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.

Jayson Werth, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Overview: Emerging do-it-all outfielder with excellent power and surprising speed … a late-bloomer, he busted out for good with increased power numbers across the board in 2009, including 36 homers … narrowly missed driving in and scoring 100 and runs for the first time in his career … played in 150 games for the first time in his career.
2009 numbers: .268 avg, 36 HRs, 99 RBIs, 98 runs, 20 SBs in 159 games.
Key splits and trends: Hit over .300 against left-handed pitchers and just .256 against righties … surprisingly hit for a higher average on the road, though power numbers were better at home … hit .230 or worse against three of four divisional rivals.
Strengths: Is strong, lanky and athletic, a prototypical combination for five-category contributions in fantasy … had career highs in HRs, RBIs, runs scored, hits, doubles, SLG and OPS in 2009 … stole 20 bases and was caught just three times, so he knows how and when to steal a bag … walked 91 times last year, significantly more than any other year.
Weaknesses: Finished in a tie for third in the NL with 156 strikeouts last season, so making contact can be a problem … average fell from .298 in 2007 to .273 and then .268 in 2009 … is an all-or-nothing type hitter who whiffs a lot and has shown little in the way of gap power.
Bold prediction for 2010: Werth will cause some angst among Philadelphia fans as he average drops again, this time close to .260 to go along with fewer than 30 HRs.

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.

Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Overview: ”Doc” was involved in the headline deal of the winter, being shipped to Philadelphia in a three-way deal with the Blue Jays and Mariners … has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball and one of fantasy’s most steady contributors … has a 69-33 record and 29 complete games over the last four seasons … has posted back-to-back seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA and, with a move to the National League, is in line for a third straight … is a workhorse who posts a sparkling K-to-BB ratio and consistently ranks among MLB leaders in wins.
2009 numbers: 17-10, 2.79 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 208 Ks in 239 IP.
Key splits and trends: Ended the 2009 season with back-to-back shutouts, including one in Boston …slumped in August (4.71 ERA), but bounced back with a 1.47 ERA and 4 complete games in September … logged 220 or more IP for the fourth straight season … groundball-to-flyball ratio worsened for a fourth straight season, which could be worth watching as he moves to Citizen’s Bank Park.
Strengths: One of league’s most dominant pitchers moves to NL … has a rubber arm, leading the AL in complete games five times and leading the majors the last three years … has a devastating curveball to supplement other pitches … has pinpoint control, which keeps his WHIP in check, and has steadling improved his strikeout rate.
Weaknesses: How will he respond to the pressures of pitching in Philadelphia? … moves to one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball … has logged a lot of innings over the past eight seasons and turns 33 years old on May 14.
Bold prediction for 2010: Halladay wins his second Cy Young while leading the NL in wins, ERA and WHIP. He’ll top 20 wins with double-digit complete games.

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.

Overview: Diminutive and dynamic leader of the NL champion Phillies … had a roller coaster ride in 2009 and finished with a second straight subpar fantasy season … when he’s on, can hit 30 HRs, steal 30 bases and score 120 runs in a season … is a prototypical slow starter and strong finisher, including last season when he hit just .229 before the All-Star break … has predicted 50 SBs for 2010 season.
2009 numbers: .250 avg., 21 HRs, 77 RBIs, 100 runs, 31 SBs in 155 games.
Key splits and trends: A tale of two seasons for Rollins, batting .229 in the first half versus .272 in the second … it’s the same story for Rollins, who is a far more productive hitter in the second half of seasons … career HR rate rises from 1 in 47 at-bats in the first half to 1 in 35 at-bats in the second half … hit 15 of his 21 home runs after June last season.
Strengths: From the shortstop position, offers plus production across the board … great blend of power, speed and run-scoring potential … batting average is so-so, but usually acceptable, his .250 average in 2009 aside.
Weaknesses: Questions remain after horrific start last year whether he can ever produce near his 2007 MVP level again … is very streaky (June BA .167, July BA .313), which can be a pain for fantasy owners in head-to-head leagues.
Bold prediction for 2010: Returns to form and career averages, .275 BA, 25 HRs, 115 runs, 80 RBIs, 45 SBs.

Young Oakland A’s slugger Chris Carter ‘has a chance to be a great all-around hitter,’ A’s assistant general manager David Forst told the Oakland Tribune. Carter is vying for a spot on the A’s 25-man roster, but is more likely to be shipped back down to Triple-A Sacramento for more seasoning. Still, mediocre Daric Barton and oft-injured Eric Chavez are the only two guys standing in Carter’s way for a full-time job. By season’s end, we like his odds of being called up for good. Read more »

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 Spring Training approaches.

Shane Victorino, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Overview: The Flyin’ Hawaiian secured his first All Star selection in 2009, along with his second consecutive gold glove … scored more than 100 runs for the second straight year … offers solid batting average and stolen bases as well as competitive power numbers … ‘09 season was light on speed; it was his first campaign as a full-timer that featured fewer than 30 SBs.
2009 numbers: .292 avg., 10 HRs, 62 RBIs, 102 runs, 25 SBs in 156 games.
Key splits and trends: A switch-hitter who bats lefties better, as .314/.283 split shows … fared better in the summer months, hitting .381 in July then tailing off with a .237 average in September … downward trend in stolen bases is something to watch … attempted just 33 steals last season, compared to 47 in ‘08.
Strengths: Batting in Phillies lineup brings ample opportunity for runs to be scored and batted in … high average and stealing prowess are keys to his success in fantasy.
Weaknesses: Power numbers are nowhere near gaudy, but they are acceptable … needs to be more active on the basepaths to be worthy of an early selection in fantasy.
Bold prediction for 2010: Victorino falls out of the Phillies’ No. 2 spot, taking a hit in runs and RBIs, but rebounds with 30+ SBs.

Following a perfect 2008 season, Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad Lidge went on to put up disastrous numbers in 2009. Fantasy owners suspected a drop-off, but — injuries or not — Lidge’s plummet to a 7.21 ERA and Major League-leading eight blown saves was too much.

Lidge attributed the stats to never feeling quite right physically all season. A knee problem caused him to place excess pressure on his elbow. In addition to problems in the elbow, the bulky knee also caused Lidge to lose command of his fastball. Read more »

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ is in the middle of an argument between baseball purists and stat heads, says David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News. To make a long story short, there’s a disagreement sparked by ESPN.com baseball writer Keith Law on whether Happ’s success last season was based on fluke or a special combination of Happ’s intangibles.

We have a foot in both camps when it comes to qualifying vs. quantifying the game of baseball. Problem is, both views on Happ suggest that he’s due for a reality check. Read more »

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 Spring Training approaches.

Raul Ibanez, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Overview: Consistent producer who emerged as a power threat in his first season with the Phillies … despite his fewest at-bats since 2004, managed a career-best 34 home runs … health is an issue to consider because of Ibanez’s age, but even at 37 years old, is as trustworthy as fantasy outfielders come.
2009 numbers: .272 avg., 34 HRs, 93 RBIs, 93 runs, 4 SBs in 134 games
Key splits and trends: Most of his damage was done in the first half of the season, when he hit .309 (80-for-259) with 22 HRs and 60 RBIs … a groin injury derailed his hot start, and he had a difficult time recovering … a 17-for-102 stretch throughout the summer drove his batting injury down from .307 to .272.
Strengths: Power is a plus, but intangibles are even more important; has nearly unparalleled lineup support and run production opportunities … is a proven commodity with more than a decade of fantasy success under his belt.
Weaknesses: Should be considered an injury risk, as age makes sudden erosion a possibility … isn’t particularly dynamic at the plate, either; hit just .233 with runners in scoring position.
Bold prediction for 2010: Ibanez fails to log 500 at-bats and falls short of the 30-home run mark.

The last of the viable closers went off the market this week when Jose Valverde signed a two-year, $14-million deal with the Detroit Tigers. Valverde, who had 25 saves with the Houston Astros last season, solidifies the Tigers’ bullpen after they lost relievers Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney to free agency. Valverde also finds a home and essentially trades places Lyon, who signed with the Astros this winter.

Valverde’s signing puts the finishing touches of clarity on the closer landscape in fantasy baseball. Only a couple of situations remain either unresolved or completely undesirable. The Pittsburgh Pirates, who still call Joel Hanrahan their stopper, and the Philadelphia Phillies, whose closer Brad Lidge just underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, are the biggest question marks left. Read more »

Big names are involved in today’s reported three-team deal that would send Toronto Blue Jays’ ace Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies. We would hate to get too far ahead of ourselves and break down all of the different scenarios and their corresponding fantasy spins. So, let’s just take a look at the mainstays Halladay and LHP Cliff Lee, who is reportedly being shipped to the Seattle Mariners.

Halladay is a fantasy ace, no matter the uniform he’s wearing or the stadium he calls home. Citizens Bank Park isn’t exactly a pitcher’s best friend, but Halladay is a veteran who keeps the ball down and limits the damage on his mistakes. And don’t forget about the lesser National League lineups, ones that are watered down with unathletic pitchers taking their ugly hacks. Halladay’s numbers should certainly even out, perhaps even improve, as he moves on to a contender with a high-powered offense behind him. Read more »