Fantasy Baseball Index Cheat Sheet WEB Sample -- Team Notes

FANTASY BASEBALL INDEX™ CHEAT SHEET

APRIL 7, 2005

TEAM NOTES

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Anaheim Angels
The Angels' batting order to start the season is: 1) Darin Erstad, 2) Jeff DaVanon, 3) Vladimir Guerrero, 4) Garret Anderson, 5) Steve Finley, 6) Robb Quinlan, 7) Orlando Cabrera, 8) Bengie Molina, 9) Chone Figgins. Figgins might be moved up to second versus some left-handed pitchers. ... Kelvim Escobar is on the disabled list with a strained right elbow, but he is only expected to miss one start. Our take: Escobar had problems in the beginning of the spring, but then supposedly recovered. We are concerned that he still isn't ready. Proceed with caution. ... Dallas McPherson says his back feels better now, but he was sent down to the minors so that he could get in more at-bats and especially fielding practice. He is expected to be recalled around April 15, and then take over as the regular third baseman. Robb Quinlan will start for him in the meantime. Our take: Don't overlook McPherson, as it's possible he could slip through the cracks in some drafts. ... Casey Kotchman was sent down to Triple-A. Our take: Kotchman has nothing left to prove in the minors, and he will likely get called up at some point during the year. Unfortunately, though, he won't be a major contributor as long as Darin Erstad is healthy. Kotchman's time will come, but it's more likely to be next season. ... Adam Kennedy will begin a rehab assignment on April 10, and should be back in the lineup in the beginning of May. Our take: Time and time again position players that start the season on the disabled list get overlooked in drafts. So don't forget about Kennedy, especially considering how weak second base is this year. ... Chone Figgins worked on base stealing with Juan Pierre in the offseason. He said they practiced getting better leads, and watched videotapes of Rickey Henderson and Vince Coleman. Our take: The fact that Figgins is thinking so much about running is certainly a good sign. Only 15 players in the majors stole 30 or more bases last season, and only Figgins is eligible at second base, third base, outfield, and in some leagues shortstop (where he played 13 games). Don't be afraid to bid up to our full listed value, because as long as Figgins is hitting, Mike Scioscia will find a place for him to play.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona's batting order to start the season is: 1) Craig Counsell, 2) Royce Clayton, 3) Luis Gonzalez, 4) Troy Glaus, 5) Shawn Green, 6) Jose Cruz, 7) Chad Tracy, 8) Koyie Hill/Chris Snyder, 9) pitcher. ... Javier Vazquez gave up 10 hits and seven earned runs in 1.2 innings in the opener. Arizona thinks he might have been tipping his pitches. Our take: Apparently his problems haven't disappeared with his escape from New York. While it's only one bad game and he can still turn it around, we can't be as optimistic as we were a week ago. ... Newly-anointed closer Brandon Lyon got his first save of the season by protecting a one-run lead for 1.2 innings on Tuesday. Our take: We hope you followed our spring update advice and got him in your early drafts. He's throwing as hard as ever, and his surgically-repaired elbow is holding up fine. He was too young to successfully close for Boston in 2003, but he seems more ready to handle things this time around, plus there are no Yankees in the NL West. Consider Lyon a good second-tier closing option after the top guys have been drafted. ... Greg Aquino not only lost his closer's role, but he let in four runs in the opener. Our take: Aquino could get chances to close again, but he'll have to wait in line behind Lyon. After Monday, that line just got a little longer. ... Troy Glaus had a great spring. Our take: Health seems to be his only question. If he stays injury-free, he'll beat our projection in that park. ... Brad Halsey was officially named fifth starter. ... Scott Hairston was sent down to the minors but is likely to get called up at some point during the year.

Atlanta
Atlanta's batting order to start the season is: 1) Rafael Furcal, 2) Marcus Giles, 3) Chipper Jones, 4) Andruw Jones, 5) Adam LaRoche/Julio Franco, 6) Johnny Estrada, 7) Raul Mondesi, 8) Brian Jordan, 9) pitcher. It is possible the 5-8 batters will be switched around depending on the matchup. ... Andruw Jones hit 10 home runs in the spring and will now try to carry that form over to the regular season. Our take: Jones is using a wider stance that was first taught to him by Willie Mays. Even more impressive than the 10 home runs is the fact that he only struck out three times in 46 at-bats. While his running days are pretty much over and it would be foolish to expect him to hit .300, .280/40/120 is a possibility now that he's batting cleanup. ... John Smoltz gave up 6 ER in 1.2 innings in his season debut. Our take: Smoltz has gotten off to terrible starts before, and he's always bounced back so long as he's stayed healthy. There's no reason to think this year will be any different, so worry about his elbow, not his early results. ... Marcus Giles jammed his left knee in Tuesday's game, and has returned to Atlanta for an MRI and will miss at least three games. ... Tim Hudson's first start was moved back from Wednesday to Thursday, but he says his back feels fine and that he's ready to go. Our take: Expect a big year for Hudson under the tutelage of Leo Mazzone. ... John Thomson completed his spring with a 2.42 ERA, while striking out 16 and only walking eight. Our take: As we've been saying all spring, Thomson is one of our top sleepers, and a pitcher to target. You should be able to get him below our listed price in a lot of drafts. ... Johnny Estrada has bruised hand, but X-rays were negative and he's day-to-day. He should be back by the weekend. ... Atlanta traded Nick Green to Tampa Bay for reliever Jorge Sosa.

Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore's batting order to start the season is: 1) Brian Roberts, 2) Melvin Mora, 3) Miguel Tejada, 4) Sammy Sosa, 5) Rafael Palmeiro, 6) Javy Lopez, 7) Jay Gibbons, 8) Luis Matos, 9) Larry Bigbie. ... B.J. Ryan was officially named closer. Our take: If Ryan's control improvements from last season are for real, he'll be one of the best finishers in the American League. We'd be very surprised if Jorge Julio got five saves on the season, barring a Ryan injury. Of course, how many leads the Orioles give Ryan to protect remains to be seen. ... Brian Roberts was 6-6 in steals this spring. Our take: Roberts is the clear starting second baseman and leadoff batter this year now that Jerry Hairston has been traded. If he runs like he did in the first half of last season rather than the second half, he could be undervalued in a lot of drafts. And if a few more of those 50 doubles clear the wall this time around, he may finish with 10 home runs. ... Javy Lopez was pulled from the opener with a bad back, but received treatment after the game and says he is already feeling better. ... Baltimore traded Matt Riley to Texas for Ramon Nivar, who was sent to the minors. ... Melvin Mora was hit on the right hand with a pitch but is expected to be okay. ... Jay Gibbons and Rafael Palmeiro will be splitting time at first base/designated hitter. While both will play almost every day, it will take longer for Gibbons to gain first base eligibility in most leagues than initially anticipated.

Boston Red Sox
Boston's batting order against right-handers is: 1) Johnny Damon, 2) Trot Nixon, 3) Many Ramirez, 4) David Ortiz, 5) Kevin Millar, 6) Edgar Renteria, 7) Jason Varitek, 8) Bill Mueller, 9) Mark Bellhorn. Against left-handers Renteria will bat 2nd, Varitek 6th, Jay Payton 7th, and Trot Nixon will go to the bench. ... Curt Schilling will make his regular-season debut on April 13, against the Yankees. Our take: While we need to see at least one good start from him before we can feel completely confident he's back, Schilling was very sharp in his last minor league outing, throwing 64 of his 88 pitches for strikes. ... Wade Miller will be out until at least May. Our take: Since Miller chose to rehabilitate his right shoulder last year rather than undergo rotator cuff surgery, we're skeptical that he'll have the strength that he once had. His contract makes him a no-lose proposition for the Red Sox, but that doesn't mean we need to add him to our squads. ... Boston manager Terry Francona was hospitalized for tightness in his chest Wednesday morning, and he is now waiting for the results of tests. The Red Sox are saying it is just precautionary at this time, and that hopefully Francona will be back soon.

Chicago Cubs
Chicago's batting order to start the season is: 1) Corey Patterson, 2) Todd Walker, 3) Nomar Garciaparra, 4) Aramis Ramirez, 5) Jeromy Burnitz, 6) Derrek Lee, 7) Todd Hollandsworth, 8) Michael Barrett, 9) pitcher. ... Mark Prior struggled in a minor league game Saturday and will pitch in another one Thursday. After that the Cubs will decide whether to clear him to make to make his regular-season debut on April 12. Prior says he feels okay physically, but that he needs to work on his location. Our take: Like we've been saying, we'll believe Prior is right after we see him pitch back-to-back games like the 2003 Mark Prior. Until then, we'll reserve our judgment and remember last year. ... Kerry Wood is supposedly over his shoulder problems and will make his season debut Friday. Our take: Wood had all his stuff working for him in his most recent minor league appearance. But he's inconsistent at the best of times, and a risk to get hurt again. Considering how much he'll go for, we'd rather spend our pitching dollars elsewhere. ... Aramis Ramirez had a huge Opening Day, going 3-4 with a home run, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Our take: That's a nice week for most players. And given that he's 27, he could be in for another great year. But Wrigley was much better for home runs last season than it normally is, and that .318 average is over his head. Expect him to have a strong consolidation season, but don't take him over Adrian Beltre. Ramirez just signed a four-year, $44 million extension, so this is no longer his contract year. ... Nomar Garciaparra may have been overshadowed by Ramirez and Derrek Lee in the opener, but he had a nice game as well. Our take: Garciaparra is back, and if he stays healthy he should have a vintage Nomar year. Bid up to our full value for him. ... Chad Fox had no problem pitching in consecutive spring games, and if he can stay healthy he could eventually even get some saves. He'll start out as LaTroy Hawkins' main setup man. ... Joe Borowski's most recent X-ray showed significant improvement in his fractured right wrist. He is now scheduled to start a throwing program in mid-April, and he could be pitching for the Cubs by early May. But whether or not he immediately goes back to closing could depend on how well Hawkins does in the meantime. ... Sergio Mitre was sent down to the minors, but he would be called up if Chicago needed an extra starting pitcher.

Chicago White Sox
Chicago's batting order to start the season is: 1) Scott Podsednik, 2) Tadahito Iguchi, 3) Carl Everett, 4) Paul Konerko, 5) Jermaine Dye, 6) Aaron Rowand, 7) A.J. Pierzynski, 8) Joe Crede, 9) Juan Uribe. ... Tadahito Iguchi stole his first base of the season on Wednesday. Our take: Iguchi has talent, but just as was the case with Kazuo Matusi, the question is how quickly he adjusts. He should get the .285/12 home run part of our projection given his home park, but the X-factor is his running. He stole 40 bases twice in the past four seasons in Japan, so he’s certainly capable of swiping over 20. But if spring training is a fair indicator, then it’s unclear how often he will run. Matsui’s failings last year could leave Iguchi undervalued in a lot of drafts, and he’s worth a flyer considering his upside at a weak position. ... Shingo Takatsu pitched a perfect ninth in the opener to pick up the save. Our take: Takatsu was never this good in Japan, so we remain skeptical he can maintain his American success over the entire season. ... U.S. Cellular Field has been the best home run park in baseball over the past three years. Our take: Something to keep in mind when a player gets traded to/from the White Sox. And you should always consider benching your marginal starting pitchers when they are the visitors there. ... Ben Davis has been sent down to the minors, and Chris Widger will be the backup catcher. ... Frank Thomas is on the disabled list with pain in his surgically-repaired ankle. He could be back as early as May, although more likely he'll be out longer. Our take: Thomas usually takes a long time to heal, so hold your bid rather than your breath. ... Joe Borchard was sent down to the minor leagues, although he'll likely be recalled at some point. ... Brandon McCarthy will only be called up to the majors if another pitcher gets injured. Our take: McCarthy looks like a future star, but so do a lot of pitchers who have never pitched above Double-A. He's a nice keeper if you can get him cheap enough, but don't fall into the trap of getting starstruck over too many young arms.

Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati's batting order to start the season is: 1) D'Angelo Jimenez, 2) Ken Griffey, 3) Sean Casey, 4) Austin Kearns, 5) Adam Dunn, 6) Joe Randa, 7) Rich Aurilia, 8) Jason LaRue, 9) pitcher. ... If Austin Kearns can stay healthy, he could put up big numbers batting cleanup. Our take: Hitting has never been Kearns' problem, although staying free of injuries has been. But he's coming off a nice spring, and it's easy to forget he's still just 25. He's capable of going .300/100/30/100 if he could somehow just stay in the lineup. ... Josh Hancock aggravated a right groin injury and was put on the disabled list. ... Adam Dunn hit two home runs in the opener, and struck out the other two times. Our take: In other words, just a typical day at the office for the powerful Mr. Dunn. We know he'll give us huge numbers in home runs and RBIs, and that he's not going to win you the batting title. But if he can steal the 20-25 bases he says he's aiming to take this season he would be one of the top four-category players in the game. ... Ryan Freel was charged with drunken driving hours after Cincinnati's Opening Day win. ... Jose Acevedo was sent down to the minors and was very angry at general manager Dan O'Brien for saying he had been out of shape. Our take: You'd have thought the fact that Acevedo didn't give up any earned runs in his last 17 innings last year would have meant something. But apparently not to Cincinnati, which still thinks Paul Wilson is a legitimate staff ace.

Cleveland
Cleveland's batting order to start the season is: 1) Coco Crisp, 2) Ronnie Belliard, 3) Travis Hafner, 4) Victor Martinez, 5) Aaron Boone, 6) Casey Blake, 7) Ben Broussard, 8) Grady Sizemore/Jose Hernandez, 9) Jhonny Peralta. ... C.C. Sabathia remains on schedule to make his season debut on April 12. He is currently on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle. ... Juan Gonzalez is on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. He missed time earlier this spring with a strained left hamstring. He will bat 5th in the lineup when he returns, but Cleveland isn't sure just when that will be. Our take: Maybe we should just send an update when Gonzalez isn't out of the lineup, since that would take up less space. Don't draft him unless his 250 at-bats are worth the aggravation. ... Bob Wickman blew a three-run lead on Wednesday, allowing four hits, a walk, and two home runs in the 9th, while only getting one out. Our take: Like we said in the magazine, Wickman is unlikely to make it through the year as closer. Bob Howry is his backup, and should be worth drafting. ... Cleveland locked up Victor Martinez with a five-year, $15.5 million dollar contract. Our take: Smart move by Cleveland. If Martinez stays healthy, it will prove to be a bargain. ... With Gonzalez is out, Grady Sizemore was recalled and will start in center field against right-handed pitchers. Our take: It's already looking like Gonzalez' days in Cleveland may be numbered, and that Sizemore could end up with quite a bit of playing time after all. He's still a year away from being a big fantasy contributor, so he's probably not worth the fuss. ... Jody Gerut is expected back in late June. He is recovering from a torn ligament in his right knee. ... Jose Hernandez will be in the lineup whenever the opposition throws a left-hander. Our take: Hernandez can play at first base or in the outfield, and will initially platoon with Sizemore. ... Brandon Phillips was sent to the minor leagues. He lost the starting shortstop job to Jhonny Peralta. ... Kazuhito Tadano will also start out in the minors, but should be called up at some point of the year, as either a starter or reliever.

Colorado Rockies
Colorado's batting order when Garrett Atkins gets back will be: 1) Aaron Miles, 2) Garrett Atkins, 3) Todd Helton, 4) Preston Wilson, 5) Matt Holliday, 6) Dustan Mohr, 7) Clint Barmes, 8) J.D. Closser, 9) pitcher. ... Preston Wilson hit a three-run home run on Opening Day, and he says his left knee has been feeling a lot better. Our take: As good as things look right now, we'd recommend caution. Wilson's knee could still go out on him, and if it doesn't he is likely to be traded. ... Garrett Atkins is on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. He will be eligible to come off on April 18. Our take: Atkins should easily bat over .300 this season, and he'll get a lot of runs hitting in front of Todd Helton. What he won't do is hit for much power, as he's more of a gap hitter at this point in his career. ... Jeff Baker homered and doubled on Opening Day as Atkins' replacement. Our take: Baker is one of the top prospects in the Colorado organization, but he still likely needs more minor league seasoning. His biggest problem, though, is that there's no room for him on the roster once Atkins gets back, and Ian Stewart, the one Colorado minor leaguer with even more star potential, plays third base as well. ... Chin-hui Tsao was put on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. But he's now feeling better, and if a 60-pitch throwing session goes well, he'll soon report to Triple-A for a rehab assignment. Brian Fuentes and Scott Dohmann will get first crack at saves while he is out. ... Aaron Cook is on the disabled list due to blood clots in his lungs. He should be back in mid-May and will most likely rejoin the rotation. ... Dustan Mohr seems to be the preferred starter in right field over Brad Hawpe, at least for the time being. ... Byung-Hyun Kim gave up eight runs in a third of an inning in his Rockies spring debut, and then talked about retiring if he doesn't get better. Our take: Kim has yet to crack 88 m.p.h. on the radar gun this year, he admits his throwing shoulder is only 70 percent as strong as it used to be, and now he's in Colorado. One way or another, the end really could be near.

Detroit Tigers
Detroit's batting order to start the season is: 1) Omar Infante, 2) Carlos Guillen, 3) Ivan Rodriguez, 4) Magglio Ordonez, 5) Dmitri Young, 6) Rondell White, 7) Carlos Pena, 8) Craig Monroe, 9) Brandon Inge. ... Craig Monroe will be the regular center fielder, as he has erased doubts about his defense. Our take: Even batting eighth, Monroe will post numbers in that lineup. He could be a nice sleeper, especially if the improvement he showed against right-handers last season is for real. ... Jeremy Bonderman was dominant in the season opener. Our take: It's hard not to get excited about the way Bonderman has looked so far. And even though it would mean more if it happened against a better team than Kansas City, there's no doubting his potential. We're not ready to give him the Cy Young just yet, though, as young pitchers are known for their ups and downs. ... Dmitri Young became the third major leaguer to hit three home runs in his opening game of the year. Our take: We're guessing Young ends up with a better season and career than Tuffy Rhodes, another member of the threesome. But if he can just post his normal numbers and stay in the lineup, his runs and RBIs will increase now that Detroit has upgraded its offense. The downside is that he's only managed to get in 500 at-bats twice in the last four years. ... Bobby Higginson made the Opening Day roster after all, despite weeks of rumors that he would be traded or released. Our take: He's still just the fourth outfielder, so he doesn't have any roto value. ... Magglio Ordonez was pulled from Wednesday’s game complaining of dizziness. He had been dealing with diverticulitis, a stomach ailment.

Florida Marlins
Florida's batting order to start the season is: 1) Juan Pierre, 2) Luis Castillo, 3) Miguel Cabrera, 4) Carlos Delgado, 5) Mike Lowell, 6) Paul Lo Duca, 7) Juan Encarnacion, 8) Alex Gonzalez, 9) pitcher. ... Josh Beckett's regular season started out where his spring left off, as he shut out Atlanta for six innings, allowing only two hits. Our take: Beckett has more "stuff" than just about any pitcher in baseball. Maybe this is the year he concentrates, stays healthy, and puts the blisters behind him. Or maybe it will be next season. But he's certainly rolling now, and that makes us feel at least a little more confident about bidding for him. ... Guillermo Mota's velocity was 5 m.p.h. lower than his customary 98 this spring, and he only struck out three batters in 12 innings. Our take: Power pitchers generally take longer to build up arm strength than finesse pitchers. So while we still think Mota will be fine as a closer overall, the question is whether Jack McKeon will stick with him if he struggles a little early in the season. ... Juan Pierre's calf is fine, and he doesn't think it will trouble him any further. ... John Riedling was put on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder.

Houston Astros
Houston's batting order to start the season is: 1) Adam Everett, 2) Craig Biggio, 3) Jeff Bagwell, 4) Morgan Ensberg, 5) Luke Scott, 6) Jason Lane, 7) Brad Ausmus, 8) Willy Taveras, 9) pitcher. ... Morgan Ensberg hit three long balls this spring. Our take: After his home run stroke completely disappeared at the start of last season, Ensberg became something of a forgotten man. But he bounced back to hit all 10 of his home runs in the second half, and he is capable of a 25/90 RBI season as the cleanup hitter. Pay attention to him in your draft, as he could be undervalued based on his overall 2004 numbers. ... Chris Burke made the active roster, but he is currently just a backup for Craig Biggio. He could still get sent down, since it makes no sense for Burke, Taveras or Scott to rot away on the bench. ... Jeff Bagwell received a cortisone shot in his right shoulder. Our take: Bagwell's shoulder problems are chronic, and he has admitted he'll never be as strong as he once was. ... Brandon Duckworth got hit hard in his final spring start, and is not assured of getting the last spot in the rotation. Ezequiel Astacio or Carlos Hernandez could still be recalled from the minors before April 17, when Houston first needs a fifth starter. Our take: Even if he starts, Duck can't possibly be worth less. Stay away.

Kansas City Royals
Kansas City's batting order to start the season is: 1) David DeJesus, 2) Ruben Gotay, 3) Mike Sweeney, 4) Calvin Pickering, 5) Matt Stairs/Emil Brown, 6) Angel Berroa, 7) Terrence Long/Eli Marrero, 8) John Buck, 9) Mark Teahen. ... Calvin Pickering not only beat out Ken Harvey for a roster spot, but he's batting fourth, and he hit a home run on Opening Day. Our take: Okay, batting cleanup for the Royals is like hitting eighth for the Yankees, and Pickering is never going to bat .300. But one thing he does have in abundance is power, so with 500 at-bats he's capable of a 30/100 season. As for Harvey, he should get called up or traded at some point during the year. ... After a slow start, Zack Greinke finished his pre-season strong. Our take: While Jeremy Bonderman has gotten all the publicity this spring, Greinke has just as much promise. The one thing Greinke doesn't have, though, is a good team behind him, so wins could be hard to come by. ... Aaron Guiel is in the minors. But he will be the first outfielder called up if Emil Brown fails or another outfielder gets injured. ... Kevin Appier retired.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles's batting order to start the season is: 1) Cesar Izturis, 2) Hee Seop Choi, 3) J.D. Drew, 4) Jeff Kent, 5) Milton Bradley, 6) Jose Valentin, 7) Jason Repko/Ricky Ledee, 8) Jason Phillips, 9) pitcher. Choi and the Repko/Ledee platoon might rotate between 2nd and 7th. ... Eric Gagne was put on the disabled list with a sprained elbow. The Dodgers claim there is no structural damage, but that there is soreness over the drill holes where he had surgery done 10 years ago. Gagne had been throwing with a slightly different delivery after he sprained his knee, and that could have contributed to the problem. Yhency Brazoban will close while he is out. Our take: There has been no schedule given for when Gagne will return, as he is currently not throwing. From the sound of it he should be out for at least a month. As for Brazoban, he has the stuff to close, but is very raw as a pitcher. If the Gagne news were to worsen, we'd take a chance on him under the theory that most pitchers should be capable of getting three outs, especially in Dodger Stadium. ... Brad Penny continues to make progress in his return from the nerve irritation in his right arm. The Dodgers have finally put him on a timetable, and he is expected to make his season debut around April 19. Our take: Like the broken record always says, if he can get healthy and stay that way, he will be a bargain in Dodger Stadium. You should be able to get him for under our projected value if you're willing to take the chance. ... Jayson Werth was put on the disabled list with a broken left wrist. He still can't swing a bat, and the Dodgers are unsure when he will be back. Our take: This has already lingered much longer than it was supposed to. Wrist injuries are bad news for hitters in any case, so bid very cautiously if you don't stay away from him altogether. ... Wilson Alvarez is on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis. He could be back in the bullpen soon, but he won't have enough strength to be a starter before mid-May at the earliest. ... Batting coach Tim Wallach changed Hee Seop Choi's approach, and he hit two home runs in his next seven spring at-bats. Our take: Choi is a bit of a sleeper given his power, but he's never going to hit for average until he figures left-handers out. ... Elmer Dessens will be in the rotation for as long as Brad Penny is out. ... Norihiro Nakamura was sent down to the minors, but he'll almost surely be recalled at some point of the year. His upside in America remains limited, though.

Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee's batting order to start the season is: 1) Brady Clark, 2) Junior Spivey, 3) Lyle Overbay, 4) Carlos Lee, 5) Geoff Jenkins, 6) Russell Branyan/Wes Helms/Jeff Cirillo, 7) Chad Moeller, 8) J.J. Hardy, 9) pitcher. ... Brady Clark stole two bases in the opener. Our take: Clark is already 31, so his star potential is limited. But the Brewers will give him a chance to play and will let him run whenever he wants. While we can't expect him to be another Scott Podsednik, he could steal up to 30 bases. ... Jeff Cirillo started in the opener, but Russell Branyan and Wes Helms should get most of the playing time at third base. ... Ben Sheets mostly pitched against minor league teams during the spring, but as he showed on Opening Day, his back and conditioning are fine. Our take: Sheets is one of the best pitchers in baseball, so bid accordingly. ... The Brewers still have not announced who the closer or fifth starter will be. Our take: The general manager keeps on saying Mike Adams will close, the manager constantly talks up Derrick Turnbow, and the pitching coach has said even Matt Wise could get a shot. We expect Adams to eventually be the man, but things won't really sort themselves out until Milwaukee gets a couple of leads to protect. As for the fifth starter, when the Brewers first need one on April 12, it is likely to be Gary Glover. But depending on what happens between now and then, Wes Obermueller is still a possibility. Neither player is worth owning.

Minnesota Twins
Minnesota's batting order to start the season is: 1) Shannon Stewart, 2) Jason Bartlett, 3) Joe Mauer, 4) Justin Morneau, 5) Torii Hunter, 6) Jacque Jones, 7) Lew Ford, 8) Mike Cuddyer, 9) Luis Rivas. ... Joe Mauer said he felt great during the opener, so much so that he even stole a base. He will be rested frequently during the first month of the season, but will be the designated hitter on a lot of the days he isn't behind the plate. Our take: Yes, Mauer's knee does make him somewhat iffy. But he's also the No. 3 batter in a good lineup, he can DH, and he's a catcher. So if the prospects of injury scare away too many people and the price is right, the potential reward should out-weigh the risks. ... Justin Morneau is in the lineup, but he has yet to hit a home run in any of his spring or regular-season games. Our take: Morneau has a nightmare offseason, with everything from pneumonia to chickenpox. He didn't get in as many swings as normal, so he might not be at full strength for a couple more weeks. He was hit in the temple with a pitch on Wednesday. If he can stay healthy -- his bad luck has to stop some time, doesn't it? -- he'll post good numbers before the season comes to an end. ... Grant Balfour is on the disabled list with a strained right forearm.

New York Mets
New York's batting order when Mike Cameron is in the lineup will be: 1) Jose Reyes, 2) Kazuo Matsui, 3) Carlos Beltran, 4) Mike Piazza, 5) Cliff Floyd, 6) Mike Cameron, 7) Doug Mientkiewicz, 8) David Wright, 9) pitcher. ... Kris Benson was put on the disabled list with a right pectoral muscle that is closer to torn than strained. He will miss at least most of April, and could be out longer if the muscle does not heal quickly. Either Jae Seo or Aaron Heilman would be the logical replacement, but neither can be recalled until 10 days of the regular season have passed. So Jose Santiago or Dae-Sung Koo could get the first spot start, with Heilman possibly pitching any additional ones after that. ... ... General manager Omar Minaya predicts Jose Reyes can steal 70 bases this season "easily." Our take: If Reyes could somehow stay healthy, we wouldn't put it past him. Willie Randolph will let him run, and Reyes doesn't need much encouragement to begin with. ... Pedro Martinez was dominant in his season opener. Our take: Martinez should be in for a big year playing in Shea Stadium with a great defensive outfield behind him. As usual, the key is that he stays healthy. ... Braden Looper ruined Martinez' opening day gem by giving up three earned runs in the ninth without getting an out. Our take: Tough start to the season for Looper's owners, but don't forget that he blew his first chance last season too, and then converted his next 11. We still expect him to post a big year, so trade or bid for him if his price drops even slightly. ... Kazuo Matsui had a terrible spring, with only one extra-base hit in 63 at-bats. He then homered in the season opener for the second straight year. Our take: Matsui should be in for a better year in the upgraded Mets lineup. But he could be moved down to eighth in the order if his on-base percentage doesn't improve. Still, if he keeps on running, he could be a draft-day bargain. ... Kazuhisa Ishii has showed somewhat better control since he's started working with pitching coach Rick Peterson. Our take: Peterson is telling Ishii to sacrifice velocity for control, and so far it's been working. It remains to be seen whether Ishii can maintain the improvement, but he has become a sleeper (albeit a deep one). ... Heath Bell is in the minors, but we expect him to get called back up before too long and to have a fairly important role in the bullpen. ... Mike Cameron has tendinitis in his surgically repaired left wrist and was not in the Opening Day lineup. He's expected back soon. Our take: Wrist injuries affect hitting, so don't be surprised if Cameron gets off to a slow start. ... Steve Trachsel will miss at least half the season after undergoing back surgery. ... Orber Moreno, recovering from shoulder surgery, is not expected back until June. ... Bartolome Fortunato is on the disabled list with a sore back.

New York Yankees
New York's batting order to start the season is: 1) Derek Jeter, 2) Alex Rodriguez, 3) Gary Sheffield, 4) Hideki Matsui 5) Jorge Posada, 6) Jason Giambi, 7) Bernie Williams, 8) Tino Martinez, 9) Tony Womack. Manager Joe Torre says he will shift the 4-7 spots frequently, depending on matchups and who is hot. ... Hideki Matsui hit a home run in each of the first two games. Our take: Godzilla has gone on a rampage, and is capable of putting together an MVP-type season. Bid up to our full value for him. ... Kevin Brown is on the disabled list with a strained back, and the Yankees are hoping he can make his season debut on April 17. He now says he expects to be battling pain the entire year. Our take: Like we said in an earlier update, backs are always fine, until they start hurting. Brown's situation seems to be going from bad to worse quickly, and we recommend avoiding him altogether. ... Tony Womack already has two stolen bases. Our take: Joe Torre has always given his players the green light, so Womack will be free to run quite a bit in New York. The rest of his numbers from last season, though, are way over his head. ... Mariano Rivera blew his second save chance in a row against Boston on Wednesday. Our take: Rivera is Rivera, so of course he’ll bounce back from this. But he's 35 and there were subtle signs of decline last season (his strikeout rate dropped from 8 per 9 innings to 7.6/9, and his walks doubled). Look for Rivera to be among the league leaders in saves again, but don’t be surprised if he’s at least more mortal this time around. ... Derek Jeter was hit in the head in Wednesday’s game, and was then pulled after the 8th inning. But he did stay in as the baserunner after he was hit, so he might be okay.

Oakland Athletics
Oakland's batting order to start the season is: 1) Mark Kotsay, 2) Jason Kendall, 3) Eric Chavez, 4) Erubiel Durazo, 5) Eric Byrnes, 6) Scott Hatteberg, 7) Bobby Crosby, 8) Nick Swisher, 9) Mark Ellis/Keith Ginter. ... Bobby Crosby was pulled from the opener with upper-back pain. X-rays were inconclusive, which is certainly not a good sign. At this writing it looks like he'll miss some time and could be headed to the disabled list. Marco Scutaro will play shortstop while Crosby is out. ... Rich Harden's first start will be moved back to Sunday due to blisters. Kirk Saarloos was moved up to Wednesday to replace him. ... Oakland has still not decided on a starting second baseman, so Mark Ellis and Keith Ginter will split time initially according to the pitching matchup. Manager Ken Macha has said that he expects one of them to eventually win the job full time. Our take: Ellis is better defensively, Ginter offensively, so it might come down to which way Oakland would rather go. ... Seth Etherton was sent down to the minors, but he could come back up if Saarloos struggles. ... Dan Johnson would be called up from Triple A if anything were to happen to Durazo or Hatteberg. ... Dan Myer was sent down to the minors after a disappointing spring. But if he can settle down and find his command he could be recalled at some point and put into the rotation.

Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia's batting order to start the season is: 1) Jimmy Rollins, 2) Placido Polanco, 3) Bobby Abreu, 4) Jim Thome, 5) Pat Burrell, 6) Kenny Lofton, 7) David Bell, 8) Mike Lieberthal, 9) pitcher. When Chase Utley is in the lineup he will likely bat sixth, with Lofton moving up to second. ... Placido Polanco started on Opening Day and will see a lot of action at both second and third base. Chase Utley and David Bell will both be more than part-time but less than full-time players until the situation works itself out. Our take: While Utley is certainly Philadelphia's second baseman of the future, it's questionable whether he's better than Polanco now. As long as Bell is healthy and Polanco is around, all three of them will see their roto value take somewhat of a hit. ... Kenny Lofton got on base four times in the opener, and hit a three-run homer. Our take: His hamstring has still not completely recovered, but at least for one day it didn't affect him on the field. He says that he can still steal bases even if his hammy is just 70 percent, and that he'll be able to play through it. ... Jim Thome was hit in the wrist by a pitch in the opener, but appears to be okay. ... Ryan Howard was sent down to the minors and then demanded a trade. Our take: Consider using a reserve pick on Howard if your league allows you to take players in the minors. Howard is blocked by Jim Thome in Philadelphia, but he'd be a useful player on an AL team as a DH. ... Marlon Byrd was sent down to the minors but should get called up at some point in the year.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh’s batting order to start the season is: 1)Matt Lawton, 2)Jack Wilson, 3)Tike Redman, 4)Jason Bay, 5)Craig Wilson, 6)Ty Wigginton, 7)Jose Castillo, 8)Benito Santiago, 9)pitcher. Redman moves down to No. 6 against left-handed pitchers, with Bay, Wilson and Wigginton all moving up one spot. ... Jason Bay got two hits in the opener and looked good at the plate. Our take: We were worried that the wrist problem that caused him to have an abbreviated spring would continue to trouble him. But so far, so good. ... Tike Redman indeed opened the season as Pittsburgh’s No. 3 batter, at least against right-handers. Our take: Give this move two weeks before manager Lloyd McClendon comes to his senses and moves Redman to either leadoff or toward the back of the order. The fact that someone in that organization seriously thinks Redman can succeed in the three-hole tells you all you need to know about where the Pirates are headed. ... Jose Castillo strained the oblique muscle in his left side Wednesday. It is not clear at this point how long he’ll be out, but if it’s a severe case he could be put onto the disabled list. Our take: Rob Mackowiak replaced him at second base, and if he could get in ten games at that position (or however many it takes to become eligible in your league) it would add to his value significantly.

St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis' batting order to start the season is: 1) David Eckstein, 2) Larry Walker, 3) Albert Pujols, 4) Scott Rolen, 5) Jim Edmonds, 6) Mark Grudzielanek, 7) Reggie Sanders, 8) Yadier Molina, 9) pitcher. ... Albert Pujols did not strike out once in his 68 spring training at-bats. Our take: He'll continue to be the best average-and-power hitter in baseball so long as the planter faciitis doesn't force him to sit out many games. For the time being his foot has been responding well to treatment, so with luck he won't miss many games. He has said he'll rest more if the pain gets as bad as it was last season. ... Matt Morris is on the disabled list, but he will make his first regular-season start on April 19, the first time St. Louis needs a fifth starter. ... Jim Edmonds hit a home run off Roy Oswalt in the season opener. Our take: When Edmonds is healthy he is Adam Dunn with a better average and fewer steals. He is almost sure to exceed our projection if he can just get in 500 at-bats. ... Rick Ankiel cleared waivers and was assigned to the Cardinal Double-A franchise, where they will work on converting him into an outfielder. Our take: No fantasy impact here, but certainly an interesting story.

San Diego Padres
When Dave Roberts returns, San Diego's batting order will be: 1) Dave Roberts, 2) Mark Loretta, 3) Brian Giles, 4) Phil Nevin, 5) Ryan Klesko, 6) Ramon Hernandez, 7) Sean Burroughs, 8) Khalil Greene, 9) pitcher. ... Dave Roberts is on the disabled list with a strained groin, but he expects to return in a week. Greene has been leading off in his place. ... Tim Redding will indeed be San Diego's fifth starter. ... Trevor Hoffman gave up four earned runs in his season debut. Our take: It's the park folks, as San Diego was playing at Coors. Hoffman got stronger as the year went on last season, and there is nothing to worry about at this time. ... Xavier Nady homered in Monday's game. Our take: Nady should continue to start against left-handers even after Dave Roberts returns. ... Darryl May threw six scoreless innings in his final spring start, but it was too little, too late for him to regain his rotation spot, at least as long as Redding is effective.

San Francisco Giants
San Francisco's batting order to start the season is: 1) Ray Durham, 2) Omar Vizquel, 3) J.T. Snow, 4) Moises Alou, 5) Pedro Feliz, 6) Edgardo Alfonso, 7) Marquis Grissom, 8) Mike Matheny, 9) pitcher. ... Ray Durham's sore hamstring is now feeling better. He says he plans to run more this year, and he attempted a steal in his first game of the season. Our take: If Durham can stay healthy, he should steal more than 20 bases. ... Jason Schmidt struck out nine Dodgers in seven innings on Tuesday, allowing two runs in a winning effort. Our take: And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we ignore spring training stats of veterans. As long as Schmidt can stay healthy, he'll be one of the top pitchers in the game. ... Jim Brower will be San Francisco's main setup man, with Matt Herges pitching in long relief. ... Barry Bonds told the crowd at the opener that he will be back, although he didn't say when. He is currently rehabilitating his knee after a second surgery, and no timetable for his return has been given. He could still miss up to half of the season.

Seattle Mariners
Seattle's batting order when Pokey Reese is healthy will be: 1) Ichiro Suzuki, 2) Jeremy Reed, 3) Adrian Beltre, 4) Richie Sexson, 5) Bret Boone, 6) Raul Ibanez, 7) Randy Winn, 8) Miguel Olivo, 9) Pokey Reese. ... Richie Sexson hit two home runs in the opener. Our take: The Mariners have built a formidable offense, and perhaps the biggest key is Sexson staying healthy. If he does, he's capable of going 40/120, even in Safeco Field. ... Joel Pineiro is on the disabled list with a sore shoulder, but he should make his season debut on April 15, or even a little earlier. ... Ichiro Suzuki's streak of consecutive spring games getting a hit was snapped at 20. Our take: It's starting to look like a run at .400 is not only possible, but probable for Ichiro this season. If you need batting average, you know where to look. ... Jamie Moyer allowed just one unearned run in 5.2 innings in the opener. Our take: Moyer has been prematurely written off in the past. If he can keep the ball in the park better, he could continue to be an effective pitcher. Given his age, it's hard to project a return to his peak numbers, but there's no reason he can't post an ERA near 4. ... The Mariners claimed Abraham Nunez off waivers from Kansas City, and then put him through waivers themselves so they could send him to the minors. ... Pokey Reese is on the disabled list with a sore shoulder. He's expected back in the middle of the month. ... Bucky Jacobsen was put on the 60-day disabled list. He had knee surgery in September, and could be out the entire year. ... Aaron Sele will be the fifth starter, with Ryan Franklin moving to the bullpen. ... Phenom Felix Rodriguez was sent down the minors as expected. But the 18-year old could be called up in September, and he remains one of the top prospects in the game.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay's batting order when Alex Sanchez gets back will be: 1) Carl Crawford, 2) Julio Lugo, 3) Aubrey Huff, 4) Travis Lee, 5) Josh Phelps, 6) Jorge Cantu, 7) Toby Hall, 8) Alex Gonzalez, 9) Alex Sanchez. Phelps will bat cleanup against left-handers, with Lee moving down to 7th. ... Alex Sanchez became the first player caught under the new steroid testing policy, and he was suspended for 10 days. Our take: Not exactly the one we would have suspected. ... Joey Gathright will get a lot of the remaining starts in center field while Alex Sanchez is out, according to manager Lou Piniella. Our take: Most likely Gathright will be sent back down to the minors when Sanchez returns, although he should get a longer look later in the year. Gathright is a great source of cheap steals if you can stash him on your bench for a few months. ... Carl Crawford signed a six-year, $31 million contract extension. ... B.J. Upton will start the season out in the minors. Our take: Upton is the future and Julio Lugo isn't. Even Tampa Bay realizes this, but they just want Upton to get a bit more seasoning. Expect Upton to be recalled by the All-Star Break, and then play everyday. ... Brandon Larson and Eric Crozier also may be called up from the minors at some point this year, especially if Tampa Bay quickly falls out of contention. Our take: The only race Tampa Bay is contending for is the one to determine the worst team in the league. Expect them to call up a lot of youngsters as the year moves along. ... Tampa Bay traded for Nick Green, giving Atlanta Jorge Sosa. Green will be the utility infielder, but he could get a significant number of at-bats if he hits at all. ... Lou Piniella says he'll limit Scott Kazmir to between 160-175 innings on the year. ... Tampa will not skip their fifth pitcher early in the season, meaning Hideo Nomo will make his Devil Ray debut on April 9. ... Charles Johnson was claimed off waivers as the backup catcher, but he left the team on Wednesday to take care of a personal matter. He'll be placed on the restricted list without pay if he doesn’t return by Friday. Since Kevin Cash is on the disabled list, Peter LaForest would be called up to be Toby Hall’s backup if Johnson is gone for more than a couple of days.

Texas Rangers
Texas's batting order to start the season is: 1) Alfonso Soriano, 2) Hank Blalock, 3) Mike Young, 4) Mark Teixeira, 5) Richard Hidalgo, 6) Adrian Gonzalez/David Dellucci, 7) Kevin Mench, 8) Gary Matthews, 9) Rod Barajas. ... Gary Matthews will be the primary center fielder, backed up by David Delluci. Laynce Nix was surprisingly cut after a bad spring. Our take: The Rangers say they want Nix to be a full-time outfielder eventually, and they didn't want him to become accustomed to a platoon role. Expect him to be recalled within the first few months of the season. ... Mark Teixeira started off his year with a home run and two RBIs in his first game. Our take: We see .280/40 as the bare minimum for Teixeira, with .300/50 a distinct possibility. Bid up to our full value for him. ... Adrian Gonzalez will start the season as Texas' primary designated hitter, as potential platoon partner Greg Colbrunn is on the disabled list with right wrist soreness. ... Richard Hidalgo has been playing through some Achilles tendon soreness. ... Texas picked up Matt Riley from Baltimore for Ramon Nivar. Riley will initially start out in the bullpen, but he should get a chance to pitch in the rotation at some point in the year. Our take: Riley is moving from a good hitters' park to a great hitters' park. He's not worth owning. ... Pedro Astacio will be activated from the disabled list as soon as the Rangers need a fifth starter. His groin is now all right. . ... Carlos Almanzar's mother and brother passed away, so he is on the bereavement list but is expected to rejoin the team shortly. ... Ricardo Rodriguez was sent to the minor leagues after the acquisition of Riley. ... Greg Colbrunn is on the disabled list with a sore right wrist. ... Joaquin Benoit is on the disabled list with a sore shoulder.

Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto's batting order to start the season is: 1) Frank Catalanotto/Reed Johnson, 2) Orlando Hudson, 3) Vernon Wells, 4) Corey Koskie, 5) Shea Hillenbrand, 6) Eric Hinske, 7) Greg Zaun, 8) Gabe Gross/Alexis Rios, 9) Russ Adams. The 6-8 spots will be shuffled around depending on the matchup and which member of the platoon is in the lineup. ... Miguel Batista picked up saves in both of Toronto's first two games. Our take: He could get 60 saves and have an ERA under 2 if he could just face Tampa Bay 100 times a year. But he also has New York, Boston and Baltimore in his division, so we're skeptical he will be all that successful. Worse pitchers than Batista have been closers for a year, though, so he's worth owning if the price is too good to pass up. ... Ted Lilly's shoulder has improved, and he will pitch his first game of the regular season on April 10. ... Gabe Gross and Alexis Rios will start the season in a platoon, with one of them scheduled to be sent down when Lilly returns. Our take: Unless Gross really goes crazy over the next few days, expect him to be the one who gets sent down. ... Vernon Wells was thrown out stealing the first time he got to first base. Our take: Wells says one of his goals this year is to steal 30 bases. Even if he doesn't make it, it's a good sign that he will indeed do a lot of running. ... Gustavo Chacin gave up just one run in five innings in his season debut. Our take: True, it was against the offensively-challenged Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but it was still a very encouraging start given that he had a rough spring. We still expect this to be a learning year for Chacin, but maybe it isn't completely hopeless.

Washington Nationals
Washington's batting order to start the season is: 1) Brad Wilkerson, 2) Cristian Guzman, 3) Jose Vidro, 4) Jose Guillen, 5) Nick Johnson, 6) Vinny Castilla, 7) Ryan Church/Terrmel Sledge, 8) Brian Schneider, 9) pitcher. ... Jose Vidro says he expects his right knee to be a lot better this year now that the Nationals have moved from the artificial grass of Olympic Stadium to the grass at RFK. ... Ryan Church missed the opener and is day-to-day with a groin injury. ... Endy Chavez was sent down to the minors. He could be recalled at some point during the year.