After plenty of complaints, from drivers and fans, NASCAR worked hard to eliminate tandem racing. If Saturdays Bud Shootout was any indicator of what is to come, they succeeded. NASCAR said in a recent survey that 80 percent of fans did not like the tandem racing. That number was probably higher with the drivers. Here is what they had to say after the Shootout.

Clint Bowyer – ” The pack racing is back, and that gives the drivers a little more control and adds a lot of excitement for the fans — and that’s the biggest thing: the fans wanted pack racing back and NASCAR listened and delivered.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – “I like this kind of racing better. At least I know what to expect,” he said. “And I feel like I’ve got a better chance with this style than I did last year.”

Tony Stewart – “I actually had fun racing at Daytona again, which I haven’t had for a while. I don’t know what the consensus is from everybody else, but I had more fun as a driver tonight than what we’ve had in the past.”

The Shootout was an awesome race, thanks to the changes. You didn’t have to wait for the end of the race for things to get exciting. It took all of nine laps to have a nine car pile up. With only a couple laps left Jeff Gordon made the ESPN highlight reel, but not how he would have liked. Gordon ran into Kyle Busch and ended up climbing out of his upside down car unhurt. Busch managed to escape disaster for the second time and win the race by .013 seconds. The closest Shootout finish in history. Hopefully the 500 will be just as exciting.

There were plenty of other changes made during their off season. Many teams changed drivers, crew chiefs, or both. Some of the bigger name drivers on new teams include Kurt Busch(#51 Phoenix Racing), Kasey Kahne(#5 Hendrick Motorsports), Clint Bowyer(#15 Michael Waltrip Racing), and Mark Martin(#55 Michael Waltrip Racing).

A name you will hear a lot also made a change. Danica Patrick made the switch to Tommy Baldwin/Stewart Haas Racing. Even though she is only running 10 races, she will be mentioned more than any other driver. Strangely, I find that more men, than women, want her to do well. Where’s the girl power? She will have a shot at winning, as Trevor Bayne proved last year. Bayne won last year, at the ripe old age of twenty years and one day.

Many fans will be pulling for Mark Martin to win his first Daytona 500. It could be his last chance. Whoever wins it will definitely change their life. Winners of the Daytona 500 are rarely forgotten. Many great will never live down not winning this race. Just ask Rusty Wallace.

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The Washington Capitals continue their road-trip in Ottowa tonight. Mike Green is 2 games removed from his return to the ice and has his ice-time back up in the 20 minute range. A win would put the Capitals back into the playoffs, ahead of Winnipeg and Florida.

Tiger Woods (and other golfers) takes the course today in the Accenture Match Play Championship. Tiger is a #5 seed, taking on #12 Gonzalo Fdez-Castano. They tee off at 12:35 on the Golf Channel.

The Celtics and Thunder do battle on ESPN at 9:00. Rajon Rondo will serve the second of his 2 game suspension, tonight, for throwing the ball at an official.

The Lakers and Mavericks follow the Celtics/Thunder game at 9:30 on ESPN. The Lakers are 5-11 on the road.

Kansas State beat Missouri last night, for the second time this season, 78-68.

Seton Hall upset Georgetown 73-55 to put themselves into serious consideration for the Big Dance.

The BCS is considering moving the National Championship to an earlier date. This is their main priority over a possible playoff.

Stephen A. Smith’s big word of the day: Bloviating.

Lin is in the news for “standing up” for Kris Humphries, who was repeatedly booed in Madison Square Garden. Lin said he didn’t know why Humphries was booed, but that he was a “nice guy” that didn’t deserve it. Lin probably didn’t watch the Kardashian show, where Humphries repeatedly made gay slurs and homophobic remarks toward Kim Kardashian’s best friend.

The Virginia Tech Hokies host the Virginia Cavaliers at 9:00 tonight on ESPNU. A win would give the Hokies 2 wins over a top 25 Virginia team, 1 game closer to an 8-8 record in the ACC, and 1 game closer to inevitably the only way the Hokies can make the dance – by winning every game for the rest of the season.

Derrick Rose returned to action and was as explosive as ever, scoring 23 points and adding 6 assists. The Bulls won 90-79. Tracy McGrady received 22 minutes on the court after complaining about playing time. He had 6 points and 5 boards.

The Celtics were atrocious without play-maker Rajon Rondo, who served the first game of a 2-game suspension for throwing the ball at a referee while the Mavericks dominated Boston 89-73.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 31 apiece en route to a 101-93 victory over the Hornets.

San Antonio has won 11 in a row.

The Lakers held a player meeting last night after they dominated Portland. They wanted to put coaching problems and trade rumors behind them and focus on the 14 guys in the locker room. I thought NBA players cared about the person in the mirror.

The Capitals were embarrassed by the Hurricanes last night 6-0. Vokoun allowed 2 goals on 7 shots and seemed sluggish in net as did Neuvirth, who replaced him.

The Pittsburgh Penguins battle the conference leading New York Rangers tonight in Pittsburgh.

Blackmon is by far the best wide receiver in this years group, no if’s, and’s or but’s about it.  The Junior wideout racked up a mere 121 catches for 1522 yards and 18 touchdowns for a team that had a legitimate shot to play for a national championship.  Blackmon does it all.  He works well in space, has tremendous after the catch ability,  hands to parallel any receiver at the college level, above average blocking ability and the work ethic to make who ever drafts him extremely happy with their selection.  Blackmon may not be quite on the level Calvin Johnson was upon entering the draft, but I promise you he is not far behind.  I would not be surprised to see him selected as high as number two.  Matter of a fact the only thing that would surprise would be Blackmon sliding out of the top 5.  Blackmon carries himself with a great confidence but is not foolish about it (like a certain former teammate, cough, cough… Dez Bryant).  Blackmon is a potential top tier receiver at the next level and will most certainly make some lucky quarterback very happy when his name is called on draft day.

2) Michael Floyd – Notre Dame – 6′3″ – 224 lbs.

Floyd has had his share of off the field issues, all seemingly to do with his love of the bottle, but it looked as though the suspension after his junior season was the wake up call he needed.  Floyd’s talents have never been in question, the senior accounted for 1147 yards on 100 catches and added 9 touchdowns.  All those stats were piled up with extremely inconsistant quarterback play.  Floyd’s biggest positive has to be his hands, they may be on level with Blackmon… maybe better.  He also has prototypical size for the NFL and combines that with amazing control of his body, both while adjusting to the ball and after the catch.  Floyd will not turn heads with his 40 yard dash times, but I promise you the man has football speed.  If Floyd has put his alcohol concerns behind him he will succeed at the next level, though his draft positioning could vary depending on how NFL front offices see his progress.  I see him lasting no longer than pick 20 even with his baggage.

3) Alshon Jeffery – South Carolina – 6′4″ – 229 lbs.

Jeffery is a true wild card.  After a tremendous sophmore season (88 catches, 1517 yards, 9 touchdowns) Jeffery’s production dropped considerably during his junior campaign.  The former Gamecock notched 49 catches for 762 yards and 8 touchdowns for a team that not only had to deal with losing all-world running back Marcus Lattimore but also the tornado of terrible life decisions that was Stephen Garcia.  Jeffery did save his best for last, a tremendous game against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl… of course his 4 catches for 148 yards was accomplished in the first half as he was ejected for fighting with another fringe first rounder (Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard).  Jeffery has amazing size at 6′4″ but his listed weight of 229 lbs. is probably a little generous.  If he can cut a little weight and gain a little explosion in his step he could very well end up being a late first round/early second round steal.  He could also end up like former USC Trojan WR Mike Williams and eat his way out of the league.  Teams will be keeping a very watchful eye on Mr. Jeffery’s workouts at the combine. 

4) Kendall Wright – Baylor – 5′ 10″ – 190 lbs.

Wright is electric with the ball in his hands.  The speedster racked up 108 catches for 1663 yards and 14 touchdowns while catching passes from Heisman Trophy winner RGIII.  Wright has no problem getting past college secondaries and has the speed and agility to do so at the next level as well.  He may be on the little side but makes up for his lack of height by running precise routes and grabbing just about everything thrown in his general direction.  Don’t be surprised if Wright is a major factor in the return game, especially early on in his career as his game changing speed makes him an extremely attractive special teams option for most teams at the NFL level.  Wright will also be dangerous in the running game a la Percy Harvin.  Expect Wright to come off the board in the latter half of round one on the high side but no later than mid round two.

5) Mohamed Sanu – Rutgers – 6′2″ – 215 lbs.

Sanu battled injury concerns early in his career but put together a fantastic junior campaign.  The former Scarlet Knight caught 115 balls for 1206 yards and 7 scores.  Sanu shows great instincts after the catch and has above average hands and route running ability.  Sanu could by all means blossom into a legit number one guy at the NFL level, though health will be a concern for most teams.  While not a burner like the aforementioned Wright, Sanu does have good burst and takes advantage of his skill as a route runner.  He should make a fantastic number two right out of the gate.  Look for Sanu to come off the board somewhere in the mid to late second round.  He may not be the weapon former Rutgers wideout Kenny Britt has the potential to be but Sanu should be an extremely solid professional.

The next five, plus a few (worth a late look see…) – Dwight Jones/North Carolina, Reuben Randle/LSU, Stephen Hill/Georgia Tech, Ryan Browles/Oklahoma, Jeff Fuller/Texas A&M, Nick Toon/Wisconsin, Jarrett Boykin/Virginia Tech, Tommy Streeter/Miami, Marvin McNutt/Iowa

Is Spring Training not the most interesting and exciting part of the MLB season? Fantasy drafts, galore, and the hopes of what “could be” light the skies of my February nights. I, an Orioles fan, have about 2 months to be excited and hopeful for the 2012 baseball season until my hopes and dreams are shattered by an 0-16 start. The Orioles have traded away their only solid pitcher, Jeremy Guthrie, and have acquired ample starting pitchers with a question mark beside their name. Their line-up is underrated because of the horrific pitching numbers, but I digress.

MLB is trying to expand the postseason to 10 teams. But, still, 10 out of 30 teams in the postseason is the least of any major professional sport. Your favorite baseball team is half as likely as any NBA or NHL team to make the playoffs. Your baseball team could be 10 games out of the playoffs just 1/4 through the season. That said, Spring Training, when your team is 0-0 with a refined/rebuilt roster, all of the hope in the world sits in your heart. The Baltimore Orioles are tied for first for 2 more months. Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta, and Brian Matusz are possible all-stars for 2 more months. Is Spring Training not the most exciting part of the MLB season?

I’ve got 3 ESPN accounts and a Yahoo account in which I’m allowed 10 fantasy baseball teams, each. I will spend over 40 hours of my life over the next 2 months analyzing and drafting players for my 40 fantasy teams. I will try multiple strategies for auction and snake drafts in Rotisserie and H2H leagues to prepare for my first year of Fantasy Baseball for money. I will probably spend more time on fantasy baseball than actually watching games (mostly because my girlfriend won’t let me watch 162 games). But, the drafting and analyzing will still be more exciting than the actual season. Is Spring Training not the most exciting part of the MLB season?

I’m an O’s fan. Til’ death do us part. The fight for a .500 season will last for 2 weeks. So, isn’t Spring Training, where I can hope and pray for change, the most exciting part of the MLB season? It’s draft time, my friends!

The Miami Heat have won 6 in a row, extending their streak yesterday while hosting Orlando. The Heat shot 47.5% from the field in a 90-78 victory. In an attempt to block a shot, LeBron fell into two court-side-sitting children. He made them cry. What a douche.

The San Antonio Spurs have quietly won 10 in a row. Linsanity has overshadowed the Spurs’ run.

The Washington Capitals are trying their best to miss the playoffs. They have had ample opportunities to climb the standings, but have blown games on the road to inadequate teams. The Caps head to Carolina to continue a 4 game road-trip. A win would vault them from 10th to 3rd in the standings, passing division foes Winnipeg and Florida.

You get some day NBA and NHL. The Hawks take on the Bulls at 4:00 on ESPN and the Senators take the ice in New York against the Islanders at 1:00.

Baseball is near!

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Richardson is by far the top back in this years class.  He is the rare running back that is worth a top ten selection.  Richardson led the national champs with 1679 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground while adding 29 catches for 338 yards and another 3 TD’s through the air.  Richardson is a complete back, a tremendously explosive back who is much faster in pads than he will seem while running his 40 at the combine.  A fantastic blocker both in the passing game as well as in the open field, Richardson will make a prototypical three down back at the next level.  Richardson has much less wear and tear on his legs than most backs entering the draft after their junior season due to his backing up former Heisman Trophy winner and current New Orleans Saint, Mark Ingram.  In my opinion, Richardson will make a much better pro than his former Tide running mate.

2) David Wilson – Virginia Tech – 5′10″ 205 lbs.

Call me a homer if you want, but I see Wilson and Lamar Miller from Miami as a coin toss between two and three on this list.  I give Wilson the edge for his game changing speed and freakish balance.  Wilson is a physical specimen who like Richardson has less wear and tear on his body due to a back up/kick returning role his first two seasons at Tech.  The ACC Player of the year led the Hokies with 1709 yards on 290 carries and picked up 9 touchdowns on the ground.  The junior back also picked up 129 yards on 22 catches and another score through the air.  Wilson’s TD numbers were greatly affected by the presence of Quarterback and goal-line back Logan Thomas this season.  Wilson’s one true fault is ball security.  If the former Hokie can clean up his habit of putting the ball on the ground whichever team selects him could be looking at a Tiki Barber type back at the NFL level.  Wilson is a tad undersized at 205 lbs but has room to add size and has a running style which seems to help him avoid the big hits some backs take with regularity.  Wilson is a fringe first rounder who most likely will follow former teammate Ryan Williams with an entrance to the NFL in the early to mid second round area.

3) Lamar Miller – Miami – 5′11″ – 212 lbs.

Miller is listed as a bigger back than the aforementioned Wilson but is basically the same package size wise.  The former Hurricane is no where near as shifty as Wilson of Richardson but his approach to picking up yards is still very effective.  The redshirt sophomoreled the Hurricanes with 1272 yards on the ground and 9 touchdowns.  He also added 19 catches.  Miller achieved all of this while dealing with extremely inconsistant Quarterback play all year.  Miller does have deceptive football speed and has the potetial of scoring everytime he gets his hands on the ball.  He is a potential three down back once he refines his blocking skills.  Miller is, like Wilson, a fringe first-rounder who should be gone no later than the end of round two.

4) Doug Martin – Boise State – 5′9″ – 215 lbs.

This is the point on the list where the disagreements will begin to take place.  Martin is a compact, well built runner in the Maurice Jones-Drew mold.  The senior back picked up 1299 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground for the Broncos.  Martin missed Boise St.’s only loss of the season versus TCU.  Martin is a staight ahead though the tackles type of runner who plays much bigger than his stature.  Potentially a three down back at the next level, Martin is a good blocker who has very reliable hands.  He seems to be a pre-draft riser as teams are loving his potenital as a kick returner also.  Martin averaged 34 yards a return last season.  Martin could excel early as part of a tandem but with a little refining could eventually move into feature back territory with his plus cutting ability and powerful yet deceptive speed.

5) LaMichael James – Oregon – 5′9″ 185 lbs.

James is slight.  He is tiny.  Can he hold up to the beating of an NFL schedule?  As a full time back I would say no, but as a change of pace back his potenital is limitless.  Think a much more aggressive Leon Washington.  James runs with authority, is extremely shifty and has that “extra gear” the NFL scouts love.  The former Duck ran for 1805 yards and 18 touchdowns is what was his swan song season with Oregon.  James was a super productive college back, racking up over 5000 yards and scoring 53 TD’s.  In my opinion James has no chance of being a everydown back, his build is not conducive to taking the pounding a full time NFL running back has to take.  If a team can pair him with a powerhouse/grinder type back they may have quite a wildcard on their hands.  James may end up returning kicks at the next level due to his explosiveness and rare top end speed.  James is at best a late second rounder but could easily slide in to the fifth round range.

Next five (worth a late look-see) – Chris Polk/Washington, Bernard Pierce/Temple, Cyrus Gray/Texas A&M, Ronny Hillman/San Diego State, Chris Rainey/Florida

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5 TCU players failed a February drug test. Christian University, huh? Should the NCAA forgive them if they say 5 “Hail Mary’s?”

Lebron James told reporters that he would not rule out returning to the Cavaliers. Don’t put any stock into that. He’s just trying not to make more enemies. So, when you see ESPN advertising “LeBron says he could see himself returning to the Cavaliers,” shake your head. The Cavs host the Heat tonight.

Tim Tebow is working out at UCLA on his throwing mechanics. SportScience suggests that it takes 10,000 repetitions to change your muscle memory.

Michael Jordan is on pace to be the worst GM in NBA history. I’m not surprised. He wasn’t that good of a player, either.

Kobe and the Lakers host the Suns tonight on ESPN at 10:30. Kobe still leads the league in PPG and the Lakers boast a 12-2 home record.

The Capitals take on the Panthers in Florida tonight at 7:30. The Capitals are 4 points back from the division leading Panthers and need a victory to tie Toronto for the last spot in the playoffs. Washington has been teetering on the playoff bubble for months.

Tim Wakefield will retire after 19 seasons.

The Virginia Tech Hokies blew a 9 point league with 1:20 left on the clock at Florida State last night.

NC State blew a 9 point lead with 5 minutes left at Duke as well.

The New York Yankees unloaded A.J. Burnett after shopping him around all off-season. The Yankees will get 2 prospects. The Yankees will eat 2/3 of Burnett’s salary. But, money ain’t no thang.

I have had two 9-game win streaks on ESPN’s “Streak for the Cash” this month.

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Remember when the 2011 college football season was about to begin and Luck was the no-brainer Heisman Trophy winner and eventual number one pick in the upcoming draft?  Well one out of two isn’t bad.  RGIII may have swayed the Heisman voters with his ridiculous, video game style season but Luck is still the top Quarterback and top player in this years selection show.  The only thing the Stanford product did to hurt his chances of being taken at the top was giving NFL exec’s extra time to attempt to find flaws in his game.  In his redshirt Junior season Luck never skipped a beat, throwing for 3517 yards to go with 37 TD’s and 10 interceptions (at least 3 of those picks were a result of a tipped or dropped ball).  Luck is one of the most accurate passers I’ve personally seen at the college level, completing over 70% of his passes for the second consecutive season.  Did I mention that his number one receiver and number one tight end missed significant time this season?  Didn’t seem to matter.  Luck has the intangibles, moxy, smarts, athleticism (he rushed for 200+ yards and a couple scores and even caught a pass) and most importantly command and respect in the huddle.  Luck has learned and excelled in a pro-style offense under the tutelage of current San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.  The only knock on the kid seems to be that he doesn’t have an absolute cannon for an arm.  Trust me, Luck’s arm is excellent, I’m just reaching to find something close to a fault.  He can make every throw.  He’s confident in his ability but humble as a man, the kind of attributes that teammates love.  Luck will walk into Indy, start immediately and most likely continue to do so for the next decade.  He is the closest thing to a can’t miss QB the league has seen since the man he is bound to replace, Peyton Manning, entered the league.

2) Robert Griffin III – Baylor – 6′2″ 220 lbs

Griffin III stormed onto the major player scene this season.  He had always been an exciting athlete but in his redshirt junior season seemed to put all of the pieces together.  Griffin threw for 4293 yards to go with 37 TD’s and 7 INT’s.  The Baylor product completed 72.4% of his passes attempted.  His ability to make plays outside of the pocket is tremendous (699 yards on the ground and 10 rushing touchdowns) but what Griffin showed the NFL this season is that he is a QB first, a guy willing to stand in the pocket and make the correct read.  Griffin, like Luck, has incredible intangibles.  His leadership and moxy are undeniable.  His athleticism is second to none and his knowledge of the game and willingness to continually shape his craft have scouts at the next level drooling.  Griffin III started this season as a mid round prospect most likely better served to spend his senior season at Baylor getting better and stronger.  That is why they play the games sports fans.  Griffin is by far the number two guy in the draft and his upside could actually be better than Luck’s.  Don’t expect Griffin to slide past pick number two with teams like Cleveland, Miami, and Washington jockeying for postion to move up and grab the former Bear.

3) Ryan Tannehill – Texas A&M – 6′4″ 222 lbs.

Tannehill is the Jake Locker or Christian Ponder of this years draft.  He’s the kind of guy that should probably be a second or third rounder but will go much higher than anyone initially anticipated, potentially in the top 15.  Tannehill started his Aggie career at Wide Receiver after losing the QB battle to two upperclassmen during his first college preseason.  No worries.  All he did was set single game freshman records with 12 catches and 210 yards receiving.  He finished the season with 844 yards and 11 TD’s.  He was the team leader in receptions the following season with 46.  In 2010 he began to see some action at QB and the rest, as they say, is history.  Tannehill became the Aggies number one guy to start the 2011 season.  He threw for 3744 yards and posted 29 TD’s against 15 picks.  Tannehill is not the most accurate passer, though he did surpass 60% for the season.  His decision making is questionable at best sometimes.  He’s the type of passer who will in one moment make one of the best throws you’ve ever seen only to throw into triple coverage on the next play.  A lot of this can be attributed to a lack of time behind center.  His arm strength is evident but that sometimes leads him down the wrong path, a la Brett Favre.  He needs to learn patience.  The team that selects Tannehill would be better served to let him hold a clipboard for a year or two and work with a quality QB coach on the little things such as footwork and progressions.  Tannehill has plenty of work to do before coming a competant starter at the NFL level but the talent is obvious.  If drafted into the right situation with the right coaching, Tannehill could end up being quite a steal.

4) Brock Osweiler – Arizona State – 6′8″ 240 lbs.

Osweiler is a mountain of a man at 6′8″.  He has plenty of room on that frame to add to his 240 lbs. without looking ridiculous either.  The junior put up good numbers in the Pac-12 throwing for 4036 yards to go with 26 TD’s and 13 picks.  Osweiler may have been better served to stay at ASU for another season to work on the holes in his game but with Matt Barkley of USC and Landry Jones of Oklahoma returning to school Osweiler saw an opportunity to be a mid round guy (perhaps higher if some desperate team falls in love with his arm) and decided to jump.  Accuracy is an issue for the big man as evidenced by his somewhat paltry 63% completion rate over his career.  Osweiler also has a tendency to force things when the game isn’t following the way he would’ve liked.  Osweiler is a project but you can’t teach size and arm strength.  Some team will jump at the chance to select him with the idea that in a year or two he could be the man.  I’m not totally convinced of that summation but in a year where the QB position is not a strong as it could be you never know.

5) Brandon Weeden – Oklahoma State – 6′4″ 218 lbs.

The biggest knock on Weeden is his age.  At 28, the former Cowboy should have a few years of pro experience under his belt, instead he will be a rookie in a league where most don’t have a career long into their 30’s.  Weeden has a good excuse for his late start as he played minor league baseball for a few years after high school.  He is a professional and he has learned the hard lesson of not succeeding at the highest level of sports.  Weeden threw for 4727 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior.  He threw 13 picks but completed nearly 70% of his throws.  Weeden is the type of guy who commands the respect of his huddle.  Teammates want to play for him.  His decision making is sometimes suspect as he allows his arm strength to override common sense but if he takes time to set his feet and make his reads Weeden is capable of making most of the NFL type throws.  If Weeden were 23, he’d be a borderline first rounder.  I see Wheedon as a better Chris Weinke, the kind of guy who could start right away due to his maturity but is probably not the franchise type passer a team can rely on for years to come.

Honorable mention (well worth a late look-see) – Nick Foles – Arizona Wildcats, Kirk Cousins – Michigan State, Kellen Moore – Boise State, Case Keenum – Houston, Ryan Lindley – San Diego State

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1) Mike Napoli (TEX) – Napoli had a breakout season last year, jacking 30 home-runs in only 369 at-bats. Increased playing time with Catcher and 1st Base eligibility makes him our #1.

2) Alex Avila (DET) – Avila led qualified Catchers in Slugging Percentage and On-Base Percentage last season. Victor Martinez’s season-ending injury ensures 450+ at-bats again for Avila. At only 25 years old, this could be AA’s break-out year.

3) Carlos Santana (CLE) – Catcher is not the first position that you’ll be looking for average, so don’t let Santana’s .239 average deter you from taking him. He hit 27 home-runs and added 97 walks last year. His ability to get on base put him in the lead in runs scored for Catchers last year.

4) Matt Wieters (BAL) – Wieters is an every-day-but-Sunday Catcher and hits with decent pop and a good average. He’s capable of hovering around the .300 mark, but playing in the AL East for a non-contender doesn’t raise morale. The Orioles will have a sneaky-powerful line-up this season and Wieters will be able to focus more on contact than hitting it out of the park.

5) J.P. Arencibia (TOR) – Jonathan Paul recorded 40 RBI and 11 home runs after the All-Star break during his Rookie Season. His batting average is low, at .219, and he doesn’t walk much, but his power is worth taking a big chance on.

6) Buster Posey (SF) – Posey’s ugly injury to his left leg has had plenty of time to heal. The injury derailed what was supposed to be a promising sophomore season for Buster, but you should be able to get a .275 average and 75+ RBI from him in 2012.

7) Joe Mauer (MIN) – Mauer’s health is said to be improved, after he seemed to have 1,000 different sicknesses last season and he lost a lot of weight. Mauer’s weight is back up and his power should be back. His average has never been a problem, but the question is whether he has his strength back or not.

Brian McCann (ATL) – McCann slumped after the All-Star break last year and had his fewest at-bats since 2006. If you’re looking for a SURE “pretty good” performance at Catcher, you can go with McCann. He’s not going to blow other catchers out of the water, but he’ll consistently put up 20 HR’s, 75 RBI, and hit around .270.

9) Yadier Molina (STL) – Molina had career highs last season in all of the 5 important fantasy categories. His numbers will drop slightly, but he’s played in over 100 games in every season since 2004 (his rookie season). You can count on him staying off your DL and giving you decent Catcher numbers.

10) Miguel Montero (ARI) – Montero posted career highs in HR’s and RBI last year, and his up-rise should continue.

11) Kurt Suzuki (OAK) – Suzuki’s batting average and RBI dropped last year, but he should return to the .275 and 70+ RBI guy of a few years ago.

12) Wilson Ramos (WAS) – Ramos is young and hit for a decent .267 average. He is capable of 20+ home runs if given the at-bats.

13) Russel Martin (NYY) – The Yankees are going to score a lot of runs and there’s little pressure on Martin to hit .300 with 100 walks. He can swing for the fences all he wants and, playing in Yankee Stadium, you can count on the ball to soar off the bat. Look for a low average, but plenty of power, from Martin. With Posada and Montero gone, he only has Cervelli to take playing time away from him.

14) Salvador Perez (KC) – Perez is my sleeper pick at Catcher. At 21 years old, Perez hit .331 in 39 games and added 21 RBI.

15) Carlos Ruiz (PHI) – You always have to like a guy in the Phillies line-up, but Ruiz has no power. He hit .283 last year, but only hit 6 balls over the fence and batted in only 40 runners. The RBI should increase, but don’t look for many HR’s.

16) Miguel Oliv0 (SEA) – Olivo is like Martin or Santana, but with more strike-outs and less walks. He’s going to give you decent power and RBI, but don’t count on any runs or average.

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