter-OF- Solid fantasy numbers. Building up my unbeatable offense.
Round 8, pick #10= Carlos Pena-1B- Won't put up the numbers he did last year but I'll take 30+ HR in the eighth round!
Round 9, pick #1= Felix Hernandez-SP- Will continue to get better and establish himself as an ace.
Round 10, pick #10= Jamie Shields-SP- Loved what I saw out of him last year. He's on a bad team but a solid #3 starter.
Round 11, pick #1= Fausto Carmona-SP- A steal in this spot. I'm starting to like this pitching staff too!
Round 12, pick #10= Orlando Cabrera-SS- Best SS available. Like him in that potent White Sox lineup.
Round 13, pick #1= Delmon Young-OF- My utility player/backup OF, best available hitter.
Round 14, pick #10= Jeff Francis-SP- One of the best young pitchers in the NL. 15 Ws easy.
Round 15, pick #1= Ian Snell-SP- Love what I see from this guy too. Hopefully the Pirates win a few more games for him.
Round 16, pick #10= Chad Billingsly-SP- A steal in the 16th. Will win 15 games for the Dodgers this year.
Round 17, pick #1= Alex Gordon-1B/3B- Potential to be one of the best. 25 HR and 85 RBI this year.
Round 18, pick #10= Orlando Hudson-2B- Consistent fantasy player, solid backup 2B.
Round 19, pick #1= Kevin Gregg-RP- Got my big closer, now adding 2nd/backup.
Round 20, pick #10= Bengie Molina-C- Got my no. 7 catcher in the second to last round...nice.
Round 21, pick #1= Barry Zito-SP- Worth the gamble in the last round. Can he win 15 and have an ERA under 4.00? I think so.

So thats how my draft went. Notice I went for power early and often because that's what counts in this league. Also notice how many good pitchers you can get in the late rounds, pitching is deep! I'll post a couple of other mocks in the next few weeks to see if trends are changing. Keep checking back, more posts in the coming days. Email me if you have and questions or comments or just want to talk fantasy.

Mock Draft Until You Drop

An essential part of your preparation for the upcoming fantasy season should be participating in all of the mock drafts you can. These mock drafts will help you perfect your strategy for your live draft. They also allow you to mess around with different strategies and see if one is more effective. Starting in a couple weeks, I'll do a mock draft every couple of days. It's all going to pay off come draft day. You'll be more confident and most likely have just about the right guys that you wanted. Mock drafting allows you to see which underrated players are going high and which overrated players are going low and vice versa. Sometimes in a mock draft I'll take a catcher in the last round or I'll take Victor Martinez just to see what my team looks like from both points of view. In your mock draft, instead of taking an offensive player with your first or second pick, take a pitcher like Santana or Peavy instead and see if you like your team better that way. To practice your mock drafts, go to mockdraftcentral.com and find a draft for your leagues style. What I do sometimes is get a fantasy magazine's mock draft or one of the Fantasy Man's mock drafts. Then when I'm bored I'll take out some paper and do my own mock draft. I'll try one with me having the first overall pick, then the second, third, etc. using the Fantasy Man's mocks. Say I get the first pick, I take who I want then the owners in Fantasy Man's mock get who they took and I pick from the players that are left. I do about 2o or 25 of these before my live draft day. Just a few tips to try out. Be sure to check out Fantasy Man's draft guide and check back for my rankings and draft strategies. I'll also post a few teams I contrusted with my mock drafts to give you better insight to me strategies. Later.

Impressive

If you paid any attention to fantasy baseball last season then you witnessed the emergence of B.J. Upton. If you don't know about him, I'm here to tell you he is a star. In his first full season in the show he put up prodigious numbers for a 2B. Last season reads like this: .300 BA 24 HR 82 RBI and 22 SB. We had heard about the B.J. Upton hype for several years after he was drafted #1 by the D-Rays. Then in his first full season he delivered for us. The kid is only 23 years old and could someday soon be the best offensive 2B in the league. In the seasons to come Upton will be a top 10-15 fantasy player. This season he is eligible at 2B and OF and fantasy owners could kiss him for it. If you are in a keeper league and nobody is keeping this guy, get him. If you're in an auction league, pay what you must to get him. You won't regret it, I promise. The sky is the limit for Bossman Junior and this season will be another big one for him. I predict .308 BA 28HR 100RBI and 25 SB with close to 100 R and 80BBs. Am I gonna draft this guy? I wish I could trade up in the draft to get him!

2008 Catcher Rankings

In the spirit of the new column name and since I am a former catcher, I'm going to break down the catcher position for the upcoming season as well as give you my top 10. While I loved being a catcher and I love watching the cathers of the MLB play, I really could care less about the position in fantasy baseball. Catcher is the least important position on your fantasy roster. While it's nice having a top 3 or top 5 catcher on your squad, it's not necessary. The top five guys will always go too early in the draft when their are players still out there putting up better numbers. Because the top 5 catchers are more reliable than the others, they get drafted higher then they should be going. With the exception of Victor Martinez, there probably won't be a catcher out there that hits 20 hrs. So why pick a catcher thats going to get 15 HRs all season ahead of and outfields that will get you 25-30 HRs? There are still decent catchers out there in the 6-12 overall range. That's exactly where I pick them from. I'll take a catcher with the last pick of the draft and win the league. A couple of examples: 2 years ago, last pick of the draft I took Brian McCann--last year, 16th round I took Ramon Hernandez. The guy was hurt half the time and was bad when he played and I won the league. Trust me, your catcher is not going to make or break you team. Also, NEVER keep two catchers on your roster unless you are required to. The backup is likely never in your lineup and is taking up a spot on your bench that should be filled with another pitcher or a backup OF or INF. Having said all that, you still need a catcher on your squard so let me break 'em down for you.

Top Ten Catchers

1. Victor Martinez- CLE -Pretty obvious here. Last year was his best season yet and expect more of the same this season. He hit right at .300, had 25 HRs and 114 RBI. His numbers should be similar this year if not a little better. He's also eligible at 1B which gives him a little more value. If I was going to draft him, I would play him at first and maybe draft a sleeper 1B. That way, if your sleeper ends up having a good season you can play him, slide Martinez over to C and drop or trade your starting C.
2. Russell Martin- LAD -This is a fun guy to watch play and not a bad player on your roster. In his 2nd season with the Dodgers, Martin hit .292, had 19 HRs and 87 RBI and also stole 21 bases. He's only going to get better too. I think he can hit .300 this year, maybe 3 or 4 more HRs and close to 100 RBI.
3. Brian McCann- ATL -McCann had a little bit of a down years compared to his previous year. However, he can mash the ball. He hit .269 last season compared to .332 the year before. He's probably more of a .280-.285 hitter. His HR totals were a little down last year too. I'm predicting a bounce-back season for him though with 25 HRs and 100RBI.
4. Joe Mauer- MIN -If he could stay healthy for a full season he could be no. 1 or 2 on this list. I think he's just had some bad luck. This season, a healthy Mauer will get you .325 BA, 15 HRs, 90 RBI and 9 SBs. The Twins have a better linup and Mauer should benefit from it.
5. Jorge Posada- NYY -The old salty catcher had an impressive season last year and the best numbers of his career. I don't expect him to repeat that performance though. He'll still have good numbers: .293BA, 18 HRs, 80 RBI. Posada is getting up there in age and you can't expect him to go on like last year. Still an above average catcher.
6. Kenji Johjima- SEA -He had a little bit of a down year compared to '06 as well. I think he'll hit like he did two years ago again this year. Look for 18 HRs, 80 RBI and a .280 BA. He's a pro hitter and a solid fantasy catcher.
7. Bengie Molina- SF -This stocky, somewhat chunky catcher is a pretty good hitter. He had his best season as a pro last year in an unfriendly hitter's park. Call me what you will but I think he can repeat his solid his of last year with .280 BA 18 HRs and 85 RBI. The Giants are going to have a pretty sorry offense but Molina is a bright spot for them.
8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia- TEX -One of the best hitting young catchers out there. In just over 300 ABs he had 11 HRs and 33 RBI. He has the potential to be a 2o HR 80 RBI guy. He also may be eligible at 1B this season too which adds to his value.
9. Jason Varitek- BOS -Usually a dependable starting fantasy catcher. He had a typical year last year and probably another one this year. I don't think he'll be very productive much longer though. He's getting up there in age and wear and tear so be cautious if you're thinking about drafting him.
10. Geovany Soto- CHC -Soto cracks my top 10 simply on potential alone. In a not so deep position he should be considered to be a fantasy starter. If you don't know who he is, get to know him. He's going to put up above average fantasy numbers for years to come. He lived up to the hype at the end of last season for the Cubs. He'll be their starting catcher this season and will add to an already impressive lineup. His numbers should look something like this: 16 HRs, 75 RBI, .275 BA.

Honorable Mentions

-Ivan Rodriguez- DET -Will probably hit around .300 but his power numbers are nowhere near what they were in his prime. Still a reliable catcher.
- A.J. Pierzynski- CHW -Nothing that will wow you but he's a decent starting catcher.
- Ramon Hernandez- BAL - Was banged up a lot last year after coming off a great year. Has the potential to get those numbers back. He's a potential sleeper at a bad fantasy position.
- John Buck- KC -If he could get his BA up he would be a solid catcher. He will hit a few HRs for you but nothing special.
- Kurt Suzuki- OAK - I liked what I saw out of this kid last year. He's a pretty good hitter and should be the A's starter. Keep on eye on him early this season.

Alright that's the catcher position. Remember what I said about the position on draft day. Nothing is worse than wasting a good pick on a middle of the road catcher. Check back for breakdowns of the other positions rankings. Later.

He's For Real

If you're asking yourself who this guy is then you better get to know him. The Astros young centerfielder, Hunter Pence, is one of the best young players in the game. Had it not been for a wrist injury he would have had a real shot at winning the NL Rookie of the Year. The kid is a hit machine. Last year he piled up 147 hits in 456 ABs giving him a .322 BA. Like I said he's no joke. He also hit 17 HRs and drove in 69. If you haven't seen him play yet, then it's your mission for this season is to make sure you check out some Astros games. He is a fun young kid to watch play. It's fair to say he likes to swing the bat. He only took 26 BBs last season. However, this is common for rookies who try to impress by swinging a lot. I'm expecting more big things from Pence this season. I'm not sure where he'll hit in the lineup, probably sencond or third. Wherever he hits he'll have his big homies, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, hitting right behind him which doesn't hurt his situation. I think Pence is going to be a top 15 or 20 outfielder when all is said and done this season. This is a guy you should definitely consider drafting for your squad. Pence will have at least 20 HRs this season and probably 80-85 RBIs and hit a cool .315. He can also swipe some bags for you, probably about 17 this season. He's also gonna score some runs hitting in front of the big boys. I picked him up last season and let me tell you that he is a solid everday fantasy play. He's only 24 years old and the sky is the limit for him. Pence will be a fantasy stud for many years to come.

I'm Back, But Will This Guy Be?

It was about a year and a half ago when Francisco Liriano burst onto the fantasy baseball scene. The small but well built lefty began dominating the American League and dominating the baseball talk. I remember picking him up right before the move from the bullpen to the rotation and this tiny transaction helped me win a league championship. As a rookie in 2006, Liriano posted just ridiculous numbers. How about a 12-3 record with a 2.16 ERA and 144 Ks in 121 innings pitched while only giving up 32 BBs. Then the worst thing that could happen, did happen. Tommy John surgery. Someone hand me the shotgun. Now Liriano is attempting his comeback and will likely to be asked to carry a big load for the Twins this year. Their starting rotation is not looking that solid right now. Johan Santana could be out the door at any time. Carlos Silva (who was never that good to begin with) is gone. The Twins traded their other young phenom in Matt Garza to Tampa. The Twins are going to be counting on Liriano to pick up the slack. However, the Twins are going to have an awesome lineup and should be able to put up runs with anybody. To me, Liriano is the "Story of the Year" in fantasy baseball. Will he be able to return to his old form or will he be a bust? Where will he be drafted? Well the Twins say that he is coming along nicely and on schedule following his surgery and Liriano believes he will be ready for the opening day of Spring Training. While I don't think Liriano will ever be as good as he was, I'm optimistic about his future. He needs to slow his delivery down, the guy has an awful lot of torque in his windup. While he may never dominate again, I still think he can be a solid #2 or 3 starter in most fantasy leagues. That doesn't mean you should draft him as such. Some people are going to be ancy about missing out on him in the draft and pick him too early. I say if he goes anytime before the 10th round, he went way too soon. I would wait until about the 12th until I went after him (depending on how deep the league is). Remeber guys, he's coming off of major arm surgery and hasn't pitched in close to two years. Liriano is a risky pick but a pick worth taking (just not too early!!!).

I'm Back and Better than EVER

Hey guys, whats happening. I'm coming back this year to bring you my opinions and predictions for this year's upcoming fantasy baseball season. I'm gonna start early and go all the way till the end so try to keep up. I don't like to brag but when it comes to fantasy baseball, I'm a winner. So check out my articles every week and hopefully you can improve your team. Or if you just want to talk baseball with me, that's cool too. Email me with any questions, comments or observations you have on an article or player. Have fun this year guys. Make your money cause I know I will.