A: Franchise Player: You literally have to own at least one to win.
B: Career Year: Veteran who has a good possibility to post his best season.
C: Sleeper: Player who could be a great acquisition at a bargain pick.
D: Roadblocked: Ranking dropped; no forseeable oppurtunity to play regularly.
E: Decliner: Expect moderately to significantly worse stats than in 2010.
F: Injury Risk: Player with a past history of injury that could recur.
G: Investor's Special: Bright future, but minimal impact in 2011.

Last year's rankings in parentheses.

Catchers
1. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (A) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Mauer took a step back in power in '10, launching only nine homers,
and just one at the new Target Field. However, the 2009 AL MVP
has one of the game's sweetest swings, which assures his owners
he'll bounce back, and bat well over .300 with plenty of RBI and
runs scored. Mauer turns 28 in April, so he'll be tops at this position
for many years to come. (1)

2. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The 2010 breakout star won NL ROY honors, and it's hard to
believe that the Giants would have won the championship without
him. At 23, Posey is already an elite performer. Posey mashed a
.305/.357/.505 line and 18 dingers and 67 RBI in just 108 games in '10,
and there are few youngsters in the game with the potential that
Posey possesses. (NR)

3. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2010 was another banner year for McCann, who blasted his way
to his third straight NL Silver Slugger Award. McCann led all NL
catchers in RBI (77), and finished with his fourth 20-homer
campaign in the last five seasons. While he did struggle down the
stretch (.226 AVG in September), McCann demonstrated improved
plate discipline in 2010, drawing a career-high 74 walks. (3)

4. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Santana saw his promising rookie season come to an abrupt end
in 2010 when he was involved in a collision with Red Sox outfielder
Ryan Kalish on August 2, which resulted in Santana needing left knee
surgery. The 24-year-old is expected to be close to 100 percent come
Opening Day, and he could be primed for a breakout sophomore
campaign. Many consider Santana an equal prospect to Buster
Posey. (NR)

5. Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A popular breakout candidate entering 2010, Wieters took a step
back offensively, struggling early on, which included a stretch
from May 6 to June 13 where he batted .189 without a homer.
Wieters did finish strong however, batting .282 in September.
Remember, he is just 24, with lots of room to grow. (4)

6. Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    After a slow start to the '10 campaign, Napoli took advantage of
the opportunity that Kendry Morales' injury opened up, setting
career-highs in homers (26) and RBI (68) in his first year of increased
playing time. After a pair of offseason trades that brought him to
Texas, Napoli's value has definitely increased. The versatile Napoli
will bash for Texas, be it at catcher, first base, or DH. (12)

7. Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The 2008 NL ROY bounced back after a serious sophomore
slump with an outstanding 2010 campaign, batting .280 and
bashing 17 home runs before season-ending shoulder surgery in
September limited his season to only 105 games. Even so, few other
catchers matched his '10 power numbers, and expect more of the
same at a good bargain price in 2011. (7)

8. Miguel Montero, Arizona Diamondbacks (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Montero, everyone's favorite sleeper, has finally landed that
coveted D'Backs starting catcher gig. Montero was on a tear early,
but only appeared in 85 games due to injury, and never really
seemed to recover from the injury, batting just .231 over the season's
last couple months. However, if healthy, Montero could be
dangerous at the plate this year. Still a sleeper, Montero is a
bargain-bin treasure. (5)

9. Chris Ianetta, Colorado Rockies (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    With the departure of Miguel Olivo, Ianetta is the Rockies'
clear-cut starting catcher. Over the last few seasons, Ianetta has
proven that with more at-bats comes increased production. Ianetta
hit just nine homers in 2010, but in only 188 at-bats. In 2008 and '09
combined however, Ianetta crushed 34 homers in 622 at-bats, and
with additional playing time, Ianetta could breakout in '11. (14)

10. Kurt Suzuki, Oakland Athletics
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Despite missing more than 20 games due to injury, Suzuki's
numbers were solid, but he faded into oblivion in the second half;
possessing tremendous potential at just 27, Suzuki will rebound with
a ton of at-bats in 2011. (9)

11. Jorge Posada, New York Yankees (E) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Now at 39, and with Russell Martin taking a majority of the starts
at catcher, Posada is destined to finish out his career as the
Yankees' designated hitter. But make no mistake, this
catcher-eligible player still has 20-homer potential in his bat,
especially in Yankee Stadium, and RBI chances will always be
abundant in the Bombers' lineup. (6)

12. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Boston Red Sox (C)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     While the Red Sox will bring back captain Jason Varitek for
another season, general manager Theo Epstein has said that the
team is comfortable heading into 2011 with Saltalamacchia as its
primary catcher. Salty saw very little playing time backing up Victor
Martinez last year after a Trade Deadline deal from the Rangers,
going 3-for-19 (.158) with three doubles, one RBI and six walks in 10
games with Boston. (NR)

13. Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Ruiz was the guy a lot of fantasy owners desperately plucked
out of free agents in June or July, and much to their surprise, he was
one of the league's best catchers in the second half. While Ruiz
looks to retain his role as a decent No. 2 catcher in most fantasy
formats, he recorded his highest half-season OPS (.886) after the
All-Star break in '10, suggesting there's a little more in store. (22)

14. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After an '09 campaign that showed Molina might have been on
the verge of something great, Molina regressed in the first half of
'10, batting a .223/.301/.294 line before the All-Star break, rendering
him entirely useless in all fantasy formats. But Molina bounced back
in the second half, batting at a .315/.368/.405 clip, and restoring his
value as a prominent No. 2 fantasy catcher. (13)

15. Russell Martin, New York Yankees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With Jorge posada now a liability behind the plate, the Yanks
signed Martin in the offseason to a lucrative contract for a guy
whose batting average, home run and stolen base totals have
declined every year since 2007; however, Martin still gets on base
plenty - as indicated by his .347 mark last season - and a move to a
hitter-friendly environment can send him on the rebound. (10)

16. A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Pierzynski has logged a lot of mileage behind the late, so his
days as a sleeper power source are likely over, and his batting
average also isn't nearly where it used to be. He still scores and
drives in a solid amount of runs, but he's no longer heralded. (15) 

17. J.P. Arencibia, Toronto Blue Jays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Blue Jays let John Buck walk this offseason, and traded
Mike Napoli after they had acquired him from the Angels, which
shows how confident the Jays management is of the young Arencibia.
Most feel he'll hit for a decent amount of power in '11: he slugged
.626 in Triple-A last season. While that didn't really translate in his
brief stint in the big leagues - slugged just .343 in 35 at-bats in '10 -
big things are being expected of Arencibia in 2011. A sleeper
candidate for AL ROY. (NR) 

18. Miguel Olivo, Seattle Mariners (E) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Catcher was one of the many black hole's on Seattle's roster in
2010, and management brought in the veteran Olivo to bring in
some punch at the position. Olivo will definitely help in the run
production and bring a little more stability in batting at a position
that only managed a .201 batting average with 10 home runs and
42 RBI in 2010. (NR)

19. John Buck, Florida Marlins (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     John Buck exploded onto the fantasy scene last season,
launching 20 home runs in only 118 games. But be cautious: Buck is
unlikely to match that feat in roomy Sun Life Stadium (as it is now
called), and a high strikeout rate suggests he won't bat a neat .281
again. (16)

20. John Jaso, Tampa Bay Rays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     John Jaso is a great fantasy option, except that he stinks at
Tropicana Field, his home ballpark; in 55 games at home in '10, Jaso
batted a measly .213, while batting .315 in 54 games on the road,
which is a stat that you don't see very often. (NR)

21. Nick Hundley, San Diego Padres (23)
22. Josh Thole, New York Mets (NR) 
23. Ryan Doumit, Pittsburgh Pirates (8)
24. Rod Barajas, Los Angeles Dodgers (NR) 
25. Chris Snyder, Pittsburgh Pirates (NR)

Designated Hitters
1. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Theoretically, Dunn could be a monster while playing half his
games at U.S. Cellular Field, a park that favors left-handed power
bats. However, Dunn's batting average can vary as much as the wind
in Chicago, so you can't make him a lock for 50 homers, 120 RBI and
100 runs scored just yet. (11 at 1B)

2. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    More time at DH and less behind the plate should only help
V-Mart's value on the offensive end and should make him one of the
top-two catchers off the board, considering he'll probably still
qualify as a backstop. You know what you're getting with V-Mart,
and barring any injuries, he'll deliver again, regardless of being on a
new team or not. (2 at catcher)

3. David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Batting .143 with one home run on May 1, Ortiz was utterly
helpless at the plate. He looked old and sapped of bat speed at
34, and Terry Francona was conflicted; do I bench him because of
his performance, or play him because of his clubhouse presence and
the fanfare that follows him wherever he goes?" He decided to play
him, and the wise manager's decision paid off: Big Papi went on to
hit .286 with 31 homers and a .558 slugging percentage from May 1
through the rest of the season. Obviously, Papi still has a lot of
game left in him, and with Adrian Gonzalez giving him added lineup
protection, Papi's numbers should increase. (4)

4. Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lind has a rough campaign in 2010, but a .267 batting average,
13 home runs and .498 slugging percentage after the break
suggests that Lind will have a bounce-back campaign; concerns
about Lind's ugly first half and his chronic struggles against lefties -
he slugged just .182 against them in '10, compared to .461 in '09 -
will make the masher the ultimate sleeper on draft day. (11 at OF)

5. Vladimer Guerrero, Baltimore Orioles (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Vlad experienced a resurgence during with Texas last season,
besting all of his 2009 numbers and posting his highest home run
total since '06. He signed with Baltimore in February to serve as the
team's primary DH and cleanup hitter, but trusting any 36-year-old
player to repeat previous numbers is a risky play. (2)

6. Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Butler is a great mid-round pick, but at a position where you want
a guy loaded with power, Butler is frustratingly borderline. Given his
size and ability to hit the ball hard (a career .325 BABIP), it seems
likely he'll bust out 25 jacks soon. Even if that is not this year, his
high contact rate ensures a .300/15/90 floor, and count on an
absurd amount of doubles. (12 at 1B)

7. Jason Kubel, Minnesota Twins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   After busting out with career numbers all across the board in '09,
Kubel appeared to have a down year in '10, but it actually wasn't
that far off from expectations. Kubel managed 21 home runs and 92
RBI, and his .249 batting average was just his high k-rate bringing
him back down to Earth. (1)

8. Hideki Matsui, Oakland Athletics (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Many Angels fans considered Matsui a headache in 2010, but
Godzilla made big offensive strides down the homestretch. Matsui
batted .371 with 27 RBI in his final 40 games in '10, but he's moving
to the spacious Colliseum, so he could be in for a power outage.
Don't expect top power numbers, but Matsui can be a cheap and
productive option at the utility position. (3)

9. Jack Cust, Seattle Mariners
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In 2010, the M's DH spot was dreadful, producing a woeful .194
average, .260 on-base percentage and .609 OPS from the quartet
of Ken Griffey, Mike Sweeney, Russell Branyan and Milton Bradley.
Cust averaged 28 homers and 76 RBI from 2007-09 with Oakland,
and he's a grinder at the plate with a career on-base percentage of
.378. (7)

10. Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     A right shoulder issue sent the oft-injured Pronk home early in
2010, but he did manage to avoid surgery; Hafner can still bat
fairly well and srive in a decent amount of runs if healthy. (8)

First Basemen
1. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Pujols earned his first RBI title and his second home run crown and
batted at least .300 with 30 homersand 100 RBI for the 10th
consecutive season. So, what can we expect during King Albert's
contract year? With some more consistency in the lineup, anything
is possible; if you have No. 1 pick in your fantasy draft, this is a
no-brainer. (1)

2. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    After producing a monster 2010 season, it seemed Cabby put his
off-field demons behind him; alas, a February DUI tells a different
tale, and a smart fantasy owner cannot ignore the possibility that
his on-field numbers could be affected. While Cabrera seems to be a
full-proof pick, he now comes with a high-risk/high-reward tag. (3)

3. Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Yes, every fantasy owner's dreams came true this offseason:
Gonzalez is out of Petco Park. Just thinking about what he may be
capable of makes you shiver; Gonzalez posted a 1.045 OPS away
from Petco in 2009, and batted .315 with a .980 OPS on the road
last year. He's got excellent power to all fields, and he's
surrounded by bashers; he's also in the prime of his career. (6)

4. Joey Votto, Cincinatti Reds (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Enough with the Canadian jokes, let's get serious. Votto's potent
mix of raw power, a good batting eye, favorable circumstances, and,
surprisingly, a burst of speed stirred so well together last season
that he took home NL MVP honors. At 27, he's just getting started.
It might be a lot to expect from a guy who just came off his
career-year, but 40 HR and a .320 batting average don't seem like a
joke. (7)

5. Mark Teixera, New York Yankees (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A model of consistency, Teixera has managed at least 30 home
runs and 100 RBI in each of his past seven seasons, missing only 58
games over that span. Teixera will be healthy entering the 2011
campaign after a hamstring scare in the ALCS last season, and an
eighth straight 30/100 year is on the way. (4)

6. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Did everybody enjoy Howard's four consecutive seasons of
45-plus home runs and 135-plus RBI from 2006-09? Yeah, never again.
The inevitable - age and the extreme lefty shift - have plagued
Howard, so you can expect more of a 35-40 homer, 120-125 RBI
campaign, which is better than awesome, but definitely not the old
Ryan Howard. (5)

7. Prince Fielder, Millwaukee Brewers (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Fielder was worked around a lot in 2010, and only 39.3 percent of
pitches thrown at him were in the strike zone, second-lowest in
baseball, and his 114 walks were top in the game. Having realized
that No. 5 hitter Casey McGehee is a completely capable run
producer, maybe opposing pitchers will be more willing to throw at
Fielder this season; being in a contract year, it could be big. (2)

8. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Yeah, go ahead Mr. Insecure Fantasy Owner, draft Jose Bautista.
I'll hold back my abundant joy as I draft Justin Morneau. Morneau
was on pace for a .345/33/100 stat line before he got hurt last
season, and I'm not buying into that "post-concussion
syndrome/playing in a pitcher's park" garbage; look at what David
Wright was capable of last season. While another .345 batting
average is certainly not to be expected, you can be assured that
Morneau will be big in 2011. (8)

9. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Konerko's game-changing power returned in 2010, as the
34-year-old bashed 39 homers, a mark he hasn't reached since
2005. While it may be lofty to expect a total like that again, the
acquisition of Adam Dunn to this offense sure increases his value,
and he'll continue to power the South Siders' offense for the
forseeable future. (24)

10. Kendry Morales, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The switch-hitting first baseman was on pace for his second
season of 30 homers and 100 RBIs before his injury. He is expected
to be ready for spring training, which is the best news the Angels
and potential fantasy owners can possibly hear. While the
historical outcomes are mixed, usually leg injuries do not affect a
batter's bat speed or power, so he's a safe selection in your draft
as an early-rounder. The fact that many may be a little stand-offish
about him may make him the best bargain of your fantasy draft, if
you pull the trigger at the right time. (8)

11. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    When healthy last season, Youk got on base at a .411 clip,
slugged a hefty .564 and had the lowest strikeout percentage of
his career; with Adrian Gonzalez on board at first, Youkilis will switch
back over to the hot corner and hit near the heart of the game's
premeir offense. (9)

12. Carlos Pena, Chicago Cubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Cubs signed Pena to big money a year removed from batting
.196 - with 28 homers. We all know what Pena is capable of -
.250/30/90 - and the hitter-friendly confines of Wrigley Field should
give him a significant boost in his batting average. A potential
high-round sleeper pick. (15)

13. Derrek Lee, Baltimore Orioles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After spending his entire 14-year career in the NL, Lee will embark
on his first American League campaign as a member of Baltimore's
vastly improved infield. Nagged by a thumb injury in '10, Lee fell well
short of his stellar 35-homer, 111-RBI 2009. With a full offseason of
rest, Lee will come out swinging in 2011, ready to earn his hefty
contract. Lee will have to prove to his critics that he isn't on the
downswing. (14)

14. Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Sanchez wowed in his rookie campaign, mashing 19 dingers and
driving in 85 runs while batting .273, numbers that gave NL ROY
favorites Buster Posey and Jason Heyward a run for their money.
While he had trouble laying off pitches - he whiffed 101 times - the
rookie showed good plate discipline, drawing 57 walks. Additional
power and an improved batting eye will make for a stellar sophomore
campaign for Sanchez. (NR)

15. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     LaRoche once again mashed 25 homers in 2010, while driving in
100 runs for the first time in his career. However, he also sported a
paltry .261 batting average and struck out 172 times. A move to
pitcher-friendly Nationals Park could further trouble LaRoche, but
he won't have to face NL West pitching, and a career line of
.314/.397/.608 in D.C. is very attractive. (20)

16. Aubrey Huff, San Francisco Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After leading the World Series champion Giants with 26 homers,
Huff earned the richest contract of his career. While AT&T Park isn't
known to be a hitter's haven, Huff had great splits in 2010. Huff has
a long history of harboring power, but you can't be too sure he can
match that production again. (21)

17. Ike Davis, New York Mets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Davis made rave reviews with his glove during his rookie campaign,
but he was smooth with the bat as well. Davis made a seamless
transistion to the Majors, hitting .264 with 19 homers, 71 RBI, and 73
runs scored, although he did have some trouble laying off bad
pitches, striking out in a quarter of his at-bats. With a full year of
big league experience under his belt, Davis can do some real
damage in 2011. (NR)

18. Luke Scott, Baltimore Orioles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With the additions of Vlady and Derrek Lee, Luke Scott is now
the O's everyday left fielder, a position he's only started at 37
times in the last two seasons. There should be no worries in the
production department: his batting average and home runs have
risen in each of his three seasons with the Birds. (6 at DH)

19. Ty Wigginton, Colorado Rockies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Wigginton, one of baseball's most reliable utility infielders, will
have a chance to the Rock's primary 1B in the wake of the collapse
of possible future HOF'er Todd Helton. If assured he'll have at least
450 at-bats, Wigginton is a lock for a .265-.270 batting average and
20-22 homers in the thin air at Coors Field. Wigginton is a great
sleeper pick with potential for a lot of production. (29)

20. James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Loney doesn't hit for much power, or draw that many walks, so
he's not one of the most desirable options at first base. But he has
quite a knack for driving in runners in scoring position, helping
himself to at least 88 RBI in each of the last three seasons. However,
a dwindling batting average in '10 has fueled his critics, and the only
way to silence them is to flash more lumber. (17)

21. Daric Barton, Oakland Athletics 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Barton isn't your prototypical first baseman. He possesses a keen
batting eye - he was tops in the Majors with 110 walks in '10 - which
is great, except for the fact that he doesn't have any power. While
you'd want to skip on him in an ordinary league format, he is a must
in leagues that count on-base percentage, as Barton was fifth in the
AL with a .393 mark last season. The poor Oakland offense limited
Barton to just 79 runs last season, which is still a great number for a
third-or-fourth-tier first baseman. He has good value if you're in a
deep league with plenty of infielders. (25)

22. Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals (F) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Big Puma suffered through the least productive season of his
career in '10, and the 35-year-old has a chronically balky knee, so it
was a big surprise when Berkman signed along with the Cards as an
outfielder rather than hooking up with a club in need of 1B or DH
help. The veteran hasn't seen time as an everyday outfielder since
'04, and there are plenty of questions about whether his surgically
repaired knee can patrol the outfield on a daily basis. Since 2008,
Berkman has seen drastic reductions in homers (29 in '08 to 14 in '10),
AVG (.312 to .248), RBI (106 to 58), runs scored (114 to 48) and OPS
(.986 to .781). Berkman has a lot to prove in 2011. (13)

23. Kila Ka'aihue, Kansas City Royals (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With Billy Butler batting primarily at DH from now on, Minor League
phenom Ka'aihue will finally get to show his chops at the Major
League level in 2011. The Hawaiian native has posted an OPS above
1.000 in two of his past three Minor league campaigns, which
included a .319/.463/.598 line in Triple-A last season. Ka'aihue
provides KC with a much needed middle-of-the-order masher, as well
as a keen batting eye - the hard-hitting 26-year-old has piled up
more walks than strikeouts for three years running. KC has no more
excuses - Ka'aihue will have the opportunity to be a stud AL ROY
favorite in '11. (NR)

24. Justin Smoak, Seattle Mariners (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After failing to get anything going with the Rangers, Smoak was
dealt to the Mariners in the Cliff Lee deal in July. After arriving in The
Emerald City, the Smoak Monster continued his downward trend,
striking out 23 times in just 16 games, after which he was promptly
demoted. Recalled with just two weeks remaining in the season, the
post-hype switch-hitter raked, batting .340 with three homers over
the remainder of the year, recalling his stellar Minor League track
record, which suggests the small sample size was no fluke. (NR)

25. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Taking a look at Freeman's Minor League career - .301/.363/.472
career averages - it's hard to believe that he is just 21. The lefty has
a terrific swing that will help him hit for average and a little bit of
power, and he'll be an early NL ROY favorite if he continues to be a
hit machine. Batting alongside his former roommate Jason Heyward,
Atlanta will have one of the best left-handed hitting tandems in the
game for many years to come. (NR)

26. Brad Hawpe, San Diego Padres (37 at OF)
27. Matt LaPorta, Cleveland Indians (NR)
28. Mitch Moreland, Texas Rangers (NR)
29. Russell Branyan, Arizona Diamondbacks (NR)
30. Jorge Cantu, San Diego Padres (18) 

Second Basemen
1. Robinson Cano, New York Yankees (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   The 2010 AL MVP candidate has broken through the gap to
superstardom, setting career-highs in homers, RBI, walks, on-base
percentage and slugging while earning his first Gold Glove. He also
reached 200 hits for the second consecutive year, and his 404
knocks over the past two seasons are 2nd in the Majors - behind
none other than Ichiro, of course. The second baseman has no
apparent offensive weaknesses, and he's a near-lock to hit well
over .300 with 40-plus doubles, 25-plus homers and 100 or more RBI
and runs scored in the middle of the Yankees' order. (3)

2. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Drubbed by a thumb injury for a majority of the '10 season, Utley
didn't play up to expectations, falling way short in every major
offensive fantasy category. Healthy, there's nothing else to
expect but a bounce-back, which means a return to the .285/28/90
numbers we know and love. 100-plus runs scored and 15 steals also
are very appealing. (1)

3. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Dustin Pedroia broke his foot on his own foul ball on June 25,
ending his season during a month where he put on a laser show,
batting .374. Pedroia has career 162-averages of 16 homers, 16
steals and 49 2B, but considering Pedroia banged out 24 doubles, a
dozen homers and nine steals in only 75 games, a full season likely
would have resulted in career-highs in all of those categories. Now
that his foot is fully recovered, the 2008 AL MVP will be playing
with a chip on his shoulder. A potential career year is in the works
for an already dangerous hitter. (5)

4. Dan Uggla, Atlanta Braves (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The only 2B in history with 4 30+ HR seasons will be taking his
talents away from South Beach in 2011. Uggla's new place to call
home will be hitter-friendly Turner Field, and potential fantasy
owners are already beaming. After eaching new career highs in hits,
homers, RBI, batting average, on-base percentage and OPS in 2010,
Uggla could elevate his game even more in Atlanta. (11)

5. Brandon Phillips, Cincinatti Reds
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Franchise maintained the consistency that has ranked him
among baseball's best at the 2B position in '10. Since 2006, Phillips is
3rd in homers (127), 4th in RBI (404), 2nd in steals (121) and 6th in
runs scored (430) among players who've played at least 60% of
their games at 2B. Although Phillips posted the lowest home run,
steals, and RBI production of his five years in Cincy in '10, Phillips
set career-highs in doubles and walks while scoring 100 runs and
posting his typical averages. A reduced strikeout rate shows a
maturing approach at the plate, and a big rebound could be
possible in 2011. (4)

6. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Kinsler has seemed to have lost his luster among fantasy circles,
but remember that Kinsler - who batted .310 before the break - was
an All-Star last season. Kinsler's critic's like to mention his declining
'10 home run production. Also remember that Kinsler's 96 home runs
since '06 trails only Robbie Cano among AL 2B. With a healthy year,
Kinsler, 28, can return to elite status at this position. (2)

7. Rickie Weeks, Millwaukee Brewers (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In a game where consistency rules, Weeks is a frustrating high
risk/high reward player. The reward is a .270 batting average with
25 home runs and 20 stolen bases, possibly more; the risk is him
fighting the injury bug all season and batting .235. Ambitious
fantasy players may take Rickie as high as the 3rd round, but
realistic owners will be hesitant to bite at him until the 5th or 6th
rounds. If you're that ambitious owner, I'd at least wait until the 4th
round; if he produces like he did last season, you just got a great
sleeper pick. (12)

8. Kelly Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Johnson found his power stroke last season, as he posted
career-highs in homers, RBI, and slugging. Johnson particularly was
fond of his new home at Chase Field, batting .311 with 16 homers
there. Although Johnson K'd a career-high 148 times, he wasn't just
swingin' for the fences, as Johnson also enjoyed career marks in
runs scored, steals, and on-base percentage. Johnson, at the ripe age
of 29 this season, is a strong bet to match, if not top, the offensive
highs he set last season. (18)

9. Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Injuries limited Roberts to just 59 games in 2010, but by no means
was he not productive - Roberts batted .295 with 13 runs scored and
5 steals in 95 September at-bats. Roberts puts himself in position to
score - B-Rob has hit 50+ doubles three times in his career, and has
stolen 30+ bases four times. A newly-stocked lineup that includes
big bashers Vladimer Guerrero, Mark Reynolds and Derrek Lee
should be of big benefit to Roberts on the basepaths. (6)

10. Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Neil Walker was tremendous during his rookie season, batting
.296 for the Bucs - 2nd-best AVG among 2B last season with at
least 400 at-bats. That was punctuated by a .306 AVG post-All Star
break, and an AVG that hovered above .300 every day from July
20-August 16 and August 31-September 15. Walker was also 4th on
the team in runs scored (57) and second in runs batted in (66),
despite playing just 110 games. If the 25-year-old wasn't on your
radar before, he should definitely be on your radar now. (NR)

11. Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Even though Hill bashed 26 homers in 2010, his batting average
plummeted to .205 thanks to an extremely unlucky .196 batting
average on balls in play. That was almost 100 points below his
career mark, so there's no reason to doubt that his batting average
will rebound in 2011 while still producing plenty of pop. (7)

12. Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After a career year in 2009, Zobrist saw his OPS plummet from
.948 to .699 in a disappointing follow-up campaign. However, the
versatile switch-hitter did steal a career-high 24 bases, and hit .300
(6-for-20) with a .550 slugging percentage in the American League
Division Series against the Rangers, providing reason to believe he
can bounce back in '11. (8)

13. Gordon Beckham, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Beckham suffered through a terrible sophomore slump for a
majority of the '10 season, then showed upside during a hot summer
streak before a hand injury slowed him in September. In July and
August, Beckham batted .331 with 13 doubles and seven homers, all
but two of his 2010 total of nine dingers. Beckham's slump was
factored by a regression in plate discipline, which causes some concern,
but Beckham is still just 24, and has considerable upside. (10 at 3B)

14. Ryan Raburn, Detroit Tigers (C) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Raburn will battle Brennan Boesch for the Tigers' starting left-field
job, and the 29-year-old has the potential to put up some pretty big
numbers this year after a strong finish to last season. Raburn hit .308
with eight homers in August and then followed that up with a .358
average and five dingers the rest of the way. (NR)

15. Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Kendrick finally had that full season we've all been waiting for in
2010, and his numbers were...well, the same as if he'd had 200
fewer at-bats. Kendrick needs to learn how to drive pitches
instead of just looking to make contact, but he still provides good
production in an infield-deep league. (9)

16. Omar Infante, Florida Marlins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Many were shocked when Infante earned an All-Star nod in 2010,
but he justified it by setting career-highs with a .321 batting average
and .775 OPS in his first season as a regular since '05 with the Tigers.
Acquired by the Marlins in the blockbuster Dan Uggla deal, Infante
will be the Marlins' everyday second baseman in '11, but his strikeout
to walk ratio suggests that he won't be able to match last season's
batting average. Still, Infante has proven in the past that he has the
potential to provide a wide range of offensive value. (NR)

17. Chone Figgins, Seattle Mariners (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     A lot of people have jumped off the Figgins bandwagon after a
2010 that saw him post a career-low batting average and a
career-high in strikeouts, and while he may be in decline, that
doesn't mean he doesn't have any value. The bottom line here is
that Figgins still has plenty of speed, should be able to pick up his
batting average, and will be available for a bargain pick. (7 at 3B)

18. Sean Rodriguez, Tampa Bay Rays  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Also qualifying as an outfielder, Rodriguez will likely start at
second base for the Rays on Opening Day, but he's going to need
to produce consistently in order to keep it, especially against
righties (.226 career AVG). Even if he's not starting at second,
Rodriguez will probably be getting at-bats elsewhere, and he has
enough pop in his bat to warrant interest as a utility middle infielder
for your fantasy squad. (NR)

19. Juan Uribe, Los Angeles Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     While you're surely not rostering him because of his batting
average (his career number is .256), Uribe is a valuable fantasy
player because of his versatility, qualifying as a second baseman,
third baseman and shortstop in 2011. Power is another thing that
makes Uribe worth a look, as he bashed 24 last year, and even in
Dodger Stadium, he should produce, given he played in AT&T Park
last year, a place that's not to kind to hitters itself. (NR)

20. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Minnesota Twins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The Japanese MVP will immediately start at second base for the
Twins, who are desperately looking for some consistency at the
position. The speedy leadoff type is a slap hitter with gap power,
but holes in his swing lead to questions about how that'll translate
stateside. The batting champ overseas, he'll likely bat for average
and steal some bases, but don't expect much power. He's versatile,
which makes him valuable in deep leagues. (NR)

21. Bill Hall, Houston Astros
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Hall appeared to be on his way to the veteran trash bin after
three straight seasons of decline, but he rebounded last season with
Boston to provide his best production since 2006. Hall's 18 homers
(in just 344 at-bats) were the second-highest total of his career, and
it earned him a brand new contract from the Astros in the offseason.
However, Hall's poor plate discipline can once again work against
himself, and he's always struggled in Minute Maid Park. (NR)

22. Danny Espinosa, Washington Nationals (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      While he wasn't that impressive in his short stint with the Nats
last season, the 23-year-old did manage to clout six dingers in just
103 at-bats for the big league club, and his skillset should prove to
make him a long-shot sleeper in NL ROY contention. (NR)

23. Reid Brignac, Tampa Bay Rays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Jason Bartlett would not have been traded to the Padres if the
Rays didn't think Reid Brignac could step up and be the team's
starting second baseman or shortstop. The clutch hitter and slick
fielder will finally have the opportunity to prove that he's worthy of
every day play. (NR)

24. Orlando Hudson, San Diego Padres   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Hudson is back in a division he's very familiar with, playing on a
sweet infield, and should provide the offense-starving Pads with
stability at the top of the order. Playing in Target Field last season,
and Dodger Stadium the year before, O-Dog won't be fazed in
spacious Petco Park, a place he's played in as a visitor many times
before. (16)

25. Chris Getz, Kansas City Royals 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Kansas City offered Getz with meaningful playing time last season,
but the 27-year-old speedster was troubled by an oblique injury
before his season finally ended because of a concussion. Getz has
developed his baserunning over the past two years, resulting in 41
steals in 46 attempts over 189 games. Kansas City will give him
another shot at regular playing time in '11, and his ability on the
basepaths makes him a valuable asset whenever he plays. (NR)

26. Eric Young, Colorado Rockies (NR)    
27. Freddy Sanchez, San Francisco Giants (19)
28. Mark Ellis, Oakland Athletics (22)
29. Skip Schumaker, St. Louis Cardinals (NR) 
30. Alexei Casilla, Minnesota Twins (24) 

Third Basemen
1. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays (A)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Longoria suffered through a prolonged power outage in 2010, only
belting 22 home runs compared to 33 in '09, yet the rest of his
numbers were up to par; in fact, Longoria managed career-highs in
batting average, hits and stolen bases. Yes, 124 strikeouts is a lot of
hacks, but he still maintained a respectable .294. Without Crawford
or Carlos Pena bolstering his lineup spot, his numbers this season
are an uncertainty, yes, but keep in mind he's only 25. 35 home runs
and 125 RBI in this stifled lineup may be a longshot, but a .300 AVG,
100 runs scored and 15 SB seem like a lock. (3)

2. David Wright, New York Mets (A) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    On a disastrous Mets squad playing in a poorly-planned ballpark,
Wright is a bright spot. He provides a lot of power and speed, and
the evil left field fence is a problem no more. The only negative I can
mention about the New York triple-sacker is that drastic batting
average reduction (.307 in '09, .283 in '10). (2)

3. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (A) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rodriguez has been No. 1 at this position for so long, it's hard to
wrap your mind around the fact that he's just 35. While that
nagging hip is making him increasingly inconsistent, Rodriguez is
still putting up quality numbers, and A-Rod bashed his 13th
consecutive season of 30 home runs and 100 RBI - an MLB record. (1)

4. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals (A)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Zimmerman has averaged 29 homers, 96 RBI, 98 runs scored and
a .299 batting average over the past two seasons, and he's
entering his age-26 season. If Zimmerman played for a more team
with a more consistent offense - say, the Yankees - he might even
be No. 1 on this list. (4)

5. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    While drafting Beltre in the season he signs a multi-year deal
does not seem like a winning approach, you've got to like his
situation. A great contact hitter (79.2% career contact rate) in a
cushy lineup in a friendly home park. Beltre's peripherlas suggest a
good blend of batting average and power. (13) 

6. Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The highly regarded prospect lived up to his big billing in his
first taste of big league ball in 2010, knocking 16 homers over just
347 at-bats; he'll put up big numbers in his first full big league
campaign. (NR)

7. Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ramirez got off to a really slow start in 2010, and his final .241
batting average fell well short of his career .293 mark with the Cubs.
However, Ramirez looked more like himself in the second half,
batting .276 with 15 homers and 51 RBI. (8)

8. Mark Reynolds, Baltimore Orioles 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Reynolds own the three highest single-season strikeout totals in
MLB history, and whiffs were the primary reason his batting average
sank below .200 last season. But an intriguing number was a .257
BABIP, which suggests Reynolds was extremely unlucky when it came
to finding gaps in the field. In his prime at 27, Reynolds is coming off
a career-best 83 walks, which suggests he's still maturing as a hitter.
The third baseman may need some time to adjust to AL pitching, but
otherwise Reynolds should have improved numbers in '11. (6)

9. Michael Young, Texas Rangers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Young's future - be it with the Rangers or somebody else - is full
of mirk, but that shouldn't be a problem, as he's expected to once
again put up some of the most consistent numbers in fantasy
baseball. 80-plus RBI and a .280-.300 average is a lock, and even
with Adrian Beltre taking his job at third, Young will get plenty of
at-bats at DH and around the infield. (9) 

10. Casey McGehee, Millwaukee Brewers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The young McGehee busted out in 2010, bashing 23 home runs
and driving in 100 runs, and ignoring everything his critics say about
him. Although his 102 punchouts make him appear a free-swinger,
McGehee has managed to avoid any prolonged slumps in his short
career, and his .337 on-base percentage is the real deal. (17)

11. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sandoval was one of the game's best hitters in 2009, but his
numbers saw a huge dip last season, and he wasn't even a prominent
figure in San Francisco's title run. There's nothing in his numbers that
suggests he can repeat his '09 performance, and that causes a lot of
worry in the fantasy community. Still, Kung Fu Panda can rake. He
should be motivated to rebound from his rough 2010. (5)

12. Ian Stewart, Colorado Rockies (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Stewart is a guy who is on the verge of a breakout campaign, a
guy who has the power and ability to drive in runs, but just hasn't
made it big yet; could 2011 be the year? (12)

13. Scott Rolen, Cincinatti Reds
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The veteran hot corner revitalized his career in '10, being selected
to his sixth All-Star team. He rediscovered some of his missing power,
mashing 20 homers, after only managing 11 in both '08 and '09. While
Rolen has logged a lot of miles at the hot corner, he can clearly still
hold his own at the plate and on the field. Provided his health holds
up, he should be good for solid across-the-board numbers once
again in 2011. (19)

14. Mike Aviles, Kansas City Royals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After disappointing in his shortened '09 campaign, Aviles proved
that his '08 rookie season was no fluke, as he earned his shot at a
full-time job. The 29-year-old went on to bat .305 or better in four of
his five months, finishing .304 overall and becoming one of the most
consistent performers on the Royals roster. Aviles also swiped 14 bags
and hinted at his greater power potential with six September home
runs. Entering 2011 as the Royals starter at third base, Aviles also
plays both of the middle infield positions, which makes him valuable
to any team. (NR)

15. Chase Headley, San Diego Padres (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     It's the same old story with Headley: a Minor league basher, he
just hasn't quite put it together offensively in the big leagues,
although he has put together some awesome streaks. Headley will
turn 27 this May, and with Adrian Gonzalez long gone, you have to
wonder: is this the year he finally breaks out? (14)

16. Placido Polanco, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     While he didn't experience the power jump that many were
hopeful of, Polanco produced well in '10. While the 35-year-old's
production is better suited for the middle infield than the hot corner,
his strong average and contact skills make him a capable offensive
performer at any position. Expected to be fully recovered from
elbow surgery, the consistent Polanco should deliver his usual
production. Polanco is a good pick for a team that's already stacked
with power and in need of a high-average bat. (16)

17. Chris Johnson, Houston Astros (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     While Houston was middling through a horrendous mid-season,
Houston decided, "What the heck", and gave the hot corner job to
the free-swinging Chris Johnson. Certainly not to be confused with his
namesake that plays for the Tennessee Titans, Johnson had a much
inflated rookie campaign, numbers that featured an astronomical .387
BABIP. On the flip side, Johnson whiffed 91 times compared to just 15
bases on balls, suggesting a rougher time at the plate come his
sophomore campaign. Look for the youngster to show plenty of pop,
but his realistic batting average will be well below .300. (NR)

18. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves (F) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     While he's not the offensive force he used to be, Chipper was
solid in a half-season's worth of at-bats in '10, belting 10 home runs
while driving in 46 and scoring 47 times. Staying healthy is the major
concern with Jones, who tore his left ACL last season just as his bat
was heating up. If healthy, Jones will produce, but that's a huge if
for the veteran switch-hitter. Jones is a major gamble that should
only be made given you have plenty of infield depth. (11)

19. Danny Valencia, Minnesota Twins   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Twins have struggled to find a good third baseman in recent
years, but they may have found their guy in Valencia. The rookie
displayed excellent contact from the get-go, and showcased a
power stroke as the season dwindled down. While Valencia won't
be the big-time slugger that you want from a fantasy third baseman,
Valencia brings plenty of batting average and gap power to the table.
Look for Valencia to build on a promising rookie season. (NR)

20. Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Encarnacion hit a whopping 21 dingers and slugged .482 in only
332 at-bats, as he seemed to have found his lost power stroke.
Encarnacion should see plenty of at-bats at DH for the free-swinging
Jays, which will only increase his power potential. While Edwin has
never quite put it all together over a full season before - except in
his career year of '08 with Cincinatti - he's in a prime position to be a
sleeper source of strong power numbers. (28)

21. Kevin Kouzmanoff, Oakland Athletics 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With continually declining power numbers in each of his past three
campaigns, it's clear that the once-coveted prospect will never be the
big-bopper he was advertised to be. And while he does play in a
pitcher-friendly ballpark, Kouz hasn't helped himself in adjusting to
pitchers who've exploited his aggressive approach. Kouz provides
pop, and he's in his prime, but don't expect much improvement at
this point. (15)

22. David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Being sidelined by ankle injuries in each of the past two seasons,
Freese has endured a bit of tough luck during his time with the big
league team. Freese was on his way to a quality rookie campaign
before getting hurt in 2010, and he showed intriguing power in the
minors. With some better luck in the health department, Freese
could finally deliver on that breakthrough season that's been
waiting to happen. (26)

23. Brandon Inge, Detroit Tigers (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Inge has a well-deserved reputation as one of the league's most
consistent fielders, but he also has a reputation as one of the
league's most inconsistent batters. So what can we expect from Inge
in 2011? Well past his prime at 33, Inge should have some streaks of
power, but it's hard to see him being consistent enough to bat above
.240. (20)

24. Casey Blake, Los Angeles Dodgers (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     A consistent producer since becoming a full-time player with the
Indians in 2003, Blake showed signs of slipping in '10. Given that he's
37, a dropoff isn't too surprising, and he'll continue to decline as he
strikes out more and gets on base less. With the Dodgers looking
for future options, the end of the road is getting near for the
once-reliable Blake. (18)

25. Brent Morel, Chicago White Sox  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Morel has drawn rave reviews for his flashy glovework, but will he
be able to hit consistently enough to hold down an everyday job? A
career .305/.354/.464 line in the minors says it's a safe bet that he
can. He's a slap hitter for the time being, but he's gaining a power
stroke, and he should be a promising ROY candidate. (NR)

26. Alberto Callaspo, Los Angeles Angels (27 at 2B)
27. Jayson Nix, Cleveland Indians (NR)
28. Macier Izturis, Los Angeles Angels (NR) 
29. Melvin Mora, Arizona Diamondbacks (NR) 
30. Brandon Wood, Los Angeles Angels (25)

Shortstops
1. Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   You must understand here that what Ramirez does is sensational
for a shortstop. That's why if you have the first overall pick in your
fantasy draft this year, as in the past several years, Han-Ram is
worth your attention. Remember: in a standard 12-team mixed,
eveybody will feature an outstanding first baseman, but only a
couple teams will feature an outstanding shortstop. Entering his
age-27 season, Ramirez already has a 30-30 campaign and a
batting title under his belt. (1)

2. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In a position with scarce talent, Tulowitzki is very attractive, and
the Coors Field effect makes him even more so. His career batting
average splits are .312 at home/.269 away, including a .339/.291
split in 2010. This makes a .300/35/110 line certainly attainable,
provided Tulo avoids injury. (2)

3. Jose Reyes, New York Mets (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    With 603 plate appearances last season, it appears Reyes is
finished dealing with the injury bug. Though his production was
consistent in '10 (.282/11/54), his steals were down, and he largely
disappointed in his first full season since 2008. With a lock for the
lead-off spot on Opening Day, though, you can bank on Reyes
bouncing back. If he plays a full schedule, you can rely on 40-plus
stolen bases and 100-plus runs scored, which still ranks him among
the elite at this poor position. (3)

4. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Last season, despite batting 30 points lower than he'd hit in any
of the previous five seasons - and 64 points lower than in '09 - Jeter
still ranked third at shortstop in fantasy value. With a chip on his
shoulder and looking to prove himself after his aggressive contract
negotiations this winter, Jeter will definitely boost his average by at
least 15 points. Along with that, he'll score his usual 100-plus runs
and push 20 steals. His high GB rate in '10 (3.6 GB/FB compared to
2.5 career) suggests that his slouchy 2010 was a fluke; but he is
36-years old. (4)

5. Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rollins will make things easier for himself  in regard to his future
as a relevant fantasy baseball player if he stays healthy in 2011.
Rollins played in a career-low 88 games last season while battling
right calf and hamstring injuries, and as a result Rollins endured his
lowest batting average, runs scored, RBI, steals and home runs since
2000, when he only appeared in 14 games as a call-up. Rollins has
insisted that he's back to full health, and if so, we know what to
expect from him: Rollins will be a devil on the basepaths. (5)

6. Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Andrus is only 22, and has already proved he can perform
against the big boys at an All-Star level. After stealing 30-plus bags
in each of his first two big league campaigns, we already know he's
got elite speed. But what Andrus hasn't shown us is a consistent
batting eye; Andrus batted .280 in a first half that earned him a
slot in the Midsummer Classic, but struggled to bat .247 after it,
including a miserable .184 in September-October. (9)

7. Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ramirez continues to be overlooked by the majority of the
fantasy community, despite the fact that he's getting more
consistent. The White Sox are hoping Ramirez can reproduce his
successful 2010 campaign, one that saw him bat .282, score 83 runs,
drive in 70, and bash 18 home runs, all among the leaders at the
shortstop position. Don't overlook this talent on draft day. (10) 

8. Stephen Drew, Arizona Diamondbacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    D'Backs manager Kirk Gibson has indicated that he would like
batting Drew in the third slot on the lineup card, which puts a lot of
pressure on the 28-year-old. Not only is Drew not a basher - his
averages since the 2007 season are 15 home runs and 63 RBI - but
he doesn't have a very good history at the spot, batting just .213
in the 3-hole in 155 at-bats. However, Drew has hinted at his big
power potential (21 homers in 2008) and he's in his physical prime;
Drew's time to rise is now. (7)

9. Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Castro will likely start the year slotted in the 2nd spot in the
lineup, which could put the youngster in a good position to score a
lot of runs with bashers Carlos Pena and Aramis Ramirez batting
behind him. Castro went on both prolonged hot and cold streaks
during his rookie campaign, but for the most part he tore up Major
League pitching, batting an astounding .347 in 54 combined games
in July and August. While he won't stun anyone with his power - his
two homers in his first 15 games accounted for two-thirds of his final
total - the soon to be 21-year-old is calm and collected at the plate,
and has a swing that should resist a sophomore slump. (NR)

10. Marco Scutaro, Boston Red Sox (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     In a Sox lineup that was decimated with injuries, Scutaro was a
nice constant. Playing 150 games, Scutaro tied for second among
shortstops with 92 runs scored. He also showed some pop, mashing
a double-digit home run total for the second consecutive year. While
the presence of Jed lowrie raises a little concern, Scutaro will likely
get the bulk of the time at short. In the powerful Red Sox lineup,
Scutaro will score plenty of runs, and has lots of value at SS. (26)

11. Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Desmond played the role of a perfect platoon partner in '10,
managing a .300/.341/.457 batting line against left-handers
compared to .257/.295/.369 against right-handers. Still only 25, the
Nationals are working vigorously with Desmond to try to turn him
into a franchise player, and if he's available in the mid-to-late
rounds, go ahead and take a chance. (29)

12. Rafael Furcal, Los Angeles Dodgers (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Furcal was very good when he was healthy enough to take the
field in 2010, managing an All-Star caliber .319/.381/.518 batting line
with eight home runs, 33 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 41 runs scored in
57 games between May hamstring injuries and August back injuries.
Furcal, now 33 years old, is increasingly becoming a risk/reward kind
of fantasy player, making it fortunate that he plays at this thin
position. (12)

13. Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Escobar is definitely a steals sleeper this year, and there's room
for growth in his batting average. A player with wheels like Escobar
should get on base way more often than the measly .288 clip he
registered last season, and his skills could be useful in a league
that has plenty of depth at IF. (14)

14. Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Cabrera broke his forearm in mid-May, derailing his chances at
posting a solid follow-up campaign to his 2009 breakout. Back to
full health, the 25-year-old will fly under the radar this season, but
will have the chance to post double-digit homers and steals. (11)  

15. Yunel Escobar, Toronto Blue Jays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     A new change of scenery in Toronto can yield the bounce back
results that made Escobar a solid fantasy shortstop from 2007 to
2009. Double-digit home runs are still in reach, and while he
doesn't run much, Escobar could score a lot of runs in the Toronto
lineup; a bonafide late-round sleeper pick. (8)

16. Johnny Peralta, Detroit Tigers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Peralta seemed to find his power stroke again in the seond half
with Detroit last season, and he could be in line for a 20-homer
campaign in '11 if he can continue his power stroke. (21 at 3B)

17. Miguel Tejada, San Francisco Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Giants took a roll of the dice with Tejada this offseason,
inking him to a one-year deal, despite the fact that he's 36 and his
offensive numbers have been in decline for the past several
seasons. Tejada doesn't get on base at a terrific rate either, so if
you pick him, you're banking on the fact that he can still score and
drive in runs at a solid rate. (15)

18. Cliff Pennington, Oakland Athletics
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Very quietly, Pennington swiped 29 bags in 2010, making him an
asset for anybody's fantasy squad; while Pennington may have to
contend with Adam Rosales for at-bats, Pennington will still be a
quiet contributor. (28)

19. Alex Gonzalez, Atlanta Braves (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The only thing that Gonzalez has that will harbor any interest
from fantasy owners at this point in his career is his occasional pop,
something that was more than occasional in 2010, as he went yard
23 times in a career-high 640 plate appearances. His career batting
average, though, is .248, and Gonzalez is the type of player who
can kill you in a head-to-head matchup. (23)

20. Ryan Theriot, St. Louis Cardinals (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Theriot is one of the most consistent performers at shortstop
over his four full seasons, averaging around 80 runs and 20 steals
while batting at a solid clip. His numbers dipped a bit last year,
but a move into the powerful Cardinals lineup could prove to be a
launching pad. (17)

21. J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Hardy cranked out a combined 50 home runs between the
2007-08 seasons before having his stock fall drastically over the
last two years. A new start in hitter-friendly Camden Yards could be
the perfect remedy for Hardy, provided he can stay healthy. (16)

22. Orlando Cabrera, Cleveland Indians
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Battling injuries throughout the year, Cabrera was quietly
productive in 2010, scoring 64 runs and swiping 11 bags in only 123
games; he'll be available at a fair price, probably dropping into
free agency. (18)

23. Jason Bartlett, San Diego Padres
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     San Diego GM Jed Hoyer calls Bartlett a "pest" and a "winning
player", but his fantasy owners in 2010 would prefer the word
"failure" when describing Bartlett. The former Padres farmhand
failed to live up to expectations, albeit very lofty ones, in 2010,
batting just .254 with a measly four dingers. (6)

24. Clint Barmes, Houston Astros
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Barmes was brought in by Houston, who had only nine home
runs by middle infielders last season, to bring some extra-base
power and production to the Astros lineup and weakest position in
2010: shortstop. Barmes hit a career-high 23 homers in 2009, but
only bashed eight while batting .235 in a limited role for the Rockies
last season. (17 at 2B)

25. Erick Aybar, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      A comeback season from Erick Aybar will be vital to the Halos'
playoff run, and is key to returning the top of the lineup to its
former terrifying level of production; his talent is unquestioned. (13)

26. Jed Lowrie, Boston Red Sox (NR) 
27. Yuniesky Betancourt, Millwaukee Brewers (21)
28. Jerry Hairston, Washington Nationals (NR) 
29. Brendan Ryan, Seattle Mariners (24) 
30. Ronny Cedeno, Pittsburgh Pirates (27)

Outfielders
1. Ryan Braun, Millwaukee Brewers (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   In 2010, Braun had a "down" year. That is, if you consider a .304
batting average, 25 home runs, 103 RBI, 101 runs scored and 14
steals a bad year. Braun is back to reclaim his title as the league's
best fantasy outfielder, simply because he can bash with the best
of them, even in a "down" year. His consistency is unheard of, and
that's why he should be the No. 1 outfielder on everybody's 2011
cheat sheet. (1)

2. Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Holliday led the Cards in batting at .312, hit 28 homers and drove
in 103 runs in the first year of his seven-year megadeal. For any
skeptics who doubted his power away from the friendly confines of
Colorado's Coors Field, I think Holliday has given them a firm
answer. With a more consistent lineup to back him, and an Albert
Pujols contract year, a return to the line of .315/35/120 isn't out of
the picture. (6)

3. Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It's strange to see Crawford batting third in the lineup, but the
move makes since when you look at the talent of Crawford and the
ballpark he plays in. Crawford has always had 20-homer potential,
and as a lefty in lefty-friendly Fenway Park, he could finally reach
that mark. In the lineup that he's in, he could also drive in 100 runs.
While Fenway may limit the impact of his speed, the duo of
Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury is lethal. (2)

4. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The reigning AL MVP is poised for another mind-blowing season.
His stats last season were unreal - a .359 batting average, 32 home
runs and 100 RBI in just 133 games. A full season for the 29-year-old
could result in astronomical numbers. While another .359 batting
average can't be expected, a league-leading amount of homers and
RBI is entirely possible. (20)

5. Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    CarGo was the No. 1 player in Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues in
2010, but don't expect that kind of production two years in a row,
not quite. Like his teammate Tulo, CarGo's home/away splits are
very spread; .380/.289 in 2010 sounds great, but he's at .305/.263
for his career. While his batting average likely won't come anywhere
near .336 again, it's a strong possibility his power numbers could
rise. (41)

6. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    What down year? Yes, it did appear that Kemp was uninterested
and unfocused a lot of the time in 2010, but his numbers were still
great: 28 home runs, 89 RBI, 82 runs scored, 19 stolen bases. Leave
out his .249 batting average, and he looks like he had an excellent
year. Now let us remember what Kemp has done and is capable of:
.290-plus batting average, possibly .300; 100-plus RBI and runs
scored; 35 or more stolen bases - now you probably remember why
he was considered a top-ten fantasy player a year ago, and why
he should still be on your radar. (3)

7. Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Washington stunned the baseball world by giving Werth a
seven-year, $126 million deal - not bad for a 31-year-old with 120
career homers and a .272 batting average. With six last-place
finishes in the past seven years, Washington was looking to add
some production in their outfield for 2011, and Werth certainly
provides that. Coming off a career-best season in 2010, Werth nearly
had more home runs, runs batted in, and runs scored than the
entire Nationals outfield last season combined. (9)

8. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    At just 24-years old, McCutchen batted .286 with 16 home runs, 56
RBI, 33 stolen bases, and scored 94 runs in what was probably the
Majors most inconsistent lineup. McCutchen is the complete
package, and one of the most exciting players to watch in the
game today, and he's only going to get better. McCutchen is
continually getting bigger and stronger, so these power numbers
have nowhere to go but up. The only thing I don't like about this
guy is the team he plays for; Pittsburgh needs to prove that they
are comitted to winning, and they need to surround this stud with
better ballplayers. (28)

9. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ten-straight seasons of 200-plus hits is extremely amazing, and
he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer in an age of uncertainty, but this is
where baseball logic and fantasy logic collide. Baseball logic says
you can't pass up on a guy who bats .310-.320 and steals 40 bases;
fantasy logic says otherwise. You can get both average and steals
off of waivers (Omar Infante; Rajai Davis), or you can draft Shane
Victorino in later rounds. But if you're in a league that counts hits,
Ichiro's value definitely goes way up. (8)

10. Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland Indians (B) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Many people have never heard of him, but the unheralded
outfielder is one of fantasy basebal's most dependable players.
Last season, he was one of baseball's seven 20/20 players, and out
of that group, only Choo, Hanley Ramirez and Carlos Gonzalez
batted .300 with 90 or more RBIs. Being in his prime, those power
numbers could go up, but surrounded by possibly the worst lineup in
the Majors, the reverse is also possible. (23)

11. Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Cruz was once again bitten by the injury bug in 2010, only playing
in 108 games, but the masher was still able to drive in a career
number of runs (78), and raise his batting average from the previous
season by 58 points (.260 in '09 to .318). Cruz is capable of big
things if his health can hold up over an entire campaign - an AB/HR
ratio of 15.7 over the past two seasons approximates to 38 homers
over a 600 at-bat campaign. Still, Cruz can easily drive in 100 runs,
score 90 runs, and steal 25 bases over a full season. The time for
Cruz to shine is now. (22)

12. Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The younger Upton has been in the national spotlight so long,
has garnered so much attention, that it is sometimes hard to
remember that he is only 23. So maybe those extremely lofty
expectations aren't so fair after all. Either way, the thing with Upton
has been inconsistency; after only batting .242 with 17 home runs
and 53 RBIs in his first two major league seasons, Upton was an
All-Star at 21 in 2009 (.300/26/86), then fell back down to Earth
(.273/17/69 in '10). Someday in the future, Upton will bat .300 with
30 home runs and 40 stolen bases, but not in 2011. (5)

13. Austin Jackson, Detroit Tigers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     This may look like an overblown ranking, but as a 23-year old
rookie in 2010, Jackson batted .293 with 181 hits and 27 stolen bases,
along with 40 RBI and 103 runs scored manning the Tigers leadoff
spot. The runner-up in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, Jackson
looks to fare well with bashers Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera,
and now, Victor Martinez driving him home. A-Jax looked calm, cool
and collected as a rookie early in the '10 campaign, batting .364
through the month of April. A kid with tremendous upside, Jackson's
power numbers will likely go up and his contact rate steadily
improve as he grows accustomed to Major League pitching. (NR)

14. Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Flyin' Hawaiin was less than consistent in '10, batting a
measley .259, but his 18 homers, 69 RBI, and 34 stolen bases were
more near the norm, even if you'd like to see a little more out of
him in that potent Phils lineup. Victorino also scored 84 runs, which is
good, but not nearly the 100-plus that were expected from him. In
2011, expect the 30-year old Victorino, who plays nearly every day,
to get back on track with a .285-plus AVG and 100-plus runs scored.
(19)

15. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Bautista batted .260 with a .378 on-base percentage and drove
in 124 runs in 2010. He led the majors with 92 extra-base hits, tied for
first with 351 total bases and became the fourth Major Leaguer to
have at least 35 doubles, 50 home runs and 100 walks in a season.
Bautista's emergence at the age of 30 as a home run hitter was
much to the surprise of everybody, and he won't have to bash
another 54 home runs to prove that he's no one-year wonder. While
he won't come close to matching that outrageous number, 30-40
dingers isn't out of the realm of possibility, and while he'll probably
hover around a .250 batting average, his stock is high. (NR)

16. Hunter Pence, Houston Astros (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Every team has fantasy gems, and none are more overlooked
than the Astros Hunter Pence. Pence is coming off three straight
25-homer seasons, and he's getting better on the basepaths as
well (11 SB in 2008, 14 in '09, 18 in '10). He also went 90-90 in runs
scored and runs batted in, a career first in each category. If he
happens to get overlooked in your fantasy draft, as he did in my
rankings, do yourself a favor and pick him. (25)

17. Vernon Wells, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Wells' pop returned in '10, batting .273 with 31 home runs and 88
RBI for the team who mashed the most homers. He now has digs in
the real grass of sunny Southern California, a great move from the
turf and dome of Canadia. The new atmosphere should pan out
nicely for the 32-year old three-time All-Star and Gold Glover. (47)

18. Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Ethier hit 30-plus homers in 2009 and belted 23 in only 139 games
in '10. 14 of those came in Dodger Stadium, not exactly a homer
haven. Ethier has the stroke of a .300 hitter, and at 28, an uptick of
power is highly possible, but .285/27/85 is a safe floor. (14)

19. Mike Stanton, Florida Marlins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With 22 home runs in just 359 at-bats, a major power explosion
could take place. If he continues the trend, there would be no
difference in value between him and Adam Dunn. But is that too
much to expect from a guy who is 21? Well, maybe. (NR)

20. Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Heyward delivered in an awesome rookie campaign in which he
both lived up to expectations and exceeded them at the same time.
In a first half that earned him a roster spot on the NL All-Star team,
Heyward impressed with 11 homers, 45 RBI and 41 runs scored, but
batted a realtively unattractive .251. Then, in the second half, when
the pressure was turned up, Heyward was incredibly poised, batting
.302 while maintaining his slugging and increasing his on-base
percentage. Only 21, Heyward will only continue to get better. (57)

21. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With 136 steals in, really, 2-plus seasons in the big leagues,
Ellsbury is a big-ticket fantasy outfielder, and there's no reason he
shouldn't bounce back from an injury-plagued '10. After batting .301
with 8 homers, 60 RBI, and 70 steals in '09, Ellsbury played just 18
contests the entire '10 campaign. With the best lineup in the big
leagues now backing him up, expect a healthy Ellsbury to bat
.300-plus with 50-70 steals and 100-plus runs scored. (4)

22. Colby Rasmus, St. Louis Cardinals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      One of the youngest starting outfielders in baseball, Rasmus
batted .276 with 23 home runs and an .859 OPS in 2010, and only
24, he's just warming up. He led all MLB centerfielders in OPS last
season, and he is now a centerpiece in a restocked Cards lineup.
Rasmus has a high ceiling, and 2011 can be a huge season for him if
he can continue to show improvement. In a fearsome lineup
featuring Berkman, Pujols, and Holliday, Rasmus will get the pitches
he wants, and if he can excel, he'll be patrolling center field in St.
Louis for quite some time. (67)

23. Delmon Young, Minnesota Twins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The former phenom finally broke out in 2010, establishing
career-highs in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. As
his strikeout rates continue to decrease, and his flyball rates
continue to rise, 25-30 home runs can totally be expected in the
near future. At 25, maybe not this soon. (52)

24. Alex Rios, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Great production in his first full season in Chicago (.284/21/88,
not to mention 34 steals) erased the memory of his painful '09. Rios
is a five-category player who'll give your team a boost in speed
without sacrificing other categories in the process. While Rios seems
like one of those ultimate hit-or-miss players, his high contact rate
(84.9%) and a normal average on balls in play (.306) suggest that
2010 was no fluke. And while his career batting averages (.281/.777
OPS) are a bit light for an outfielder of his caliber, they are by no
means awful. (36)

25. Jay Bruce, Cincinatti Reds (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The 23-year-old Bruce was finally healthy enough to register a
full season's worth of at-bats in 2010, and he didn't disappoint,
registering career-highs across the board. Bruce, who will turn 24 in
April, has been the source of much excitement around the Reds'
organization. While his high K rate and career .257 batting average
should raise some questions on whether he can do it again, that
doesn't concern me at all. What I'm looking at is a AB/HR ratio - a
17.6 rate in '08-'09, but only 20.4 in '10 - that could mean a huge
uptick in home runs in 2011. (33) 

26. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      It's the same old song with Sizemore: young and talented with
huge upside, but undeniable downside as well. It's a head-scratcher
that Sizemore has been so injury-prone the last two seasons; in a
four-season stretch from 2005-08, Sizemore missed just nine games.
It's because he averaged a .282/27/81 batting line with 116 runs
scored and 29 stolen bases during that span that he's still on
everybody's radar. (7)

27. Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Of players who have played at least half their games in center
field since 2007, the player who has hit the most home runs is not
Matt Kemp, not Josh Hamilton, but Curtis Granderson himself.
Granderson helped his cause by bashing 24 in '10, but 2010 was
largely disappointing for fans of the Grandy Man, as his batting
average and scoring numbers continued to drop. Granderson has
made adjustments though, and we'll wait to see if they translate on
the field. (16)

28. Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      It's going to be intriguing to see what the arrival of new slugger
Vladimer Guerrero does to Markakis, the promising youngster who
has been good but not quite as great as he could be over the last
couple of seasons. The presense of the slugger could mean more
good pitches to hit for the outfielder. That, combined with his new
role of No. 2 hitter - a slot that is much more favorable to his type
of talent than No. 3 or 4 - could bring out the best in Markakis in
2011. An offensive epiphany can mean a return to 20-plus homers,
a .300 batting average, and 100-plus runs and RBI. (12)

29. Chris Young, Arizona Diamondbacks (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      By the late-mid rounds, you'll probably have an abundance of
batting average. Young won't benefit you at all in that particular
category, but he has plenty of speed and pop in his arsenal. Young
has the ability to bat in 100 runs as well as cross the plate 100 times
over a full season, and if he narrows his batting eye, he can become
a serious threat. Just entering his prime at age 27, Young can pack a
big punch at a low price - bag him now before he busts out and the
cat's out of the bag. (68)

30. Drew Stubbs, Cincinatti Reds
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Only two players managed at least 20 home runs, 30 stolen
bases and 90 runs scored in 2010: Stubbs and Hanley Ramirez.
Stubbs has the elite speed to remain a contributor in stolen bases,
and he might make another run at 20-plus homers playing in
Cincinatti, but his batting average may continue to be a problem
for him. (80)

31. Corey Hart, Millwaukee Brewers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Hart's rapidly increasing strikeout rate is cause for much concern,
and he was very lucky in terms of fly balls barely going over the
fence in 2010. We might have seen Hart's best, but even his worst
offensive production means at least 20 dingers, and that power can
be useful in any fantasy format. (NR)

32. Martin Prado, Atlanta Braves 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The Braves' depth was good enough to replace Prado after he
was lost for the season due to injury, managing to make the playoffs
without him. But Omar Infante is now gone, traded for Dan Uggla,
and Prado will most likely move his talents to the outfield. The
emergence of Prado wasn't really all that surprising to fantasy
owners - he's been a reliable waiver-wire pickup for the last couple of
years - and it was just a matter of playing time that separated
Prado from greatness. Prado will assume the leadoff role this year,
which could lead to increased scoring opportunities. (13 at 2B) 

33. Brett Gardner, New York Yankees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     One of the most deceptively quick players in all of baseball,
Gardner managed the fourth-most stolen bases (47), the
third-most infield hits (26) and the 11th-most bunt hits (7) in
baseball in 2010. Unfortunately, his speed and ability to work the
count and get on base (.383 OBP in '10) are the only elite skills that
Gardner possesses, so don't make the mistake and overdraft him,
although his speed could levitate a fantasy squad. (50)

34. Carlos Lee, Houston Astros
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Lee, 34, is now the senior of the Astros' offense, an organization
that's undergoing a full-fledged youth movement. Why an aging
slugger who has seen decline in his home run total in each of the
past four seasons - and has a $19 million contract - isn't already
gone is beyond most people's reason, but Astros' management
believes that Lee can maintain a more consistent '11. Lee, who hit
24 home runs last season for a team that was dead last in the
Majors in that category, had a big goose egg in the homers
category in April - a month in which he batted .183 - but belted a
dinger every 21.8 at-bats from May 1 onwards, which was very much
in line with his career average of 20.7 AB/HR. A more consistent Lee
can mean 25+ homers and 100+ RBI in 2011. (18)

35. Jason Bay, New York Mets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The injury bug returned to Queens once again in 2010, and the
newly-acquired Bay was one of the many casualties. However, this
wasn't just a freak injury - Bay has been harassed by the bug in his
big league career, missing a combined 191 games over the last three
seasons alone. The Mets believe that if Bay can remain healthy, he
can vault the Mets' rather elementary offense into relevancy in
2011. However, an astronomical - for Bay's standards anyway - 58
at-bats per home run in 2010 suggests that Bay may be intimidated
by the massive walls of Citi Field. (10)

36. Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The nine-time Gold Glove Award winner will be splitting time in
both center and right field as he mentors rookie Peter Bourjos, but
that likely won't bother his offensive numbers. Hunter has been
solid with the Angels, averaging a .285 AVG, 150 hits, 22 home runs,
and 15 steals a year since making the move to Cali in 2008. He may
not be very young anymore,but Hunter is still one of the most
consistent fantasy outfielder options. (24)

37. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     After his first full season in 2007, the elder Upton son was the
talk of the fantasy world. He batted .300 with 24 home runs and 82
RBIs that year, but since has been hampered by injuries and lack of
focus. The last two seasons, Upton has batted just .239 with a .317
OBP, albeit with 84 stolen bases and 108 extra base hits. Still,
Upton has flashed brilliance more often than not, and he is still not
even in his physical prime. (13)

38. Michael Bourn, Houston Astros 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Bourn is a great late-round pick-up if you need a lot of speed.
Bourn provides it like few others, as he led the National League
with 52 stolen bases in 2010. Bourn also bats for a great average,
making him a valuable fantasy commodity if you already have
power taken care of on your roster. (32)

39. Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Jones' lack of patience may drive his batting average down a
bit this season, but his continually developing power may push his
homer totals skyward. With his speed, it's frustrating that he
doesn't run more than he does, but still, he is just 25, and he'll be a
solid contributor this season. (15)

40. Michael Cuddyer, Minnesota Twins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The right knee that required surgery back in October looks to
be completely healthy, but now it's foot problems that are
bothering Cuddyer. However, the biggest question surrounding
Cuddyer is not health related, but rather, "Where did the power
go?" After mashing a whopping 32 four-baggers in 2009, Cuddyer
hit just 14 in '10 - and in more at-bats. A career 29.3 AB/HR ratio -
compared to 18.4 in '09 -  indicates that '09 was probably a fluke,
but what's not a fluke is Cuddyer's ability to score and drive in runs,
which unlike his power, remains consistent every year. (38)

41. Bobby Abreu, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Abreu will turn 37 this spring, and he's coming off a season in
which he posted his worst batting average (.255) since becoming a
regular in 1998. Still, he's a model of consistency, with nine 20/20
seasons and 20-plus steals in each of the past 12 seasons. (17)

42. Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Ibanez wasn't a complete fantasy disaster in the first half of the
2010 season, as he managed to score a respectful 36 runs and bat
in 39 runs. However, it was in the second half in which Ibanez turned
on the heat, as his .869 OPS was fifth best among NL outfielders
after the All-Star break. Ibanez turns 39 in June, so the wheels look
to be coming off soon, but a .309 batting average after the break
indicated that Ibanez can still hold his own in the box. (29)

43. Nick Swisher, New York Yankees (E) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Swisher's power numbers have been consistent during his two
years in pinstripes, but don't fool yourself into thinking he can
match that career-high .288 batting average again. Assuming
Swisher returns to his traditional ways, he'll still be a valuable
fantasy outfielder with a pleasant on-base percentage. (62)

44. Carlos Beltran, New York Mets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Beltran has spent the majority of the last two seasons on the
mend, but he finally came around in September, batting .321 with
five blasts over the season's final month. The motivational power
of looming free agency could be the background for a strong
comeback in his contract year. (31)

45. Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox (F)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Quentin is a dangerous power bat when healthy, but he
hasn't quite regained the form that made him an unexpected MVP
candidate in 2008. If he can get 500 at-bats, 30 home runs would be
no problem for the basher - but that's a big if. (30)

46. Denard Span, Minnesota Twins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Span took a step backward last season, especially in terms of
his batting average and struggles on the road, but he did swipe a
career-high 26 bags. Look for Span to run more in 2011, and an
uptick in all of the important fantasy categories. (35)

47. Jose Tabata, Pittsburgh Pirates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      In a quality rookie campaign, Tabata quickly adjusted to the
Majors, batting .299 and swiping 19 bags over 405 at-bats. While
the young outfielder's power hasn't materialized as of yet, the
youngster will deliver plenty of stolen bases. (NR)  

48. Juan Pierre, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Pierre led the Majors in steals (68) last season for the first time
since 2003, and the active steals leader - with 527, 30th all time -
will once again be a good source of speed, average, and scoring
atop a beefed-up Chicago lineup. Unlike in the past, when his role
was unclear, Pierre will be the leadoff man for the Sox for the
forseeable future. (40)  

49. Andres Torres, San Francisco Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The late-blooming Torres emerged as a potent catalyst for
San Francisco's title run after spending the last several years
toiling in the Minors. He strikes out a lot for a leadoff man, but
legitimate speed and extra-base pop make him worth drafting in the
twilight rounds. (NR)

50. Manny Ramirez, Tampa Bay Rays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Ramirez, 38, could be a fantasy steal, but his biggest problem
has been staying on the field. Although he has only played in 194
games over the last two seasons, when able to play, Man-Ram has
hit: a .293 AVG and .915 OPS. His batting skills are basically the
same as they were two years ago, when he was an MVP candidate
in two months of work for the Dodgers. (21)

51. Travis Snider, Toronto Blue Jays (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Snider closed out 2010 on a .353 clip with five homers and
eight RBI over his final 12 games, flashes of the talent that the
Blue Jays have drooled over since they drafted the lefty in the
first round of the 2006 draft. Is this finally the year the heralded
youngster breaks out? (58)

52. Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Soriano quietly bettered his rough 2009 campaign in '10,
walloping 24 home runs and settling into a suitable No. 6 role in the
lineup; if his health holds up, he's a great bargain pick in the
twilight rounds. (39) 

53. Magglio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Ordonez is four years removed from a career year in 2007 in
which he batted .363 and finished second in the American League
MVP voting; while that'll never happen again, Ordonez still has
plenty left in the tank, and he'll make a good run at his fifth
consecutive .300-plus season with the Tigers. (64)

54. Rajai Davis, Toronto Blue Jays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Davis figures to battle with Scott Podsednik for the starting
center field job and leadoff spot this spring, but Davis has got
youth and clutch hitting over Scott Podsednik. While his speed
stats may take a hit in a homer-happy lineup, he's still a valuable
fantasy commodity. (42)

55. Franklin Gutierrez, Seattle Mariners
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Known more for his glove than his bat, Gutierrez also has plenty
of speed and some power; he could reach 30 stolen bags in '11. (43) 

56. Jonny Gomes, Cincinatti Reds
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Gomes has played through plenty of criticism as a starting
outfielder for the Reds last season, but he has proven he can mash
the ball when given the opportunity, homering 18 times and
driving in a career-high 86 RBI in his first season of full-time at-bats
in 2010; Gomes provides a lot of power in a starting role. (NR)

57. Domonic Brown, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Brown was a miserable failure in his brief tenure with the Phils
last season, and he struggled mightily in Dominican Winter ball. He
knows that to make the Opening Day roster, he must have a strong
spring, which most people think he is very capable of doing. (NR)

58. Angel Pagan, New York Mets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The feel-good story of Angel Pagan just keeps getting better, as
he's in his prime, and considering he may be a better defensive
outfielder than Carlos beltran at this point, has the the approval of
Mets' management. Pagan is here to stay as a productive starter
after his breakout 2010 season. (NR)

59. Tyler Colvin, Chicago Cubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Colvin blasted 20 homers and slugged .500 over 358 at-bats as a
rookie last season, showing he deserves an everyday role. The
problem is that such a role may not be available with Marlon Byrd,
Kosuke Fukudome and Alfonso Soriano also in the Cubs' outfield
picture. The logjam may not be settled until the season begins, but
it's worth keeping an eye on Colvin. With his pop, a starting role
seems inevitable sooner or later. (NR)

60. Dexter Fowler, Colorado Rockies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Fowler was nothing short of a disappointment in 2010, fighting
off prolonged slumps and even a demotion to the Minors,
finishing with fewer steals and walks than in his rookie campaign;
however, he led the Majors with 14 triples, and his .347 on-base
percentage indicates he's a valuable player. (44)

61. Nyjer Morgan, Washington Nationals (27)
62. Ryan Ludwick, San Diego Padres (46)
63. J.D. Drew, Boston Red Sox (65)
64. Garrett Jones, Pittsburgh Pirates (23 at 1B)
65. Chris Coghlan, Florida Marlins (45)
66. Will Venable, San Diego Padres (75)
67. Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers (NR)
68. Cameron Maybin, San Diego Padres (NR)
69. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals (27 at 3B)
70. Desmond Jennings, Tampa Bay Rays (56)
71. Carlos Gomez, Millwaukee Brewers (NR)
72. Julio Borbon, Texas Rangers (49)
73. Nate McLouth, Atlanta Braves (26)
74. Coco Crisp, Oakland Athletics (60)
75. Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs (66)
76. Cody Ross, San Francisco Giants (61)
77. Johnny Damon, Tampa Bay Rays (34)
78. Josh Willingham, Oakland Athletics (69)
79. Felix Pie, Baltimore Orioles (NR)
80. Mark DeRosa, San Francisco Giants (55)

Starting Pitchers
1. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Doc's first season in Philly couldn't have been any better; not only
did the ace add a second Cy Young Award to his mantle, but he
also led the NL in wins (21), BB/9 (1.08) and K/BB (7.30). If that
wasn't enough, he fired a perfect game against Florida in May and
notched just the second playoff no-hitter in MLB history, the first
since Don Larson's legendary perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
Even in the hitter-friendly dimensions of Citizens Bank Park, Doc
crafted an amazing 2.21 ERA. Even among the game's elite starters,
Halladay clearly belongs in a class by himself. (2)

2. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    If you're a smart fantasy owner, you generally don't want to
draft pitchers early, but it's hard to pass up one of the most
dominant workhorses in the game. He's seen a four-year upward
trend in his K/9 (8.36 in '10), and a three-year drop in BB/9 (2.52 in
'10). He has elite fastball velocity, and he's a dominating force in
leagues with an innings cap. He'll provide you with a lot of innings,
and a massive amount of strikeouts. (3)

3. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants (A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lincecum's late-season stats erased any thoughts of a diminishing
fantasy value, posting a 2.17 ERA and 10.93 K/9 and 9 quality starts
in 11 tries from September 1 through the end of the postseason.
While Lincecum did have that ugly midsummer stretch in which his
ERA was 4.80 and his WHIP was 1.56 in 19 starts, and he's coming off
his worst K/9 ratio in any full season - though 9.79 is still extremely
high for a starter - the positives outweigh the negatives, so bank on
another elite season coming. (1)

4. Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox (A) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lester may not be among the first to come to mind when one
thinks of the game's elite pitchers, but the man delivers outstanding
numbers across the board. Over the past two years, he's gathered
34 victories and amassed a 9.85 K/9, 3.33 ERA and 1.22 WHIP,
which has landed him among the top-15 fantasy pitchers in each of
the last two seasons. Entering his prime, he's a lock for another
upper-tiered campaign in 2011. (13)

5. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    His 2010 K-rate was off the charts. He cracked the 200-plus
innings mark, so handling a huge workload is not a problem for him.
Yes, he only has two good pitches, but that doesn't matter when
those pitches (fastball and slider) are among the most deceptive in
baseball. He also plays in the National League, and in one of the
most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the game. (19)

6. Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    While his numbers don't prove that he's significantly better than,
say, Jon Lester, David Price, or Ubaldo Jimenez, Johnson can make a
case that he's better for your team than any of those guys. He had
brilliant fantasy numbers and a terrific K-rate (9.11 K/9 last year),
plus he pitches in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. He's a clear fantasy
ace. If there's one downfall to his game, it's his make-it-or-break-it
mental attitude, which, evidently, has served him for the better as
of late. (16)

7. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The AL East is a difficult place to make your mark as a pitcher,
but Sabathia has handled the rigors very well, collecting 40 wins,
394 strikeouts and 467.2 innings over his two years with the
Pinstripes, along with a tidy ERA (3.26) and WHIP (1.17). While wins
are a very fluky stat in fantasy baseball, it's nice to have a guy who
you know is going to go out there and place among the league's
best in that category year-after-year. And for all of those waiting
for his collapse, in Sabathia's 10-year career, he's never suffered
through a major injury. He's an easy selection for anybody, even
the most bitter of Yankee-haters. (5)

8. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    He's No. 4 on this list, but he quite possibly could be the AL's
top starting gun. His fastball is elite, and his curveball is deadly, but
what makes him devastating for opposing hitters is his changeup,
maybe the game's best. Verlander is the AL's perennial K-leader,
and barring a setback, 2011 is going to be huge. (6)

9. David Price, Tampa Bay Rays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Price needs to trim down his walk rate if he really wants to be
considered an elite of the elite pitchers, and he's got the stuff to do
it. Price hurled 19 victories, a 2.72 ERA, and 188 Ks in '10 - and that
was with 74 percent of his pitched thrown being fastballs. If he can
incorporate that changeup more (only 5.5 percent), he can truly be
dominant. (42)

10. Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      In 2010, Jered Weaver established himself as one of the A.L.'s
best starters with a 3.01 ERA, and he led the league in strikeouts
while working a career-high 224.1 innings. He is clearly the young
leader of this rotation, and is evolving into one of the game's
greats. Weaver will continue to be a dominant fantasy ace for many
years to come. (33)

11. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lee was downright dominant with Seattle in the first half of 2010,
posting a 2.34 ERA with an otherworldly 14.83 K/BB ratio before a
mid-season trade to Texas. Although his ERA jumped to 3.98 with the
Rangers, the southpaw struck out 96 against just 12 walks in 108 2/3
innings and pitched well in five postseason starts. Lee turned down
overtures from the Rangers and Yankees in favor of a return to
Philadelphia this offseason. Although he'll now toss home turns in
cozy Citizens Bank Park, the left-hander posted a 1.13 WHIP along
with the best K-rate of his career with Philadelphia in the second half
of the '09 campaign. (11)

12. Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The powerful lefty returned to dominance in '10, notching his best
K/9 rate since 2006 (9.44). If he can get that unsightly BABIP back
to Earth, (.340 in 2010), a sub-3.25 ERA, 15 wins and 200-plus
strikeouts are definitely a lock. For those of you who still doubt his
prominence as a fantasy starter, consider his strong finish to the '10
season (14 GS post All-Star break, 8-3 W-L, 84 K in 84.1 IP). But that's
ok, you can worry about him all you want, that just makes him more
of a bargain for smart fantasy players on draft day. (74)

13. Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     His modest win totals scare a lot of people away, but otherwise
he's a fantasy ace (at least 175 strikeouts, 3.00 ERA, 1.15 WHIP in '11).
The roomy home park he's priviledged to pitch in provides a nice
floor for those sexy peripherals, and he's bound to get 17-18 wins in
that place one of these years. Don't be scared of him on draft
day. (17)

14. Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The 35-year old says he feels as good as he's ever felt, and that
bodes favorably for St. Louis in 2011. The righthander posted a 3.22
ERA, won 16 games and worked 235 innings in 2010. With a fully
healthy Carpenter, the Cards' rotation should lead the team back
atop the NL Central ranks. (15)

15. Tommy Hanson, Atlanta Braves
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Hanson pitched 200 innings in 2010, and for the final 112.2 of
those innings, he produced a 2.40 ERA and 83:25 K-to-BB ratio. He's
got a great frame, he throws a lot of strikes, is successful against
both lefties and righties, and has one of the best fastballs - and not
to mention an incredible slider - in the game. At 24, if he can avoid
the May/June slump, he's got Cy Young upside. (20) 

16. Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Several years ago, drafting a Rockies pitcher in the early rounds
of the draft would of drawn huge ridicule from your fantasy draft's
peanut gallery; one humidor later, Ubaldo Jimenez had developed
into a shutdown ace. For the third-straight season his K/9 climbed
and his ERA plummeted. Don't fret over that 4.65 ERA after June 23;
if the flamethrower can better hone his control (3.74 BB/9 in '10), a
Cy Young Award will soon be featured in his trophy room. (21)

17. Zack Greinke, Millwaukee Brewers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2010 was certainly a disappointment for the fantasy owners of
the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, but prospects
look better in 2011. Moving from the AL to the NL is almost always a
good move for a pitcher, and a move to one of the poorest divisions
in the majors will certainly bring its benefits in time. Six starts
against the NL's two worst offenses (Pittsburgh and Houston)
certainly won't hurt. (4)

18. Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      In 2010, Hamels proved to be the ultimate bargain pick on draft
day for those wise enough to draft him, as he posted career-bests
in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. With his ground ball percentage on the
rise, he will once again be a top-of-the-line fantasy starter in 2011,
and in the shadows of Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, you can once
again acquire him with a bargain pick. Projected to be picked in
rounds 6-8, you won't have to compromise anything on draft day.
And even if his luck takes a turn in '11, the guy is a lock for 200
punchouts. (12)

19. Dan Haren, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Haren is a reliable workhorse who is going to deliver over 200
innings and over 200 strikeouts along with great control ratios, so
what's not to like, right? I know, Haren is always labeled as a
"first-half pitcher," and for the majority of his career, that has been
true. But last season, something very weird happened: Haren did
the opposite, posting a 4.36 ERA in the first-half, and a 3.34 ERA in
the second-half. Regardless, Haren is a very reliable option at
starting pitcher and should be treated that way, and you can gloat
all you want when you acquire him with that 8th-round bargain
pick. (7)

20. Mat Latos, San Diego Padres
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Latos was a top-10 fantasy starter in 2010, and it had little to do
with a fluke. It was common knowledge that Latos would one day
dominate the comfy confines of Petco Park, it's just that at 22, it
seemed like 2010 was just too soon. While his September numbers
should cause some concern (1-4, 6.21 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, .308 BAA),
Latos is completely capable of being a fantasy ace. (58)

21. Roy Oswalt, Philadelphia Phillies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Perhaps we've already seen his best seasons, but you've got to
like him for 2011. He gave us over 210 innings last season, he struck
out 193 hitters, and he led the National League in WHIP. With a full
season of the best run support in the NL backing him up, we can't
fully comprehend what he is fully capable of, even at 33. Since he'll
be overshadowed by rotation battery-mated Halladay, Lee, and
Hamels in the draft, Oswalt can fall to the early-late rounds, making
him even more of a bargain. (36)

22. Yovani Gallardo, Millwaukee Brewers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      While his health is always in question, a smart fantasy owner
can get him rather cheaply for a likely 200 strikeouts. He improved
his walk rate last year, so he could possibly be a dark horse Cy
Young candidate on a much improved Brew Crew squad in 2011.
Considering you can get him in rounds 6-8, he is a well-kept secret in
the fantasy world. (10)

23. Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Last year was a tale of two seasons for Scherzer, who was
shelled so badly in April and May that the Tigers demoted him to
the Minors. The young flamethrower returned as a different pitcher
after a two-week stint on the farm, dominating the American League
to the tune of a 2.46 ERA and 9.25 K/9 mark over his final 23 starts.
Going into his fourth full season and his second in the AL, Scherzer is
armed with a wealth of experience to go along with his
filthy stuff. (41)

24. Chad Billingsley, Los Angeles Dodgers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Once hailed as a fantasy ace, Billingsley has comfortably
found a niche as one of the best No. 2/3 fantasy starters. An
increased reliance on the cutter makes room for more growth as he
enters his age 26 season. (25) 

25. Jonathan Sanchez, San Francisco Giants  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Be careful here, because while it's easy to overrate Sanchez
based on his stats after the All-Star break - 2.61 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 101
punchouts - you'll be missing the fact that he was extremely lucky
(.262 BABIP, 79.5 percent strand rate) and had a BB/9 ratio that
was over-the-top (4.47). Sanchez's WHIP has the potential to
unravel your fantasy rotation, so be wary of regression. (48)

26. Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Buchholz posted an excellent ERA (2.33) last season, but his
walk rate (3.5 per nine) and K/9 (6.2) were rather pedestrian, and
should cause some concern about a regression. Of course, Buchholz
still has a lot of room to grow, and should be a top fantasy pitcher,
but don't reach for him based on last year's stats. (35)

27. Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Obviously his numbers won't be quite as good as they were in
his limited exposure last season (2.45 ERA, 84 K in 95.1 innings), but
don't expect a major regression either. While there are questions
about his long-term disability, Hudson has excellent command of a
plus-fastball and changeup that causes a lot of batters to miss. (NR)

28. Gio Gonzalez, Oakland Athletics  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Armed with a devastating fastball and curve, Gonzalez has
emerged as one of the league's most underrated source of
strikeouts. Wildness is an issue, but with another full year of
service under his belt, the 25-year-old should sparkle. (67)

29. Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2010 was a tale of two halves for Rodriguez. Wandy stumbled
into the All-Star break with a 4.97 ERA and an unsightly 1.52 WHIP,
only to re-emerge with a 2.11 ERA from mid-July through the rest of
the season. Wandy will once again be the ace of a developing
Astros rotation in 2011. If he starts out of the gate lights-out like he
pitched in the second half of last season, he's a real keeper. (22)

30. Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Oakland's starters led the majors with a 3.47 ERA last season,
and emerging as an ace was 23-year old Cahill. Cahill posted an
18-8 record with a 2.97 ERA, and his power sinker is a real killer. With
GM Billy Beane adding small pieces to improve the offense, Cahill
could be coming to the mound with added confidence this
season. (49)

31. Shaun Marcum, Millwaukee Brewers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Marcum missed the end of the 2008 season and all of '09
recovering from right shoulder surgery, but returned to peak form last
year. Always a control artist (2.8 career BB/9), the 29-year-old set
new career-bests in that area (1.98), along with innings
pitched (195 1/3) and K/9 (7.6). The development shows that Marcum
is not only back at full strength physically, but also ready to make
the leap into the league's upper-tier of pitchers. An offseason trade
to Milwaukee – and out of the mashing AL East – should only help
that progression. (NR)

32. Ted Lilly, Los Angeles Dodgers (C) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Since 2006, the southpaw has averaged 14 wins, a 3.80 ERA,
1.19 WHIP and 193 innings per season in the often unpredictable
Wrigley Field; a full season spent in the pitching haven that is
known as Dodger Stadium could yield steady numbers. (63)

33. Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Hudson turned 35 last season, but that didn't stop him from
posting his best marks in ERA (2.83) and WHIP (1.15) since 2003 and
earning his first All-Star nod since '04. Hudson's BABIP in '10 was
extremely low, which means a slight regression in those ratios is to
be expected, but Hudson seems to be getting better with age. (40)

34. John Danks, Chicago White Sox 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Danks' three full Major League seasons have been synonomous
with durability and consistency, making the southpaw a lock for 200
innings, double-digit wins and a healthy dose of strikeouts. With the
White Sox expected to pile up run after run, Danks could make a run
for the Cy Young. (37)

35. Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Dempster was his usual consistent self in 2010, winning 15 games
and posting a 3.85 ERA and hurling over 200 strikeouts for the first
time since 2000. Dempster will pitch in his first Opening Day start
for the Cubs, indicating that the Cubs management is completely
confident in Dempster's ability as a top-of-the-line starter. (53)

36. C.J. Wilson, Texas Rangers  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Despite having not started a game since '05, the Rangers
decided to move the late-inning specialist back to the rotation. The
move paid off, as Wilson compiled a 15-8 record with a 3.35 ERA in
the regular season, becoming a top fantasy starter practically
overnight. While not expected, Wilson had given hints of how
dominant he could be, becoming a reliable setup man in previous
seasons. With an increased load this season, it wouldn't be
unreasonable to assume a lapse in ERA, but Wilson has the stuff to
continue to overachieve. (69)

37. Ricky Nolasco, Florida Marlins 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      With 14 victories, Nolasco paced the Marlins in that category,
but he was inconsistent at times and missed the final few weeks due
to a meniscus tear in his right knee. Nolasco will be ready for the
season, but will he ever be consistent enough to be a true fantasy
ace? (23)

38. Javier Vasquez, Florida Marlins 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Last season's second stint with the Yankees was very dismal for
Vasquez, but as recently as '09 with the Braves, Vasquez was a
15-game winner with 238 punchouts; a return to the NL East could
yield big results. (14)

39. Colby Lewis, Texas Rangers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      In need of starting pitching help last offseason, the Rangers
rolled the dice on a two-year deal to Colby Lewis, a barrel-chested
righthander who was on the wrong side of 30 who had pitched the
last two seasons in Japan. Worse, from 2002-07, Lewis ran up a
career 6.71 ERA while pitching in the big leagues. Nevertheless,
Lewis was 12-13 with a 3.72 ERA in his first season back on U.S. soil,
and quietly became one of last season's most consistent fantasy
starters, nevermind the record. But is there any evidence that
indicates this wasn't a fluke, and can he seriously do it again in
2011? (NR)

40. Brett Anderson, Oakland Athletics (F)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Last season was supposed to be a breakout year for Anderson,
who showed glimpses of dominance throughout his rookie 2009
campaign. The left-hander lived up to his billing when on the mound,
going 7-6 with a 2.80 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, but injuries limited him to
just 19 rotation turns. While the 23-year-old southpaw still has health
concerns, his upside is unquestioned. (28)

41. Brandon Morrow, Toronto Blue Jays  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Yes, we all know that Morrow is a strikeout machine, hurling 178
over 146.1 innings pitched in '10. He may be wild, but when he hits
his spots, he's the best pitcher in the big leagues; for example, in
late August, he hurled a 17-K, one-hit shutout of the Rays. (NR) 

42. Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The 36-year-old Kuroda has always been underrated, and in
2010 the import achieved career-highs in all the big fantasy
categories, including wins (11), ERA (3.39) and strikeouts (159). While
he isn't flashy like a lot of the pitchers below him on this list, Kuroda
gets the job done, and hurls a lot of innings. (54)

43. Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Tagged for a 5.88 ERA over six September starts, Garza appeared
a lot worse than he actually was in 2010, a year that saw him throw
a no-hitter and post a 3.91 ERA over 204.2 innings. An offseason
trade to the Cubs will take Garza out of the hard-hitting AL East, but
Wrigley Field isn't exactly a pitcher's haven either. Overall though,
the move to Wrigley shouldn't affect Garza's overall value. (32) 

44. Phil Hughes, New York Yankees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Hughes had a coming-of-age campaign in 2010, tying for fourth
in the league with 18 wins, but the rigors of a full workload began to
affect the young hurler down the stretch and into the playoffs,
barely getting by with a 7-6 record and 4.90 ERA post-All-Star break.
With plus stuff and good control, Hughes should prove to be more
durable in 2011. (NR)

45. Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The potential ace went 12-3 for Triple-A Durham last season with a
2.45 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, and he also struck out 9.4 batters per nine
innings. In four August starts for the Rays, he went 3-0 with a 2.05
ERA and microscopic 0.76 WHIP and delivered 25 Ks in 26.1 innings.
With the Matt Garza trade opening a spot in the Tampa rotation,
Hellickson appears ready to succeed. (NR)

46. Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Romero made some major improvements in his sophomore
season, flirting with a no-hitter in April and molding into the ace of
the young Toronto staff. While he won't blow many hitters away,
the 26-year-old can locate all five of his pitches and rarely loses the
ball out of the yard. (NR) 

47. Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      A strong candidate for National League Rookie of the Year in
2010, Garcia racked up 13 victories, a 2.70 ERA and a healthy
7.3 K/9 ratio and a groundball-to-flyball rate that was sixth among
starters. After pitching less than 40 innings in 2009, Garcia faltered
down the stretch before the Cards shut him down after 163.1 innings.
In a NL Central that the Cards once again look to contend for,
expect an increased workload during his sophomore campaign. (NR)

48. Jhoulys Chacin, Colorado Rockies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Chacin burst onto the scene in Colorado last season, utilizing a
solid fastball and some wicked offspeed stuff to strike 138 batters in
137 1/3 innings with a trim 3.28 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Opponents
simply had trouble picking up Chacin's pitches, and making contact
against the young righty proved to be an extremely difficult task.
With a spot in the Rockies' rotation secure, expect a big sophomore
campaign from the 23-year-old. (NR)

49. Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Beckett spent more than two months on the disabled list
because of a bad back and suffered through his worst season, as
indicated by a career-worst 5.78 ERA. What Beckett went through
was pretty similar to injury-plagued 2006, his first year in Boston. He
had a great winter, came out and was incredible in 2007; a bounce
back 2011 isn't far from expectation. (18)

50. Jorge De La Rosa, Colorado Rockies 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The Rockies opened up their checkbook to keep De La Rosa
under team control for at least the next two seasons, but their trust
in the talented but erratic lefty might not be completely warranted.
A finger injury limited De La Rosa to just 20 starts last year, and he
was fortunate to produce a 1.32 WHIP in that span. The 29-year-old
can certainly pile up strikeouts in bunches, but he is a long way from
polished. (47)

51. Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     O's management is extremely fond of the young Matusz,
although to outsiders he hasn't impressed very much in his short
career; Matusz is out to prove he can be a top pitcher, and he'll be
ready to impress in 2011. (78)

52. Brett Myers, Houston Astros (E)    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Brett Myers impressed everyone in 2010 - many would call it
overachieving - by leading the Majors in quality starts and going
14-8 while posting an astonishing 3.14 ERA. 2010's most consistent
starter won't be highly touted on draft day, but he'll be a good
late-round pick for anybody. (NR)

53. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The then 20-year-old Bumgarner was recalled by the Giants in
late June and finished the year with a 7-6 record, a 3.00 ERA and a
3.31 K/BB rate. The prized rookie then went on to win two of his
three playoff starts, including a World Series victory over the
Rangers where he permitted only five baserunners. (71)

54. Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Santana won a team-high 17 games for an underachieving bunch
of Angels in '10, but don't blame the rotation. Los Angeles' rotation
provides a solid base on which to build, and is clearly one of the
Majors' best. While Santana still drives his coaches and fantasy
owners mad with his bouts of inconsistency, he's still very young,
and getting better. (62) 

55. Edinson Volquez, Cincinatti Reds
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The surprise Opening Day starter is fully recovered from Tommy
John surgery, and after showing flashes of his old self in the
second half of last season, is ready to once again be the star of
his staff; expect a full comeback. (NR)

56. Jordan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The polished youngster is back at full strength for the 2011
season, fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. He returned to
the Majors throwing as hard as ever, tossing 7.84 K/9 in seven
short but promising late-season starts. (NR)

57. Travis Wood, Cincinatti Reds  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Wood was impressive in his rookie campaign, tossing a 3.51 ERA
in 102.2 innings pitched. He looked poised and effective in his first
starts, flirting with a perfect game and a no-hitter early on, which is
a sign that he knows what he's doing. (NR)

58. Wade Davis, Tampa Bay Rays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Wade Davis was a decent fantasy option in 2010, going 12-10
with a 4.07 ERA and winning AL Rookie of the month honors in
July, going 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA; the rookie finished his '10 campaign
on a high note, hurling a 3.38 ERA in September, and should be
ready to be one of Tampa's top starters in 2011. (75)

59. Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Zambrano's 2010 season will probably be best remembered for
all the wrong reasons --mainly his dugout meltdowns and failed stint
as a reliever -- but lost amongst the year's lowlights was the fact that
Big Z went 8-0 with a 1.41 ERA in 11 starts after slotting back into the
Cubs' rotation. While his statistical turnaround was certainly
encouraging, Zambrano was more than a little lucky to post such
sterling figures since he coupled an absurdly high strand rate with 40
walks over 70 1/3 innings. That kind of fortune is unlikely to repeat,
so he'll need to correct his control issues prior to Opening Day. (70)

60. Johnny Cueto, Cincinatti Reds (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Cueto posted a career-best campaign in 2010, posting a 12-7
record with a 3.64 ERA and career-lows in batting average allowed
and WHIP. However, his strikeout rate once again dipped, and his
best ERA in a season before 2010 was 4.41. (NR) 

61. Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Kennedy was excellent in '10, tossing an ace-worthy 3.80 ERA on
a team that widely disappointed in the pitching department;
Kennedy can be a great sleeper pick at the end of the draft. (NR)

62. John Lackey, Boston Red Sox (C)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Lackey was a bit better after the All-Star break, posting a 3.97
ERA in the season's second half. But a 13-9 record and a 4.40 ERA
were hardly what Boston had in mind when it gave him a five-year,
$82.5 million deal last offseason. Still, an improved second half says
maybe he adjusted to the division, and his fantasy owners will feel
pretty good if he can pitch the way he did in the second half. (27)

63. Anibal Sanchez, Florida Marlins 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2010 saw Anibal Sanchez pitch more big league innings than in
his previous three seasons combined, and it saw Sanchez post
double-digit win totals for the first time since his rookie year of 2006.
The-soon-to-be-27-year-old regained zip on his fastball, which helped
him ring up an 8.4 K/9 rate over the second half of the season. If
Sanchez can stay off the trainer's table and whittle down his walk
rate, Sanchez will make a formidable third starter behind Josh
Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. (NR)

64. Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox (B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Gavin Floyd, along with the entire Sox rotation, needs to prove
to be more consistent in 2011, and probably none more than the
streaky Floyd. The hurler, who went 6-2 with a 1.19 ERA over 12
starts from early June through early August, can carry a team on his
shoulders when he's hot. (51)

65. James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays (C) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The 2010 season was a struggle for Shields, who seemed to try
too hard to overpower hitters at times. While he was able to rack up
a career-high 187 strikeouts, Big Game James also served up a
whopping 34 home runs and finished with a 5.18 ERA. If the
sixth-year right-hander can do a better job of keeping the ball in the
park, a return to form is plausible. (38)

66. Edwin Jackson, Chicago White Sox  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Edwin Jackson was terrible to start the year with the D'Backs,
but a mid-season no-hitter piqued trade interest at the deadline,
and the White Sox were quick to make a deal to bring him back to
the AL Central. After returning to the division he's familiar with,
Jackson returned to hin 2009 form, posting a 3.24 ERA with 77 K's
over 75 innings pitched. (45)

67. Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays (C)   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      After only one season in the Blue Jays organization, the son of
former Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek will have every
opportunity to be a major contributor to the Jays rotation in 2011.
With a plus fastball and curve, if Drabek can improve his changeup,
he could be 2011's Mat Latos. (NR) 

68. Bronson Arroyo, Cincinatti Reds (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Cincinatti's reliable ace in 2010, Arroyo won a team-high 17
games and tossed a 3.88 ERA, while tossing over 200 innings for the
sixth consecutive year. Still, Arroyo remains a fantasy risk, an aging
starter with a low strikeout rate who is just three seasons removed
from a 4.77 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. (76)

69. A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Burnett was far from sharp last year, posting the highest ERA
(5.26) of any starter in Yankees history who started more than 30
games. Burnett needs to find the combination to right the ship, and
his return to dominance is key to future Yankees success, especially
in the playoffs, where the Bombers weak pitching was exposed. (31)

70. Johan Santana, New York Mets (F) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     For the second straight year, Santana failed to log 30 starts
over an injury-plagued campaign, and a torn capsule in his throwing
shoulder could sideline him through the 2011 All-Star break. When
he does make it on the field, Santana will have to prove that his
dip in velocity and plummeting K/9 rate is a result of injury, and not
age. Regardless, Santana still retains the most value on this
starved New York Mets rotation. (8)

71. Carl Pavano, Minnesota Twins (NR)   
72. Randy Wolf, Millwaukee Brewers (66)
73. Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres (NR)
74. Dallas Braden, Oakland Athletics (NR)
75. Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays (NR)
76. Jake Peavy, Chicago White Sox (24)
77. Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves (30)
78. Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers (57)
79. Chris Young, New York Mets (39)
80. Cory Luebke, San Diego Padres (NR)
81. Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians (NR)
82. Tim Stauffer, San Diego Padres (NR)
83. R.A. Dickey, New York Mets (NR)
84. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox (46)
85. Joel Pineiro, Los Angeles Angels (56) 
86. Scott Baker, Minnesota Twins (29)
87. Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees (61)
88. Jeff Niemann, Tampa Bay Rays (68)
89. Justin Duchscherer, Baltimore Orioles (80)
90. Derek Lowe, Atlanta Braves (NR)
91. Jeremy Guthrie, Baltimore Orioles (77)
92. Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves (NR)
93. Randy Wells, Chicago Cubs (NR)
94. Jake Westbrook, St. Louis Cardinals (NR)
95. Scott Kazmir, Los Angeles Angels (43)
96. J.A. Happ, Houston Astros (44)
97. Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox (55)
98. Joe Blanton, Philadelphia Phillies (59)
99. Joe Saunders, Arizona Diamondbacks (64)
100. Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres (65)

Relief Pitchers
1. Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   With his inconsistent past (5.40 ERA in '06, 2.28 in '07, 4.62 in '08,
2.74 in '09, 1.81 in '10), Wilson isn't exactly a confidence pick based
on past performance. But the instant celebrity with a charismatic yet
volatile personality has also averaged 42 saves over the past three
seasons, which features a three-year K/9 rate of 10.4. If he can
maintain a low-ish ERA, Wilson gets a serious edge over his brethren
who are aged and innings-limited (Mariano Rivera), effective but
with limited oppurtunities (Joakim Soria) and nasty but wild (Carlos
Marmol, Francisco Rodriguez). Will be the first closer off the board in
many upcoming fantasy drafts. (8)

2. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    While Rivera held batters to a miniscule .183 batting average, his
K/9 rate fell to 6.75, a cause for some concern. While it will be just a
matter of time before a loss of velocity spells Mo, he is still
automatic, and the most reliable closer in the game. (2)  

3. Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Although Marmol's bouts of wildness make for the occasional
disaster outing, his pure stuff is probably better than any closer in
the Majors. Marmol recorded a jaw-dropping 15.99 K/9 rate last
season, and if he can become more accurate on a regular basis,
Marmol can be the most dangerous closer in the game. (10)

4. Heath Bell, San Diego Padres  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In less than two seasons, the bulky Bell has transformed from an
elite setup man to among the game's most shutdown closers. Bell
was arguably the most dominant closer in the big leagues last
season, going a perfect 33-for-33 in save opportunities from June 1
through the season's end. (6)

5. Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Soria never seems to get the respect he deserves, even though
his career numbers stack up well against any current closer not
named Mariano Rivera. Soria was lights out in the second half of '10,
posting a 1.17 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while racking up 18 of 19 save
chances. (5)

6. Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Papelbon will return as the Red Sox closer this season, but with
the signing of Bobby Jenks this offseason, Papelbon now has a
target on his back, and the Red Sox will no longer tolerate the
inconsistencythat plagued him last year. Still, 37 saves and 76
strikeouts last season ranked him among the game's best closers,
and he'll likely return to his dominant form after a rededication to
his fastball this offseason and some better placement. (3)

7. Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers (E)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The 22-year-old was electric during his rookie campaign, earning
AL Rookie of the Year honors after 40 saves and 71 strikeouts over
69.1 innings pitched. Still, Feliz is relatively inexperienced, and
there's the possibility that hitters will figure him out and put him in a
bad spell in which he loses the closer role. (NR)

8. Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Broxton's 2010 campaign was a tale of two halves, a first half that
saw him as one of the most dominant closers in the game (2.11 ERA,
1.07 WHIP) and a second half that was ugly (7.13 ERA, 2.13 WHIP)
and saw his job taken away by Hong-Chih Kuo; while his disastrous
finish raises a lot of questions heading into 2011, he'll likely return to
his former self. (4)

9. Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The '09 AL Rookie of the year missed considerable time with a
back injury in 2010, but when he was healthy enough to play, he
was dominant, posting a 1.47 ERA and saving 25 games; he should
pick up right where he left off. (9)

10. Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     K-Rod's off-field problems overshadowed his otherwise great
campaign, as he went 4-2 and posted a 2.20 ERA and converted
25 of 30 save opportunities along with 67 punchouts in 57.1 innings.
Barring any mental setbacks, K-Rod will be back to his usual self in
'11, saving at least 30 games on an improved Mets squad. (7)

11. Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Chris Perez was a top fantasy pickup last season, landing in the
closer role as a result of Kerry Wood's early season health woes
and eventual trade to the Yankees; the 25-year-old righty was
virtually unhittable in the second half, posting an 0.63 ERA while
converting 16 of 17 save chances. (NR)

12. Huston Street, Colorado Rockies  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Street didn't appear in a Major League game until late June due
to shoulder stiffness that started in Spring Training. After returning,
Street had some impressive runs, but fell short of his '09 form in
which he saved 35-of-37 in the Rockies' playoff run; completely
healthy in '11, Street should return to dominant form. (16)

13. Matt Thornton, Chicago White Sox
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With only one career blown save, Thornton looks better suited to
handle the late-inning role than rookie Chris Sale. Thornton is an
All-Star caliber set-up man, so manager Ozzie Guillen has to decide
if he wants Thornton to reprise his role, or step it up at the closer
position. (NR)

14. Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Valverde dominated in the first half of '10, compiling an 0.53 ERA
and 0.68 WHIP through the end of June. A disastrous July and
August saw his season ERA jump to 3.27, but he was battling
nagging injuries; a 1.29 ERA in September suggests you can count on
another strong showing in 2011. (11)

15. Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The four-time All-Star missed the entire 2010 season due to
Tommy John surgery, and he's the leading candidate to reprise the
role in 2011; his could provide balance to a bullpen with many
question marks, and could be a huge sleeper pick if he returns to
the form that once made him the game's top closer. (1 before injury)

16. Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     A rugged 5'11" right-hander, Kimbrell can throw just as hard as
lanky lefties such as Chris Sale and Aroldis Chapman. He also piles
up strikeouts at an even more impressive rate, striking out 40 in 20.2
innings last season. So impressive was Kimbrel during his rookie
campaign, the Braves organization has little doubt about his ability
to succeed All-Star Billy Wagner in the closer role. (NR)

17. John Axford, Millwaukee Brewers 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Axford was dynamite as the successor of the all-time saves
leader in 2010, saving 24-of-27 opportunities and hurling a 2.48 ERA
in an impressive rookie campaign, which included putting away 76
batters on strikes in only 58 innings pitched. Clearly, the Brewers
have found their closer of both the present and the future. (NR)

18. J.J. Putz, Arizona Diamondbacks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The big offseason signing of J.J. Putz brings stability to the worst
bullpen in the majors last season, and while Putz hasn't closed
full-time since 2008 - and has only converted 5 of his 11 save
opportunities since - he should be relatively effective as the
everyday closer for the D'Backs. (NR)

19. Francisco Cordero, Cincinatti Reds (E)   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Cordero recorded 40 saves in 2010, his highest total since 2007,
but that included eight blown saves. The reliever posted his
highest ERA as a closer (3.84), and his strikeout rate has dropped
from 9.98 K/9 in '08 down to 7.31 K/9 last year, and he is at risk of
losing his job to fireballer Aroldis Chapman if he struggles early. (13)

20. Drew Storen, Washington Nationals 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Manager Jim Riggleman has said that the closer role is up for
grabs this spring, and there are five guys capable of getting it done
regularly. Leading the pack is the nasty Storen, who succeeded
Matt Capps after he was dealt to the Twins in July. (NR)

21. Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Lidge's role as closer is a lock in the Phillies' pen, but that
doesn't mean it's safe. The wild Lidge always has to be looking over
his shoulder for someone looking to snatch his role, but Lidge is
doing his best to make sure that doesn't happen, saving 27-of-32
opportunities and hurling a 2.96 ERA in 2010. (23)

22. Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      The effective ex-starter who rarely tosses K's is back to reclaim
his role for the 2011 campaign, a role where he's combined for 82
saves to go along with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in the last three
seasons; the 37-year-old is risky, but has a proven track record. (24)

23. David Aardsma, Seattle Mariners (C) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      After a poor start, Aardsma finished the year strong, saving 15
of 16 opportunities while posting a knockout 0.84 ERA after the
All-Star break; with more consistency, Aardsma can be one of the
game's premeir closers. (14) 

24. Leo Nunez, Florida Marlins (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      In 2010, protecting leads became a problem for the Marlins, as
the bullpen combined for 25 blown saves, tops in the NL. Nunez was
part of the problem, blowing eight save opportunities; alas, the
Marlins management has trust in Nunez, who reprises the role of
closer this spring, to add more consistency to his repertoire. (26)

25. Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros (C) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Brandon Lyon was excellent in the ninth inning last season,
saving 20 out of 2 opportunities while posting a 3.12 ERA. If the
Astros avoid shuffling their bullpen, Lyon could put up big numbers in
'11. (29)

26. Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh Pirates (NR)
27. Daniel Bard, Boston Red Sox (NR)
28. Aroldis Chapman, Cincinatti Reds (NR)
29. Kevin Gregg, Baltimore Orioles (30)
30. Jonny Venters, Atlanta Braves (NR)

FryLock19's Top 100 Fantasy Players
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
2. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins
3. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
4. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
5. Matt Holliday, OF, St. Louis Cardinals 
6. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
7. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers
8. Carl Crawford, OF, Boston Red Sox
9. Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
10. David Wright, 3B, New York Mets
11. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies
12. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston Red Sox 
13. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinatti Reds 
14. Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas Rangers
15. Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners
16. Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
17. Tim Lincecum, SP, San Francisco Giants
18. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies
19. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees
20. Mark Teixera, 1B, New York Yankees 
21. Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
22. Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies 
23. Jose Reyes, SS, New York Mets
24. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington Nationals
25. Jayson Werth, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
26. Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers
27. Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox
28. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox
29. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
30. Justin Morneau, 1B, Minnesota Twins
31. Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins
32. Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Seattle Mariners
33. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
34. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Cleveland Indians
35. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Boston Red Sox
36. Josh Johnson, SP, Florida Marlins
37. Nelson Cruz, OF, Texas Rangers
38. Adam Dunn, DH, Chicago White Sox
39. C.C. Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees
40. Dan Uggla, 2B, Atlanta Braves
41. Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
42. Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers 
43. Austin Jackson, OF, Detroit Tigers
44. David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
45. Shane Victorino, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
46. Victor Martinez, DH, Detroit Tigers
47. Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinatti Reds
48. Jose Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
49. Jered Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels
50. Hunter Pence, OF, Houston Astros
51. Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
52. Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants
53. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers
54. Vernon Wells, OF, Los Angeles Angels
55. Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves
56. Francisco Liriano, SP, Minnesota Twins
57. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
58. Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees
59. Andre Ethier, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
60. Matt Cain, SP, San Francisco Giants
61. Rickie Weeks, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
62. Jimmy Rollins, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
63. Paul Konerko, 1B, Chicago White Sox
64. Chris Carpenter, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
65. Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Chicago Cubs
66. Mike Stanton, OF, Florida Marlins 
67. Tommy Hanson, SP, Atlanta Braves
68. Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves
69. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Colorado Rockies
70. Kendry Morales, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
71. Brian Wilson, RP, San Francisco Giants
72. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox
73. Zack Greinke, SP, Milwaukee Brewers
74. Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
75. Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals 
76. Mariano Rivera, RP, New York Yankees
77. Dan Haren, SP, Los Angeles Angels
78. Delmon Young, OF, Minnesota Twins
79. Kelly Johnson, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
80. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers
81. Carlos Marmol, RP, Chicago Cubs
82. Alex Rios, OF, Chicago White Sox
83. Kevin Youkilis, 3B, Boston Red Sox
84. Mat Latos, SP, San Diego Padres
85. Heath Bell, RP, San Diego Padres
86. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinatti Reds
87. Roy Oswalt, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
88. David Ortiz, DH, Boston Red Sox
89. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers
90. Grady Sizemore, OF, Cleveland Indians
91. Carlos Santana, C, Cleveland Indians
92. Joakim Soria, RP, Kansas City Royals
93. Alexei Ramirez, SS, Chicago White Sox
94. Curtis Granderson, OF, New York Yankees 
95. Nick Markakis, OF, Baltimore Orioles
96. Chris Young, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
97. Max Scherzer, SP, Detroit Tigers
98. Drew Stubbs, OF, Cincinatti Reds
99. Chad Billingsley, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
100. Corey Hart, OF, Milwaukee Brewers