Minor Cuts Mean Little To New York Yankees Pennant Hopes

The Yankees are starting to finalize their roster right now.

The catcher spot has been the most interesting. Along with outfielder Justin Maxwell and infielder Doug Bernier, they sent Jesus Montero down to triple A and sent Austin Romine to Double A.

But the more high-profile moves: cutting Ronnie Belliard and sending former Cubs phenom Mark Prior all the way down to single A.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Last Year: 67-95, fifth in AL Central 

Manager: Ned Yost

PROJECTED LINEUP 

C: Jason Kendall (R) (will start season on DL)

DH/1B: Kila Ka'aihue (L)

1B/DH: Billy Butler (R)

2B: Chris Getz (L)

3B: Mike Aviles (R)

SS: Alcides Escobar (R)

LF: Alex Gordon (L)

CF: Melky Cabrera (S)

RF: Jeff Francoeur (R)

We're barely 24 hours away from the start of the 2011 fantasy baseball season, and that means it's time to take a look at some potential sleepers!

A sleeper is a player picked well beneath where his level of potential production dictates he should be taken. It doesn't mean just late-round players who could result in high production, but guys who have slipped beyond where they should in most drafts. 

Chris Young has always been a tantalizing player with the capability to be a top tier pitcher, but he's never been able to prove his prowess over the long run. A plethora of injuries have allowed him to pitch no more than 180 innings in a single season during his major league career, and over the last three seasons, he has maxed out at 102 innings in 2008.

Young’s two best statistical seasons came in 2006 and 2007, his lone All-Star season, with the Padres:

2011 MLB Predictions Have Braves Stunning Reds in Divisional Series of Playoffs

In the 2011 playoffs, I predict the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants will repeat as postseason contenders.

However, I have the Braves and Reds as the two and three seeds respectively this season, and the Phillies and Giants as the one and four seeds.

Thus, the Braves will meet up with the Reds in the divisional series of the 2011 playoffs.

It is here I see them shocking a solid team in the Reds.

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.

2011 MLB Predictions Have Braves and Cardinals Competing for Wild Card

The Atlanta Braves won 91 games last season, captured the National League Wild Card, and could have easily beaten the world champion San Francisco Giants in the divisional round of the playoffs if it weren't for injuries, some bad bounces and a guy by the name of Brooks Conrad (sorry Brooks, had to at least mention it).

They did all of this with an emerging star in Jason Heyward and two emerging starters in Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens.

2011 MLB Predictions Generally Have Yankees and Rays Battling for Wild Card

After the Boston Red Sox reloaded in the American League East this offseason, they are generally the favorites to win the division.

As is usually the custom, two other AL East teams are the front runners for the Wild Card this season (with apologies to Chicago White Sox fans).

I don't like the Yankees pitching as usual beyond C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes, and AJ Burnett is iffy, especially in the AL East.

Ivan Nova? Freddy Garcia?

Eh, I'll pass.

2011 MLB Predictions Have Jeremy Hellickson as a Candidate for the AL ROY

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, at just 23 years old, showed flashes last year of why he could be the American League Rookie of the Year in 2011.

In 36 1/3 innings pitched, he compiled a 4-0 record, 3.47 ERA and 33 strikeouts (10 games, four starts).

With not enough innings pitched to qualify as a second-year pitcher, Hellickson stands a chance to win the AL ROY award right out the gate this season, slated as the Rays' fifth starter.