Fantasy Preview by Position: Shortstop

Much like 2B, I try to go for average and OBP with runs and steals from the middle infield positions - and it seem's like this year's SS class is pretty deep.

1) Jose Reyes (NYM) - It's tough to choose between Reyes and Ramirez - you really can't go wrong with either. I give the nod to Reyes because he's got a better lineup behind him, and will steal a ton more bases than his counterpart. I have to think that the .280 batting average in 2007 was a fluke, too.

2) Hanley Ramirez (FLA) - Ramirez should see a spike in power numbers, as he'll hit primarily in the middle of the order for the Marlins this year. But the steals will take a major dip. He's also going to be missing Miguel Cabrera batting behind him, which is one less guy to knock him in. He'll go high in drafts this year, possibly even second - but I wouldn't go that high on him.

3) Jimmy Rollins (PHI) - Looking at the numbers between Rollins, Reyes, and Ramirez, I think this NL East SS competition should be closer than it's perceived. Rollins had the most runs, HR, and RBI of the three, and had a comparable OBP to Reyes, and fell right in the middle as far as batting average goes. I think he could repeat 2007's performance.

4) Carlos Guillen (DET) - I love Guillen this year - no wear and tear from playing SS, but he'll keep the eligibility. I've stated it several times, but there's going to be so many run-scoring opportunities in the Tigers lineup, and Guillen's going to be a big part of it. He'll top 100 RBI easily.

5) Derek Jeter (NYY) - Ol' Mr. Reliable. You know what you're getting with Jeter - a .320 batting average, triple digit runs, and close to a .400 OBP. Not much else though, really. He's drafted so highly because he's much more valuable on the field than his numbers show - however, that's yet to be a real benefit in fantasy baseball. He seems to string together more three hit games than anybody else I can think of though - and rarely slumps at the plate.

6) Troy Tulowitzki (COL) - Tulowitzki seemed to come out of nowhere after the All Star Break for the NL Champion Rockies. Is he for real? The Rox' lineup is deep, and he'll score a bunch of runs and knock 20+ HR.

7) Edgar Renteria (DET) - The second Detroit SS-eligible player in the top 10. Renteria bounced back nicely in 2007 to the tune of a .332 / .390 line for the Braves. I'm not sure where he'll hit for the Tigers - he's a typical #2 hitter, but that's Placido Polanco's spot - so I could see possibly batting 7th or 8th. He's still likely to be quite productive, even that low in the order.

8) Miguel Tejada (HOU) - Tejada's batting average came crashing way down last year, below the .300 line for the first time since 2003. His OBP was still at his career average, so the batting average may have been just bad luck on balls in play. RBIs and HR were down as well though, so unless he's prematurely entering the back end of his career, you've got to give him a mulligan and hope he's rejuvenated in Houston - still a losing situation, albeit a better one.

9) Rafael Furcal (LAD) - Furcal had an awful start in 2007, but was dealing with injuries. He only swiped 25 bases, and none of his other numbers were spectacular in the least. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he returns to pre-2007 status now that he's healthy.

10) Michael Young (TEX) - It's apparent that the days of 20 HR from Young are gone, but he can still get on base (.366 last year) and should knock in some runs hitting third in the Texas lineup.