We will be rolling out plenty of 2010 fantasy baseball coverage in the coming days, weeks and months, but let’s start right here with player-by-player profiles of our rough top 100 preseason rankings. Stay tuned to the site for more player profiles, draft kit information, rankings, sleepers, busts, etc. as the regular season approaches.

Nick Markakis, OF, Baltimore Orioles
Overview: Played in all but one of his team’s games last year … just fell short of the .300 and 20-homer plateaus … consistent producer, which is a big upside in fantasy, but isn’t spectacular in any one category … got off to a red-hot start last year with a .460 OBP in April, but is historically a much better hitter in the second half (.286/.311 career split) … has four full, productive MLB seasons under his belt and is still just 26 years old.
2009 numbers: .293 avg, 18 HRs, 101 RBIs, 94 runs, 6 SBs in 161 games
Key splits and trends: Has been ultra consistent, but key numbers bottomed out in ‘09 … HR and SB totals fell for the 3rd straight season, and his BB rate tumbled from 14 percent to 8 percent … hit .329 against NYY and BOS and .300 vs. TOR.
Strengths: Consistent, everyday player who isn’t taken out as a defensive liability late in games … still has room to improve … has gap power, but not home run power … is solid five-category contributor with 100-RBI potential.
Weaknesses: Plate discipline took a major step back, going from 99 walks to just 56 last year … hasn’t developed the power stroke many expected and has been far less active on the basepaths.
Bold prediction for 2010: No shock here; does what he always does with a .295 average, 19 HRs and 95 RBIs.

This string of familiar-looking off-season moves made by the Baltimore Orioles might just make some sense this year. Mike Gonzalez, Garrett Atkins, Kevin Millwood are all quality complimentary pieces, but the core group they’re complimenting is finally good enough to make their presence worthwhile.

Brian Roberts, Matt Wieters and Adam Jones give the O’s strength up the middle for years to come; Nick Markakis is the steady, face-of-the-franchise type in right field; and young pitchers Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman represent perhaps the most talented young pitching duo in the Major Leagues. Read more »

So, we just missed the start of the season, but our first player rankings of the year still carry the same value, which is, uh, not much. That’s no knock on our opinions, just our own stance on rankings, in general. They’re fun to scan, but the at the end of the day, how exactly can they be applied to real life?

Well, we can answer that question. Scan these rankings, see who’s where, but pay closer attention to the one-line notes next to each player. They are much more telling than the rankings themselves because they do offer some kind of insight into a player’s past, present and/or future. They also serve as explanation to why players are listed where they are. Read more »