We continue with the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit with yet another of the Top 10 Lists Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For.

Utility players are kind of like that girl down the street you asked to prom the year your girlfriend dumped you a few weeks before the big day. She wasn’t very pretty and you didn’t want to keep her around after the prom, but she was good enough to get you to the dance so you didn’t look like too big of a loser. Well, these guys can help keep you from being a big loser too. If one of your studs goes down for a couple weeks look to these guys to stop the hurt.

1. Jed Lowrie, SS/3B, Boston: It looks like Lowrie could be come a super sub to start the year for the Sox. For some reason Boston is giving Julio Lugo back his old shortstop job despite the fact he hasn’t done anything for a couple years. With Mike Lowell possibly missing some time to start the year, Lowrie could see some time at third early on and might spell Dustin Pedroia at second at times. Lowrie has a good bat and still developing power. He’s worth a late round pick if you’re unsettled at SS.

2. Wilson Betemit, 1B/3B, Chicago White Sox: Betemit is eligible at 1B, 3B and (in some leagues) SS and we all know versatility can mean value even in fantasy baseball. He never reached the stardom that was predicted for him as a young SS in the Atlanta system, but there have been flashes of potential here and there. If Josh Fields fails to impress, Betemit could see a lot of time at third base. He’s never been given a true shot to produce, so it’s still debatable what he can offer.

3. Brandon Wood, 3B/SS, Los Angeles Angels: Don’t look now, but Wood is tearing it up in Spring Training and may force the team’s hand. As of this writing, Wood has only struck out once – I repeat, once. Absolutely amazing for guy who never saw a ball he didn’t want to swing at. Power is Wood’s game and he’s got a ton of it. The trouble is, up until this point he’s looked like Rob Deer at the plate (you younger players go Google him and you’ll see what I mean). While there’s no clear spot for Wood to play, he might give the Angels no choice but to find a place for him. He’s got shortstop eligibility so if he gets consistent playing time to start the year, grab him and hang on for the ride.

4. Nomar Garciaparra, SS, Oakland A’s: Nomar hasn’t really been worth much in years, but he added SS back to his eligibility in 2008, which immediately makes him more attractive. Ever notice how SS eligibility is like looking at women after about 12 beers? They just look hotter after all those beers. Well, this is what Nomar has become — a player who looks fine through “shortstop goggles.” Although he only qualifies at short for now, he’ll probably take over at third when Eric Chavez invariably gets injured and can play 1B in a pinch as well.

5. Eric Hinske, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates: Quietly, Hinske had a nice year for the AL Champion Rays, smacking 20 homers in limited time. Now with Pittsburgh, Hinske will again battle for playing time, but could see action at 1B, outfield and third if Andy LaRoche continues to show nothing. Hinske will never be a fantasy stud, but there’s no reason to think that he can’t repeat last year’s numbers.

6. Ian Stewart, 3B, Colorado Rockies: Stewart made the most of his opportunity last season, smacking 10 homers in 266 at bats. With Todd Helton and his contract wasting space at first base, Stewart will have to fight for playing time at third (where Garrett Atkins resides – Atkins would move to first without Helton blocking the way), and second base (where his defense is shaky). Stewart might even get a look in the outfield. He is very intriguing and has as much upside as anyone on this list.

7. Mark Teahen, OF, Kansas City Royals: They’ve tried him everywhere else so this year the Royals have decided to give him a shot at second base. So far this spring, the results haven’t been pretty. Still, if the Royals do decide to give Teahen an occasional start at second he could have some value. He’s shown only modest power so far in his career (lifetime .421 slugging) and doesn’t look like he’ll ever touch .300. But with outfield and (is some leagues) first and third base eligibility, Teahen might do well as a fill in.

8. Erick Aybar, SS, Los Angeles Angels: I’ve watched Aybar for years now hoping that he would get the opportunity to show the Angels what he can do. Well, last year he got his shot and the results were truly uninspiring. Aybar can handle the bat well, but just doesn’t have power. He can probably bat around .280 and hit double digits in steals, but he’s never going to drive in more than a handful of runners. With Howie Kendrick’s first injury of the year right around the corner, Maicer Izturis can move over to second base, allowing Aybar to man short. There’s a chance Aybar will qualify at second base as well.

9. Ty Wigginton, 3B/OF, Baltimore Orioles: If only Wigginton still had second base eligibility, we might have a winner here. Unfortunately, he’s only got third and outfield so the upside is limited. Still, this is a guy who has hit 20 homers with at least a .277 BA for three straight years. He’s worth a look especially if he can get regular playing time.

10. Ryan Freel, OF, Baltimore Orioles: Freel used to make his living playing all over the diamond as a super sub. Last season, a hamstring injury ruined his campaign. Now in Baltimore, it remains to be seen as to what the O’s do with him. He’s expected to see time all over the outfield and at second base. He has also seen some time in spring training at short and third so maybe the Os envision him in that super sub role – or maybe they just need someone to fill in while Cesar Izturis is at the WBC. While he only qualifies at OF right now, if Freel meets the minimum requirements in the infield he could be a cheap source of steals.

The 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit continues as we release more of the Top 10 Lists Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For. Today, Alex has his choices for 2009 flops.

They were huge in 2008, but these are the players who won’t come close to repeating their performances  of last season.

1. Edison Volquez, SP, Cincinnati Reds – There is no way in hell that Volquez repeats his 2008 season in which he won 17 games, had a 3.21 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He pitched nearly 200 innings and went over 110 pitches over a dozen times. Dusty Baker wore him out last year and now he will likely suffer the fate of so many before him. I think an ERA around 4.00 with 12 to 15 wins is more likely this go around. Then again, an injury to his overworked arm is possible and if that happens, Volquez could put up something much, much lower.

2. Joe Saunders, SP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in California near the Pacific – Bazooka Joe posted 17 wins and a 3.41 ERA in 2008 despite getting hit all year. He does not get many strikeouts and hitters are always putting the ball in play. I will be surprised if his ERA is lower than 4.50, as the baseball gods create balance in the universe. I would avoid him this year because you will be overpaying for an average pitcher. Sorry Joe, it’s a No-Go!

3. Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves – I know a lot of Braves fans will get all fussy for me putty Larry Jones on this list, but is there any way he can replicate last year? No, he can’t. Jones ended up posting a batting average of .364 after he was chasing .400 for a couple of months. Sure, he probably will bat over .300 and still hit 20 home runs, but he will not be nearly the effective fantasy contributor as he was last year. Besides, have you noticed how chunky he’s looking at the WBC?

4. Cliff Lee, SP, Cleveland Indians – This southpaw had an amazing season last year, and while he could be good again in 2009, I do not see him approaching those kind of numbers. In 2008, he posted 22 wins to go with his 2.54 ERA. That is absurd for an Indian pitcher last year! I think a 3.50 ERA to go with 14 to 18 wins is more likely this year, so do not overpay for him. I only see a small chance at him coming close to last year and becoming a consistent fantasy pitcher. I do think he is much better than Volquez and Saunders, but all three of them will fall back to the pack.

5. Ryan Dempster, SP, Chicago Cubs – I think we are seeing a theme with pitchers, but it is true, we see this every season. There are a handful of pitchers that fall flat on their face or jump back to reality after a superb season. Dempster, after leaving the bullpen for a starting gig, posted 17 wins and a 2.96 ERA to go with a decent 1.21 WHIP. Here we have another candidate to drop in every category, but I think his drop will be less severe than the previously mentioned pitchers. The Cub offense can score runs and I still think a line resembling 15 wins, a 3.50 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP is reasonable for Dempster.

6. Ryan Ludwick, OF, St. Louis Cardinals – At 29 years old, Ludwick finally had a breakout year, slugging 37 home runs and driving in 113 runs to go with a stellar .299 batting average. If you take Ludwick this year, remember you will be overpaying for a commodity that has not proven himself on a consistent basis. One good year does not ensure results for the next season. I would expect Ludwick’s home run total to drop back to the high 20s and he may not even reach 100 RBI. I would avoid him this year, as his stock is too high.

7. Armando Galarraga, SP, Detroit Tigers – Armando had a great rookie season last year, racking up 12 wins with a 3.73 ERA and a nice 1.13 WHIP. For me, he does not really pass the eye test. Galarraga just does not look as good as his numbers last year. He gives up a lot of long fly balls and his strike out rate is below average. I think Galarraga’s ERA balloons into the high 4.00-range this year and he falls into fantasy irrelevancy.

8. Brad Hawpe, OF, Colorado Rockies – Hawpe has been a favourite of mine the last few years as I have used him multiple times to fill in for injuries and such. With that said, I think the loss of Matt Holliday tremendously diminishes the potential of everyone else left in Colorado to produce. I think the protection Holliday provided to Hawpe gave Hawpe the chance to hit with runners on and in favourable situations. With Holliday hitting dingers in Oakland, Hawpe will feel naked in the Colorado cold. He will have plenty of opportunities to “vent” to his teammates.

9. Jayson Werth, OF, Philadelphia Phillies – Last season, Werth had 24 home runs, 67 RBI and 20 steals, making him a well rounded fantasy presence. This year, even with the chance to start full-time, I think he will take a step back. He constantly has nagging injuries which I think will contribute to him sliding back to the pack. Werth could be a low risk, high reward type of guy, but I think I would avoid him this year. I would expect at least five fewer home runs and steals from the Phillie outfielder this season.

10. Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinnati Reds: A pretty sweet BA with 30-30 potential, right? Uh, not so fast. Did you notice that Phillips struggled to a .225 second half with just six homers and four steals? I’d tread cautiously here.

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.

The 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit continues today as we kick off the RotoRob Top 10 Lists of Lists that Fantasy Owners always Wanted, but were Afraid to Ask For with the RotoRob debut of our newest voice, Todd Habiger, who brings us the Top 10 rookies. Please join me in giving Todd a hearty welcome to RotoRob. He’s a long-time fantasy expert and is an excellent writer, to boot!

This list includes players (with less than 130 major league at-bats or 50 innings pitched) that will create the biggest stir this season.

In fantasy leagues, owners are constantly search for the next big – that mega star that will lift their team to fantasy glory. But there is a danger in investing in too many rookies. For every Evan Longoria there’s an Alex Gordon, the player that despite the hype only puts up modest numbers in their rookie season. Unfortunately, most rookies aren’t going to pan out and give you superstar numbers, so buyer beware (or caveat emptor, for my Latin friends). Even so, rookies can be good for injury fill-ins or to plug into your starting lineup in deeper leagues.

Below are my best bets to help you this year.

1. Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles: You got to like it when a rookie catcher is compared to Mike Piazza (unless they’re talking about his defense). Wieters comes into this season with a tremendous amount of hype, and based on his average draft position, you’ve noticed. He is a superb prospect that can help your team this year – but probably not for the first month or two. With the O’s not expected to contend, the plan is to keep Wieters in the minors long enough to delay his service time. So if you draft him, be sure you get a serviceable backup for the first month. After that, sit back and enjoy the ride.

2. Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals: This super prospect lost a little luster last year with injuries and mediocre numbers. But don’t fret, he’s the real deal and will arrive this season. Tony La Russa plans to bat him ninth to start the season, but if Rasmus shows he can handle the bat he’ll move up in the order quickly. I expect a solid season for Rasmus in the range of .280-20-65-10.

3. David Price, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays: If you haven’t heard of Price, stop reading right now, take your wife and kids out for a nice meal, take up building model cars and send the money you were going to waste playing fantasy baseball this year to: Todd Habiger, PO Box 1259, Overland Park, KS 66204. Of course, Price is one of the most hyped prospects of our time. His coming out party was when he closed the door on the Red Sox to send the Rays to the World Series. But his fame is going to be as a starter and from the looks of things he’s going to be a good – if not great – one. But remember, he is a rookie and his innings are going to be watched. Think 12 wins and an ERA in the mid to upper 3s.

4. Chris Perez, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals: La Russa doesn’t plan on naming a closer, but rather go with a bullpen by committee. Really, how often has a committee worked out well? Expect Perez to eventually lay claim to the job and hold on to it for say, the next five to 10 years. He has a great fastball that can reach the upper 90s when he needs something extra. But Perez can be wild and lacks a consistent secondary pitch. Still, he’s the best option in a rather mediocre St. Louis pen. I’m putting him down for 25 saves.

5. Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: Snider shot through the Blue Jays farm system last year, starting out at High A and ending up in the Show. This kid is the real deal and should lay claim to either an outfield or the DH slot. Power is Snider’s game and he should eventually find his way into the middle of the Jays lineup. Despite a somewhat high strikeout totally, scouts expect that Snider to settle into a .280 hitter or better.

6. Cameron Maybin, OF, Florida Marlins: This kid is an all-world athlete. A true five-tool player, Maybin should be able to translate those skills into a regular stint in the 30-30 club. As of now, he doesn’t have the greatest plate discipline, so don’t expect a stellar batting average or on base percentage right way. What you can expect is tape measure home runs, blazing thefts of second and lots of Sports Center moments. All that with a .230 BA.

7. Taylor Teagarden, C, Texas Rangers: The Ranger farm system is so deep that Teagarden didn’t even make Baseball America’s Top five Texas prospects. But my money’s on him having the biggest impact on the big league club this year. Teagarden had an impressive debut, smacking six home runs in 47 at bats to give him a leg up on the starting catcher position entering 2009. But it’s a tough road with former top prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia and fellow prospect Max Ramirez standing in the way. Still, Teagarden offers more of a complete package with his defense ability to call a game.

8. Brett Wallace, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals: Wallace is one of my big hunches this year (for more, see below). The man can hit. He started knocking the cover off the ball in High A ball and when an injury created an opportunity at Double-A, Wallace didn’t lose a beat, batting over .300 with power. With Troy Glaus injury prone and no suitable replacement on the St. Louis bench, I think Wallace could have an opportunity to make an impact on the big league club right away.

9. Dexter Fowler, OF, Colorado Rockies: Fowler is a superb athlete who is still translating all his potential on the baseball field. Blessed with natural speed and strength, Fowler had an amazing 2008, being selected to the Futures Game and making the Olympic Team. While he hasn’t shown much power yet, scouts seem to think it’s only a matter of time. With the Colorado outfield looking pretty underwhelming right now, Fowler could find himself in a battle to make the opening day roster. If that happens, snatch him up.

10. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers: Not even old enough to legally drink yet, Andrus nonetheless unwittingly caused a ruckus this offseason when the Rangers said they were moving All-Star shortstop Michael Young to third base to make room for the kid. Young immediately asked for a trade, but eventually backed down and agreed to the move. While he will probably only show modest power in his career, Andrus has good speed and should be able to steal 20+ bases regularly.

Habby’s Hunches

RotoRob only wanted my top 10 so I gave him my best bets. But still, with no insider knowledge, I just have a feeling about the five guys below. There’s nothing out there to say these guys are ready or have an easy path to a big league job, but there’s something about them that my gut is telling me “these guys are going to do something this year.” If they pan out, remember you heard it here first. If they don’t, hey they were only hunches, what do you expect?

Alcides Escobar, SS, Milwaukee Brewers: One J.J. Hardy stands in Escobar’s big league path, but eventually Hardy is going to be just a speed bump. Escobar is outstanding defensively and projects to hit with decent power, Throw in a touch of speed and you’ve got a future All-Star in the making.

Gordon Beckham, SS, Chicago White Sox: I must admit, I have a major man crush on Beckham. I think he’s going to be an outstanding power hitting shortshop (provided he stays there). The kid can simply rake. He hit the ground hitting, so to speak. Beckham showed good power in his minor league debut and then tore into AFL pitchers this winter. With Chris Getz no sure thing at 2B in ChiTown, I’m thinking Beckham might have a shot at seeing the Show this year.

Chris Tillman, RHP, Baltimore Orioles: Tillman is a good bet to open the year in Triple-A, but where he ends it is up for debate. He has nasty stuff – the kind No. 1 starters are made of. I’m guessing the first injury to the O’s rotation will unleash Tillman on big league batters and then, look out.

Kila Ka’aihue, 1B: Kansas City Royals: There’s nothing to suggest that Ka’aihue has any shot in hell of making the Royals this year. The club traded for Mike Jacobs and, if needed, Billy Butler can slap on a glove and play first base. But Ka’aihue has good plate discipline (something Jacobs can only dream about) and something the Royals sorely need. I personally think he’d look great in the middle of the Royal lineup.

Tommy Hanson, RHP, Atlanta Braves: The Braves have revamped their starting rotation by adding Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez to the mix and seemingly leaving Hanson to fend for himself in Triple-A. Last year, Hanson had a season to remember, putting himself near the top of everyone’s top pitching prospects list. He dominated High A ball and didn’t miss a beat upon promotion to Double-A, a stint which included a no-hitter. The hitter-friendly AFL didn’t slow Hanson down either, as he won the pitching Triple Crown.

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.

Oh, baby! Spring Training games start Wednesday – meaning that in less than 24 hours, we’re going to be checking out boxscores. It doesn’t get any sweeter than that. Well, except checking out boxscores while being hand-fed Twinkies by scantily-clad 18-year-old ladies, of course.

Our previous installments:

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.

New York Mets

Given a second straight September meltdown that cost them a post-season berth, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the Mets actually improved in 2008 (albeit, by a single win). Really, the bottom line here is that the Mets were a mediocre team other than July and August when they went on a 36-19 run. The team’s “disastrous” September (13-12) was no different than the club’s record in April and was in fact better than how they fared in May and June.

Still, it’s time for the Mets to wipe all that away and focus on the future, which means the christening of a brand new stadium – Citi Field – and hopefully, with it, a new era.

The team may certainly have a different look this season, as manager Jerry Manuel — about to begin his first full season in charge of the Mets — is considering some major tinkering to the lineup. Luis Castillo may shift to the top of the order, with Jose Reyes dropping to the three-hole and Carlos Beltran moving up to the second spot. Carlos Delgado would slide up to cleanup, while David Wright would drop from third to fifth.

Hmmm…taking one of the best leadoff hitters in the game and shifting him? Uh, okay.

But the Mets are looking for a big recovery from Castillo after he sucked in his first season with the team. He’s dropped 17 pounds and the expectations for a major recovery are large – enough so that I’m reconsidering my plan to dump his sorry ass this spring.

Another change in the lineup could occur in left field, where Daniel Murphy is being pegged as the new starter, a move that would certainly cut into the value of Ryan Church.

Offense was the Mets’ calling card last season, as they ranked second in runs and steals. Beltran has been sliding for a couple of seasons, but remains a force in centrefield, and may see a bump in value batting out of the two-hole. Expect more runs, but less RBI. Reyes rebounded after an off year in 2007, but had his lowest stolen base total since he’s been a full-time player.

The pitching was middling as best last season, ranking seventh in WHIP. In fairness, other than Pedro Martinez – who looked toast – the starting rotation was pretty good; the bullpen, however, was the bane of the Mets’ existence in 2008. That’s a situation that has been addressed in a big way with the signing of Francisco Rodriguez and the acquisition of J.J. Putz.

With 11 free agents this offseason, the Mets had plenty to deal with as they attempt to take the next step and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Fortunately, the offense was barely affected, with just one key bench player among the free agent class; the pitching free agents, however, included two members of the rotation.

Free Agents

Moises Alou, OF: One of the most injury-prone players of his generation, Alou was limited to 15 games thanks to calf and hamstring problems, the latter of which ultimately necessitated season-ending surgery in July, just the highlight of a season filled with injuries to Met outfielders. He remains unsigned, but it’s possible Philadelphia or Toronto (looking for a temporary replacement for Vernon Wells) may come calling.

Tony Armas, Jr., RHP: Armas never looked worse than he did last season during his brief time with the Mets, but at Triple-A, he showed great control and posted strong hit rates, hinting at the pitcher who was once a top prospect in the Expo system. But the fact is, he hasn’t been useful since early in 2006, and as usual, injuries derailed him that season. Anyways, the Mets must have liked what they saw of Armas in the minors, and re-signed him to a minor league deal. You never know when all of a sudden everything will click for a pitcher, but the fact that he is experiencing Visa problems for the second straight spring doesn’t bode well for him to enjoy any success in 2009.

Luis Ayala, RHP: Ayala started the season in Washington, but was too hittable in a set-up role. Dealt to the Mets in August, he was slightly better, and did have some value down the stretch when he took over the closer role after Billy Wagner got hurt and Aaron Heilman failed. With the Mets’ big bullpen additions, Ayala was no longer needed, and he’s landed in Minnesota.

Damion Easley, 2B: Can you believe it’s now been almost six years since the Tigers released Easley, eating over $14 million in salary in the process? He’s been a part-time player since, but at the age of 39, is still hanging around. In fact, when Castillo was so awful last season, Easley saw more action than normal down the stretch, resulting in 85 hits – his highest total since 2001. Easley no longer has any power, but drew interest from Arizona earlier this offseason. However, he remains without a job, and we know the Mets won’t be asking him back – they’ve moved on by signing Alex Cora to take over Easley’s role.

Orlando Hernandez, RHP: Hernandez’s 2008 season was a disaster as he got a late start to the season because of foot surgery – something that concerned us early in the year when we wondered if he’d be healthy at all. Well, we were bang on, as the injury never healed sufficiently for him to take the mound, and then he opted for season-ending surgery in August to remove a bunion on his big right toe. While his strikeout rate slipped and his command was weak in 2007, Hernandez has always been a consistent winner (lifetime 90-65 mark), so you’d think someone would bite. He’s willing to continue his career as a reliever, but there’s been no interest in him at all.

Pedro Martinez, RHP: Well, Martinez was healthier last year than he was in 2007. There, now that I’ve said something good about his 2008, I can take the gloves off. The dude was simply shelled and his shoulder problems resurfaced in September, keeping him winless for the remainder of the season. This former Expo great wanted to re-sign with the Mets, but that isn’t expected to happen. Instead, Martinez will use the WBC as a platform to try to generate interest as he seeks a 2009 contract.

Ramon Martinez, 2B: Thanks to injuries and ineffective at Triple-A last season, I wondered whether this vet was done altogether. He wound up in the Met system and after a September call-up, he actually saw some time as the starting second baseman in New York. And although he hit decently, this spoke more to Castillo’s ineffectiveness rather than Martinez’s prowess. At any rate, the Mets liked what they saw enough to re-sign him to a minor league deal, but I expect him to again spend plenty of his time at Triple-A.

Trot Nixon, OF: Since his career year in 2003, Nixon’s slugging percentage has dropped five straight seasons, and after last season’s debacle – hernia surgery limited him to a mere 35 less-than-impressive at bats – he looks old before his time. Nixon started the season in the Arizona system and hit well at Triple-A, but was dealt to the Mets when they were dealing with a rash of OF injuries. Of course, he soon joined that mess, getting hurt himself. The Brewers have signed Nixon and he’ll compete for the final outfield spot in Milwaukee. He probably has an edge for the job because he’s a lefty, but man, has his career ever gone downhill steadily.

Oliver Perez, LHP: Perez was unable to consolidate his great 2007 rebound season, setting a career high in walks in 2008 while also experiencing a decline in his K rate. The upshot of his inconsistency was one-third less wins (just 10 after a career-best 15 in 2007). Regardless, the Mets re-signed him for three years and $36 million, a deal that could be awful if Perez starts to revert to his 2006 form. However, it could be a steal if the work that Johan Santana is doing with him to make him a more consistent pitcher pays off. The Mets need Perez to return to the 15-win range for them to have a shot at the playoffs; with one of the best lefties in the game in Perez’s corner, there’s a good chance that may happen. I’m issuing a sleeper alert on this still-just-27-year-old southpaw.

Ricardo Rincon, LHP: Rincon missed most of the 2007 season because of Tommy John surgery, and he worked his way back by pitching in the Mexican League this season before the Mets gave him a look. He earned a September call-up and pitched well in limited action. He’s still a free agent, however, and at the age of 38, looks just about done.

Matt Wise, RHP: When the Mets signed him last offseason, we actually thought this was a wise move. Unfortunately, an arm injury delayed the start of his season, and when he returned, he was far too hittable, suggesting that he wasn’t quite 100 per cent. Sure enough, after just eight appearances, the shoulder started acting up, ultimately leading him to shut it down for the season in August. He’s still a free agent, and will likely remain as such until it’s clear he’s healthy.

Next: We’ll drive 100 miles down the Jersey Turnpike and the I-95 to Philadelphia, to check in the offseason happenings of the World Champion Phillies.

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.

We’ve been remiss on keeping up to pace with our baseball off-season coverage, focusing lately on basketball, hockey, and, of course, the NFL playoffs. But don’t worry, we’re already planning the 2009 RotoRob Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit, so before you know it, baseball coverage will be coming down the pike en masse.

For now, catch up on our Free Agency Report: American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X. National League Part I, II, III, IV and V.

Florida Marlins

Led by an improved pitching staff – especially the bullpen – the Florida Marlins put the brakes on a two-year losing skid, winning 84 games in 2008 to finish a mere 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race.

There are plenty of questions that need addressing here, but the Marlins have yet again put together a roster of talented youngsters that appears to be on the cusp of greatness.

While the team doesn’t have many free agents to deal with, arbitration will be an issue for the cash-strapped Marlins, who ranked dead last in payroll in 2008. I mean, Wes Freaking Helms was their top paid player at $2.4 million last season.

Jorge Cantu and Jeremy Hermida have already signed and avoided arbitration. But Alfredo Amezaga, Ricky Nolasco, Cody Ross and Dan Uggla are still eligible. And given that behind Hanley Ramirez, Uggla was the team’s top power hitter (which was a real strength in Florida last season as the club ranked fourth in the NL in slugging), he won’t come cheap.

As mentioned, the bullpen helped revitalize a pitching staff that was dead last in the NL in 2007, but it had to work hard – the rotation only managed 74 quality starts – just 12th in the NL. Missing Anibal Sanchez for most of the season definitely hurt in this regard, but the Marlins are committed to keeping him healthy in 2009, and to wit, have prohibited him from participating in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. But not to worry, with H-Ram, Matt Lindstrom, Amezaga, Cantu, Renyel Pinto and Rick VandenHurk all expected to participate for their respective nations in the WBC, Florida is sure to be well represented.

With Matt Treanor now in Detroit and Paul Lo Duca not being offered arbitration and probably out of the team’s price range anyways, the Marlins desperately could use a veteran catcher. But there’s really not much out there that fits their minuscule budget, so this could be a serious issue with John Baker and his whopping 61 career games heading the depth chart at present.

Not surprisingly, the Marlins haven’t exactly been making waves in the free agent market, although they did sign steroid boy Jay Gibbons to a minor league deal. Gibbons, who last played in the majors in 2007, was in Indy ball last year. Yikes. Oh, Florida also gambled on reliever Scott Proctor, who once upon a time had a live arm before he hurt it. Still, he could prove to be quite useful and may help solidify an improving bullpen.

In reality, this club’s improvement will virtually be completely organic as it matures. I expect Florida to make a serious run at the Wild Card and its first playoff appearance since 2003.

Of the team’s four free agents, two have already signed elsewhere.

Luis Gonzalez, OF: When Gonzo signed with the Marlins last season, we weren’t impressed, and I think we nailed that one right on the head. His batting eye continues to slide and he scored all of 30 runs in 136 games. Uh, ya. Could this be the end of the line for the 18-year-vet? Oh, come on! He’s just eight years removed from a 57-homer season. But wait….Gonzalez has hit five more dingers than that in the last four years combined. No problem!

Mark Hendrickson, LHP: Once upon a time, we recommended him, but in 2008 Hendrickson had an awful season as a swingman with an unacceptably low K rate. And now he’s an Oriole, for one year and $1.5 million. Remind me again why B-More has been crap for so long?

Paul Lo Duca, C: Lo Duca, a Mitchell Report poster boy, was rancid enough with the Nats to get released, winding up signing a minor league deal with Florida. He was brought up to the majors and actually hit well and did a fantastic job of getting on base in a very limited role. The Marlins failed to offer him arbitration, and now he’s stuck trying to find a job in a market that is loaded with veteran catchers. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lo Duca doesn’t find a gig until well after Spring Training has started.

Arthur Rhodes, LHP: After a fantastic season split between Seattle and Florida, Rhodes landed in Cincy for two years and $4 million, a deal we already discussed earlier this month.

Next: We’ll take a little swim across the Gulf of Mexico and check in on Houston. Just 10 teams to go!

We had to take a few more days off from the report, inundated by the work week. Stupid work week! Anyways, we’re back with our look at the free agency scene. Seeking previous parts of the report? Of course you are! And you may find them here: Parts I, II, III and IV.

Minnesota Twins

After 2007 saw a streak of winning seasons that dated back to 2000 snapped, the Twins rebounded much quicker than anyone expected, winning 88 games last season and taking the White Sox to a one-game playoff before finally conceding the AL Central title.

Minny was driven by its offense, a lineup led by its JMs — no, not Schneider (although he does make tasty and versatile bacon), but rather Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau — that finished third in the American League in both batting average and runs. The pitching staff, however, was a bit too hittable, ranking 11th in BAA.

Whether that’s something the team will address through free agency or trade or simply organic growth remains to be seen at this point. The rotation certainly has plenty of room for growth – Francisco Liriano should be that much better in 2009 another year removed from Tommy John surgery and Nick Blackburn should improve his hit rates in his second season. However, despite his 12 wins last season, I’m not sold on Glen Perkins as the fifth starter, although I suppose you could do worse. The Twins will also need to address the loss of reliever Pat Neshek, who will probably miss the entire 2009 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this week, and with two of their free agents being southpaw relievers, that’s another area they’ll need to improve this offseason (although lefties Craig Breslow and Jose Mijares both impressed last season and Mijares in particular could be ready for a larger role).

It’s possible the Twinkies could parlay one of their glut of outfielders into some bullpen help or another starting pitcher.

Either way, this team made an impressive recovery from 2007, and with a mere four free agents this offseason – only a couple of which played key roles in 2008 – the Twins are in good shape heading into the final season of the Metrodome. That’s right, come Opening Day 2010, the Twins will finally be able to throw those Glad Bag walls into the trash where they belong as they open a new facility.

Adam Everett, SS: It was a lost season for Everett, as he endured two stints on the DL, the second of which was very lengthy. However, he was fairly productive while healthy and managed to cut his strikeout rate. But what happened to his speed, one of the few things that made him fantasy worthy? The Tigers are looking for a cheap option to replace Edgar Renteria, so Everett could be a good short-term fit there. The fact is, however, that I’m not sure Everett can hit enough to warrant a full-time job. Yes, he’s among the top defensive shortstops in the game, but his limited offense has been in decline since 2004. He sure as hell didn’t work out in Minny, but a team like Baltimore – which struggled all season long to find a shortstop who could stick – could be enticed to take a chance that Everett can bounce back – not that his offensive upside offers much room to bounce back to, mind you.

Eddie Guardado, LHP: Guardado looked reborn in Texas, but after a late-season deal, his homecoming in Minnesota was downright nightmarish. Still, he enjoyed a great season overall, really reducing his hit rates and settling in nicely as a solid set-up man. There are plenty of relievers with closing experience on the market, so Guardado will have competition to land a closing job and I really don’t see him getting another chance to save games at this stage of his career. But in the right situation, anything is possible. After he pitched so well for the Rangers last season, there’s a chance they’ll want him back. Tampa Bay may also be seeking an inexpensive late-inning man, especially if Troy Percival undergoes surgery and is not ready for the start of 2009. Colorado will be targeting a late-inning southpaw reliever to pitch in a set-up role, so you can be sure Everyday Eddie will be on its list.

Nick Punto, SS: Punto had a rough season, with two separate stints on the DL, but he when he played, he never played better, and because of his speed, he was a solid asset in AL-only leagues and deeper mixed leagues. With Chase Utley likely out to start 2009, the Phillies could look to plug the hole with an inexpensive, short-term option like Punto, who toiled in Philly from 2001 to 2003. However, note that Punto would revert to a utility role once Utley was declared fit enough to return from his hip surgery.

Dennys Reyes, LHP: Reyes turned things around after a rather pedestrian showing in 2007, becoming a very steady LOOGY last season. He set a new career high in appearances, showed strong hit rates, improved control and sharper command. In fact, despite his limited innings, Reyes pitched well enough to offer some value in AL-only leagues, a rarity for someone with his role. With so many teams seeking left-handed bullpen help, Reyes won’t have any problem finding a job. After losing Jeremy Affeldt to free agency, Cincy will be seeking a replacement, but you can expect the Reds to have plenty of competition in the bidding for Reyes’ services.

Next: Well, we had planned to tackle the Yankees in this part as well, but we wrote a bit long (how novel for us!), so next up, we’ll check out the Yankees’ free agent situation.

We’re back with another installment of The Wire Troll. I’ve been a little preoccupied this week as I’ve been at the Danny Granger basketball camp. Look for a report on that experience soon, but in the meantime, let’s get to some who’s hot and why.

Ryan Braun: Over the past month, Braun has been hitting everything thrown at him, going 37-for-100 (.370 BA), scoring 22 runs, smacking seven home runs, and driving in 22 runs (not including his two-homer, four-RBI onslaught Friday night). Six steals is just icing on the cake. He is getting the starts, third base is a weak spot in many line-ups, and he is available in a few of my leagues right now.

Jonny Gomes: Now, I’ve cut him loose more than once myself. And, I am not sold on Gomes keeping up the pace he has shown over the past month. But, going 29-for-87 (.333 BA) with 14 runs, seven dingers, 18 RBI, and two steals is nothing to sneeze at. I’m not exactly sure I want to tell you to take a chance on him, but it’s hard to argue with those kind of numbers.