Baseball

The Astros are full of players that had a huge fantasy impact in the past, unfortunately it seems that the impact is fading.  Oswalt, Berkman, and Carlos Lee have been early round picks for years, but last year they each showed some signs that their numbers are past their peak.  So how should we approach these players this year? Here is what you can expect from the Astros' core this season.

Roy Oswalt

The Toronto Blue Jays made some big changes within the organization this offseason. They traded away their best player in franchise history in Roy Halladay but got back terrific prospects like third baseman Brett Wallace and pitcher Brendan Morrow who will help the organization a lot in the future.

The Yankees began their 2010 Grapefruit schedule with three pitchers entwined in what the Yankees label a "competition" for the last spot in their rotation.

Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and Alfredo Aceves each pitched two scoreless innings in their first game action of 2010. 

However, regardless of their performance over the next month, I have a hard time believing the Yankees will break camp with one of those three as their fifth starter.

Just what the offensively challenged San Francisco Giants need, one of their starters not being ready for Opening Day.

Well folks, it's that time of year again. Regardless of what that groundhog said, spring has sprung. MLB teams have reported to their Spring Training venues in Florida and Arizona and rosters are beginning to take shape and it is time to start making predictions.

Fort Myers, Fla. is abuzz with Red Sox fans both young and old. With so many new faces in addition to most of the core from last year, it is going to be a fun spring. Here are some things to think about as the Sox break camp this year:

The Braves have always been known for their top notch pitching. John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Warren Spahn, Johnny Sain, and Phil Niekro are a few notable stars that have pitched for the Braves franchise, and they definitely pitched well in that Braves uniform.

As I have said many times before, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are one of the best—if not THE BEST—run organization in baseball. They have one of the best owners in the sport, and just like with any business, it starts from the top down.

However, despite being run like a well-oiled machine, the Angels have made their fair share of mistakes over the years. There was the Gary Matthews Jr. contract, and I haven’t been a fan of their recent signings like Brian Fuentes and Fernando Rodney.

There are certain types of fantasy baseball players that are better left untouched. Guys you should avoid like the plague. Here are four types of fantasy players you won't find on my roster, and what you need to know to keep your fantasy team safe from them.

Vampires

This will begin my 2010 MLB preview. I intend to touch every team in the major leagues in installments by division. The lineups I provide will be what I predict will be the most productive for each team for the MAJORITY of the season (e.g., Jason Heyward will be listed as the Braves RF even though he may not begin the season as the starter).

I will also provide the stereotypical letter grade to each team's lineup, rotation, bullpen, and depth/bench. Though it is trite, I think all baseball fans can identify with the letter grade system.