Baseball draft: A few names to avoid

As always, there are plenty of good players to draft in fantasy baseball leagues this year. If you follow a solid drafting game plan, you can load up with great players at the top of the draft and then fill in with solid players throughout the following rounds.

But there are plenty of players to stay away from, and for several reasons. Some are too old, some are injured, and some carry just too much baggage to make it worth drafting them.

For me, the biggest name to avoid is Alfonso Soriano. Sure, he has been a fantasy freak for a few years, but he is going to have a ton of pressure on him after signing a huge deal with the Chicago Cubs. Playing with the awful Washington Nationals didn't have so much pressure, and to be honest, he's a one-trick pony. He's a great power hitter, but he's not a great base-runner, and he strikes out a lot and doesn't usually hit for a great average.

Miguel Tejada is another great player, but he is being wasted in Baltimore, and he'll likely get bored playing for an awful Orioles team. That will eventually affect his play and his fantasy stats.

Boston's Manny Ramirez will usually put up big numbers, but at some point his antics and problems will catch up with him and bring his fantasy numbers down. Look for that to happen this year.

Carlos Lee. Just like Soriano, Lee signed a big contract during the offseason when he joined Houston. Lee is expected to give a big boost to a rocky Astros offense, but he won't add as much as fantasy owners would like.

Pedro Martinez. Once again, Martinez's body broke down at the end of the season in 2006, and he won't be much help this season.

Play ball

 Pitchers and catches begin to report this week for Major League Baseball teams, and that means the interest returns for fantasy baseball leagues. We’ve got to have something to occupy our time until football returns, right?
 With the players returning to action (sort of) this week, it’s the perfect time to look at my top 10 players for fantasy leagues for 2007.
1. Albert Pujols. Really, is there anyone else to take first? Seriously, passing on him with the top pick would be like not taking LaDainian Tomlinson in your football draft.
2. Johan Santana. A pitcher this early? Yeah, I know, but this guy is too good to pass up.
3. Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod had the type of season last year that will make him drop in most leagues. Don’t let him slip too far. He’s going to have a huge year.
4. Jose Reyes. He does so many things, and that makes him almost as valuable to a fantasy team as his real team.
5. Ryan Howard. No sophomore slump for him last year. He has already been the NL Rookie of the Year and the NL MVP. Next up is greatness.
6. Chase Utley. He’s the best second baseman in the league and may be the best offensive second baseman since Ryne Sandberg. He’ll get even better this year even after getting a big contract.
7. Vladimir Guerrero. He still is probably the most talented overall player in the majors.
8. David Ortiz. Need a big hit? He’ll come through. And he has come through with big fantasy stats, as well.
9. Carlos Beltran. The center fielder had the year last year the Mets were waiting for. It continues in 2007.
10. David Wright. Yep. That’s three Mets in the top 10. Not good news for the Braves’ pitching staff and the team’s fans.

The next wave

After getting through the first 10 or so picks of your NASCAR draft, there are still going to be plenty of drivers available (actually, that's a running joke in most of the fantasy leagues I'm in).

Be careful with the next wave of picks because league titles can be won or lost based on those selections. Seriously, who would have thought Jeff Burton would be so strong last year, but if you had picked him, he may have helped you win your league.

With that in mind, keep these guys in your thoughts when you get through your top picks:

Kasey Kahne: With Ray Evernham running his show, he could be the next big name in the sport and this year could be his year to shine.

Dale Jarrett/Michael Waltrip: After jumping to Toyota, they both have something to prove, Waltrip that he can run his own team and Jarrett that he's not washed up.

Elliott Sadler: Like Jarrett, he struggled last year with Robert Yates Racing, but he needs to show he can rebound.

And then there's Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick. All of these guys are middle-of-the-road kind of drivers who could break out and have big years. Take a look at them if you have a chance to pick them.