Welcome back to the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit. Over the next few weeks, we will be rolling out cheat sheets with analysis, essays and the classic Top 10 Lists that Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For, a compendium of 10 Top 10 lists that no fantasy owner should be without. We’ll continue that today with Alex’s offering of the Top 10 source of Cheap Steals.

This is all these players do – steal bases. They can’t hit for an extremely high average, have no power, but they will steal bases. Who are they?

We know the Chone Figgins, Willy Taveras and Denard Span types will rack up the steals, but none of them will come cheap. So, we’re going to focus on players who will likely be late-round bargains who can help you win this category.

1. Michael Bourn, OF, Houston Astros – Projected 40-50 steals. If Bourn is to keep his starting gig in Astro-Land, he needs to improve upon his .230 batting average last year. When he does reach first base, he instantly becomes a weapon on the base path. Look for him to improve slightly and get more chances to steal. Last year he stole 42 bases, but expect him to approach 50 this year. If he struggles at the plate for an extended timeframe to open the season, I would not be surprised to see Houston look for other options. Personally, I would rather have Jason Bourne, but that is neither here nor there…

2. Carlos Gomez, OF, Minnesota Twins – Projected 30-35 steals. Gomez finds himself in the same category as Bourn. Improve or lose you job. Gomez is quite the base stealer and could some day easily steal 60, but he has trouble getting on base to do so. Last season, his on base percentage was .289, which is awful. I am sure coaches are working tirelessly on this project to find ways to get him on base. Last year he was sort of a pop out machine, so he did not even get to utilize his speed to leg out base hits. I still think Gomez is a lock for 30 steals, as he has too much talent and there is too much potential to see this guy on the Twinkies bench.

3. Jerry Owens, OF, Chicago White Sox – Projected 20-30 steals. Owens received some playing time last year with the injury of Carlos Quentin. Now, he finds himself battling for the centrefield job with DeWayne Wise. If Owens wins it he could approach 30 steals this year, but he does not do much more than steal. He won’t go yard, and he won’t drive in runs, so be careful with this one trick fantasy pony.

4. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers – Projected 25-35 steals. After Texas moved Michael Young to third base, the starting job at short belongs to the organization’s prized prospect. Andrus had over 50 steals last year at Triple-A, even after missing nearly a month with a broken hand. Elvis has some pop in his bat, but during his rookie campaign, he can only be relied upon for steals and runs. Eventually he could become a 15-20 home run guy, but we will have to see how he adjusts.

5. Coco Crisp, OF, Kansas City Royals – 20-30 steals. Crisp will get a chance to play every day in Kansas City and he is sure to improve on his part-time numbers from last year. He is a veteran who knows how to get on base and move himself to second base. He may be a sleeper this year as he gets more at bats and more chances to shine. Crisp has never been a huge steal guy, but has consistently been in the 20s.

6. Nyger Morgan, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates – Projected 20-35 steals. The Pirates are banking on Morgan to be their opening day lead-off hitter and premier base stealer. He has been inconsistent with the big league chances he has received, but there is no denying his raw speed that could be harnessed to produce big thievery numbers.

7. Juan Pierre, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers – Projected 15-25 steals. The signing of Manny Ramirez crushes the fantasy potential of Pierre this year, unless he gets traded. Without Manny, Pierre projects to steal over 40, but with him only around 20. Pierre is the last man out in a crowded Dodger outfield and there is no way anyone in their right mind would sit Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, or Man-Ram in favour of Pierre in their everyday lineup. Pierre could still be an effective source of steals if you could start him only when you know he will play. Just add another person to the growing list of Manny Ramirez haters.

8. Felipe Lopez, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks – Projected 20 steals. Last season was a bit of a write-off for Lopez, as he failed to even reach double digits in steals. But consider two numbers: (a) 44, as in the number of bases he stole just two seasons ago; and (b) .360, as in his batting average after the break last season. Combine these two and you’ve got a major comeback on your hands, one you can invest in cheaply.

9. Julio Lugo, SS, Boston Red Sox – Projected 20 steals. After missing a huge chunk of 2008 thanks to a quad injury, Lugo has to compete to regain his starting shortstop job. So far, he looks like he’s up to the task, and if he can wrestle the gig back from Jed Lowrie, that projected steal total will look very conservative.

10. Randy Winn, OF, San Francisco Giants – Projected 20 steals. Okay, so he’s not exactly tearing the cover off the ball this spring, but that’s all the more reason he will once again fly slightly below the radar on draft day. But when you look up at season’s end and see another quality line from Winn, you’ll wonder why you constantly ignore him on draft day.

BY TIM McLEOD AND ROTOROB

And we’re off! With the release of our catcher rankings, the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit is officially launched. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be issuing a complete set of cheat sheets with analysis, essays, columns and our destined-to-be-classic Top 10 Lists That Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For. As a special treat, we’ll also be unveiling the most comprehensive keeper list ever compiled. Seriously.

By the way, Brandon Inge is not listed here, but rather is on our 3B list. If he were listed here, he’d be No. 18.

2009 Catcher Rankings

1. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves: McCann’s tremendous bounce back season in 2008 lands him in the top spot among backstops. He’s a real workhorse who hits for power and average and even added a little bit of speed to the mix last season. Oh ya, and he just turned 25 last month, meaning there’s plenty of upside. Expect to use a fifth round pick to land McCann, currently representing U.S.A. at the WBC.

2. Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers: Martin is another young, multi-talented catcher who sees a lot of action behind the plate. And I mean a lot. Despite making 11 appearances at third base, this Canadian kid still caught 149 games. I’m starting to wonder if the workload is getting to him (he slugged 100 points less after the break), and how big a concern this should be heading into 2009. Martin has upside, but he was unable to build on his huge sophomore campaign, although the major increase in patience bodes well for his ability to develop into a .300 hitter.

3. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins: Mauer, hardly the old man on the list at age 25, bounced back from an injury-plagued down season in 2007 to set career highs in runs and RBI. He did an amazing job of cutting his strikeouts, while his plate discipline went to a completely different stratosphere. As a catcher who not only helped lead one of the top offenses in the AL and who finished fourth in the AL MVP race, Mauer is a major fantasy stud, capable of vaulting back to the top of this list by season’s end.

4. Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs: Rarely do you see a hyped rookie catcher, once handed the keys to the kingdom, who actually makes a seamless transition. Such was Soto, who combined power, patience and a fine batting average into a season worthy of earning kudos as the 2008 RotoRob Fantasy Rookie of the Year. He’s plying his trade for Puerto Rico at the WBC and then will look to build on his big freshman effort with the Cubs.

5. Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians: How can a guy who missed half the season, was extremely unproductive, saw his power completely evaporate, experienced a decline in his strike zone judgment for the second straight season and have the dubious distinction of being our 2008 RotoRob Fantasy Flop of the Year make our top five at catcher? Simple. V-Mart was coming off a 2007 season in which he launched a career-best 25 homers and had his customary .300+ BA, so we’re willing to give him a mulligan for 2008. He’s healthy and committed to returning to the elite (as evidenced by his turning down a chance to play for Venezuela at the WBC), so don’t let Martinez fall too far off your radar on draft day. He’s an excellent candidate to win another RotoRob Award in 2009 as the Comeback Player of the Year.

6. Mike Napoli, Los Angeles Angels: Despite an increasing strikeout rate, Napoli emerged as a serious offensive threat, spanking 20 dingers as a part-time backstop. Two years ago, he was nothing more than an injury waiver wire pickup, but now Napoli is a legitimate fantasy backstop. Do note that he’s dealing with a wonky right shoulder this spring after off-season surgery, so that’s going to slow him down, at least defensively, for now. But because of his potent bat, look for him to see time at DH on occasion when he’s not behind the dish.

7. Ryan Doumit, Pittsburgh Pirates: Doumit’s power keeps developing and as he enters his prime, it’s seems reasonable to think he’s capable of clouting 20 to 25 dingers this year, assuming he remains healthy – something that hasn’t always been easy for him. Still, Doumit took a huge step forward in 2008, doing a fantastic job of making better contact. Small wonder he made our Wire Troll NL All-Wire Team. The Pirates are convinced he’s for real, committing to a long-term deal with Doumit; you should consider doing the same for your team in a keeper league.

8. Chris Iannetta, Colorado Rockies: Yet another member of our coveted Wire Troll NL All-Wire Team, Iannetta, like Napoli, showed tremendous power in a limited role. He broke through with an extremely productive season, showing fantastic on-base skills as well as power. In fact, among NL backstops who had at least 300 at bats, Iannetta ranked second in OPS. He’s arrived and is plenty young enough to improve.

9. Bengie Molina, San Francisco Giants: So what if Molina is the slowest MLB player alive, just slightly faster than Ted Williams’ frozen head? The Giants rode him last season, and he responded with personal bests in many key categories, enjoying a tremendously productive year. Molina has pretty decent pop for a catcher and his strike zone judgment bounced back after a couple down years in that regard, but I do worry about the fact that he’ll be 35 this summer, and his body doesn’t exactly scream “in it for the long haul” to me.

10. Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles: Because of his tremendous power/average combo, Wieters is one of the most anticipated catching prospects to come along in many years. And if you’re thinking that just because he’s a rook, you can sleep on him in your draft this spring, think again. We’ve seen him going in the 10th round, so don’t let Wieters slide. There is some question about whether he’ll be the full-time starter right from the get-go, but no one doubts that the job will be his soon. Baltimore certainly has cleared the catching decks for him, shifting 2005 first rounder Brandon Snyder to a corner infield slot (although injuries were a part of that plan, too) and shipping incumbent Ramon Hernandez to Cincy.

11. A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox: Another veteran catcher who’s getting a wee bit long in the tooth, Pierzynski still managed to impress us enough in 2008 to record his third 150-hit season. For now, he remains a productive backstop.

12. Jorge Posada, New York Yankees: Posada struggled badly last season, endured two trips to the DL and finally had his season end early thanks to shoulder surgery. He’ll slide this year as a result (you can get him in the 18th round of some drafts we’ve been involved with), but don’t sleep on him too long – reports on this Yankee leader’s shoulder have been extremely positive this spring.

13. Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay Rays: Despite an early-season injury, Navarro set a career high in games played, responding with the finest offensive season of his career. There’s still plenty of upside here, and I could see him turning into that long-promised .300-hitting catcher, but I wonder what impact losing in arbitration to the Rays will have on the youngster.

14. Kelly Shoppach, Cleveland Indians: Pop quiz: who led all AL catchers in home runs last season? In any other season, V-Mart or Posada would be good guesses, even Hernandez. But in 2008, it was Shoppach’s 21 dingers that led the way. Cleveland’s “backup” catcher just keeps getting better and better. He’s a productive bat who made some strides in improving his patience at the plate last year. With Martinez expected to see plenty of action at first base and DH, don’t worry about Shoppach not getting enough at bats to be a very useful fantasy asset.

15. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals: One of the best defensive catchers in the biz, Molina’s offensive game has been developing nicely as well the past couple of seasons. His strike zone judgment is so strong, leading me to believe that there’s definitely room for further improvement here. In fact, I spent plenty of time last season wondering why he was so underappreciated as a fantasy asset. I still don’t have a good answer.

16. Chris Snyder, Arizona Diamondbacks: Arizona’s intense starting catcher tied his career high in games played, experiencing yet another season of offensive growth in 2008. He’s not much of a contact hitter, upping both his walk and strikeout rates – so if you’re looking for a .300 hitting catcher, Snyder’s not your man. But he’s primed for a big-time power breakout, and it wouldn’t shock me if he approached 25 home runs this year.

17. Ramon Hernandez, Cincinnati Reds: Hernandez’s power bounced back a bit last season, but don’t be looking for him to put up any more 20-dinger years, especially now that he’s in Cincy, which is actually a tougher HR park than Camden (at least in 2008). He’s been in slow decline for a couple of years, and I expect that to continue this season. Expect something to the tune of .260 with a home run total in the low teens. Honestly, Hernandez strikes me as a fantasy catcher that is very close to falling off the map. He’ll offer the Reds more offense from the catcher position than they’ve had in recent years, but that’s not saying much.

18. Jeff Clement, Seattle Mariners: He’s a tremendous power prospect, but Clement struggled to show it as a rook and clearly needs to develop a more patient approach at the plate. He’s going to get a chance to be the starting catcher, but note that Seattle is also preparing to employ him as the backup at first base and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. I suppose it is as long as Clement qualifies at catcher, and the team finds ways to get him more at bats. Gauging Clement’s long-term home on the diamond, however, is trickier business. We already identified Adam Moore as a serious threat to Clement’s claim as the catcher of the future in Seattle, and that’s something to consider in a keeper league.

19. Kurt Suzuki, Oakland Athletics: Suzuki proved to be a real workhorse in his first full season in the majors, although he wasn’t able to develop his power at all. There’s still time to see if some of his doubles will turn into homers, but I have my doubts. What concerns me more was his less patient approach in 2008 – something that won’t be tolerated in Oakland. Suzuki was scorching mid-season, making for a great pickup, but he really faded down the stretch (perhaps because of the huge workload?). Suzuki’s role as the starting catcher is unchallenged for now, but 2009 could be a very important season for determining whether or not he’s a useful long-term asset.

20. Jesus Flores, Washington Nationals: Flores took over as the starting catcher, getting the bulk of the work behind the plate for the Nats last season. I’d like to him develop more patience, because as is, he could be limited from a batting average perspective. Still, there’s enough gap power, productivity and upside potential here to warrant grabbing Flores in the 20th round.

21. Gerald Laird, Detroit Tigers: Laird rebounded from an awful 2007 season, but that only added to Texas’ catching depth. The Rangers helped clear this logjam by dealing him to Detroit this offseason, and so far, the Tigers are thrilled with their acquisition.

22. John Baker, Florida Marlins: Baker came out of nowhere last season, showing pop and patience after an extremely long apprenticeship in the minors. Yes, he’s quite inexperienced, but he spent the offseason improving his ability to shut down the running game – something that will stead him well in his quest to remain a starter.

23. Ivan Rodriguez, FA: I-Rod’s power continued to decline, but at least his overall game looked like it had bounced back to an extent last season. But then, he arrived in the Big Apple and his extra-base pop completed disappeared. We thought Boston or the Mets might be interested, but neither of those options panned out. There was even word Texas wanted to bring him back (assuming it could deal away one of its trio of great young catchers), where Pudge could be a mentor and back up whoever won the starting job. But Rodriguez still wants to play five days a week, so forget about that plan. Finally, there is the ongoing rumour that Florida will bring him back, and if that happens, obviously Baker won’t be as valuable.

24. Taylor Teagarden/Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Texas Rangers: This duo earns a single entry as the winner of the job will be ranked right here. To add to the confusion, young Max Ramirez is another talented young backstop for Texas. Teagarden has played the fewest big league games, but he may very well be the best of the trio. Saltalamacchia, the youngest, has been knocking on the door for a while now, but his offensive development stalled last season. We considered him a must-own when he was recalled last season, but it didn’t work out so well for Salty. Many expect him to break camp as the starter and hold the job initially, and his big start to the spring has done nothing to alter that opinion.

25. Miguel Olivo, Kansas City Royals: Olivo was more or less in a job share with John Buck last season, but despite his low contact rates, the Dominican showed a better stick than he had in 2007 with the Fish. He got off to a strong start, making him an early-season wire target for AL-only owners, and although his BA slipped dramatically in June and July, he’s expected to be the main man behind the plate in KC this season. Do note that Buck will continue to fight Olivo for PT all season long, so this is far from a settled situation.

Others to Consider

26. Kenji Johjima, Seattle Mariners
27. Jason Kendall, Milwaukee Brewers
28. Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies
29. Rod Barajas, Toronto Blue Jays
30. Paul Lo Duca, F/A

Cheat Sheet Archives

2008 Preseason

Starting Pitchers
Relief Pitchers
Outfielders

2007

Third basemen
Shortstops
Second basemen
First basemen
Prospects

2007 Preseason

Catchers

Spring Training is officially underway, and all is right with the world again. That means it’s time for us to step up our baseball coverage, starting with the completion of our free agent report. Miss a section? Here you go:

American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X.

National League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX.

Philadelphia Phillies

The defending World Champions had great balance in 2008, with a powerful lineup, a great bullpen and a fine rotation. This is a team that’s been on the rise for a couple of years now, but can they defend? Well, with a mere four free agents to deal with this offseason, they were more or less guaranteed to return virtually intact.

Pat Burrell, OF: This consistent slugger won’t help you in batting average, and his strike zone judgment slipped after a career best showing in 2007, probably explaining his slight reduction in numbers. Still, Pat the Bat draws a ton of walks, topping the century mark in each of the past two seasons. Philly opted not to bring him back, signing Raul Ibanez instead. Burrell, meanwhile, switched leagues and has gone to the team Philly took out in the Series – Tampa Bay. How ironic will it be if these two teams meet in the Series again and Burrell proves to be the difference?

Tom Gordon, RHP: Flash has been in decline for four years now, and last season ended early thanks to elbow surgery that will likely translate into a late start this year. The Phils let him walk, and Arizona swooped in, becoming the eighth team to stitch Gordon’s name on its uniform. We shouldn’t expect much – hell, the dude’s old enough that his son was drafted last year, but Arizona’s late inning situation is a land full of possibilities given the amount of question marks. So don’t be shocked if Gordon actually emerges with some value. Or not.

Jamie Moyer, LHP: If Gordon is old, what does that make Moyer? Yet, unlike Gordon, who has been sliding for a few years, Moyer is coming off his finest season as a Phillie, making me wonder just when the hell this dude will slow down. Obviously the Phillies don’t think it will be anytime soon, re-signing him for two years. The lefty with the timeless changeup really cut down on the long balls allowed last season, and that made a huge difference.

Rudy Seanez, LHP: Another aging arm, Seanez was cut from the Dodgers during the pre-season and wound up having a pretty good season with the Phils. He walked too many, struck out too few, got hurt, yet enjoyed decent bottle line results. Seanez always seems like such a long shot to make whatever team he’s battling for a job with, but it wouldn’t shock me if he lands yet another gig somewhere. However, to date, he’s not getting any bites this offseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Sixteen straight losing seasons and counting; an offense that was middling at best (and that’s being extremely generous) and a pitching staff that was horrendous. This team has its work cut out for itself. Again. Something positive: The Buccos had just four free agents to deal with, yet they let every single one leave, but that could be addition by subtraction as each of them were aging veterans. So if nothing else, the Pirates should be younger in 2009.

Chris Gomez, 3B: Although he enjoyed a fine start to the season, his chances – and play – deteriorated badly in the second half when he barely hit .200. His extra-base pop was almost non-existent, leaving him as a very unproductive utility player. Signed by the O’s, Gomez will try to win a job in B-More, but with Ty Wigginton there, it’s going to be tough.

Jason Michaels, OF: Another veteran bench player the Pirates let walk, Michaels started the season with the Indians, but was so bad, they had to DFA him. Dealt to the Pirates, he was better, but that’s not saying much. He simply doesn’t get on base often enough to be useful, strikes out too often, and his power is slipping. Now with Houston, he’ll add bench strength to the Astros, but won’t be of any use for fantasy purposes unless half the team eats some bad crawfish.

Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B: Yet another veteran backup Pittsburgh allowed to leave, Mientkiewicz saw plenty of action with the Pirates last year, but as we discussed last season, with no power to speak of, he’s not roster-worthy. The Dodgers have given him a shot as a non-roster player, but the best case scenario is he beats out Hector Luna and Luis Maza for a back-up corner infielder gig.

Luis Rivas, SS: What’s this? Another backup the Pirates parted ways with? Are you sensing a trend? Rivas was awful in the first half, earning the non-fantasy factor stamp from us, but shockingly, he was even worse in the second half, recording a 454 OPS after the break. Somehow, the Cubs were interested enough to sign Rivas to a minor league deal, where he’ll compete for the second utility infielder job, something I expect will stead him with zero fantasy value yet again.

Next: We’ll hop aboard the Main Line and head to St. Louis to check in on the Cardinals.

Spring Training is underway and we’ll have actual boxscores to peruse come Wednesday! How sweet is that? With that in mind, we push forward with our Free Agency report. Miss the other sections of this near-legendary tome? No problem-o, dude. We got you covered:

American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X.

National League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII.

Milwaukee Brewers

After showing nice progress in 2007, the Milwaukee Brewers were one of the feel good stories of 2008, taking another significant leap forward en route to 90 wins, the NL Wild Card and the team’s first playoff appearance in 26 years.

Fueled by the NL’s second best pitching staff, which was bolstered by the mid-season acquisition of C.C. Sabathia (who was absolutely dominant in Sausage City) the Brewers spent most of the summer blazing towards the playoffs. Sure, a late season slump almost cost them that shot and it took a win on the final day of the season to wrap it up, but after an entire generation of Brewer fans had suffered through a postseason drought, no one was complaining. Yes, the Brewers were dispatched fairly easily in four games in the NLDS by the eventual World Series champion Phillies, but the message was sent that this team was no longer a doormat for the rest of the NL.

Unfortunately, the offseason took a big chunk of those good feelings away. Gone are twin aces Sabathia and Ben Sheets, replaced by Braden Looper. Uh, yeah.

Team owner Mark Attanasio believes that the team is tapped out salary wise after taking on the Sabathia contract and also adding Ray Durham in a mid-season deal and then enduring an expensive offseason that included new contracts for Prince Fielder (who has slimmed down, but has a fatter wallet thanks to a two-year, $18 million deal) and Corey Hart ($3.25 M), not to mention Looper, who could earn as much as $12.25 million over the next two years.

On the plus side financially, after wasting $10 million on Eric Gagne last season for a seriously ugly campaign, the Brew Crew was able to bring him back on a cheap, incentive-laden minor league contract for 2009. Of course, it’s going to take a hell of a lot of work before Gagne manages to earn himself another late-inning role as he’s fallen pretty low down the pecking order in the Milwaukee pen, assuming he even makes the team.

One wonders whether the Brewers (12th in hitting, but fifth in home runs last season) will have enough offense to withstand the weakening of their pitching staff this season. Third baseman Bill Hall, who has been sliding downhill for a couple of seasons now anyways, is dealing with a calf injury, and will get a late start on his spring. This does not bode well for a rebound. And while that may be addition by subtraction in some people’s minds, and perhaps serve only to expedite the dawn of the Mat Gamel era, the uber prospect is also hurting this spring with a shoulder issue. That leaves Mike Lamb as the main option at the hot corner for now. Yeah, I know…it’s hard not to wet yourself when you hear that.

Free Agents

The Brewers only had 10 free agents to deal with, but with four key hurlers included on this list, the team took a serious hit to its staff and will be very hard pressed to remain among the top pitching teams in the NL. Fortunately, the losses on offense were only to role players.

Russell Branyan, 3B: After starting the season in the minors and then getting hurt in August, Branyan didn’t see much big league action last season, but when he did play he actually put up a decent BA for once and showed enough to earn himself a contract from the Mariners. He’ll participate in what looks like a wide-open competition for the starting first base job in Seattle.

Craig Counsell, 3B: Counsell saw less action in 2008, but he knows how to get on base and has excellent strike zone judgment, two ingredients that led Milwaukee to re-sign him. It’s Counsell’s flexibility that makes him valuable, at least for a real baseball team. He actually proved useful when Rickie Weeks went down in June, and could get into the 3B mix this spring with all the injuries Milwaukee is dealing with. He’s no spring chicken, but Counsell proved he still has a bit of life left in him when used judiciously as a role player.

Ray Durham, 2B: Durham was enjoying a strong season with the Giants, doing a way better job of getting on base than he had in years. Traded to Milwaukee in July, he hit well for Milwaukee and continued to exhibit good patience. Although not a productive, full-time player any longer, Durham still has very good gap power and his recovery in OBP last season was really startling. He’s still a free agent, and KC is a possible suitor, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Durham had to settle for a minor league deal as no one is really desperate for keystone corner help right now.

Eric Gagne, RHP: Gagne was signed to take over at closer, but he was unable to stay healthy, was tremendously ineffective and ultimately proved that he wasn’t the answer, losing his job. As mentioned, Milwaukee has brought him back for much less money and he’ll have to fight for a job with plenty of bullpen candidates in town.

Gabe Kapler, OF: Kapler was a big surprise early in the season, but ultimately faded back into his traditional extra outfielder role. Still, he did enough as a part-timer to earn a contract from defending AL Champs Tampa Bay, where he will compete for the starting right field job.

Mike Lamb, 3B: It didn’t surprise us at all when Lamb flopped in Minnesota, losing playing time and then getting the boot outright. Milwaukee signed him late in the season, and he was even worse while playing in Beer City. For some reason, The Brewers re-signed him and now, thanks to the rash of injuries to their third basemen, he could factor in as an important piece in the early going. And that’s just plain scary.

Guillermo Mota, RHP: Mota bounced back nicely after his awful 2007 season in which he had to deal with a drug-related suspension. He upped his K rate, was harder to hit and offered some value in NL-only leagues thanks to his wins and holds. The Dodgers opted to sign the inconsistent reliever, hoping that returning to the site of his best seasons will help revitalize him further.

C.C. Sabathia, LHP: Sabathia got off to an awful start with the Tribe last season, but turned things around and proved to be an incredible addition for Milwaukee at the deadline, sharpening his control and giving the team an innings-eating stud it so desperately needed to help make it over the hump and into the playoffs. Unfortunately, he priced himself way out of the Brew Crew’s price range with this career season, landing in New York when the Yankees opened the vaults for the big lefty.

Ben Sheets, RHP: Sheets turned in a fabulous season, but the wear and tear on his arm (he matched his career high in complete games) once again took its toll, and a two-year offer from Texas fell through when it was discovered he had a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. He’s since undergone surgery which will likely keep him out until the All-Star break and will necessitate him signing a cheaper deal that will include incentive bonuses.

Brian Shouse, LHP: Shouse gave up more homers than usual, but thanks to his vultured wins, holds and nice ERA, he enjoyed a strong season, dominating southpaws to the tune of a .180 BAA. The Rays, looking to bolster their bullpen, signed him a week and a half ago.

Next: We’ll head east to check in on the New York Mets, who had a boatload of free agents to deal with this offseason.

Alright, the push is on to hammer the rest of these reports out as we gear up for the release of the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit. If you’ve missed any of the previous parts of this series, catch up here:

American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X.

National League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers only made slight strides over 2007, but it was enough to win the NL West and come within three wins of the World Series. But let’s face it – without pulling the trigger on the Manny Ramirez deal, there’s no way this team earns its third straight winning season, never mind makes the postseason.

Of course, the fate of Manny is still very much up in the air, and if he bolts, the Dodgers will go back to the substandard offensive team they were before he arrived. This is a team that finished 13th in the NL in runs and slugging, but would have been much worse had Ramirez not looked like Ted Williams over the final couple months of the season. There were just too many passengers in this lineup. Jeff Kent looked like a shell of himself, and thankfully has opted for the rocking chair; Juan Pierre was simply awful, managing just 13 extra-base hits all season long, finally being reduced to a part-time role.

Unfortunately, the team has done very little to improve itself offensively, making the re-signing of Ramirez all the more vital.

Pitching was definitely this team’s strength in 2008 as they paced the NL in ERA, OPS against and WHIP. Hong-Chih Kuo was superb as a spot starter/long reliever; Cory Wade was spectacular out of the bullpen; Derek Lowe enjoyed a tremendous season, but has since departed, landing in Atlanta and leaving young Chad Billingsley as the de facto ace for the Dodgers.

Lowe’s departure, combined with the retirement of Greg Maddux and the dispatching of Brad Penny has left the Dodger staff potentially thin and rather fragile to an extent. This could prove to be the team’s undoing, although fortunately, they reside in a weak division where 84 wins was good enough to take home a title last season.

No. 2 starter Hiroki Kuroda dealt with shoulder problems last season, but so far this spring, the news is good. Clayton Kershaw, still not old enough to drink, will be asked to shoulder a heavy load. It would be a huge bonus if Jason Schmidt, finally pain free, can emerge with the fifth starter job, or if Jeff Weaver, added on a minor league deal, can rediscover the form that allowed him to win 27 games with the Dodgers in 2003 and 2004. And Randy Wolf is also back, another constant injury risk, but an arm that can definitely help if he can make 30 starts.

Closer Takashi Saito is gone, and while Jonathan Broxton can clearly handle the role (notwithstanding some hiccups in the playoffs that turned the NLCS in the Phillies’ favour), the trickle down effect will hurt the overall depth of the Dodger pen.

The Dodgers had to deal with a major-league high 13 free agents this offseason – a hell of a lot for a team seeking its first NL Championship since 1988.

One other piece of bad news for you Dodger fans, especially the superstitious types: LA has only made the playoffs in even numbered years since 2004. The youth movement is definitely underway in LA, but this team may have to take a step back before it can take another step forward.

Joe Beimel, LHP: Despite coming off his finest big league season, Beimel remains unsigned. He was a bit more hittable in 2008 than he’s been in a couple of years, but with the lusting after of lefty relievers by most teams this offseason, he was expected to get a multi-year deal. Now, he may have to head back to the Dodgers, where he lost in arbitration in 2007, perhaps just for one year.

Gary Bennett, C: Former juicer Bennett missed most of 2008 with an injury, not that anyone ever notices Russell Martin’s backup very often. He’s still out there, and despite his lack of action last year, I suspect Bennett will land a back-up role somewhere.

Casey Blake, 3B: Blake was having a fine year with the Tribe, but he struggled once he arrived in LA after the Dodgers gave up a couple of prospects to acquire him. Still, he cut his strikeout rate last season and gets on base at a decent clip and with such a weak market at the hot corner, the Dodgers opted to re-sign him for three years and $17 million.

Rafael Furcal, SS: Furcal was having a superb year, but his season ended extremely early, causing him to earn consideration for a 2008 RotoRob Award as the Fantasy Bust of the Year. Still, the Dodgers saw enough to bring him back, despite fierce competition from the A’s and Braves, the later of which actually thought they had signed him. Assuming the Dodgers don’t bring Manny back, Furcal will be counted on to spur the team’s little ball attack with his blazing speed.

Nomar Garciaparra, SS: He remains injury prone, but is a great team player, and when Furcal went down, Garciaparra shifted over to short for a while and actually emerged as a decent wire pick for a while. The Phillies have made him an offer, but his days of being able to handle a full-time job look done.

Jason Johnson, RHP: Despite his propensity to surrender too many long balls, Johnson held his own in a spot starter/long man role while he was with the Dodgers. A couple of years ago, Johnson had to go to Japan to find his way back to the majors, however, this year, the Yankees will give him a shot, penning him to a minor league deal.

Jeff Kent, 2B: Kent’s knee woes did him in and a walk rate that had been declining for the past couple of seasons really helped usher in the end for this 16-year-vet, who retired as a lifetime .290 hitter and one of the greatest power-hitting second basemen ever.

Derek Lowe, RHP: The loss of Lowe, whose control was impeccable last year, will really hurt. D-Lowe will look to propel the Braves back into contention this season.

Greg Maddux, RHP: Maddux was enjoying a fine year with the Padres, but as we predicted, he was dealt at the deadline back to the Dodgers, with whom he spent part of the 2006 season with. The Professor wasn’t quite as effective once he landed in LA, giving up more homers than normal, and then he decided to call it a day after 355 career wins. That’ll do, I guess.

Chan Ho Park, RHP: Park put himself back on the map with a fine season as a spot starter/long reliever in LA, becoming one of the Dodgers’ better reclamation projects. He looked like a serious retread back in 2006 when the Mets gave him a shot, but Park is now a legitimate candidate to battle for the fifth starter job on the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, who signed him for one year and $2.5 million.

Brad Penny, RHP: Penny dealt with some shoulder problems last season, looking good upon his return before getting rocked in his next start and landing back on the DL. He made it back for two appearances in September before shutting it down for the season. Now, Penny is part of a potent Red Sox rotation, and the former All-Star will try to prove last season was a blip.

Manny Ramirez, OF: Once Man-Ram arrived from Boston, he almost single-handedly turned the Dodgers season around. He was enjoying a solid year for the BoSox, but as a Dodger, he was absolutely sick, batting almost .400 and showing incredible power, patience and plate discipline. However, where Ramirez winds up is still anyone’s guess. The dude has already turned down a $25 million offer for one year from the Dodgers. Could division rival San Francisco swoop in and steal Manny? If the Giants do so, it could swing the balance in the NL West. The Dodgers don’t seem to be in any kind of panic to re-sign the future Hall of Famer, and that could cost them.

Mark Sweeney, 1B: As we discussed early last season, bringing Sweeney back last year didn’t work out so well. He looks like he’s done as he hasn’t even had any bites this offseason. Time for the 39-year-old to follow Kent’s model, perhaps.

Next: We’ll head northeast a ways and report on the Milwaukee Brewers’ offseason.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers. Today’s a good day to take a break from your sports viewing and take your wife/significant other out for dinner. Maybe you’ll even get porked tonight if you’re good!

Anyways, we’ve been concentrating on basketball and hockey lately, but with February well entrenched and Spring Training workouts already underway, it’s time to switch gears and get back to our Free Agency Report. Previous parts – American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X.

National League Part I, II, III, IV, V and VI.

Houston Astros

After bottoming out in 2007 with 72 wins, the Houston Astros rode a huge second half to 86 wins last season, their 15th winning campaign in the last 17 years. This was a truly amazing feat, given that the team was 47-56 on July 26. But a huge finish — a 39-19 mark from that point on, despite a crushing five-game losing skid in mid-September – allowed Houston to claw its way back into the wild card race.

It’s conceivable with some fine-tuning to the rotation, this team could take a run at the NL Wild Card and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

But first the Astros have some issues to sort out, not the least of which is what in the hell is going to happen to Miguel Tejada after he admitted lying to congress in connection with his testimony in 2005 about the use of performance-enhancing drugs, an area we covered extensively in our series on The Mitchell Report. He could face up to a year in jail, but most expect a much lighter sentence, likely just probation. So as we write, you can expect Tejada to be manning shortstop for the Astros on Opening Day.

The Astros did very little this offseason to improve the offense, despite talk that they were thinking of making a run at Adam Dunn. Led by Jose Valverde, the bullpen is solid, but as discussed, the rotation needs work.

Houston did add Mike Hampton to the rotation, but is it realistic to expect him to log more than 20 starts? Swingman Chris Sampson made 11 starts last year, and will be considered for a rotation spot, but is clearly better suited to be a reliever. The Astros could really use one more solid starter to add to this mix.

And given that they had five free agents to deal with this offseason, Houston had its work cut out for itself as it attempted to build on last season’s rebound. Fortunately, it re-signed the two key members of its bullpen who were free agents, allowing the rest of this class to head west.

Brad Ausmus, C: Never much of an offensive talent, Ausmus was reduced to a role player for Houston in 2008, losing whatever slim fantasy value he had. He used to at least see plenty of PT, not that this made him attractive, but a career worst 15 runs? Yikes. Ausmus has finally left the Astros, signing with the Dodgers, and leaving his main competitors last season – Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles to battle for the starting gig.

Doug Brocail, RHP: Brocail’s command was superb last year, so despite bottom line results that weren’t quite in line with what he achieved with the Padres in 2007 – a fact that didn’t surprise us — he remains a top set-up man. Houston obviously recognized this when it re-signed him for another year plus an option for 2010, bringing back a key component of a solid bullpen that again looks like it will be a team strength.

LaTroy Hawkins, RHP: We already documented how poorly Hawkins pitched with the Yankees, but everything changed when he was dealt to the Astros. His command suddenly did a 180, and he settled in as one of the top set-up men on the ‘Stros. Small wonder they wasted little time in re-signing him this offseason, so he’ll reprise his role in the pen behind Valverde and Brocail.

Mark Loretta, 2B: Loretta showed solid gap power as a key member of the Astro bench last season, and drew the attention of a few teams before earning himself a similar role on the Dodgers this year. Combined with Ausmus, that’s two key role players the Dodgers pilfered from the Astros. Throw in Randy Wolf (below) and you’ve got yourself the Los Angeles Astros.

Randy Wolf, LHP: As we expected, Wolf didn’t survive the trade deadline last year, coming over from San Diego to Houston, and his solid late-season work helped spur the Astro second-half run. Finally healthy, Wolf would have been a good arm to bring back, but Houston was unable to outbid the Dodgers, losing yet another of their free agents to LA. This one may hurt, especially since Houston also lost out in its attempts to lure Braden Looper to town.

Next: We’ll head west and check in on the Los Angeles Astros, er, Dodgers.