Welcome to the first edition of ‘Sleepy Hollow Stars,’ a segment where I discuss sleepers that are not getting the attention they deserve, thus fantasy lineups around the country are hollow without them. OK, so it’s not the most relevant title, but I like it, so I’m sticking with it.

With the first half-week of MLB action commenced, I got to thinking about why some guys are available in my league and I began to look around all ESPN Fantasy Leagues and saw some shocking information. These 25 guys below are not getting the love they need, so take note. The number accompanying each player is the percent of leagues the player is owned in.

Kurt Suzuki (owned in 72.1 percent of ESPN leagues)
This Suzuki is no .350 hitter, but he can hit .290-.300 and he came up with the fourth-best season in my points league last year. This year, he’s an integral part of the Oakland A’s offense (if that’s what you could call it) and needs to be owned in all leagues. Most leagues only require one catcher, so even in the shallowest of leagues (8-10 teams), as one of the top 5 or 6 catchers in the game, Suzuki should be on a team in every league, plain and simple.

Colby Rasmus (66.5 percent)
The sophomore is far from slumping. Hitting behind Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, Rasmus should have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and the way he’s been stroking the ball, he could reach the 90 RBI plateau. The kid has all-world talent, and this could be the year he is harnessing it. He should be owned in every single league out there at this point, no matter the format.

Kyle Blanks (57.5)
So the Padres don’t really have much of an offense and PetCo park isn’t exactly the easiest place to hit, but Blanks has big-league power and is cleaning up for San Diego, hitting right behind Adrian Gonzalez. Not a bad spot to be. Take notice, this kid will eventually be a 40-homer threat and it could be this year.

Nick Johnson (56.8)
OK, so there is injury risk here, considering he has only played at least 130 games just three times in his career, but he’s hitting in cozy, homer-friendly Yankee Stadium and manager Joe Girardi has him slotted in the two-hole the first couple games so far, hitting right in front of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Could make for a crazy-good season for Johnson.

Delmon Young (24.8)
He was once the most highly touted prospect in the game (think Jason Heyward now), even though that seems like ages ago. Young hasn’t set the world on fire, but has reportedly come to spring training in better shape and with a different agenda—a career year. Hitting behind Jason Kubel, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, Young will get plenty of chances to drive in runs and if he ever finds that power stroke he was supposed to have, could easily drive in 100 runs.

Orlando Cabrera (21.3)
The starting shortstop of a potentially solid lineup in a hitter’s ballpark? Yes, please! Especially when he comes with the hitting pedigree Cabrera has. You know he’ll give you solid average and steals and in that ballpark could set a career high in homers. He could also score a lot of runs hitting two in that lineup. He definitely should be owned in more than 21 percent of leagues, especially when middle infield is so shallow to begin with.

Drew Stubbs (15.8)
Though he’s getting beat out for at-bats by Chris Dickerson in some of these early games, Stubbs will eventually win the center field job in Cincinnati and will take over leadoff duties whenever he is in the lineup. His power has been incredibly uncharacteristic lately (8 homers in a small sample size last season and 5 in spring training), so I wouldn’t count on it, but he’s found his power stroke two separate times, so you never know. Pay for steals and a lot of runs scored hitting in front of Cabrera, Votto and Brandon Phillips.

Josh Willingham (15.8)
He’s got power, that’s for certain. And he’s hitting right behind Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn, so when he does go yard, they likely won’t be of the solo variety. Just sayin…

Carlos Gomez (14.2)
Another highly touted prospect who has amounted to next to nothing thus far in his Major League career. But, he’s hitting two in the Brewers’ lineup, and that means right behind Rickie Weeks, who looks like the Weeks we all knew he could be so far, and directly in front of the best 1-2 tandem in the league—Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, who led the Majors in runs driven in by a duo in 2009. If Gomez continues to earn his at-bats on his new team, he will score close to 100 runs and with his blazing speed, could easily steal 40-50 bags, though 30-35 is more likely.

Austin Jackson (13.6)
The long lost member of the Jackson 5 is the new Detroit leadoff hitter. He’s taking over for Curtis Granderson in center and in the leadoff spot, which should equate to plenty of runs in front of Miguel Cabrera. He’s still very unproven, but 13.6 percent is a joke. That means that 17 out of every 20 leagues is Austin Jackson-less. Man, give the kid some love! Take a chance.

Troy Glaus (11.8)
He’s returning from injury and is getting up there in age, so there’s obviously risk here, but he’s only owned in 11.8 percent of leagues? This is a guy with 30-homer power who is hitting behind Chipper Jones and Brian McCann and ahead of Yunel Escobar and Jason Heyward, so he should drive in and score plenty of runs to go along with his dingers.

Sean Rodriguez (8.8)
He’s the starting second baseman for a possible playoff team in Tampa Bay. Not a bad choice at a thin position.

Skip Schumaker (8.1)
He’s slated as the leadoff hitter for the Cardinals. That means he’s hitting in front of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. Throw in his .300 batting average and Schumaker will score you plenty of runs at a shallow position.

Scott Rolen (7.2)
OK, so he hasn’t exactly been a fixture of health the past few years, but he’s the five-hitter in a decent lineup hitting behind Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto. Cincy is also a hitter’s park and nobody is behind him crying for playing time, so if Rolen can stay healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t go .280-20-90 for your team.

Cameron Maybin (5.2)
This is a guy who everybody was just as gaga over last year as they are over Jason Heyward this year. He didn’t perform or get many at-bats, but he still has the skill set and is Florida’s starting center fielder and two-hitter. Pick him up before the rest of the world notices he’s available.

Travis Hafner (4.8)
See Rolen, Scott and Glaus, Troy. Hafner’s in the same boat. He has had exceptional power in years’ past and is hitting in the heart of the order so far this year (cleanup), so he could have a good year. Or, he could prove that he was just on steroids and struggle to hit 15 homers again. It’s a risk, but one I think is worthy of taking.

Aubrey Huff (4.2)
Another benefactor of where he hits in the lineup, Huff is cleaning up for the Giants, which means he is hitting behind Aaron Rowand, Edgar Renteria and Kung Fu Panda himself, Pablo Sandoval. Look for 85+ ribbies from Huff, who is Tampa Bay’s all-time leading home run hitter.

Ian Desmond (3.6)
Alright, let’s face it—a lot of these guys are on this list because of where their managers are plugging them into the lineup so far this season. Desmond is hitting two for the lowly Nationals, but that’s about the best spot you could put a young, up-and-coming top-prospect shortstop. He’s right behind a rejuvenated Nyjer Morgan and just ahead of Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn. Assuming he stays in the two-hole, Desmond should drive in 50-60 runs and could easily score 85-100 runs at a shallow position.

Casey Kotchman (3.2)
Samsies to the opening sentence for Desmond. Kotchman is hitting three for the Mariners so far, which is right behind two on-base machines (Ichiro and Chone Figgins) and ahead of Milton Bradley, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Jose Lopez. Kotchman won’t set the world on fire with his power, but he could be a high-average guy with a lot of doubles and a good amount of RBIs (he had 4 on Opening Day alone).

Akinori Iwamura (3.0)
The starting second baseman for the Pirates, Iwamura figures to be slotted in the 1-3 spots in the lineup throughout the 2010 season. He’s a good on-base guy, so manager John Russell has him slated leadoff, ahead of the uber-talented Andrew McCutchen and Garret Jones, who apparently is for real, leading the Majors in homers and RBIs in the short season to date. Iwamura could easily score 90 runs and could crack the century plateau.

David DeJesus (2.2)
He’s leading off for the Royals and his career track record proves that DeJesus can hit .290 with double digit steals and home runs and somewhere around 75-80 RBIs and runs scored. So why do less than 3 percent of leagues own him? One of the seven wonders of the world, no doubt. Pick him up!

Edgar Renteria (2.0)
Last year, all the talk surrounding Renteria was how his hands had slowed down and his bat speed was nowhere near where it needed to be. Yeah, tell that to Astros, who just gave up five hits and a walk to Renteria the other night. The aged shortstop isn’t what he used to be at the plate, but in a shallow position, he offers stability, good average and runs.

Michael Brantley (1.1)
I’m going to let one of my friends, an avid Indians fan, tag in and take this one: “Michael Brantley will be a star for the Indians. He’s getting a chance to prove himself now and when Russell Branyan comes back from the DL, Brantley will be in at a point where he has forced whoever his manager will be at the time to play him. The kid is a former top prospect who can steal a ton of bags and will play solid defense and provide some pop, so he will warrant at-bats whenever available.”

Jim Edmonds (0.7)
So, Corey Hart might want to go back to singing, because Edmonds is taking at-bats from him by the bushel. Hart, who two seasons ago had the worst OBP of all ML starters, has fallen far from grace and is now in a platoon with Edmonds, a left-handed hitter. Jimmy will figure to see most of the at-bats against right-handed pitchers and when he is in the lineup, which has been a lot in the early going here, he hits five, directly behind Fielder and Braun. Not a bad place to be for a guy who still has plenty pop left in his bat.

Ryan Sweeney (0.6)
Alright, so you catch on to the theme, right? These guys on this list are all a product of their role in their respective lineups. Well, Sweeney is no different and may actually be the biggest benefactor of where he hits. He’s a high-average guy who is still learning the game and adapting to Major League ball and is slotted in the three-hole, behind Mark Ellis and Rajai Davis and ahead of whoever the heck the Athletics consider to be their cleanup and five-hitters on any given day. Sweeney is relatively unknown, but I project him to drive in 85 runs with a .300 average and 10-12 homers based on his contact rate and place in the lineup. Give him some love!

So, the Rockies are looking pretty fresh this spring, fresh to death. In my eyes, it is between this Mile High club and the Flo-rida Marlins for the NL Wild Card spot, with the Phillies, Cardinals and Dodgers winning their respective divisions, of course.

The way I see it, whether the Rocks become Rolling Stones in 2010 or get stoned (the old medieval definition, get your mind out of the gutter) will hinge on what kind of seasons Clint Hurdle’s, oops I mean Jim Tracy’s, five young players will have.

Dexter Fowler CF

First and foremost. This kid is legit. He’s a pretty good defender out there in center field, with a chance to be real good. Maybe even legen—wait for it and I hope you’re not lactose intolerant because the second part of that sentence is—DAIRY! He gets good reads off the ball most of the time and boy can he fly. It’s his speed that really helps him at the dish as well, that and a keen batting eye. The kid drew 67 walks in right around 500 plate appearances as a rookie, spending a lot of that time in the leadoff slot. What kind of rookie leadoff man has that kind of plate discipline? I don’t know, but sign me up! The recently-turned-24-year-old kid should steal 40 bags this year and could easily swipe 50-60 if he continues to get on base at a .365 clip.

Carlos Gonzalez LF

Just call him Lady Gaga, because everybody is going gaga over this kid! OK, that was terrible, but you catch my drift. This 24-year-old stud is a surefire 20-20 threat. Maybe even 30-30 depending on how well he progresses in his sophomore season. Gonzo will probably be hitting either leadoff or in the two-hole, and will score a lot of runs hitting in front of the big boppers, while swiping 30 bags and approaching 20 dingers. He’s also been a centerfielder much of his career to date, so he’s a real solid defender who gives the Rockies a blazing outfield playing alongside Fowler. However, there is that dreaded sophomore slump and if he wanted proof that that exists, he need not go any further than his own dugout where Troy Tulowitzki had maybe the worst discrepancy from his rookie year to sophomore season in recent memory. Speaking of Troy Tulowitzki…

Troy Tulowitzki SS

Which is the real Troy? The guy that showed up in 2007 (.291, 104 runs, 24 HR, 99 RBIs, 7 steals), the dude that played the 2008 season (.263, 48, 8, 46, 1 in 101 games) or the monster that roamed Colorado in the ’09 campaign (.297, 101, 32, 92, 20)? I mean, does he steal bases, does he hit .300, does he park 30 longballs, does he drive in and score 100, or does he not even approach any of those gaudy totals from last year? If Troy T. is the dude he was last year, look for the Rockies to reach the NLCS with the other tools Skip Tracy has at his disposal around Tulo.

Ubaldo Jimenez

The 26-year-old righty has really come into his own the past two years and has now made the tagline of “Future Ace”that read on the back of all of his baseball cards a reality. With veteran Jason Marquis leaving via free agency, this Rockies staff is in desperate need of an ace, a guy that can go out there and give his team a chance to win every single time he takes the mound. Jimenez has been that the past two seasons, but was never labeled the ace and thus never had any pressure fall on his shoulders. This year, the ball is in his court—almost literally, except baseball doesn’t have a court, it’s a field, duh. Jimenez has all the tools and the experience, it is just a matter of whether he fulfills his shoes as leader of the pitching staff or whether he becomes more of a goat than the goat that has essentially cursed my beloved Cubbies the past couple of years.

Ian Stewart

Tracy and Co. loved him so much, they shipped veteran third baseman Garrett Atkins right out of town. Stewart has power—mad power—but can he hit for a high enough average to keep him in the lineup everyday? He’s a lefty bat, which is good, but the Rocks already have a slew of other lefties in Todd Helton, Brad Hawpe and the aforementioned Gonzalez and Fowler (switch hitter). Stewart is kind of like a poor man’s Adam Dunn, singling about as often as he homers and drawing lots of walks and striking out a bunch. Stewart isn’t quite the on-base machine that Dunn is yet (just 56 walks in 475ish plate appearances), but at 23 (24 on opening day), his power is still developing. If he can hit for a high enough average to warrant 500 at-bats, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound third baseman could hit 35-40 bombs, which is a big boost to a Rockies club that isn’t exactly hurting for power but lacks that one true bopper that is a threat to leave the ballpark every time he steps into the plate.

Tommy: Let’s think about this for a sec, Ted. Why would somebody put a guarantee on a box? Hmmm, very interesting.
Ted Nelson, Customer: Go on, I’m listening.
Tommy: Here’s the way I see it, Ted. Guy puts a fancy guarantee on a box ’cause he wants you to feel all warm and toasty inside.
Ted Nelson, Customer: Yeah, makes a man feel good.
Tommy: ‘Course it does. Why shouldn’t it? Ya figure you put that little box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter, am I right, Ted?
Ted Nelson, Customer: What’s your point?
Tommy: The point is, how do you know the fairy isn’t a crazy glue sniffer? “Building model airplanes” says the little fairy; well, we’re not buying it. He sneaks into your house once, that’s all it takes. The next thing you know, there’s money missing off the dresser, and your daughter’s knocked up. I’ve seen it a hundred times.
Ted Nelson, Customer: But why do they put a guarantee on the box?
Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of s***. That’s all it is, isn’t it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer’s sake, for your daughter’s sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.
Ted Nelson, Customer: [pause] Okay, I’ll buy from you.

OK, so the point of this rant from this classic Tommy Boy scene is that a guarantee isn’t worth much, but it makes people feel good because it’s a guarantee. It’s supposed to be right, it’s supposed to be correct.

In that spirit, under the pseudoname Tony Boy (get it, like Tommy Boy, but with my name, instead?), I have comprised a list of 15 guarantees that you can take to heart for the 2010 Fantasy Baseball season.

Will these all pan out? Of course not. I’m no fortune teller. I’m no gypsy. I’m just a man—a good-looking and wise man of course, but just a man nonetheless.

So, why the guarantee, you ask? Well, for one, I just wanted to get Tommy Boy into the article. But, on a more serious note, all of these predictions might not pan out, but as it stands right now, I full expect each one to come to fruition. They are bold and I may end up going 0-for-15, but hey, I’m taking a shot in the dark. Sue me.

Actually, don’t sue me. I don’t have much to my name anyways. Just read and enjoy:

1.    Justin Upton will be the Top Fantasy OF.
Why not? He’s uber-talented and has steadily improved over the past couple of seasons. He is only 23 and keep in mind that he is still maturing and adapting to the Major League lifestyle and to his body. On top of that, he only played in 138 games last year, so assuming he plays 15-20 more games and continues to improve at the rate he has so far, I fully expect him to hit 35 bombs with an average somewhere between .290-.320 and triple digit runs and RBIs. He gets the nod up over fellow OF Ryan Braun because he can run (Upton should steal around 25 bags) and over Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford because he should hit for more power.

2.    Howie Kendrick will hit .320.
I love Kendrick. It’s well-documented that I love his pregame routine of hitting in the batting cage with the speed turned up all the way and a weight on his bat. His hands are fast. Real fast. Faster than a speeding bullet. OK, maybe not, but faster than probably any fastball in the Majors today, at least until Cy Young resurrected Stephen Strasburgh gets called up. Kendrick can hit, that’s for certain. He has never put it all together for one season because he can’t stay healthy, but this is the year I think he stays healthy and challenges for a batting title.

3.    Chris Young (OF, ARI) will join the 30-30 club.
“Ha!,” you all say. “Chris Young is a pitcher, that’s just ridiculous.” Well, yes, it would be ridiculous to think the 6-10 freak of a man who takes the hill every fifth day for the Padres would hit 30 bombs and steal 30 bases. But, there is another Chris Young, and he mans the outfield for the Arizona Diamondbacks when he is hitting well enough to be in The Show. Many people have forgotten about him because he has faded to obscurity the past two seasons with just flat-out awful performances. But, he hit 32 homers and stole 27 bags his rookie season just three short years ago. He’s still young, so he hasn’t lost a step on the basepaths, so why can’t he turn in those numbers again? Many people attribute the 32-27 to a fluke, or the inability of pitchers to portray his weaknesses. I’m not so sure. Do I have proof? Nope. Just a gut feeling. It’s worth a late-round flier to see if I’m right or not, eh?

4.    Carlos Zambrano will win 20 games this year for the Cubs.
Maybe this is wishful thinking as a Cubs fan. Maybe I’m just jumping on the Big Z bandwagon four years too late. Whatever the reason, I’m serious. Zambrano will win 20 this year. The Cubs have to be better than they were last year and Zambrano has to be better than he was last year. They’re both too good on paper and have the resume to support it. Plus, there are reports that Zambrano has shown up to Spring Training slimmer, in better shape and more dedicated to his craft. All of that equals a big year for Big Z.

5.    Joe Mauer will not be the top Fantasy Catcher.
OK, so I don’t have much to back this one up, either. Just another gut feeling. I think Victor Martinez or Brian McCann, or even the all-world Messiah of catching prospects Matt Weiters will finish above Mauer. Why? Well, Mauer may get hurt. He may switch to third base to preserve those studly sideburns and knees for the big eight-year contract extension he just signed. He may just flat out have a poorer year than expected. A lot of people are taking him in the first round. He’s not a first-round talent. No guy who spends a bulk of his time catching can ever be first round material. There’s just too much wear and tear and there are too many other studs out there. Maybe Mauer will go back to being just a high average guy. That’s unlikely, but my point is you never know. Things change so much from year to year.

6.    Francisco Liriano will be a Top 20 Fantasy Pitcher.
Yep, he’s back, folks. Liriano will make you say oh-snap in oh-10. He tore up winter ball and has looked sharp thus far in Spring Training. Time remains to be seen, but I’m in his corner. Look for the Liriano of ’07 to come back and reign over fantasy leagues again.

7.    Dice-K will be a Top 20 Fantasy Pitcher…
…Only if he gets his walks down. He needs to be able to pitch deeper into games to get more chances for wins and strikeouts.

8.    John Lackey will win 18 games.
Think of all he did with some pretty good Angels teams. Now take that and add the jacked Red Sox lineup and you have yourself a recipe for a bunch of wins.

9.    Jon Lester will be a Top 5 Fantasy Pitcher.
He’s still young and only getting better. I remember when he threw his no-hitter. I was in Boston, waiting to go to the game on the following night. Yes, I missed witnessing a no-no live by about 24 hours. Sucks, I know. But, since then, I have been enamored with Lester and if he hasn’t shown you why yet, he will in 2010. Mark my words.

10.    I think the Boston Red Sox will be a heck of a team in 2010.
As if you couldn’t tell by my listing three straight things about how great I expect their pitching staff to be, and that was without even mentioning Mr. Postseason himself Josh Beckett. The Red Sox will win 100 games. I would have liked to see Jason Bay still out there patrolling left field, but they will still hit the crap out of the ball and pitch it even better. Gobble up as many Bostonians as possible, as they will all be valuable by year’s end.

11.    Chien-Ming Wang will win 15 games this year.
Where’s he pitching? Anybody know? I’m kidding, I know he’s on the Nationals. Washington is in desperate need of starting pitchers who can get outs consistently and Wang is in dire need of a second chance. Perfect match? I think so! If only Match.com had something on this. Wang was a winner with the Yankees by getting ground ball after ground ball. Expect the same in that nation’s capital. (This is another gut call here, but keep an eye on Wang. He’ll be a waiver-wire favorite, for sure).

12.    Joe Nathan will not pitch in 2010.
OK, so this is a gimme. We all already know he won’t pitch this year. But hey, there’s no proof I didn’t have this on my list for this article before he got hurt. Try to prove it, I dare you.

13.    Shin-Soo Choo will be a Top 10 OF.
Come on, the little dude does it all. He hits for power, average, steals bags, drives in runs, scores runs, walks. You name it and he does it. He’s not a household name yet, but he should be. Choo will be a mainstay in the Top 10 OF for years to come.

14.    Ben Zobrist will be drafted two rounds too high.
I’m not saying Zeus will be bad. I think he’ll have another great year. But, there will be at least one owner in every league who just salivates over Zobrist’s position eligibility and his burst onto the scene last year, expecting Zeus to improve upon last year’s numbers. If he does improve, it will be a modest improvement, no doubt. He’s a great player, but will go way too high in most leagues. Two rounds was just a guess (as if the rest of these predictions had scientific or statistical bearing, right?).

15.    Billy Butler will be a Top 5 first baseman.
He was a silent performer last season, turning in a .301, 21, 93 season with 51 doubles. He is just turning 24 in April, so he is still adapting to Major League life, and because he was quiet, fantasy owners and opposing pitchers alike do not have him on their radar as much as they should. All of that adds up to a young kid with huge upside. I fully realize that it means that Butler would push out several of the bunch of Pujols, Howard, Teixeira, Gonzalez, Cabrera, Fielder, and Dunn. That’s why these predictions are bold. Deal with it.

Think I’m wrong? We’ll see come October. I’ll be sitting up on my high horse looking down on all you normalfolk who don’t have the daring capabilities to make such bold predictions. Either that or I will be face down in a gutter somewhere because somebody lived by these guarantees.

Only time will tell.

Yeah, OK, there have been countless other screw-ups in sports lately. Tiger Woods is the obvious headliner. Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, the list goes on and on. But who would have expected 58-year-old Rangers manager Ron Washington to add to the Mt. Rushmore of sports f-ups?

Not I. When I heard that, I thought, could it be? Could the Sports Screw-ups Wolfpack add a new member?

Apparently.

How ridiculous is that? What an example Washington is setting. He’s the manager of a team that already carries a former coke addict (Josh Hamilton). How could he resort to drugs himself?

The manager is supposed to be the rock of the team. The one that people look up to for guidance and direction. How can he direct anybody now that he publicly screwed up? How can somebody like Hamilton turn to him for guidance in a time of weakness if there’s question whether Washington himself is stable or not?

How does Washington still have a job? I know Tony LaRussa got a DUI. He’s a great manager who made a mistake. But, Washington is no LaRussa. He’s replaceable, for sure. Plus, cocaine is some serious stuff. A lot of people drink. A very few amount of people do cocaine.

People can become addicted to both and I’m not about to defend LaRussa or minimize his DUI, but Washington’s offense was far worse. I can’t think of a time where I’ve heard a manager in the negative spotlight like this. ESPN spent half their St. Patty’s Day discussing the bad luck that Washington had to get tested when he did.

As a baseball fanatic, I think Washington is worthy of a second-chance at some point, but I don’t think he should retain his position as manager. He says this is the first time he has ever used cocaine. Who uses cocaine just once? Plus, why would he first try cocaine at age 58? He’s a freakin senior citizen, for gosh sakes. I doubt as highly that this was not his first time as much as I doubt that Ashlee Simpson never had plastic surgery.

He needs to get himself straight before he can be in charge of 25 other guys and a handful of other coaches. I won’t go so far as to say Washington is a disgrace to the game of baseball, but he certainly found a different way to taint the already-tainted MLB.

Washington’s public statement was perfect, but it was too perfect. He was coached on what to say and said exactly what he needed to say, just like Tiger Woods. I can’t believe it. I can’t take it to heart. Athletes are too much like politicians nowadays. Everything they say has a hidden agenda.

Regardless, the MLB doesn’t need any more negative attention. Managers, coaches, players, owners, general mangers, groundskeepers, whoever. Keep your s**t together, please. Let’s give the young kids who idolize this sport and everybody who plays it something that we can be proud of. They deserve it.

Bringingheat.com Lead Journalist

OK, so the Twins are still probably the team to beat in the AL Central. They can never be counted out. No matter what happens, you can turn your TV on the day after the regular season ends and there will be some sort of preview for a Twins game, whether it’s game 163 or the first game of the AL Division Series.

However, this may be the year that the White Sox finally make that push that the other teams in the division have been trying to make for the past couple years. 2010 could be the year of the White Sox. Will it be? I don’t know; I’m not a mind-reader, even though that would not only be super cool and it would have to be the top icebreaker of all time. Think about all you could do with that power…

OK, I digress. The White Sox. Ah, yes, the cream of the crop in the AL Central. They will be in the postseason in 2010. Mark my words. (Keep in mind I just said I am not a mind reader, but I’m a confident individual and when it comes to things in life, I’m right a scary amount. Ask those close to me, they’ll tell you.)

Why, you ask? Well, first off, stop talking to your computer. It can’t talk back. Well, not officially anyways.

Secondly, and more importantly, the White Sox will be contenders because of Kenny Williams. The Cubs get more press in Chi Town, but not rightfully so (hey, I’m a Cubs fan, but it’s true). As such, Cubs’ General Manager Jim Hendry gets more press in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, on Comcast SportsNet…you get the idea. But, Kenny Williams is the real big man on campus, if the campus spanned across Chicago, that is.

The White Sox GM has done nothing short but make some magic with his moves of late. OK, Ken Griffey, Jr. as the DH wasn’t exactly a great personnel move, but he is one of the top players ever to set foot on a baseball diamond, so it was worth a shot.

But, the moves that have paid off? Geez, we can look at Carlos Quentin for starters. Quentin is the top offensive threat in the ChiSox lineup, a perfect fit in the three hole. Which brings me back to my point. Assuming he’s at least somewhat healthy in 2010, his consistent production will be a huge boost to the lineup.

But, it’s Williams’ moves the past six months are really what have me singing like Steve Perry (get it, from “Don’t Stop Believing,” the song deemed White Sox theme song).

Jake Peavy, Alex Rios, Juan Pierre, Andruw Jones, Mark Kotsay, J.J. Putz, Omar Vizquel and Mark Teahen. Williams has brought all of these guys to the South Side since July and in that span, the only worthwhile players the Sox lost were Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye, but they’re on the way out and don’t figure into the plans for 2010 anyways.

First off, Peavy. He’s a bonafide ace worthy of sitting atop the rotation. There was a lot of risk attributed to the trade for Peavy, both because of his ankle and because there was a lot of rumor that he couldn’t make the transition to the AL seamlessly. In his time in September, Peavy proved it was much ado about nothing and should be poised to take the reigns as the ace. Even if he’s pitching bad, his presence alone will be enough to help the Sox out, as he will take the pressure off Mark Buehrle (who trailed off a little bit after his perfect game) as the ace. His presence also moves Gavin Floyd to the three-spot and John Danks as the No. 4 pitcher, and there may be no better 3-4 option in the ML today.

Putz’s arrival makes an already strong bullpen just that much stronger. Bobby Jenks is a serviceable closer, but his strikeout rate has reached a scary total for a closer, so Putz offers a guy that has proven he can be the stopper. If Jenks stays around, Putz gives the Sox another reliable arm in the late innings. Matt Thornton is just unstoppable as the left-handed 8^th inning guy, but Putz could alleviate any pressure either Thornton or Jenks would feel, or could just slide in and pitch the 7^th inning in close games.

Vizquel doesn’t provide an immediate impact, but his tutelage over Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham will be invaluable and whenever the two need a break, the Whiz Viz could step in and provide a productive glove and bat, even at his advanced age.

Pierre is Scott Podsednik, but better, a lot better. He can be the leadoff man and the pressure-applying baserunner that Podsednik was in ’05 when the Sox won the World Series. Neither Jones nor Kotsay are in their prime anymore (and by that, I mean, Jones isn’t on steroids anymore, not that he was for sure, but I’d have to imagine he was), but they are still productive in small doses. Kotsay is a consummate professional and if his balky back is healthy, he will be a true veteran presence. Jones can provide some power and the two should make for a talented platoon duo at the DH slot.

Rios was once one of the highest touted prospects in the game and he has had a couple of successful MLB seasons, but he has been quite quiet of late. Betting on a rebound? At 29, yes, very much so. He is still fast on the basepaths and can provide some power. His average, runs and RBIs should round out to his career norms and the best part is, the Sox don’t need him to produce much more than his numbers last year, thanks to a talented roster surrounding him.

I’ve always liked Teahen and he can definitely surprise this year as a decent power-speed option.

All in all, the lineup should shake out like this:

1. Pierre LF
2. Beckham 2B
3. Quentin RF
4. Konerko 1B
5. Kotsay/Jones DH
6. Rios CF
7. Ramirez SS
8. Pierzynski C
9. Teahen 3B

One through nine can really bring it with the stick, and even though the lineup only features two guys who can hit at the 30-homer level, each guy besides Pierre should reach double digits and each could reach the 20-bomb plateau.

Couple that with an already solid pitching staff that has added Jake Peavy and J.J. Putz and you have yourself a volcano ready to burst. Just wait and see. Come season’s end, I’ll be right. The only thing that could hold this team back now is manager Ozzie Guillen (I hate Guillen, by the way. He’s a terrible manager). Assuming Williams’ next move is getting Guillen out of town, this team is built to win now and in the future.

Bringingheat.com Lead Journalist

1. Jonathan Papelbon BOS

Relief pitchers is one of the toughest positions to rank, because preseason, it’s near impossible to tell who will be best when the clock strikes midnight because so many things factor into the final decision—ERA, saves, strikeouts, wins, etc. It’s too hard to decipher whether a relief pitcher will have a great ERA or not because one bad outing can screw an entire year. As much as I like to think so, I don’t know everything and I am no Norstradamus. However, that being said, Papelbon is the clear No. 1 in my eyes. Barring injury, he has maybe the safest job on the planet for a team that is bound to get plenty of opportunities for wins. And wins=save opportunities and Papelbon just doesn’t blow saves. He just doesn’t. It’s more taboo than laughing at a funeral or invading somebody’s personal space. Pap will give you a low ERA (he always does), and though his walk total went through the roof last year thus inflating his WHIP (Walks + Hits/Innings Pitched), he should come back to his career norms in ’10.

2. Jonathan Broxton LAD

Had to go with the other Jonathan here, even if he is on the opposite coast and in a different league than Papelbon. No matter what happens, there is one guarantee in pitching in fantasy baseball—Broxton will get you strikeouts. He struck out 13.5 batters per nine innings last year for Pete’s sake! (Which, by the way, who was Pete and where did that saying come from? Why is everybody so worried about Pete and his well-being?) Anyways…Broxton also plays on a very good team that will once again get wins and provide him with plenty of save opportunities. The Dodgers don’t blow anybody out, so they should have plenty of close games, games that Broxton will close out with his dominant, near-unhittable ways.

3. Joe Nathan MIN

I was really tempted to put Nathan as the No. 1 reliever, but maybe for age alone, I had to drop him below the Jonathans. Nathan is 35 now, and no matter what my mom says, that is old, at least in baseball years. He will continue to put up dominant numbers as the closer for the Twins for the next three years or so, but he is bound to decline at some point. So, for those of you in deep keeper leagues, look into finding a replacement now. As for 2010, however, don’t bother. Fresh off an ’09 campaign in which he set a career high with 47 saves, Nathan once again posted a WHIP below 1.00, though his 2.10 ERA was by far his worst total in four years. Funny that a 2.10 ERA could be a negative, but it just was a slight disappointment for Nathan owners. The only constants in life are life, death, and the Twins challenging for the AL Central title with some quality pitching. Whoever pitches ahead of Nathan and whoever is in that lineup, Nathan will have plenty of opportunities and his job is as secure as Brink’s Home Security (man, I should really start charging people for advertising in these articles, I could make a killing).

4. Mariano Rivera NYY

Mo is 39, which seems about right, I guess, when I think about how long he has been around. But, considering the numbers the dude has put up the last two seasons, he seems more like 29. Mo will decline eventually, though there’s no telling when. You could see a slight downtick in his numbers, what after his 24^th World Series run and all, but he still should be in line for plenty of saves with a real low ERA and a WHIP that’s so microscopic, you’d need a microscope to see it (hence the description, I guess).

5. Joakim Soria KC

Soria has rough luck. He doesn’t get the respect he deserves in real life because his team isn’t a big market club and he doesn’t get the respect he deserves in the fantasy world because he doesn’t have many save chances. I guess all that could be fixed if the Royals win a few games for the first time since George Brett left, but hey, that could be asking for too much. Despite an inflated ERA, WHIP, batting average against and a decreasing save total, Soria did post the best strikeout numbers of his career (11.7 K/9). And, hey, he did set a career high in wins, vulturing three, count ‘em—three, after garnering just two each the previous two seasons. That’s an extra 10 points in my points fantasy league, so I will take that, sir.

6. Francisco Rodriguez NYM

I was really tempted to put K-Rod lower just because everybody made so much hype about his 62-save season in ’08. I mean, that’s awesome, don’t get me wrong, but he signed a completely Chris Bridges contract (oh, that’s Ludacris’s real name by the way). But, the fact of the matter is, I think K-Rod is the next best option available on the list, for the right price, that is. Don’t overdraft because he’s not worth it, especially after his strikeout totals have decreased for three straight seasons while his WHIP and walk totals have gone up for four straight years. He is still very dominant at times, and the Mets should be much better overall in ’10, so he will have plenty of opportunities again. His ERA should come back to his career norm of 2.53, but then again, who knows anymore? He’s a risk, but 2010 should be less like 2009 and more like 2007, except for maybe the strikeouts.

7. Heath Bell SD

Bell is nothing flashy, especially considering he pitches for maybe the most boring club on the planet right now. His ERA is pretty good. Not top notch, but still solid, and he strikes out slightly more than a hitter an inning. Despite his low-quality club, Bell is in line for a lot of saves because when the Padres do win, it’s usually by just a run or two, so he is always on the hook for a stop. Nothing sexy, but he can help win you a fantasy championship because you’ll likely get him on the cheap because he is still somewhat of an unknown in fantasy circles.

8. Carlos Marmol CHC

This is only assuming Marmol is the surefire closer of the Cubs. I know that doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence, but his 7.9 walks/nine innings doesn’t exactly make me want to jump for joy, either. I mean, that is just ridiculous. Eight walks per nine innings?! I could throw more strikes than that. I mean, I’d get lit up, but still. The thing is, though, Marmol is nearly unhittable. In the past three seasons, the 27-year-old from the Dominican Republic has only given up 124 hits in 230 innings, for an average that is on the right side of .200. He doesn’t compound his walks with hits, considering he handed out 65 free passes and just allowed 43 hits last year, which makes for his low ERA. Marmol also racks up the strikeouts and may be the only other closer besides Broxton that could actually reach triple digits in that category before the season ends. If he could just get that walk rate down to like five walks per nine, which is still awful, he would be one heck of a closer. The Cubs should rebound, too, so he should have plenty of opportunities.

9. Trevor Hoffman MIL

The man with the best changeup in the game really threw the world a changeup last season. After an unusually pedestrian ’08 season (in which he posted an ERA of 3.77, oh the horror) by his standards, Hoffman up and left San Diego, where he was more entrenched than John Mayer is in the music world (come on, enough already John), for Milwaukee. Many people thought he was done and just going there to ride out his career.  Instead, he turned in the second-lowest ERA and WHIP of his career while blowing just four games for the Brewers. Now that everybody thinks he’s one of the top closers in the game again, he may just up and go back into decline mode, but that’s about the only risk that this point. His whiff numbers are nothing to write home about, either, but he should be consistent and may come cheap if other owners are wary of his advanced age (42).

10. Brian Fuentes LAA

Below Marmol, things get really slim here as for top notch closers. Every one of these guys, Hoffman included, has a major flaw. Fuentes’ is his regression across the board in ’09. Sure, he led the Majors with 48 saves, which is great, but the rest of his numbers were nothing like what anybody expected. It was his worst WHIP, ERA and strikeout totals since he became a closer in 2005 and he blew seven save chances. However, his job is secure at the moment and you could do worse than his final ’09 numbers. The Angels will once again contend and once again need somebody to act as a stopper because they won’t be blowing anybody out that often, so chances will be aplenty for Fuentes.

11. Francisco Cordero CIN

Coco Cordero, as he is sometimes known, rebounded from a couple of somewhat down years to post a 2.16 ERA while converting on 39 of 43 save chances in ’09. The problem is, he somehow lost his ability to strike batters out, posting by far his worst strikeout rate in the past decade. His WHIP (1.32) was relatively high by comparison to his ERA and his batting average against was the highest it’s been in three years. It appears that the only reasons for his low ERA total was a little luck and the fact that he only surrendered two home runs. He is still a solid No. 1 closer because he is cemented into his spot at the end of the bullpen and will always convert his chances, but he isn’t what he used to be.

12. Brian Wilson SF

Wilson was barely an afterthought as a closer in ’08, but improved across the board in 2009. He did blow seven saves, but did so with five wins, a 2.74 ERA, 38 saves, 83 Ks in 72.1 IP, a .223 batting average against and a 1.20 WHIP. He isn’t the safest option, considering he has just one successful season under his belt, but his job seems pretty secure, even if Jeremy Affeldt is flourishing in the setup role. I would say make him put up another season just like last year before jumping the gun and ranking him in the Top 10.

13. Frank Francisco TEX

F Dubs had an up and down 2009, but mainly because of injuries. However, his job is secure because it was waiting for him whenever he got off the DL last year and the best option for Texas right now besides F Dubs is C.J. Wilson, and he isn’t exactly the best closing option out there. Assuming Francisco is healthy, he will strikeout more than a batter per inning with a solid save conversion rate, a decent ERA and a good WHIP.

14. Andrew Bailey OAK

The reigning AL Rookie of the Year will not repeat his awesome ’09 numbers in 2010. I repeat: he will not repeat. Bailey may be good, in fact, he may be awesome. But last year was just too successful for a young kid to maintain back-to-back seasons. He will, however, still rack up some strikeouts and should have a pretty good ERA and WHIP.

15. Ryan Franklin STL

Franklin is a good reliever. But, is he as good as he was in 2009? Hell to the no! Pitching for the Cardinals, he will continue to get plenty of saves. Pitching under Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan, he will continue to have success pitching. But, he will not have a 1.92 ERA again, especially not with a 1.20 WHIP. He doesn’t strike out many batters, either, so if he does struggle, that’s not a fallback option. Franklin will be a good No. 2 closer on your fantasy team, but he will not be great. Don’t pay for last year’s season.

16. Rafael Soriano TB—Underrated, will get lots of Ks and saves with a good club

17. Jose Valverde DET—Move to AL may drop his numbers slightly, but still good option

18. Kerry Wood CLE—On a rough team, but if he starts hot could be traded by deadline

19. Mike Gonzalez BAL—Good strikeouts, not many opportunities on Baltimore though

20. Chad Qualls ARI—Secure job on a pretty good team=lots of opportunities

21. Bobby Jenks CWS—Will post lots of saves, but decreasing Ks a worry

22. Octavio Dotel PIT—Should close, but Joel Hanrahan could vulture saves, lots of Ks

23. Huston Street COL—Great ’09, but his job is not as secure as it may seem

24. Matt Thornton CWS—Closer in waiting, lots of holds, great Ks, ERA and WHIP

25. Billy Wagner ATL—High risk because of injury and age, but could pay off big time

26. David Aardsma SEA—Don’t draft based on career ’09 statistics

27. Brad Lidge PHI—Could there be a more inconsistent closer in the history of the game?

28. Phil Hughes NYY—Really came into his own pitching out of the ‘pen last year

29. Jason Frasor TOR—Will close to start the season, but Downs hot on his heels

30. Matt Guerrier MIN—Led MLB in holds last season, should garner a lot again

31. Michael Wuertz OAK—Lots of Ks, with a good ERA and WHIP and could pick up some holds

32. Jeremy Affeldt SF—Another real good setup man who should post good ERA

33. George Sherrill LAD—Should act as primary setup man to Broxton

34. Matt Lindstrom/Brandon Lyon HOU—Battling for closer role

35. Scott Downs TOR—Very good setup man and could vulture some saves from Frasor

36. Leo Nunez/Dan Meyer FLA—Both in the mix for the closer role

37. Matt Capps/Brian Bruney WAS—Vying for closing duties on a bad team, stay away

38. Ryan Madson PHI—Good setup man and could be in line to close if Lidge fails

39. Rafael Betancourt COL—Proven late-inning guy could close if Street gets injured again

40. Joel Hanrahan PIT—Will post good ERA and WHIP and could get some saves

41. Mike Adams SD—If Heath Bell gets traded, Adams is in line to close

42. Joba Chamberlain/Neftali Feliz NYY/TEX—Will they pitch out of the pen again?

43. C.J. Wilson TEX—Francisco is anything but durable, so Wilson could be in line for some saves

44. LaTroy Hawkins MIL—Successful season closing last year, could step in if Hoffman struggles

45. John Grabow CHC—Should be in line for lots of holds as setup man for Marmol

46. Nick Masset CIN—Top setup man with lots of holds, could close if Cordero is dealt

47. Kelvim Escobar NYM—Will be setup man to K-Rod, injury-prone so beware

48. Scot Shields LAA—Great setup man, but rebounding from shoulder injury

49. Peter Moylan ATL—Great WHIP and ERA, didn’t allow a HR in ‘09

50. Drew Storen WAS—Supposed to be the next top-end closer

Bringingheat.com Lead Journalist

1. Tim Lincecum SF

After two straight NL Cy Young awards, Lincecum is clearly the No. 1 fantasy pitcher. The long-locked little big man has been nothing short of a monster in the fantasy world. His ridiculous strikeout totals are only upstaged by his microscopic ERA and he will rack up innings, wins and low WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched). You can draft with confidence. The only risk at this point is injury, and despite his crazy, herky-jerky motion, this dude is as cool as the other side of the pillow (thanks Stuart Scott!). Tony Andracki

2. Felix Hernandez SEA

King Felix finally, FINALLY, backed up his immense hype over a full season. 200 strikeouts, 230+ innings, 19 wins (on a sub-.500 team), a 2.49 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP make for a No. 1 fantasy starter, except that that spot is occupied by Lincecum, who is on another level of pitchers. However, considering he will just be 24 shortly after opening day, the King is the rightful heir to the No. 1 spot if Lincecum should ever fall to injury. You hear that Ludacris, King Felix is coming for that No. 1 spot, too…

3. Zack Greinke KC

How impressive was Greinke in ’09? After battling social anxiety disorder (it’s sometimes easy to forget that professional athletes are real people, too, isn’t it?), Greinke came back to win the AL Cy Young with an incredible season. Assuming he doesn’t have any setbacks psychologically, with his insane talent, Greinke will be a Top 3 fantasy pitcher again. Throw in the fact that he is just 26, the KC ace could be your fantasy ace from years to come. In keeper leagues, you can tie him up for close to a decade before he should start to become an unserviceable starter. Whatever way you look at it, Greinke certainly creates some anxiety for opposing managers and fantasy owners. Scoop him up.

4. Roy Halladay PHI

Let me paint you a picture: Roy Halladay has averaged 243 innings, a 2.78 ERA, 207 Ks and 18.5 wins over the past two seasons with 18 total complete games, including six shutouts. All of that has come in the AL East, arguably the toughest division to pitch in, and with a middle-of-the pack offense supporting him. His move to Philadelphia could pay off in a HUGE way, considering Philly’s defense is better than Toronto’s and their offense is one of the best in recent history. He could easily approach his career-high 22 wins. Consider also that recent pitchers have found great success moving from the AL to the NL, including Cliff Lee and Javy Vazquez last year, and you have yourself an equation you can’t turn away from. Halladay only ranks fourth on this list because of his advanced age (32) compared to those three above him, who are all better options in keeper leagues.

5. Justin Verlander DET

Verlander has had some ups and downs in his career, but last year, he was out of this world, leading the Majors in wins, Ks and innings pitched. He’s been a supreme talent since he entered the league with his triple-digit fastball, but his 2008 season (17 losses, 4.84 ERA) was not even worthy of a No. 5 starter. However, that was a fluke based on the rest of his season totals and he sure harnessed his talent last year. Plus, something has to be said for his durability, making at least 30 starts in four straight seasons and totaling over 200 innings pitched the past three years. His ERA is nothing to write home about, but he should again be in the mid-3 range.

6. Dan Haren ARI

Haren’s first half last year: 18 starts, 9-5, 2.01 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 129 Ks in 130 IP, and just 16 walks and 12 homers allowed. His second half: 15 starts, 5-5, 4.62 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 94 Ks in 99.1 IP and 22 walks and 15 homers allowed. However, his final numbers weren’t even that bad: 14-10, 3.14 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 223 Ks in 229 IP. Those are still top notch numbers, albeit, not first-round totals. He’s a nice option all things considered, and with Brandon Webb returning to the rotation, Haren might find a little bit more pressure off his shoulders and he can put together two halves that mirror his first-half totals. If not, at least you got yourself an ace in the third or fourth round considering his draft stock has to be down after his poor second half.

7. C.C. Sabathia NYY

Sabathia has been all over the place the past couple of years, but just in location. His production has remained relatively the same—240 or so innings, roughly 200 strikeouts, complete games, shutouts, 17-19 wins and an ERA ranging from 2.70-3.37. Expect more of the same this year. He’s a consistent performer, so you know what you’re going to get from the 30-year-old.

8. Jon Lester BOS

The 26-year-old southpaw has had quite the career, one worthy of a Hollywood movie, or at the very least, a novel. His latest chapter, 2009, saw his strikeouts rise drastically and consequently, his stock has also risen. For the first time in his Major League career, Lester had more strikeouts than innings pitched, totaling 225 whiffs in 203.1 innings. Considering his career progression already, who knows what his true ceiling is. Throw in the all-world offense behind him and a great supporting staff around him in the pitching staff, Lester should, at the very least, reach last year’s totals.

9. Johan Santana NYM

This is the first year in almost a decade that Johan is not considered one of the elite starting pitchers heading into the season. After a down 2009 season in which he saw his batting average against rise (.244) to the highest total he has ever given up over a full season, as well as rising walk totals, decreasing velocity and an elbow injury that shut him down over the season’s final months. After his trade to the Mets, Santana was presumed to see an uptick in his overall numbers moving to the NL and facing opposing pitchers and pinch hitters instead of the DH, but he has actually worsened fantasywise. His two seasons in New York have been the only two years in which he has not had more strikeouts than innings pitched. However, with all that being said, Santana is still one of the game’s best pitchers. Those drawbacks are only drawbacks from his traditional numbers. He will still rack up the strikeouts, complete a few games, and with the Mets offense, should garner 16-20 wins. Not to mention his ERA has never been worse than 3.33 over a full season.

10. Adam Wainwright STL

The 6-foot-7 skyscraper has seen his career progress much like Lester’s—with a lot of storybook moments. Last season was no exception as he turned in by far his best season in the Majors, leading the league in wins and innings pitched. His 212 strikeouts were slightly unexpected, but have become a part of his game now. You shouldn’t expect his 2.63 ERA to continue, but he’s obviously shown he is capable of reaching that lofty number over a full season, so it’s not out of the question.

11. Cliff Lee SEA

After his incredible 2008 campaign where he came out of nowhere to capture the AL Cy Young award, Lee turned in a very solid 2009 season. He is on his third team in the past nine months, and the move to Seattle, despite the spacious ballpark, will decrease his value slightly. The Mariners’ offense is nowhere near what Philly’s was, so his win total may go down, but expecting something around his 2009 numbers would not be unwise.

12. Brandon Webb ARI

If you throw out the 2009 season, Webb would be at least a top 10 pitcher. He strikes out 180 guys a year, throws 230 or so innings, turns in a really solid ERA in the 3.00-3.30 range with 18-20 wins. However, you can’t throw out 2009 just because of the severity of the shoulder injury he suffered. He just started throwing off a mound again and there’s no absolute guarantee that he will be 100 percent by opening day. He is just 30 still, so he has time to rebound, but be at least a little bit wary coming off a serious injury. However, since people will be wary, he could fall in many drafts, so scoop him up if he makes it past the sixth round or so.

13. Josh Beckett BOS

Beckett can be your fantasy ace, but he may not even need to be considering most leagues are 12 teams or less. Whatever team ends up with him as their No. 2 starter is sitting pretty, prettier than Amanda Bynes looks lately. Beckett will get you plenty of strikeouts and wins while racking up 200 innings and turning in an ERA under 4.00 most likely.

14. Yovani Gallardo MIL

The 24-year-old Milwaukee ace is well on his way to becoming a fantasy ace. After a 2009 season in which he averaged 9.91 K/9 innings, Gallardo is emerging as a top end option as starting pitcher. His numbers figure to only get better from here as he continues to develop both physically and mentally, so he’s a very enticing option in keeper leagues as well.

15. Josh Johnson FLA

Johnson has also emerged as one of the top starting pitchers in the game today after a stellar 2009 season that saw him total 15 wins, a 3.23 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 209 innings pitched. He also is near unhittable at times, allowing just a .237 average all year. At just 26, Johnson is also a great option in keeper leagues and he seems to have put his arm troubles in the past for good. He does play for a struggling offense, but his home park is big, so expect 15 or so wins once again with a low ERA.

16. Jake Peavy CWS

One thing is for certain—Peavy will get you strikeouts wherever he pitches, averaging just over a strikeout per inning pitched in his career. He is slightly injury prone, but a full offseason should heal his ankle properly, so he will start 2010 with a slate that is so fresh and so clean, clean. He also is just 28 and will be pitching with an actual, talented offense behind him for the first time in his career. His incredible WHIP and ERA totals may take somewhat of a hit pitching in the American League for a full season for the first time, but he should still be a very good No. 2 fantasy pitcher and could put up ace numbers.

17. Cole Hamels PHI

Everybody was down on Hamels in ’09 because of his inflated ERA and deflated Ks, but expect a full rebound in 2010. He has the talent; 2009 was just a rough year for him. He was a little unlucky, so expect his ERA to come back to earth, although only slightly. His strikeouts will once again be high and he will garner a bunch of wins in the loaded Philadelphia lineup.

18. John Lackey BOS

If healthy, Lackey is a worthy fantasy ace, although that is a pretty big “if” lately, having not surpassed 30 starts in a season since 2007. In the Boston lineup, he will rack up plenty of wins and will continue to pitch a lot of innings with a low ERA and low WHIP, and even though he won’t reach 200 strikeouts, he will come pretty close. The only thing limiting Lackey right now is his injury prone label, but he could easily shed that.

19. Clayton Kershaw LAD

The 22-year-old Kershaw is here to stay, folks. After his 2009 season (2.79 ERA, 9.7 K/9), Kershaw is quickly moving his way up the ranks of fantasy lists everywhere. Heck, by this time next year, he could easily be in the Top 10. In keeper leagues, he should be a hot commodity with five years before he even hits his prime. Scoop him up now before somebody else beats you to it.

20. Tommy Hanson ATL

SEE: Kershaw, Clayton.

Nah, I’m just playing, I will actually explain a little bit more for Hanson, though he and Kershaw’s rationale will mirror each other’s. Hanson is just the poor man’s Kershaw, however. He’s a righty, but that doesn’t matter in fantasy, he’s a year older (23), and his 2009 ERA and K totals were not as good. However, Hanson will put the “Mmmm Bop!” back in your step if you are able to secure him in a keeper league, because he will be a star for years to come.

21. Roy Oswalt HOU

Oswalt’s 2009 season was not one for the ages. He suffered through some minor injuries and rough luck to post an ERA over 4.00 for the first time in his career and only managed eight wins. But, I wouldn’t worry too much about last year. Houston had an underachieving team all-around, but 2010 should be different for both the Astros and for Oswalt. He will once again return to ace status with a season that mimics more of his 2001-08 numbers.

22. Jered Weaver LAA

After Weaver’s rookie performance in 2006, there was a lot of fantasy hype about the kid, but it proved to be much ado about nothing, that is until last year. Weaver set career highs pretty much across the board and made the Angels feel so comfortable that they let John Lackey walk via free agency and left the throne to Weaver. He will be a very solid No. 2 fantasy pitcher for you in all areas. He doesn’t set the world on fire with strikeouts, but he’s no slouch.

23. Javy Vazquez NYY

Vazquez enjoyed the best year of his career last year pitching for the Braves, but the move back to the AL will definitely raise his ERA. His strikeouts, innings pitched and WHIP totals should only drop slightly. His win total, however, should reach 17-18 with the powerful Yankees lineup behind him. The scary thing is, Vaz gives up a few homers (320 over his career) and I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the new Yankee Stadium gives up a few homers of its own. So, beware, but he should still be a very solid No. 2 or No. 3 fantasy starter.

24. Chris Carpenter STL

The only thing keeping Carp from ace status is his risk, which is VERY high. He has had more arm injuries in the past couple of years than many teams have and he has always been injury prone throughout his career. That being said, Carpenter will give you a very low ERA, lots of wins and a pretty decent strikeout total while keeping his WHIP below 1.10. It’s all high risk/high reward, but it’s worth a shot.

25. Matt Cain SF

In ’07 and ’08, Cain was the product of a lot of bad luck, pitching great in games but still somehow coming up on the losing end. In ’09, he had a lot of good luck, mainly with balls in play. He will likely not post a 2.89 ERA again, though that’s not too much out of the question, but he has decreased his walk totals, so he should once again be a pretty good pitcher in 2010. His declining strikeouts are a little worrisome, because if those go, he is not on a good enough of a team to get a lot of wins, so he would become more obsolete in fantasy circles. He should fit in nicely as the No. 3 starter for some team.

26. A.J. Burnett NYY—Will get a lot of Ks and wins, but inconsistent from year to year

27. James Shields TB—Very solid starter coming off down year, will come cheap

28. Wandy Rodriguez HOU—Expect a dropoff from last year, but still very solid

29. Jair Jurrjens ATL—Again, will drop off from last year, but a great No. 3 starter

30. Chad Billingsley LAD—Will rebound from down year, expect numbers closer to ‘08

31. Ricky Nolasco FLA—Another rebound case, was a different pitcher in 2^nd half last year

32. Ubaldo Jimenez COL—Young pitcher just getting better and better, lots of Ks

33. Ted Lilly CHC—Always solid, good ERA and win totals

34. Matt Garza TB—Strikeouts are on the rise

35. Chris Young SD—The only question is will he be healthy?

36. Ervin Santana LAA—Derailed by injuries last year, will provide Ks and wins at least

37. Mark Buehrle CWS—Provides wins and really good ERA and WHIP totals

38. Rich Harden TEX—Move back to AL, is dominant fantasy pitcher when healthy

39. Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS—Will rebound from ’09 season, gets lots of Ks and wins

40. Rick Porcello DET—Young guy, will only improve, Ks should increase

41. Gavin Floyd CWS—Solid starter, decent Ks, will get a lot of wins on South Side

42. Erik Bedard SEA—If healthy is a very good starter, but that is a big “if”

43. Carlos Zambrano CHC—Is just a big question mark all around about numbers and attitude

44. Edinson Volquez CIN—Great in fantasy, but coming off arm injury so beware

45. Edwin Jackson ARI—Played slightly over his head in ’09, may benefit from move to NL

46. Ryan Dempster CHC—Will benefit from more consistent offense in ‘10

47. Max Scherzer DET—Great potential, unsure when he will reach it though, could be in ‘10

48. Scott Kazmir LAA—Really found his groove again in LA, could sustain that all season

49. Brett Myers HOU—Should benefit from change of scenery, always good Ks

50. Scott Baker MIN—Overall very solid starter, ’09 is his ceiling most likely

51. John Danks CWS—Solid ERA and WHIP, will get his fair share of W’s

52. Ben Sheets OAK—High risk/very high reward option

53. Hiroki Kuroda LAD—good ERA with good team leads to wins

54. Andy Pettite NYY—If nothing else, will get plenty of W’s

55. David Price TB—Immense potential, could take step closer to realizing it fully in ‘10

56. Tim Hudson ATL—Rebounding from injury, so some risk here

57. Francisco Liriano MIN—Strong rebound case, I really like him this year

58. Johnny Cueto CIN—Good Ks, is very young, will bounce back

59. Derek Lowe ATL—You know what you’re going to get from Lowe year in, year out

60. Jeff Niemann TB—Very good rookie season, but is a sophomore slump looming?

61. Ricky Romero TOR—Came into his own last year, solid No. 4 starter

62. Kenshin Kawakami ATL—Good No. 4 or No. 5 guy

63. Jonathan Sanchez SF—Real good Ks, had great second half

64. J.A. Happ PHI—Last year was probably his ceiling

65. Brad Penny STL—Could rebound with St. Louis, should at least get wins

66. Kevin Slowey MIN—Worthy of a late round pick in most leagues

67. Joel Pineiro LAA—Solid No. 5 starter, loses value moving to AL

68. Joe Saunders LAA—Guy just knows how to get wins, but that’s all he offers

69. John Maine NYM—Could revert back to ’07 form, but will he? At least offers Ks

70. Jorge De La Rosa COL—Racks up the Ks, but will come with high ERA and WHIP

71. Randy Wells CHC—Last year was probably his ceiling

72. Aaron Harang CIN—Rebound possible, but still scary option based on down ’09 season

73. Wade Davis TB—Performed well in his cup of coffee, but will hit some speed bumps

74. Brad Bergesen BAL—Came into his own last year, decent upside

75. Kevin Millwood BAL—Better in real life than fantasy, will get double digit wins

76. Joe Blanton PHI—Decent option, innings eater and will get some wins

77. Mike Pelfrey NYM—Still very young, has room to grow

78. Gil Meche KC—Coming off down year, should revert back to ’07-08 form

79. Brandon Morrow TOR—Lots of Ks, but injury prone and inconsistent

80. Kevin Correia SD—Is an OK option, but pitches for a real bad offense

81. Ryan Rowland-Smith SEA—Good ERA, decent low-price option

82. Shawn Marcum TOR—Very solid in ’08, but coming off Tommy John surgery

83. Paul Maholm PIT—Not bad, no Ks, pitches for terrible club

84. Randy Wolf MIL—Is overall somewhat solid, but inconsistent year to year

85. Clay Buchholz BOS—Had a very good Sept., but always overshadowed in Boston

86. Jason Marquis WAS—Dependable and picks up some wins, but that’s it

87. Nick Blackburn MIN—4.00 ERA, low Ks, .500 record

88. David Huff CLE—Ended season on hot note, worth a look in AL-only

89. Dallas Braden OAK—Decent option, not many Ks

90. Fausto Carmona CLE—Will he ever revert back to ’07 form? Worth late round pick to find out

91. Barry Zito SF—Eh, best season in SF last year

92. Bud Norris HOU—Real good K potential from a young up-and-comer

93. Aroldis Chapman CIN—Enticing prospect, but that’s it at this point

94. Scott Feldman TEX—Bad at home, good on road

95. Brett Anderson OAK—Good, young option, good Ks

96. Jeremy Guthrie BAL—Has had a real up and down career, worth look only in AL formats

97. Jon Garland SD—Finds ways to get wins, but that will prove tougher in SD

98. Marc Rzepczynski TOR—Good, young potential

99. Chris Tillman/Brian Matusz BAL—Young starters with hype and potential

100. Tommy Hunter/Derek Holland/Matt Harrison TEX—All real young with upside

Bringingheat Lead Journalist

The Baltimore Orioles. Yes, seriously, the team that went 64-98 last year and finished as the 11^th ranked American League team in runs scored.

The O’s are the definition of an up-and-coming offense. With two of the top young guys in the game—24-year-old center fielder Adam Jones and arguably the game’s top prospect, catcher Matt Wieters—and some still-productive veterans, they boast a lineup that is both ready to score now and poised for solid future seasons.

Here’s the way I see the lineup shaking out as it stands right now:

1. Brian Roberts                                2B
2. Adam Jones                                  CF
3. Nick Markakis                               RF
4. Miguel Tejada                               3B
5. Nolan Reimold                              LF
6. Matt Wieters                                 C
7. Luke Scott                                                DH
8. Michael Aubrey/Garrett Atkins    1B
9. Cesar Izturis                                  SS

Jones and Tejada may switch, but this is pretty much the basic premise of the lineup. The order would be better served if Tejada was still at short and Ty Wigginton could slide into third, but the defense would take a hit, so it makes sense this way.

However, the lineup as is is pretty solid. Roberts is a really good leadoff man. He’s a doubles machine and though his walks and steals were down last year, he still walks 75-80 times a year, which is somewhat of an oddity from a prolific basestealer. He always turns in an OBP of .350 or so and if he gets his average a little closer to .300, could reach base at a .375 clip.

Jones isn’t exactly an on-base machine, but he’s a dynamic player and will continue to improve. If he can just perform for a full season like he did in the first half of last year (.303, 55 runs, 12 HR, 47 RBIs and six SBs), the O’s offense will be the benefactor.

Markakis may be the game’s most underrated star and is a really good three-hole hitter, one who can drive in the guys in front of him either with a homer or double, or just with a productive at-bat, and can also walk and hit .300 so the cleanup and fifth hitters have somebody else on base to drive in, regardless. Now that Tejada has joined the lineup, Markakis won’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders and the emergence of Reimold and Wieters and the continued presence of Jones should help Markakis relax and turn in his best season yet.

Tejada is a veteran bat and even though his power isn’t what it used to be, should serve well as the cleanup hitter for this team. He still hits for a high average and he will provide the steady veteran presence every lineup needs.

Reimold really came on last year and slides in nicely as the perfect five-hitter in this lineup. He has the power and the ability to drive in the guys in front of him and if he does reach base, he has some speed so he can steal a bag and immediately get into scoring position for Wieters and Scott, who are also pretty good at driving in runs.

Wieters has all-world talent and will be great someday, and that day could come this year. Any offense he provides from the sixth spot will be a welcome addition. Scott rakes against righties, but is prone to some struggles against the southpaws. As the seven hitter, not much pressure is expected of him, so whatever offensive contribution he provides is a welcome addition.

Michael Aubrey is an untested 28-year-old, so forgive me if I’m not high on him. However, with Garrett Atkins, a professional veteran who is coming off an atrocious ’09 season, slated to be Aubrey’s backup as of now, the competition between the two should provide at least some offensive boost from the eight-hole.

As for Izturis, he is one of the top nine-hitters in the game in my eyes. In the American League, I’m a big proponent of a nine hitter who can basically serve as a second leadoff hitter. A guy who can steal a few bags, hit the ball every now and then and just basically get on base for the top of the order. Izturis is a low-power guy who can handle the stick well (he’s a good bunter and a true professional), but never a guy who will hit .300 or warrants a spot any higher in the lineup than ninth. He will be the perfect complement to Roberts atop the lineup in the sense that when Roberts does smack one of his 50-plus doubles, Izturis has the speed and baserunning-ability to score.

Playing in the AL East, the Orioles’ lineup won’t ever attract much attention, but the combination of the nine starters and the talented, veteran bench players should turn in a very lofty total in the runs scored department, if nothing else.

They still won’t score more than the Red Sox or the Yankees, but the AL needs to take notice—the Baltimore Orioles are for real.

This guy can do it all. 35 bombs, 20 steals, a .320 average, 115 runs, 115 RBIs, what more can you ask for? He’ll continue to put up monster numbers and is the clear No. 1 choice in outfield because he simply has better power numbers than Crawford. Cherish your time with Braun now (he’s clearly one of the top keepers in the league) because rumor has it Prince Fielder will leave Milwaukee when his contract is up after the 2011 season. If that happens, Braun will likely see nothing good to hit.

2. Carl Crawford TB

After a down 2008, Crawford returned to supermodel status in ’09, but instead of Pepsi ads and B-list movies with one of the Baldwin brothers (See: “Fair Game”), he instead turned in the best season of his career pretty much across the board. Crawford set a career high in steals (60), walks (51) and OBP (.364) while tying his career high in AVG (.305) and adding 15 homers, 68 RBIs and 96 runs. There are rumors that he is unhappy in Tampa, so if there is any truth to that, keep an eye on his numbers, they may slack off a la Manny Ramirez at the end of his Boston run.

3. Matt Holliday STL

Holliday was on holiday for much of his short-lived time in Oakland as he got off to a really rough start. Once he was traded to the St. Louis Pujols’, he suddenly woke up and St. Louie suddenly became a two-man town and a serious contender. Holliday made Nelly proud by putting up 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games in the STL with a .353 AVG. As if those numbers weren’t eye-popping enough, Holliday didn’t even accumulate those totals in 30 more games with the A’s. He is clearly more happy hitting in the Midwestern weather, either that or he loves hitting behind Pujols. Whichever it is, draft with confidence, but don’t expect that .350 AVG to stick around. I’d say it’ll end up more like .320, but .330-.335 isn’t out of the question.

4. Grady Sizemore CLE

Everybody gets a mulligan, right? Sizemore was in desperate need of a mulligan after the season he had last year. After four straight years of continual improvement culminating in a 30-30 season with 98 walks, 90 RBIs and 101 runs in ’08, Sizemore suffered a variety of injuries that put him on more rehab stints than Tom Sizemore (no relation). Even when on the diamond, he wasn’t anywhere near his productive self. But, I expect a full turnaround. Sizemore will once again become an elite fantasy player, and his eye-popping numbers will come at a cheap price—he left a lot of owners with a sour taste in their mouths after drafting him last year, so everybody has been bad mouthing him for a full year. Draft with confidence.

5. Matt Kemp LAD

This may come as a surprise to some people, but it’s time for the world to take notice: Matt Kemp is an elite fantasy outfielder. The only thing he doesn’t do well is walk, but even still, 52 BBs in 159 games isn’t bad. He was just four homers away from the 30-30 club last year and he has made continual improvements in his game from year to year and at just 25, he still has his prime years ahead of him. Time for a guarantee? Matt Kemp will reach the 30-30 plateau in 2010. He’s firmly entrenched in the Top-5 Fantasy Outfielders and before it’s all said and done, he could take the cake as the best on this list.

6. Ichiro Suzuki SEA

It’s official, the man with only one name is starting to decline. At 36, Ichiro’s best years on the basepaths are behind him, but that doesn’t mean he still can’t rake. His .352 average last year was the second highest of his illustrious career, but that’s pretty much all he brings to the table now. His 26 steals and 88 runs were by far the lowest totals in his career and even though his power was up (11 HR and 31 2B), it’s not enough to make anybody salivate over him. Ichiro will win you some leagues with his average alone, but expecting much more than that in any other category, even in an improved Seattle lineup, isn’t too wise at this stage in his career. He still is elite, but just barely.

7. Jacoby Ellsbury BOS

Ellsbury’s play early in ’08 warranted a full-time job in center and made the Red Sox feel better about shipping Manny to Los Angeles. And boy did he run with his opportunity in ’09. He set career highs across the board, coming in at .301 with an astonishing 70 steals. He is a pretty good leadoff hitter hitting atop one of the best lineups in baseball and should score plenty of runs again. It’s not out of the question that he steals 80 bases or even more. If he continues to progress and get the green light, 100 may even be possible. He’s only 26 and he has plenty more years of stardom left, so if he’s available in a keeper league, scoop him up like kitty litter.

8. Jason Bay NYM

Bay can do it all and is probably the last of the elite outfielders. He turned a career year in ’09 (his 36 HRs and 119 RBIs were his best single-season totals) into a big payday with the Mets and should be one of the first outfielders off the board. He can steal a few bases, walk 100 times and he will have Jose Reyes and David Wright ahead of him with Carlos Beltran providing protection. A guy could do worse.

9. Justin Upton ARI

This may surprise some people, but just like with Matt Kemp, it’s time to take notice of these NL West outfielders. Upton was so highly touted out of high school that it made the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight look like child’s play. Everybody expected him to make an immediate impact for the D-Backs, and he didn’t in ’08. Everybody forgot that he was just a 20-year-old kid for much of that season. Heck, he couldn’t even buy a beer and he was five years away from becoming eligible to even rent a car to get him to the stadium. After a subpar ’08 campaign, everybody seemed to lay off and Upton was able to relax and put up a Top-10 fantasy OF season. He hit .300 with 26 bombs, 86 RBIs, 84 runs and 20 steals in just 138 games. Imagine a full season of those numbers and combine that with the progression he showed from ’08 to ’09 and his immense hype and you have yourself a superstar in waiting. The hype is back on: Upton is the man.

10. Curtis Granderson NYY

A lot of people are down on him, mostly because he strikes out so much and isn’t a prototypical leadoff hitter, but let them talk crap while you swoop in and snag him at a price that probably is cheaper than he’s worth. Granderson hi 30 bombs last year and stole 20 bases, a great power-speed combo. He only had 71 RBIs and 91 runs, but he spent his days in an underperforming lineup. Those days are over. He’s hitting in front of (or maybe directly behind Derek Jeter depending on if Giradi keeps DJ in the leadoff spot) Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. He will have plenty of opportunities to score and drive in runs and with the short porch in right field in the new Yankee Stadium, could exceed 30 homers. He has never stolen more than 26 bases in a season, but may run more with the Yankees, so a 30-30 season is not out of the question. The only area where he won’t help you is average, as .249 just doesn’t cut it for most people. But, in points leagues, he’s an icon and even in Rotisserie leagues, he can help you in every other area but average, which is why he’s not in the elite category.

11. Carlos Beltran NYM

Keep in mind that Beltran had knee surgery and probably won’t be ready for opening day. However, when he does come back, Beltran will provide a big boost to your fantasy lineup. His average has improved in four straight seasons, and thanks to an injury-plagued ’09 that caused him to miss half the season, will come on the cheap, real cheap. But, Beltran will be hitting behind Reyes, Wright and now Jason Bay, so he will have a million of opportunities to drive in runs (an exaggeration, but he could easily drive in 120 runs after he comes back with the way those three get on base). Beltran probably won’t ever reach 30-30 again, but he could easily throw in 20 steals and close to 30 home runs after he returns.

12. Jayson Werth PHI

I know, I’m surprise at this, too, actually. But, Werth’s numbers are right up there with any fantasy outfielder ahead of him and the only reason why he’s ranked as low as he is is because his career year came at 29 and it was the only year that he’s had that kind of success. But, if he puts up a season anywhere near last year’s (36 HR, 99 RBIs, 98 runs, 20 steals and even 91 walks), you’ll have struck fantasy gold with the likely sixth-10^th round pick that you could wait for him at. Heck, he may even still be around in the 11^th round, which would be like winning the jackpot. There’s some risk, but it seems pretty minimal and hitting in that lineup and that ballpark, Werth figures to prove his worth in at least the power categories.

13. Carlos Lee HOU

El Caballo is a run-producer, pure and simple. Look no further than his ’08 season (where he drove in 100 in just 115 games) for proof of that. But, the Astros’ lineup vastly underperformed last year and Lee didn’t have as many opportunities as he normally would have. Berkman, according to his career trends, should have a great year and Michael Jason Bourn is a bonafide leadoff man now, but even still, Miguel Tejada is gone and the rest of the Astros aren’t exactly the cream of the crop. Lee will still drive in 100, that much is guaranteed, and he will hit .300 or so with few strikeouts (only 100 combined in the past two seasons), but also few walks and runs and he no longer looks to be a factor on the bases. He’s still a solid option, but one with question marks.

14. B.J. Upton TB

Wow, he’s five spots below his younger brother? How many people would have seen that coming after the ’08 posteason B.J. turned in? Well, anybody who paid attention last year could have predicted this. Upton started the season with an injury and ended the season as a pain in the butt for some fantasy owners. He only hit 11 homers after putting on a home-run derby-esque performance in the ’08 playoffs and hit just. 241. He still stole 42 bases, however. The scary thing, though, is his average and decreasing plate discipline. After hitting .300 in 2007 and .273 in ’08, he dropped to the wrong side of .250 and his walks dropped 40 from ’08 to ’09. However, with all that said, I actually predict a great year from Upton. He’s going to figure out his power in the regular season sometime and he is only 25, so inconsistent averages and plate discipline are custom from the younger folk. He will steal you 45 bases, and could even steal 50, and this is the year that his power comes out for real. His average may not approach .300 again, or at least not for a while, but it should still be somewhat serviceable in 2010.

15. Nick Markakis BAL

Marky Mark-akis is one of the most underrated players in the Major Leagues and in fantasy leagues, especially points leagues. He hits 45-plus doubles a season, drives in 100 runs, scores 100, hits around .300 and slugs 20 or so homers. Last year was sort of a down year, but Markakis will be back on track in ’10. His 18 steals in ’07 came out of nowhere and have steadily declined since, but he should still be good for 5-10 swipes and though his walks are down (he walked 99 times in ‘08 because he was the only threat in the Baltimore lineup and thus, was pitched around a lot), Baltimore has an up-and-coming lineup and he should score and drive in more runs in ’10 and since less pressure will be on him to carry the load, he could be in for a career year.

16. Shin-Soo Choo CLE

The Choo Choo train finally found a permanent stop in the Majors for a full season after departing from Korea and making three separate short stops in the Big Show from ’05-’07. He had a great second half in 2008 and turned that into a full-time job in ’09, a job he ran with. Choo, who is just 27 (the age where the body reaches its physical peak and most MLB players have their best seasons) hit 20 homers, stole 21 bases, hit .300, reached base at a .394 clip, drove in 86 and scored 87. Wow, that’s production in literally every category you could ask for. He will only get better as he gets more accustomed to Major League life and as he approaches his prime, so he could easily be a Top-15 fantasy outfielder.

17. Michael Bourn HOU

Unlike his speedy cohorts like B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, Bourn is pretty much a one-category fantasy stud. He is a blur on the basepaths (61 steals in ’09), but has virtually no power. He did have 42 extra base hits, but only three of those left the yard, so he is one of the few fantasy players worth drafting that will actually hurt you in the power department. And, after a terrible ’08 season at the plate, everybody was calling him just a burner, a guy who could only steal bases. But, he proved them wrong by nearly doubling his walks in ’09 and raised his average almost 60 points to .285, thus a 40-run increase in his scoring total, jumping from 57-97. He also just turned 27, so a career year may be in store. He won’t ever hit for power and won’t ever win a batting title, but he could score 100-plus runs with a .290-.300 average and could steal 80 bags.

18. Bobby Abreu LAA

He will be 36 by the time opening day rolls around, so there are obviously some question marks regarding how long he can really keep putting up Bobby Abreu-type seasons. The one sign indicating decline in production is that his 15 homers in 2009 tied for the lowest total he put up in a full season in his time in the Major Leagues. However, the rest of his numbers were right in line with career norms. With Abreu, you know what you’re going to get—15-20 bombs, 100 RBIs, no matter how many homers he hits, 25-30 steals, .290-.300 AVG, 90-100 runs and close to 100 walks. The only question is: how many more years will he continue with that kind of output? My guess is at least one, so draft with confidence in ’10, but don’t entertain the thought of hanging on to him in keeper leagues.

19. Manny Ramirez LAD

I really don’t know what you’re going to get from Manny from year to year. I mean, Manny just being Manny is a great mantra, but if you don’t know which Manny he will be, where does that leave you? It’s clear Manny has talent and is one of the best right-handed hitters of all-time at driving in runs. He’s clearly a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but at this point in his career, he is only motivated by money. You saw how he fell out of favor in Boston because he simply stopped trying. So, what can he do for you fantasywise? Will he hit 45 homers with 130 RBIs and a .330 AVG? Or will he end up with 20 homers, 85 RBIs and a .270 AVG. I honestly can’t help you with that anymore than I can tell you why the sky is blue or why Drew Barrymore is still getting acting gigs. He will be 38 by opening day, so draft with caution in that area too. Whatever way you look at it, he’s high-risk, high-reward.

20. Andre Ethier LAD

Ethier rounds out the only outfield that boasts all three starters on this list. With Juan Pierre now on the South Side of Chi Town, there is nobody there to limit time for any of these three Dodgers and though Ethier is ranked lowest of the trio on this list, he is still a very good fantasy outfielder. He’s only 28 and his 31 homers, 106 RBIs and 92 runs last year prove that he’s got of upside. The only issue last year was his unusually low .272 AVG, but his career norm in that category is .291, so don’t fret about it, it will return to normal in ’10.

21. Nelson Cruz TEX

OK, the first note on Cruz is that he’s maybe the streakiest fantasy player I have ever seen. After owning him last year, I can tell you that depending on the format of your league, that can be awfully frustrating. He will put up weeks where he steals five bags, hits seven homers and drives in 15 runs. Other weeks, he will have three singles and a run scored. It’s maddening if you’re a fantasy owner. Just be patient and trust that his final numbers will be fine. Also, his hot streaks are a big boost in head-to-head leagues that reward players who put up god-like weeks. Cruz will be 30 in July and hasn’t really had much success to his name in the Majors besides ’09, but he is for real and he could put up better numbers in each category in 2010 if he can stay healthy and not miss more than 30 games due to injury again.

22. Torii Hunter LAA

Hunter has intangibles that don’t help you in fantasy baseball, which sometimes boost his value in some leagues, but when broken down, he still puts up pretty good numbers. He set a new career high in AVG last year with .299, proving that he is still adapting as a player. Even at 34, he can still steals some bags, around 15-20, and he will hit 22-30 homers with 90 RBIs, but won’t ever score many runs because he’s never walked more than 50 times in a season. He will once again be hitting in the middle of the Angels’ lineup, most likely right behind Kendry Morales and Bobby Abreu. News that is even better than that for fantasy owners: his great season last year came in just 119 games, as he missed the other 43 due to injury. Imagine a full season of that production.

23. Andrew McCutchen PIT

Cutch is this high on this list for two reasons: multi category production and keeper league status. First things first, he’s only 23, and after a very veteran-like 2009 season, it is clear that Cutch will be a stud someday in the Majors, both in real life and in fantasy. He will help out in every category, and someday, he may be a 30-30 threat. But, now, he will just be a 23-year-old trying to put another season together. That season, however, could be .300, 20, 85 with 100 runs scored and 30 steals. He’s proven that he’s capable of that this year. Watch out for a sophomore slump, but Cutch is so naturally talented that he may just sidestep that as well.

24. Adam Jones BAL

Jones is also so high on this list because he is but 24 and boasts a promising career path. He made pretty good strides from ’08, his first full season, to ’09, his second year. Considering the first half he had, it’s not hard to get excited about what Jones could put up in the future, but his second half was downright awful. However, his pre-all star break numbers would project out to a .303 AVG with 194 hits, 110 runs, 94 RBIs, 24 HRs and 12 SBs over a full season, and that’s just dipping the toe in the water of what the uber-talented Jones could really be capable of.

25. Johnny Damon FA

I have to be honest, I was nearly completely lost as to who to put at the last spot that I discuss in depth. There are a handful of guys that are pretty interchangeable after Jones and McCutchen, but I think Damon has the most upside of those guys, depending on where he lands. He’s obviously more valuable in the Yankees’ lineup than most anywhere else, but with the Randy Winn signing, obviously he will not be returning to the Big Apple. So, this pick could fluctuate depending on where he ends up, but Damon is a solid veteran fantasy player, though at 36, he shouldn’t be on anybody’s keeper list. His speed may continue to decline, but he didn’t get caught stealing at all last year, so maybe his new manager will give him the green light more. Either way, he will supply a decent average with 20 or so homers, 75-80 RBIs and 100 runs. Not bad.

26. Josh Hamilton TEX—Has to prove to me that ’08 wasn’t at least a slight fluke

27. Carlos Quentin CWS—Played like a Top-25 OF in ’08, but can he stay healthy?

28. Hunter Pence HOU—Power/speed combo, but not the best in points leauges

29. Denard Span MIN—Solid in most categories, good average, will score a lot of runs

30. Shane Victorino PHI—Will get 30 or so steals with good average and runs

31. Nyjer Morgan WAS—Speed demon and really thrives atop Washington lineup

32. Raul Ibanez PHI—Career year from 37-year-old not exactly enticing

33. Juan Pierre CWS—Will have a good year leading off for ChiSox

34. Rajai Davis OAK—Rounding out the recent run of speed demons with high averages

35. Alex Rios CWS—Had some down years but I’m really high on him, has 1^st round talent

36. Nate McLouth ATL—Decent power/speed option, but not the best of those types

37. Alfonso Soriano CHC—My how the mighty have fallen, will he ever get back to 30-30 days?

38. Dexter Fowler COL—Cheap steals option from a young and improving player

39. Lastings Milledge PIT—Great talent but when will he realize it? Could be this year

40. Ryan Ludwick STL—He is for real, but his ’08 season was probably too much to expect

41. Mike Cameron BOS—Power/speed guy in a good lineup, but getting older

42. Brad Hawpe COL—Can’t hit lefties, but bashes righties, so if you have bench spots, plan accordingly

43. Kyle Blanks SD—Power machine, could hit 30-40 bombs in ’10, but that’s all he offers

44. Carlos Gonzalez COL—Played better down the stretch, great in keeper leagues

45. Jay Bruce CIN—Great talent, just slumped in ’09, will rebound in ‘10

46. Carlos Gomez MIL—I love him this year, fresh start could mean 40+ steals for cheap

47. Colby Rasmus STL—They love him and he’s hitting in front of Pujols/Holliday

48. Vernon Wells TOR—Been steadily declining since big contract, what happened?

49. Nolan Reimold BAL—Starting spot in Baltimore outfield his job to lose

50. Travis Snider TOR—Very young still, so will have some growing pains

51. J.D. Drew BOS—Great on-base guy for leagues that count that, but injury-prone

52. Jermaine Dye FA—Where will he land? The answer to that changes his value up or down

53. Brett Gardner NYY—Great speed option in good lineup, but will he flourish in full-time role?

54. Corey Hart MIL—Decent power/speed guy, but had a down year and doesn’t walk

55. Chris Young ARI—Could be good power/speed guy, but has had two really down years

56. Franklin Gutierrez SEA—Better in real life, but is steadily improving

57. Michael Cuddyer MIN—Solid power/RBI option in middle of MIN order

58. Milton Bradley SEA—Will rebound, but how high is his ceiling?

59. Nick Swisher NYY—Good power with a lot of walks, but low average

60. Chris Coghlan FLA—Rookie of the Year, but doesn’t provide much besides average

61. Coco Crisp OAK—I’m real high on him, I expect a full rebound year

62. Cameron Maybin FLA—Great talent but may be too young and inexperienced still

63. Josh Willingham WAS—Pretty good power numbers and decent average

64. Scott Podsednik KC—Rebound year last year, but what to expect this season?

65. Julio Borbon TEX—Starred in small taste last year, but is he ready full-time yet?

66. Matt Diaz ATL—Should turn in a good average in full-time starting role

67. Jeff Francoeur NYM—Should serve him well to hit in NYM lineup all season long

68. Cody Ross FLA—Good power and average options and he flies under the radar

69. Garrett Jones PIT—Stud down the stretch last year, but how will he be in full season?

70. Marlon Byrd CHC—Is he really worth a fantasy draft pick? Doubt it

71. Mark DeRosa SF—Versatility boosts value, but strictly in OF, he doesn’t cut it.

72. Juan Rivera LAA—Decent power, but not worth taking up an OF spot, except in deep leagues

73. Melky Cabrera ATL—Just not a good fantasy player, especially out of NYY lineup

74. David Murphy TEX—Always seems to find his way into the lineup

75. Kosuke Fukudome/Xavier Nady CHC—Not bad options if you have bench room and can play the matchups

2. David Ortiz BOS
Big Papi had a terrible, terrible start to the 2009 season, so that obviously makes fantasy owners wary. And that .238 average of his is sicker looking than Sarah Jessica Parker (I’m sorry, she looks like a foot). But, he still finished with 28 ding-dongs, 99 RBIs and 77 runs, which all in all, is a pretty good fantasy season. The problem arises though, is there that much left in the tank? Could his slow start extend even further into the season this year? And do you want to waste a valuable DH roster spot to find out?

3. Vladimir Guerrero TEX
Vladi had an injury-plagued season last year, but injuries come with Guerrero like Penn comes with Teller or peanut butter comes with jelly or…you catch my drift. He’s going to get hurt, plain and simple. Moving to DH full time won’t stop that. But, he has never hit below .300 since coming into the Majors, so don’t get discouraged by his .295 average—it was a fluke. He still has some power and can still drive in and score runs, especially in a big-time hitters ballpark while hitting in the middle of a big-time run-producing offense (I’m trying to say big-time as much as Ron Jaworski on Monday Night Football, in case you couldn’t tell).

4. Hideki Matsui LAA
Godzilla rode his World Series MVP into a big payday with the Angels and I see him continuing that trend with a solid season in Los Angeles. He hits lefties well, so you don’t have to worry about a platoon, and he may be the Angels’ leader in RBIs when it’s all said and done this year.

5. Jason Kubel MIN
Keebler Kubel has finally established himself as a .300-30-100 threat after tickling the fancies of players all around the league for the past two or so years. He always looked enticing, especially because back then he qualified for the outfield as well, but he never quite seemed to put it together. Consider it done. He’ll hit .300-30-100 again, or close to it.

6. Carlos Guillen DET
A true professional and a solid hitter, but one that is about as guaranteed to get hurt as I am to make a comparison to somebody having as up and down of a career as Britney Spears’. Guillen (no relation to CWS manager Ozzie, thank God) is a viable fantasy option when he’s on the field because he is one of the few guys on this list that will also qualify for something other than DH. He should qualify at first and outfield and he should help your fantasy team when healthy, but he won’t stay healthy all year, so draft a backup.

7. Travis Hafner
Pronk (man, there’s a lot of nicknames among the DHs) may have been on steroids. How else to you explain the ridiculous production he had a couple of years ago and the down years he’s had since? It looks as if he will never get back to his 40-homer days, but he may hit 20 for your squad this year. Too bad he only qualifies at DH.

8. Nick Johnson NYY
DHs are one of three things: a terrible fielder, an aging slugger who can’t chase down balls anymore or injury-prone. Johnson is the latter. He’s returning to where his career started—the Big Apple—and will take the at-bats Matsui vacated when he left for the opposite coast, but he won’t be worth drafting in fantasy, except in points leagues or any other leagues where walks count, because he’s pretty much guaranteed to grab 100 of them. He isn’t much of a power threat anymore and his average is on the wrong side of .300, though only slightly. Don’t take a risk unless your league is really, really deep.

9. Luke Scott BAL—Will hit some bombs and drive in some runs
10. Ken Griffey, Jr. SEA—The Kid is on his last leg, and it’s a leg not worth owning in fantasy
11. Jose Guillen KC—Not a bad option, but I’m worried Josh Fields will take some at-bats
12. Jack Cust OAK—Either whiffs, walks or homers, that’s all
13. Pat Burrell TB—His career seems about over since he left city of Brotherly Love
14. Josh Fields KC—I see him taking a few at-bats from aging Guillen
15. Mark Kotsay/Andruw Jones CWS—Will split at-bats, and thus, not worth owning unless you can sway your fantasy commish to have them come as a package deal like Penn and Teller or peanut butter and jelly or…