Baseball

Kyle Drabek Deserves a Close Look on Your 2011 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper List

One of the Jays top prospects is ready to burst out onto the scene and give your fantasy roster some much needed depth in the starting pitching department.

He made three career starts at the end of 2010 and gave up nine runs in 17 innings. Not exactly fantasy gold.

But his velocity has jumped up to the mid-90's and his devastating curveball is going to give hitters fits.

If you're a fan of the New York Yankees, the 2010-11 off-season must have felt like one, long nightmare.

First, the dreaded Boston Red Sox landed stud first baseman Adrian Gonzalez in a trade with the San Diego Padres. Then, just a couple days later, the Red Sox swooped in, seemingly out of nowhere, and signed outfielder Carl Crawford, a player the Yanks were reportedly courting.

Third base isn't exceptionally deep, but a couple of solid options (Boston's Kevin Youkilis and Seattle's Chone Figgins) will earn eligibility at the position in April.

Here are our top 15 fantasy third basemen for 2011:

In general, unwritten rules are stupid. That’s why no one took the time to write them down. Think about it. If something really needs to be a rule—and it’s widely agreed that it needs to be a rule—it’s going to be documented, set in stone and thumb tacked to the wall of every minor league clubhouse.

By not making something an official rule, Major League Baseball is officially saying that it is okay, allowable and within the realm of acceptability.

The top two fantasy shortstops are among the best options in all of fantasy baseball, regardless of position. After the Florida Marlins' Hanley Ramirez and Colorado Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki are gone, however, major question marks exist with many of the rest.

Here are our top 15 fantasy shortstops for 2011:

CLEVELAND INDIANS 

Last Year: 69-93, Fourth in AL Central 

Manager: Manny Acta

PROJECTED LINEUP 

C- Carlos Santana (S)

1B- Matt LaPorta (R)

2B- Orlando Cabrera (R)

3B- Jack Hannahan (L)

SS- Asdrubal Cabrera (S)

LF- Michael Brantley (S)

CF- Grady Sizemore (L) (Will start season on DL) 

RF- Shin-Soo Choo (L)

DH- Travis Hafner (L)

Chicago White Sox (2010 record: 88-74)

The White Sox won 88 games last season and still didn’t get a sniff of the division title due to the success of the Minnesota Twins. During the offseason, GM Kenny Williams decided to reshuffle the deck to play to his team’s strengths—when playing in a park that caters to offense, add offense.

Long before July brings the yearly whirlwind trade speculation and months before the first crop of premier prospects debut in the ides of May, there is Opening Day. This is a date that clears the slate for last year’s underachievers, the injured and the belittled, and opens the door to another year. 

Don't forget to check out The Fantasy Fix 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit!

Last year, the New York Yankees fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship. With a new season approaching and a couple new players to the team, who needs to have a good season for the Yankees to see success?

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS 

Last Year: 90-72, 1st in NL West

Manager: Bruce Bochy 

PROJECTED LINEUP

C- Buster Posey (R)

1B- Aubrey Huff (L)

2B- Freddy Sanchez (R) 

3B- Pablo Sandobal (S) 

SS- Miguel Tejada (R)

LF- Pat Burrell (R)

CF- Andres Torres (S)

RF- Cody Ross (R) (Will start season on DL)