It happens every spring.  MLB clubs head into the new season filled with all of the promise and excitement that a new year brings.  Injured players are healthy, dissapointing performance are forgotten and optimism rules the day. Unfortunately, many also begin the new campaign focused more on finances than the standings and thus, head into battle without a full arsenal of weaponry.

Without going into all of the legal issues surrounding the MLB arbitration process, suffice to say that the most important element is service time; specifically, days on a Major League roster.  If a rookie that would normally be eligible for arbitration after two years is held back until the end of May, he cannot be credited with the service time required for a full season.  Therefore, the big payday usually gained through arbitration is delayed by a full calendar year.

On the surface, it seems like sound, fiscal planning by the big clubs; a strategy carried out for years.  However, after drilling down a little deeper, you discover a very seedy. three-card-monte type of scam with MLB fans as its victims.   While these franchises knowingly and intentionally fail to put their best product on the field, their loyal supporters continue to be charged top ticket prices for an inferior product.  The nerve required to perpetrate this bait-and-switch is exceeded only by the gall needed by the GM to keep a straight face as he proclaims the player in question to suddenly be of Major League skill level at the same time the deadline passes.

Over the course of the last two weeks, four such prospects; each having had some aspect of their game questioned by management, took up prominent positions with the parent club without so much as a small hiccup.  In San Francisco, Buster Posey seems to stroke two hits a day as he’s become the best run producer on the offensively challenged Giants.  Michael Stanton, professional baseball’s leading home run hitter with 21, has seamlessly worked his way into the Marlins’ lineup with 5 RBI over his first 5 games.  Friday, the Indians called up Carlos Santana whose .310 BA and 51 RBI apparently were not enough to unseat the light hitting Lou Marson over the first two months.  Santana, incidentally, was the Tribe’s number three hitter all weekend and poked his first HR on Saturday.

Then, of course, there’s Stephen Strasburg.  Nationals’ brass, somehow managing not to laugh, voiced their concern about the phenom’s ability to pitch from the stretch.  As he ripped through Double a and Triple A, the pressure to promote him grew; but not enough to make the Nats’ flinch.  Finally, on June 8th, Strasburg got the call and lit up the baseball world with a 14 K performance.  Good luck finding anyone that believes Strasburg couldn’t have done that in April.

Three decades ago, MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn would have stepped in and put an end to this fraud under the credo that it was not in the best interest of the game.  Unfortunately, today’s commissioner, Bud Selig, is the errand boy for ownership, having been a member of the club, himself.  As a matter of fact, the Milwaukee Brewers, run by Selig’s daughter, pulled the same nonsense three years ago with Ryan Braun. As it’s unlikely that an empty suit such as Selig will ever rule against his brother owners, expect the nonsense to continue; while fans pay through the nose to watch inferior talent.

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Buy Low- Here’s an idea.  Find a Yankee fan, commiserate with him about Javy Vasquez’s high ERA and the silly notion that he can’t win in New York. Then, steal him away and laugh all the way to September.  Vasquez is a strikeout machine who’s won four straight.  That he pitches for an offensive juggernaut makes him more attractive.  In Houston, Carlos Lee is in the midst of rebounding from an awful start.  He’s still only at .225, so you might find a frustrated trading partner.

Sell High- Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena recently homered in six straight.  Pray that it camouflages his miserable .185 BA and dump him on the unsuspecting.  With the wheels coming off of the White Sox bandwagon, look for Bobby Jenks to be moved. A marginal closer with a poor K ratio, Jenks is more likely to be used as a setup man should he be traded.

Grab Bag- With Jason Bartlet on the DL in Tampa, 2B Sean Rodriguez has begun to emerge.  The big name for the Rays in last year’s Scott Kazmir deal, Rodriguez is a power hitter who’s lifted his average to .270.  Gaby Sanchez has done nothing but hit during his rise through the Marlins, system.  Now, he’s in the two hole, feasting on a diet of fastballs hitting in front of Hanley Ramirez.

Drop Zone- Time to pull the plug on Aaron Hill.  It’s a mystery, now, as to what was in Toronto’s water last year but, whatever it was, it’s gone. He no longer warrants a spot in your lineup. Ever since rumors surfaced about possible PED use, Colorado’s Todd Helton has become more of a high average hitter with little pop.  Now, the average is gone, too, rendering him almost useless.

You know you’ve had a good run as a Fantasy Baseball League when you’ve been around to see the entire career of a Hall of Famer like Ken Griffey Jr. Long the property of the Monroe Pearls of the Hausier’s Krowedum Rotisserie League, Griffey was one of the reasons the league decided to no longer retain players from year to year. “I’d like a shot at Junior”, was a common refrain, “why should Fat Cat get to keep him forever?” Griffey, a first-ballot Cooperstown entrant regardless of the injuries that plagued the latter part of his career, was one of the game’s greats; certainly one of Fantasy Baseball’s greatest, and, now that he’s decided to retire,  will be missed. However, he was not the only giant lost to the Fantasy Baseball world as Forte Bellino, long-time owner of the U.B.40′s, U.B. Jews and charter member of the HK Roto League as well as its first champion, passed away suddenly at the sinfully young age of fifty eight.  A high school teacher, administrator and coach, Fortunato left behind legions of family, students, colleagues and waiters (his favorites)  that he filed under the one category that mattered to him most: friend.

Known to many simply as “B”, his legacy spread nationwide as his young charges grew into middle age, forged successful careers and became parents.  It was a secret to no one that he had, literally, thousands of friends yet, no matter how crowded the venue, his patented, “What’s up there, son?”, made you feel as if he’d arrived specifically to see you.  While everyone has a few hundred “B” stories, those told about his time in our Fantasy Baseball League are, far and away, my favorites.

Founded in 1988, the HK League preceded the website era.  No CBSSportsline there; our stats were compiled by a guy on Long Island working out of his garage. The biggest problem we faced was determining which owner was the first to claim a free agent.  The solution, as it evolved, was to install a phone line in someone’s house, get him to volunteer to keep track of the daily transactions and change the outgoing message on the answering machine so that everyone else in the league was current. It was in this role that Forte developed something of a cult following.

Not content to simply drone on about the acquisition of Mark Gubicza or the dismissal of Tim Laudner, Forte quickly expanded the format. There were trivia questions, birthday and anniversary wishes, thoroughbred handicapping, predictions about anything from elections to the Academy awards, movie critiques and, of course, the thing for which he became most famous, restaurant reviews. There were more than a few times that I called in and, by the time he was done, forgot the move I’d wanted to make.

His performances became legendary.  At one time, Forte counted twenty daily callers that had absolutely nothing to do with our league.  Friends and acquaintances began to call and passed the number along to others.  My personal favorite was the telemarketer from Wisconsin. Having reached the league line without knowing the nature of its existence, he enjoyed that day’s message so much that he jotted the number down and called every day for two seasons. And everyone looked forward to a transaction involving former MLB pitcher Kenny Rogers; as it prompted B into his favorite ditty, “Gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run…”

We’ll all miss Forte Bellino for a very long time as he was someone who, through his own example, inspired people in all walks of life to be better men and women.  By extension, their good work will extend his legacy forever. I just wish I could still pick up the phone and learn where to find the best German restaurant in Queens. Clarence, the guardian angel,  told George Bailey that “no man is a failure who has friends.”  Congratulations, then, Forte, on your wonderful life.  “What’s up there, son?”

No position has undergone more change over the last decade than the Middle Infield. Long a collection of slap hitting, base stealers and the occasional power guy, it saw drastic change with the emergence of big guns like Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, Jeff Kent and Barry Larkin.  Even marginal, late round options like Jose Valentin were good for better than 20 HR.

However, retirement, injury and position change have all been factors in depleting the ranks of the Middle Infielders that’ll give you a boost in the power department.  While some do remain, (Hanley Ramirez and Chase Utley will cost you a first rounder), for the most part, many Fantasy Baseball owners will settle for the mid-round options that produce low, double-digit HR’s, a solid BA and a decent number of SB.  The trick is, to find that one player who could break the mold and give you a top tier performance for a second tier price.

Fantasy Stars

-  Unless you’ve got one of the first two picks, you can forget Hanley Ramirez.  After that, Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes top the Shortstop list but neither is a sure thing. Tulo comes off a terrific season but Fantasy Baseball owners still bear the burn marks from his disastrous ’08 season.  New York Mets’ star, Reyes, is not only coming off of a campaign lost to injury but was just cleared to play after a thyroid condition sidelined him for most of camp.  Don’t reach for either.  On the other side of the bag, Utley and Ian KInsler are the cream of the crop but Cincinnati Reds’ second sacker, Brandon Phillips, may be the best value.  He’s a guaranteed 20-20 from a position where that’s rare and he bats cleanup.  Going with that theory, we’d also have to add Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees, as he’s been moved to the five hole of that very potent lineup.

Fantasy Sleepers

- Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera had a terrific season and gives you the added benefit of dual eligibility.  Look for him to ring up double digit HR.  Rickie Weeks makes his annual appearance on the Moonlight Fantasy Sleeper list; this time coming off of a wrist injury.  He opened ’09 stronger than he ever has, only to be felled, once again, by injury.  He’s been healthy throughout the spring and, at 27, could finally deliver the production Milwaukee’s been waiting for since he first came up.  As late as he’ll go, his 20-20- potential makes him worth a selection.

Fantasy Slippers

- The Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins continues to go relatively high for a guy whose stats have slipped so much in two years.  While he’s still a top option at the position, his sub .300 OBP last season is cause for serious concern.  Let someone else reach for him too early. In Baltimore, Brian Roberts is battling back problems that have plagued him throughout camp and will likely cost him SB when he returns.

Fantasy Stiffs

- Even in an NL only league, do everything you can to avoid Luis Castillo.  The BA and SB he posted last year, modest as it was, will disappear as he moves back behind Jose Reyes and gives up AB to sacrifice bunts. Forget a bump in RBI in the new/old spot, as outfielders play at Little League depth when he’s up and no one can score from second on a base hit.  At shortstop, Seattle’s Jack Wilson simply can’t hit or get on base anymore.  He slumped to .250/.290 in those categories last year and failed to reach the 100 hit mark.  Stick a fork in old Jack.

Moonlight Graham’s Top Ten Fantasy Middle Infielders

Hanley Ramirez                                            Chase Utley

Troy Tulowitzki                                            Ian Kinsler

Jose Reyes                                                  Brandon Phillips

Ben Zobrist                                                  Aaron Hill

Yunel Escobar                                               Dustin Pedroia

Jimmy Rollins                                                Ben Zobrist

Derek Jeter                                                  Jose Lopez

Jason Bartlett                                               Brian Roberts

Alexei Ramirez                                              Rickie Weeks

Stephen Drew                                               Dan Uggla

If you’re a succesful Fantasy Baseball player, you know that it’s nearly impossible to finish near the top of the standings without having power at the corners. Unless you’ve secured significant pop at both First Base and Third Base, it’s a good bet you’ll be one of the first in your league looking to make a trade.

A quick glance at the top of your 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft sheets should reveal quite an imbalance between the two slots. You’ll probably have as many as twelve first tier options and a number of second and third tier guys capable of giving you 20+ HR and 90+ RBI. At third base, however, the pickins’ grow slim. There are but five top tier selections to be made; six if you’re confident that David Wright can bounce back in CitiField. As the talent at the Hot Corner begins to thin, you’ll find yourself scrambling to find adequate options. Good luck.

The solution? Well, even though Moonlight’s First Commandment tells us to never, ever draft for position in the first few rounds, it might be wise to grab an elite third sacker early as long as his stats are not dwarfed by another available player.

Stars

At First Base, we all know the cream of the crop, as Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard and Mark Teixeira should all be gone by the middle of the second round. There is a group of studs, however, who fall to the fourth round and beyond in most mocks that may actually return more value than the aforementioned stars, if only that they’ll be selected so much later. Give a long look to Justin Morneau, Adrian Gonzalez, Derek Lee and Adam Dunn. Across the diamond, Alex Rodriguez, Evan Longoria, Ryan Zimmerman, Pablo Sandoval and Mark Reynolds lead the pack. Reynolds and Sandoval might also be eligible at 1B in your league but you’d be silly to use them in that slot.

Sleepers

Take advantage of your last opportunity to grab Billy Butler and Joey Votto in any round after the second. These two young superstars will rocket to the top of the rankings in 2011. Gordon Beckham is a star on the rise for the White Sox who’ll be at 2B this year but still carry 3B eligibility. In Oakland, Kevin Kouzmanoff is happy to be away from pitcher friendly Petco Park, where he somehow managed 18 HR and 88 RBI.

Slippers

You won’t find Moonlight among those that think David Wright’s stats will return to their old levels. He’s still a star, but 20 HR, and not 30, may be the max in his new home. Lance Berkman had minor knee surgery last weekend and will miss two to four weeks. His numbers slipped badly last year and the Astros have a lot of talent in the Minors.

Stiffs

Both of our stiffs are getting their mail in Seattle these days. At 1B, Casey Kotchman doesn’t have nearly enough pop to be considered and should go undrafted in a mixed league while 3B Chone Figgins will have you scrambling to make up HR and RBI all year. Avoid both.

Moonlight Graham’s Top Ten Fantasy Corner Infielders

Albert Pujols                                                 Alex Rodriguez

Prince Fielder                                                Evan Longoria

Mark Teixeira                                                Mark Reynolds

Miguel Cabrera                                              Ryan Zimmerman

Ryan Howard                                                David Wright

Billy Butler                                                    Pablo Sandoval

Justin Morneau                                             Kevin Youkilis

Joey Votto                                                   Aramis Ramirez

Derek Lee                                                     Chipper Jones

Adrian Gonzalez                                         Gordon Beckham

by Moonlight Graham

Think back to last year’s Fantasy Baseball Draft when you sat at the table clicking your heels, hoping for Geovany Soto to get through to the round in which you had him slotted.  Coming off a season so stellar that he garnered the Rookie of the Year award, Soto was even more enticing to Fantasy Baseball owners because his 23 HR and 86 RBI came from behind the plate; traditionally the weakest Fantasy spot.  But like many before him, (remember Rick Wilkins?), Soto failed to build on his initial success.  Instead of the 30-100 season many expected, his was an injury riddled exercise in disappointment.

Unfortunately, offensive inconsistency behind the dish is an annual pitfall for Fantasy Baseball players.  Two years ago, Jorge Posada was a Moonlight selection primarily because, as I said at the time, “the guy plays every day.”  Almost as soon as I said that, Posada suffered the first major injury of his career and was lost for the season.  However, the undrafted Kelly Shoppach came from nowhere to post 21 HR and help my march to a title.  In the same season, many owners saw their chances go up in flames as Victor Martinez struggled while Chris Snyder supplied 16 HR from the waiver wire.  Even last year, Miguel Montero’s breakthrough campaign threw a lifeline to a number of Soto’s victims.  Starting to recognize a pattern?  Try not to get sucked in by the next “great” catcher and, instead, identify a few consistent producers who’ll come cheap but won’t blow up your season.

Chief among these candidates is the Angels’ Mike Napoli, an annual member of Moonlight’s Master Batters in the Hausier’s Krowedum Rotisserie Baseball League.  Despite semi-splitting time in the Angels’ lineup with the offensively challenged Jeff Mathis, Napoli has posted back to back 20 HR seasons.  He’s a .270 hitter with a catcher-friendly .350 OBP whose name will rarely be called before the 15th round of any mixed draft.  He’ll even throw in 4 or 5 SB for good measure.  His stats may not be as sexy as Martinez, Martin or McCann, but he’ll deliver what you expect at about a third of the price.

2010 Catcher Ratings

Stud- Joe Mauer’s ridiculous MVP season was so good, it eliminates anyone else for consideration in this category.

Stars- Look for Matt Wieters to build on his scorching September, Victor Martinez is more attractive because of his First Base eligibility and Brian McCann is Atlanta’s best hitter.

Sleepers- Kurt Suzuki had a terrific season that went largely unnoticed while Miguel Montero looks for an even bigger season now that the D’Backs job is his alone.

Slippers- Chris Iannetta and Miguel Olivo will vie for the starting job in Colorado; a competition that will cost each of them AB.

Stiffs- Rod Barajas’ 19 HR were overshadowed by an abysmal .258 OBP.  His HR will disappear at CitiField.

Moonlight Graham’s Top Ten

Joe Mauer
Victor Martinez
Matt Wieters
Brian McCann
Kurt Suzuki
Miguel Montero
Mike Napoli
Jorge Posada
Russell Martin
Bengie Molina

Beware the Young Studs

So, you’re beginning to prepare for your Fantasy Baseball Draft and the annual dilemma of when to start assembling your pitching staff rears its ugly head. “Can I really let Tim Lincecum get past my early, second round pick?”  “If Johan Santana falls to the fourth round, is he worth the risk?” And, finally, “When do I look to grab one of the young guns that could put my staff over the top?”  Well, to answer the first two, Lincecum would be a tough pass at that point in any Fantasy Baseball Draft and Johan is a steal if he drops to the fourth round.  As for the third question, there’s a little more to consider than potential.

In The Sporting News 2009 Fantasy Baseball Preview, Brad Pinkerton wrote a terrific piece on young pitchers titled, Folding Aces.  In it, he analyzed the performance of these rising stars in the season after their stellar debuts.  He presented a formula for targeting those young hurlers that could reasonably be expected to turn up on the disabled list or suffer a disappointing campaign.  He had my interest when he presented those hurlers that violated his criteria in 2007.  Ian Kennedy, Dustin McGowan, Fausto Carmona, and Yovani Gallardo all turned out to be disappointing selections for Fantasy Baseball owners in 2008.  His ’09 list was equally clairvoyant, as Ricky Nolasco, Mike Pelfrey, Glen Perkins and Manny Parra (above) either underperformed or landed on the DL.  So, what are these criteria and who’s on the list for 2010?

Pinkerton looked for pitchers 25 and younger who experienced a jump of 30 innings pitched over their previous career high in pro ball. Next, he eliminated any who’d registered 200 IP in any Major League season or had exceeded 35 career starts. What was left was a roster of hurlers with the potential to destroy your season.  Now, it’s not a perfect indicator,as evidenced by the ’09 performance of Tim Lincecum, Jon Lester and Clayton Kershaw.  What it does tell you, though, is that you’re running a big risk if you take more than one of the following guys:

Max Scherzer
David Price
Tommy Hanson
Wade Davis
Joba Chamberlain
Mat Latos
Trevor Cahill
Ricky Romero
Marc Rzepczynski
Derek Holland

Moonlight Graham’s Top 20 Pitchers

Tim Lincecum
Johan Santana
C.C. Sabathia
Zack Greinke
Felix Hernandez
Roy Halladay
Justin Verlander
Dan Haren
Javier Vasquez
Chris Carpenter
Josh Beckett
Cliff Lee
Adam Wainwright
Jake Peavy
Josh Johnson
John Lackey
Jon Lester
Tommy Hanson
Jair Jurrjens
Matt Cain

In the Hausier’s Krowedum Fantasy Baseball League, as well as many Dynasty, or Keeper, leagues across the country, Minor Leaguers can play an important role.  Drafting and holding on to prospects that are close to making contributions on the Major League level is a great way to supplement your Fantasy Baseball roster and increase your chances for a championship. If you don’t draft Minor Leaguers, it’s still worth a look, as some are good enough to warrant selection in a regular Fantasy Baseball Draft. What follows is a list of Moonlight’s Top Ten prospects for 2010; players who have yet to play in the majors ranked as much for their chances to see significant time in the big leagues this year as for their talent.  Good luck. Just twenty one days ’til pitchers and catchers!

1) Stephen Strasburg RHP (Nationals-AFL) As a senior at San Diego State, Strasburg had a 13-1 record that featured a 1.95 ERA and 195 K in 109 IP.  He and his 100 MPH fastball could be in Nats’ rotation without ever having played in the Minors. He was 4-1 as he made his professional debut in the Arizona Fall League.

2) Chris Carter 1B (Athletics-AAA) His OBP of .422 is enough to make GM Billy Beane swoon.  He also clouted 32 HR and 115 RBI while batting .329.  AL Rookie of the Year candidate will probably start the year in Oakland.

3) Carlos Santana C (Indians-AA) His power numbers are sterling enough for a backstop,(22 HR 93 RBI), but what sets him apart from the pack is the 90 runs he scored and his .413 OBP; unheard of for players at his position. The Indians traded both Victor Martinez and Kelly Shoppach to clear room for him so; he may be the Tribe’s starter on Opening Day.

4) Jason Heyward OF (Braves-AAA) In just 99 games, Heyward, Atlanta’s top prospect, hit .323 with 17 HR and 63 RBI.  Throw in 25 doubles, a few of which will become dingers as he matures, and you can see why the Bravos are so hot for him.

5) Pedro Alvarez 3B (Pirates-AA) Biggest obstacle facing the top overall pick from ’08 may be the Pirates tight checkbook.  Keeping his arbitration clock from starting would be the only reason to keep Alvarez in the Minors to start the season. He turned in a solid pro debut last year, (.288-27-95) and is better than any of the Bucs’ alternatives.

6) Travis Wood LHP (Reds-AAA) Tough to draft a rookie pitcher who’ll call the Great American Ballpark his home, but Wood’s got the stuff. 13-5 at AAA last year with a miniscule 1.777 ERA and 1.04 WHIP; he knows how to pitch.

7) Jeremy Hellickson RHP (Rays-AAA) This far down the list only because the Rays are, historically, patient to a fault with their young hurlers.  However, it’ll be hard to keep his K Rate, (10.4/9IP), or his ungodly WHIP, (0.94) in the Minors for long.  Future ace.

8 ) Michael Taylor OF (Athletics-AAA) A 20-20 prospect that Billy Beane plucked from the Jays for Brett Wallace.  Another high OBP guy, (.395), Taylor might find a spot with the rebuilding A’s

9)Brett Wallace 3B (Blue Jays-AAA)Wallace was the key guy shipped from the Cardinals to the A’s in the Matt Holliday trade and was then sent to Toronto over the winter.  He’s got a solid bat, (.293 BA 20 HR), and has only to beat Edwin Encarnacion and/or Lyle Overbay for AB at either corner spot.

10) Drew Locke 1B (Astros-AA) Posted a ledger of .338-20-109 in just 129 games last year.  At first glance, blocked at 1B by Lance Berkman, but Houston could always move Lance back to the outfield if Locke continues to mash.

Got a call the other day from Jack Sullivan, proprietor of The Big Steins in the Hausier’s Krowedum Rotisserie League and proud owner of the second and sixth picks in the upcoming HKRL Fantasy Baseball Draft.  Jack had just started his draft prep by going over a few mock drafts and Top 100 lists.  He was surprised to find Joe Mauer listed no higher than 12th on any of the material he was studying and had a question for me. “Now, with the second pick, Hanley Ramirez is a no-brainer. But, with the sixth pick, I want Joe Mauer.”  “The list I’m looking at has him listed 12th but I’m not sure he even lasts until number 6.  Am I crazy?”

Well, Jackson, one could make the argument that, in fact, you are; especially after your tragic decision to waive Jason Kubel just a day after last year’s draft.  But, in this case, you’re right on the mark with Kubel’s teammate, the great Joe Mauer.  As a matter of fact, the rationale behind your first pick confirms Mauer as worthy of a mid-first round choice.

In most drafts, Albert Pujols is the logical first choice.  Ramirez usually goes second, not so much because his statistics are markedly better than alternative choices such as Ryan Braun or Alex Rodriguez but due to the fact that he produces at their level while playing a very thin position.  Think about what your roster would look like were you to pick Braun.  You’d have a stud outfielder but would now be forced to dip down into the shortstop pool later on; let’s say to the 10th round where both Jason Bartlett and outfielder Nelson Cruz will be available.  Your team is obviously stronger with Ramirez and Cruz than with Braun and Bartlett.

The same logic must be applied to Mauer.  He’s a three time batting champ and the reigning MVP who, by the way, became a stud power hitter last year while batting .370.  Those stats put him in the first round no matter what his position.  That his is actually the weakest of all, you absolutely cannot afford to turn down his kind of production at that spot.  So, do you think you’re better off with Mauer and Joey Votto in the fifth round or with Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann?  Looks like an easy decision, Jack.  Good luck.

Fantasy Baseball Pre-Season Draft Prep

Happy New Year.  Now that we’re just about a month from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, it’s time to stop whining about that one point loss in your Fantasy Football championship game and turn your attention to the National Pastime.  It’s been three months since you put a lid on last season and you’ve got some catching up to do because you can bet there’s at least one geek in your league who’s already started.  What follows is a list of resources that are Moonlight favorites and will lay the groundwork for a successful season.

Fantasy Baseball Websites-

If your league uses CBSSportsline, you already have access to a valuable tool that will cost you nothing.  You’ll find positional rankings, a top 300, mock drafts and, most importantly, player profiles that are updated whenever there is news.  Yahoo Fantasy Sports and ESPN are also very good but not on a par with CBS.  Another Moonlight staple is Ron Shandler’s BASEBALLHQ.com.  Shandler is the preeminent Fantasy numbers guru who has been publishing analyses since 1986 and serves as an adviser to the St. Louis Cardinals.  There is even a free weekly newsletter available that will provide you with anything from draft strategies to sleeper picks from now until the end of August.  The last I’d recommend is MockDraftCentral.com where you can enroll and participate in mock drafts that will give you an invaluable insight as to how other owners are evaluating players.  The free access is limited but still very helpful.

Fantasy Baseball Periodicals-

I’ve yet to find a more comprehensive preview magazine than The Sporting News Fantasy Baseball Preview.  On the newsstands last week, it provides in-depth analysis of every Major Leaguer, Minor League prospects, Mock Drafts and Fantasy Baseball Draft strategies.  Positional rankings,three year stat lines and player projections are also included.  Fantasy Sports Fantasy Baseball Preview is another terrific resource.  Originally named Fantasy Baseball, the magazine has always had its roots in our favorite sport. It was there that I first read about theories like “the 27 year old breakout” and others that helped put a few dollars in my pocket. If  you’d like to dig a little deeper into the pocket as well as the statistics, it’s back to Shandler for his Fantasy Baseball Forecaster.  Packed with in depth statistical overviews such as batting average on balls in play and percentage of runners left stranded by pitchers, it is a mathematician’s dream.  I won’t kid you about understanding all of Shandler’s strategies or equations but I annually find a ton of information exclusive to the Forecaster.  And let’s not forget the Thursday online edition of the Brooklyn Eagle, and FantasySportsDirt.com where I trust many of you turn for guidance.

Fantasy Baseball Broadcasts

With the merger of Sirius and XM, all satellite radio subscribers have access to MLB Home Plate.  (Sirius 210 and XM 175).  Their Fantasy Baseball coverage leaves much to be desired, with just one hour dedicated weekly, but The Power Alley, hosted by Seth Everett, is full of late breaking news and transactions while being an entertaining listen.  The Fantasy Focus hosted by Jeff Erickson of Rotowire.com. is on Blogspot Radio along with a number of Fantasy Baseball podcasts.  Erickson’s show is an invaluable source of info regarding injuries, trades and scouting.  The daily Hot Stove Report on MLB Network is a must watch, as well, especially when Harold Reynolds is on the panel.