Team-by-team outlooks
If you ain't got pitching, you ain't got nothing. And, in this event, you would be the 2007 Washington Nationals.
Not only will this be the worst team in baseball -- yes, worse than the Royals -- it will also be the most difficult to watch. Behind a decent staff ace John Patterson is a pile of garbage bigger than that archaic bucket of bolts they play in.
Despite the best pitcher's park in baseball -- with that rotation -- expect a lot of 10-4 ballgames.
This could mean huge numbers for Ryan Zimmerman. Even Austin Kearns might finally break through as a Fantasy horse.
What?
Well, Zimmerman is an emerging star and Kearns is 27. And when those 10-run games get out of hand, they will get some phat fastballs to hit as charity for having to play for a franchise that is sad-sacked in the big leagues right down through the minors.
Now, if only they could find 35-40 leads to get to solid young closer Chad Cordero, who will be the most frustrating of his kind in Fantasy leagues this season.
Spring position battles
Starting pitchers Nos. 2-5 -- Shawn Hill vs. Jerome Williams, Matt Chico, Tim Redding, Mike O'Connor, Garrett Mock, Beltran Perez, Michael Hinckley, Joel Hanrahan, Billy Traber, Brandon Claussen and Jason Bergmann
What a mess. The only good news here is you can elect to ignore all of these options in Fantasy this season -- although, a June return by Claussen is really intriguing. O'Connor would probably have a rotation spot waiting for him, if not for an injury that will keep him behind other arms in spring training. Chico, Mock, Hinckley and Hanrahan are decent mid-level prospects that might be worth a look in really deep long-term keeper leagues.
Left, center field -- Ryan Church and Nook Logan vs. Kory Casto, Alex Escobar and Chris Snelling
Here are a couple of positions that might matter to us in Fantasy. Church and the base-stealer Logan are the front-runners heading into spring, but Casto and the oft-injured Escobar and Snelling have potential. Casto had to move from third with the development of Zimmerman, but spent all of last season in Double-A and could use some time in Triple-A. Church, an OPS hog, and Logan are the only ones really worth considering in deep mixed leagues on Draft Day.
Opening-day first baseman -- Larry Broadway vs. Travis Lee, Nick Johnson
The only reason this is even a battle is because Johnson is expected to need April off in his recovery from a seriously broken leg, which required a metal rod being inserted in it late last year. Broadway has long been a prospect, but his power has not come around in the upper levels and he was unimpressive in winter ball. Lee can still pick it, but he's coming off his worst season offensively. Whoever starts on opening day will just be keeping the position warm for Johnson, who is an injury-risk sleeper on Draft Day. He might not get drafted in many leagues because of his slow recovery, but he should be worth owning in 95 percent of CBS SportsLine leagues by the end of the year.
| Washington Nationals Outlook | |||||
| Projected lineup | Pos. | Projected Rotation | |||
| 1 | Felipe Lopez | 2B | 1 | John Patterson | RH |
| 2 | Ryan Church | LF | 2 | Shawn Hill | RH |
| 3 | Ryan Zimmerman | 3B | 3 | Jerome Williams | RH |
| 4 | Nick Johnson | 1B | 4 | Matt Chico | LH |
| 5 | Austin Kearns | RF | 5 | Tim Redding | RH |
| 6 | Brian Schneider | C | Alt | Mike O'Connor | LH |
| 7 | Cristian Guzman | SS | Top bullpen arms | ||
| 8 | Nook Logan | CF | CL | Chad Cordero | RH |
| Top bench options | SU | Luis Ayala | RH | ||
| R | Alex Escobar | OF | RP | Jon Rauch | RH |
| R | Chris Snelling | OF | RP | Ryan Wagner | RH |
| Rookies/Prospects | Age | Pos. | 2006 high | Destination | |
| 1 | Kory Casto | 25 | OF | Double-A | Triple-A |
| Had to move for Zimmerman, could start in LF from Day 1 | |||||
| 2 | Shawn Hill | 24 | RH SP | Majors | Majors |
| Tommy John survivor will have rotation spot if healthy in spring | |||||
| 3 | Larry Broadway | 24 | 2B | Majors | Triple-A |
| No longer high-ceiling talent, but might start on opening day | |||||
| 4 | Matt Chico | 27 | RH SP | Majors | Triple-A |
| Wide-open rotation could help him make quick rise this spring | |||||
| 5 | Garrett Mock | 21 | OF | Double-A | Triple-A |
| With Chico, Livan Hernandez may net Nats two rotation pieces | |||||
| Best of the rest: C Jesus Flores, 22; RHP Beltran Perez, WAS; RHP Collin Balester, 20; LHP Michael Hinckley, 24; RHP Clint Everts, 22; OF Frank Diaz, 23; SS Ian Desmond, 21; RHP Shairon Martis, 20. | |||||
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