Top Position Battles to Watch in March
 

Spring training is always the time of year for new players to enter mainstream fantasy baseball conversations.  Some players, like Jon Papelbon win a starting position and never look back, while others like Brandon Watson, lose their jobs before the weather even warms up.  Below we target the top battles to keep an eye on this spring.  While there are several positions that have yet to be determined for the 2007 season, not all of them will have the same fantasy impact as those listed here.

Anaheim

First Base

Casey Kotchman/Shea Hillenbrand

Kotchman put up very good numbers during his minor league career, hitting .325/.407/.493, but showed almost no power potential with only 34 home runs in his 1241 AB's.  That changed in 2005 when he was called up to Anaheim for the final couple months of the season and hit 7 home runs in 47 games, which led everyone to believe that he had finally discovered his power stroke.  Due to this development, he was a bit of a sleeper heading into the 2006 FLB season, but that changed quickly as he was hampered by mono throughout the year and never recovered, ending the year at .152/.221/.215 in 79 AB's with 1 home run. 

He's come back healthy in 2007 and is ready to fight for the 1B job, but he is now in a dogfight with Shea Hillenbrad who was signed by Anaheim during the offseason to provide a little more HR potential from the 1B position.  This deal arose after efforts to acquire Todd Helton failed.  The Angels are desperately looking for someone to provide a little punch from the first base position in order to give Vlad a little protection.  Hillenbrand though, has never hit 20 home runs in a season and sports a career slugging percentage under .450 (albeit .449).  From a fantasy perspective, Kotchman offers much more upside and should win the job, but with a new contract in hand, you have to imagine that Hillenbrand has the upper hand.  At least, initially.  With a big spring, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Kotchman in the opening day lineup.

Arizona

Outfield

Scott Hairston

Scott Hairston is the best 27 year old in baseball without a starting position.  There, I said it.  His career minor league numbers are .322/.401/.571 with 93 home runs and 24 steals (in 1806 AB's).  He played 2B primarily up through 2004 before moving to the OF.  Imagine his value as a 2B if he could get a regular job somewhere!  In his last 590 AB's at AAA, he has hit 42 home runs, scored 128 runs and drove in 121 runs. 

I hope, for his sake, that if he doesn't have a full time gig with the Diamondbacks that they move him somewhere else where he can get a full time opportunity.  He is about as deep a sleeper as you will find, but is blocked by Orlando Hudson (2B), Eric Byrnes (LF), Chris Young (CF) and Carlos Quentin (RF).  It is doubtful he will beat any of those guys out, but if Byrnes reverts to his 2005 numbers, Hairston will be waiting in the wings.  Keep an eye on him during the season, he could provide a boost to your lineup at any time.

Boston

5th Starter

Jon Lester/Tim Wakefield

Wakefield is a great story, he's played with the Red Sox for what seems like an eternity, and seems like a genuinely nice guy.  Unfortunately though, that doesn't mean anything to the fantasy baseball world.  While I am guilty of getting over-anxious for young prospects to get their time to shine, Jon Lester has a chance to be something special, and his story isn't too bad either.

In case you missed it, Lester was diagnosed with lymphoma last September and went through chemotherapy during the fall/early winter before his cancer went into remission.  The 22 year old had a promising minor league career, but always struggled with his control a bit, walking 3.5 per 9 during his time in AA and 4.8 per 9 during his time in AAA.  He can definitely benefit from some additional time in AAA to hone his control, but he also would be a more attractive fantasy target than Wakefield if he made it into the rotation.  He will likely have to wait until 2008 though, as the Red Sox are pretty well set in the rotation with Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka and Papelbon rounding out the staff.

Chicago Cubs

Leftfield

Matt Murton/Cliff Floyd

Both Matt Murton and Cliff Floyd would be attractive sleeper options in almost any other situation, but unfortunately they seem to be headed for one of the most dreaded words in fantasy baseball - the platoon.  Floyd seems like he has been on the DL almost every season of his career but has been very productive when he is in the lineup, with a career .847 OPS and 213 home runs.

Murton now has 595 career at bats in his major league career to go along with 20 home runs and 7 stolen bases.  This has resulted in a .303/.370/.462 line for the 24 year old.  He doesn't look like he has any All-Star appearances in his future, but he's a 20 home run player in a full time job and if he was in the front of the Cubs lineup with Soriano, Ramirez and Lee hitting behind him, he could score a bunch of runs.  Unfortunately, he will lose at bats to Floyd, hopefully he'll end up with the majority of the playing time - but there are no guarantees.  Once Floyd suffers his annual injury, Murton's stock will go up, but for now - he has to drop down on your draft board.

Detroit

First Base

Sean Casey/Chris Shelton

Sean Casey has been a singles hitter ever since the 2004 season ended.  It was a long time ago, but whether you believe it or not, back in 1999/2000 he was a very promising first basemen, posting a .938 OPS as a 25 year old year old and .902 a year later.  Unfortunately his career peaked at 26 years old.  Ever since the 2000 season ended, he has frustrated owners to the point of being ignored, and rightly so, with a total of 17 home runs over the past 2 years.  He has absolutely no value as a corner infielder. 

Chris Shelton will never be confused with Ryan Howard, or even a young Sean Casey, but he will hit more than 17 home runs in a full time role.  During his major league career, he has 35 home runs in 807 AB's.  Shelton is the only one of the two that has any fantasy value and is also likely to be the one sitting on the bench come opening day.

Houston

Centerfield

Hunter Pence/Chris Burke

Chris Burke should be an established major league second baseman at this point, but in the quest for 3,000 hits Craig Biggio has overstayed his welcome in fantasy baseball circles.  Burke was given a glimmer of hope when Willy Tavares was dealt to Colorado during the offseason, but Hunter Pence may make this an interesting competition this spring.

Pence has spent most of his time in the minors as a corner outfielder, and has proven to be a capable centerfielder during his time in the Arizona Fall League.  He will be 24 years during most of the 2007 season, and is coming off of an outstanding 2006 season in AA, hitting .283/.357/.533 with 28 home runs and 17 stolen bases.  He will likely start the year in AAA, but with a big spring, he could force an earlier debut.  At the very least, once Biggio reaches 3,000 hits (he's only 70 away), Burke will likely get more time at 2B and Pence may be the beneficiary, taking over in center.

Burke is also no slouch with the bat, and will carry 2B eligibility into the 2007 season.  While his career major league numbers aren't outstanding (.258/.326/.387), he did show a bit of pop during his minor league career, putting up 16 home runs in 2004 (to go along with 37 steals).  A 15/25 season is a real possibility.

Kansas City

Third Base

Alex Gordon

You all know him by now.  Alex Gordon is the consensus top prospect in baseball.  He's coming off a season in which he hit .325/.427/.588 with 29 home runs and 22 stolen bases in AA.  He has been compared favorably to the Mets David Wright and seems to have a very similar repertoire, with both solid speed and power numbers.  The Royals top hitter in 2006, Mark Teahan, has been moved to the OF this spring in order to give Gordon the job to lose.  Odds are that he will be on the field for the first of many opening day's come April.

LA Dodgers

Third Base

Wilson Betemit/Andy LaRoche

Ironically, Wilson Betemit was once a very highly touted infield prospect but was blocked by Rafael Furcal, Marcus Giles and Chipper Jones while he was with the Braves.  Now that he finally has moved from Atlanta, and before he can even get a full season under his belt he is pushed for playing time by one of the top hitting prospects in the game. 

During Andy LaRoche's minor league career, he has hit .292/.372/.513.  Even more impressive is his plate discipline (66 bb's vs. 64 k's between AA and AAA in 2006) which is a good sign for his future.  He will likely start the year in AAA, and might be involved in a trade to bring a bigger bat to LA, but he doesn't have anything left to prove at that level.

Betemit performed well last year in his first year with regular playing time, hitting 18 home runs, but with only 36 walks and 102 strikeouts, his star seems to be dimming each season.  He still is only 25 years old and certainly will be around for a while, but will it be in LA?

Milwaukee

Third Base

Ryan Braun/Craig Counsell

I can't think of a less appealing fantasy option than Craig Counsell as a third baseman.  His career numbers in almost 3,500 career AB's consists of 31 home runs.  That works out to about 4 per 500 AB's.  Enough said.

Ryan Braun, on the other hand, hit 22 home runs and 31 doubles in 2006 in LESS than 500 AB's.  Braun is still young, having just turned 23, and has only played 59 games above Class A.  He's likely headed to AA or AAA to start the season, but with Corey Koskie missing extended time due to with post-concussion syndrome, the Brewers will be tempted to opt for the power potential of Braun over the, well, 'consistency' of Counsell. 

Toronto

Leftfield

Reed Johnson/Adam Lind

How would you like to put together the season that Adam Lind had in 2006 only to find out that you are headed back to the minors to start the 2007 season.  Well, with the signing of Frank Thomas during the offseason, the Blue Jays left Lind without an obvious position to play in Toronto, where he hit .367/.415/.600 last year (albeit in 60 at bats).  His 2006 minor league numbers were Alex Gordon-like, as he hit .335/.396/.561 between AA and AAA.

Reed Johnson also had a bit of a breakout season in 2006, but due to the fact that this resulted in only 12 home runs and 8 stolen bases, he wasn't on the cover of any preseason fantasy baseball magazines.  He did end the year at .319/.390/.479 though and looks to be a solid #2 hitter on any team.  Lind, though, offers more for the fantasy baseball aficionado and is the player that we will be pulling for.

Washington

Leftfield

Ryan Church/Kory Casto

Ryan Church started the 2006 season in AAA for some strange reason, after a very solid rookie year.  He also performed very well after his call-up to Washington, hitting .276/.366/.526 in 196 AB's.  He won't be a 30 home run or 30 steal player, but he will be a solid 5th OF on your fantasy team.

Of course, Church is already being pushed by the Nationals top prospect, Kory Casto, who hit .272/.379/.468 in AA last year. Casto seems to be made out of the same mold as Church with limited power and speed, but with much better on-base skills, which is displayed with his 165 walks over the past 2 years.  Casto has primarily played 3B during his minor league career, but will be moved to the OF with Ryan Zimmerman blocking his path in Washington.  The job is Church's to lose, and I doubt the Nationals will push the envelope here.  Look for Casto to start the year in AAA.

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