AL OF

Yankees: Hideki Matsui/Johnny Damon/Gary Sheffield
Red Sox: Manny Ramirez/Coco Crisp/Trot Nixon
Blue Jays: Frank Catalanotto/Vernon Wells/Alexis Rios
Devil Rays: Carl Crawford/Rocco Baldelli/Aubrey Huff
Orioles: Luis Matos/Corey Patterson/Jay Gibbons

White Sox: Scott Podsednick/Brian Anderson/Jermaine Dye
Twins: Shannon Stewart/Torii Hunter/Lew Ford
Indians: Jason Michaels/Grady Sizemore/Casey Blake
Tigers: Craig Monroe/Curtis Granderson/Magglio Ordonez
Royals: Reggie Sanders/David DeJesus/Emil Brown

Angels: Garret Anderson/Darin Erstad/Vlad Guerrero
A’s: Jay Payton/Mark Kotsay/Milton Bradley
Rangers: Kevin Mench/Dave Dellucci/Brad Wilkerson
Mariners: Raul Ibanez/Jeremy Reed/Ichiro Suzuki


The outfield offers the most viable fantasy options. In a 12-team league, each one should average at least 3 players who are everyday starters regardless of Roto ability.

Those teams determined to win must focus on landing 4th and 5th outfielders that will positively contribute. Generally, I look for outfielders that are in platoons or with double digit potential in HR.

Bubba Crosby is not that type of outfielder, but Bernie Williams is. Reed Johnson is another although he won’t reach double digits in either HR or SB, but he will get to the mid-single digits in both, drive in 50+ runs and hit .270 or so.

The most coveted back-up OF will be Tampa Bay’s Joey Gaithwright. His 50+ SB potential is too much to overlook. My take on his draft day value is here.

The Twins’ Michael Cuddyer looks like an excellent 4th OF for a Roto squad. He’s got decent hitting skills and will qualify at 3B, CR and OF to open the season. His ABs, along with Lew Ford’s, are at risk if Jason Kubel is healthy. If Kubel starts in the minors, I am less concerned because the Twins have not shown the proclivity to give rookies full-time breaks right away.

The Tigers have a glut of viable starting players. In addition to the three listed starters, Nook Logan and Dmitri Young also qualify in the OF. Add in Carlos Pena, and the picture emerges of a team that will make a trade or two in the Spring or early in the season. Whatever remains should be very solid for the year.

The Royals have Matt Stairs, Chip Ambres and Aaron Guiel on the bench. Stairs is always good for double digit HRs in limited ABs. He hits from the left side, too. This makes him a favorite of mine for those end-of-the draft dollars. Ambres finally flashed some skills that made him a 2002 minor league draftee in one of my NL-only leagues. His combination of speed and power along with a generally weak/injury-prone OF make him a very deep sleeper. (Sorry, Emil, but being the best OF on a team says a lot about the quality of the players.)

The Rangers have Gary Matthews, Jr. on the bench along with double shoulder surgery Lance Nix. Matthews is the safest pick as Buck has shown a love for him rivaled only by Torre’s love for Bernie Williams! But if Matthews repeats his 17 HR/9 SB 2005, then his owner would have a top 4/5 OF. Color me skeptical though. His performance has been the definition of erratic. Want HRs? 2001, 2004 and 2005. Want SB? 2002 and 2003. Want AVG? 2002 and 2004. Want all three? From a 32-year-old, it won’t happen.

The A’s have a glut with the signing of Frank Thomas and the crunch it puts on the ABs of Dan Johnson and Nick Swisher. If there is no trade and Swisher doesn’t remain in the OF, then the top bench player will be Bobby Kielty, who did quite well last season – if judged as a 4th or 5th OF on a Roto squad. 12/50 is what 300+ ABs gets your team.

Overall, the ability to land contributing 4th and 5th OF will determine your team’s success. Think who had Dellucci last season. Where did his team finish? (In my AL-only, it was 1st!)