Welcome back Salty! After being inexplicably sent down to AAA to start the season, Jarrod Saltalamacchia is back with the Rangers. Starter Gerald Laird is still in Texas so this doesn't necessarily mean that Salty will take the full time catching duties. He will most likely catch once or twice a week, DH some, and maybe grab some starts at first. He will most likely be grabbed quickly in your league as the news spreads, so if you have the roster spot act quickly.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, struggling Twin Francisco Liriano was sent back to Triple A to try to find that electric form again. Liriano was awful this year, and it all fell apart last night when he gave up six runs and failed to get out of the first inning. The Twins sent him down to try to get his head straight and find his control again. This is far from the end of the line for Liriano, many pitchers struggle when coming back from an injury of this magnitude, but there is no timetable for his return to the majors, so I can't fault you for cutting ties with him, but keep an eye on his AAA performance. If he does well, he might not be gone long.

Phillies OF Shane Victorino is nearly complete with his rehab assignment as he is returning from a strained right calf. Victorino is doing well (2-3 on Wednesday), and it looks as though he will be coming off the DL when he is eligible on April 29. He may have been dropped in your league when he was injured, so take a look to see, if he's available, I would try to find a spot for him on your roster.

Returning from the DL tonight, Rays SP Matt Garza did OK against the Red Sox. Garza threw 84 pitches over five innings, giving up three and striking out only one. There was major concern about Garza's eligibility for the season when his injury was first diagnosed, but after tonight's outing it looks like it is safe to put him back in your lineup.

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A couple of aces have shown on Tuesday, that maybe they still have it. In Detroit, Justin Verlander might not have been dominant, but right now he'll take it. Verlander threw six innings giving up just one run and striking out three against the Rangers. After the way he started the season, Justin and his fantasy owners must be breathing a sigh of relief that he was able to pitch so well. After being talked about as someone potentially to drop after his last awful start, C.C. Sabathia came back with a vengeance Tuesday against the Royals. Sabathia went six shutout innings and struck out 11, and is in line to take the win. As I have said previously, I don't expect him to come close to last year's Cy Young statistics, but he should be more than a .500 pitcher this season.

Not that Ted Lilly would be described as an ace, but another guy that fantasy owners were starting to think of parting ways with had a turn around start himself. Lilly collected his first win of the season giving up just one run in six innings, while striking out four. Like Verlander, he wasn't dominant (he did walk four), but it was good to see a guy that some players put some big stock in having a good time out.

It was good news/bad news for the Brewers on Tuesday. The good news was young gun Manny Parra had a better outing than his last couple. Parra has struggled going deep into games, and that continued as he only lasted five innings. But, he did give up only three runs today, and was in line for the win….until the bad news game into the game. After converting give straight save chances, Gagne has now blown two in a row. He continues to show that it was most likely foolish for the Brewers to sign him to that ridiculous contract.

Red Sawks rookie Jacoby Ellsbury is really heating up now. After having two

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The player who has created the biggest buzz so far this year in fantasy baseball has been Johnny Cueto, and so far he hasn't disappointed. His owners had to be very curious how he would do after giving up five runs in his previous start. Would he bounce back? Or was he doomed to start to struggle like most pitchers in his situation? Cueto answered today with another great outing. He went seven innings, gave up just two earned runs and struck out five. He wasn't around for the decision, but it was a good answer after being roughed up for the first time in the majors.

Another young fireballer, Tim Lincecum looks like he is putting it all together this year. He has yet to give up more than two runs in any of his four starts, and he shut down the St. Louis Cardinals for the second consecutive time on Saturday. During that time he has also struck out 16 batters in just 13 innings, and he is now 3-0. This is about the most that you could expect from Tiny Tim, you have to expect him to be the victim of poor run support pitching in San Francisco, but so far that hasn't bothered him.

Mentioning this for possibly the last time in an article, two more guys hit their first homers of the year. In San Francisco their latest bad contract, Aaron Rowand finally went deep for the first time. Rowand has at least been hitting for a good average when he has been healthy, but to expect him to repeat his numbers from 2007 is just crazy. If you own him, hope that he goes on a hot streak and you can get someone to bite on him. While Chipper Jones is lighting it up in Atlanta, the Jones they let go, Andruw Jones is floundering badly in LA. Jones has been moved to 7th in the lineup, and finally hit his first homer today. How the mighty have fallen! He hit just .222 with 26 HRs last year, and he got his average up to .182 with just three RBI so far in 2008. Once one of the more feared hitters in the NL, Jones is getting close to being on the chopping block of many fantasy rosters.

Zach Greinke also has caused a great deal of talk in fantasy baseball this season, and I stand by my opinion that he will not have a great season. I admit, I have been starting to worry that I may be way off on this guy, but today he gave me some of my confidence back. Not saying he was bad, but at least he took a step back. He did just give up two runs over five innings, but it was the four walks that caught my eye. That is what does in young pitchers every time, the walks. Greinke didn't factor in the decision, so he remains at 3-0, and his ERA rose to 1.24. I still say "sell high" he won't keep this up all year.

More from Kansas City, the number one overall pick in 2006 will be on the mound on Sunday. Luke Hochevar will be making his season debut for the injured John Hale (who?), and should be a two start pitcher this week. He is 1-1 in the minors this season with a 2.60 ERA and 12 Ks in 17.1 innings. He is one of the elite pitching prospects in the game, and if you are looking for pitching, definitely give him a chance, he could be dominant. Normally, I wouldn't suggest picking up a Royals pitcher so strongly, but with the success of Zach Greinke (ugh) and Brian Bannister, it looks like you can win games as a pitcher for the Royals.

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This might come across sarcastic, because that is what I am going for….I can't believe Ben Sheets had to leave his start early because of injury!!!! As durable as Rich Harden, Ben Sheets left after five innings on Friday due to a strained right triceps. It is apparently the same kind of injury that Angels' pitcher John Lackey had and is missing a month. Given Sheets' history with the disabled list, you have to think that is a possibility, but no news has come down this early as far as the severity of the injury. Stay tuned, we will let you know the information as it becomes available.

Welcome back Cliff Lee! After the wheels fell completely off in 2007, Lee is looking more like the pitcher that we knew in 2004-2006, a guy who won a lot of games. Lee ran his record to 3-0 on this young season by throwing eight shutout innings, giving up just two hits and striking out eight. If he is back, you can expect 15 wins from Cliff with 160-185 Ks. If he is somehow still available, definitely pick him up at this point.

Have you ever heard of Todd Wellemeyer? I have to admit if he didn't pitch for my beloved Cardinals, I might have answered no to that question. But he was placed in the rotation as a stop gap until Mark Mulder could return, but the way he is going, he might be pitching himself into a starting job all year. Wellemeyer is striking out more than a batter an inning, and has only had one subpar outing out of four. He looks like he is worth adding, if for nothing more than riding a hot hand until it cools.

Scott Kazmir had his first rehab start for Class A Vero Beach and was pretty effective. Kazmir threw three innings giving up just one unearned run, and sat three down on strikes. Kazmir is eyeing May 3rd as his return to Tampa, so those of you who have exercised patient with the young K man aren't too long away from being rewarded for your patience.

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Got a late start tonight, so we are just going to do a bunch of quick hitters.

Pitching

Giants GM Brian Sabean is one of the more respected executives in baseball, but I have one BIG question for him. What the HELL were you thinking giving $120+ million to Barry Zito? He was pretty awful again today, although he sucked less than he has at other times this year. Zito ran his record to 0-4 with a six inning, three earned run, five walk performance. If you are still holding him on your roster, just grab anyone else.

Speaking of awful, I think it is time to panic with C.C. Sabathia. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner got bombed on Wednesday by the suddenly resurgent Tigers. Sabathia only lasted four innings giving up nine runs, while walking five guys and only fanning one. This is two consecutive starts that C.C. has given up nine runs, and he is now 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA. He might still be able to turn it around and have a decent season, but to expect a repeat of last year's brilliance looks like too much to ask.

Red Sox rookie Clay Buchholz had his worst start of the season in a 15-9 slugfest loss to the Yankees. Clay didn't get out of the 4th inning and gave up seven earned runs and struck out only two. I don't consider this too much of a red alert on Buchholz season for two reasons. One, the Yankees are going to score a lot of runs, and on better pitchers than Buchholz. Two, he had two productive starts before this one, and every pitcher throws up a stinker every once in a while, especially one as green as Clay. Hold tight.

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Prized prospect Evan Longoria made his major league debut Saturday night and was a pretty good success. Longoria was 1-3 with a walk and an RBI, which doesn't sound great, but considering the attention and pressure he is probably feeling, I expect him to struggle some his first week to ten days before he starts to really start living up to his enormous potential. But make no mistake about it, he will be successful, if it he is available, grab him immediately.

Further news out of Tampa has one of their long line of young starting pitchers making their major league debut on Sunday. Taking the place of the injured Matt Garza will be Jeff Niemann. Niemann has a decent amount of strikeout potential, and had a 17-11 record the last two years in the minors. He isn't the level of prospect that you go running out to grab before he even makes a start, a la Johnny Cueto, especially considering he will probably go back to the minors whenever either Garza or Scott Kazmir are able to return.

There were a couple of near no hitters on Saturday. In San Francisco, perennial bad luck loser Matt Cain allowed no hits through six before the wheels came off for the Giants after that. Leading 5-0 after six innings, the Cardinals scored two in the seventh, three in the eighth, and two in the ninth to take the lead from the Giants and hand Cain another no decision despite a strong outing. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd took his no-no into the eighth inning before it was broken up by Edgar Renteria. However, unlike Cain, the White Sox didn't blow the game and Floyd was rewarded with his second win. While Cain should be owned in all but the smallest leagues, Floyd is most likely widely available. This start is not enough for me to tell you to run to the waiver wire, but if he throws another good one next time out, then he would be worth finding a place for on your roster.

Justin Upton is continuing to make a joke out of major league pitching.

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A couple of the new speed demons are living up to their reputations. In Minnesota, newly acquired CF Carlos Gomez swiped his fifth base of the young season. One of the pieces of the Johan Santana trade, Gomez was brought to Minnesota to get on base and make pitchers nervous. So far, he has been great at both. Even more impressive, Michael Bourn in Houston took two bags today off of one of the best defensive catchers in the league, Yadier Molina. With those two Bourn has the early lead in steals with six. There was a bit of concern if each of these guys would get on base enough to allow them to reach their 50+ SB potential, but it appears that they both will approach that number.

In Detroit, Curtis Granderson had some x-rays over the weekend and got some good news. It seems that there was sufficient healing in the broken finger for him to resume baseball activities. The Tigers GM was quoted as saying he was hoping that Granderson could return to the lineup in around ten days.

Former super prospect Carlos Quentin is getting a new start with the White Sox. After being one of the many fantastic young hitters for the Diamondbacks, Quentin struggled badly when promoted to the majors. His time in the desert was brought to an end after he had a torn labrum in his shoulder last season, and was unable to heal enough to make an impact. Now apparently fully healthy, Quentin is starting to make a little noise. Through his first five games, Quentin has an average of .316 with a triple, a homer, and seven knocked in. He is worth a flyer in larger leagues at this point, and someone for all to keep an eye on.

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Oft-injured Brewers' ace Ben Sheets has been showing what he can do when he is healthy. After an impressive first start, Sheets did one better today throwing a complete game shutout against the Triple-A San Francisco Giants. Big Ben now has not allowed a run in 15+ innings in 2008 with 15 Ks to boot. However, Sheets' health is as reliable as rumors in the National Enquirer. Now is the time to try to move Sheets if you own him. Unfortunately, it is most likely just a matter of time before Sheets ends up on the DL. If you can make a trade for a pitcher who spends more time on the mound than Sheets, definitely pull the trigger.

At the other end of the spectrum (and that game) is the Giants' Barry Zito. I don't know how necessary it is to continue to pile on Zito. I think by now everyone pretty much has the same opinion on Zito. If he is on your team it is time to cut ties with him. His ERA is high, his team doesn't score runs, and he doesn't strike many batters out. He brings next to nothing to your team at this point in his career.

A few pitchers who might be available in your league pitched well on Sunday. Another great young arm for the Reds, Edinson Volquez, made his season debut today, and was just as sharp as he was in the Spring. Volquez went 5.1 innings, gave up just one run, and fanned eight. I expect the Reds to be better than anticipated this season (especially if these young arms pan out), and if you can find room for Volquez he is worth the add. Cleveland's Cliff Lee made his first start today, and gave fantasy players flashbacks to 2004-2006 when he won 46 games in those three years. After being shipped to the minors last year, Lee was quoted this spring as saying he never wanted to go to AAA again. A guy with that kind of motivation may be worthy of a spot on your team, but Lee has never been a big strikeout guy, and I would wait to see if he could make it two good starts. Another member of the scrap heap picked up by the Cardinals in recent years, Kyle Lohse had an impressive start today, as the improbable start for St. Louis continued. Lohse threw seven shut out innings on Sunday, and hasn't given up a run in 12 innings in '08. Has pitching coach Dave Duncan revived another career? Not a bad performance for a guy that didn't have a contract a month ago. I wouldn't go running to the waiver wire for Lohse just yet, but monitor his next performance.

Are we seeing the end of a legend? Trevor Hoffman took his second loss of the young season today, and now has an ERA over 12. He has converted two save attempts already, but has blown the game twice as well. After so many years of hearing "Hells Bells" and starting toward the exits, Padres' fans are starting to move towards the edge of their seats when Hoffman comes in.

In his first start after coming off the DL, John Smoltz shut down the Mets for five innings, giving up just two hits and striking out six. After having some tightness in his shoulder this Spring, Smoltz looked like he had no problems as he gave up just a double to Santana and a single to Delgado. You keep thinking that Father Time has to catch up at some point, but Smoltz just keeps on pitching.

Is this the year we crown King Felix? He came into the league with incredible hype, but has yet to fulfill the prophecy. After his 9-3 second half last year, many expected this to be the year of the King. Well, after start number one, it looks like 2008 could be when we see what Hernandez is capable of. Felix threw eight shutout innings, while striking out six, and would've gotten the win if it was not blown by substitute closer Mark Lowe. King Felix could definitely perform as well as any of the top five starters this year, and if it is possible try to get him on your team before he starts again.

Enough about pitching, let's cover some hitters. Is Nate McLouth still available in your league? If so, he is probably the hottest guy to add in the young season. After a 3-5 game today, McLouth is hitting .439 with five doubles, a homer, seven ribeyes, and two steals. His minor league numbers suggest he can't keep this up, but he is certainly off to a good season and is worth a roster spot if nothing else than for some trade bait.

Can anyone stop Rick Ankiel? Ankiel hit his third homer of the season on Sunday, and has been one of the more impressive hitters in this young season. Even though he struggled at the end of 2007, his impressive numbers since completing the transition to a full time position player suggests that this is no fluke, and you should consider Ankiel a legitimate top 20 outfielder.

Were you concerned about Ryan Braun? After getting off to a little bit of a cold start, Braun homered for the second straight day on Sunday, and was just a triple short of the cycle. He was worth a late first round pick as I expect him to replicate last year's numbers over the course of the entire season in 2008. Remember he played just over 110 games in 2007.

Buy Low: Matt Holliday. Not saying he will come overly cheap, but some owners might be frustrated that I guy they spent a first round pick on just finally hit his first homer and drove in his first run as he is hitting just .182.

Sell High: Derrek Lee. He is off to an incredible start hitting .400 with 3 HRs and 4 RBI. I still believe the injury bug will find him again, as he hasn't been very effective the last couple seasons. Find a taker while his numbers are still pretty inflated.

A couple of young pitchers made their season debuts today, and they were both very sharp. In Milwaukee, rookie Manny Parra shut the Giants down as he didn't give up a hit for five innings. It got a little rockier in the 6th and he gave up two runs, but 5.1 innings with 7 Ks in your major league debut is pretty impressive, even if it was against the Giants. Look to add him to your roster if at all possible. Reliever turned starter Dana Eveland was even more impressive. Eveland outdueled the reigning AL Cy Young Award Winner C.C. Sabathia in his first start of the season. Eveland went seven innings, giving up just one run and striking out seven. Once a highly rated prospect in the Brewers' farm system, Eveland is getting his first chance to start with the pitching starved A's. If today is any indication, he will be making the most of this opportunity. I am guessing he is owned in a lot of your leagues, but if not, I also recommend trying to find a spot for Eveland.

After an OK at best first start, things went a little ugly today for Houston ace Roy Oswalt. Oswalt went 6.2 innings, gave up five earned runs, and struck out NOBODY! Oswalt now sits at 0-2 with an ERA of 6.00. It is just two starts, and may not be time to panic yet, but his ERA has been creeping up, and his strikeouts have been heading down so his first two starts aren't instilling any confidence in his owners. It might be time to sell on Oswalt before it gets uglier.

News Flash! Jake Peavy is NASTY! Even though he was completely dominant last season, there was an ounce of doubt in fantasy owners minds about Mr. Peavy. It was just two years ago where he was 11-14 with a 4.09 ERA, so which is the real Jake Peavy. Well, through two games, the doubt should be gone. Peavy went the distance today giving up just one run and striking out eight. He's obviously owned in all leagues, and after today, my guess is his price tag is mighty high. If you drafted him, enjoy the ride.

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What are we going to do with the Detroit Tigers? After today's loss the Tigers are still the only team yet to get a win. Worse than that, they have scored only 14 runs in the first 5 games. Fantasy owners were expecting guys such as Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson, and Carlos Guillen to produce possibly the best offense in the AL. Don't panic, or try to move any of your Tigers. The runs are coming, trust me. Might not be a bad time to check with the owner of Cabrera. With a nagging little injury and a 1 for 8 start, maybe he might come a little cheap.

Bill Hall had himself quite the day today, as he went 3-5 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI. Is he going to go back to his 2006 numbers and 30+ HRs? Today has got fantasy owners asking themselves that question. My answer: Probably not. Before this game he had two hits in the first three games and 6 Ks! If you have a spot on your roster that is just "dead weight" than I would take the flier on Hall. But I wouldn't drop an established player (say, Kevin Youkilis for example) to take the chance on Hall.

The weekend series between Houston and Chicago is a showcase for JR Towles and Geovany Soto, two young catching prospects, and they aren't disappointing. Although he isn't exactly lighting it up so far, Soto drove in a run for the third consecutive day today, while Towles connected on his first major league home run, and is also showing some signs of life. Keep an eye on these two young guys, as they might be able to help you at a position that is very shallow.

The Colorado Rockies are another struggling team. They have just 6 runs in their first four games as they fell again today. They have managed just two home runs so far, and have people wondering if last year was just a fluke. Todd Helton is obviously toward the end of his fantasy career, but did the hype machine pump up guys like Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe too much? The next couple of months will tell that tale. I wouldn't worry about Garrett Atkins or Matt Holliday yet though.

Justin Upton hit his second homer of the season today. He is still striking out at an alarming rate (7 in just 4 games), but after thinking it would be 2009 before his potential started to show through, I am having thoughts that he might arrive this year. See if his owner in your league has him on the bench, or is not too high on him yet. Don't give up a star for him, but checking out his availability isn't a bad idea.

Ian Kennedy made his 2008 debut today and there's only one word to describe it….ugly! Kennedy didn't make it out of the third inning and gave up 6 runs and walked 4 in just 2 1/3 innings. Of the three young Yankee arms, Kennedy will struggle the most, and see if you have a Yankee fan in your league and get what you can for him. If not, I believe he is a candidate to send to the waiver wire if there is someone you are thinking of picking up. If Kennedy continues to struggle, and Mike Mussina keeps being Mike Mussina, the Yankees could be in trouble in 2008.

Chase Utley left the yard twice today in the first five innings. There isn't much fantasy news here. If you don't already know that he is the best option at second base and worthy of a first round pick, then you really don't play fantasy. But he is one of my favorite fantasy players and on my dynasty team league, so I enjoy days like this and wanted to report his good game.

Pirates CF Nate McLouth is off to a really nice start. After an impressive Spring season, Nate has continued right into the regular season. He has a hit in every game so far, and pushed his early average up to .389 after a 2-4 day today. He doubled for the third time already, and stole his first base of the season. Check your free agency to see if he is available if you have a spot open that you can afford.

I haven't given Twins CF Carlos Gomez much chance to succeed, but so far he is proving me wrong. Gomez stole bases 3 and 4 today, and he is off to a .450 start. We knew Gomez would run in Minnesota, I just questioned how much he would be on base to get opportunities to steal. Obviously he won't keep up this pace, but it may be safe to bump up expectations on steal numbers into the 60 range.

Pitcher turned slugger Rick Ankiel continues to rake in the majors. His feel good story was tainted by links to HGH, but it appears that Rick may have put that behind him. Ankiel connected on his second homer tonight, and is hitting for a good average. If he can continue to keep his strikeouts under control, you could be looking at a breakout season here. His owners are hoping that Tony LaRussa continues to hit him in front of Albert Pujols as he did tonight, so Ankiel continues to see a lot of fastballs. Not to mention, you know he has to have a cannon of an arm playing centerfield, but can he keep his throws home from going to the backstop???

Japanese pitcher Hideki Kuroda is making his United States debut tonight and is giving the Padres fits. As of right now the only run he has given up is a solo shot to Brian Giles. Kuroda has given up only three hits through seven innings and is looking quite impressive. He has four strikeouts and hasn't walked anyone. Upon looking at his Japanese stats, I wasn't blown away, but maybe he will be a Nomo type and be successful his first few times through the majors.

Finally, Russell Martin is finally off the schnide. After going 0 for his first 13, Martin hit a 2 run double in Friday night's game. I ranked Martin as the number one catcher, and it is not time to panic when a guy had a horrible first three games. He will still approach 20/20, and there will be no other catcher who can claim that.

Position Battle Winners

Joe Crede will be the starting 3B for the White Sox beating out Josh Fields…..wait this just in, Crede is injured already!?!?!?! He fouled a ball off his foot and it is possible that he might miss Opening Day. Still think that Crede is only playing to increase his trade value, but knowing his injury history, maybe Fields isn't going to AAA just yet.

As previously reported, it is official that Jorge Cantu will man third base for the Marlins. If he is able to continue what he did in Spring Training and regain his 2005 form, Cantu could be a major sleeper who could also still have 2B eligibility in your league.

Jayson Nix was also named the starter at 2B for the Rockies. Those of you in keeper leagues were hoping for Ian Stewart to score an upset win here, but he has been sent to Colorado Springs. Nix will hit for a decent average and run some, but don't count on him to give big production.

Former Mets' prospect Carlos Gomez has been named the starter in center for the Twins. Was he the best man for the job, or are the Twins just trying to show they got SOMETHING from the Santana trade? Gomez will run a lot, just don't expect too much more.

After his last spring performance it is now very likely that the 5th starter for the Mets will be Orlando Hernandez. El Duque gave up just one run in 5 innings, while Mike Pelfrey blew the game in the 9th. It's just a matter of time, before Hernandez gets hurt, but it looks like to start the year he will be the Mets' last starter.

After cutting Claudio Vargas, it is likely that the last three spots in the Brewers' rotation will go to Carlos Villanueva, Dave Bush, and rookie Manny Parra. Parra has the most upside of the three, with big time strikeout potential, although he did have some injury problems while in the majors. He is worth a flyer in larger leagues. Villanueva and Bush will most likely be owned in most leagues as well, and you can expect them to produce similar to the way they did last year.

Shockingly Sent to the Minors

After fighting to get back after Tommy John surgery sidelined him all of 2007, Francisco Liriano will start this season in the minors. Now before you lose your mind, he is scheduled to start one game for single-A and one game for Triple-A before being reevaluated where he stands. If Friday night's performance means anything, he won't be gone long. Liriano went five innings giving up just one run and striking out seven against the Pirates. Ok, so maybe he was already pitching against AAA talent.

Another shocker was the news that Gerald Laird beat out top prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia for the starting catching job in Texas. Fantasy players all over are now searching for other options to start at catcher before Opening Day. I don't expect it to be long before the Rangers realize they made a mistake, but for now are JR Towles, Chris Snyder, or John Buck available for you?

Not as much of a surprise was the news that Evan Longoria, the Rays' top prize was optioned to the minors. Most expected this after news that if Longoria spends a month in the minors the Rays can put his free agency off until 2014. If you own him, don't release him unless you really can't afford the roster spot, Evan will be back before the middle of May.

Finally, superstud in waiting Cameron Maybin was sent down to AAA after struggling at the end of spring, going hitless in his last 18 at bats. Maybin is another guy that I don't expect to be in the minors for long, so if you own him and can afford to stash him, do yourself that favor he could have a major impact when recalled.

Last, Reds big pitching prospect Homer Bailey was sent to the minors this week. Bailey was passed by Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez this spring, and now you have to wonder if all the predictions that we have been reading about for the last few years will come to fruition. Cueto and Volquez are hot pickups as young arms that have big time strikeout potential. If they are available, I would suggest grabbing one of them.

Injury News

B.J. Ryan threw a bullpen session on Thursday and now it seems that he is back on track for a mid April return. Ryan reported no soreness after 22 pitches, and is looking to return in the April 11-13 range.

Scott Rolen now has a timetable to be on the shelf. Reports out of Toronto have him out a minimum of six weeks, meaning it will be mid May before the former Gold Glove winner is back at the hot corner for the Jays.

John Smoltz also threw in the bullpen, and said that he is targeting April 6th as his return to the mound.

Kelvim Escobar may have suffered a major setback in his attempt to the mound. Escobar reported discomfort in his shoulder after his latest bullpen session and he has been shut down indefinitely. After 18 wins last year, owners were expecting another big season out of him, but now I can't say that I wouldn't just cut ties with him now before worse news comes down.

Perpetual Sleeper Jeremy Hermida will start 2008 on the disabled list due to a tight hamstring. He is eligible to be activated on April 5th, but given the fact that he has bought a summer home on the DL, this sends up big red flags on Hermida.

Horrible Performances

Newly acquired star Eric Bedard didn't exactly instill a lot of confidence in his last spring start. Bedard gave up four runs in just six innings. You can still expect big things out of Bedard this season as long as he stays healthy, don't put to much stock in his spring stats (8.63 ERA).

Brewers oft-injured ace Ben Sheets didn't finish his spring off the way he would like either, as he gave up a whopping nine runs in just five innings. If he can stay healthy, Sheets has the ability to be a top 15 starter, but that is about as likely as Rocco Baldelli staying healthy.

Lastly, soon to be out of the rotation Mike Mussina had another crappy outing on Friday. Mussina gave up 5 runs in 5 1/3 IP, but will still be part of the Yankee rotation anyway.

Good Performances

Rays number 2 starter Matt Garza completed his excellent Spring Training with five strong innings. Garza gave up two runs, while walking two and striking out two. Because of the injury to Scott Kazmir, Garza will be starting the second game of the season for Tampa Bay. After posting a 2.45 ERA this spring, you can expect good stats from him this year, just don't expect too many wins.

Stephen Drew doubled and tripled in the same game on Wednesday, and 10 of his 15 hits are for extra bases. He is one of my big sleepers for the 2008 season, and the fact that he is starting to hit for more power, makes me more confident in that prediction.

Florida 1B Mike Jacobs hit a pair of homers against the Yankees on Sunday as he tries to live up to his hype that is now a couple of years behind him.

Other News

The Milwaukee Brewers have announced that 3B Bill Hall will bat 5th, while Corey Hart will be in the 6th slot to start the season. This could have a positive effect on Hall's RBI numbers, and a slightly negative effect on the number of runs scored that Hart will have. It really shouldn't have much effect on how you draft Hart, although I think many expected him to bat higher, but this could bump Hall back to a late round selection, hoping he can duplicate his breakout season after this vote of confidence from his manager.

Back in the day, the fact was that almost all fantasy players were really into the game. "Fantasy Dorks" we were called by those not gifted enough to play. A guy who talked about fantasy sports was mocked with such taunts as, "he definitely has no girlfriend" and similar barbs. My, my how times have changed! Now everyone has at least one team, and some are so obsessed with fantasy sports they are well overdue for their own support group.

Being one of those aforementioned 'fantasy dorks' with way too much time on my hands, I have gone beyond studying the game to studying the players themselves, and, given my affinity for the movie Reservoir Dogs, I will sometimes assign names to other owners in Fantasy Baseball leagues. And much like Joe, who ran the show in Tarantino's masterpiece, I don't allow people to pick their names, although mine are based more on your performance, not random colors. You might not always run into all of these people in every league, but I'd be willing to bet you'll get two or three every time.

Mr. Add & Drop—almost every league has this guy, and some have more than one. Mr. Add & Drop does exactly what his name says, adds and drops players with all the discretion of your proverbial drunken sailor. I'm talking 2 or 3 moves on a daily basis. I've got a guy in one league I'm in who was closing in on 70 moves and the season hasn't even started yet! All this type of player is doing is recycling one free agent after another, trying to hit that one prize that he can actually use. And when they actually do score a winner, all you'll hear is them shout to the rooftops about how they knew all along that he was going to be a diamond in the rough, and how smart they were for picking up that player when they did! Can you say blind squirrel? Give your team members a longer leash before they find themselves on the chopping block. You can identify this fan by his unique appreciation of Dan Snyder's player management.

Mr. Disappearing Drafter—my least favorite player. This character is the one who comes to the draft, is about as successful as a Alaskan ice cube salesman , then a month into the season find themselves in dead last and you never hear from them again. They don't ever check back in, they don't replace people that are injured. Their average daily lineup has more holes in it than the Golden State Warriors' defense, and their players are completely out of the game as you can't trade with this person because they don't play. This player can normally be spotted wearing either Kansas City Royals, Oakland Raidersjuangonzalez.jpg or Memphis Grizzlies gear.

Mr. 2001 All-Star Team—he's very excited about the attempted return of Juan Gonzalez, because he's got a roster spot for him. This is generally a player that doesn't spend a bunch of their time keeping up on their fantasy baseball. They can't believe Todd Helton fell to the third round, and didn't Sean Green hit 40+ homers just last year? You can spot these guys at the draft because they are usually wearing a 80's hair band concert shirt.

Mr. 2010 All-Star Team—the opposite of Mr. 2001 is Mr. 2010. He'll have Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, Evan Longoria, Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury and Phil Hughes on this team. It is vital for a championship team to have some of these guys sprinkled around their roster, but oh no, Mr. 2010 has them all…..and he's in 8th place. Rookies are nice, but usually inconsistent. Loading up on them is not a good strategy. Normally can be seen wearing a throwback LeBron James St. Vincent-St. Mary High School jersey.

Mr. Hometown Hero—This one seems to involve Yankee fans an awful lot of the time. You can tell who this person's favorite team is by looking at his roster for two seconds. It is loaded with players from one specific team, and the holes are filled by guys who USED to play for that team. You don't see this a lot with Orioles or Nationals fans. Let's face it, after Brian Roberts and Ryan Zimmerman there isn't a lot to get excited about with those clubs. But Mr. Hometown Hero Yankee fan will have Posada, Giambi, Cano, Jeter, A-Rod, Wang, Rivera, etc. The good part about this player is that if you happen to be lucky enough to get one of their favorite team's players, you can usually milk them and get much more than their value back in a trade. Easily identifiable by the NY jersey with the big blue number 2 on the back.

New Ace in Anaheim, or Los Angeles? Or Wherever the Angels Are--With the injuries to John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, Jered Weaver is staking his claim to start on Opening Day for the Angels. After disappointing in 2007, Weaver is out to show that his rookie season was not his peak. In four starts this spring, Weaver is 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 14 IP. He has struck out eight, while only walking two and opponents are hitting just .106 off of him. Manager Mike Scioscia hasn't decided between Weaver and Jon Garland as of yet, but based on their spring performances, it is just a matter of time before Jered gets the nod.

Reds Rookies Rolling—Both Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto are turning heads in Reds camp. Although Manager Dusty Baker hasn't named the two young guns to the rotation, it is more and more evident by the day that both of them could be in Cincinnati when the spring is over. Before today, Cueto had only given up one run in 9 spring innings with 8 Ks. He pitched pretty well again on Monday, giving up just 2 ER in 4 IP with 3 BB and 4 Ks. Volquez has pitched four times giving up just five runs and striking out 19 batters in just 13 innings. Baker is notorious for not playing young guys, so the fact that he is talking these two young pitchers up is a testament to the impact that they could make. Keep your eye on this situation.

Daddy Dice—Daisuke Matsuzaka's wife gave birth to a son on March 15th, and leave it to the Fighting Chance to find a fantasy spin on even this story. While it looked like Dice would miss the trip to Japan waiting for his son to be born, Matsuzaka will now start the Red Sox season opener in Japan. Given his long history as an ace in Japan, expect Dice to open the season throwing a gem. Jon Lester will start the second game in Japan.

Pedro Pitches Nearly Perfect

How the top rookies and prospects of 2008 have performed so far in Spring Training as they fight to make their respective teams

Clay Buchholz, BOS-- (2 games) 5 IP, 12.60 ERA, 7 ER, 3 HR, 1 BB, 4 Ks

Still consider Buchholz the front-runner for that last spot in the Red Sox rotation. Bartolo Colon has looked good so far, but he hasn't even been in a game situation yet. Although he will need a good performance in here somewhere this spring, with the added injury to Josh Beckett, it would be quite surprising to see Clay in Triple A to start the '08 season.

Joba Chamberlain, NYY-- (2 games) 4.1 IP, 4.15 ERA, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 Ks

After an unimpressive first start to the spring, Chamberlain bounced back to be plenty more effective when he started a game Monday. Don't read into this, he won't be starting at the beginning of the season. He still is a relevant fantasy player, even as a setup man, and should be exceptional once he is put into the rotation

Nick Adenhart, LAA—(3 games) 8.2 IP, 3.12 ERA, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 Ks

Although he has impressed manager Mike Scioscia this spring, it is nearly inevitable that Adenhart will be starting the year at AAA Salt Lake. Keep an eye on him down there, however, if Joe Saunders or Ervin Santana prove to be ineffective, Adenhart is just a phone call away from pitching for one of the best teams in the majors.

Set to the tune of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (I know, it's horrible. Just go with it)

You know Reyes, and Hanley, and Crawford, and Figgins. Pierre and Roberts, and Byrnsie, and J-Roll. But can you recall, the guys who get you steals that you wouldn't expect???

Russell Martin, C—LAD—OK, so we already know he can steal bases, but the fact that you get some speed from your catcher makes him a source of unexpected steals. It isn't that Martin is the fastest guy on the basepaths or anything, he is just an incredibly smart baserunner, and is great at reading the pitcher. You can expect him to keep his steals around the 21 he stole in 2007, and he gives your team a chance to get steals from a position most, if not all, other teams will get zero.

Chase Utley, 2B—PHI—He hits for average, he has power, he slices, he dices, he plays a weak fantasy position….and he steals some bases! Is there anything Chase Utley can't do???? Well, he won't single handedly win the save category, it isn't like he steals 50 bases. But when others are picking guys like Pujols and Fielder in the first round for their power numbers, your choice of Utley gets you a good deal of power, plus 15-20 steals that will help get you a few extra points out of your first choice.

Matt Holliday, OF—COL—As the NL MVP runner up turned his power numbers from ordinary to extraordinary, another stat that helps his owners is his double digit steals. Holliday has stolen at least ten bases for the past three seasons, and in rotisserie leagues, that makes him slightly more valuable than guys with similar numbers, and no steals. Holliday is the number one rated outfielder this season, so don't wait too long on him.

Carlos Lee, OF—HOU—Looking at Lee you would think the only running he would be doing would be to the buffet, but the big guy can move. Usually guys with nicknames that mean "the horse" in Spanish (Lee is called El Caballo), aren't known for their quick feet. Since 2000, Carlos has managed to steal at least 10 bases every year except one, topping out at 19 in 2006. He is approaching his mid-30's now, so it is possible that his years of having the green light are coming to an end, but until that happens expect another year of 10+ steals out of him.