Yankees Refuse to Go South, Call on Tex

On December 23rd the Yankees signed THE most coveted free agent of the 2008 winter, Mark Teixeira. Some would call the Yankees selfish, and many would tell them that buying a World Series isn't good for baseball. Be the Tampa Bay Rays. Harvest your players, play them, until they're fantastic, get to the playoffs for a year and then watch them leaves to only be signed by the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets or Cubs. Fans forget, but this is actually the Yankees' style. Derek Jeter, Chien Ming Wang, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano, Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, Andy Pettitte, Ian Kennedy, Jose Veras...The list is long and the players are distinguished--all of these players came out of the Yankees' farmsystem and all of them are very good. The point is, the core of the Yankees isn't bought, its grown, and thats what will give them a World Series--guys who WANT to win as a Yankee.

Who knows how motivated C.C. Sabathia is to win a Championship-- he has his money and really wasn't thrilled about playing for the Yankees until he was offered a golden egg. A.J. Burnett came at a high price, and a guy that pitches a Pavanian 3/4 of a season yearly might be a risk. Well maybe not Pavanian, that's be more like getting dirty with a masseuse instead of pitching at all. Mark Teixeira though WILL get the Yankees to the promise land. The smartest signing this off season. He gives AROD protection, and hitting in front of the beast, Texeira's numbers will explode. Jeter benefits to, hitting in front of Teixeira his runs will increase, and his average will probably jump with all of the fastballs he'll get. Bobby Abreu didn't have this effect.

Teixeira is a winner, he wants to win, he plays to win, he puts his ass on the line every game. His lifting regimen, not full of steroids and HGH like Clemens' or Bonds', is adored by Men's Health and is possibly the most grueling work out system in the business. Teixeira plays every game, every year-- his managers have to forced him to take a seat on the bench. His power numbers are consistent and, well, powerful. 33, 30, 33 homers during his past three years. From 2005-2006 he played EVERY single game for the Rangers. In 2008, he played 157 games. He's a very solid baserunner with a .378 OBP during his career, and he isn't a swing and whiff Adam Dunn guy, his lifetime batting average is .290 and he struck out on 93 times last year-- a feat that modern era power hitters rarely can match. A winner of 2 Gold Gloves, Teixeira also plays plus defense at an underrated position. He's also a high-character guy. He doesn't pout, fight, or whine about his teammates when times are bad and teammates are sucking-- he simply tells them to work harder and get better. He takes responsibility for himself. He was offered a larger contract from The Nationals, but he waited out the Yankees. Maybe it was that snake Scott Boras, or maybe Teixeira wants to win. Jason Giambi won't be missed.

For all of the hubbub the Yankees' payroll gets is still below what it was last year. Instead of signing high-priced veterans that could care less about the playoffs-- Bobby Abreu, Carl Pavano-- they made a run at true competitors. 2009 will be an interesting season. New stadium, clean slate. Their bullpen is in the top 10 in the MLB, their rotation is number 1, they're hitters are number 1 and they have a coach that WANTS to win. They'll still be there in October 2009.

America's Best Baseball Gloves

1. Nokona Kangaroo Kimera Series-Some sexy handcut gloves are made in Nokona, Texas, namely Nokona's Kangaroo Kimera Series. The Rolls Royce of gloves, the glove is simply one of those products that just screams "I have a trust fund." The mix of light-weight kangaroo and horween-oiled leather give Nokona gloves an incredibly light weight feel with extremely soft leather padding--making the glove arrive at your doorstep already broken in and game-ready. Don't be fooled by the leight weight, Nokona gloves are extremely tough and have some of the best formed pockets of any gloves today. If you play highschool or college ball go with the Nokona Kangaroo Kimera Series AMG1275KT (189.99), for pitchers go with an AMG1 with a closed and basket-woven pocket. ($189.99)

2. Roy Hobbs 3400 Catchers Mitt- If you're looking to catch for your highschool, college, or pro team Roy Hobbs has your answer. Manufactured with Game-Worn leather already rubbed and prepared tediously and repeatedly with a number of oils, Roy Hobbs' catchers mitts are easily maneuverable and won't give any bounce in the pocket--you'll hold on to every pitch. Try the Roy Hobbs 3400 Catchers Mitt ($139.99).

3. Shoeless Joe Professional Series SJ6T1150- Originally Shoeless Joe glovers were made for nostalgia rather than use in semi-pro and pro games, however, the Pressional Series combines great look, smell and feel in to one glove. The gloves are made with Special Antiqued Tobacco Leather Hydes giving them a great smell and a soft feel. Especially for infielders, 11.50 inch gloves are extremely maneuverable and each comes compeltely unstructured making every glove unique. Pitchers goe for the Professional Series SJV1200 ($149.99) at 11.50 to 12.00 and infielders go for SJ6T1150 ($149.99) 11.25-11.5. Outfielders will best off using a larger model SJ6T1150, but Shoeless Joe gloves fit the infield much better than larger outfielder's gloves.

The Grinders and The Odds and Ends-- The Best of the Bench

Some of the most important players in the game don't see the field for half the season- some even less. Regardless, every team needs a player that can be called on in a tight spot to steal a base, take over at shortstop, slap a single or fill the gap between your starter and your set up man. Many of these players go overlooked. Most of them aren't household names. But every player on this list does something special-- whether its to press a little harder, run a little faster or pick a groundball a little bit quicker.

1. Skip Schumaker OF, St. Louis Cardinals- Outside of having a fantastic baseball name, Schumaker is one of those rare fourth outfielders that you miss when a starter takes over. His .308 batting average in 2008, paired with his ability to out the ball in play and avoid strikeouts makes him a fantastic pinch hitter. Beyond that, Schumaker is an above average fielder, a preppy that no player could avoid sharing a laugh with, and a player that gives it his all every game. Because his starting job will probably be handed over to Colby Rasmus or a healthy Chris Duncan, Schumaker has become a premier 4th outfielder.

2. Jose Molina C, New York Yankees- When the Yankees true leader (no offense Derek), Jorge Posada, went down with an injury last year the Bronx called for a difibrillator. The trusty Molina took over and the Yankees promptly put together some very good winning streaks. Never an offensive threat, Molina still managed to hit a few out of the park and keep his average at a respectable level. Molina's true value comes with his cannon of an arm that led the MLB in percentage of baserunners thrown out and was in the top three in the amount of basestealers gunned down.--impressive considering he isn't a regular player. As a late inning defensive replacement, after Posada's rainbow-lobs to second and his reluctance to block the plate have gotten too dangerous to stomach, Molina is the guy Joe Girardi has replaced his bottle of Pepto Bismol with. He keeps singles as singles, and those greedy first-to-third runners in check. On top of his ability to slow down the game, Molina also calls a great game. Since Molina has been a Yankee, for about a season and a half now, Mike Mussina has grown to prefer him calling his games over Jorge Posada-- and Mussina pitched well with Molina during his final two seasons as a result.

3. Damion Easley, 2B/INF, New York Mets- Maybe the epitome of "unsung hero" Easley, a former Silver Slugger winner, has always stepped up whenever the Mets needed him. While Marco Scutaro has the cute name, Easley has the bat, and a glove that deserves more credit than its given. A middle infielder that slugged .466 in 2007, its puzzling that Easley wasn't handed the starting job when Castillo really started to reek. Easley can always be counted on for 5-10 homers in about 200 at bats (Equating 15-30 in 600!) a palatable batting average and the versitility only Swiss Army could rival. While the bulk of Easley's games have been at second base, he played 6 positions last year, including every position (sans catcher and pitcher) in the infield.

4. Martin Prado, INF, Atlanta Braves- Martin who? Exactly. Prado, a 25-year-old Venezuelan infielder has developed in to an impact player over his first three seasons in the Major Leagues. A career .307 batting average and a .794 OPS isn't too shabby for an infielder just getting off of formula. In 228 at bats in 2008 Prado batted .320 with 18 doubles, 33 rbi's and an .838 OPS while starting at least two games at every spot in the Brave's infielder (outside of catcher and pitcher). Kotchman, Johnson and Escobar all have a firm hold on their positions as top tier young guns, but judging by Chipper Jones' plate glass bones and his ability to look like "a child whose wondered in to the middle of a movie" (see The Big Lebowski) while playing third will keep Prado playing and in the mix to take over 3rd base.

5. Mike Fontenot, 2B, Chicago Cubs- After Fukudome's pitiful showing in the second half of the 2008 season, Fontenot will likely be in the mix to start in right field in 2009. The little cajun second baseman showed some serious pop last year slugging .514, cranking out 9 home runs, and kining 22 doubles in only 243 at bats-- not bad for a guy generously listed at 5'8" 160 lbs. The only reason Fontenot isn't at the top of the list is his fielding. While he's sure handed, and a guy you can trust in the bottom of the ninth, his range at second base was a full point below the league average--hence Pinella's interest in moving him to Left Field and leaving DeRosa at second. Regardless of his fielding, Fontenot proved invaluable last year for the Cubs, especially because he wields a left-handed stick from the bench.

6. Grant Balfour, MR, Tampa Bay Rays- Balfour came to the Rays from the Brewers as an Australian hothead with a fastball hot enough to catch fire in a blizzard. His only problem was his Rickie Vaughn-like control. Now, at age 31, Balfour has finally figured something out and he went from a guy left off the opening day roster to a candidate to close for the Rays in 2009. In '08, Balfour went 6-2 with 82 strikeouts in 58 innings, 4 saves and a thrifty--maybe downright stingy-- 1.54 ERA. Possibly Balfour's coolest moment was during the ALDS when Orlando Cabrera challenged him to trow his fastball down the pipe. Balfour did, and Cabrera was blown away. In a post-game interview, when Balfour was asked what he yelled at Cabrera after the strikeout Balfour calmly said "I told him to go sid down."

7. Coco Crisp, Outfield, The Boston Red Sox- Somehow Coco's given name, Covelli Crisp sounds even more ridiculous than his now-preferred alias, Coco Crisp. Its hard to expect much from a brand of cereal patroling your outfield, but Crisp used 2008 to completely redeem himself after a 2007 in which he lost the confidence of Terry Francona and pretty much handed his job to Jacoby Ellsbury. Crisp plays crisp defense in center field, covering almost the whole 20% of earth not covered by water. Crisp also showed that he can still wield the bat when he batted .283 with 7 homers and 18 doubles in 361 at bats. Coco's real value comes from his ability to swipe a base and pinch run for slow pokes like J.D. Drew, Manny (when he was on the Red Sox), Youkilis etc. In half a season, Crisp still stole 20 bases-- even when catchers almost expected him to swipe a base everytime he made it to first. After his good showing last year, crisp will be given an opportunity to start for the Royals in 2009.

8. Willie Harris, 2B/OF, Washington Nationals- A product of Baltimore's farm system, Harris never really found a home until he finally stuck with the Nationals last year. In half of a season playing all 3 outfield positions and some second base, Harris managed to hit 13 homeruns and steal 13 bases. Even more impressive were the 50 walks he drew. A guy that Billy Beane would love to get his dirty paws on, Harris probably comes second to Cristian Guzman for 2008 team MVP. He can steal a base, slap a single, cover some ground in center or even hit the occasional dinger. Unfortunately for Harris, The Nationals are overflowing the young outfield talent and likely won't waste the cheapest and best years of Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes and Josh Willingham for a bench warmer. The possible signing of Mark Teixeira or Adam Dunn makes his chances of starting even less likely. Even so, Harris was happy to accept his back-up role and accepted The Nationals offer to stick with the team through 2009.

9. Edwar Ramirez, MR, New York Yankees- Edwar was signed by the Yankees out of the Independent Leagues after being cut from the Angels farm system and nearly every other club's A ball teams. Luckily for the Yankees, they signed the baby-faced stick figure right after he had learned some new junk while throwing off of those shady pitching mounds as an Indy Leaguer. Now armed with a screwballing changeup, Edwar was able to strike out 63 batters in 55 innings and managed to finish the year 5-1 for the Yankees. Although he's prone to giving up the occasional long ball, Edwar has shown the ability to pitch in any inning in any situation. Possibly his most valuable trait is his ability to get out lefties well enough to compel Yankee Manager Joe Girardi to use him as a Lefty Specialist.

10. Brad Ziegler, CL, Oakland Athletics- When Huston Street pulled a Deep Throat and started blowing games left and right the A's were left with a decision to make- Who are we gonna replace Huston with? Ziegler a 29-year-old rookie in 2008 stepped up and flourished in the role collecting 11 saves and posting an eye-popping 1.06 era in 60 innings pitched. He may not be a long term answer for the A's, but at the very least he can provide Joey Devine with a helping hand every couple of days.

11. Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, New York Yankees- Eleven? Are you serious? No lists ever go to eleven...Nick Swisher was signed by the Yankees in the 2008 offseason to take over for Jason Giambia at first. Then cae Mark Teixeira. With an already stacked roster, Swisher has become a bench player sharing time in the OF and at DH. The guy can't make contact, but think of him as a baby Adam Dunn-- I'm still in wonderment why Russel Branyan does get a better look on a team while Swisher and Dunn make bank. Anyway, he gets on base, he has plenty of pop and he's not too shabby at first base-- range lacks in the outfield though. It wouldn't suprise me if Swisher took over for Hideki Matsui or Xavier Nady by season's end.

Close but no cigar- Dan Giese, Willy Aybar, Erick Aybar, Omar Infante, Greg Dobbs, Brett Gardner, Ryan Franklin.

The Report on Joe Girardi

Joe Girardi gets a lot of guff for his sometimes thoughtless strategical decisions, but this guy wants to win. Torre was a softy, never raising his voice to his team, never pushing his youngsters-- more of a guilt trip guy. Either way, once his team of winners left, his new team of greedy investment bankers completely quit on him. Girardi, on the other hand, doesn't expect losing, and is visibly upset after losing a series. He really believes the Yankees underachieve, (and they do), but he is far more committed to winning than Joe Torre was after years of Torre's pay-me-to-sit-on-the-bench-and-look-angry-approach. The biggest issue with Girardi was his management of young pitchers, but he seems to have shed the career-destroyer label and has managed his young guys well. His most impressive feat of 2008 was his development of a bullpen that was left in shambles after the departure of Joe Torre. He built the confidence of Veras, Edwar, Robertson and even Farnsworth (before his trade to Detroit) by putting them in easy positions, then pressure situations and never allowing them to overthink last night's bad outing by keeping them pitching. Torre was a terrible bullpen guy, he was known for picking a reliever and then riding him until his effectiveness was spent. First it was Stanton, then Proctor, then Rivera when all of his other options had either fallen apart or had given him lip (Kyle Farnsworth) for his abuse of them.

Another strong point for the new Joe is his commitment to developing young players. As stated above, he developed a top of the league bullpen out of a bunch of rookies and minor league journeymen. The failure of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy was by no means his fault-- he continuously put up with Kennedy's bad attitude and gave them every chance to succeed. Brett Gardner was also a Girardi favorite for his hustle. What? A Yankee that cares about winning!?? Austin Jackson, Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances, Joba, and Hughes are in very good hands.

Lastly, Girardi stresses defense-- an aspect of the game that was never a strongpoint of Torre's latest teams. Giambi made some decent plays at first base last year, and Girardi often started Betemit at first to stop lefty-line-drive hitters. Despite Melky's abominable hitting, Girardi still kept him in center for most of the season for his defense and ability to keep singles from becoming doubles and triples. Girardi also gave Jose Molina a shot at playing everyday after Posada went down with injury-- at the time he really didn't have anyone else but forget about that. Molina showed that he is arguably the best defensive catcher in the MLB, leading both leagues in percentage of baserunners thrown out. His management of pitchers and game calling have also been far better than Posada's fastball-fastball-fastball approach.

Overall Girardi deserves a B+. He didn't make the playoffs last year with a 250 million dollar payroll so giving him an A would be too much credit for him. His development of a young bullpen, his drive to win and the motivation he brings to his team (he really gets on non-chalant players like Robinson Cano) make him a top five Manager. His game strategy leaves something to be desired-- its not as bad as the Randolphian "gut feeling," but he occassionaly can't come up with an answer when asked why he made a certain move. Either way, now that Bobby "The Curse" Abreu has peaced, Girardi will put together a playoff team in 2009 with the Yankees being a top team in the MLB in 2010.

What's Expected of the Yankees in 2009

No Clutch No Glory

With by far the largest payroll of any team in both leagues, the Yankees are always a favorite to make the playoffs in the AL East. With C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett (Carl Pavano Deux), Chien Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, they arguably have the most formidable rotation of any team. Their offense isn't as good as it once was. Xavier Nady played beyond his potential in 2008 and likely will come back to earth with .280 and 20-25 homers in 2009. Jorge Posada wasn't a good defensive catcher before his arm fell off, and now after shoulder surgery he'll have burners walking (running) all over him. Even though we still think of him as Baby Yankee, Derek Jeter is getting old and simply doesn't have the tools to lead this team. 11 home runs, a little over 20 doubles, an unacceptable amount of GIDP's, a handful of stolen bases and a barely .300 average along with his piss-poor defense makes Jeter an above average hitter-nothing more.

Statman and Austin in the Outfield

Who knows what A-Rod will bring? The Statman had an MVP year in 2007, but then took 25-30 games off in 2008 and once again stopped hitting in the clutch. A cleanup hitter who grounds in to double plays and strikes out with men in scoring position is frustrating at best. Melky Cabrera is still a very good defensive outfielder with a Mark Kotsay offensive upside- he should be the one starting over Mr. Gardner. Brett Gardner is an exciting guy to watch, but he shouldn't be more than a pinch runner/4th outfielder. He has absolutely no power, and might never hit one out of the park. Gardner's contact hitting ability also doesn't look too promising-- a burner that strikes over a 100 times a year doesn't fit in the lead off spot. His only value is his speed, and his somewhat effective patience but the minor leagues are littered with these type of players.

Billy Beane's Former Love Interest

Nick Swisher was a good pick-up for the Yankees. His lousy year last year seemed to be a combination of his poor relationship with Ozzie Guillen and his general misery playing in Chicago. Still, Swisher will never hit for average, but his upside is very Adam Dunn. He can walk at a Kevin Youkilis rate and he can spank 30 homeruns a year-- a Jason Giambi with some defensive value,

The 'Pen is Mightier

Perhaps the Yankees biggest question mark at the beginning of last season was their bullpen. Now that Girardi has replaced the mentally incompetent/too-soft Joe Torre, the bullpen has pulled a .180 to the point of being one of the bets in the MLB. Jose Veras is a fantastic set up man, able to pitch in big games and get big outs. Edwar Ramirez gives up the long ball but in the 7th inning he's generally very effective-- especially against lefties. Rivera is still Rivera. David Robertson deserves a spot in the pen. The guys a top prospect as a reliever and showed flashes of Scott Shields last year. Phil Coke is hittable but solid and can fill the long reliever role pretty well. Damaso Marte provides some stability and veteran leadership and another lefty arm-- he can get out righties too. In the minors Mark Melancon has torn apart AA hitters, and the big fatty Andrew Brackman is too fragile to start and his 95 mph fastball could make a conversion to MR very easy.

The Million Dollar Man and A.J. Burnout

The starting rotation obviously looks like the Yankees strongest area. C.C. Sabathia will give the Yankees a quality start almost every time out. A.J. Burnett, unspectacular and very injury prone will atleast give them 140 winnable innings. Chien Ming Wang is consistent and a winner, and is the best third starter in the AL. Joba Chamberlain is lights out, but after his arm tiring last year its hard to say how much of a load he can carry. The Steinbrenner's don't want him pitching more than 27 games this year. Phil Hughes was all but forgotten after two injur-filled years with the big boys. Still though, he's only 22 and he has the stuff and control to be an Ace. The question mark with Hughes is always his health, but a strong bullpen and a deep rotation will take some of the pressure off of his shoulder. Ian Kennedy doesn't look like he'll every be a reliable starter. He could be a decent 5th starter if he learns another pitch, but as of right now he can't scare MLB hitters at all.

The Young Guns

The Yankees minor league teams are extremely polarized. They have nobodies, career AAA players and then some very good prospects. Dellin Betances could be closer to the big team than he should be, but his stuff is incredible, his big frame looks sturdy and being a student of the game he looks like a future ace. Austin Jackson won't be a god, but a Tori Hunter/Adam Jones looks very possible. At the very least, his defense will get him a job. Mark Melancon, already mentioned above, throws fire and has recovered from T.J. surgery quickly. Francisco Cervelli looks like a very solid backup, and on many teams he would have a starting job. No power, but Cervelli's contact and plus defense will give him a roster spot somewhere. Zach McAllister shows flashes of brilliance and mixes above average stuff with very good control. You never know, he could disappear in the minors but he looks like he has a shot at a starting spot somewhere--probably not with the Yankees...trade bait.

Pride of the Baby Yankees

Jesus Montero, the pride of the Yankees' minor league system looks like the next Ivan Rodriguez-- with even more power. The kid is a beast and at 19 (20 in 2009) he's hitting 450 foot bombs to the opposite field. Austin Romine is another young Yankees catcher with an extremely high ceiling. He has power to all fields, makes contact and has a cannon for an arm-- he should be a better hitting Lou Marson in no time.

Past their "Sell by" date

Alan Horne is complete garbage. Shelley Duncan, an old, fat and hideously ugly pseudo-prospect is running out of time. His completely unacceptable defense has left him positionless and his low average and high strikeout totals have kept him in the minors.

Andrew Breakman

Finally, Andrew Brackman is coming back from T.J. surgery. The NC State product was overrated form the day he was drafted but he still has considerable upside. He throws hard, hes big and he has a good breaking ball. The only problem is that he never seems to be completely healthy. The front-line starter hes projected to be is a very big stretch for a guy that has done nothing in the minor leagues, and didn't have especially intimidating numbers at NC State. However, a top reliever or a decent middle of the rotation type starter looks very possible.

Fantasy Baseball Gems, Bargains, and Busts

Try to Grab

1. Matt Wieters C- A clone of Joe Mauer. Fantastic batter, is being handed the starting job in Baltimore and should be there for years to come. Draft him in your first minor league round, or trade major league picks to get the first pick.

2. Angel Salome C- After that leg injury that Jason Kendall sustained, he went from possible Hall-of-Famer to an awful batter. His only benefit is that he doesn't strike out, and somehow played good defense in 2008 after two years of some of the worst in the league. Angel Salome will take his job soon enough, and then you have a catcher that won a batting title at AA...

3. Adrian Cardenas 2B- A very decent, no name second baseman. If Trey Hillman has any sense whatsoever, and I know that he does, he will start Cardenas at second in 2009 and watch him blossom into Freddy Sanchez.

4. Erick Aybar SS- A great bargain as a low end starter or a high end back up. At a thin position he can provide a .300 batting average, 20 sb's and some runs.

5. Clayton Kershaw SP- Its no secret that this guy is the next Peavy, yet he still manages to slip beyond the 3rd or 4th round in most leagues. Grab him now, and watch him dominate the weak hitting NL West.

6. Travis Buck DH/OF- After post concussion syndrome, Buck had a slow recovery in 2009 but still managed to heat up in September. For a disappointing year, Buck was on pace for 25-3o home runs. He's good. He can hit for average and for power. With Matt Holliday in the lineup he'll get some fastballs too.

7. Jose Lopez 2B- At a thin position, a guy that doesn't strike out, hits at about .300 and cranks a Jeterly number of home runs is incredibly valuable. You can probably swipe him in the middle rounds.

8. John Danks SP- This guy has quickly become an elite starting pitcher and he's still young. If you need a frontline starter at a lower than 1st-3rd round price, he's your guy.

9. Chris Duncan OF- Everyone has forgotten about Duncan after two injury plagued seasons. Believe me when I say Duncan still has power! He still is capable of putting up Thome-like numbers, and he has a hold on the starting LF spot in St. Louis.

10. Daniel Murphy 2B/OF- The Mets have grown tired of Luis Castillo's sucking, and he's certainly not getting any faster, or better at making contact. They've all but handed Murphy the job on a silver platter-- he should do well for a guy that'll go undrafted in most leagues.

11. Elijah Dukes OF- Elijah is a criminal, and isn't the most likeable ballplayer out there. However, even playing for the Nationals, Dukes could easily put up 20-20 numbers and be a number 1 or 2 outfielder.

12. Brent Lillibridge SS- Okay, Lillibridge is a stretch, but if you're without a SS or if you're looking for a backup, Lillibridge is a solid option. In deeper leagues, a young David Eckstein for absolutely no cost is at least helpful.

13. Dana Eveland SP- Eveland finally came into his own last year with the Athletics. He doesn't have overpowering stuff, but with a better offense behind him in 2009, 15 wins and a low 4.00 ERA is a very reasonable expectation. He'll be cheap.

14. Jason Werth OF- Although he was one of the primary pieces that led the Phillies to a championship, Werth has gone relatively unnoticed by most non-Philly fans. 20-25 hr's and 15-20 sb's is definitely a reasonable expectation for Werth.

15. J.R. Towles C- Deemed Houston's future a year ago, Towles failed miserably in the bigs hitting well below the "Mendoza Line". Still, Towles has the potential to hit 20 homers and bat near .300. Once again, the starting job will be his to lose. Because of his awful numbers in 2008, he'll be a cheap pick-up.

16. Howie Kendrick- Already possessing a batting title from his days in the minor leagues, Kendrick may very well earn one in the majors some day. Although he NEVER walks, he makes a lot of contact and has the potential to hit .330 and steal 20 bases.

17. Carlos Gonzalez- The friendly Coors Field will bolster Gonzalez's power numbers. He's a very good prospect, will be competing for the a starting OF spot in the spring and has the potential to be a top 20 OF.

18. Sean Rodriguez INF- An under-the-radar A-Rod (with less contact ability) Rodriguez was overshadowed by Brandon Wood for most of his prospect-career. His mammoth power at SS/2B make him an extremely intriguing player to stash on your bench. Be ready for the day he takes over a starting job in the Angel's infield.

19. Brandon Jones OF- Jones will be making a sincere push for a starting OF job in Atlanta. A tools guy without a glaring strength, Jones looks like a very solid player. Adam Jones type numbers are very possible.

20. Adam Laroche 1B- This guy gets a whole lot of lip from the press for absolutely no reason. Always expected to be a disappointment, Laroche has consistently proved his critics wrong. With a Beer League lineup around him Laroche still puts up a good batting average, 25 homeruns and 80 rbi's yearly.


Stay Away From

1. Carlos Gomez- After being marked as the Santana-trade-guy this burner has a lot of hype surrounding him, but a leadoff hitter that strikes out 150 times a season has a scary (bad scary) future if he doesn't develop some patience.

2. Manny Ramirez- If you're in a keeper league don't be fooled by Ramirez's insane numbers in 2008. Ramirez was in his contract year, and knew that if he stepped it up and shut up he'd get a good contract. He's old and lazy--making him very risky.

3. Dan Uggla- Although second is a thin position, Uggla is a very risky pick. His strikeout numbers are disturbing, his batting average makes Cesar Izturis look decent, and his slumps kill fantasy teams. After a good first half, Uggla made 3 errors in the All Star game and then proceeded to slump badly in the second half. Don't trust him.

4. Carlos Delgado 1B- This guy was an automatic out with men on base for most of his career with the Mets. Sure, last year he put up good numbers recently, but one can only wonder about his motivation. A cleanup hitter who bats .200 (or below) with men on base is definitely a cleanup hitter you should stay away from.

5. Bobby Abreu- Away from the friendly right field wall at Yankee stadium, and without being sandwiched between Jeter and Arod, Abreu's future doesn't look too promising. 100 rbi's? Never again. 20 HR's? No way.

6. Alexi Casilla- Casilla was solid in 2008. Still, he played well beyond his potential and probably won't match his numbers from 2008 in 2009. If you can get him for cheap, then he's not a bad pickup.

7. A.J. Burnett- This guy is abominable. He takes weeks, even months off all to often and doesn't seem to care about pitching when he's not in a contract year. He'll be pitching for the Yankees, true, but will he actually pitch all that much?

8. Ryan Church- Post concussion syndrome has scrambled Church's brains. He's never been much more than a very good platoon player, and likely won't be anything special next year.

9. Ian Kennedy- Do I really need to explain why you should stay away from Kennedy? He has Little League stuff, poor control and resembles Kei Igawa more than Mike Mussina. He won't be in the rotation for 2009 and doesn't have the stuff to be a reliever. Even if he was either, hitters would use him for batting practice. On top of his lousy AAAA stuff, he's also an extremely arrogant and unlikeable guy.

10. Chris Young, OF- He and Reynolds are strikeout machines without too much upside left. Although he does have good power, his contact ability is poor and his strikeouts will kill his productivity.

11. Austin Jackson- Overhyped, overrated-- pick a label. Jackson has potential, especially on defense, however the savior he's projected to be is highly unlikely.

12. Fernando Martinez- Sure he's young, but he's not worth a first round MiLB pick while guys like Alvarez, Wieters, Snider, Cahill, LaPorta, Rasmus, Parker and Carrasco are around. He'll be a mark Kotsay (prior to the back problems).

13. Ike Davis- It may be too early to really tell what Davis is going to turn into, but so far the switch from metal bat to wooden stick has completely sapped Davis' homerun. A potato masher in college, Davis didn't hit a single homerun in nearly 250 at bats in low A ball last year. Big guys who can't run and can't drive the ball usually don't last long in the minor leagues. No matter what Baseball America says, disagree with them-- he is garbage.

14. Jason Varitek- Varitek, affectionately called "'Tek" by his teammates has been an aweful catcher for the Red Sox over the last two seasons. Why? Its no mystery, hes getting old, and getting old and playing catcher don't mix. He still gets the "he may not hit but he calls a good game and leads the team treatment" but he REALLY doesn't hit except for a few meaningless homeruns here or there. His glove and his ability to "call a game" still don't make up for his poor bat. He has really never been anything special on the defensive side of the plate. Deep down, he really can't be that shocked that the Red Sox aren't jumping to re-sign him. Call it a career already, 'Tek.

2009 Sleeper Ball Clubs- Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals- 100 wins, HIGHLY unlikely. Sniffing the sweet smell of .500? There's definitely a chance. The team is filled with potential- Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes for instance are both young outfielders capable of 20-20 seasons. Ryan Zimmerman looks like he could become the next Scott Rolen. Cristian Guzman is a very solid SS, Jesus Flores is at the very least developing in to an above average offensive catcher. Nick Johnson, if healthy, isn't far off from Kevin Youkilis. If not, Josh Willingham can easily fill that void with 20-30 bombs. Between Austin Kearns, the possible signing of Adam Dunn and Chris Marrero, the Nationals right field spot looks like it will be very promising.

Pitching, the Nats' biggest question mark go into 2009 looks stronger and deeper than its been given credit for. John Lannan looks at least like Jeff Suppan, if not Jeremy Guthrie. Scott Olsen is a proven commodity. Although away from the friendly pitching confines of Miami, Olsen will still give the team a lot of quality innings. Collin Balester is a very solid young pitcher and Jordan Zimmerman has blown through the minors. Odalis Perez if re-signed is another very solid pitcher, but if not, then Ross Detwiler, Shawn Hill and Jason Bergman all have a shot at rounding out the staff.

The bullpen also looks like it is filled with potential. Joel Hanrahan has very good stuff and proved capable of holding the closers role down in 2008. Steve Shell and Garret Mock are both B+ relievers, and if Ross Detwiler is moved to the bullpen in the minors he could be Billy Wagner. Prospect Shairon Martis could also be a starter, but may provide help to the bullpen. Of course, Saul Rivera will be back and he's always proven to be a very solid middle man.

The bench also looks deep and a plus. Anderson Hernandez' slick defense and contact hitting will help spare the middle infield a few times a week. Willie Harris put up very good numbers last year, and is capable of playing second, LF and CF. Harris would be starting on about a third of ML teams. Alberto Gonzalez provides a very good glove at SS/3B/2B if anyone goes down with injury, or simply as a defensive replacement. Wil Nieves should be fired and then re-hired as a bat boy and Luke Montz should be given the back-up catchers job. Montz has shown plenty of pop in the minors and plays solid defense.

Overrated and Underrated Prospects

Overrated

1. Ian Kennedy RHP, Yankees - AAAA Player, with below average stuff and without enough control to make up for it. The Yankees will give him another shot at the rotation, but his numbers will resemble Kei Igawa's far more than Mike Mussina's.

2. Fernando Martinez OF- Extremely immature batter without power and with average contact. He's young, but at best, he doesn't look any better than Mark Kotsay.

3. Austin Jacksin OF- Not his fault, Melky Cabrera fell victim to the same problem-- Yankees prospects are simply hyped up way too much. Not to say he won't become a very solid outfielder-- his defense is fantastic-- but his batting and speed doesn't look like the second coming of Grady Sizemore. More like Coco Crisp.

4. Ross Detwiler, LHP- Poor Nationals-- Detwiler is considered their best prospect and he does have formidable stuff. But while lousy control will work in the minors, it won't work for a starter in the majors. He looks like he could develop into a closer though.

5. Andrew Brackman, RHP- Simply put- he's ridiculously overrated. He's big but fragile, his stuff his good but he doesn't have control of it.

6. Vin Mazzaro, RHP- He had a good year last year, but before that he was straight up horrible in the minors.

7. Michael Bowden, RHP- Certainly not a bad pitcher, but won't be more than a 3rd starter on a team like the Red Sox. Doesn't pitch like him, but his numbers will probably look like Ted Lilly's

8. Michael Saunders 3B- The mariners prospect strikes out, doesn't make contact and hasn't shown anything more than average power. Why is he consistenly ranked in the top 100? Who knows...

9. Neil Walker 3B- The guy was a great catching prospect because he has a rocket arm and can hit for power. Now that he's moved to third he's Brandon Inge. Low average, tons of strikeouts. The Pirates just can't ever get it right.

10. Nick Adenhart RHP- Awful numbers in his major league debut. Seemed to lose it under the pressure of the big leagues. Has good stuff-- maybe he can pull it together and quite pulling the Rick Ankiel.

Most Underrated Prospects

1. Trevor Cahill RHP- Price is awesome, but Cahill deserves some more credit for his numbers. He's been unhittable in the minors and has fantastic control of his low-mid nineties fastball.

2. Will Inman RHP- Look at his numbers in the minors throughout the past 2 years.

3. Austin Romine C-Underrated Yankees prospect... Montero gets all of the credit, and he should, the guy hits like ARod. Romine has a cannon for an arm, makes good contact, and has shown some power potential. Those bruises on his face are kinda weird though...

4. Dellin Betances, RHP- A Yankees prospect underrated? Actually yes. Betances has a mid 90's fastball, a Zito-like Curve and he's between 6' 7" and 6'9". Not only that, but he's an incredibly personable kid and scouts love talking to him. He studies the game hard, and is regularly seen at ball games taking notes on other pitchers.

5. Kellen Kulbacki, OF- Not a household name-- in fact the James Madison product isn't even a name that most serious fans have ever heard of. The guy hits for average and power. At A+ last year he proved that he could hit with a wood bat and mashed and made consistent contact.

6. Jesus Guzman, INF/DH- This guy's defense is god aweful, and that's a big reason why Billy Beane didn't feel the need to add him to the 40 man roster. Regardless, he hit .360 at AA last year. Granted the California and Texas leagues are both a hitter's leagues, this guy deserves more credit than he gets.

7. Adam Moore, C- The Mariners prospect hits a ton and plays a crappy catcher. Still, a guy that htis over .300 in AA, as a catcher deserves to get a look at the big league level. The problem? Clement and Johjima. Yes Johjima is guddawful, but he has a huge contract. Maybe Jeff Clement will never pan out...

8. Brett Cecil LHP- This converted starter throws a low to mid nineties fastball and a Joba Chamberlain slider. If he learns to throw his changeup with decent control, then *poof!* A.J. Burnett is back.

9. Troy Patton LHP- Yes, the guy's arm nearly fell off last year after being traded from the Astros to the Orioles for Tejada. He's recovered fantastically, has good control of all of his pitches, a low 90s fastball, a curve, change and slider. He could be Andy Sonnanstine or even Andy Pettitte if he stays healthy

10. Lou Marson C- This guy was good enough to catch for Team USA. His offense has consistently improved--- and although it won't scare anyone in the major leagues, his plus defense will keep him in the top 10-15 catchers in the MLB. .280-15-65 rbi's seems about right.

Top Prospects 2009

2009 Top Prospects
Names in BOLD I consider the best prospects.

Name...................Ceiling Comparison

1. Matt Wieters, C, - Joe Mauer
2. David Price, LHP - Scott Kazmir
3. Cameron Maybin, CF- Curtis Granderson
4. Trevor Cahill, RHP - Phil Hughes
5. Dexter Fowler, CF, - Rocco Baldelli (sans the mitochondrial disorder)
6. Carlos Carrasco, RHP, - Clayton Kershaw
7. Madison Bumgarner, LHP - Tim Lincecum
8. Justin Smoak, 1B,- Mark Teixeira
9. Tim Beckham, SS, - Jimmy Rollins
10. Pedro Alvarez, 3B- Alex Rodriguez
11. Jarrod Parker, RHP- Roy Oswalt
12. Brett Anderson, LHP, -Chien Ming Wang
13. Travis Snider, DH, -David Ortiz
14. Matt LaPorta, DH, -Travis Hafner
15. Chris Tillman, RHP,-Matt Garza
16. Colby Rasmus OF,- J.D. Drew
17. Matt Gamel, 3B,- Scott Rolen
18. Alcides Escobar, SS - Howie Kendrick
19. Josh Vitters, 3B- Ian Stewart
20. Jason Heyward, OF- Tori Hunter
21. Wade Davis, RHP- Roy Halladay
22. Yonder Alonso, 1B- Prince Fielder
23. Jacob McGee (out for 2009), LHP- Scott Kazmir
24. Chris Perez, CL, - K-Rod
25. Brian Matusz,- Tim Hudson
26. Tim Alderson, RHP- Mike Pelfrey
27. Jeremy Hellickson,RHP - Justin Masterson
28. Angel Salome, C- Jason Kendall
30. Rick Porcello, RHP, - Josh Beckett
31. Brett Wallace, 3B, - Garett Atkins
32. Andrew McCutchen, - Rocco Baldelli (sans the mitochondrial disorder)
33. Reid Brignac, SS, - Stephen Drew
35. Angel Villalona, 3B,- Adrian Beltre
36. Kellen Kulbacki, OF- Xavier Nady
37. Jeff Samardzija, CL/SP- Brandon Morrow
38. Gio Gonzalez, RHP, - Vicente Padilla
39. Jordan Schafer, OF - Jeff Francoeur
40. Lars Anderson, 1B - Justin Morneau
41. Jesus Montero, C, - Ivan Rodriguez
42. Will Inman, RHP, - Mark Prior
43. Sean Rodriguez, SS/2B - Miguel Tejada
44. Dellin Betances, RHP- Felix Hernandez
45. Buster Posey, C, - Ryan Doumit
46. Taylor Teagarden, C, - Gerald Laird
47. Michael Stanton, OF, - Mark Reynolds/Adam Dunn
48. Jason Donald, SS, - Cristian Guzman
49. Elvis Andrus, SS - Felipe Lopez
50. Brett Cecil, LHP - Rich Harden
51. Hank Conger, C- Geovany Soto
52. Jose Tabata, OF- Mark Kotsay
52. Tommy Hanson, RHP- Haven't seen him
53. Eric Hosmer, 1B,- Kevin Youkilis
54. Mike Moustakas, 3B/SS- Troy Glaus
55. Carlos Triunfel, INF- Jose Lopez
56. Chris Nelson, SS- Bobby Crosby
57. Aaron Poreda, LHP- C.C. Sabathia
58. Neftali Feliz, RHP- Justin Verlander (would be higher, but 100 mph fastballs travel in Texas)
59. Dayan Viciedo, 3B- Jorge Cantu
60. Scott Elbert, RP- Scot Shields
61. Jeff Niemann, SP- Jon Rauch
62. Brandon Erbe, SP- Kyle Farnsworth
63. Aaron Hicks, OF- Adam Jones
64. Kyle Blanks, 1B- Mike Lowell
65. Ryan Flaherty, INF- Dustin Pedroia
66. Matt Dominguez, 3B- Melvin Mora
67. Fautino De Los Santos, RP- Grant Balfour
68. Lou Marson, C- Jason Varitek
69. Adrian Cardenas, SS- Erick Aybar
70. Jon Niese, LHP- Mark Mulder
71. Chris (Vernon) Carter- Chris Davis
72. Brent Lillibridge SS/2B- David Eckstein
73. Desmond Jennings OF- Jacque Jones
74. Nick Evans 1B/LF- Joe Crede
75. Austin Jackson- Lastings Milledge
76. Michael Burgess- Rick Ankiel (Batter)
77. Fernando Martinez- Ryan Church
78. Austin Romine, C- Dioner Navarro
79. Michael Bowden, RHP- Jarrod Washburn
80. Jordan Walden, RHP- Chris Young
81. Julio Teheran, RHP- Haven't seen him, Joba Chamberlain?
82. Jordan Zimmerman, RHP- Kevin Millwood
83. Ross Detwiler, LHP- Billy Wagner
84. Max Ramirez, C/1B- Josh Willingham
85. Jeremy Jeffress, RHP- Tom Gordon
86. Logan Morrison, 1B/RF- Richie Sexson (with a strong arm.)
87. Kila Ka'aihue, DH- Billy Butler
88. Gordon Beckham- Could be furcal, could be Betemit
89. Sean Doolittle, 1B- Doug Mientkewicz
90. Neil Walker, 3B- Brandon Inge
91. James Simmons, RHP- Greg Smith
92. Pablo Sandoval, C/3B/1B- Kevin Kouzmanoff
93. Greg Halman, OF- Matt Kemp
94. Josh Reddick, OF- Nick Markakis
95. Daniel Bard, RP- Kerry Wood (as a closer)
96. Phillippe Aumont, RHP- Mike Pelfrey
97. Jeremy Jeffress, RHP- Joel Zumaya
98. Oscar Tejeda SS - Ryan Theriot
99. Carlos Santana, C/3B- Haven't seen him but have heard good things
100. Jesus Guzman, 3B/DH- Mark DeRosa (as a terrible fielder)
101. Gaby Sanchez, C/1B- Kevin Youkilis
102. Michael Saunders, 3B/OF- Mike Cameron
103. Ben Revere, OF- Juan Pierre
104. Bryan Anderson, C- Kurt Suzuki
105. Casey Weathers, CL- Huston Street
106. Derek Holland, LHP- Ted Lilly (would be rated higher if not for his playing for the Rangers)
107. Jonathan Meloan, RP- Kevin Gregg
108. Beau Mills, 1B/3B, - Hank Blalock
109. Junichi Tazawa, RHP- Hideki Okajima
110. Adam Miller, CL- Joel Zumaya
111. Michael Inoa, RHP- Clayton Kershaw (will be ranked higher as he ages)
112. Peter Bourjos, CF- Carlos Gomez
113. James McDonald, RP- Scott Shields
114. Mark Melancon, CL- Brad Lidge
115. Sean O'Sullivan LHP- Jamie Moyer
116. Freddie Freeman 1B/DH- Adam Laroche
117. Anthony Swarzak, RHP- Matt Garza
118. Brent Brewer SS,- Rafael Furcal
119. Matt Antonelli INF- Aaron Hill
120. Nick Hagadone LHP- Billy Wagner
121. Kevin Mulvey RHP- Joe Blanton
122. Brett Gardner CF- Juan Pierre (with more k's)
123. Ivan Dejesus, SS- Erick Aybar
124. Tyler Flowers, C- A.J. Pierzynski
125. Tyson Ross, RHP- Josh Beckett