1   Hanley Ramirez - FLA

Ramirez’s 2008 performance certainly earned him Fantasy MVP honors.  His stat line of .301-33 HRs-35 SBs makes him the favorite for the number one overall pick in 2009.  Hitting leadoff did cause his RBI total to drop from 81 to 67, but he countered with career-highs in walks (92) and OBP (.400).  If Cameron Maybin evolves into a leadoff hitter, Ramirez can slide to the third spot in the order.  The move will cause the RBI total to rebound, but you may see less steal attempts and runs scored (125 runs in ’07 and ’08). 

2   Jose Reyes - NYM

Last year, Reyes produced 190+ hits and stole 50+ bases for the fourth consecutive season.  Batting leadoff has allowed him to average 678 ABs since 2005, giving him plenty of chances to pad the stats.  Reyes has a little bit of power; so 10-15 HRs are well within reach.   He’s a fantasy star in all formats, but his value really shines in leagues that count runs and hits.

3   Jimmy Rollins - PHI

A lingering ankle injury limited Rollins to 150 games in 2008.  The power numbers decreased, but he held his own in stolen bases (47).  Rollins is remarkably efficient on the base paths, posting steal rates of 94%, 87 %, 90%, and 87% over the past four years.  You might not see 30 HRs again, but 40+ SBs and 15-20 long balls would be just fine with any owner.

4   Derek Jeter - NYY

Although Jeter is a dependable option, there is a large drop-off after the big 3 shortstops are drafted.  For the third straight year, his production has gone down in all major offensive categories.  Jeter will give you a little of everything, but he won’t dazzle you in any other area except for average and OBP.

5   Stephen Drew - ARI

Drew’s offensive output took a gigantic leap forward in 2008.  After hitting 12 long balls in 2007, he blasted 21 HRs and hit .291 over 611 ABs.  He usually hit in the second spot (behind Chris Young and his .315 OBP), so his RBI total settled at 67, only 7 more than the previous year.  If Arizona can successfully slot Eric Byrnes or Felipe Lopez as the leadoff hitter (or if Young improves), Drew can see his RBI total jump up a bit.

6   Rafael Furcal - LAD

Furcal’s 2008 season was a lost effort.  He started off hot (.367, 3 HRs, 7 SBs in April), but a back injury caused him to play in just 36 games. Furcal’s only full season where he hit above .300 was in 2006, and he’s cracked 40+ SBs twice in his 9-year career (40 in ’00 and 46 in ’05).   A fully healthy Furcal is intriguing, but considering his injury issues; owners should anticipate mild results - .280, 10 HRs, 25 SBs.

7   Jhonny Peralta - CLE

Peralta hit 20+ HRs in three of the last four years.  Last year, he played in 154 games, which led to career-high marks in several categories (605 ABs, 167 hits, 104 runs, 89 RBI).  He cut the strikeouts down to 126 from 146 in ‘07, but that’s still a relatively high mark.  Peralta won’t return to the .292 AVE he had in 2005, owners should expect the mediocre .260-.270 pace he’s recently displayed.

8   J.J. Hardy - MIL

Hardy’s final line of .283-24-74 was productive, but he got off to a dismal start in April and May (.254 AVE with 2 HRs).  He eventually heated up and hit .311 with 13 homeruns in June and July.  Hardy finished with a career-high .478 SLG and .343 OBP, although he saw his strikeout total spike from 73 to 98.  Hardy is planted at the top of a powerful Milwaukee lineup, but owners have to be willing to deal with his streak-slump performance.

9   Michael Young - TEX

Young will move to third base so the Rangers can make room for prospect Elvis Andrus.  Last season, Young was hampered by a finger injury that helped cause the dip in offensive output.  He still managed to post 183 hits, but it broke a string of 5 seasons with 200+ hits.  A healthy Young can hit the double-digit HR mark, but repeating 20 homeruns is a long shot.  

10   Troy Tulowitzki - COL

Two separate injuries caused Tulowitzki’s season to fizzle and disappoint fantasy owners.  His homerun ratio plummeted from 25 ABs per HR to 47 and his average landed at .263.  Just to top if off, he was caught stealing 6 times out of 7 attempts and his strikeout rate increased by 30%.  Tulowitzki does hit in Colorado which gives him an edge over other middle infielders so a healthy year should produce at least 15 HRs.