The path to notoriety as a reputable power hitter certainly wasn’t smooth for Adam Lind, but after three previous tries at the major-league level the young slugger finally settled in and produced an impressive stat line, finishing the 2009 season with 35 HRs, 114 RBI with a batting average of .305. Lind had always been a standout hitter in the minors, showing good patience at the plate, and ultimately finishing with a very respectable .318 BA, and 55 HRs over 419 minor league games. However, what was most surprising about Lind’s terrific season last year, is that he had never shown 35 HR power before. For example, his minor league stats translated into about 22 HRs per season, while his pre-2009 major league numbers suggested 18 HRs over 162 games. If you are going to draft Lind this year, it will likely cost you a 4th round pick, but it may be realistic to expect a slight drop in HR’s to the 25-30 level.

Leo Nunez pretty much inherited the Marlin’s closer position out of default in 2009, but the results were generally good across the board - 26 saves, an ERA of 4.06, a WHIP of 1.25 and a .230 BAA. This of course is not to say that Nunez can now be considered a top-tier reliable closer, as he did have 7 blown saves last year. However, with the ability to hurl in the mid-90’s, and his ability to throw with decent control, he is off to a good start. The Marlins unloaded their 2009 opening day closer Matt Lindstrom in the offseason, and although they did recently sign Derrick Turnbow, Nunez enters 2010 as the clear favorite to close games for Florida. The really good news for fantasy purposes is that Nunez seems like one of the better values in drafts this year. He is currently being taken in about the 19th round, right after closers like Matt Capps and Kerry Wood.

Following his callup by the Padres in July 2009, Mat Latos proceeded to notch 4 victories over his first 5 starts, including a one-hitter against the Reds in late July. Over these impressive 5 games Latos had an ERA of 2.43, a WHIP of .95, and was striking out about 7 batters per nine innings. Unfortunately, the 22 right-hander wasn’t able to keep up pace in 2009, ending the season with a 4-5 record and an ERA 4.62, but don’t let this discourage you from taking a chance on this promising young pitcher in your draft. Latos throws with good control, featuring a fastball in the 95 MPH range, and possesses excellent complimentary pitches with good movement. During his time in the minors, Latos showed steady progress, culminating in a 2009 performance where he finished with an ERA of 1.37, and a WHIP of only .747. Latos is currently going in about the 25th round in fantasy drafts.

After his last couple disappointing seasons with Atlanta, it’s easy to forget Jeff Francoeur’s auspicious rookie season back in 2005, when he hit 14 HRs in only 70 games. He followed up his 2005 rookie debut with a 29 HR campaign in 2006, and although his homeruns dropped to 15 in 2007, he still delivered over 100 RBIs for Braves that year. In 2008, Francoeur reached the lowpoint of his young career, batting just .239 with 11 HRs in 155 games. Right before the Braves gave up on the once promising power hitter in 2009 and traded him to the Mets, he was lumbering through another mediocre season, with just 5 HRs and a .250 average through 82 games. While he is clearly no sure thing entering 2010, it is encouraging that Francoeur hit .311 with 10 HRs in 75 games with the Mets last year, and seems like a great value in the late rounds of fantasy drafts.

Chris Davis was a revelation for the Texas Rangers last year, hitting .285 with 17 HRs and 55 RBIs in just 295 ABs after getting called up from the minors in late June. Not surprisingly, the 22 year-old corner infielder began the season as a trendy early round pick in fantasy baseball drafts. Fantasy managers are probably not very pleased with that investment now, as the Rangers decided to send him back down to minors on July 6th after watching his batting average drop to .202. If there is any one area where Davis regressed most this year, it has been his strikeout rate. While over his minor league career, he exhibited a strikeout rate of once every 4 ABs, in 2009 he was at an alarming rate of one K in every 2 Abs. The good news is that Davis’s 2009 troubles are probably just a minor setback, and it would not be surprising to see him back up in the majors soon showing the 35 HR power, and .280-.290 BA he is capable of.

The much anticipated 2009 major-league appearance of Clay Buchholtz is expected to transpire right after the All-Star break. Unfortunately, the Red Sox top-pitching prospect may not have a chance to unpack his bags, as it is suspected that the Red Sox only desire to have a 6th starter to help out in case Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield see extensive action in the All-Star game. Nonetheless, Buchholtz is worthy of speculative fantasy attention in the event that he pitches well and the club decides to replace John Smoltz and/or Brad Penny in the starting rotation. Buchholtz has had an exceptional minor league career, and he has continued his dominance this year at AAA Pawtucket with a 7-2 record to go along with his 2.36 ERA and amazing Whip of just .98. While Buchholtz is best known for his outstanding curveball, he effectively keeps hitters off-balance with an impressive assortment of pitches , including a 92-94 fastball, a decent slider, a straight and a circle changeup.

With a .287 career average and 182 HRs coming into this season, Raul Ibanez has always been a productive hitter, but certainly noone expected him to explode for 22 HRs and 59 RBIs with a .312 average over the first 62 games of 2009. Unfortunately, Ibanez’s renaissance season came to a screeching halt on June 18th when he landed on the DL with a groin injury. The good news is that the recent results of an MRI allayed original fears of a more severe problem, so Ibanez could potentially return in early July. The bad news is that everyone has seemingly forgotten that the Phillies left-fielder is 37 years old, and that his previous season high homerun total is 33. It’s difficult to undermine his accomplishments in 2009, but unless you believe that Ibanez can continue hitting at his currently torrid projected 54 homerun pace, it might be prudent to entertain some trade offers while his fantasy value is still extremely high.

Used mostly as a part-timer last season, Ben Zobrist offered a glimpse of his fantasy potential with 5 HRs and a .321 average in the month of September 2008. In 2009, Zobrist has become one of the seasons breakout players, already accumulating 11 HRs (3 grandslams), 33 RBI, 6 SB with a solid .299 BA, and an outstanding OBP of .416. While he never demonstrated the type of power he is showing now down in the farm system, his stolen base and batting average numbers should come as no surprise, as he totaled 58 SBs with a .318 BA over 4 minor league seasons. The other thing to like about Zobrist is his versatility - he is an accomplished switch-hitter, and can play multiple field positions. In terms of position eligibility, he has mostly been used at 2B recently, but has typically gained eligibility at both SS and OF positions for 2009, making him especially valuable for fantasy purposes.

He is owned in a surprising 75% of all CBS leagues, so it’s apparent that many fantasy owners are still patiently awaiting the arrival of Braves potential ace Tommy Hanson. In the meantime, Hanson is certainly going about his business with flair down at the Triple AAA Gwinnett, where he has tallied a 1.49 ERA, a WHIP of 0.862, and has been striking out batters at a rate of 12.2 per 9 innings. The young righty has already demonstrated an advanced repertoire of pitches, which includes a top-notch curveball, a change-up, slider and a fastball that tops out in the mid-90’s. There has been speculation that the Braves have resisted calling up Hanson to keep him under the arbitration threshold for 2-3 year players. If this is the case, we may see Hanson soon, as a call-up after June 1st will keep his service time this year under the 130 days that typically has qualified players for ‘Super 2’ status.

The Brewers called up Mat Gamel from their Triple A affiliate earlier this month, and given his offensive potential, he is a player who is worth watching, especially as a potential waiver recruit in NL only leagues. At the time of his call-up, Gamel was leading his minors squad with 8 HRs, 31 RBI, and was 2nd on the club with a .336 BA through 33 games. As the top offensive prospect in the Milwaukee system, Gamel has accumulated 60 HRs, 316 RBI and a .308 BA in 480 minor league games. Clearly, hitting is not a problem for Gamel, but his defense appears to be another story - playing primarily 3B in the minors, Gamel has exhibited an unacceptable .879 fielding percentage. The bottom line on Gamel is that you have to admire his proven hitting skills, but unfortunately his defense still represents a glaring weakness, and this could limit his playing time at the major-league level.

Trevor Cahill is a talented young pitcher who primarily throws an effective assortment of 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs. He does not exactly light up the radar gun, topping out at around 92-93 MPH, but he skillfully changes speeds, locates his pitches well, and has terrific sinking action on his 2-seamer. When things are going right for Cahill, he is hoaxing batters into futile swings at balls in the dirt, or inducing them into harmless groundouts. Although sinker ballers are not usually known for their strikeout ability, Cahill was actually striking out 10 batters per 9 innings during his short minor league career. His other numbers down on the farm were not too shabby either, with 22 wins in 42 starts, a 2.68 ERA, and an impressively trifling WHIP of 1.089. The former 2nd round pick has had only two bad outings in the majors so far (4/24 and 5/17) , but he has been otherwise exceptional, going at least 5 innings and yielding 2 earned runs or less in his six other 2009 starts.

After signing a 5 year $44 million deal with the Dodgers before the 2007 season, Juan Pierre pretty much delivered what was expected of a base-swiping lead-off hitter, with a .293 average, a decent OBP of .331 and 64 stolen bases. In 2008 however, Pierre became somewhat expendable in the crowed Los Angeles outfield, appearing in only 119 games. Nonetheless, Pierre still managed 40 stolen bases in his abbreviated 2008 season, so he has proven to be fantasy relevant even in a limited role. In the aftermath of the Manny Ramirez 50 game suspension, Juan Pierre once again becomes an interesting fantasy prospect. He has been primary substitute for Ramirez thus far, accumulating 9 hits in 16 Abs, with 2 stolen bases, and even 4 RBIs over the past 4 games. While we shouldn’t expect many more RBIs, Pierre should be able to help your team considerably in the stolen base category, while maintaining a decent average around .285.

It had been stated many times going into the 2009 season - Matt Holliday might have a difficult time adapting to his new Oakland address after being traded from Colorado. With only one week remaining in April, some fantasy owners are surely wishing that they had heeded this seemingly prescient prognostication. Holliday does currently lead the A’s in RBIs with 10, but the fact that he is batting just .254 with zero HRs and zero stolen bases can only be described as a serious performance malaise. So what might be the worst case scenario for Holliday this season? On one hand, there is no denying Holliday’s rare talent, not many players possess the quick bat and consistent, powerful swing of the A’s leftfielder. However, based on Holliday’s historical performance away from his former Corr’s homefield before 2009, it might be best to temper expectations down to about a .285 BA, with 20 HRs, 80 RBI and hopefully 15-20 SBs.

Zimmermann is clearly the top prospect in the Nationals organization at this time. He showed what he is capable of in his major league debut last week. He went 6 innings and gave up two runs, with throwing only 72 pitches. He could have pitched two more innings if they wanted him to. Thats pretty impressive in a major league debut if you ask me. Oh and by the way many people think he is already the "Ace" of the staff. This 22 year-old is ready to make a run at the rookie of the year award. My only concern is the Nationals may not let him pitch over 150 innings. Otherwise he will bring solid production all year long to your team in his rookie season. How bout that for an SP sitting on your waiver wire. Grab him while you can!

Playing time isn't an issue right now for the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder, but it soon could be. His fast start has made him a popular pickup for cheap steals. With a pair of doubles, a pair of triples and eight RBI in his first 12 games, it might look like he is developing some power too, similar to teammate Nate McClouth last season. But don't be fooled. Morgan has one career home run. His fantasy value is his ability to steal bases, which he has done well. Even though Morgan's career batting average is above .300, he rarely walks, so his on-base percentage isn't exceptional. Once the hits don't fall in, he isn't going to be on base as often, and he isn't going to be able to steal. In addition, the Pirates' top prospect, Andy McCutchen, is off to a strong start in the minors. Morgan would make an excellent fourth outfielder once McCutchen is ready to play every day in the majors. Enjoy the production he is bringing you now, as it may not last long. Sell high while you can.

Heading into the 2009 season there has been much apprehension about Cole Hamels elbow inflammation dilemma, a problem that caused the young right-hander to miss the majority of spring training, and also his opening day assignment. Unfortunately, as he returned to the mound on April 10th, he did nothing to alleviate concerns about his health, yielding an exorbitant 11 hits, and 7 earned runs in just 3.2 innings. Indeed, despite his back to back exemplary seasons in 2007 and 2008 where he totaled 29 wins with outstanding ratios (3.22 ERA, 1.10 WHIP over the past 2 years), Hamels has had a minor history of elbow problems. Most recently, he missed one month of the 2007 season with a mild strain, so hopefully this is similar situation and he will get back on track soon. Keep an eye on Hamels pitch velocity for a clue on his recovery, he normally should be around 90 MPH on his fastball.

If not for a dreadful August and September last year, Brandon Phillips might have been considered the top fantasy 2nd baseman available in 2009. Through July 2008, Phillips had 16 HRs with a .278 average and 21 stolen bases, and then the bottom fell out of his season, as he batted only .208 with 1 stolen base to close out the 2008 campaign. Overall, he wrapped up 2008 with 21 HRs, 23 SBs, and a .261 average. These are not bad numbers, but certainly in the context of his exceptional 30 HR/ 33 SB/ .288 2007 performance, Phillips clearly took a step backwards. Heading into 2009, Phillips is still considered a top-5 option at his position by virtue of his 30/30 potential. Assuming that last years late season collapse was an aberration, a return to the 25/25 club, with a .275 average seem like reasonable expectations for the Reds 2nd young baseman.

If you didn’t see Cliff Lee’s remarkable turnaround season coming last year, don’t fret, because hardly anyone did, especially after his 2006 and 2007 performances, where he produced an aggregate ERA of 5.02, and a rather unsightly WHIP of 1.44. In his stunning 2008 season that culminated in a much-deserved AL Cy Young Award, Lee reversed course from those two very forgettable years to dominate hitters on his way to 22 wins, with a 2.54 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. In April 2008, Lee was pitching in an alternate universe, finishing the month with a 0.96 ERA and a WHIP of 0.56. Can Cliff Lee provide an encore in 2009? Given his shaky spring, we probably won’t see another month like April 2008 out of him this year, and the key for Lee will be maintaining the type of control he showed last season, when he walked only 34 batters in 223 innings.

Carl Crawford was already having a sub-par 2008 campaign, but in August when he required surgery for a hand injury he added the exclamation point to his fantasy bust season. Of course the intriguing aspect of Crawford’s game is his ability to pile up stolen bases. While he only generated 25 SBs in 2008 before his injury, remember that from 2003 thru 2007 he averaged 53 stolen bases per season. In terms of HRs and RBI, 15 HRs and 80 RBI is his likely upside, but these numbers are more than a reasonable compromise given his ability to help your fantasy team dominant in the SB category. As a career .293 hitter, he also has the potential to be a steady contributor in terms of batting average, so a rebound from his disappointing .273 mark last season is probable. As a 2009 comeback candidate, Crawford is a great value in the 3rd round of fantasy drafts this year.

Relocating from the AL Angels to the NL Mets for 2009, Francisco Rodriquez finds himself at a new address, but there is no reason to believe that he can not continue his reign as one of the elite relief pitchers in the game. His arsenal is comprised of a 90-95 MPH rising fastball, a changeup and a sharp-breaking slider that is considered to be one of the best in the game. From the period of 2005, when he was first assigned the closer role for the Angels, thru 2007, Rodriquez averaged 44 saves per season. In 2008, he tallied an amazing 62 saves, and while he probably won’t approach that number again with the Mets, it seems safe to expect about 40-45 saves this year. Hitters have only been able to manage a .189 against Rodriquez over his career, and the 27 year-old right-hander generates a very healthy number of strikeouts, usually at a rate of about 1.3 per inning.

It’s hard to believe that Joey Votto was actually being selected at around the 21st round in drafts in 2008. No doubt, fantasy managers who took a chance on him as a speculative pick were handsomely rewarded by the conclusion of the season. Although Votto experienced a dryspell during June/July 2008, a period where he managed only a .259 average with 3 HRs, overall, Votto looked like a legitimate left-handed power source for the Reds. He finished the year with a healthy .297 average, 24 HRs, and 84 RBI, and he even handled left-handed pitching with aplomb, hitting .292 with 8 HRs in 85 at-bats against southpaws. It was especially encouraging to see his power surge at the end of the season when he hit 9 HRs during the month of September. Add in his stolen base potential, and Joey Votto is a solid 2009 value in about the 7th round.

Roy Halladay has been a terrific and durable fantasy force since his breakout year of 2001, averaging 15 wins a season over this span, with ERA and WHIP ratios consistently among the league leaders. His transition to an elite pitcher traces back to when he altered his pitching delivery from an overhand power approach, to a more efficient three-quarters delivery. Although the ¾ delivery does compromise some velocity, the conversion has made Halladay a dominant pitcher, allowing him to work deep into games with his 90-92 MPH sinking fastball and wicked 75 MPH curveball. Of course, the other distinguishing characteristic you notice about Halladay is his legendary control. In his starts since 2001, Halladay has allowed only 1.69 walks per nine innings, helping produce a remarkable 1.13 WHIP over 222 starts. If Halladay is on your radar this year, he will cost about a 4th round pick, so plan accordingly.

Deploying a mid 90’s moving fastball and exceptional slider with a precocious mound demeanor, Chad Billingsley is one of the best young pitchers to come out of the Dodgers organization in years. He saw his first significant major league action in 2007, and despite working half of his 43 appearances from the bullpen, he was able to account for 12 wins, with a 3.31 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Last season as a fulltime starter, Billingsley was even better with 16 wins, a 3.14 ERA and a WHIP of 1.33. Especially noteworthy is that regardless of his role as a reliever or starter the past two seasons, Billingsley has maintained the same excellent K/BB ratio, while notching about one strikeout per frame. He did suffer a broken leg in the offseason, but appears to be fully recovered and is a great young hurler to target in about the 8th round of your fantasy draft.

Evan Longoria was considered one of the brightest prospects in the game shortly after Tampa Bay used their third pick in the 2006 draft to select him, and he certainly didn't need much minor league preparation to make a splash at the major league level. Longoria looked every bit like a current and future star during his 2008 rookie season before getting sidelined with a fractured wrist in August. During June of last year, he performed like a legitimate MVP-candidate, finishing the month with 8 HRs, 19 RBI and a .300 BA. Blessed with quick hands, and great pitch recognition, Longoria shows power to all fields, and appears to have bona fide 30-35 HR power. Longoria wrapped up 2008 with 27 HRs and 85 RBIs, in just 122 games. He even displayed some decent stolen base potential with 7, and his BA was a respectable .272 despite a rough .239 post-injury showing in September.

It's easy to look at his progressive decline in strikeouts over the past three seasons, and conclude that Bobby Jenks is slipping in terms of physical skills. However, a closer look at the numbers suggests that he is perhaps merely evolving as a pitcher. Indeed, we have been seeing far less of the 97 MPH fastballs that Jenks would throw back in 2006. In that season, Chicago's portly closer had 80 K's in 69 innings, but he was issuing free passes at a rate of 4 per 9 innings. Over the past two seasons, it appears that Jenks is relying less on his fastball in an attempt to overpower hitters, and more on an astute use of breaking balls to set up hitters more strategically. Although we are seeing less strikeouts from Jenks, his walks per 9 innings was only 2.5 last season, and hitters still batted just .230 against him.

So far he has been able to avoid the same injury misfortune as his older brother JD Drew, and hopefully Stephen Drew can build on the great progress he made last season. It was especially encouraging to see Drew boost his average 53 points from his dismal 2007 level, ending the year with a solid .291 mark. He closed out the 2008 season especially strong, with 6 HRs, 12 RBI and a .337 in September. While the National League features a trio of superstar shortstops, Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins, you will need to spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on any of these guys. Stephen Drew is actually a pretty nice 8th-9th round fallback option if you miss out on the top shortstops. He won't help you much in stolen bases, but he should keep pace with the top guys in terms of batting average, HRs and RBIs.

Like many of his Detroit Tiger teammates, Curtis Granderson couldn’t quite match his lofty 2007 levels last season. He took a step back in batting average and stolen bases in particular. In terms of batting average, Granderson fell from from .302 in 2007 to .280 in 2008, but his drop-off in stolen bases was especially surprising, contributing just 12 SBs in 2008 after stealing 26 bases in 2007. One possible explanation for his statistical slide is mentioned by Granderson himself. He claims that the hand injury he suffered in spring training last year affected his overall conditioning and ended up impeding his performance the entire year. Whether credible or not, it is probably worth giving Granderson the benefit of the doubt if he is available to you at about the 5th round of your draft. His strikeout rate is a tad too high, but he offers legitimate 20/20 potential with a solid batting average.

John Maine is being approached as a bit of a speculative fantasy pick this year, falling in many drafts to around the 20th round. Of course, there is fairly good reason for this skepticism, as he attempts to bounce back from shoulder surgery performed last October. When healthy, Maine, is an effective fastball pitcher, typically throwing at about 92-93 MPH with good vertical movement. He does also throw a slider, changeup, and occasional curveball, but he is most successful when he is locating his fastball correctly. Although he has struggled with his overall consistency the past three years, remember he is not that far removed from his solid 2007 season, where he produced 15 wins, a 3.91 ERA and a Whip of 1.27. Maine is still working through some mechanical problems this spring, but he is reportedly in good physical shape, and could turn out to be a nice bargain as your #4 or #5 fantasy pitcher.

Operating with his trademark wicked fastball, and improving changeup, it's easy to forget that Scott Kazmir is just 25 years old, because he has been such a workhorse for the Rays over the past four years. Somewhat ironically, it is also his extensive use that has some fantasy players shying away from Kazmir in 2009. The young lefty's durability came into question last season, when he had some minor elbow soreness during Spring Training, and then tailed off significantly after the All-Star break. Going into July, he was flaunting his usual strong ratios, with a 3.04 ERA, and 1.17 WHIP, but he seemed to tire in the 2nd half, usually lasting only 5 innings, and posting a below par 4.03 ERA with a disappointing 1.38 WHIP. While questions about Kazmir’s stamina have caused him to drop in fantasy drafts to around the 8th round, he probably represents a nice bargain if you can grab him there.

Kevin Slowey emerged as an interesting fantasy prospect in 2008, with an ERA of 3.99, a 1.15 WHIP, and 12 wins in 27 starts. He throws an effective assortment of pitches, mostly using his 90 mph fastball, and mixing in a cutter, slider, a slow curve and a changeup. Although some scouts have suggested that Slowey doesn’t have any one pitch which can be described as dominant, few pitchers can match his ability to throw strikes. In fact, the 24-year old was clearly one of the best control pitchers in the league last year, yielding just 24 walks in 160 innings. Dating back to 2005, his first year in the minors, Slowey has consistently demonstrated this type of impeccable control, allowing just 1.31 walks per 9 innings. The Twins righthander represents a solid addition to your fantasy roster in 2009, with the potential to pleasantly outperform his 14th-15th round draft position.

After two years as a part-timer, Matt Kemp was given the chance to play everyday for the Dodgers last season, and the results were a fantasy-friendly .290 average, 18 HRs, 76 RBIs and 35 stolen bases. Going into 2009, there should be little dispute as to Kemp’s status as LA’s starting centerfielder, and if he spends a fair amount of time batting from the 4 or 5 spot, we could hopefully see an improvement in his HR and RBI numbers. While Kemp started off slow in the HR department in 2008, hitting only 3 HRs through May, his power kicked into gear around June, and he proceeded to hit 15 HRs over the June through September stretch of the season. Assuming that his late season HR pace is more indicative of his power potential, Kemp is well worth a 3rd or 4th round pick and is a candidate to join the 25/25 club in 2009.

When Ian Kinsler broke into the majors back in 2006, he carried expectations of 20 HR/ 20 SB potential, but became a real fantasy star last year, when he cut down his strikeouts and batted .319 at the top of the Rangers lineup. Consequently, Kinsler has been the very first 2nd baseman off the board in many fantasy drafts so far this year, edging out even Chase Utley in the late 1st/early 2nd round. While there is no doubting the fantasy value of a 20/20 2nd baseman, Kinsler is probably a bit overvalued in 2009. Considering that he hit .274 in his last year at AAA, then went on to hit .286 in 2006, and .263 in 2007 for the Rangers, it is probably safe to assume a drop-off in average back to the .280 area. As a result, Kinsler is still an excellent player to target, but perhaps in the 3rd round when possible.

Expectations were high for Geovany Soto coming into last season, and the Cubs young catcher did not disappoint, finishing the season with 23 HRs, 86 RBIs and a .285 average and walking away with NL Rookie of the Year honors in the process. Not surprisingly, you will probably need to expend about a 5th or 6th round draft pick on Soto in 2009, as only Russell Martin, Brian McCann and Joe Mauer command higher ADPs at the catcher position. Of course, no young player is without risk, and Soto is no exception, especially considering that he only had one standout year in the minor leagues (2007 -.353/26HR/109RBI) before his emphatic arrival last year. However, considering the relative scarcity of talent at the catcher position in 2009, Soto may be worth the steep investment, as he has a great chance of outperforming the most proximate best options, which will likely be Victor Martinez and Ryan Doumit.

After winning AL Rookie of the Year winner in 2006, Justin Verlander had an even more impressive campaign in 2007, with 18 wins, a 3.66 ERA and an improved WHIP of 1.23. Certainly he looked like one of the elite young pitching talents in the league by the beginning of last season, but he inexplicably retreated into mediocrity finishing 2008 with only 11 wins while his ERA and WHIP ballooned to 4.84 and 1.40. In accordance with his new found label as an underachieving enigma, Verlander will probably be available in about the 10th or 11th round of your fantasy draft, where he is well worth the risk. He still has one of the best arms in the league, is only 26, and if he can work out the mechanical problems he suffered from last year, mostly related to pitching with men on base , Verlander should be a nice value pick.

Nelson Cruz was once considered a top prospect, but was only able to show brief glimpses of his potential during his early years in the minors. He is now 28, and while he has still been bouncing between the minors and majors for the past three years, he seemed to really put everything together last year at triple-A Oklahoma, with 37 HRs, 99 RBIs, a .342 average and 24 stolen bases. After getting called up to Texas in August , Cruz initially struggled, but then went on to have an exceptional September, where he hit .356, with 6 HRs and 23 RBIs in 90 at-bats. Although Cruz does seem to strikeout at a fairly high rate, his power proclivity is undeniable, and combined with his untapped stolen base potential, he makes a terrific player to add to your fantasy roster, at a very reasonable ADP of about round 11-12.

It’s difficult to assess Jonathan Sanchez’s potential fantasy value in 2009, because he hasn’t been able to consistently perform at the major league level thus far in his young career. One thing is for certain, he has exhibited the ability to consistently produce strikeouts. Throughout his minor league career, Sanchez tallied about 1.3 strikeouts per inning and over his limited major league experience, he has produced about one strikeout per inning. His primary pitch is a fastball, which he typically throws in the 90-94 mph velocity range, and he also throws a changeup, slider and curve. What makes Sanchez relatively unique, is the movement he can generate on his fastball and changeup. While he does sometimes struggle to throw strikes, the movement on his pitches helps to create an above-average frequency of swings without contact. Assuming he secures a spot in the Giants rotation this spring, Sanchez is worth gambling on in the later rounds of your draft.

Anyone who has played fantasy baseball for a while knows that trying to forecast the saves category is usually very tricky, and in some years you will be able to get them from fairly unexpected sources. Heath Bell could be one of those under-rated closers in 2009 who can pleasantly bolster your fantasy saves total. With the legendary Trevor Hoffman packing his bags for Milwaukee, Bell is considered the leading candidate to assume the closer role for the Padres, and he has a pretty good history of excelling in the late innings. Heath Bell normally comes at hitters with his 92-94 MPH rising fastball, and he compliments this pitch with an effective slider. He works efficiently, consistently throws strikes, and has been durable over the past two years. If you need to reach for a potential closer late in your draft, it looks like Heath Bell is a nice value in the 15th round area.

Chien-Ming Wang was cruising along as his usual productive self in 2008 until he was afflicted with a foot injury before the All-Star break, and forced to miss the remainder of the season. Understandably, he is presently being ignored in many fantasy drafts, typically going after the 16th round. At this kind of ADP Wang makes an ideal addition to your fantasy pitching corps, as a value pick that can easily deliver 15 plus wins. When Wang is on, he throws a pretty good combination of pitches consisting of a power sinker, and a late-breaking slider. His sinker is considered one of the leagues best, and it allows him to work deep into many games by virtue of the groundouts he produces. While he usually won't produce more than 4-5 strikeouts per game, Wang still looks like a great value player to grab in 2009 for Wins, a sub-4 ERA and good WHIP ratio.

After his breakout season in 2007, where we saw Colorado's young SS hit .291 with 24 HRs and 99 RBIs, Tulowitzki and his unlucky fantasy owners suffered through a dreadful 2008, where he missed over 60 games with quadriceps and hand injuries and finished with only 8 HRs, 46 RBIs and a disappointing .263 average. As a consequence, Tulowitzi has gone from an approximate 4th round fantasy pick in 2008, to around a 9th round pick so far in 2009. At that kind of ADP, Troy Tulowitzki makes an excellent player to target in the mid-rounds of your draft. Word is that he is almost fully recovered from his troublesome quadriceps injury and there is every reason to believe that the 24-year old can recapture the productivity we saw out of him two years ago. Our early projections have Tulowitzki hitting over .280, with 19 HRs and about 80 RBI in 2009.

Of course, the big secret is out on Ellsbury, as he proved last year that he has the potential to become one of the more exciting base stealing threats in the league. Although he did struggle through a minor dry spell in June/July 2008, hitting only about .245 with 9 SBs during this stretch, he had an amazing May, with 18 stolen bags, and he finished the season strong, with 15 SBs in the last 2 months, and producing a .340 average in September 2008. As a left-handed batter, another interesting trend that emerged last year was Ellsbury's effectiveness against lefty pitchers, he actually hit .295 vs. lefties, compared to .275 versus righties. While this emerging Red Sox centerfielder won't help you much in the power and RBI categories, he compares favorably to Jose Reyes in terms of stolen base potential, and you should be able to get him in the 4th or 5th round.