By Ken Balderston

League 14

League 15

During the pre-season, I polled the writers at FBM to get a feel for who they thought would be over and under-rated for the 2008 season. It’s great to get one person’s opinion, but when you can get 10, 15 or 20 opinions and combine them together, I think you can describe a thing with a certain exclamation point.

Listed below are the questions that I asked our writers. They gave their Top 5, and I weighted them much like a fantasy league, scoring 5 points for first choice, 4 points for second, etc. As it turns out, the writers vouched for guys other owners may have overlooked.

As some teams struggle to begin the season and look to turn it around, and as teams in first start trying to get some extra leverage, here’s the writers’ opinion as to how some key aspects of the 2008 season will unfold. Look over your league, and maybe send some ‘buy low/sell high’ offers out to some panicked owners.

Target players that you hope to get on most of your teams –

1. Russell Martin, C, Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Jeremy Hermida, OF, Florida Marlins
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B, Atlanta Braves
4. Carlos Lee, OF, Houston Astros
5. Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners

Players likely kept in FBM leagues this year but who won’t be kept for ‘09 –

1. Carlos Pena, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays
2. Chone Figgins, 3B, Los Angeles Angles
3. Eric Byrnes, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves
5. Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves

Players who will not be kept going into ‘08 drafts but will be keepers for ‘09 –

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers
2. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, San Diego Padres
4. Delmon Young, OF, Minnesota Twins
5. Nick Swisher, OF, Chicago Cubs

Impact rookies for ‘08 –

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox
2. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
3. Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
4. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds
5. Ian Kennedy, SP, New York Yankees

‘Super Sleepers’ who will be drafted in Rounds 18 to 28 –

1. Billy Butler, 1B, Kansas City Royals
2. Shaun Marcum, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
3. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
4. Conor Jackson, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
5. Chase Headley, OF, San Diego Padres

Injury prone players who are worth the risk –

1. Rickie Weeks, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
2. Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves
3. Rich Harden, SP, Oakland Athletics
4. Pedro Martinez, SP, New York Mets
5. A.J. Burnett, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Sources of cheap STEALS –

1. Michael Bourn, OF, Houston Astros
2. Julio Lugo, SS, Boston Red Sox
3. Kaz Matsui, 2B, Houston Astros
4. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox
5. Ryan Theriot, SS, Chicago Cubs

Sources of cheap SAVES –

1. Joakim Soria, CL, Kansas City Royals
2. B.J. Ryan, CL, Toronto Blue Jays
3. Todd Jones, CL, Detroit Tigers
4. Matt Capps, CL, Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Manny Corpas, CL, Colorado Rockies

Closers who will lose their jobs due to injury or performance –

1. Joe Borowski, CL, Cleveland Indians
2. Todd Jones, CL, Detroit Tigers
3. Huston Street, CL, Oakland Athletics
4. Eric Gagne, CL, Milwaukee Brewers
5. Brad Lidge, CL, Arizona Diamondbacks

Players who will bounce back from poor ‘07 seasons –

1. Travis Hafner, DH, Cleveland Indians
2. Rafael Furcal, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Andruw Jones, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Vernon Wells, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
5. Garret Atkins, 3B, Colorado Rockies