With keepers Carlos Beltran, Gary Sheffield, and Aramis Ramirez, along with carryover rookie Victor Martinez, this team is gonna score a lot of runs, and knock even more in. Having Paul Konerko and Mike Sweeney doubling as 1B and IF is quite a luxury, one that virtually any team would kill to have. The middle infield would be seen as the weakest part of this offense, but Kazuo Matsui could very well make the adjustment this season and D'Angelo Jimenez is still getting better in a Red offense who should score a lot of runs. Having Omar Infante who can play all over the infield was a wise acquisition, as he is nearly all the depth this team may need.

Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke, and Rich Harden are the holdovers from last season's pitching staff and are the clear leaders in this bunch. Jake Westbrook and Bobby Madritsch will be hard pressed to duplicate last year's success, but anything near last year's numbers would be welcomed by the Hitmen fans. Kris Benson and Adam Eaton should provide solid options who won't be difference makers in most matchups, but will keep them in contention every week. Aquino may be a bottom-tier closer, but as long as he keeps the job and stays healthy, he'll pair with Foulke to provide enough saves to get by on.

The Jedis enter 2005 with the best infield in the game, headlined by keepers Alfonso Soriano and Alex Rodriguez, who were joined in February and March by Albert Pujols and Michael Young in mid-draft trades. The team went bargain shopping for its outfield and for now, it looks to have unearthed a few gems. Steve Finley, Torii Hunter, and Reggie Sanders headline a solid, consistent group. Wily Mo Pena could be a big contributor if given an opportunity, but his spring struggled have moved him down the depth chart behind Jason Lane for the DH spot for now. With all of the talent the infield possesses, this team has very a strong argument for the best offense in the game.

The Jedis kept Roy Oswalt, Joe Nathan, and Carlos Zambrano this offseason, indeed a very strong three to have. The problem lies after them, as only the recently acquired Matt Clement is a force to be reckoned with. Nathan is the team's only closer, and can only save so many games. The injury to Steve Trachsel robs the team of the only other dependable pitcher on the staff for at least 3 months. Daniel Cabrera, Erik Bedard, and Jose Capellan look to live up to their potential, but that can be a great deal of pressure on a young hurler. The staff could use some tinkering, and perhaps if/when Wily Mo Pena becomes a factor the team will have a piece it can use to bring in another quality arm, thus making it a much more complete ballclub.

The offensive keepers coming into the season were Miguel Tejada, Eric Chavez, and Barry Bonds. Tejada (along with a pick used on Wade Miller) being the return payment from the Alex Rodriguez offseason trade- another in the long list of Londberg's offseason deals to acquire extra bodies with slightly lesser talent in the hopes of remaining competitive each and every year. Youngsters John Buck and Clint Barmes are holdovers from last season's farm, and the organization is hoping one or both players can play well enough to keep the offense running smoothly. The offensive side of the roster is abundant with underachievers and players coming off of injury- a formula that could pay off large or be completely devastating. Jason Giambi, Pat Burrell, and Dmitri Young are three players who the team is relying on heavily, each of which dealt with a major injury or inconsistency issue last season. With Barry Bonds' knee acting up already, the team could already be scouting outside sources in an attempt to field a full lineup on Opening Day. The Big Stix offensive bench is clearly the shallowest in the league, with Michael Cuddyer doubling as platoon 2nd baseman and backup at every other position but shortstop and catcher.

Update: after the initial publish of this article, the Big Stix traded for Jorge Posada and Corey Koskie, giving up Chad Cordero and Matt Morris.

The pitching staff is ripe with players who can dominate when they're on their game, but as was with the offensive players, most of them are coming off of poor 2004 campaigns. Mark Prior, the young ace of the staff, is again having elbow troubles. Remember, he was sidelined for much of 2004 with arm and achilles' problems, and he was only a slightly above average pitcher during the times he was on the field last year. Randy Johnson is a year older and has moved to the Big Apple- so it's uncertain as to what type of year he'll have. More wins, but the offenses in the AL are considerably stronger and he doesn't get to face the pitcher two or three times a game, so who knows. The team carries big names Matt Morris, Kip Wells, Wade Miller, and Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and hopes that these four can be the dominant pitches they've shown they can be throughout their respective careers. The bullpen may be the strongest in the league, led by Eric Gagne; while it is three mediocre closers following the goggled one, they are one of only two FLB teams to boast four firemen. 

The organization has shown marked improvement over last season's Opening Day lineup, with keepers Beltre, Ortiz, and Ramirez they're sure to knock many out of the park. Speedsters Lugo and Womack ensure the former Shockers will have a balanced attack across all 5 categories. The team has an unproven IF in Garrett Atkins, but virtually anyone can hit in Coors- look at Vinny Castilla. Frank Thomas is the leading DH candidate, though he's coming off ankle surgery and it's unknown when he'll be ready to step into an everyday role. All in all, this offense shows promise and should be very solid, if not spectacular.

The team kept budding star Ben Sheets, Livan Hernandez, and Fartolo Colon...yes, Fartolo. Three workhorses, but the latter two have proved to be on-again, off-again several times in their career. With only one closer in Jose Mesa and a few setup men, saves may prove hard to come by early in the season. The hope is that the "next in line" pitchers he owns step into a more prominent role- as so many do during a 162 game season. Youngsters Noah Lowry and Nate Robertson were key waiver-wire pickups last season, and the team hopes they can improve in their second season with major league hitters. Bronson Arroyo and John Lackey are two the organization needs to get big things from, as the starting rotation is going have to carry this staff.

Les Expos brought back the big bats Jim Thome, Lance Berkman, and Hank Blalock. With a triumvirate like that, the Expos were able to jump on Luis Gonzalez and Preston Wilson, two players coming off of major injuries but who could return in a big way in 2005. Berkman's ACL injury may get this team off to a slow start, as Shannon Stewart and Coco Crisp aren't exactly ideal every fantasy outfielders, but come playoff time this offense should be in full swing. The team could use an upgrade at shortstop over cult hero David Eckstein, but aside from that its a pretty strong bunch.

When pitching comes into play, this team can definitely get it done. Returning Mark Mulder, Freddy Garcia, Billy Wagner, and Cliff Lee (traded) and trading picks for Jason Isringhausen and Odalis Perez early in the draft gave this ballclub a very solid top 5 arms. The drafting of Everyday Eddie Guardado possibly makes this 3-headed bullpen monster the strongest quality-wise in the league today. The additions of Ted Lilly, Jon Lieber, and Kevin Millwood give these Expos one of the better staffs anywhere. A return trip to the playoffs isn't at all out of the question.

The Highlifes brought back Melvin Mora and Hideki Matsui from last year's team, and is expecting big things in the first full seasons from uber-prospects Joe Mauer and David Wright. First base is the only really questionmark with this offense, having the enigmatic Nick Johnson and Shea Hillenbrand as the only options to cover the spot. Garrett Anderson, Bernie Williams, and Cliff Floyd are a strong three to have when healthy, but each of them has struggled with injuries in the past few season. If the players come to play and Johnson fulfills his potential, this offense has the ability to put some real numbers on the board. The team lacks even an average stolen base threat, but the hope is that they'll hit enough homeruns so the player can jog around the bases.

The keepers were weighted on the pitching end in Bedford Hills, and here we have arguably the best trio of starting pitchers in the league today. Tim Hudson, Oliver Perez, and Kerry Wood are the aces for this staff, and would be the lone ace on arguably half of the teams in the league, if not more. With the team adding Andy Pettitte and Dontrelle Willis to the aforementioned rotation, the pitching numbers could be downright scary as long as everyone is healthy.  Another closer could help this bunch, as it only has Mariano Rivera to count on for saves unless Jorge Julio goes somewhere and is handed the reigns. The team has a few injury risks, but since that's status quo for the league, we expect them to be competitive this season and finish strong.

The offense returned Richie Sexson, Marcus Giles, carryover rookie Justin Morneau, and the 'Noles also have the luxury of having the league's best shortstop prospect in BJ Upton, assuming he's given a full-time role. Starting from there and building with cogs like Jason Kendall, Casey Blake, and Brad Wilkerson, this team has developed an above average offense that should get better as the season wears on. The team has plenty of speed, but the only question is whether or not it has too much, losing power and RBIs in the process. They lack that bona fide home run threat in the outfield that every other team seems to have.

A lack of power on offense is the only lack of power in this bunch- there are power pitchers aplenty. If the team can get a healthy season out of Roy Halladay and Brad Penny, then it will have one of the best 1-2 punches in the game. With Kelvim Escobar, Mark Buehrle, and David Wells following behind the big guns, this rotation maybe be the best 1 through 5. Having Danny Kolb, Danny Graves, Miguel Batista, and LaTroy Hawkins all closing for their respective teams should lead to some staggering save numbers on a weekly basis. They've got our vote for best pitching staff in the game, the health concerns of their two top guns are rather large concerns, though. If they can manage to keep their guys on the field, the CrimmiNoles should return to the playoffs in '05.

The offensive boasts keepers Ivan Rodriguez and Jose "Hammy" Reyes, filling arguably the two toughest positions to fill, catcher and 2nd base. Another example of a feast or famine offense, this squad has many former all-stars who haven't been able to stay on the field much lately. Magglio Ordonez, Ken Griffey Jr., Larry Walker, and Juan Gonzalez in the same outfield? Amazing- in 1999. If they can get back to 75% of what they were back then, this offense will be one of the better offenses in the league. With such a great amount of risk though, here's hoping Thompson has a horseshoe with a 4-leaf clover hanging from it in his office. Broussard had a great second half and could be the steal of the draft if he can build on last year, and this team desperately needs that out of the first base position.

The pitching staff brought back Jake Peavy, Carl Pavano, CC Sabathia (who was then traded for Joel Pineiro), and a player who could become the best closer in all of baseball, Francisco Rodriguez. Many of the draft picks were spent on upgrading the offense, so only minor changes have taken place during the draft process. Scott Kazmir and Joe Blanton will be depended on to help carry the staff, and they're also hoping to get a comeback year out of Vicente Padilla and Tony Armas. It's not a deep staff, but there is plenty of talent here. Depending on what the team does in free agency, there coule be enough here to get the job done. 

The offense carries two of the league's best hitters in Todd Helton and Ichiro Suzuki, and traded up for the first selection in the draft in order to select Javy Lopez to be its backstop. The offense outside of that appears a bit unspectacular, with the untested Chase Utley, Adam Laroche, and Jeremy Reed occupying everyday roles as well as counting on a rebound season from Trot Nixon and a healthy year from the rusty Aaron Boone.

One look at this team's pitching keepers makes you understand why they can still be competitive with the lack of major offensive talent across the board. Jason Schmidt, Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, and Brad Lidge won many matchups on their own last season, and there's no reason to believe this year will be any different. The additions of Bob Wickman to the bullpen and Brian Lawrence, Doug Davis, and Tomokazu Ohka to the rotation give the team a little more depth than it had during their successful 2004 run. Still, we question the talent on offense, as this team will need virtually everyone to step up in order to be a complete ballclub.

The offense returned Chipper Jones and Sammy Sosa, as well as carryover Lew Ford. The second overall pick in the draft was spent on speedster Jimmy Rollins, who seems to be getting better every year as his position gets more and more shallow. Glaus, Boone, and Klesko look to rebound from sub-par 2004 seasons as does Austin Kearns who carries with him both loads of potential and loads of injuries. The team may be better off starting Corey Koskie at IF and moving Placido Polanco to a reserve role, as Koskie is sure to be the more productive of the two. Rumor also has it Lex is shopping C/1B Mike Piazza for pitching help, but they can probably afford it.

Update: After the initial publishing of this article, the Destroyers acquired Matt Morris and Chad Cordero for Jorge Posada and Corey Koskie.

The kept hurlers include Barry Zito, Jason Isringhauson (traded), Joel Pineiro (traded), and Odalis Perez (also traded) but eventually turned into Barry Zito and a handful of draft picks. The team rolled the dice and took high risk/high reward pitchers in Kevin Brown and Randy Wolf, a couple of players who can dominate when healthy. If their return to their previous form and Wakefield drops his ERA to its 2003 or 2002 level, this staff will be average, if not slightly above. One true closer and some uncertainty at the back end of the staff leaves some to be desired, but holes can and will be filled as the season rolls along. As previously mentioned, a player of Piazza's caliber could add a pitcher to complete this rotation and/or solidify the pen.

The offense began with Adam Dunn, Jose Vidro, Rafael Furcal, Bobby Abreu, Aubrey Huff, and carryover rookie Jason Bay- enough to make any FLB GM envious. The team brought in steady but unspectacular players Ramon Hernandez, Erubiel Durazo, and Mike Cameron to complement the big bats already in TO. Another example of a nearly complete offense, and is it just a coincidence that the two Canadian teams share the honor? Maybe they know more than just hockey, or at least they've refocused their keen hockey senses.

The Assassins went pitching heavy in the draft, and with that brought in a bunch of competitors who'll give them the solid innings and consistency they so lacked for much of last season. The ageless Tom Glavine and future star Jeremy Bonderman headline the staff, followed by Jeff Weaver, Brandon Webb, Gil Meche, and the up-and-coming David Bush. The bullpen is strong yet shallow, home of only Francisco Cordero and Ryan Wagner. A second closer acquisition or the ascension of Ryan Wagner into a closing role will be key to this team's success this season. They've gotten better, and will continue to do so as GM Mike Davis learns the ways of the business; don't be shocked to see them on the fringe of the playoff hunt this season.

The offense returned Carlos Delgado, Derek Jeter (traded-for Troy Percival?!?!?), Scott Rolen (traded for Mike Lowell), and up-and-comer Miguel Cabrera. Angel Berroa was brought in to replace Derek Jeter, and Moises Alou should provide some stability hitting behind a Mr. Bonds. However, Brady Clark and Raul Ibanez and major questionmarks for this team, and the release of Alex Sanchez leaves them without a major stolen base threat for the first time in their history. The team has some major talent but also some major gaps, what they do and/or who steps up to fill these gaps will be the determinant into how well this team does in 2005.

For what the offense lacks the pitching staff just may make up for. While not a deep starting rotation, they return Josh Beckett and Octavio Dotel, acquired AJ Burnett for picks, and selected flamethrower BJ Ryan with their first selection. The team has one of the best pens in the league, if not the best, and if Sabathia, Moyer, and Cliff Lee can step up it will have one of the better pitching staffs from top to bottom.

Mike Lowell (traded for Rolen), Jeff Kent, Travis Hafner, and Khalil Greene are the holdovers from last season's group, emphasizing the importance of filling the infield with offense and finiding cheaper alternatives to man the outfield. Sean Casey and Richard Hidalgo are players looking to play a strong season after having good half seasons last year, and the draft-day acquisition of Derek Jeter for Troy Percival should help this offense show marked improvement. Pedro Feliz is a regular early in the season, and if he can find a place to play all season long it will eliminate this team's need for an everyday DH.

To Heron's and Get Some fans' delight, Roger Clemens decided to return for one last season in an attempt to bring this franchise a championship. Alongside Clemens, they have the oldest group of keepers when combined with Mike Mussina and John Smoltz, who has jumped back into the rotation for as long as his elbow can handle it. The team added Woody Williams and John Thomson so to add players who they know will show up to the park ready to go every 5th day. The team lacks a closer, and is hoping Ugueth Urbina finds a new home and/or Brendan Donnelly somehow gets an opportunity to save some games. They're not going to blow anyone away, but they'll be good enough to stay afloat- just don't be surprised if they come up short of the playoffs again.

The offense carried over Shawn Green, Albert Pujols, Brett Boone, Jorge Posada, and Troy Glaus, but only Green remains on the roster as we close out the 2005 draft. The offense is possibly the most complete of any in the league, but only has one true dependable star in Vladimir Guerrero. Vernon Wells is expected to bounce back this season after fighting through several nagging injuries in 2004, though Carlos Guillen may not be the player his numbers indicate. If Luis Castillo decides to run this year and the stars line up just right, this team could surprise many if it gets any production from its pitching staff.

About that pitching staff....it could use some work. While the Wolverines were tinkering quite a bit through trades during the draft, it still lacks that #1 starter that every great staff needs to carry it. Zack Greinke could be that guy, but he's probably got a year or two before he really dominates, and Jason Marquis was a below average pitcher with the Braves and Leo Mazzone, you have to wonder how much magic he can muster in St. Louis after last year's strong season. The team only holds one closer and a few injury risks in Jaret Wright, Horacio Ramirez, as well as a couple who have seen better days (Sidney Ponson and Esteban Loaiza). If the staff pulls together, this team will definitely be competitive. It could very well happen, but it could just as easily be this team's Achilles' heel.

The team kept from last year Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Teixeira, Michael Young (traded), Corey Patterson, and Carl Crawford. With those four players and the additions of the likes of Chone Figgins and Tadahito Iguchi, this year's Gloves team should once again reign supreme in the stolen base category, as they did last season. The team also carries with it a lot of big bats, though some wonder if two of those bats will produce less now that they're not playing half of their games in the Mile High air (VInny Castilla and Jeromy Burnitz). Either way, this team has a solid offense that is a lock in one category virtually every week, and very few teams can make that claim.

The lone holdover from the staff is Matt Clement, but he too was traded for a trio of arms to help deepen this pitching staff. It's a solid yet unspectacular bunch, without much variance in talent in the top 6 or 7 spots. With that being said, the team's two best pitchers, Brad Radke and Chris Carpenter are coming off of career years and like Burnitz and Castilla, will be hard pressed to repeat their 2004 numbers. The team's lone closer is Shingo Takatsu, as this bunch is relying heavily on starting pitching to get the job done; that is, until they can use one of their many starters to acquire a stopper. The team will be competitive this year, and while they're not being picked 15th as they were to start last season, they're not a sure thing to end the regular season in 2nd place either.

The team returned big sticks Derrek Lee, Edgar Renteria, and Jim Edmonds, and speedster Juan Pierre, as well as the promising carryover rookie Alexis Rios. The promotion of top prospect Dallas McPherson means this offense could be adding yet a real superstar to its arsenal. Brian Roberts, Johnny Estrada, and Lyle Overbay will get the job done, and were sound draft picks taken where they were; each occupying a role that needed to be occupied. A solid offense that will be even better if Rios and McPherson reach their potential earlier than expected.

On the pitching side, they return only Javier Vazquez after trading AJ Burnett for three draft picks to the Marlin lovers in the league. Greg Maddux, Derek Lowe, Jerome Williams, and Jarrod Washburn help to build a solid rotation without a true ace, but enough talent to be good on a consistent basis. A 5 headed bullpen will allow GM Steve Rinehart to employ several different strategies, and while he carries low-end closers, they should save enough games to make this one of the better pens in Fantasy League Baseball. This looks to be another middle of the road team, as so many appear to be in the league, and could finish anywhere for 4th to 12th without much difficulty.