Fantasy Draft Recap

After a miserable 2009, RomoBall rebounded with a solid 2010 that yielded one championship and two playoff appearances across three leagues. As a result of uncharacteristic patience, ChalmSkinn Productions entered 2011 with Vincent Jackson as a keeper. 10-Team PPR, with the following players held over from 2010: Jackson (8th) Mike Wallace (9th) Green Bay Defense (10th) Tim Hightower (11th) Darren McFadden (12th) Ben Roethlisberger (12th) and Josh Freeman (16th).

Premium RBs flew off the board in normal fashion from 1-5, and even with LeSean McCoy and his 78 receptions a year ago available, something about that flakjacket made me pass. Primo runners Adrian, Arian, Ray, Jamaal and CJ all off the board, I decided to take a premium receiver. Down to Andre vs. Roddy, I went with Andre, making him the first non-RB taken. McCoy would have been the logical pick with a WR already on the roster, bur for reasons unexplained, I did not want to enter 2011 with Vincent as my WR1. Mission accomplished. Vick went next, then Mendenhall, LeSean slipped to 9th, the steal of the first round, and last year's champ hauled in Roddy White and MegaTRON at the turn.

Round 2
11. Calvin Johnson. I like this pick. MegaTRON has a cool nickname, proved he can do it with just about anyone at QB in '10, and has Stafford healthy in '11.

12. Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers should be the top pointgetter in most formats this year. Outstanding at 12, acceptable anywhere after 5.

13. Peyton Hillis. I heart Hillis. Someone really wanted the talented, though not 13th overall-worthy Hillis.

14. Michael Turner. TD machine is fine with me in the middle of the 2nd. More appropriate than previous years where he's cracked the top-5.

15. Maurice Jones-Drew. In 2010, MJD crossed the 1,300 threshold on the ground in just 14 games on a down year for the Jags. Some risk, but high reward here.

16. Drew Brees. Looking at the next shelf of WR/RB, a fantastic pick.

17. Larry Fitzgerald. The beginning of the next shelf of WR/RB. Kolb should help.

18. Philip Rivers. Just a fool to believe that he'd slip to me round three...

19. Miles Austin. Not sure about this one. He has monster games but can also disappear. Dez Bryant is the cheaper, better buy in Big D.

20. Hakeem Nicks. The main event in New York and with Boss gone, now primary Red Zone target, too.

Round 3

21. DeSean Jacson. Quality pick here, as the owner of pick #1 must remain vigilant to not become AP, Inc. Nicks and D-Jax are quality additions.

22. Shonn Greene. I don't like this pick.

23. Greg Jennings. Doesn't anything Green Bay just make you feel warm and safe?

24. Matt Forte. Forte had a quietly productive 2010. He and the Bears should take another step forward in year two of the MME. (Mike Martz Era)

25. LeGarrette Blount. LeGarrette was taken from the top of my queue. He's in for a huge year for the Bucs.

26. Tom Brady. LeGarrette gone, and with a bad case of I-don't-trust-Steven-Jackson, I took Brady, the last premier option at QB.

27. Steven Jackson. A fine pick at 27 for any owner other than me. Should be fine and could really shine on a Rams team headed in the right direction.

28. Reggie Wayne. As solid as they come over the past decade, his elite status depends on Peyton Manning, and there are far worse people to have your hopes on.

29. Dwayne Bowe. A touchdown monster with 12 in 2010, Bowe is a popular pick in traditional leagues and makes a strong WR2 or a low-end WR1 option.

30. Ahmad Bradshaw. Ahmad has seperated himself from Jacobs in the Giants' backfield, and the bigger Jacobs isn't a goal line back either.

Round 4

31. Frank Gore. After locking up Roddy and Calvin on the first turn (and McFadden as a keeper), last year's champ fills out his front five with a Gore in round four.

32. Anquan Boldin. Anquan's second year with Flacco could be a big one.

33. Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd's beastly 2010 proves that stud wideouts can be found on waivers or late in drafts, so why use your 4th rounder on Brandon? Don't expect a repeat.

34. Mike Williams. Josh Freeman threw 25 TD and just 6 INT in 2010, and Mike Williams 2.0 is his favorite target. We like the pick, but with name brands still on the board, seems a round early.

35. Brandon Marshall. The name brand on the board at wideout. I read recently that Brandon is entering 2011, 'with a chip on his shoulder,' and nearly shnarfed my skittles. One of the chippiest players in the game, Brandon had 86/1000 on a bad year and at 27, is just now entering his prime.

36. Felix Jones. The way is clear for Felix to finally do Jerry proud.

37. Antonio Gates. Another of the name brands I'd take ahead of MW2 and Felix. By round 4 the top-flight WR/RBs are off the board. Why not take a guy that can put up WR numbers as a TE? There is some risk here, but Gates a warrior and he's healthy right now.

38. DeAngelo Williams. 30 Helens Agree: DeAngelo is too risky for Round 4!

39. Tony Romo. T.O. and Roy Williams officially out of his life, Romo must feel like Forrest when his magic legs break off. He'll be unleashed this year with Austin, Bryant and Witten all having big years.

40. Dez Bryant. A great pick 21 slots after Miles Austin, likely has the better year.

Round 5

41. Mark Ingram. The 2009 Heisman winner is the most exciting rookie back in fantasy this year. Some risk + tremendous upside = Round 5. Don't wait much longer.

42. Ryan Grant. Grant looks like an early bust candidate. The Packers seem to prefer James Starks at the moment.

43. Stevie Johnson. Stevie can see. He can see just fine. We can't see him repeating his breakout 2010, but he has size and if we know anything, we know this: The Bills will be down in games.

44. Jahvid Best. You can do better here.

45. Jeremy Maclin. Positive: You get a piece of the Philly offense. Negative: It isn't Vick, McCoy or Jackson. He can be had later.

46. Knowshon Moreno. Ingram off the board forces the Knowshon pick as a passable RB2.

47. Jermichael Finley. Jermichael is enormous. So is his potential.

48. Peyton Manning. Finally. Even if he's not back until Week 5, a steal in Round 5.

49. Jason Witten. The third TE taken after Gates, Finley. Makes sense.

50. Wes Welker. Should get back to 100+ catches after decent post-ACL year.

The 2012 Republican Ticket

Fantasy Baseball Preview: 76-100

76. Ian Kinsler, 2B - TEX.
77. Dan Haren, SP - LAA.
78. Mariano Rivera, RP - NYY.
79. Joakim Soria, RP - KC.
80. Brian Wilson, RP - SF.
81. Matt Cain, SP - SF.
82. Clay Buchholz, SP - BOS.
83. Cole Hamels, SP - PHI.
84. Jonathan Sanchez, SP - SF.
85. Jonathan Papelbon, RP - BOS.
86. Carlos Marmol, RP - CHC.
87. Jonathan Broxton, RP - LAD.
88. Pedro Alvarez, 3B - PIT.
89. Francisco Liriano, SP - MIN.
90. Yovani Gallardo, SP - MIL.
91. Roy Oswalt, SP - PHI.
92. Jason Werth, OF - WAS
93. Jay Bruce, OF - CIN.
94. Curtis Granderson, OF - NYY.
95. Shane Victorino, OF - PHI.
96. Starlin Castro, SS - CHC.
97. Nick Markakis, OF - BAL.
98. Matt Wieters, C - BAL.
99. Chris Young, OF - AZ.
100. Jimmy Rollins, SS - PHI.

2011 MLB Standings in Advance

AL East
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays

AL Central

Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Cleveland Indians
Kansas City Royals

AL West
Texas Rangers
Anaheim Angels*
Seattle Mariners
Oakland A's

NL East
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves*
Florida Marlins
Washington Nationals
New York Mets

NL Central
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates
Houston Astros

NL West
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks

*Wild Card

Fantasy Baseball Preview: 51-75

51. Justin Verlander, SP - DET. Justin Verlander has won at least 17 games and pitched 200+ innings in four of his first five seasons. His awful 2008 (11-17, 4.84 ERA) long behind him after stellar performances in '09 and '10, Detroit's ace is in his fantasy prime.

52. Clayton Kershaw, SP - LAD. Clayton's rise to the top of the Dodgers' rotation has been nothing short of meteoric. Selected 7th overall in the draft just five years ago, Kershaw is now the ace in LA. Even more impressive than sub-3 ERAs in his first two full seasons are the .200 and .214 BA against he has allowed in the same span. The most impressive stat on Clayton? He turns 23 on March 19th.

53. Cliff Lee, SP - PHI. Lee became a fantasy mainstay after his incredible 22-3 season with the Indians in '08. In '09 and '10 he was the hired gun, going to the World Series with the Phillies and Rangers. Four teams in two years and just 25 wins means you shouldn't overpay for Lee, but his return to Philadelphia signals a return to the 18-20 win range.

54. Alexei Ramirez, SS - CWS. At 29, Alexei enters his fourth season as one of the most consistent shortstops in fantasy. For his career, he's averaged .283/18/71/13, and this has come while getting acclimated to the U.S., the major leagues, moving to 2B, moving back to SS, all while moving up and down the lineup, including lots of time in the 9-hole. If Alexei can bump his OBP even a little bit, White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen may bat him higher, making him an even more dynamic 5-tool player.

55. Alex Rios, CF - CWS. If there's a good chance Alex and Alexei have nearly identical years in 2010 (and there is), take the shortstop first. Alex does offer more speed, but depth at the OF position makes the Cuban Missile the more valuable Southsider.

56. Delmon Young, LF - MIN. Delmon finally broke through with some real fantasy stats in 2010, putting up career highs in every offensive category except steals. .298/21/112 included just 28 walks, but also just 81 strikeouts, which is extremely impressive given Delmon's super-aggressive approach. Just 25 and in a great system, Delmon's star is back on the rise.

57. Zack Greinke, SP - MIL. Zack's ERA came back to Earth then went to Mars in 2010, jumping to 4.17 from the 2.16 that absolutely baffled hitters in '09. A trade to Milwaukee means more run support and a better division to pitch in, so expect a return to his normal 3.50 ERA and as many as 20 wins in his first NL season.

58. Corey Hart, RF - MIL. Corey wore his prescription sunglasses at night and during the day in 2010. The result was Hart's career year (.283/31/102) following his career worst in 2009. He's not much of a 20-20 threat anymore, but owners will trade steals for the increased power in a PBR.

59. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF - BOS. Ellsbury moved into elite fantasy territory with 70 steals in 2009, but a devastating rib injury Schrute'd his 2010. He's healthy, and should lead off for the Red Sox this year. Pedroia, Crawford, Gonzalez, Youkilis and Ortiz are sure to drive him in 100+ times and 70 steals may not be his ceiling.

60. Billy Butler, 1B - KC. Billy is a pure hitter. Owners hoping for he would take the next step from .301/21/93 in his breakout '09 found out just how pure a hitter he is in 2010. Butler took what pitchers gave him and raked to a .318 clip, but at the cost of six fewer homers. His drop in RBI from 93 to 78 can be attributed to the dismal Royals' mix, but for a hitter like Billy a bit more protection will spark lots more production.

61. Jered Weaver, SP - LAA. After posting a career high 4.33 in 2008, Jered has lowered his ERA by more than half a run in each of the past two seasons. The anemic Angels turned his 3.01 into just 13 wins in 2010, but the return of Kendry Morales and the addition of Vernon Wells will provide more support on both sides of the ball.

62. Tommy Hanson, SP - ATL. After his stellar debut in 2009 (11-4 in 21 starts), owners were expecting a lot more than 10 wins from Tommy in 2010. In a down year, Hanson went 10-11 with a 3.33 ERA in 34 starts. On an up year, he's among the pitching elite. See me. Feel me. Touch me. Heal me.

63. Michael Stanton, OF - FLA. Giancarlo Cruz Michael "Mike" Stanton made his major league debut on June 8, 2010. In 100 games, the 20 year-old clubbed 22 homers, drove in 59 and even added 5 steals in 359 at-bats. A strained quad has kept him out of spring action for over a week, but the Marlins know what they have in Stanton and will take it easy with him. Stanton will be set to replace Dan Uggla in the Marlins' cleanup spot by Opening Day, and whether or not he improves on his .260 average will be irrelevant if he hits .260/36/100.

64. Mat Latos, SP - SD. Mat dominated hitters in 2010. The 6'6" 23 year-old held opposing hitters to a .217 batting average, resulting in a 2.89 ERA and 189 K's in 184 innings. Improving on 14 wins will be a challenge pitching for the now Adrian-less Padres, but throwing half his games at PetCo is a nice plus for this future ace.

65. Neftali Feliz, RP - TEX. Would you rather have 200 very good innings or 70 outstanding innings? It's a quandary all teams face when dealing with pitching super-prospects, and it's one the Rangers played exactly right in 2010. Neftali Feliz was groomed as a starter, but was deemed more valuable as a lockdown closer, and finished Rangers' games all the way to the World Series. Texas still views Feliz as a starter long-term and are stretching him out this spring to join their rotation. Draft Mr. Happy as an ace closer with the chance of being a front-line starter; he throws 98mph with a free and easy delivery and will dominate hitters regardless of what role he's in.

66. Martin Prado, 2B/3B/LF - ATL. The first utility player comes in at pick 66. While there's no telling where Prado will play the majority of games this season, his 2B eligibility puts him near the top at the position. "The Devil Wears" Prado was born in the same town as Miguel Cabrera, also in 1983 (Maracay, Venezuela), which may help explain his lifetime .307 average.

67. Casey McGehee, 3B - MIL. The Fun-Run continued for Casey in 2010, as his owners were rewarded with a .283/23/104 batting line that matched Evan Longoria's (.284/22/104). It has all come together for McGehee and Milwaukee is loaded up for a big offensive output in 2011.

68. Drew Stubbs, CF - CIN. Stubbs got owners to look past a .255 average in his rookie year by putting up 22 homers and 30 steals. If Drew progresses in any category, he'll be well worth your mid-round selection.

69. Derek Jeter, SS - NYY A lifetime .314 hitter, Jeter showed signs of decline in 2010 with a .270/10/67/18 batting line, hitting below .290 for the first time in his 14-year career. At 37, he's still in the top of the Yankees' lineup, is just one year removed from hitting .334, and is also one of the hardest working players in the game. Expect a rebound.

70. Justin Morneau, 1B - MIN. Justin was on his way to another monster season (.345/18/56) when a concussion cut his year short in early July. Healthy headed into 2011, the Twins' other MVP is a 1B you can run with.

71. Brian McCann, C - ATL. Brian McCann has been on a Vision Quest for over a year. If he can get back to seeing the stitches, he'll be a monster in his age-27 season.

72. Paul Konerko, 1B - CWS. Konerko had a career year at age 34. While this has happened before, it's rare for a player with a resume like Paulie. His .312/39/111 earned him the 12th overall ranking in Yahoo! in 2010, and while it's unfair to expect a repeat, he's a strong option for teams that want to wait on 1B.

73. Pablo Sandoval, 3B - SF. Along with Justin Upton, Sandoval was one of the biggest letdowns of the 2010 season. A year after hitting .330/25/90, Kung Fu Panda nearly had to turn in his nickname when rumors swirled about a possible demotion to the minors. He ended the year as a part-time player on the World Series winning Giants, finishing at .268/13/63. Pablo lost over 30 pounds in the offseason and is raking in camp, so look for a rebound year and get a high-ceiling player at mid-round value.

74. Michael Young, 3B - TEX. Young has been one of the most consistent players in fantasy over the past eight seasons. In 2010 he hit like a 3B by racking up 291 total bases and a .284/21/91 line. Expect a similar year.

75. Vernon Wells, OF - LAA. Vernon is back in the fantasy mix after three years of being pedestrian or worse from '07-'09. His rebound 2010 (.273/31/88) was followed by a trade to Anaheim; at 32 and with $86 million left on his contract, that seems about right.

Fantasy Baseball Preview: 26-50

26. Felix Hernandez, SP - SEA. A microscopic 2.27 ERA and 232 strikeouts were enough for King Felix to overcome his 13-12 record and claim the AL Cy Young in 2010. His 25th birthday this April gives him the edge over Halladay as the first pitcher selected.

27. Roy Halladay, SP - PHI. Halladay took the NL Cy Young with a 2.44 ERA and 21 Wins in 2010. If your league counts Complete Games or Shutouts, you might take Halladay ahead of King Felix.

28. Tim Lincecum, SP - SF. In the year of the pitcher (third mention) Tim's ERA jumped nearly a full run from 2.48 to 3.43. If he has the same year as David Price or Jon Lester, you'll regret taking him any higher than this.

29. Alex Rodriguez, 3B - NYY. If you've made it to pick 29, you have my permission to draft A-Rod.

30. Buster Posey, C - SF. Don't be Dazed and Confused on Draft Day. Let A Mighty Wind blow open the door to The House of Yes. For Your Consideration, Best in Show, Parker Posey.

31. Victor Martinez, C - DET. Victor will split time at DH and behind the dish for the Tigers in 2011. This should help keep him healthy and maintain his catcher eligibility for 2012. No real offensive additions to the lineup indicate he'll land at about the same .302/20/79 he finished with last year.

32. Adrian Beltre, 3B - TEX. While it's tempting to Shin-Soo choose other players ahead of Beltre, his 326 total bases in 2010 can't be ignored. As usual, Adrian's stellar .326/28/102 came on a contract year, but his move to Texas keeps him in one of the best lineups in the AL.

33. Ichiro, OF - SEA. In his ten major league seasons, Ichiro has already earned a spot in Cooperstown. He's the only player with ten consecutive 200-hit seasons, averaging 224. At 37, age becomes the only question headed into 2011, but 42 steals in 2010 (his 4th highest season total) says the wheels are fine and a dormant M's offense has plagued his run scoring. He's basically all alone again, but other than 100 runs, expect Ichiro to match any one of his previous years.

34. Shin-Soo Choo, OF - CLE. A military exemption brought sighs of relief for fantasy owners and Mrs. Choo. Shin-Soo has hit the 20-20 mark in his first two full years and has hit .300 on the number. With an improved lineup Choo can go even further, as he looks to add 100 RBI to his repertoire.

35. Dustin Pedroia, 2B - BOS. Pedroia hit .288/12/41/9 in half a season in 2010. While it's unsafe to project .288/24/82/18 in 2011, new neighbors Carl and Adrian make a career year for anyone in the Sox lineup a possibility.

36. Brandon Phillips - 2B - CIN. If you're taking a guy because he can hit you around 25 homers and knock in 90, why not take a guy who can do it as a 2B and add 25 steals? Brandon's 18-16 underwhelmed his owners in 2010, but he's with a budding offensive group and plays in a silly putty egg. He should battle Rickie Weeks for top 2B honors in NL-only leagues.

37. Kendry Morales, 1B - LAA. Injuries are never fun for fantasy owners, especially when your star gets hurt celebrating. The Halos will have to take it easy after his 30-something home run trots this year. A switch hitter with legendary power, 40 and a .300 average are not out of the question.

38. Rickie Weeks, 2B - MIL. Rickie was finally able to put it together for months, not weeks for his fantasy owners in 2010. He established career highs with 29 HR and 83 RBI, but that makes sense for a player in his age-27 season. The Brewers bring it every night with Braun, Fielder, McGehee and Hart, all hitting behind Weeks. He's a premier option at 2B heading into 2011.

39. Chase Utley, 2B - PHI. Chase keeps slipping down the board with a knee injury. He has received a cortisone shot, but isn't playing in games yet. Though he headed into 2010 as the top 2B in fantasy, he'll have to work to surpass Cano, Uggla, Pedroia, Phillips and Weeks.

40. Andre Ethier, OF - LAD. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp entered 2010 as elite OF options. While Andre's .292/23/82 in 139 games wasn't nearly as disastrous as Kemp's .249 batting average, it was a regression from the .272/31/106 he hit in 2009. He'll likely land somewhere in between his '09 and '10 production levels.

41. Justin Upton, OF - ARI. Justin Upton has the ability to hit 40 home runs in a season. While that's not as old as saying "Howie Kendrick will win a batting title someday," it's getting there. At 23, Justin failed to take a step forward for the first time in his baseball career. After hitting .300/26/86 in '09, Upton's .273/17/69 ended after 495 at bats with a sore shoulder and the shelf. Expect a similar batting average and his power numbers to come back, with the possibility that any day it could all just click for this kid.

42. David Price, SP - TB. Following a semi-letdown in a semi-first season in 2009, David was brilliant in 2010. He amassed a 19-6 record with a 2.72 ERA and 188 strikeouts, even more impressive pitching in the AL East. David is a fine option to head up a fantasy staff in any format.

43. Jon Lester, SP - BOS. A bounceback year for Boston will result in Lester's first 20-win season in 2011. After posting 16, 15 and 19 wins from '07-'09, what's helped fantasy owners more are his single-digit losses each year.

44. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP - COL. In 2010 Ubaldo put up a spectacular 2.88 ERA, struck out 214, and earned 19 wins for the Rockies against just 8 losses. For owners in expanded-category leagues, Ubaldo surrendered just 10 homers and threw four Complete Games, two of which were Shutouts. Colorado's ace is a fantasy ace.

45. CC Sabathia, SP - NYY. It looks like ol' Charleston Chew Sabathia found himself an opt out clause. 21-7, 186 K with a 3.18 ERA again this year would probably put him about where he is. He'll be pitching for the raise.

46. Josh Johnson, SP - FLA. Josh should have won 18 games in 2010. While the Marlins struggled for runs and on defense, Johnson's sparkling 2.30 ERA yielded just an 11-6 record. Draft the Marlins' hoss with confidence.

47. Adam Dunn, OF - CWS. At this point you must ask yourself if you'd rather have a complete player, or an uber-performer but in fewer categories. Adam Dunn is the uber-performer worth taking ahead of 5x5ers Heyward and McCutchen because even though he's a batting average drag, he has averaged 40 homers since 2004. Any concern about playing in the AL for the first time in his career is easily offset by joining a talented White Sox lineup and playing half his games at New Comiskey (U.S. Cellular Field).

48. Jason Heyward, OF - ATL. After all the hype and the kafuffle and the hoo-hah, the dust settled and it was time for the actual person, Jason Heyward, to go to work. Owners that leapt for that J-Hey kid instantaly saw the upside and ultimately felt the downside of what was a great rookie year by MLB standards, but not in fantasy. Expect him to improve on 2010's .277/18/72/11 line in all categories as he gets more comfortable, and remember this is a prospect with limitless potential.

49. Andrew McCutchen, OF - PIT. While maintaining his solid rookie average of .286, Andrew McCutchen made gains in every other category in 2010. If he can repeat the feat, he becomes a threat to go 20-40.

50. Hunter Pence, OF - HOU. I bet they called him "Under Pants" as a kid. That's Captain Under Pants now. HP has copied his homer total of 25 in each of his first three seasons. Last year he added 18 steals and knocked in 91 to become one of the better all around options among OFs.

Fantasy Baseball Preview: 11-25

11. Troy Tulowitzki, SS - COL. The second-best shortstop in fantasy over the past two seasons joins Hanley Ramirez as the only two elite options at the position.

12. Evan Longoria, 3B - TB. Longoria is the top 3B in fantasy headed into 2011. While 22 HR in 2010 represents a down power year, he batted a career-high .294 with 46 doubles and added 15 steals. Bottom line, he's a much safer bet at the hot corner than Bautista or Beltre.

13. Matt Holliday, OF - STL. There's always some reason given for Matt Holliday's numbers. Either he's playing half his games at Coors Field (pre-humidor) or he's hitting in the Gehrig slot behind Albert Pujols. A lifetime .317 hitter, the only reason for Matt's success is that he's just that good.

14. Prince Fielder, 1B - MIL. Other than Pujols, Prince's will be the most talked about contract scenario this season. Milwaukee appears unable to sign Prince long term, but the composition of their roster says they're trying to make a World Series run this year. Barring an unlikely first-half collapse, expect Fielder to play the entire year with the Brewers, hoping to vault them into the postseason and himself into the salary stratosphere. It is worth noting that throughout his career, Prince has been good, then amazing, then good, then amazing again. Last year, he was good.

15. David Wright, 3B - NYM. In 2010, David saw his batting average slip below .300 for the first time since his rookie year. Though his .283 clip was buoyed by 29 HR and 103 RBI, that he struck out 161 times is a bit more of a concern. New management and a healthy lineup should re-energize David back to producing like he did from 2005-2008.

16. Ryan Howard, 1B - PHI. After averaging 49 HR over his first four full seasons, Ryan's 31 knocks in 2010 represent a stunning career low in 143 games. Owners chasing his 58-homer campaign in '06 should cease and desist, but a return to his mid-40's level of '07-'09 works in the mid-2nd Round.

17. Nelson Cruz, OF - TEX. The key stat for Nelson is games played. After a breakout '09 Nellie was striding into the outfield elite, but a nagging hamstring injury plagued his second half. The potential for a monster season is here.

18. Matt Kemp, OF - LAD. I'd always rather a player struggle because they're injured than struggle because they're struggling, but that's exactly what Matt did in 2010. After finding himself in the top echelon of OFs on Draft Day, Matt let his owners down by hitting .249 with a .760 OPS. His issues with Torre gone with Torre, Matt should be one of the more dynamic cleanup hitters in the National League.

19. Dan Uggla, 2B - ATL. Braves GM Frank Wren made the steal of the offseason landing Uggla, who gets to pull a Carl Crawford and stay in the division he knows while moving to a more consistent lineup. Dan has averaged 31 homers as a 2B over his 5-year career, but it's not that, or that he's done it playing in a football stadium that puts him inside the top 20. It's that he's averaged 155 games per season. Sure, he can be a batting average scare (.243 in '09) but .287 in '10 represents a career high, and when guys like Youkilis, Pedroia and Reyes aren't playing, they're a drag on every category.

20. Mark Teixeira, 1B - NYY. This is probably the year to own Teixeira. After all the wondering what he would do in his second year in that lineup, in that ballpark, Teixeira really missed the mark in 2010. His typical slow start was a non-start and he ended his World Series hangover looking at a .256 average. Now he says he spent all offseason in the cage as opposed to more weight training in previous years. Owners should expect a return to form and take him while his value is diminished.

21. Kevin Youkilis, 3B - BOS. Youkilis (pronounced You-kill-us) never takes a pitch off. His all-out style seems to cost him a few games or more per season, but his potential to hit .325/30/120 in a revamped BoSox lineup makes the reward outweigh the risk.

22. Jose Reyes, SS - NYM. 2011 could be big for Reyes, as he looks to bounce back following a down year for every Mets player not named Angel or Ike. His contract status and the Mets financial instability make his future in New York uncertain at this point, so he will be motivated to showcase his talents.

23. Joe Mauer, C - MIN. Just when Mauer found his pauer, the Twins moved to Target Field. Sounds like the end of a wicked good limerick. Though Joe didn't take to playing outside like his teammate Delmon Young, he's still the top catcher in fantasy. He's just one year removed from one of the all-time best years for a backstop (.365/28/96) and did hit .327 last year despite hitting just nine homers. If he gets even a droplet more comfortable at home, he'll be back in the first round headed into 2012.

24. Jose Bautista, 3B - TOR. If anyone was surprised by Bautista's monster-breakout season in 2010, it wasn't the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Bucos saw so much in Bautista that they drafted him out of junior college in 2000, reacquired him in 2004, then reacquired him a third time in 2005. They finally cut bait at age 28 during the '08 season, and after a lackluster '09 in Toronto, Jose came out of absolute nowhere (Pittsburgh) to lead the majors in homers by twelve lengths with 54. Even though there is no resume to back it up, his numbers in 2010 were too gaudy to justify taking Zimmerman ahead of him.

25. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B - WAS. Ryan Zimmerman can hit .300. Ryan Zimmerman can hit 30 out and knock in 110. One of these years, he's going to do all three. The addition of Jayson Werth helps his chances to do it in 2011.

Fantasy Baseball Preview: 1-10

1. Albert Pujols, 1B - STL. Mr. Pujols wants to force teams to offer him $30 million per season, and he'll do it.

2. Miguel Cabrera, 1B - DET. Other than Albert, Miguel has been the write-it-down fantasy performer of the past seven seasons. Take him with confidence.

3. Hanley Ramirez, SS - FLA. Position eligibility doesn't make Hanley a top-3 pick. Hanley does. Take him off a "down" year (in which he was still the top shortstop) and expect him to play to his resume in his age-27 season.

4. Joey Votto, 1B - DET. National League MVP Joey's .324/37/113/16 in 2010 is enough to give him the edge over clear-cut top 2B Cano.

5. Robinson Cano, 2B - NYY. And the first Yankee taken is...Robbie Cano. Don't ya know, he's earned it. In 2009 Cano finally reached the lofty expectations that had been set for him by hitting .320/25/85. In 2010 he became a top-10 fantasy player with .319/29/109, and a repeat would make him a value buy in this slot.

6. Carlos Gonzalez, OF - COL. Carlos Gomez was CarGo for about 14 seconds. The top OF in fantasy, Carlos put together a .336/34/117/26 campaign in the year of the pitcher. What will he do for an encore? You'll need to use your mid-first round pick to find out.

7. Josh Hamilton, OF - TEX. The reigning AL MVP is the number two OF in fantasy not because of his .359/32/100 line in 2010, but because of the 29 games he missed. Hamilton's reckless, all-out style has gotten him nicked up here and there over the past few years making him slightly more risky. If Josh can play a full season, he might blow the roof off his ceiling.

8. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B - BOS. Ahh-dree-ahn has averaged 35 homers over the past three years with Petco as his home park. With the way he'd check into and out of pitcher's parks Dodger Stadium and PacBell, he practically invented Four Square. Finally out of the NL West and into the lush BoSox lineup and cozy ballparks of the AL East, Gonzalez should have a career year.

9. Carl Crawford, OF - BOS. Carl pulled off a rare feat this winter. He stayed in the same division and moved to a better lineup. This year, he'll be even more of a threat to your opponents in every offensive category.

10. Ryan Braun, OF - MIL. Since his incredible debut in 2007 (.324/34/97/15 in just 113 games), Ryan Braun has been one of fantasy's ten best. In the year of the pitcher (that's two mentions), Ryan had a career-low .304/25/103/14 and scored 105 runs. Look for more in 2011.

A Baseball Journey: Chapter II

At a secret location, a meeting. The heads of the five teams were all in attendance. Abercrombie and McKiernan, Clairol, Handyman Hardware, Palmer's Market and Springdale Shell. Baseball men. Men of action. Men who had built Springdale into one of the most talented and competitive Little Leagues in Connecticut.

It was 1989. The children of disco were coming of age. Soon, the signup forms would be far longer than the roster sheets, forcing the five teams (bound by the Little League spirit of inclusion) to reluctantly add a sixth. But these were competitive men. Men who had scouted, farmed and developed talent in town for years. Men with championship aspirations.

The 80's became the 90's and March finally arrived. Baseball tryouts. I was ten years old. A few kids made it to the "majors" at nine, but that wasn't me. This was my year. Fly balls in the outfield, can o' corn. Ground balls on the infield, no problem. My arm was my best tool, and I made them see it. I was really good in the field, and though I lacked speed, I didn't need much more than good reflexes at third base.

My only nervous moments came during hitting tryouts, as I was much more comfortable with my glove on than with a bat in my hand. The coaches were seated in folding chairs between first and second, clipboards and pens in hand. The left side of the field was open, and the commissioner of the league stood at the front of the mound. The tall man's easy toss was on me instantly and "crack!" a liner over second made one of the coaches duck. The next pitch came and "bang!" a whistling grounder to the right side got another coach out of his seat. Three or four more shots in their direction and all of the coaches were now on their feet and alert. Call it inexperience, call it late reaction time, but on that afternoon an opposite field hitter was born.

I was so happy. No whiffs in at least 8 pitches. Better than I had hoped. I had no idea that I should be hitting the ball to left field as a righthanded batter. All I knew is I hit the ball hard every time. All I knew is I was good.

Maybe I was too good. Shortly after the tryouts were finished, I was told that I was among the first 10 year-olds selected, and that I would be on the new team, George's Barbers. Child psychology is a beautiful thing, because at the time I was flattered to be among the first group taken. What I did not realize was that the expansion team I was on had been comprised entirely of players new to the league. This meant that while we did get some of the best 9 and 10 year-olds (and one 8 year-old prodigy) the 11 and 12 year-olds on our team would be skateboard kids who just randomly decided (or were forced) to take up baseball, or kids who just moved to the neighborhood. And Kelly Leak did not move into the neighborhood.

A Baseball Journey: Chapter I

Old Yankee Stadium. Ok, not that old. Middle Yankee Stadium. Freakin' Yankee Stadium. Ahem. Yankee Stadium. Bottom 9th, Yanks down 5-4, 1 out and 1 on. Bob Sheppard: "Pinch hitting, Number Thirty-Three, Gary Ward. Number Thirty-Three."

"He's gonna do it," a boy said out loud. "This guy? He's a bum," his father replied. "No, he's gonna do it. He's gonna do it," the boy insisted. Other than when bedtime was, this was the first time the boy had dared disagree with his father, putting the old man's perfect record of being right on the line.

Bang! Ward's powerful swing sent the ball high, deep and into the Right Field bleachers. Already on his feet, the boy leapt in the air and delivered a Shou RyuKen Uppercut right to his mother's nose. Sheer joy instantly turned to panic, as the boy had really put something into the triumphant fist pump. Tempered excitement was soon restored (the woman had a fantastic chin) and The Chairman walked the boy out.

That was July 31st, 1987. I was seven years old.

I quickly reasoned that I was so overjoyed when Ward came through (enough to knock my own mother's block off) not because the Yankees won, but because it was Ward that came through. First, my dad was wrong. This opened up a world of possibilities, though I did give plenty of weight to this being a matter of chance, and he was still flawless in matters of fact. Second, I was right. In my first such leap of faith, I had hit paydirt.

I was a Mets fan. Not only a Mets fan, but a Mets fan raised to hate the Yankees. Maybe it was being at the game in person (I had watched the Buckner play just ten months earlier) maybe I got caught up in "The Wave," or maybe I just liked the matchup. In reality, it was baseball's anthem still ringing in my head from two innings earlier. "Root, root, root for the home team. If they don't win, it's a shame." Right? I mean, what did I owe Detroit? They weren't playing the Mets, so why not? At that moment, it made sense. And I latched on to Gary Ward, and he to me forever. That was the night I became a baseball fan.