Author: Scott Pianowski

We all knew Kerry Wood(notes) was going to get hurt eventually, we just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.

The Indians announced Saturday that Wood will miss 6-8 weeks with a shoulder injury. Technically speaking, it’s a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle. Call it what you will, bottom line, Kerry Wood is broken again.

With that, Chris Perez(notes) steps into the closer chair. He impressed the Indians with his stuff down the stretch last year (mid-90s fastball, tight slider), striking out better than a batter per inning and limiting the American League to a .205 average. Perez also got a chance to close with the Cardinals late in 2008, converting 7-of-9 chances in the final two months (let’s not tax him for the misleading set-up blown saves he had earlier that season). He needs to keep the ball in the park a little better (that explains his less-than-ideal ERA), but he’s got the profile to handle the ninth inning. Perez hasn’t been scored upon in five appearances this spring.

If you’re looking to hedge past Chris Perez, note that Rafael Perez(notes) has thrown the ball well this spring and he was a monster back in 2007 (and passable in 2008, before crashing last year). But he’s also left-handed and the team isn’t going to look to the lefty Perez unless the righty Perez can’t get it done.

We could say more, but these moments are about point-add-click. It’s time to acquire Chris Perez, then meet back in the comments.

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Photo via Getty Images

Here’s my rank of the Top 100 or so pitchers as we head into the late-March drafting season. Assume a 5×5 scoring format, as always. The prices are arrived at unscientifically, there’s no formula at play; I just want to identify where the pockets of value are. Players at the same cost are considered equal, no matter who is listed first.

In theory each price is what I’d consider a fair amount for these players in an NL-only or AL-only league. If you play in a mixed league, you’ll pay a plot more for the star pitchers. If you’re in a keeper league, inflation will push prices up as well. Again, the importance here is how the pitchers relate to one another, not necessarily the cost of one pitcher in a vacuum. Keep that well in mind as you peruse the list.

I’ll update these about once a month in-season, and next week I’ll attack the batters (look for closers on Saturday). Your respectful, intelligent disagreement is always welcome, just make sure you support your argument. If someone looks too low or too high to you, tell me what other pitchers you’d move higher or lower than said player. Let’s work on this together; I’m always tweaking and smoothing out this list anyway, looking for the tightest set of ranks.

Okay, onto the mound:

$34 Tim Lincecum(notes)
$32 Roy Halladay(notes)
$31 Felix Hernandez(notes)
$30 Zack Greinke(notes)
$28 CC Sabathia(notes)
$28 Dan Haren(notes)

Comments: You’ll win a lot of bar bets with the question "Who had the lowest starter’s WHIP in the majors last season?" Very quietly, it was Haren . . . Lincecum justly is at the top of the list but I’m not the type of owner who drafts a pitcher in the first round. Not denying his greatness, just saying what my preference is . . . I did spring for Halladay at No. 19 overall in Tuesday’s Friends & Family League and I have zero regrets; I’ve seen too many star pitchers go ballistic when switching to the NL in recent years, and I want in on that when Doc takes dead aim. You’ve probably had enough of my Halladay propaganda, I’ll move on to something different next week . . . I’ve seen some sites praise the Mariners for their handling of Hernandez, which is a little puzzling to me; he did throw 238.2 innings last year, after all, on a 23-year-old arm. But the environment for King Felix – friendly park, dazzling defense – pushes him to the top of my AL pitcher list.  

$27 Adam Wainwright(notes)
$27 Justin Verlander(notes)
$26 Johan Santana(notes)
$24 Josh Johnson(notes)
$23 Jon Lester(notes)
$23 Chris Carpenter(notes)
$22 Cliff Lee(notes)
$21 Yovani Gallardo(notes)
$21 Matt Cain(notes)
$21 Ubaldo Jimenez(notes)

Comments: A lot’s been made of Wainwright’s innings jump, but at his age and experience level, it’s not something I’m going to significantly respond to . . . Cain’s got a bunch of component concerns under the hood, and the spotty San Francisco defense might be a problem as well, but there’s no way I can go any lower than 21 on him . . . I see all the pro-Lester arguments but the AL East is a very hellish place to make your living . . . Santana is one of the trickiest calls of the spring, but when I need Mets info I go to Mike Salfino, and he’s bullish on Santana. Good enough for me.

$20 Clayton Kershaw(notes)
$20 Josh Beckett(notes)
$20 Cole Hamels(notes)
$20 Wandy Rodriguez(notes)
$20 Tommy Hanson(notes)
$20 Ricky Nolasco(notes)
$18 Javier Vazquez(notes)
$17 Jake Peavy(notes)
$17 John Lackey(notes)
$17 Chad Billingsley(notes)
$16 Jered Weaver(notes)
$16 James Shields(notes)

Comments: The fan in me wants to push higher on Kershaw, looking forward to a summer of Vin Scully describing that nasty CK curveball. But there are some buzzy players that the entire fantasy world is in on, and Kershaw appears to be one of those guys . . . Nolasco’s 2009 ERA was the easiest-to-identify outlier; we all know he pitched far better than the basic numbers show. There’s no discount to be had on him this time around, he’s going for an expectant cost, and arguably he should . . . Peavy gets a significant drop now that he’s traded Petco for The Cell, but let’s not be too ridiculous with the adjustment. He’s still got the skills to be a borderline All-Star, even in the hitter’s league. When everyone says "why bother?" it’s your job to ask "why not?"

$15 Matt Garza(notes)
$15 Scott Baker(notes)
$15 Brett Anderson(notes)
$15 A.J. Burnett(notes)
$14 John Danks(notes)
$14 Jair Jurrjens(notes)
$14 Brandon Webb(notes)
$14 Max Scherzer(notes)
$14 Roy Oswalt(notes)
$13 Scott Kazmir(notes)
$13 Carlos Zambrano(notes)
$13 Francisco Liriano(notes)
$13 Ryan Dempster(notes)
$12 Gavin Floyd(notes)
$12 Tim Hudson(notes)
$11 Johnny Cueto(notes)
$11 Rich Harden(notes)
$11 Ervin Santana(notes)
$11 Jorge de la Rosa(notes)
$11 Edwin Jackson(notes)
$11 Kevin Slowey(notes)
$11 Rick Porcello(notes)

Comments: It takes a lot for me to bid that aggressively on a sophomore pitcher like Anderson, but I don’t see any way around it. Let’s discuss his case in the comments . . . Kazmir’s gone from overhyped to forgotten about, and while he can torch a ratio with the best of him, I’m curious to see if he can rekindle his career in the low-pressure environment of The OC . . . Chicago likes to blame Zambrano for just about everything since the fire, and he’s seen his workload decrease for two straight years, but there’s something to be said for a veteran hurler that’s never had an ERA over four . . . Porcello’s modest K/9 rate pushes a lot of bidders away, but it’s just a matter of fine-tuning his stuff and maturing a little bit. He’s never going to be Lincecum East, but this isn’t a sort-tosser, either.

$10 Brian Matusz(notes)
$10 Joba Chamberlain(notes)
$10 Phil Hughes(notes)
$9 Jonathan Sanchez(notes)
$9 Ted Lilly(notes)
$9 David Price(notes)
$9 Clay Buchholz(notes)
$9 Wade Davis(notes)
$9 Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes)
$8 Aaron Harang(notes)
$7 Stephen Strasburg(notes)
$7 Hiroki Kuroda(notes)
$7 Mark Buehrle(notes)
$6 Andy Pettitte(notes)
$5 Mat Latos(notes)
$5 Derek Lowe(notes)
$5 Chris Young
$5 Randy Wolf(notes)
$5 Ben Sheets(notes)
$5 Erik Bedard(notes)
$5 Gil Meche(notes)
$5 Joe Blanton(notes)

Comments: Matusz is having a super camp and he looks like a sure-bet star, it’s just a matter of when. If he were in any other division, I’d go 12-13 bucks on him, no questions asked . . . Strasburg probably has a 40-50 percent chance to be this year’s Tommy Hanson, a high-upside kid who can help us even with a late arrival (not to mention a modest IP ceiling) . . . Buehrle isn’t the best guy for leagues that have a low innings cap, but otherwise he’s a solid contributor; there’s a lot to be said for cost certainty and getting what you pay for. Kick him up a few bucks if you’re playing in one of those antiquated 4×4 groups.

$4 Joel Pineiro(notes)
$4 Bronson Arroyo(notes)
$4 J.A. Happ(notes)
$4 Jeff Niemann(notes)
$4 Aroldis Chapman(notes)
$4 Trevor Cahill(notes)
$3 Kevin Correia(notes)
$3 Homer Bailey(notes)
$3 Ricky Romero(notes)
$3 Brad Penny(notes)
$2 John Maine(notes)
$2 Barry Zito(notes)
$2 Joe Saunders(notes)
$2 Madison Bumgarner(notes)
$2 Ryan Rowland-Smith(notes)
$2 Derek Holland(notes)
$2 Justin Duchscherer(notes)
$2 Marc Rzepczynski(notes)
$2 Luke Hochevar(notes)
$2 Paul Maholm(notes)
$1 Felipe Paulino(notes)
$1 Shaun Marcum(notes)
$1 Anibal Sanchez(notes)
$1 Mike Pelfrey(notes)
$1 Jeremy Guthrie(notes)
$1 Bud Norris(notes)
$1 Randy Wells(notes)
$1 Chris Tillman(notes)
$1 Jon Garland(notes)
$1 Kevin Millwood(notes)
$1 Clayton Richard(notes)
$1 Chris Volstad(notes)
$0 Zach Duke(notes)
$0 Brad Bergesen(notes)
$0 Oliver Perez(notes)
$0 Kyle Davies(notes)
$0 Tim Wakefield(notes)

If you want a price on someone not listed here, throw the name out in the comments, I’m all ears. I may edit this piece Friday night, as always this is a fluid list. Now it’s your turn, let’s hear some comments and as always, support your answer.

Maybe it’s the presence of the NCAA hoops tourney, but I’m ready to spring a few upsets with this week’s Fantasy Golf cheatsheet. To the racing form:

A-List: It’s always a dark day in my world when I have to use Vijay Singh; he’s probably been my least favorite golfer for 20 years. But he’s won this event before (2004) and he’s got a gaggle of Top-20 finishes, and his ball striking of late has been just sublime. I can’t guarantee you that he’ll ever get anything rolling on the greens, but I’ll give him some run while he’s hot. And I was starting to run out of Steve Stricker options besides. … Charlie Wi is another timing play, though I think it’s plausible that I’ll use Singh all week. Wi finished T4 here last season and he’s already shown some game in 2010 (T8 at the Honda). Wi’s ball-striking numbers will have you running for cover, but he’s seventh in scrambling and 24th in scoring, so the heck with the other stats. He’s my back up here.

B-List: Stewart Cink probably views this as the title that got away (he had a late collapse in his last Transitions start back in 2008), but it’s hard to look past his 2-19-3 run on the card here. He looks like a horse for the course. … There’s no need to get cute with K.J. Choi analysis; they’ve had this event for a decade and he’s already won it twice (2002, 2006). He’s quietly putting his career back in order this season, making five cuts in a row (20, 21, 27, 15, 39).

I’ve been aggressive with early Geoff Ogilvy plays so this looks like a week to start him on the bench, then call for help if needed. He’ll appreciate the challenges of the Copperhead Course and he ran to a T10 finish back in 2008. … What do we do with defending champ Retief Goosen, who won here last season but missed the two previous cuts in Tampa? I’m content to leave him on the bench given the depth of the B-List. Is it too late to go with early-bird special Charles Howell III? He’s cashed a six-figure check in two of his last three visits.

C-List: I’m going to give you three names and you can decide how you want to use them. It seems silly to skip Ian Poulter at any stop these days; his confidence is sky-high, his putting is superb, and while he hasn’t been over this course, so what – that didn’t bother him one bit in Phoenix. But I’ve got a moderate sleeper and a deeper sleeper I want to take a shot with. … John Senden’s ball striking has always been dynamite and this is the type of course to put that to good use. He didn’t make the cut in Tampa in his last stop, but that trunk slam came on the heels of two second-place finishes. He’s got some swagger heading into Tampa, grabbing three straight cashes including a T11 at Doral. … Mathew Goggin has always been a fantasy tease, a multi-talented player who’s somehow never won on the PGA Tour. There’s no obvious weakness to his game, he just needs a little momentum and confidence on a weekend, while in contention. Maybe Tampa is the place for Goggin to catch lightning in a bottle; he was tied for fourth here last year, and he ran T14 back in 2008. I’ll admit some bias in this selection, as I just made a buy-low investment on Goggin in my hometown auction league. Time to turn a disappointing season around, MG.

The usual suspects got together on Tuesday for the Sixth Annual Yahoo Friends & Family League. It’s my favorite league of the year, given the competition and camaraderie; I wish we could cut and paste some of the draft-room banter. Let’s have a quick look at my haul, with some comments thrown in. A much longer and more comprehensive league review, incorporating all teams, will be on Yahoo! next week.

Quick specs: 14 teams, 25 rounds, three bench spots, two active utility spots, 5×5 scoring, and a 1250 innings cap.

1 (10) Justin Upton(notes) OF
2 (19) Roy Halladay(notes) P

The names you’d expect went in the first nine: Pujols, Hanley, A-Rod, Longoria, Utley, Braun, Kemp, Fielder and Teixeira. I’m not taking Joe Mauer(notes) in the first round, especially since it’s just a one-catcher league. Mitch Kramer Timmy Lincecum, also not my style.

In retrospect maybe a player like Ryan Howard(notes) makes more sense; I tend to underrate homers during a draft as I search for balanced players and getting someone like Howard early pays so much of the power bill. But I am confident Upton will produce well enough that I don’t regret this pick. I switched to value mode later in the draft, but my early selections were more of the targeted player variety.

Halladay was a fairly easy call in Round 2 after Howard and Miguel Cabrera(notes) flew off the board. Doc’s going to love the ways of the NL, where the pitchers can’t hit, the bunts come with regularity, and the crooked numbers don’t get nearly as much play.

3 (38) Derek Jeter(notes) SS
4 (47) Shin-Soo Choo(notes) OF

I was torn between Jeter and Jayson Werth(notes) in Round 3; I decided it was possible that Werth would get back to me at 47 but Jeter was unlikely to. I also liked that Jeter was significantly better than the next shortstop available. Matt Romig dashed my Werth hopes by taking him at 45, and now I’m annoyed I just didn’t take Werth at 38. And so it goes. Nick Markakis(notes) and Curtis Granderson(notes) also fell before Choo, outfielders I would have strongly considered. I’m not as sold on Choo as others in the industry are; all those strikeouts have me concerned that the average might not be sustainable, and while he’s a power and speed contributor, he doesn’t dominate in either area. And that Cleveland lineup doesn’t really scare anyone.

5 (66) Chris Carpenter(notes) P
6 (75) Chone Figgins(notes) 3B

I decided before the draft that I wouldn’t be afraid to take early pitching if the value was reasonable, and that’s the case with Carpenter here. I also love having two NL aces to anchor my staff. The Figgins pick wasn’t a fun one; corners flew off the board at a furious pace in the first quarter of the draft (made possible by the two utility spots we use) and everyone recognizes how thin third base is this year. The other problem with taking Figgins here is that it probably steers me away from a value-steals player in the middle of the draft, one of those Nyjer Morgan(notes)–Rajai Davis–Juan Pierre(notes) types.

7 (94) Jason Bartlett(notes) SS
8 (103) Manny Ramirez(notes) OF

I know Bartlett isn’t a favorite of Yahoo Nation, but I think he’ll keep more of last year’s stats than most think. The offseason weight program explains the power spike, and his zesty line-drive rate justifies the average. I’m calling for something in the neighborhood of .290-87-10-54-30, and that fits into this slot.

Ramirez was a welcome selection over the century mark, given that I need to address power. Manny Ramirez, a boring veteran grab? That’s the story in 2010.

9 (122) Raul Ibanez(notes) OF
10 (131) Jered Weaver(notes) P
11 (150) James Shields(notes) P
12 (159) Johnny Damon(notes) OF

I’ve been singing the praises of the "Ibanez All-Stars" for many years, underappreciated veterans who return respectable value in the middle rounds, and Ibanez and Damon both come under that umbrella here. I’m not blind to the risks at play – Ibanez is coming off hernia surgery while Damon is leaving a park that was perfectly suited to his swing – but the sticker price seems to work.

I’d prefer to keep working off the NL pitching but Weaver at least gets the easier side of the draw in the Junior Circuit. Shields hangs out in the AL East softball game, but his three-year averages are solid (3.82 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 170 Ks).

13 (178) Ryan Franklin(notes) P
14 (187) Ryan Dempster(notes) P
15 (206) Matt Lindstrom(notes) P
16 (215) Nick Johnson(notes) 1B

I missed out on a closer run right after my Damon selection – the next five picks were middle-tier closers – so it was time to address the saves chase when the button got back to me. Franklin’s statistical fleas are obvious and a career year that shows up in the mid-30s is a glaring red flag, but the Cardinals liked him enough to give him a late-season extension, and there’s a lot to be said for the protective womb of Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan. And heck, getting three outs with no one on base isn’t that difficult; look at some of the mediocre pitchers who have succeeded as closers over the years.

Before you throw Dempster in the dumpster, remember we’re working off an innings-pitched cap in this league (1250), so strikeout rate is very important. The heavy reliance on his slider is a concern, but if Dempster stays in one piece, he’s a safe bet for 155-175 whiffs.

Lindstrom isn’t an easy pick to make, but he’s been sharp this spring while Brandon Lyon(notes) rehabs; Lindstrom probably is close to securing this gig. I’ve had some good runs with sketchy closers in the past (the first year of Brian Wilson(notes), Todd Jones(notes), guys like that), and after Pick 200, I’m not going to be a snob when it comes to securing this stat. Sometimes you have to hold your nose while you make a pick.

Waiting at first base came with a price; Johnson’s got an obvious upside (the No. 2 slot in the loaded Yankees lineup) but he’s not a major power guy and no one expects more than 120 games. I like the player for what he is, but I’m not proud that he’s my No. 1 first baseman at the moment. Hey, in a competitive league, you’re not going to get everything you want.

17 (234) Kelly Johnson(notes) 2B
18 (243) Scott Kazmir(notes) P
19 (262) Kevin Gregg(notes) P
20 (271) Chris Perez(notes) P
21 (290) Mike Lowell(notes) 3B

Arizona’s Johnson was another player I had semi-targeted before the draft, but it was hard to know when to pull the trigger. He’s buried in the game ranks (remember he was an Atlanta non-starter back when our magazine went to press), but I know the owners in this room were hip to him. I got a lot of immediate feedback after the Johnson selection; had I not grabbed him here, he wasn’t coming back to me. Go look at his sneaky-valuable 2008 stats, I think we’re going to see them again.

I’ve never been much for Kazmir through the Tampa days but his strikeout upside and Anaheim context has me intrigued. Gregg is a mediocre pitcher but he might be Toronto’s ninth-inning guy, and the electric Perez is just one Kerry Wood(notes) tweak away from saves.

22 (299) Derek Lowe(notes) P
23 (318) Carlos Gomez(notes) OF
24 (327) Scott Hairston(notes) OF
25 (346) Yadier Molina(notes) C

I pretty much swore off Lowe for good after last year’s crash-and-burn, and I didn’t take those "I fixed my mechanics" stories seriously from the winter (everyone says that when they struggle). But when your’e 300 picks into this exercise, the draft does funny things to us. Immediately after the draft, I punted Lowe and gave Brandon Inge(notes) a look-see, hoping fixed knees will help him approach his first-half form from last year (.268-51-21-58).

Gomez is easy to mock, and he never met a pitch he didn’t want to hack at, but I’m giving him a 20-25 percent chance to be this year’s Michael Bourn(notes). All you’re looking for this late is some sort of plausible upside.

Yadier Molina, I know, I know. I probably should have taken a catcher in the middle of the draft somewhere, but other needs kept jumping in front. I’ve generally avoided having a designer backstop in this league and it’s never hurt me too much; we’ll see what happens. Carlos Ruiz(notes) (nice second half), Ramon Hernandez(notes), Rod Barajas(notes) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia(notes) are some of the current free agents.

So what does it all mean? I’ve got a strong starting staff, but that’s the position with the most volatility. Plenty of speed, but the power could be lacking. I’ve generally been proactive and successful finding saves for nothing, but up against the strongest field in F&F history, I can’t assume anything. I can’t say I love this team, but I certainly don’t hate it.

I expect some of you throw the tomatoes, as is the custom when we unveil a roster in public. Before you get out the hatchets, I ask you to consider that this league truly is a lot more competitive than the average public group. And for whatever you might think of my drafting acumen, I’ve found a way to contend in each of the previous five years (2nd, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 2nd). I’m not going to promise anything but my best game, my best efforts. And we’ll discuss it nightly, in this space, looking for a win-win for us all.

(Want more Friends & Family rosters to look at? Take a peek at the RotoWire crew, which has already chimed in: Dalton Del Don here, Jeff Erickson here, and defending champ Chris Liss here. And wait, there’s more wrap-ups to check out: Mike Salfino here, Paul Singman here. And we’ll have our massive F&F Review on Yahoo! next week.)

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Photo via US Presswire

We’ve got our Sixth Annual Friends & Family draft set to go off in about 21 hours, so don’t look for too much helpful stuff here. Today’s post is all about deception and marginally-valuable info. Feel free to run with this theme in the comments, just be original and witty with your heckling. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a mediocre heckler.

• Carlos Gomez(notes) has collected six quick steals in six attempts this spring and he’s one of the many guys you can think about for the late rounds if you’re acquiring bags on a limited budget (for my money, Carl Crawford(notes) and Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) aren’t as valuable as their ADPs might suggest, there’s lot of affordable bags out there). Does Gomez have a shot at being Willy Mays Hayes 2.0? Or is he valuable only in leagues where the worst stats count?

The walks are still an issue with Gomez – just one free pass in 26 at-bats – but he’s only struck out twice. Laugh at him if you want, but a lot of people laughed at Michael Bourn(notes) and Nyjer Morgan(notes) 12 months ago. [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Razzball]

• To me the 5×5 rotisserie categories are fine and untouchable, but I know a lot of players like the idea of replacing batting average with on-base percentage. If you’re in the latter crowd, Eriq Gardner’s recent piece on OBP leagues is a valuable read. [Fantasy Ball Junkie]

• Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) is set to throw batting practice Wednesday, to his teammates; this is not to be confused with the BP he threw in the American League last summer. Ah, but the price has come down on Matsuzaka (Mock Draft Central ADP: 202) and there’s probably a point where he makes sense. In a mixed league that goes around 300-350 picks deep, when is it time for Tumbling Dice? [Redsox.mlb.com]

• Joe Sheehan is back on Rotowire Monday with his second divisional breakdown, tackling the NL West. He’ll give you some sympathy for Arizona’s Chris Young, and a plan for the Padres as they look to compete in the post-Adrian Gonzalez(notes) world. [RotoWire, subscription required]

• If you’re going to look at any pitching stats from March, you might as well check out the strikeout and walk numbers and avoid everything else. Some guys that have impressed in that area so far: Brian Matusz(notes) (12 strikeouts, 0 walks), David Hernandez(notes) (12-0), Justin Masterson(notes) (12-2), Ricky Nolasco(notes) (9-0), Tim Hudson(notes) (9-1) and Hisanori Takahashi (9-0). [MLB.com]

• It’s my blog today so we’ll sneak in a football note. What’s more ridiculous – the fact that the Jets are going to waste some of their Shonn Greene touches on LaDainian Tomlinson next year, or the fact that some writers refuse to call Tomlinson "LT" because that was the handle Lawrence Taylor went by? Initials shouldn’t belong to anyone. When you say OJ, you could be talking about Simpson, Anderson, Mayo or a glass or orange juice. No one cares. If I say A.J. to you, what’s your first thought? Guyton? Price? Soprano? Burnett?

Back to the gridiron, LT’s cliff season in 2009 doesn’t look any better when you pop open the hood. According to the stats site Pro Football Focus, Tomlinson caused the fewest missed tackles and produced the lowest number of yards after contact among starting running backs last season. Considering the Jets could have kept Thomas Jones for a similar deal to what Tomlinson got, this looks like a waste of resources. [New York Daily News]

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Photo via Getty Images

No one loves a good New York-Philly throwdown as much as we do, and with that in mind we’re putting a couple of aces under the microscope today. When it’s time to write a check for the No. 1 guy in the rotation, who’s more interesting to you, Roy Halladay(notes) or CC Sabathia(notes)?

Special word/pound rules were devised for this debate: Scott Pianowski will be limited to 230 or so for his Halladay opener, but Brad Evans will get around 290 words to defend Sabathia. After you’ve read both sides, please weigh in with a vote and a comment.

Pianow to Open: I don’t mind getting the shorter word count in this debate because the Halladay case is logical and obvious. And the only thing that’s going to keep the poll competitive is the scores of Yankees fans around the globe.

Halladay was a better pitcher than Sabathia last year – lower ERA, lower WHIP, more strikeouts. Halladay did finish two wins behind Sabathia, but Doc should even the score now that he’s with the two-time defending NL champs. Yes, it’s a little silly to chase wins, but if you have to do so, start with a winning team. Halladay won’t miss the mediocre Toronto club (75 victories), and he won’t miss pitching against the Yankees and Red Sox, either.

The difference in leagues (and divisions) makes Halladay a slam dunk. In the American League, teams use the DH and play for the big inning. In the National League, punchless pitchers try to hit and teams play small ball on a regular basis. The NL environment was a boost to Cliff Lee(notes) last year, and it bailed out John Smoltz(notes) and Brad Penny(notes). Ask Sabathia about the easier assignment – the NL couldn’t touch him during his Milwaukee stint in 2008 (1.65 ERA, 1.00 WHIP).

If people want to swim against the offensive tide of the AL East, be my guest. I’m putting my pitchers in the best place to dominate, and that’s the NL. Clear off some mantle space, Doc.

Noise to Close: It’s only appropriate in this weighty issue to support the side of a player whose Cs stand for Captain Cheeseburger. If the Noise didn’t, outspoken Yankees fans would likely place a sizable bounty on his head.

Sabathia is without question one of the most dominant pitchers in the game today. In his inaugural season in Pinstripes, the hefty lefty was worth every bit of his bank-breaking $161 million contract, accumulating 19 wins, a 3.37 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 7.71 K/9 over 230 innings – his third straight 200-plus innings campaign. A slight uptick in wins is possible considering the Yankees’ prodigious offense averaged 5.6 runs per game last year, the most in baseball. For the most part, fanatics should expect the southpaw to be the object of four-cat consistency, even in the hitter-friendly atmosphere of Yankees Stadium. Keep in mind, CC was actually better at home (3.17 ERA) than away (3.53 ERA) in 2009. He also owned lefties (.198 BAA), preventing them from reaching the short porch in right.

Unmistakably, Halladay is a brilliant hurler. His sound across-the-board production over the past four seasons has made him a mainstay in the elite tier. However, his transition from the AL to NL East, which normally skews forecasts for most pitchers positively, may not be as smooth as most think. Citizen Bank Park is more of a hitter’s haven than the Rogers Center. It’s possible his ERA could climb above 3.00, settling close to Sabathia’s by year’s end, especially if his 10.6 HR/FB% from a season ago carries over.

Ultimately, we’re splitting hairs. Both pitchers are worthy rotation anchors. But for the Noise, ordering an extra slice of American is the sage move.

Dr. Andy Behrens is saving Latin in private schools today, so I’m stepping in with some linked freshness. Settle in, and kindly turn off your cell phones. 

• A lot is made of how meaningless spring results tend to be, but that’s certainly not the case for anyone battling for a job or specific role, like Joba Chamberlain(notes) with the Yankees. Joba threw batting practice to the Tigers Wednesday (six runs over 2.1 innings) and he’s been rocked for 11 runs over 3.2 spring frames thus far. "I understand fully what’s at stake," Chamberlain told the Newark-Star Ledger. "I also understand that there’s no panic button. There’s a sense of urgency, believe me. But there’s no panic button."

• The Mets are having a bunch of tests done on Jose Reyes‘s thyroid and although some of the reports have been mildly conflicting, it doesn’t appear that there’s too much to be worried about here. Reyes could be back to baseball activities later in the week. (Thursday Update: And now the Mets are telling us something completely different; Reyes needs to rest for 2-8 weeks while his thyroid normalizes. And so it goes.)

• Often times a player is the worst source to consider when we’re trying to construct a return timetable; athletes as a whole tend to be wildly optimistic about their healing powers. That established, Brian Roberts(notes) (lower back) seems to think he’ll be on the field for the Baltimore opener on April 5 and I’ll take him at his word.

• If you’re tracking the groin strains in Florida, note that Cody Ross(notes) is ahead of Cameron Maybin(notes) right now. Both guys should be back by next week.

• When top prospects hurt, we all hurt. Desmond Jennings(notes) is battling a sprained wrist and will be in a splint for 5-7 days; he also took a pitch off the elbow last week. Jason Heyward is also dealing with some nicks; minor bruises to his shoulder and neck got him the day off Wednesday but he should be back tomorrow.

• Jesus Flores(notes) is headed to Alabama to have his surgically-repaired shoulder examined by Dr. James Andrews. Connect the dots and it’s highly unlikely Flores will be ready to go for the start of the season; in the meantime, Ivan Rodriguez(notes) is around to play the majority of the time.

• Considering everything Nomar Garciaparra(notes) did for our fantasy teams during the first half of his career, it’s apropos that we give him some reflection time here; Nomar officially retired (as a Bostonian) Wednesday. Garciparra posted six monster seasons in his 20s, but nagging injuries dogged him after that and he only gave us one useful season post-Boston (a solid year with the Cubs Dodgers in 2006). Thanks for the frozen ropes, big guy.

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Photo via Getty Images

Hello Blue Monster, old friend. Nice to see a loaded field again. Time to load up the fantasy roster for this week.

A-List: To Phil or not to Phil, that is the question. Phil Mickelson erased a long-running history of mediocre Doral showings with last year’s trophy hoist, but he hasn’t knocked anyone’s socks off so far in 2010. I’m feeling safer with Steve Stricker, who’s got a respectable form here (13, 6) and has shown more in the early season. Zach Johnson‘s hit-and-miss resume at Doral might scare some people, but he’s got three Top-10 checks in six stops, which makes him a justifiable No. 2.

Who Not to Use: Something has me nervous about Steve Marino these days, can’t put my finger on it. He’s on my auction team, so I’ve love to be wrong … Vijay Singh‘s ball striking was superb last week but he’s still searching on the greens. Until that’s ironed out – and it might never be – I’m taking a pass … Kenny Perry was ninth here last season but how long can be stick with the elite players into his late 40s? He’s going to need to prove something to me first.

B-List: How can you not ride the Camilo Villagas train at this point? I’ve yet to burn one of his starts so far this year, which is a little embarrassing. At least I took the $16 plunge on him in my 13-team hometowner auction, but being locked out of his electric start is a major gaffe. The University of Florida product is obviously comfortable playing in his adopted state and while his aggressive game gets him in trouble now and then, he’s fantastic with his recovery shots.

Geoff Ogilvy gets a spot for his sterling iron game (tops in GIR) and name-brand recognition. He wasn’t a factor at the WGC-CA Championship last year, but he won the event in 2008 and ran third in 2007. Jim Furyk also makes for an easy selection, with three Top-4 checks at Doral over the last four seasons. Stewart Cink has a moderate resume here but his iron play (second in GIR) and early-season returns get him in consideration; I’m still mulling between Cink and underrated Oliver Wilson.

Who Not to Use: Maybe I need to trust Rory McIlroy more going forward, but the lack of experience at Doral does concern me. He was a respectable T20 in his Blue Monster debut last year … The crash-landing J.B. Holmes had at the end of the Honda Classic might have a carryover effect into this event. And do something about that pace of play, already.

C-List: Paul Casey is probably the easiest pick of the week. He’s already bagged three Top-10s this year and his sterling iron game (sixth in GIR) makes him a perfect fit for the Doral assignment. Even if he were in the A-List, I’d be using him in this spot. Ian Poulter was second at Doral in 2006 and T13 last year, which makes him a nice fallback, but I have a feeling we’ll be using Casey for 3-4 rounds.

Who Not to Use: Tim Clark hasn’t cracked the Top 10 at Doral and I’m no longer that interested chasing his elusive first PGA Tour victory. Maybe there’s a very good reason why it hasn’t happened (putting on the weekend, nerves, etc). No shame in his career, but something should have popped by now … I was tempted to use Mike Weir as a backup play after seeing his strong play last week, but his WGC-CA track record (35, 20, 50, 18) left me cold.

I had to crash that Honda, honey. Let’s get to this week’s fantasy breakdown.

A-List: Not the deepest pool in the world, but I think we can use Ernie Els with confidence. He won here in 2008, he’s off to a good start in 2010, it’s a home game for him now, and I like the body language he showed at the Accenture. Big Easy, come on down. Steve Marino rides shotgun on my card; while he hasn’t made a deep run yet at the Honda, there’s a comfort in his four starts here (20, 24, 32, 32). Iron play is critical at PGA National and that plays right into Marino’s wheelhouse (note his GIR ranking in recent years).

Who not to pick: Justin Leonard (he’s been lost all season), Vijay Singh (is this a cliff year?), Stephen Ames (who wants to root for him?).

B-List: Y.E. Yang should be a consensus play this week; he’s the defending champ at the Honda, the PGA Championship victory pushed his confidence to another level, and he’s off to a strong start in 2010. Don’t swim against the current on this one. Robert Allenby is another obvious pick; he’s snagged three Top-5 checks here and this is the type of course where putting’s importance is de-emphasized. Allenby will get the monkey off his back and win this year, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

What do we do with Mark Wilson this week? He took down Camilo Villegas in a 2007 Honda playoff but hasn’t made the weekend since. The track seems to set up for Wilson and I like him as a bench option, but I’ll play it by ear from Friday-on. Villegas? The schedule is the only concern, off nine pressurized days of play and media responsibilities, plus some off-the-course stuff. I can’t blame you if you opt for him here, though I’m concerned about a mild step back. Alex Prugh? Hasn’t been here yet and his distance won’t give him a leg up for this week’s challenge. Maybe it’s time to roll with Padraig Harrington on a name drop, his early-season slump to the side (note that his 2005 Honda victory was on a different course).

Who not to pick: Man, did I hate Sergio Garcia‘s body language at the Accenture; he’s still the type of player that folds up shop when the slightest bit of luck goes against him. And his tank job against Villegas in the third-place match is telling as well. Underachiever and proud of it, that’s Garcia for you. He cashed a decent check here last year (T13) but that’s not swaying me. I’m also skipping J.B. Holmes for this week; he missed the cut in his Honda Classic debut last season and I don’t like how the course sets up for him. (One late addition to the "skip" list – Lee Westwood. He’s battling a sore knee and is no sure thing to start or finish.)

C-List: It’s a little surprising Tim Clark hasn’t played at the Honda yet because this is exactly the type of course where he can break through and win, a track that favors accuracy over power. I’ll give him a show of faith, and back him up with Paul Casey, too big a name to ignore (though his last Honda Classic start came in 2002). Brandt Snedeker also makes for a reasonable backup plan, but I wonder if that Sunday meltdown in the desert is going to leave a mark.

Who not to pick: My colleague Greg Vara picked Chris Couch for the C-List this week, something that doesn’t make sense to me (no offense, Greg). Couch has messy GIR stats over the past 14 months, a major red flag for this course, and his resume at the Honda speaks for itself (cut, 60, cut, cut, cut, albeit two of those trunk slams were too long ago to matter). Also steer clear of Ben Crane, who withdrew Tuesday.

Alright putters, who we got this week? Let’s find some winners.

It’s been a while since we’ve gone to the bullets. Here are a few random things on my mind.

• The more competitive your league is, the more aggressive you need to be (especially in the free-agent pool). The less knowledgeable your opponents are, the less chances you have to take.

When it comes to free agents in my competitive groups, I’m just looking for any plausible path to value before I jump. In Yahoo’s expert league last year, that led to Michael Bourn(notes), Garrett Jones(notes), and three strong fake-catcher months of Brandon Inge(notes). In that sort of league, you can’t wait for proof, the speculator hat stays on.

• As deep as the outfield pool looks this year, I’m not thrilled with the available power options after you drive past the Michael Cuddyer(notes) and Brad Hawpe(notes) types in the middle of the draft. But with the rabbits it’s a completely different story – I haven’t seen this much cheap speed since Slater and O’Bannion were in High School.

• Context is everything when it comes to the draft-day value of some players. Ryan Franklin(notes) will probably be overpriced in common leagues (where the save total carries too much clout) and underpriced in industry leagues (where his under-the-hood stats cause panic). I wouldn’t be surprised if Franklin ended up on a few of my expert league teams for two simple reasons: I think Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan trust Franklin more than the average person does, and I’m expecting my opponents will avoid Franklin whenever possible. It’s not that I’m targeting him, more than I’m willing to accept him if the room passes.

Jay Bruce(notes) is the opposite type of player, someone likely to be more pricey with the industry types but more affordable with the nationwide peeps. At the end of the day, knowing how your opponents feel about the player pool is almost as important as your own ranks. In some leagues, it might be even more important.

• "Don’t overpay" is the lowest form of fantasy advice. And when someone says "I’m not so sure" they’re just settling for a cheap hedge.

• Maybe there’s an athlete who gives off worse body language than Sergio Garcia, but I have no idea who it is. The grief and self-pity is written all over Garcia’s face when things go south; the "here we go again, this happens to me" train. I’ll be flabbergasted if he comes remotely close to the level of play everyone expected 10 years ago.

• Olympic Sieves Evgeni Nabokov and Miikka Kiprusoff are my two main netminders for my Yahoo Friends & Family club. Here’s hoping they can get a session or two with Dr. Katz before the NHL season resumes.

• The more researched your opponents are, the more likely they are to reach for rookies. Everyone wants to plant the flag in the group and yell out "first."

• So I hear David Geffen is now the leader in the You’re So Vain clubhouse. Didn’t see that one coming; I guess it’s time for me to tear up all those Warren Beatty futures.

• For a short time last weekend the Final Four at Accenture were forced to play in the middle of horrendous weather conditions (wind, rain). Hope you caught a look at it; I have nothing against the great shots we see on a weekly basis, but it’s fun to watch them struggle once in a while, too.

• In any one-catcher league there’s no way I’m targeting the position early; you’ll beat me to Joe Mauer(notes), Brian McCann(notes) and Victor Martinez(notes) every time. And you can wait fairly long to get a middle-tier catcher; the owners who strike early at that position will probably ignore it for the rest of the day (the same thing happens when someone takes Peyton Manning or Drew Brees in a football draft).

• The Oscars made a lot more sense with just five movies getting nominated.

• I know it’s a pain in the neck to edit your own rankings before a draft, not to mention a mock draft, but every time I make the effort, the endgame goes a lot smoother. Don’t let someone else’s ranking oversight take you down; have the players where you want them.

• In case you (merficully) missed it, Mike Salfino and I had a weeklong debate argument over Prince earlier this month (Mike thinks he’s a genius, I respect Prince but feel he’s overrated). Feel free to weigh in on this in the comments.

• Everyone should spent one year as a goalie, and one year behind the plate.

• It’s no accident that February is the shortest month on the calendar; winter has been cruel and unusual punishment over the last few years.

• An NHL ticket costs about four or five times more than a college hockey ticket. A college hockey game is usually more fun than a regular-season pro hockey game (assuming Alex Ovechkin isn’t on the ice). You can have the same old rock at a typical NHL arena, I’ll take the Michigan or Wisconsin band, every time.

• I’ve always had a lot of respect for Al Michaels, but his Gary Bettman interview on NBC Friday was softball city. 

• Just five weeks until our first Closing Time. I can’t wait.

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Photos via US Presswire

My feeling is that you’d probably rather discuss general fantasy strategy here rather than go looking for deep sleepers, so with that in mind, here’s how I’m playing the Yahoo game this week.

A-List: It’s really hard to pass on Phil Mickelson when he’s on a course he likes and in an area he likes; even with two missed cuts in the last three stops in Phoenix, Lefty has two wins, a second and eight Top 10s at the event since the mid-90s and the galleries adore him. I don’t see how we get past that. Kenny Perry is another chalk pick in this pool – he won this event last season and he’s grabbed four heavy checks here (1, 12, 7, 2) since 2002 – but I’d prefer to look elsewhere, given that he hasn’t teed it up since the second week in January. Zach Johnson‘s resume in Phoenix is nothing special (12, WD, MC, 24). Ryan Moore had two MCs in the desert before last year’s T6. I’m generally up for a Steve Marino play but he hasn’t shown much here (MC, MC, 34). Verdict: Mickelson, Moore, unless you guys talk me out of it.

B-List: J.B. Holmes is a forced play for all of us; he’s won this event twice and he’s improved significantly around the green. Next step – playing a little faster. Kevin Na should be on your dance card, too; he’s got three Top-4 checks in four visits here. Start with those two, then let’s figure out the rest of it.

Geoff Ogilvy‘s name always jumps out at you in this pool – why’s he in the B-group, anyway? – but his results are just so-so in Phoenix (four missed cuts, against checks of 17, 20, 27, 40). At least he got some rest last week after his surprisingly-early exit from the Accenture Match-Play. David Toms has 10 checks in his last 11 stops to Phoenix, including a fourth last year and seven Top-20 cashes. He doesn’t look like a rowdy guy on the outside, but the party atmosphere of Phoenix apparently agrees with him. Camilo Villegas looks tempting after last week’s run at the Accenture, but playing six draining matches in five days makes me less interested in going back to the well. He ran second here in 2006, but hasn’t done much since (MC, 34, MC). Sean O’Hair? I’d like to see a show of good faith first. Verdict: Holmes and Na are automatic, Ogilvy as a name grab, and Toms for the consistency.

C-List: I’m as big an Ian Poulter fan as you’ll find, and I had a blast watching my Accenture pick roll to a decisive victory last week. Normally you’d automatically roll back with Poulter the following week, but deep runs at the Match Play tend to take more out of a golfer than a stroke-play event, and he’s never been to this event. I realize the C-List isn’t particularly deep and I’m probably spitting into the wind on this one, but at minimum I think we have to strongly consider leaving Poulter on the bench for Thursday, if not passing on him entirely.

Brandt Snedeker looked like a completely different guy over the first two months and although he missed the cut in Phoenix last year, that came on the heels of two strong showings here (T23, T9). Sign me up. Matt Kuchar is a little more hit-and-miss – his T6 last season followed a pair of Arizona trunk slams. Let’s put Snedeker in the driver seat, and we’ll check in with Kuchar Friday.

Tap the keg, have a few sips, and get back to me with your picks. Party on, Phoenix.

To be frank, I’ve never really understood the idea of having a JV golf tournament opposite a big-ticket event, but that’s what we get this week. And the fantasy gods want us to handicap the Mayakoba Golf Classic for our make-believe teams, so that’s what we’ll do.

Normally I’m on the hunt for sleepers in this space, but there’s no reason to look too deep on a week where the Top 65 players (in theory) are already out of the equation. This week it’s going to be about chalk – well, watered-down chalk. Next week we’ll go back to the hidden-gem theme.

Group A: There’s only 18 golfers to pick from this week and it’s a ridiculously-thin group, so don’t be a hero – just pick Heath Slocum like everyone else is. He came down to Mexico last year and finished tied for third. You’re welcome on your own theory on the second player; I went with Thomas Levet because he almost won the British Open a zillion years ago.

Group B: We need four picks here but at least there are some options. Mark Wilson won this tournament last year and he’s always been a steady, underrated pro; he’s almost a forced pick in this type of field. Josh Teater has the rookie experience curve to deal with but he’s made three straight cuts out of the gate and was T5 at Pebble Beach last week; I’ll roll with that momentum. And then we probably have to consider K.J. Choi and Charles III Howell because they’ll be played frequently on opposing rosters and again, this isn’t the time to get cute. Choi is making his debut at Mayakoba, while Howell has one start here (T38).

If you don’t want to automatically default to Choi and Howell, you can follow me and roll with Briny Baird. He’s picked up tidy checks the last two years at El Camaleon Golf Club (T6, T12) and he’s always struck me as one of those respectable journeymen pros who could win if the conditions were right (and that doesn’t just mean "in a week where the talent goes elsewhere"). Final answer, let’s roll with Wilson, Baird, Teater and Howell (use Chuck early as opposed to late, and Choi’s slow play is getting under my skin a bit).

Group C: It would be fun if David Duval‘s run at Pebble last week really meant something; it’s an easy story to get behind. But let’s not forget that last year’s run at the U.S. Open wasn’t a springboard to anything; he was a trunk-slamming machine for the second half of 2009. I don’t have a problem giving Duval a make-good spot on my Group C team given the weak field at play, but it’s in the No. 2 position to start.

D.J. Trahan was originally my lead dog for this spot but he withdrew from the event Tuesday (a good reminder of why we should always make late activation decisions, no matter the fantasy sport). Carl Pettersson was tempting but he’s played poorly in his last two events. The herd likes Steve Elkington and I can’t argue with that; he’s got a pair of Top 20 checks already in 2010 and when weak fields come calling, a familiar name makes sense.

Okay everyone (well, Martinez), who are you playing this week?

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Photo via AP Images

This week’s special double-issue Dissenting Opinions began with optimism, but it takes a harsh turn today. Below you’ll find six players who’ve ignited partisan rancor. As always, when an analyst breaks from the pack in the Yahoo! player ranks, they’re called upon to defend their position(s). Sometimes the discussion spills into the comments section. We can only hope that continues here…

Mark Reynolds(notes) – Pianowski’s 3B rank 9, Yahoo! composite 4

If you want to pay the freight on the Reynolds breakthrough year, be my guest. I see far too much red ink to get invested.

Batting average is always going to be a major risk with Reynolds, given that he strikes out over a third of the time (38.6 percent last year). And while he’s cushioned the blow somewhat with a career .348 average on balls in play, that’s a little surprising given that his line-drive rate is below the league average (and was just 17.4 percent last year). From where I’m sitting, it’s just as likely that Reynolds dip below .240 as it is he’ll keep the average in the .260 range.

Last year’s jump in power (44 homers, from 28) has to be taken with a pinch of suspicion too, given that Reynolds saw 26 percent of his fly balls leave the yard (the best rate in the majors). The two prior years he was at 18.2 percent and 16.2 percent, respectively. We want to bid on likely things in our game, not outliers. The steals from 2009 are nice, not that Reynolds has enough of a track record or a success rate that we should chase those. The quicker we wash our hands of this miracle season and get both feet back on the ground, the better. -Pianow

Francisco Rodriguez(notes) – Evans’ RP rank 15, Yahoo! composite 7

Getting behind the wheel of a faulty Toyota Prius is the only thing more frightening than drafting K-Rod. Once one of the most dominant relievers in the game, his transition from Left to Right Coast a season ago was incredibly rocky. Though he blew the same number of saves in ’09 as he did the year before, his ERA defied conventional league-switching wisdom, vaulting from 2.24 to 3.71. More disturbing, his K/9 decreased for the third consecutive year, and his BB/9 spiked to a career worst 5.03. Based on his fortunate .270 BABIP, his numbers could’ve been significantly worse.

K-Rod has plenty of job security – right now only Kelvim Escobar(notes), still trying to regain his form after a torn labrum, poses a threat – but his declining peripherals, slider abandonment and occasional velocity dips are concerns. Bullpen turnover happens. There are 14 safer options. -Noise

Jimmy Rollins(notes) – Behrens’ overall rank 37, Yahoo! composite 23

To be clear, I don’t feel like I’m necessarily down on Rollins. I’ve still rated him as a top-40 overall player, which ain’t too shabby. He plays a talent-scarce position, he’s a top-of-the-order hitter in an outstanding lineup, and he still has speed (though it’s slipping) and respectable power (also slipping). But the multi-year decline in batting average and slugging percentage can’t be ignored. It’s overwhelmingly likely that we’ve already seen his best season. Rollins is too good to hit .250 again, but he’s never hit .300 over a full year, so the batting average can really only climb so high. Again: I like him…just not in Round 2. -AB

Alex Gordon(notes) – Funston’s 3B rank 26, Yahoo! composite 19

Gordon has had 1,200 major league at bats to show us his special, No. 2 overall pick, minor league player of the year talent. Instead, he’s shown us that he’s injury prone and can’t hit lefties (.653 OPS in 359 ABs). He reminds me of Jeremy Hermida(notes) in that way. And like Hermida, the allure of Gordon’s pedigree is proving hard to let go of for some. Even when he’s not even guaranteed a starting role out of spring training – he’ll have to beat out Josh Fields(notes), another former first-round pick who can’t hit righties (platoon?). Even the most optimistic projections from statistical monoliths like Bill James see Gordon as no better than a .275, 20 HR hitter in 2010, and that’s in a lineup where he’s likely to be surrounded by the likes of Rick Ankiel(notes), Jose Guillen(notes), Yuniesky Betancourt(notes) and Chris Getz(notes), so you can imagine how ugly the accompanying run production will look like even with rose-colored glasses on. I don’t have anything personal against Gordon, it’s just that if he was a truly special talent, we would have seen it by now. It’s time to let go of the dream. -BFun

Josh Beckett(notes) – Pianowski’s SP rank 22, Yahoo! composite 14

Beckett has turned into one of those peripheral poster boys, screwed by luck year after year. Sure, Beckett’s secondary stats suggested a better ERA than what he recorded in 2009, but that’s a yearly occurrence here – in seven of the last eight years Beckett’s peripheral-suggested ERA has been lower than what he’s actually posted (and in 2006, the one season he wasn’t "cheated," the numbers were so poor no one cared). Let’s accept the reality, he’s a solid No. 2 pitcher for our purposes, but not exactly an ace.

And then there’s the matter of location, specifically, all those tricky parks Beckett has to negotiate. Fenway Park is the scoring Disneyland of the American League (Beckett’s career ERA at Fenway is 4.47), and everyone knows about the homer-friendly tendencies in New York and Baltimore. I’m not saying you can’t beat these parks with outstanding pitching, but why swim against the current when you don’t have to? I see plenty of guys from the National League I’d rather spend my money on. (If you want to cut-and-paste this entire section and switch Beckett to Javier Vazquez(notes), be my guest.) -Pianow

Alfonso Soriano(notes) – Evans’ OF rank 42, Yahoo! composite 33

Cubs fans could list 18 million reasons why the overpriced Soriano isn’t worth a fraction of his 2010 salary. Auction leaguers would express the same. From his clownish fielding hops to his tree-uprooting whiffs, the former 40-40 stud has quickly transformed into a burdensome dud over the past two years. Hampered by myriad injuries, he’s failed to log 480 at-bats in consecutive seasons. Rudy Jaramillo’s presence could revive the multi-time All-Star’s fading career. But his downward-trending production in homers, OPS and steals combined with his rising strikeout and weaker contact rates are major deterrents.

After three baffling years as a leadoff man, Fonzy is finally moving down to the sixth spot, which should bolster his RBI production, but at a steals and runs cost. Unless he makes a dramatic turnaround in his approach, upstarts like Carlos Gonzalez(notes), Jay Bruce(notes) and Nolan Reimold(notes) are definitely more attractive. Another disappointing, possible injury-laden season could be on the horizon. -Noise

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Photos via Getty Images

Remember our rules for this exercise – no one listed among the Top 20 favorites is eligible to be selected. Now let’s go find some buried treasure for the bumpy greens putting contest known as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Davis Love III: Okay, he’s in his mid-40s and far from a sure bet these days – note the quick exit at Riviera last week – but Love has to be respected over these familiar grounds. He’s cashed in 14 of his last 16 appearances here, including wins in 2001 and 2003, and he was fourth as recently as 2007. Even the last two years he was a semi-factor, finishing T22 and T24. And what would be more apropos than Love hoisting a trophy on Feb. 14? Don’t let the age of this veteran get you off the trail; keep in mind he finished tied for fifth at the Sony Open.

Ricky Barnes: He’s still in his 20s and finally starting to show us some consistency – consider the four checks he’s grabbed to start the year (T62, T33, T22, 9th). The California native isn’t having a great ball-striking year thus far but a smooth touch with the putter and a creative eye around the greens have served him well.

John Mallinger: He’s been a trunk-slamming machine in 2010 but a trip to the Clambake should fix that; Mallinger ran third here in 2007 and 2008 and he was a respectable T33 last season. He was one of the better putters on tour the last two seasons, and he’s obviously knowledgeable about what it takes to succeed at this event.

Matt Kuchar: He’s making his tenth straight visit to the Clambake and he’s started to get the hang of it, running 6th, 34th and 14th the last three seasons. Kuchar was expected to be an instant star when he left Georgia Tech but it’s been a deliberate path to glory; that said, he’s very quietly pocketed around $4.2 million the last two seasons, another post-hype sleeper makes good.

Paul Goydos: He’s got a modest amount of natural ability but he’s easy to root for, a short but straight hitter who putts well and gives you straight answers in the press tent. We need more guys like Goydos on the circuit.

Why is Alex Prugh not on this list? Two reasons: he’s playing for the fifth straight week, and he’s spotting an experience edge to the rest of the field here. That said, he’s on my most important auction-league team and in formats where you’re not limited to number of starts, I have no problem with dialing him up here. But in games where the start count is limited, this probably isn’t the best time to use him.

I also would have used J.B. Holmes as a sleeper but he’s actually one of the Top 20 favorites this week, which nixes him from consideration. He’s always had the long game, and finally in 2010, there’s some improvement around the green.

Riviera Country Club is a gem of a course and I’ll always make time for the PGA Tour stop in Los Angeles. I know it’s Super Bowl week and all that, but let’s not forget our Fantasy Golf interests as the Northern Trust Open settles in for the next four days.

Everyone can figure out the favorites; my job is to get some sleepers on your plate. Last week we got Michael Sim out to the masses (T2), and the prior week Bill Haas was one of our selections (winner). We also suggested Ben Crane in the middle of January, a prediction that was just a little ahead of its time. Enough of the scoreboard watching, we’ve got picks to make.

Fred Couples: I don’t care how old he is, I don’t care how infrequently he plays on the PGA Tour these days, when you see Riviera on the menu, you get Couples onto your roster, somehow, someway. He’s made 25-of-27 cuts here, including two wins and three seconds, and there’s been plenty of success in recent years as well (third last season, fourth in 2007). It’s a track that suits Fred’s eye and his game, and I fully expect the likable vet to stick around for another strong check this week.

Aaron Baddeley: He’s got a solid if unspectacular record at Riviera, with seven straight cuts made including a T7 check back in 2005. He’s got that angelic putting stroke which sings like a siren, makes you think "this is the week, this is the week." I don’t know why Baddeley continues to be one of the worst returns in Fantasy Golf, but he’ll make the cut this week and if he can get a little momentum going early, maybe a Top 20 check will result.

J.B. Holmes: I’m surprised he’s not getting a lot of respect in the offshore books this week – you can get a ticket anywhere from 80-1 to 100-1 on Holmes (in theory). He finished sixth here last season and seventh the previous year, so he’s figured out the lay of the land. They’ve added some real estate to the grounds, which is just fine with Holmes, one of the longest hitting players on the circuit.

Charlie Wi: He plays as much as anyone (81 events the last three years) but still he’s somewhat anonymous out here, a late bloomer who’s never won a PGA Tour event. The extra distance of Riviera won’t play into Wi’s hands but he’s a super putter (fourth in putts per round last year) and a straight man off the tee. And heck, he coaxed a T14 check here two years back, so it’s not like he hasn’t figured out this test to some extent.

Webb Simpson: Just a hunch play, and I don’t blame you if you don’t want to come along for the ride. Simpson has never played in this event, he’s got two ordinary showings this year (MC, T33), he’s an erratic ball striker, he’s still trying to show he belongs on tour.  But I like his resourcefulness around the green (17th in scrambling last year, 25th in putting) and this column is all about taking chances. Let’s roll the dice on the North Carolina kid.

Who are your sleepers this week? Who are your Yahoo! Fantasy picks? Let’s go over it in the comments.

Matt Romig is getting some well-earned time off, so I’m here in this space to talk Fantasy Hockey with you. Let’s clear off the ice and discuss some of player upgrades and downgrades from the last few weeks.

UPGRADES

Danny Cleary(notes): He quietly was one of the better Detroit forwards during January (4-5-9 over 13 games, with 13 PIMs), and even with Tomas Holmstrom(notes) and Johan Franzen(notes) returning soon (Holmstrom as soon as Tuesday, Franzen perhaps next week), Cleary has enough skills to stick with either Pavel Datsyuk(notes) or Henrik Zetterberg(notes). The Wings like the way Cleary works the corners and cycles the puck, and he’s got just enough speed and finesse to hang with the big names.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere(notes): The Leafs obviously traded for Giguere with the intention of making him the No. 1 netminder. He’s already been cleared to start Tuesday against New Jersey. Rest-of-season fantasy rank: something in the low 20s, say 23. The supporting cast is still very weak here (who’s going to score for Toronto?), but a starting goalie any team not Edmonton will carry fantasy cred in most formats.

Nicklas Lidstrom(notes): A slumping Lidstrom was hurting one of my clubs about two months ago and I put him out on the block; most of the offers I got back were hilarious (and utterly ridiculous). I might have moved Lidstrom for a Top 20-25 rearguard just to shake things up, but people were offering players just one level above the street free agents. No one’s thinking about selling Lidstrom low going forward; he was the league’s top scoring defenseman for January (5-10-15, tied with Drew Doughty(notes)) and the Detroit power play should get even better with Holmstrom and Franzen on the mend.

Matt Stajan(notes): His 16-25-41 line in Toronto wasn’t too shabby given what he was skating with, and now he’s getting a shot on the top line with Jarome Iginla(notes). Sounds like an upgrade to me.

Alex Burrows(notes): I think it’s time to give this guy a shout-out for the ridiculous level of play he’s showing. Burrows led the NHL in goals (15) and plus-minus (plus-17) over the last month, and while playing with the Sedins has a lot to do with it, it’s not everything. Burrows also picked up 26 penalty minutes during the month, which are always welcome in the world of Yahoo! standard scoring.

Jason Blake(notes): Here’s another former Leaf that’s landing on his feet; the Ducks are giving him a shot on the Teemu Selanne(notes)-Saku Koivu line right out of the chute. I’m very curious to see how they look Monday against Florida, assuming Teddy Flash is healthy enough to answer the bell.

Filip Kuba(notes): There’s nothing particularly exciting about this vet but he moves the puck well (six assists in his last seven games) and the Senators are in high gear right now (seven straight wins). Okay, let’s ride it while it lasts.

Rob Schremp(notes): Get out the post-hype sleeper file, it might be time for another entry. Schremp’s play in December was good enough to earn him a regular spot on the top two lines on the Island and he took it up a notch last month (4-7-11, plus-2). Remember, Schremp was a first-round pick of the Oilers back in 2004.

DOWNGRADES

Dennis Wideman(notes): I suppose you have to be somewhat respected to log a minus-12 rating over the course of a month; if your team didn’t trust you, the sweater would be stripped off your back in no time flat. Wideman’s messy rating was only part of the story for his terrible January; he managed just two points and six penalty minutes.

Marty Turco(notes): He’s allowed three goals or more in six of his last seven starts and his messy numbers for January speak for themselves (3.61 GAA, .884 save percentage). Does Turco have a comeback in him at age 34, or is it time for us to wash our hands of him for good? Alex Auld(notes) hasn’t been much better of late, so both guys figure to get a chance at the job over the final third of the year.

Niclas Bergfors(notes): It was fun while it lasted; Bergfors was a healthy scratch on Friday, then logged a piddly nine minutes (no shots, no points) against the Kings Sunday. He’s managed just one point over his last 15 starts.

Sheldon Souray(notes): Like most of his Edmonton teammates he was absolutely horrid in January (two points, minus-12 rating) and now there’s the matter of a broken hand which might need surgery. The Oilers were going to have trouble moving Souray’s bloated contract anyway, but this physical development might make it next to impossible.

Brad Stuart(notes): I suppose he’s been playing hurt in recent weeks but that’s not a full excuse for the tollbooth act I’ve seen on my screen (the Coyotes forwards embarrassed him for two hours last week). Here’s the math on Stuart last month: three measly points, a minus-6 rating, next to no fantasy value.

Derek Roy(notes): When you’re an undersized finesse center, an 11-26-37 line through 51 games doesn’t really feed the cat. Roy has just one goal and 31 shots over his last 13 games. The Sabres expected a lot more when they threw big bucks at Roy back in the summer of 2007.

Chris Osgood(notes): He’s got just one regulation victory in his last 10 starts and while the spacing between those appearances may have something to do with it, Mike Babcock isn’t stupid – he’s playing his best goalie, Jimmy Howard(notes). Osgood’s last showing was a messy five-goal effort at Minnesota last week, and Howard followed that up with a pair of dazzling efforts. Thanks for the memories, Ozzie, but you’re not getting anywhere near my active roster.

I’ve spent my Friday ranking, profiling, polishing and cutting up 112 wingers because I care about you, your fantasy production, and your make-believe glory. Standard Yahoo! specs apply, which means penalty minutes are part of the mix here. This list is how I would attack the position in a new draft that begins right now. Offer your respectful and intelligent disagreement in the comments and we’ll smooth the bumps out together. Game on.

1. Alex Ovechkin(notes)
2. Dany Heatley(notes)
3. Patrick Marleau(notes)
4. Ilya Kovalchuk(notes)
5. Marian Gaborik(notes)
6. Zach Parise(notes)
7. Daniel Sedin(notes)
8. Jarome Iginla(notes)
9. Patrick Kane(notes)
10. Corey Perry(notes)
11. Alexander Semin(notes)
12. Marian Hossa(notes)
13. Rick Nash(notes)
14. Alex Burrows(notes)
15. Bobby Ryan(notes)
16. Martin St. Louis(notes)
17. Daniel Alfredsson(notes)
18. Michael Cammalleri(notes)
19. Shane Doan(notes)
20. Loui Eriksson(notes)

Comments: Washington’s offense is just crushing people these days and obviously that goes past the contributions of Ovechkin and Mike Green(notes). Semin might be the most underrated winger in the game right now. … Burrows looks fantastic on the Sedin line, the perfect fit as a power forward. … Hossa has an 8-6-14 line this month with 45 shots. He’s starting to get his sea legs.  

21. Alex Kovalev(notes)
22. Danny Briere(notes)
23. Joe Pavelski(notes)
24. Rene Bourque(notes)
25. Phil Kessel(notes)
26. Ryan Malone(notes)
27. Mason Raymond(notes)
28. Patric Hornqvist(notes)
29. Alexei Ponikarovsky(notes)
30. James Neal(notes)
31. Patrick Sharp(notes)
32. Jamie Langenbrunner(notes)
33. Dustin Penner(notes)
34. Ryan Smyth(notes)
35. Martin Havlat(notes)
36. Scott Hartnell(notes)
37. Kristian Huselius(notes)
38. Chris Stewart(notes)
39. Matt Moulson(notes)
40. Mikael Samuelsson(notes)
41. Wayne Simmonds(notes)
42. Maxim Afinogenov(notes)
43. Ray Whitney(notes)
44. Dustin Byfuglien(notes)
45. Dustin Brown(notes)

Comments: How low should we go on Penner at this point? His scoring has dried up and obviously the Oilers have little to feel good about right now. … Simmonds has stepped up nicely with the Kings, a physical flank who can do a little bit of everything. … I’d like to call Moulson a post-hype guy but honestly, I’m not sure there was ever any real buzz tied to him. That said, every time I see a game on the Island, he gets my attention.

46. Simon Gagne(notes)
47. Milan Michalek(notes)
48. Mike Knuble(notes)
49. Wojtek Wolski(notes)
50. Jussi Jokinen(notes)
51. Kris Versteeg(notes)
52. Tomas Fleischmann(notes)
53. Steve Downie(notes)
54. Jason Pominville(notes)
55. Thomas Vanek(notes)
56. Alexander Frolov(notes)
57. Niklas Hagman(notes)
58. Andy McDonald(notes)
59. Nik Antropov(notes)
60. Guillaume Latendresse(notes)
61. Brooks Laich(notes)
62. Troy Brouwer(notes)
63. Brad Boyes(notes)
64. David Backes(notes)
65. Ryane Clowe(notes)
66. Ryan Callahan(notes)
67. Devin Setoguchi(notes)
68. Sean Avery(notes)
69. Jochen Hecht(notes)
70. Danny Cleary(notes)

Comments: It’s your move on Gagne, I’ve run out of theories. He’s been invisible of late and I’m losing patience. … The Red Wings aren’t afraid to shuffle lines and Tomas Holmstrom(notes) figures to be back pretty soon, but for the moment Cleary is sitting in the catbird seat, skating with Henrik Zetterberg(notes) and Pavel Datsyuk(notes). … Boyes’ shooting percentage has dropped 50 percent from last year; from my eye, that’s more due to the quality of his chances than merely random bad luck. With that in mind, he’s stuck in no-man’s land – too good to cut, too frustrating to trust in the fantasy lineup. … Setoguchi has woken up after a long slumber, but he still has that Jonathan Cheechoo(notes) 2.0 look to him doesn’t he?

71. Brian Rolston(notes)
72. Andrew Brunette(notes)
73. Patrik Elias(notes)
74. Blake Wheeler(notes)
75. Bill Guerin(notes)
76. Radim Vrbata(notes)
77. Kyle Okposo(notes)
78. Patrick O’Sullivan(notes)
79. Paul Kariya(notes)
80. Daniel Carcillo(notes)
81. Alex Tanguay(notes)
82. Tomas Holmstrom
83. Brenden Morrow(notes)
84. Niclas Bergfors(notes)
85. David Perron(notes)
86. Brian Gionta(notes)
87. Matt Carkner(notes)
88. Brandon Yip(notes)
89. Scottie Upshall(notes)
90. Todd Bertuzzi(notes)

Comments: Carkner is obviously more valuable to us on defense, where he can collect all those penalty minutes and his lack of scoring doesn’t hurt so much. … Yip was never seen as a major prospect but Joe Sacco seems to like him; perhaps it’s because they both matriculated at Boston University. … Two things have me intrigued with Wheeler: his pedigree (No. 5 pick back in 2004) and his play in January (5-5-10, with 8 PIMs thrown in). … Bertuzzi was a lot more fun on the first unit; skating with Valtteri Filppula(notes) isn’t nearly as interesting. At least Bert can offer us dual-position eligibility, consistent shots and a handful of trips to the penalty box.  

91. Michael Frolik(notes)
92. Drew Stafford(notes)
93. J.P. Dumont(notes)
94. Owen Nolan(notes)
95. Steve Sullivan(notes)
96. Benoit Pouliot(notes)
97. Jason Blake(notes)
98. James van Riemsdyk(notes)
99. Tuomo Ruutu(notes)
100. Keith Tkachuk(notes)
101. Nathan Horton(notes)
102. Milan Hejduk(notes)
103. Teemu Selanne(notes)
104. Chris Neil(notes)
105. Andrew Ladd(notes)
106. Milan Lucic(notes)
107. Vinny Prospal(notes)
108. Ben Eager(notes)
109. Johan Franzen(notes)
110. Eric Fehr(notes)
111. Joffrey Lupul(notes)
112. David Clarkson(notes)

Let’s not get into any crazy debates on the injured guys, it’s hard to rank these guys and it’s no coincidence you see so many of them tossed into the bottom file here. Now it’s time for your clipboard, show us your work and share your observations.

Anyone can pick Phil Mickelson to win at Torrey Pines, or Robert Allenby, or Ernie Els, or Hunter Mahan. My goal in this weekly piece is to give you five possible selections you might not be thinking about. Let’s head down San Diego way and see what’s going on with this week’s Farmers Insurance Open.

Steve Marino: Perhaps I’m using a liberal definition of sleeper by tabbing Marino here, but he’s yet to win on tour and he’s not among the Top 20 favorites this week, so that’s good enough for me. His Torrey Pines run last year was done in by an opening-round 78, but he grabbed two solid checks in the previous years (T23, T20). There isn’t an obvious weakness in Marino’s game – other than the empty mantle, I suppose – and that’s the type of versatility that will serve you well at this week’s challenge. He’s one of the Top 5 players on tour without a victory, that’s for sure (say howdy to Tim Clark when this infamous club meets up).

Nathan Green: He made it to a playoff when they came to Torrey Pines in 2006 and don’t overlook Green’s T11 check from 2008. He’s generally known as a better scrambler than ball striker, and you certainly need a creative mind to work your way about the two tracks here.

Michael Sim: The Aussie isn’t one of the longer hitters out here but the rest of his game (straight off the tee, true on the greens) should translate to the assignment in San Diego. If the setup turns out to be similar to a U.S. Open look, that’s fine with Sim – he can call back on his T18 experience last year at Bethpage Black. Sim was the dominant player on the Nationwide Tour last year, and that’s always a good place to start as you try to identify 2010’s best sleepers.

Chad Collins: While no one expects this journeyman to win the tournament, we have to tip our caps at the way he’s come out ready to go in 2010 (T16 at the Sony Open, then a T10 at the Bob Hope). If you play in a pool where the Top 100 golfers or so need to be owned, I’d consider looking into Collins right now. His stat profile is well balanced from tee to green, which will help offset the fact that he’s never played in this event, and his gritty scrambling (he’s 11th on tour in that stat) will come in handy. And like Sim, Collins showed plenty of game last year on the Nationwide Tour, where he was the No. 2 player last season.

Alex Prugh: He’s another Nationwide Tour graduate that has already gotten our attention in 2010, grabbing a T5 check at the Bob Hope last week. Prugh is currently ranked first in total driving, 26th in scrambling and 43rd in putting average, and while his game will get a much sterner test at Torrey Pines, I’d like to at least put this U-Dub product on my scouting list. (For what it’s worth, I’ve already added Prugh in my 130-golfer bloodbath league with the Rotowire guys, and we only get one addition per month. Sim was gone, while Collins, oddly, remains available. We’ll see if I tabbed the right guy.) 

Let’s hear your sleeper selections in the comments, and we can also discuss picks and pans for the Yahoo Fantasy Golf game as well. Game on.

You know the rules. Assume a new draft that starts tonight. Yahoo default settings. What’s happened to this point is an audition, but not how we’re grading them – this is all about what will happen the rest of the way.

Let’s head to the crease.

1. Martin Brodeur(notes)
2. Ryan Miller(notes)
3. Roberto Luongo(notes)
4. Evgeni Nabokov(notes)
5. Henrik Lundqvist(notes)
6. Miikka Kiprusoff(notes)
7. Craig Anderson(notes)
8. Ilya Bryzgalov(notes)
9. Jimmy Howard(notes)
10. Tim Thomas(notes)
11. Niklas Backstrom(notes)
12. Tomas Vokoun(notes)

Comments: Kiprusoff hasn’t played well in January, but it’s hard to get past where his seasonal numbers are. … Nabokov’s stats have a lot to do with the play in front of him, but they don’t ask how, they ask how many? … Howard’s effectively thrown Chris Osgood(notes) out of the way for the balance of the year, barring an injury.

13. Marc-Andre Fleury(notes)
14. Cristobal Huet(notes)
15. Jaroslav Halak(notes)
16. Jonas Hiller(notes)
17. Jonathan Quick(notes)
18. Chris Mason(notes)
19. Carey Price(notes)
20. Pekka Rinne(notes)
21. Michael Leighton(notes)
22. Cam Ward(notes)
23. Tuukka Rask(notes)
24. Antti Niemi(notes)
25. Dan Ellis(notes)
26. Marty Turco(notes)
27. Brian Elliott(notes)
28. Jose Theodore(notes)
29. Rick DiPietro(notes)

Comments: If there’s a reason to be optimistic about Turco down the stretch, show me to it. I have zero faith in him right now. … Note to self: let someone else have Carey Price next fall. … Ward has single-handedly kept the Hurricanes competitive in recent weeks but there’s only so far you can go with him given the supporting cast. … Huet and Niemi have the benefit of the loaded Chicago defense in front of them, but neither guy strikes me as a championship goaltender. A stud in net is the only thing this Blackhawks club is missing; yes, Jeremy Roenick(notes), you’re right, and I loved you in Swingers (clip NSFW).  

30. Steve Mason(notes)
31. Ray Emery(notes)
32. Ty Conklin(notes)
33. Dwayne Roloson(notes)
34. Semyon Varlamov(notes)
35. Mike Smith(notes)
36. Josh Harding(notes)
37. Mathieu Garon(notes)
38. Alex Auld(notes)
39. Chris Osgood
40. Jonas Gustavsson
41. Kari Lehtonen(notes)
42. Mike Brodeur(notes)
43. Johan Hedberg(notes)
44. Ondrej Pavelec(notes)
45. Vesa Toskala
46. Michal Neuvirth

That’s what I got, what’s on your clipboard?

Tonight we take an audit of every fantasy-viable center skating in North America. The stats to this point are merely an audition; this list is what I’d use for a new draft that starts right now. Bring your intelligent disagreement to the comments, we’ll fleece it out together. (Anyone carrying center eligibility in the Yahoo! game was considered for this exercise, and Y! default scoring is assumed.)

1. Sidney Crosby(notes)
2. Henrik Sedin(notes)
3. Evgeni Malkin(notes)
4. Patrick Marleau(notes)
5. Nicklas Backstrom(notes)
6. Jeff Carter(notes)
7. Joe Thornton(notes)
8. Mike Richards(notes)
9. Eric Staal(notes)
10. Ryan Getzlaf(notes)
11. Pavel Datsyuk(notes)
12. Tim Connolly(notes)
13. Jonathan Toews(notes)
14. Steven Stamkos(notes)
15. Anze Kopitar(notes)
16. Henrik Zetterberg(notes)

Comments: No knife fights over the guys at the 2-4 slots, you could rank them in any order and it wouldn’t look out of place. Marleau probably won’t be in this area next year but sometimes you have to ride the wave of a career year and not question it. … I was tempted to go even lower on the Red Wings, especially Zetterberg. Not that this team can’t rally now that key people are healthy, but Zetterberg for the last year and a half has been just another really good offensive player, not quite a dominant one. …The Buffalo sporting community could use a break (sorry about Chan Gailey). With that in mind, here’s hoping Connolly can stay healthy and continue his growth into stardom. … It’s a hell of a time to be a Chicago hockey fan; set their Stanley Cup over/under for the new decade at 1.5.

17. Vincent Lecavalier(notes)
18. Ryan Kesler(notes)
19. Marc Savard(notes)
20. Danny Briere(notes)
21. Brad Richards(notes)
22. Brooks Laich(notes)
23. Olli Jokinen(notes)
24. Nathan Horton(notes)
25. Patrik Elias(notes)
26. Mikko Koivu(notes)
27. Paul Stastny(notes)
28. Jordan Staal(notes)
29. Travis Zajac(notes)
30. Mike Fisher(notes)
31. R.J. Umberger(notes)
32. Patrick Sharp(notes)

Comments: Looks like Fisher is over the engagement blues, or more specifically, he’s back to producing now that some key teammates are healthy. … Another big-shot year for Richards but the puck goes in so infrequently. His shooting percentage has been below 10 percent the last six seasons. … Sharp is one of those guys who will always be more valuable to his real-life club than he is to the fantasy public. … Stastny’s old man is the answer to one of my favorite hockey trivia nuggets; let’s play Jeopardy, what’s the question? 

33. Derek Roy(notes)
34. Joe Pavelski(notes)
35. John Tavares(notes)
36. Alex Steen(notes)
37. Nik Antropov(notes)
38. Tomas Plekanec(notes)
39. Patrice Bergeron(notes)
40. Antoine Vermette(notes)
41. David Krejci(notes)
42. Brandon Dubinsky(notes)
43. Jochen Hecht(notes)
44. Matt Cullen(notes)
45. Scott Gomez(notes)
46. Matt Duchene(notes)
47. Mike Ribeiro(notes)
48. Rich Peverley(notes)
49. Steve Ott(notes)
50. Daymond Langkow(notes)
51. Stephen Weiss(notes)
52. Chris Drury(notes)

Comments: Untimely injuries have stepped in the way of Bergeron becoming a star, but at some point you have to shrug and admit that health is a skill to some extent. … Antropov’s having a sneaky season but no one wants to see what happens to this offense if Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) leaves. … Tavares’ production has fallen off of late but he’s had a shot spike in January, a positive sign. … Every time I get a chance to watch Steen, he does something to impress. … Hey, didn’t you used to be Chris Drury?

53. Matt Stajan(notes)
54. Andy McDonald(notes)
55. Jarret Stoll(notes)
56. Michael Frolik(notes)
57. Jason Arnott(notes)
58. Steven Reinprecht(notes)
59. Rob Schremp(notes)
60. Josh Bailey(notes)
61. Zenon Konopka(notes)
62. Brendan Morrison(notes)
63. Saku Koivu(notes)
64. Shawn Horcoff(notes)
65. Eric Belanger(notes)
66. Sam Gagner(notes)
67. T.J. Oshie(notes)

That’s how I see them right now, let’s get a look at your clipboard.