C: Miguel Olivo
Olivo is producing above the likes of Mauer, McCann, and Victor Martinez; easy selection.

1B: Paul Konerko
Miggy, Votto, and Morneau are all having stellar years and were considerations, but when you get top level production from a guy not even drafted, that’s awesome.

2B: Robinson Cano
This was a close one. Martin Prado is offering top tier production at a very low price, but Cano is giving 1st round production.

3B: David Wright
The power is back. Wright is complete as it gets.

SS: Hanley Ramirez
Hanley may not hustle, but he produces.

OF: Carl Crawford
Crawford will win you Steals without hurting your team in other categories. Well worth the high draft pick.

OF: Josh Hamilton
All I’m saying is WOW.

OF: Vladimir Guerrero
I thought about Alex Rios, but I had to give the last spot to Big Bad Vlad.

Util: Martin Prado
He needs to be on the team somewhere.

SP: Josh Johnson
Except for the Win total, Johnson is the best pitcher in the league.

SP: Adam Wainwright
Look at Wainwright’s totals, they’re better than Ubaldo Jimenez.

RP: Billy Wagner
Wagner is dominating. The Saves aren’t leading the league, but the peripherals are all there.

The first half has been about the big stars producing. I’m sure there are many other players that could be included on this list. If you think I missed someone, post a comment and state your case.

• Buy: Players who offer great value at their current ADP.
• Sell: Players who offer low value at their current ADP.
• Gamble: Mostly high risk/reward, late round players (Sleepers).

Don’t simply avoid a player on the Sell List; just downgrade your expectations and target them a little lower.  Each player’s ADP is in parenthesis.

Catcher

• Buy: Victor Martinez (33) He’ll put up good numbers and play 150+ games unlike most other catchers.
• Sell: Jorge Posada (132) There are too many other young catchers available; don’t give yourself a headache.
• Sell: Joe Mauer (12) Too many missed games, 1st Round picks should play 150+ games.
• Gamble: Geovany Soto (164) Expect 130+ games and numbers closer to 2008.

First Baseman

• Buy: Ryan Howard (11) He’ll produce like any other 1B in Round 1 minus Great Albert.
• Sell: Lance Berkman (70) The injuries are too big of a concern.
• Gamble: Adam LaRoche (191) Expect 25 HR, 85 RBI, 85 R, and .270 AVG.

Second Baseman

• Buy: Jose Lopez (117) Looks to be progressing nicely; only other 100 RBI 2B will be Chase Utley.
• Sell: Aaron Hill (55) Expect a repeat of last year and be disappointed.
• Gamble: Rickie Weeks (193) Could pay off big with a 30/30 season.

Third Baseman

• Buy: Ryan Zimmerman (30) Not as big of a name as David Wright, but just as productive a round later.
• Buy: Aramis Ramirez (62) 30 HR, 100 RBI, and .290 AVG as the 8th 3B off the board sounds good to me.
• Sell: Gordon Beckham (98) The guy has mucho talent, but the Sophomore slump looms.
• Gamble: Edwin Encarnacion (349) If he bats fifth for the Blue Jays, 25 HR and 100 RBI are possibilities.

Shortstop

• Buy: Asdrubal Cabrera (149) Speed, AVG, and 2B eligibility make him very useful.
• Buy: Stephen Drew (123) Expect 100 R, 20 HR, and .285 AVG.
• Sell: Jose Reyes (25) Too many injury concerns and there is speed to be found later in the draft.
• Gamble: Alcides Escobar (216) Could grab 50 SBs if given the playing time.

Outfield

• Buy: Curtis Granderson (47) Expect .280 AVG, 35 HR, 25 SB, and 110 R.
• Buy: Juan Pierre (171) Remember him? Expect .290 AVG and 50 SBs.
• Buy: Michael Cuddyer (134) Solid .270 AVG, 25 HR, 90 RBI.
• Sell: Josh Hamilton (65) Injuries make him a huge risk, but the power is legit.
• Sell: Torii Hunter (99) You don’t get points for his defense, which is in decline by the way.
• Gamble: Julio Borbon (164) This year’s Chris Davis, but if he sticks, he’ll win you the SB category.
• Gamble: Drew Stubbs (285) Not sure what to make of this guy yet, but he’ll help with HRs or SBs.
• Gamble: Chris B Young (317) If he starts to get hot, HRs and SBs rain from the heavens.

Starting Pitcher

• Buy: Roy Halladay (24) Worth every penny, he’ll carve up the NL.
• Buy: Cole Hamels (90) Halladay will take the pressure off, he’s looking at 17 W, 180 Ks, and 3.50 ERA.
• Buy: Clayton Kershaw (96) He’s ready to elevate into fantasy stardom; 1st Round pick next year.
• Sell: Chris Carpenter (65) The injuries will come.
• Sell: Zack Greinke (30) The Ks are legit, but he won’t be as good as last year; 12 W and 3.50 ERA.
• Gamble: Brett Anderson (145) He won’t win many games, but a 3.50 ERA and 175 Ks are helpful.
• Gamble: Erik Bedard (251) The Ks are still there.
• Gamble: Stephen Strasburg (269) He’ll only play 1/2 the season, but expect a 3 ERA and Ks.
• Gamble: Brian Matusz (286) Could earn AL ROY honors; sub 4 ERA and 150 Ks.

Relief Pitcher

• Buy: Jose Valverde (125) Performs like an elite closer, 40 SVs.
• Buy: Billy Wagner (146) Velocity is up, he’ll lock down 35 SVs.
• Buy: Chad Qualls (187) His knee looks recovered; 35 SVs.
• Sell: Ryan Franklin (150) Last year was just too good to be true.
• Sell: Andrew Bailey (117) Shoulder concerns are worrisome.
• Gamble: Chris Perez (360) Could keep the closer job even when Kerry Wood gets off the DL.
• Gamble: Jon Rauch (NA) Has past experience and the Twinkies will win a ton of games.

I’m always down to discuss anything Fantasy Baseball related.  Feel free to post a comment or tweet me up anytime.

Here are a few players to think about on the Trade Market.

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B (Bait)
Gonzalez is a solid producer, but playing in San Diego with that junk around him will hurt his value. I’d use him to shore up other holes in your lineup and pickup a guy like Billy Butler to fill in at 1B.

Ben Zobrist, 2B/SS/OF (Bait)
Zobrist has been producing like a madman all year, but I think his production will start to tail off; Sell high, but only if you can get a solid return, because he provides a lot of position flexibility.

Ian Kinsler, 2B (Target)
Kinsler is injured right now, but he’ll be back soon. An impatient or skiddish owner might trade him away on the cheap.

Gordon Beckham, 3B/SS (Bait)
Beckham has been on fire for the past month, but he’s starting to cool.  If you can package him, I’d say go for it. Try to find an owner that loves college baseball.

Jermaine Dye, OF (Target)
Dye hasn’t been hitting, but he’s a proven veteran. Even with the addition of Alex Rios, I still think Dye will get his. You may want to bench him for the time being, but he’s an HR and RBI addition that could take your team to the top.

Jason Bay, OF (Target)
That lineup has to start producing again, it’s just too good. I would expect Bay to be right in the middle of the resurgence. He won’t come cheap, but he’ll be worth it.

Torii Hunter, OF (Bait)
I’d use this opportunity to trade him before he comes back. An owner might take the gamble. I’ve never been high on Hunter’s fantasy value. Maybe a Bay for Hunter swap?

Jake Peavy, SP (Bait)
Peavy looks to be coming off the DL in a few weeks. You should be trying to unload him right now. He may come back and win some games for the White Sox, but I think he’s worth more to your team right now if you can get good value in return.

John Lackey, SP (Target)
Lackey’s season numbers are pretty good, but his second half has been impressive. An owner may be willing to part with him if given the right players in return. I’d give it a try.

Cole Hamels, SP (Target)
Hamels has not been very good, but I keep believing he’ll get better. Most owners won’t let him go for nothing, because of his reputation, but I’d throw a deal at it.

Johan Santana, Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, SP (Bait)
Their respective teams are pretty far out of the race. All of these guys will continue pitching for the duration of the season, but I’m not sure they’ll get a lot of victories if their teams start playing different guys. Right now is a great time to use their name and #1 SP status to load up for the stretch run.

Kevin Gregg, Matt Capps, Kerry Wood, Mike MacDougal, RP (Bait)
Owners in need of Saves may overpay for one of these guys. I’d throw fliers out to Save-strapped owners.

These are just a sample of guys to think about on the Trade Market. In reality, you should evaluate your entire roster. If you have a specific situation, post it up or drop me a line and I’ll be happy to help you out.

C: Brandon Inge. Mauer and Victor Martinez will have better numbers at the end of the year, but right now, I give Inge the nod.

1B: Albert Pujols. If you need an explanation why, go crawl back under that rock.

2B: Aaron Hill. I wouldn’t argue against Utley or Kinsler, but Hill is helping his owners the most.

3B: Mark Reynolds. You think I’m crazy? Go check Reynold’s statistics. He’s helping in every category and his average isn’t hurting the team.

SS: Hanley Ramirez. Hanley has not disappointed one bit.

OF: Carl Crawford. Finding a guy who consistently steals bases while not hurting your team in other categories is hard to find; Crawford may be the only one.

OF: Ryan Braun. Behind Pujols, Braun is the best hitter in the game.

OF: Torii Hunter. Known more for his glove, Hunter is having a marvelous year; hitting for average and power, driving in runs, and stealing a few bases.

SP: Zach Greinke. Greinke has slowed down a bit since his torrid start, but what a surprise he’s been.

SP: Tim Lincecum. You’re getting what you expected when you drafted Lincecum, but 141 Ks in 121 IP is ridiculous.

RP: Jonathan Broxton. Even though Broxton gave up 3 runs today, he’s still the best closer right now.

RP: Ryan Franklin. Franklin doesn’t strike a lot of guys out and he’ll make you sweat, but he’s been nails. He, Aardsma, and Bailey are at the front of the “Best RP off the Waiver Wire” award line.

P: Chris Carpenter. Carpenter stumbled a little bit as of late, but he’s been a big time steal for any owner that drafted him. I was also thinking of Edwin Jackson here, but I gave the nod to Carpenter.

There you have it; not your list of usual suspects huh? I’m sure there are many other players that could be included on this list. If you think I missed someone, post a comment and state your case.

MVP: Raul Ibanez and Aaron Hill.  Ibanez is tearing it up right now batting .357 with 13 HR and 35 RBI while Hill ain’t too shabby either batting .345 with 11 HR and 34 RBI; Both Classic Sell High candidates.

Cy Young: Zack Greinke.  He’s got 65 Ks in 60 IP to go along with 7 W, 0.60 ERA, and 0.83 WHIP.  Since he is a high K guy, I would hang on for the ride.

Best “Everyone” Pick: Adam Jones. Just as good as advertised with a with a surprising .370 AVG.

Worst “Everyone” Pick: Alexei Ramirez.  Eek…

Biggest Bust: Jimmy Rollins. If you own him, you might as well go down with the ship.

Best Waiver Wire Pickup: Jason Bartlett and Brandon Inge.  Bartlett is giving owners a little bit of everthing and Inge has Catcher eligibility.

Oldie, but Goodie: Johnny Damon.  Batting .322 with 10 HR and 27 RBI.  Kudos to you for drafting him.

Nice to Know You: David Ortiz.  Sad to say, but Big Papi’s fantasy career is over.

Where Are You: Matt Wieters and David Price.  Both have yet to log an inning this season.

Category Star: Carl Crawford.  With his 24 SB, it’s possible he’ll put your team in the Top 3 for the category by himself.

Recount: Wandy Rodriguez, Jered Weaver, Ramon Ramirez, Edwin Jackson, Randy Wolf, Orlando Hudson, Marco Scutaro, Russell Branyan, Asdrubal Cabrera, Nick Johnson, Ryan Theriot, and Kendry Morales.  Yeah, go check their stats again.

Best Guy Still Available: Andrew Bailey.  He might not be the official closer in Oakland, but he’s worth the speculative add.

There you have it, my First Quarter Fantasy Baseball Award Winners.  Let me know if I missed any of your guys.

Guys like Emilio Bonifacio, Adam Lind, Jorge Cantu, and Brandon Inge are probably long gone. No matter, only Cantu and Inge will stick anyways. I’m not saying Inge will keep his current pace, but he’s Catcher eligible so he’ll play everyday, which makes him golden.

I’ll start throwing some names out:

Travis Hafner, Util
I think he’s returning to form. The only thing that sucks about Pronk is that he’s only Utility eligible.

Yunel Escobar, SS
I’m not real excited about this guy, but he’ll hit .300, score some Runs, and he has to hit more than 10 HR.

Aaron Hill, 2B
He did hit 17 HR in 2007.

Dexter Fowler, OF
He’s hot right now; play him until he cools off.

Ian Stewart, 2B/3B
If you have an extra bench slot, stash this guy. If he ever gets consistent playing time you’ll be a happy camper.

Kevin Millwood, SP
The Strikeouts are there so I’d take the chance. There are going to be rough outings when he pitches at home, but he might be a good matchup on the road.

David Aardsma, RP
Ryan Franklin, RP
Grant Balfour, RP
All three guys could be in line for Saves. If you’re hurting in that Category, think about it.

It’s still early in the season. Don’t hit the panic button just yet…

That being said, you shouldn’t completely ignore the Waiver Wire at this point in the season, because there may be dropped players to add.  Also, there may be players that are in nice lineup spots that weren’t foreseen (Khalil Greene and Mark Teahen).

Here’s my planned Opening Day Roster:

P  F. Francisco   $1.00M
P  K. Gregg        $2.50M
P  Y. Gallardo    $3.75M
C  P. Sandoval    $3.00M
OF C. Maybin     $3.50M
OF N. Cruz         $3.85M
CI C. Davis         $4.50M
MI A. Ramirez    $4.30M
DH M. DeRosa    $4.00M

I am $4.60M under the cap at the moment.  Many of my players have multiple position eligibility, which keeps my roster flexible as my players prices increase/decrease.  Hopefully they will all just increase!

I’ll be posting periodically as the season progresses.  Go check out the game and good luck!

http://www.sportingnews.com/games/baseball/season1/basic/home.php