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.

Pablo Sandoval, 1B/3B, San Francisco Giants
Overview: Everybody’s sleeper last year, Kung Fu Panda did not disappoint … for the second straight season, hit for a .330+ average, this time adding 25-homer power to the mix … is an unconventional, pudgy free swinger in the Vladimir Guerrero mold … saw most of his action at third base last season, but played 26 games at first base and 3 as a catcher.
2009 numbers: .330 avg, 25 HRs, 90 RBIs, 79 runs, 5 SBs in 153 games
Key splits and trends: Hit over .300 in all but one month, and hit .298 in that month … hit .361 at AT&T park, 60 points better than road average … destroyed left-handed pitchers at a .379 clip … hit .500 against division-rival Diamondbacks … power numbers surged in his first full season with 74 XBH and a .556 slugging percentage.
Strengths: Durable and athletic despite pot belly build … qualifies at both first and third base in most leagues, and at catcher in leagues with loose eligibility requirements … brings power and average to the table and, at just 23 years old, still has room to grow.
Weaknesses: Has to prove he isn’t a one-year wonder; his build and lack of plate discipline don’t inspire confidence.
Bold prediction for 2010: His average falls closer to the .300 range, but with another run at 25 HRs and 90 RBIs.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Edwin Jackson has impressed catcher Miguel Montero early in spring training, according to the Arizona Republic.

Jackson, at least according to his new catcher, is no one-year wonder. He was traded to Detroit from Tampa Bay last season for little more than a bucket of baseballs (Matt Joyce) and went 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA, to the surprise of most. 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.

Matt Cain, SP, San Francisco Giants
Overview: Is a workhorse and rising fantasy starter who pitches in one of the game’s best pitcher’s parks … slashed his ERA last season, but made even bigger improvements in both components — hits and walks — of his WHIP … has a thick, sturdy core and is a good bet to make 31+ starts for a fifth straight season.
2009 numbers: 14-8, 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 171 Ks in 217.2 IP
Key splits and trends: Made improvements in virtually all areas last season, most of which were based upon his better understanding of the game … was more efficient with his pitches, did a better job pitching to contact and made big improvements in his groundball-to-flyball ratio … tired down the stretch, going 2-6 with a 4.29 ERA in his last 12 starts.
Strengths: Posts very good ratios and, more importantly, makes them work over a large number of innings … is a solid strikeouts pitcher, averaging 175 Ks over his four full seasons in the majors … spacious AT&T Park is also an asset.
Weaknesses: The Giants are built around pitching, so run support and wins could be problems again … BABIP (.268) is a tough number to repeat, so expect at least a small rise in his ERA from last season.
Bold prediction for 2010: His ERA crawls back over 3.00 again, and his wins total stays below 15.

Young San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey’s window of opportunity had barely opened before it was slammed shut again. Veteran free agent Bengie Molina took a paycut to re-sign with the Giants, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, and all but assured that Posey would begin the 2010 season at Triple-A Fresno.

Tough news for “upside chasers.” Posey was on a short list of 2010 rookies who could legitimately make an impact in fantasy, the small group of players with both the talent and opportunity to make a difference. Well, without the opportunity, Posey’s considerable talent is useless, at least to start the season. Read more »

Fake Teams previews the Washington Nationals and names third baseman Ryan Zimmerman the club’s top fantasy player for the 2010 season.

“One can make an argument that he is the second best fantasy third baseman in baseball behind Alex Rodriguez, after seeing David Wright’s power all but disappear in 2009.”

Ray Guilfoyle is on to something here. The third base pool is evolving quickly, and Zimmerman and Rays’ third baseman Evan Longoria are leading the next wave. A healthy Rodriguez still has to be penciled in as the second-best player at the position, and Wright deserves another season with a healthier supporting cast before we remove him from our top 3. But, the gap from the Big 3 to everyone else has narrowed in a hurry. Read more »

Eugenio Velez, 2B/OF, San Francisco Giants
Status: Back in the majors from minor league purgatory
Basics: .333 AVG, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs, 3 SBs in 37 games
Key Stats: Hitting .417 (25-for-60) over 12-game hitting streak
What to Watch For: Legitimacy - is he this good or just hot?
Other Notes: Has made a triumphant return to the parent club after being demoted in May … has hits in all 12 games while staking his claim to the Giants’ valuable leadoff spot … keeps middle infield eligibility, but is back in San Francisco as an outfielder … isn’t the first player and won’t be the last to need a demotion to finally reach his potential … safe to expect a 40-stolen base pace for the rest of the season, so long as he continues to hit … is a .301 career hitter in the minors
Verdict: Snatch him up in all leagues as a rare stolen base threat with some upside

New year, same Scott Boras smoke and mirrors. At least that’s what the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday, refuting a story suggesting the Giants were “aggressively pursuing” free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez. According to Henry Schulman, general manager Brian Sabean’s interest in Ramirez isn’t entirely different from a lot of other GMs: if the price is right, he’ll consider it.

The weak economy has obviously played a huge factor this offseason, with bargain prices sparking more interest from more teams in free agents. Weeks ago, the Giants could have never been considered a candidate to land Ramirez — and maybe they still aren’t — but the signing of Randy Johnson has generated lots of optimism and perhaps prompted another big move. San Francisco doesn’t see itself as miles away from contention, but is in desperate need of an offensive upgrade. Read more »

The Oakland Athletics aren’t the only team in the Bay Area making moves this offseason. After signing free agent relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry, the San Francisco Giants have announced last week that they signed free agent veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria to a two-year deal worth $18.5 million.

That quickly this offseason, the Giants have built themselves a solid late-inning bullpen and added a formidable offensive shortstop to the mix. But will these moves really help the Giants compete with last season’s National League West Champion Los Angeles Dodgers? Read more »

Drafting outfielders can be a tricky task. At the least, an owner must have three competent starters, which creates challenging depth issues. Seeking a balance between strength and weakness in your outfield also leads to discrepancies in how you go about building the rest of your team. No matter your approach, how and when to address your outfield will be at the heart of a good draft strategy.

Plan to build a strong pitching staff? Draft a great outfielder high, take balanced pitchers, and target underrated hitters later in the draft. Want to build a Murderer’s Row lineup? Go Holliday, Ludwick and Beltran and lock in your league’s deepest, most talented outfield. Have five starting outfielders to draft? Adding excellent No. 4 and No. 5 outfielders can give you a big-time edge on your opponents. Read more »

In the long run, the Brewers’ acquisition of veteran second baseman Ray Durham from San Francisco may actually benefit Rickie Weeks. While not completely giving up on Weeks, the Brewers have found a way to rely on him less and, possibly, light a fire under him.

Weeks has never been challenged for playing time, so Durham’s arrival puts his back against the wall. Manager Ned Yost told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that the switch-hitting Durham will fill in for Weeks “a couple of days a week, maybe,” but indicated that Durham was in Milwaukee to provide a veteran bat off the bench, not take Weeks’ job. Read more »