Here are five players that deserved a trip to Arizona’s Chase Field next week, but instead will have to watch a couple of less-deserving players take their spot. Now let’s everybody pile on Bruce Bochy like the rest of the Internet world. Just make sure you stretch first.

1. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates
I don’t know who deserves more blame here, the players or Bochy. The players selected the Reds’ Jay Bruce (who has more home runs than McCutchen but is hitting an earth shattering .230) as one of the outfield reserves and Bochy chose the Mets’ Carlos Beltran, another player with a lower batting average and OPS than McCutchen and whose defense is significantly worse. Somehow McCutchen was left off the “Final Man” vote that is decided by the fans, so Major League Baseball deserves a swift kick to the groin here as well. Seeing as how McCutchen and the Pirates are shaping up to be the feel good story of 2011, the players, Bochy, and MLB dropped the ball badly by leaving the sparkplug off the NL roster.

2. Paul Konerko, 1B, White Sox
Apparently the AL players voted in Michael Young as a backup DH. Why would somebody feel as though a backup DH is needed for the American League roster? Outside of pitchers, THE ENTIRE FREAKING TEAM COULD BE DESIGNATED HITTERS. Konerko has a .954 OPS, which is fourth-best in the entire AL, and is among the league leaders in RBI (62, third), home runs (21, fourth) and batting average (.317, fifth). The problem is that teammate Carlos Quentin was a players’ selection and AL skipper Ron Washington needed to use four of his seven spots to ensure that every team was represented. He simply ran out of room for Konerko, which is a shame. But hopefully he’ll win the “Final Vote” and be on his way to Arizona next week anyway.

3. CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees
Seeing as how Sabathia is scheduled to pitch on Sunday, it’s kind of a moot point to discuss in detail how he was screwed. But a snub is a snub. Washington chose his own lefty C.J. Wilson over Sabathia, which isn’t that big of a deal. There’s a strong argument that Wilson should have made the team, but there were others less-deserving that took Sabathia’s spot. (Jose Valverde, anyone?) Again, in the end Sabathia would have been replaced anyway. But he at least deserved to be mentioned.

4. Tommy Hanson, SP, Braves
I actually get why Hanson was left off the NL roster. I’m not saying it’s fair or right, but I understand it. He missed time earlier this year with a shoulder injury (which limited his innings) and two of his own teammates (Jair Jurrjens and Jonny Venters) have taken some of his spotlight in Atlanta. Plus, if you say Hanson deserves a spot, then who do you leave off? Jurrjens, Clayton Kershaw, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee were all locks. The argument gets interesting when you bring up Ryan Vogelsong and Matt Cain – two of Bochy’s handpicked pitchers from San Fran. But Vogelsong has been one of the best stories of the year and he was only 7 1/3 innings short of ranking second in the league in ERA. For those who have paid attention, the guy has been out-of-this-world good since being called up from Triple-A and we’re talking about a player who was pitching in Japan and the minor leagues over the last couple of years. Cain has worse overall numbers than Hanson, but did you see what he did in June? He was 4-0 with a 1.65 ERA in six starts and if the Giants had anything resembling a major league offense (hell, even a Triple-A offense would probably suffice), he would have had at least one more victory. Nevertheless, Cain is scheduled to pitch on Sunday so this snubbing will correct itself in the end. I’m sure Bochy will select Hanson as Cain’s replacement so everything will work out. (Or at least sort of. The voting system is still incredibly flawed and all of these snubs are proof.)

5. Jhonny Peralta, SS, Tigers
I guess now would be a good time to admit that all five of these players are interchangeable. One could make a good argument that Peralta deserves to be higher on this list and that wouldn’t offend me. The Tribe’s Asdrubal Cabrera made the AL roster as Derek Jeter’s backup. In reality, Cabrera should be starting and Peralta should be his backup with Jeter sitting at home. Simply put, the fans botched this one because they were blinded by Jeter’s popularity. I love Jeter and truly believe that he’s one of the best players of all-time. But Peralta (.311 BA, 14 HR, 48 RBI, .363 OBP) has been outstanding this year and deserved the spot more.

If you’re anything like me, I hate it when my favorite team signs an aging veteran free agent. I’ve uttered the phrase, “Please God don’t let them sign that crusty old vet,” too many times to count.

But those “crusty old vets” hold a ton of importance to a team’s success, especially in baseball where World Series-winning rosters usually have a mixture of both youth and veteran experience. Take the World Champion Giants for example. They won because of their young pitching, but it wasn’t Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain or Madison Bumgarner who wound up holding the World Series MVP Trophy at the end. It was 35-year-old Edgar Renteria, who was cursed by the SF faithful for being yet another horrible Brian Sabean signing, but wound up being a Fall Classic hero.

Today’s media doesn’t pay enough homage to the older MLB players. In fact, when fellow TSR contributor David Medsker and I were brainstorming ideas for a new feature, the first thing I brought up was that we should do an all 24-and-younger MLB team comprised of…well the idea is pretty self explanatory.

It wasn’t until David and I exhausted that idea before he sent me an e-mail that simply read: “Has anyone done an all 35-and-over team?”

Perfect. The moment I read it I burst into laughter. Could you imagine compiling a team of players that were only 35 years or older when present day teams usually build around youth? I love it.

Unfortunately, the guys over at Off Base Percentage beat us to the punch by compiling their own 35-plus year old team, so David and I decided to actually hold a live draft in order to make two teams. (Take that OBP.)

Below is a round-by-round breakdown of our all 35-and-older MLB draft. We selected a player for every infield position, plus three outfield positions, four starting pitchers (we only had eight to choose from), three relievers, one DH and two bench spots. Once the draft started, David and I quickly developed different strategies for building our rosters, so it was interesting to see how the draft played out. Take a look and let us know if you would have gone a different route.

David Medsker: GM of team “Springfield Geezers”
Anthony Stalter: GM of team “He’s Still in the League?”

Round 1

Springfield Geezers: Alex Rodriguez
He’s Still in the League?: Derek Jeter

David: A-Rod was unquestionably the best position player on the board, and while starting pitching was scarce, I remembered the one time I took a pitcher in the first round (Jason Schmidt, 2005). Never again.

Anthony: I’ll admit it: I screwed the pooch by not taking Ichiro with the first pick. That’s not to say I don’t like Jeter (whom I believe will bounce back this season at the plate), but Ichiro has been the poster child for consistency his entire career. My first pick of my first 35-and-older MLB draft and I screwed up. Bow + Head = Shame.

Round 2

He’s Still in the League?: Chris Carpenter
Springfield Geezers: Ichiro

Anthony: I knew Carpenter would be one of my first two picks because after David chose A-Rod, I wasn’t going to build my team around offense. Pitching still wins championships and Carp was clearly the best starter available. Again, I blew it by not taking Ichiro with one of my first two picks but just let it go, okay? Back off.

David: Had I picked second, Ichiro would have been one of my first two picks, so seeing him “fall” to me in the second round was a bonus. Anthony took the best pitcher on the board, and when I see a run starting, I tend to do the opposite – time to get another bat.

Round 3

Springfield Geezers: Paul Konerko
He’s Still in the League?: Alfonso Soriano

David: Thirty-nine dingers last year. Pauly still has some pop, plus he is by far the best first baseman of this group.

Anthony: This is when I really started to hate my draft and I wanted to beg David for a re-do. I’ll gladly take the 20-25 home runs from Soriano, but his numbers are clearly in decline and he plays an awful left field. There’s no doubt that the Ichiro blunder was still fresh on my mind.

Round 4

He’s Still in the League?: Tim Hudson
Springfield Geezers: Bobby Abreu

Anthony: But I quickly righted the ship with the selection of Hudson. Now I have the top two pitchers from the available talent pool and I’m completely invested in my pitching staff. As long as I didn’t directly look my offense in the eye I was okay with the way my team was shaping up.

David: And now I’m in trouble. Anthony now has the two best pitchers on the board, so I may as well take one more hitter before drafting my first pitcher. Abreu is a perennial member of my real-life fantasy team (it’s a points league, and his high walk rate is gravy), so this one was a no-brainer.

Round 5

Springfield Geezers: Ted Lilly
He’s Still in the League?: Vladimir Guerrero

David: Sigh. Lilly is by no means a #1 starter, but I couldn’t afford to let Anthony take him as his #3 starter. Definitely a defensive maneuver. I would much rather have taken Vlad the Impaler here, but there is great depth at the DH slot. I can make it up in the next round.

Anthony: Finally one of my draft moves paid off. As David noted above, my selection of Hudson caused him to grab Lilly and therefore, Vlad “fell” to me. With this pick, I’m starting to feel a little more optimistic about my offense.

Round 6

He’s Still in the League?: Torii Hunter
Springfield Geezers: David Ortiz

Anthony: And now I feel a little better about my defense, too. Hunter obviously isn’t the same player he was earlier in this career but he’ll anchor things in the outfield. I don’t expect much of a drop-off from the offensive numbers he put up last year either (.281 average/76 runs/23 home runs/90 RBI/9 SBs).

David: Big Papi is not a bad consolation prize in the DH slot. Plus, as much as Baltimore’s offense has improved this offseason, Ortiz is still going to have far more run-scoring opportunities than Vlad, even if he lands in the 6-hole like he’s projected to.

Round 7

Springfield Geezers: Mariano Rivera
He’s Still in the League?: Derrek Lee

David: All right, so I didn’t get the two best pitchers. But I definitely have the best closer, and a ton of offense to give him loads of save opportunities.

Anthony: I don’t know if he meant to or not, but David read me like a book here. I wanted Rivera to pair with my solid starting pitching, but he snagged him a pick before I was going to take him. Lee’s thumb is a concern but if he stays healthy he should be more productive than he was a year ago.

Round 8

He’s Still in the League?: Joe Nathan
Springfield Geezers: Jorge Posada

Anthony: I was somewhat worried that David would take the top two relievers, so I grabbed Nathan while he was still available. Hopefully he’ll return to form and I’ll have a top-notch closer to go with my solid rotation.

David: There are lots of over-35 catchers, but there is only one who’s still producing at the plate, and that is Posada. I never take catchers this early in a fantasy draft, but given the position scarcity, this seemed like the one to take the plunge on.

Round 9

Springfield Geezers: Raul Ibanez
He’s Still in the League?: Mark DeRosa

David: He’s only one year removed from 34 homers and almost 100 runs batted in, and he’s one of the most well-liked players in baseball. Can’t think of a better guy to round out my outfield. And with Anthony taking one of the two second basemen on the board, I can now punt on the position until the last round.

Anthony: I’ll be honest, I just didn’t want to wind up with Craig Counsell, so I scooped up DeRosa while he was still available. A wrist injury ruined his 2010 campaign, but when he’s healthy De-Ro can play multiple positions and is the ultimate clubhouse guy. I’m happy to have him on my team…as long as it’s not Craig Counsell.

Round 10

He’s Still in the League?: Derek Lowe
Springfield Geezers: Miguel Tejada

Anthony: And boom goes the dynamite. I now have three quality starters while David is stuck with Ted Lilly as his No. 1. I may average 0.5 runs a game but hopefully my pitching will match up with his offense.

David: Anthony now has three starters and I have one, so it’s time to pick off another scarce infield position and then go pitcher-crazy. Tejada is no one’s first choice these days, but he still has some pop.

Round 11

Springfield Geezers: Hiroki Kuroda
He’s Still in the League?: Magglio Ordonez

David: Choosing my second pitcher was like choosing between an anvil on my head and a baseball bat to the kneecaps. In the end, I went with the guy with the best combination of low ERA and high strikeout numbers, plus a dandy 1.19 WHIP.

Anthony: Since David took all the best bats and I went with all the good pitching, I’m now left with a team full of defensive liabilities and injury concerns. That said, Maggs still hit .303 with 12 home runs last year in 84 games. I’ll take it at this point.

Round 12

He’s Still in the League?: Carl Pavano
Springfield Geezers: Francisco Cordero

Anthony: Had to do it. At this point, pitching is my strength so I rounded out my rotation with the best arm available in Pavano. Hopefully my franchise is nowhere near New York and I should be fine.

David: Anthony has now taken his fourth pitcher, which means I can now punt on this position as well since he’s capped. May as well bulk up wherever I can, which means relievers. CoCo seems like a better bet than the guy that was just talking about retiring.

Round 13

Springfield Geezers: Hideki Matsui
He’s Still in the League?: Ryan Franklin

David: Godzilla hit 21 home runs in what was considered an off year for him, plus he can serve as a fourth outfielder, though now that I think about it, my entire outfield is left-handed, as are my catcher and DH. Should match up well against Anthony’s starters.

Anthony: Franklin gives me another closer option if Nathan is hurt all year again. I probably should be adding more offense so that David doesn’t keep loading up on bats but at this point, my pitching is what will make or break me.

Round 14

He’s Still in the League?: Jim Thome
Springfield Geezers: Scott Rolen

Anthony: Thome was the best bat available, so there you have it. At this point, I was concerned about not adding more infield depth but I address that later.

David: My last three picks are already spoken for, so I may as well bulk this team up any way I can. Rolen might be worried about playing time when players report to camp, but I have a plan that I think he will find most agreeable.

Round 15

Springfield Geezers: Darren Oliver
He’s Still in the League?: Takashi Saito

David: This was tough. I flirted with taking Saito, but ultimately decided to get at least one lefty in the bullpen, and Oliver’s numbers last year were shockingly good.

Anthony: I would have loved to have Oliver, so nice pick, David. I went with Saito, whom I’m happy with.

Round 16

He’s Still in the League?: Chipper Jones
Springfield Geezers: Livan Hernandez

Anthony: Again, another injury prone bat to throw into the mix. I’m a Giants fan and therefore hate Casey Blake, so I went with Chipper. I don’t feel good about the decision, but I feel better than if I would have said the name “Casey Blake.”

David: And so begins my default picks. Livan’s a horse, I’ll give him that, but then I remember watching him as a rookie dazzle in the NLCS against Atlanta, where he recorded his 15th strikeout on a called third strike to Fred McGriff that was a good 10 to 12 inches off the plate. Haven’t liked him since then.

Here is how deep the first base pool has become: the guy who finished fourth statistically among first basemen, and who hit more home runs than every first baseman not named Albert Pujols, is ranked 12th in CBS’s projections for 2011 (14th if you count two 1B-eligible catchers). Twelve first basemen are projected to knock in over 100 runs (nine accomplished this feat last year), and 11 are projected to hit over 30 home runs (nine accomplished this last year as well). Which means, in theory, you could be the ninth person in your league, or even the last, to draft a first basemen, and you’ll still be good for a 30-100 stat line. Not too shabby.

Big Dog goes ‘Arf’

And to think, that doesn’t include guys who hit 25 home runs or more (add another six). Underneath that group are another dozen hitters capable of blasting 25 dingers, provided you’re flexible in the batting average and strikeout department. First base is deep, kids, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your due diligence on the position. First, let’s discuss the wounded birds looking to reclaim their 2009 glory.

Kendry Morales, Angels
Yes! I just hit a Grand Slam and won the game for my tea-OW! What the hell just popped in my foot? Even stranger, this bitten-by-home-plate thing happened to two different guys last year. Morales was a beast in 2009, hitting 34 dingers and knocking in 108 runs (He even stole three bases, though his success rate was a dismal 30%), and he’s reasonably well protected with Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter and the ageless Bobby Abreu hitting around him. A safe estimate would be a 5% drop from his 2009 numbers, but he certainly has the potential to do better than that.

Justin Morneau, Twins
We love what a pure hitter Morneau is, but this concussion business is spooky. Football players come back from one after a week or two, while Morneau has been sidelined since July, which makes us wonder: what exactly was he seeing, and are those images still dancing around the periphery? The Twins are smart to be cautious with one of their most prized hitters, but we’re now eight months removed from the injury, and the Twins are still treating him like the boy in the plastic bubble. That’s troubling to put it lightly. His draft value obviously takes a hit – a third rounder last year, he’s a projected late sixth rounder this year – but that also makes him one hell of a steal, if he’s healthy.

Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox
He’s a projected second-round pick, despite the fact that he had major shoulder surgery in the offseason. Why is it that no one is concerned about Adrian Gonzalez, even though he’s no further along than Justin Morneau and is behind Kendry Morales’ timetable? Of course, we know the answer to this: it’s because fantasy goons are so geeked out about the prospect of Gonzalez in Fenway – with that lineup – that they’re willing to overlook his current rehab schedule. As it stands, though, he’s not a lock to be ready by Opening Day. Of course, that would not stop us from scooping him up in the third round, if not sooner.

Stuck in the Middle with You

No one is expecting these guys to carry their team’s burden, which puts them in the perfect position to shock the world.

Ike Davis, Mets
He’d probably never admit it in public, but Ike Davis has to love all of the hoopla surrounding the company brass. With much of the Mets talk focused on money – and whether they’ll have enough to re-sign Jose Reyes at season’s end – Davis can enter camp relatively worry-free. That’s as ideal a situation for a second-year player as they come.

Adam Lind, Blue Jays
Young players don’t like sitting on the bench. Hell, old players don’t like sitting on the bench. They want to play, which would explain why Lind’s production in 2010 dropped in conjunction with his playing time (92 games at DH in 2009 versus 120 in 2010). All right, Lind’s production actually dropped more than his playing time, but he still managed to hit 24 bombs last year, and now that he’s the team’s full-time first baseman, expect his head to be much more in the game than he has ever been.

Gaby Sanchez, Marlins
He could hit for more power, sure, but 19 dingers as a rookie, even a 26-year-old rookie, is nothing to sneeze at. As he hits his age-27 year, and the Marlins are looking for power sources to make up for the loss of Dan Uggla, Sanchez has volunteered for the job. Works for us, and he steals a few bases, too.

Paul Konerko, White Sox
Like we said earlier, he’s the 12th ranked first baseman, projected to leave the boards at the end of the 11th round. Really, with Alex Rios and Adam Dunn hitting ahead of him, and Carlos Quentin behind him? We’ll take that bet any day.

First Basemen Who Are Eligible at Catcher

Why on earth would you play them any position other than catcher? Geez, that’s an easy one.

Below is our official ranking of first basemen (again, excluding those eligible at catcher):

1. Albert Pujols, STL
2. Miguel Cabrera, DET
3. Joey Votto, CIN
4. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS
5. Mark Teixeira, NYY
5. Ryan Howard, PHI
6. Kevin Youkilis, BOS
7. Kendry Morales, LAA
8. Prince Fielder, MIL
9. Justin Morneau, MIN
10. Adam Dunn, CHW
11. Paul Konerko, CHW
12. Billy Butler, KC
13. Pablo Sandoval, SF
14. Aubrey Huff, SF
15. Adam Lind, TOR
16. Ike Davis, NYM
17. Carlos Pena, CHC
18. Gaby Sanchez, FLA
19. Carlos Lee, HOU
20. Michael Cuddyer, MIN
21. Derrek Lee, BAL
22. Freddie Freeman, ATL
23. Garrett Jones, PIT
24. Adam LaRoche, WAS
25. James Loney, LAD

Due to a calf injury that has sidelined him for the better part of a decade, Manny Ramirez has completely fallen off the baseball map over the last couple of months.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that the Dodgers will likely put Manny on waivers sometime this week, which would end his brief stay in “Mannywood.” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that if L.A. does put the aging outfielder on waivers, the White Sox plan to claim him for the stretch run.

But does Ramirez have anything left to give a contender?

Let’s get this out of the way first: the Dodgers have little to know need for him at this point. He’s a free agent at the end of the year and seeing as how Scott Podsednik (picked up in a mid-season trade) gives the club three quality starters in the outfield, L.A. might as well get something for Manny while they still can.

Despite the general consensus that Ramirez is washed up, keep in mind that he’s still hitting .312 this year with a slugging percentage north of .500. Yes, injuries are a major concern, but if he can stay healthy for the final 35-plus games then he could give a team like the White Sox a shot in the arm.

Now losers of seven of their last 10, the Sox continue to slide further behind the Twins in the AL Central. They’re currently 4.5 games out of first place in the division and seemingly have zero chance of catching the Yankees or the Rays for the Wild Card now that they’re 9.5 back in that race.

Paul Konerko continues to carry this club, but Alex Rios has started to fade and Carlos Quentin has been incredibly streaky. If Ramirez (who obviously knows American League pitching) can be had for cheap, there should be nothing stopping GM Kenny Williams from claiming him.

That said, Manny still has to get past all the National League teams and clubs with a worse record than the Sox. Plus, the Dodgers and Sox would still have to agree to a deal.

But if all of that happens, the Sox have nothing to lose at this point. They could use another bat and while Manny probably won’t be the difference between them making the playoffs this year or not, he still has enough left in the tank to provide a spark.

While some enthusiasts will argue otherwise, there’s usually not a lot of change from one year to the next in baseball. Most pundits expect the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Angels, Cardinals, Twins, Dodgers and Rockies (all eight teams that made the playoffs in 2009) to be good again this year. MLB isn’t like the NFL where teams make unexpected playoff runs every year.

That said, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a couple of sleepers to watch out for in 2010. Below are five clubs that didn’t make the postseason last year that have the best odds (in my estimation) of making the playoffs this season.

1. Chicago White Sox
If you read the 2010 MLB season preview, you’re not surprised to see the White Sox at the top of this list. As long as Jake Peavy stays healthy, Chicago arguably has the best starting rotation one through five in the American League. (Boston fans may argue otherwise, but Boston fans can also shove off…just kidding…although not really.) But the key to the Chi Sox’s success this season lies in their offense. Yes, I’m banking on veterans Carlos Quentin, Alex Rios, Mark Teahen, Paul Konerko and Mark Kotsay to have productive years and yes, that may be asking a lot. But Gordon Beckham looks like a star in the making and the addition of Juan Pierre gives the Sox a solid leadoff hitter. I’m well aware that Chicago could finish third in a three-team race in the AL Central, but their pitching is going to keep them competitive all season and I’m willing to bet that their offense won’t be as bad as many believe.

2. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have all the pieces in place to not only compete for the AL Wild Card, but also unseat the Angels in the AL West. Along with Felix Hernandez, the acquisition of Cliff Lee now gives Seattle the best 1-2 punch in the American League outside of Boston’s Josh Beckett and John Lackey. The problem is that the lineup lacks major punch. Chone Figgins and Ichiro give the M’s quality bats at the top of the order, but can this team score enough runs on a nightly basis? The club has been built on pitching and defense but if they want to make the postseason, the Mariners will have to prove that they can overcome a powerless lineup.

3. Atlanta Braves
Many people view the Braves as favorites to win the NL Wild Card this season – and for good reason. Their starting pitching looks awfully good, especially if Tim Hudson can rebound and Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson don’t regress in their development. But how successful the Braves are this year depends on their offense. Chipper Jones, Troy Glaus and Nate McLouth are the perfect complements to Martin Prado, Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar, Jason Heyward and Melky Cabrera. But Jones, Glaus and McClouth have to stay healthy or else this team is doomed and Heyward has to be productive as a rookie. Is it asking too much for guys like Jones, Glaus and Billy Wagner to rebound? Maybe. But you still have to like the Braves’ chances this year based on their pitching and Heyward’s potential.

4. Tampa Bay Rays
If I didn’t have such a wild hair up my ass about the White Sox’s chances this year and if they didn’t play in such a competitive division, then the Rays would have probably found themselves ranked second or third on this list. But I go back and forth with how I feel about them. One moment I’m ready to crown them AL Wild Card champs and the next I’m convinced they’ll finish no higher than third in the AL East. Their pitching scares me, although I’m well aware that David Price, James Shields, Matt Garza and Jeff Niemann have the ability to keep the Rays competitive all season. I just wish an ace would emerge from the group so I can sleep better at night. The offense is stacked with guys that can hit for average (Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, Ben Zobrist, Evan Longoria), power (Zobrist, Longoria, Carlos Pena) and speed (Crawford, Bartlett, B.J. Upton), but the key might be whether or not Upton can rebound. If he can and the starting rotation is consistent throughout the year, then I’m back to thinking the Rays are a serious Wild Card contender. If he can’t and the rotation is average, then this club has a ceiling on its success in 2010.

5. Chicago Cubs
Two years ago, the Cubs won 97 games – the second most in baseball behind the Angels and tied with the Rays. Then last year, they infected themselves with Milton Bradley, Geovanny Soto forgot how to play and injuries limited Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano. This year, the Bradley infection has cleared and Soto has vowed to rebound from his sophomore slump. If Ramirez and Soriano can stay healthy, they’ll team up with Derrek Lee to form the makings of a solid offense. The starting pitching is above average too, although Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly have to stay healthy and Carlos Silva can’t be the disaster he was last year. The Cubs have their flaws, but they also have the makings of a solid club and could sneak up on teams this season. They probably won’t unseat the Cardinals in the NL Central, but a NL Wild Card berth is certainly not out of the question.

The Next Five:

6. San Francisco Giants
7. Texas Rangers
8. New York Mets
9. Detroit Tigers
10. Arizona Diamondbacks

I wouldn’t be shocked if any of these five teams made the postseason in their respective leagues, but all five of them have major flaws that they’ll have to overcome. The Giants have great pitching, but GM Brian Sabean has ruined that great pitching by fielding a horrible offense outside of stud Pablo Sandoval. The Rangers have the opposite problem – they can hit, but their pitching is a question mark. The Mets have enough offense, but the organization is cursed (if you don’t believe in curses, have a couple of beers with a Mets fan and see if they can’t change your mind) and their pitching is a joke outside of Johan Santana. The Tigers have two MVP-caliber pieces in Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, but whether or not the front office is committed to winning is a question that won’t be answered until after the All-Star Break. The Diamondbacks have a promising offense, but it’s also inexperienced and Brandon Webb’s injury is obviously a major concern.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/04/02/five-new-playoff-contenders-for-the-2010-mlb-season/feed/ 0 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/03/03/2009-fantasy-baseball-preview-first-basemen/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/03/03/2009-fantasy-baseball-preview-first-basemen/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:33 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=14090 All 2009 Fantasy Articles | 2009 Position Rankings If you do a detailed search for rankings of first basemen for your 2009 fantasy league, the only consistent thing you’ll see is: 1. Albert Pujols, STL. After King Albert, first basemen ranked 2 through 7 is a toss up. Some fantasy pundits believe Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera is the next best 1B after Pujols, while others still feel that Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard deserves the No. 2 spot. One of the Yankees’ big offseasons signings, Mark Teixeira, is also getting some love behind Pujols, while Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder, Minnesota’s Justin Morneau and San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez are floating anywhere from No. 4 to No. 7. What’s the deal? After Pujols, how do you value the first basemen that fall 2 through 7? By home run totals? By age? In the case of Fielder, by the size of their waistbands? First and foremost, you can’t go wrong with any of the first basemen in the top 7, if not the top 10. They’ll all give you good to great home run and RBI totals and if you’re lucky, a couple will even hit .300 and produce 100 runs.]]>

All 2009 Fantasy Articles | 2009 Position Rankings

If you do a detailed search for rankings of first basemen for your 2009 fantasy league, the only consistent thing you’ll see is: 1. Albert Pujols, STL.

After King Albert, first basemen ranked 2 through 7 is a toss up. Some fantasy pundits believe Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera is the next best 1B after Pujols, while others still feel that Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard deserves the No. 2 spot. One of the Yankees’ big offseasons signings, Mark Teixeira, is also getting some love behind Pujols, while Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder, Minnesota’s Justin Morneau and San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez are floating anywhere from No. 4 to No. 7.

What’s the deal? After Pujols, how do you value the first basemen that fall 2 through 7? By home run totals? By age? In the case of Fielder, by the size of their waistbands? First and foremost, you can’t go wrong with any of the first basemen in the top 7, if not the top 10. They’ll all give you good to great home run and RBI totals and if you’re lucky, a couple will even hit .300 and produce 100 runs.

In an effort to sort out the mess, here’s the way we see the top 7 for first basemen in 2009:

Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
There’s no debate – Pujols is still the Ferrari of first basemen. Sure, you’ll have to worry about him breaking down throughout the season, but word is he’s healthy and he has always been consistent. There’s no reason he won’t accomplish what he did last year (.357-37-116-100) and there’s no reason to believe he’s slowing down at 29. He’s a stud – there’s not much else to say.

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Many owners expected Cabrera’s move from South Florida to Motown to be an instant hit from the start but much like the Tigers themselves, Miguel struggled early on. But unlike Detroit’s miserable season, Cabrera wound up finishing with solid numbers, hitting .292 with 37 home runs and producing 127 ribbies and 85 runs scored. Now that he’s got a full season in the AL under his belt, there’s no reason to believe he won’t top the .300 mark in average this year and come close to the home run, RBI and run totals he produced a season ago. A healthy Curtis Granderson and Gary Sheffield would go a long way in helping Cabrera put up big numbers in ’08, as well. Added bonus: he still qualifies as a third basemen, too, which gives him more value than Ryan Howard, Mark Teixeria, Justin Morneau and Prince Fielder.

Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
Teixeira could make a case for being No. 2 behind Pujols, but not unlike other fantasy pundits, we believe that Cabrera could have an MVP-type season this year in Detroit. Teixeira won’t match Howard’s home run or RBI totals, but he could bat close to 50 points higher with much fewer strikeouts. Teixeira will also benefit from playing in a loaded Yankees’ lineup and at 28 years old, he’s in the prime of his career.

Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
After signing a three-year, $54 million contract in early February, Howard doesn’t have to worry about his future until 2012. Howard is what he is at this point; he’ll hit 45-plus home runs, produce 140-plus RBIs and score 100-plus runs. His average will also hover in the .260-range and he once again won’t be afraid of the K (he had 199 strikeouts in ’08). Some feel as though Howard is still the second best option at first base after Pujols, but we favor Cabrera’s potential and Teixeira’s balanced numbers more. Still, Howard’s a beast and if you’re able to grab him early in your draft, you could focus on players that can hit for average later on.

Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
Morneau is just clutch ain’t he? Not only does he hit for average (.300), but his high RBI totals also make him a fantastic catch and he has 25-plus home run potential. He’ll also chip in close to 100 runs, 50 doubles and has a solid 76-walk to 85-strikeout ratio. We’ll give him the nod over Fielder because while he can’t match Prince’s home run potential, Morneau trumps him in all other categories and is only two years older.

Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
What happened? After a fantastic 2007 campaign, Fielder ditched the meat for an all-veggie diet and his numbers dropped last year. He’s still going to hit 40 home runs and produce 100-plus RBIs, but his average will likely top out around .280 and he won’t hit many doubles (30) or triples (2). At 25, he still has loads of potential, but if you draft him you’re essentially banking on him hitting 40 home runs again, which is certainly doable in a hitter-friendly Miller Park. If he doesn’t come close to that dinger total, however, chances are you’re going to be left a little disappointed. The good news is that according to recent reports, Fielder has reported to spring training in good shape. Maybe the two-year, $18.5 million contract he signed in late January motivated Prince to slim down and keep his weight in check.

Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres
Gonzalez is the San Diego Padres offense. If he didn’t play on such a bad team and in a pitcher’s park, he might make the leap over Fielder in the rankings. Still, his 36 home runs, 119 RBIs and 103 runs cannot be ignored and his .279 average is better than guys like Howard and Fielder. We’ll give Gonzo the nod over Lance Berkman, who is still a quality player (.312-29-106-114) but slumped down the stretch last year after a hot start and is seven years older.

Here is our official ranking of first basemen. Remember, David Ortiz, Travis Hafner and Jim Thome qualify as DH’s only.

1. Albert Pujols, STL
2. Miguel Cabrera, DET
3. Mark Teixeira, NYY
4. Ryan Howard, PHI
5. Prince Fielder, MIL
6. Justin Morneau, MIN
7. Adrian Gonzalez, SD
8. Kevin Youkilis, BOS
9. Lance Berkman, HOU
10. Joey Votto, CIN
11. Derrek Lee, CHC
12. Chris Davis, TEX
13. Carlos Delgado, NYM
14. Carlos Pena, TB
15. Aubrey Huff, BAL
16. James Loney, LAD
17. Pablo Sandoval, SF
18. Conor Jackson, ARZ
19. Paul Konerko, CHW
20. Adam LaRoche, PIT
21. Casey Kotchman, ATL
22. Mike Jacobs, KC
23. Ryan Garko, IND
24. Lyle Overbay, MIL
25. Todd Helton, COL

Well, a few things have happened of note this week. The Red Sox signed AL MVP Dustin Pedroia to a new, six-year deal worth $40.5 million. And this for a guy who was making less than $500K per year. But dude has earned every penny…..Javier Vazquez was traded from the White Sox to the Braves for four young (mostly minor league) players, and Ozzie Guillen is probably smiling if he’s reading this….the Padres sent Khalil Greene to St. Louis…..and the Giants signed infielder Edgar Renteria to a two-year, $18.5 million deal and are also talking about making CC Sabathia an offer and even trading for Florida third baseman Jorge Cantu. Yeah, the Giants are not messing around. And Derek Lowe has been offered two deals, one by the Phillies and another by a mystery team

Okay, so I guess some things are happening, but not the big ones we all were waiting for, at least not yet. The Yankees are set to meet with CC Sabathia this weekend to discuss their ridiculously large offer made recently. Here are a few other rumors and possible deals that could happen next week….

The Mets are finally prepared to offer deals to Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes, but it remains to be seen if both offers will happen simultaneously. Speaking of Fuentes, he, along with the likes of Sabathia and Cubs closer Kerry Wood have all been offered salary arbitration, which means anyone signing them will have to give the team that loses them two draft picks in 2009. Fuentes is also being rumored to re-signing with Colorado. And the Mets are rumored to be talking to the White Sox about sending prize prospect Fernando Martinez to Chicago for Bobby Jenks and Jermaine Dye. I just don’t see that really happening, do you?

Pat Burrell may sign with the Angels if the Angels cannot retain Mark Teixeira. And if Teixeira goes to the Red Sox, which is more than a rumor, the Sox may deal Mike Lowell to make room for Teixeira, who would be the first baseman with Kevin Youkilis moving to third.

Jermaine Dye’s name is being mentioned in trade talks (besides the Mets), and the teams being mentioned are Cincinnati, St. Louis, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the White Sox are also listening to offers for Jim Thome and Paul Konerko. Yikes….did someone give Sox GM Kenny Williams some dynamite?

Randy Johnson is hoping to sign a one-year deal with either Oakland or San Francisco…..the Cubs are thinking about signing Adam Dunn. Those two items didn’t just put you to sleep, did they?

Oh, and here’s a sure sign of the economy slowing. Dunn, Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu are among the names not offered salary arbitration this past week. That means the D-Backs, Phillies, and Yankees, respectively, would rather piss away two draft picks than have to re-sign the player. Say it with me again, Yikes.

Hopefully we’ll have lots to report next week!