In this popular, semi-monthly segment, we examine questions in regards to the Cubs that are literally burning in people's brains. Have no fear...we're here to provide the bucket of water to douse that fire, although I fear your burns may prove to be fatal anyway.

This week's question comes from Steve in Baton Rouge, La.:

I grew up in Baton Rouge, just like Ryan Theriot. I've been following his career, and he's the one ballplayer that I would love to have a beer with. That will probably never happen, so I pose this question: what is on Ryan Theriot's iPod?

We caught up with Ryan at the batting cage a few days ago. As one might guess, he is an avid user of the iPod, primarily when he's jogging or lifting weights with Mike Fontenot. Ryan was heading into the clubhouse for a team meeting, so he let us borrow his Nano in order to peruse it's contents (as long as we didn't use his ear buds).

Steve, I'm going to go out on a limb here and tell you that you do not share Ryan's musical interests. When we pulled up the Artists, only two were found; Conway Twitty and Mariah Carey. Believing that this could not really be the case, we checked his Playlists. There were numerous Playlists with titles such as 'Batting Practice Mix', 'Playstation Mix', 'Airplane Mix', and 'Christmas Mix'. We pulled up 'Batting Practice Mix' under the assumption that he had just been listening to it. Oddly, the mix was entirely composed of Conway Twitty songs. Upon further investigation, it seemed to be a collection of hits from Twitty's height of popularity in the late 1970's to early '80's. The 'Airplane Mix' was also strictly Twitty, largely pulled from his recordings on the MGM and Decca labels in the 1960's. The 'Christmas Mix' fared somewhat worse, as it was simply that Mariah Carey Christmas album from back in the 1990's.

We hope this answer was somewhat satisfying, Steve. Remember, everyone has their own musical tastes, and we should always be open-minded to recommendations by others.

MINNESOTA TWINS
2009: 87-76 (1st)

So Long: SS Orlando Cabrera, 3B Joe Crede, OF Carlos Gomez, P Ron Mahay, C Mike Redmond

Welcome: P Clay Condrey, SS J.J. Hardy, 2B Orlando Hudson, OF Jacque Jones, DH Jim Thome

Projected Starting Lineup
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Orlando Hudson, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Michael Cuddyer, RF
6. Jason Kubel, DH
7. Delmon Young, LF
8. J.J. Hardy, SS
9. Nick Punto, 3B

Rotation - Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Carl Pavano, Kevin Slowey, Francisco Liriano
Setup - Whoever isn't closing that day
Closer - Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain, Jon Rauch, Rick Aguilera, Jesse Ventura, Garrison Keillor, Jose Mijares

The Minnesota Twins seem to be viewed by the majority of baseball fans as a feel-good story, a small team with loyal fans duking it out with the league's big guns. They always go down swinging, and usually leave fans with a hell of a division race to talk about in the offseason. Hell, they've played two one-game playoffs in the past two seasons. That's insanity. So yeah, warm and cuddly, right?

Fuck that.

The Twins have a small fan base not just for their location, but because their team was for the longest time owned by a cackling farm forecloser who spent not a penny of his own money on the team and at one point offered to close shop to appease Bud "Does This Public Hair Look Ingrown?" Selig. They're now run by his son, who doesn't quite reach the Dr. Doom-ish levels of evil, but who decided that an outdoor stadium (IN MOTHERFUCKING MINNESOTA) wouldn't lose an unacceptable amount of money for the club - fans and players be damned. Good thing Target Field is replacing a plastic foosball stadium, or all of their 62 fans might be politely up in arms, like Lutherans get.


Luckily for them, the Twins have managed to stay a respectable franchise through all this. Their losses of Santana, Torii "Racial Guru" Hunter, and David Ortiz threatened to turn them into a latter-day Expos, though they likely aren't losing sleep over Ortiz these days. It's almost enough to make you suspicious of the whole Mauer signing. They built a stadium on the cheap (as these things go), signed a huge star, and then proceeded to make absolutely no improvement to a team that was clearly outclassed in the 2009 postseason. It's as if ownership decided to acquiesce to fanbase demands, like a parent buying a kid an early Christmas present, and Twins fans are now looking at a long, giftless holiday season for the next few years. I'm sure they're glad the star's locked up for a good decade, but J.J Hardy, Jacque Jones, and the reanimated corpse of Jim Thome aren't going to fool anyone into thinking the Twins contend for a pennant. And as a Cubs fan, I know what no roster improvement looks like.

No, around Lake Wobegon, the quiet pleasure of an early wild card exit usually quiets the locals. That and a steaming pile of disgusting lye-soaked whitefish.


PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: - Frostbite. At least until July, when northern Minnesota gets up to a scorching 62 degrees. There's nothing like jean shorts season in the Twin Cities. Atheists say it reaffirms their lack of faith in a just and loving creator.
Snidely Whiplash Award for Cartoonish Evil - Carl Pohlad (posthumous).


The guy made his fortune buying troubled assets after getting his start foreclosing the shit out of Midwestern farms throughout the Great Depression. Then he bought the Twins, they happened to win two World Series, and today he's described as "beloved" by New York newspapers who don't know any better. You have got to be shitting me.

While he didn't mind running the Twins to break even, he wouldn't spend a cent to improve conditions there. As part of that, he constantly threatened to move the team - notably to Charlotte, where no one paid his ranting any more interest than a needy big girl at a keg party - if he didn't get a new stadium. When that didn't work, he volunteered to contract the Twins as part of his billionaire hissy fit. Keep in mind that he was the kind of rich that Fortune tracks, and at the time, the richest man in baseball. George Steinbrenner was heard to remark, "well that's a bit dickish, isn't it?"

Gilded Bidet Award for Most Disgusting Hometown Cuisine - Every single thing.


Have you seen what these Norwegian-descended whackadoos eat out of free will? It's horrific:

• - Jell-O salads straight out of a nauseating 1950s American Gelatin Council cookbook.

• The aforementioned lutefisk, which reaches an 11 on the pH scale during preparation and will literally ruin silverware.

• Glorified Rice, via Wikipedia: "It is made from rice, crushed pineapple, egg, sugar, vinegar, flour and whipped cream. When served it is often decorated with maraschino cherries." Its appearance recalls the Stay-Puft Man applying a Cleveland Steamer to a grateful Twin Cities metro area.
  

Knockoff K-Mart Sneakers Award - Little Big League? Psh. Your child-related baseball movie is far inferior to our much more entertaining, much more memorable, child-related baseball movie. Even in terms of baseball, casting Timothy Busfield as a professional athlete was completely unrealistic.

DETROIT TIGERS
2009: 86-77 (2nd)

So Long: OF Curtis Granderson, 1B Aubrey Huff, P Edwin Jackson, P Brandon Lyon, 2B Placido Polanco, P Fernando Rodney, P Jarrod Washburn

Welcome: P Phil Coke, OF Johnny Damon, OF Austin Jackson, P Max Scherzer, P Jose Valverde

Projected Starting Lineup
1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Carlos Guillen, DH
6. Brandon Inge, 3B
7. Gerald Laird, C
8. Scott Sizemore, 2B
9. Adam Everett/Ramon Santiago, SS

Rotation - Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer, Nate Robertson, Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis
Setup - Joel Zumaya, Phil Coke
Closer - Jose Valverde

As you may recall, The Tigers lost the AL Central to the Twins in a classic 163rd game last season. What you may not recall is that the Tigers held the lead in the division since early May and finally pissed it away in that final game. So what does a team that should have easily made the playoffs do in the offseason? Trade away Curtis Granderson for a rookie pitcher & a prospect and sign Johnny Damon!

To be fair, General Manager Dave Dombrowski is stuck with some horrible contracts for 2010. How horrible? Look at this shit:

• Magglio Ordóñez, who had a paltry 50 RBIs last year: $18 million.
  
• Dontrell Willis, who's won 1 of the 15 games he's pitched in the last two seasons: $12 million.
  
• Brandon fucking Inge: $6.6 million
  
• Jeremy Bonderman, who pitched 10.1 innings last year: $12.5 million
  
• The Tigers still owe Gary Sheffield $13.6 million.

So signing Johnny Damon, who's coming off one of his best years, to a 1 year/$8 million contract is hardly the stupidest thing the Tigers could have done this offseason. But with Damon in the lineup, the roster looks like a pretty decent fantasy team if it were 2006.

With Verlander & Porcello at the top of the rotation, supposedly healthy starters in Bonderman, Robertson & Willis, and newly acquired closer José Valverde, the Tigers might be able to pitch themselves into contention in the most mediocre division in all of baseball if they stay healthy. Considering that Willis, Bonderman and Robertson combined for a whopping 14 starts last season, that's not very likely.

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: Parkinson's Disease. Why? Because their starting rotation looks kinda shaky.

The Prospect Most Likely to Crack Under the Pressure Award: Austin Jackson. The rookie has been tearing up the Grapefruit league and was the jewel of the Yankee's farm system for years before coming to Detroit in the Granderson deal. With his high batting average, exceptional speed on the bases and tons of praise from USA Baseball, Austin Jackson is a can't miss prospect. Sounds familiar...

The Mark Prior Award for the Pitcher Collecting a Ridiculous Amount of Money While Doing Nothing: tie. Bonderman & Willis combined for 44 innings & 1 win last season before their injuries (which I presume occurred as they were furiously jerking off while looking at their paystubs) ended their seasons.

CINCINNATI REDS

2009: 78-84 (4th)

So Long: IF Danny Richar, OF Willy Taveras, IF Adam Rosales
Welcome: OF Josh Anderson, P Jose Arredondo, SS Orlando Cabrera, 2B Miguel Cairo, P Aroldis Chapman, 2B Aaron Miles

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Drew Stubbs, CF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joey Votto, 1B
4. Brandon Phillips, 2B
5. Scott Rolen, 3B
6. Jay Bruce, RF
7. Ramon Hernandez, C
8. Chris Dickerson/Wladimir Balentien

Rotation - Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, Matt Maloney, (Aroldis Chapman)
Setup - Arthur Rhodes, Nick Masset
Closer - Francisco Cordero

An admission: I had all the best intentions of getting this bad-boy out by last Friday (when it was scheduled to be put up), but my non-EoC life took me by the metaphorical balls and twisted. Then, when I finally sat down to write this, I saw that somehow Bronson Arroyo is considered a #2 caliber starter and had to fight to keep my brain from exploding like John Cassavetes at the end of The Fury.

Once my cerebellum stopped trying to eject itself out of the back of my head, I took a cold hard look at this team. And it...really doesn't seem that bad. I mean, they've got a lot of decent young players like Votto and Bruce, and several vetarans that could still have some degree of ability left in the tank (assuming 35-year-old Scott Rolen's 87-year-old spine doesn't start acting its age, for example). I don't think they're amazing, mind you. But this is the NL Central. Pretty much any team (except the Pirates) could probably put together a run while the other teams are slumping and sneak into the postseason.

But god help them, they might have some problems with pitching. While checking on this team's roster, I spotted this article, which kind of points out that they play in a bandbox, and have a mostly flyball-focused rotation. Good luck on keeping balls in the park, guys. Especially after Dusty Baker has you all tossing 155 pitches a game.

I expect the Reds to hover around .500 this year, and maybe even post a winning season if they get a lot of breaks going their way. And frankly, as a Cubs fan, I think that's more than they deserve.

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: Addison's Disease. This insidious disease creeps slowly up on the sufferer, usually a member of the starting rotation, normally beginning with fatigue, dizziness, weakness, joint and muscle pain, and an inability to stand up. I believe it's name comes from where it was first sighted, at 1060 W. Addison in Chicago, between 2003-2006.

The "Mark Prior Award For the Player Most Effectively Destroyed By Dusty Baker": Gotta go with Aaron Harang. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like ever since Dusty brought him in to pitch four innings of relief on two days rest, he's gone from a "potential ace" to a "not too shabby pitcher." There's still plenty of time for him to go from there to "AA Pitching Coach."

The "Was It Worth Breaching the Embargo?" Award: Aroldis Chapman. A rumored 102-mph fastball, a decent slider, and a change-up that...exists, combined with control problems? Interesting gamble. Is he a superlative version of Carlos Marmol, or a Farnsworth that knows how to get his hands on some really good Robustos?

Today it was announced that Chad Tracy will be retained on the 25 man roster, at the expense of Sam Fuld, Kevin Millar, and Micah Hoffpauir. It's really no secret though that the decision came down to Tracy and Millar.

Let's break this down "don't want to do too much research" style:

Millar Pros: good 'chemistry' guy; can play 1B and corner OF positions; routinely played 130 games until he accepted a backup role with the Jays last year; title winner; greater OBP than Tracy; never really seems to get injured

Tracy Pros: can play 1B and 3B; younger than Millar; could lead the team in DL visits (wait, that should be a con)

Millar Cons: declining numbers (but still as good if not better than Tracy's dating back three seasons)

Tracy Cons: cannot play OF, handcuffing the bench further as Nady cannot yet play the field; technically younger, but has persistent injuries, including oblique and knee; has not played 100 games since 2006; red goatee

Maybe Hendry let Millar go because there's a job waiting for him with the Rangers. Perhaps they're not comfortable with Fontenot or Baker as a 3B backup if A-Ram goes down again. I honestly don't know, I was simply pulling for Millar. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments on who you would have liked to have made the final cut.

Kansas City Royals

2009: 65-97 (Tied for last with Cleveland)

So Long: 3B Mark Teahen, 1B Mike Jacobs, C Miguel Olivo, C John Buck, OF Coco Crisp, OF Josh Anderson, P Sidney Ponson, 2B Tug Hulett, RP Tony Pena, Jr., RP Jamey Wright, RP John Bale, RP Yasuhiko Yabuta, RP Doug Waechter, RP Juan Abreu

Welcome: C Jason Kendall, OF Rick Ankiel, OF Scott Podesdnik, OF Brian Anderson, SP Noel Arguelles, RP Jorge Campillo, P Edgar Osuna, OF Buck Coats, 2B Chris Getz, P Bruce Chen, IF Wilson Betemit, C Vance Wilson

Projected Starting Lineup pulled from rototimes.com
1. Scott Podsednik, LF
2. David DeJesus, RF
3. Billy Butler, 1B
4. Jose Guillen, DH
5. Alex Gordon, 3B
6. Rick Ankiel, CF
7. Alberto Callaspo, 2B
8. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

9. Jason Kendall, C

Rotation - Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, Luke Hochevar, Brian Bannister, Robinson Tejada
Setup - Juan Cruz, Kyle Farnsworthless
Closer - Joakim Soria

Growing up, my cousins lived in Kansas City and were big Royals fans, thus I've always harbored a soft spot for the team. I mean, who doesn't like George Brett? (Aside from Billy Martin anyway). I'm a big fan of Zack Greinke, who might just be the most exciting pitcher in baseball right now. If he had pitched for almost any other team last year, he might have won 25 games. Kudos to the writers for recognizing his superior performance last season and rewarding him with the Cy Young award despite his low win total.

Aside from Greinke, Soria, and Billy Butler, the Royals don't have a lot going for them this year. Their rotation after Greinke is serviceable, but not on the same level as the White Sox or Twins. They have a great closer, provided they can give him a lead to protect in the 9th. Despite the additions of Podsednik and Ankiel, the Royals' offense still looks a little suspect to me. The future does look bright, as the Royals have the 9th ranked farm system in the game. Personally, I wish they'd stop signing retreads like Scotty Pods, Ankiel, and Kendall and bring up more of their young guys to play. They do that and a few years from now, they might seriously contend for the division title, like the Rays did in 2008. And the powder blue unis kick serious ass.

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: - Anemia. The Royals started out strong last year, leading some to believe they would actually compete. As the season wore on, the Royals got progressively weaker until they eventually wound up tied for last with the woeful Indians. Maybe Rick Ankiel will provide a shot in the arm to the Royals this year. Or at least a shot to the buttocks.

The "Who's the Boss?" Award. As a child of the 80s, I remember watching the corny sitcom Who's the Boss?. The whole attraction of the show seemed to be whether or not Tony and Angela would ever hook up. (For me, it was waiting for Alyssa Milano to develop boobs. (She did, and then some.)). The question was always "Will they or won't they?" and the writers of the show drug the "suspense" out for years. For the Royals, that question is "Will 3B Alex Gordon ever live up to his potential?" and it looks like it might take just as long for Gordon to finally meet expectations as it took Tony to nail that WASP ass.

The "Lack of an Award" Award. I totally racked my brain, but the Royals were simply so bland that I couldn't think of anything else that would be remotely funny. All of I've got is that for some reason I like to refer to Billy Butler as "Billy Jack Bitch", which is a Prince song from The Gold Experience. As I have nothing else, here's Alyssa Milano in a Royals shirt.

I've been known to make the odd prediction or two in my days blogging baseball. It's just sort of what we do. For the last year or so, I've been trying not to do that anymore, because my predictions have the same accuracy as a sniper rifle fired by Helen Keller from a bouncy castle whilst in the depths of a model airplane glue binge. Apart from my usual fake-but-not-really yearly prediction that the Cubs are going to win the World Series in (insert current year here), I've made some crap serious predictions along the way. Just looking at last year's is enough to make my skin crawl.



On Geovany Soto: "Soto is one of the few home-grown Cubs to leave us with nothing but unrestrained optimism"

On Derrek Lee/Micah Hoffpauir: "We still hope [Hoffpauir] gets a chance to show what he can do this year. It can't be worse than 6-4-3 Lee."

On Angel Guzman: "He was an exciting prospect around the time I was learning to drink whiskey in the dorms. Will this finally be his year? No, it wont. But I had to ask."

So yeah, prediction's not my thing, despite some solid ones that snuck into the 2009 preview. But instead of running from it, I've decided that I'm going to own that shit. You'll now see monthly predictions, along with a recap of the season's predictive results so far. We'll gauge just how bad a Psychic Friend I am, and measure me against other EOC writers. It'll be fun. Or if not fun, at least monthly.

April 2010 Predictions


1. Soriano finishes the month with an average under .250, and proceeds to bitch about the fans at least once. This is too easy.
-John

2. My prediction is that Micah Hoffpauir is dealt to another team by the end of April. In a perfect world, it will be announced this week that Kevin Millar has won the final bench spot. The Cubs would then let Chad Tracy walk and send down Fuld and Hoffpauir. It's no secret that we could use a little more stability at the back end of the bullpen. Perhaps if we could trade Hoffpauir and possibly a minor league arm for someone like, say, Luke Gregerson, we could get simplify our OF logjam.
- T.R.

Welcome to the Friday Five. Each week the Exile staff will tackle various topics and come up with five things pertaining to it. The topics could be as relevant as the Chicago Cubs to as completely offtrack as food or music.

Amazingly we've had 3 weeks with topics all relating to the Cubs. Why stop now? Especially since we haven't written a thing all week regarding the team. So with Opening Day fast approaching, we thought about what our annual rituals are for this magical event. Is there anything special that we do that day? Where to watch it, what to drink, what to eat, what to wear, etc and so on....

This week's topic: What is your annual Opening Day tradition?

T.R.: During college, my Opening Day tradition was to skip class, buy a 12 pack of Coors Light, and boil some hot dogs (we did not have a proper grill in the dorms or my first apartment). I would soak in hour upon hour of baseball, usually starting off with the Cubs vs. Reds. Seems like they always played each other in the first series of the season. Now that I'm all grown up, it's much more difficult to throw a Monday away. Ever since I started working a "real" job, I've had to settle for Gameday Audio feeds of Pat and Ron. This year, however, I'm finally taking the day off for the hell of it. The Cubs are on ESPN, along with several other matchups throughout the day. I will sit on the couch in my own filth, and as the wife is on Spring Break, I will be waited on hand and foot. I will finally be gaining back some of my manhood.

John: My Opening Day tradition (besides the insistent capitalization) has remained the same for a few years. I head down to the park as quickly as I can shower after waking up (tickets already purchased and printed) with my brother, as baseball is one of the few things we both like that doesn't end in a dorky convention hall. I then worry about the weather while drinking pitcher after $7 pitcher at Salt & Pepper while the watiress stares rape-daggers at me.

All these questions and more, to be answered April 12, 2010. Fuck yes.

(Editor's Note: John understood this question to be about Opening Day at Wrigley when the rest of us assumed Opening Day of the Cubs' season.)

Goreo: My opening day tradition got fucked in the ass by the fact that I won't have any vacation time until November this year because of the recovery time from my back surgery. Usually I take opening day off and OD on beer, brats, and all the stuff I shouldn't eat anymore while watching as many games as humanly possible. The Cubs opener is paramount, but I will watch any other game that doesn't involve the Cardinals, the White Sox, or a Red Sox-Yankees matchup. The tradition will recommence Opening Day 2011.

Wolter: My opening day tradition (which I usually have to move to the first game I'm actually available to watch) is to completely blank my mind of all thoughts of the offseason - trades that shouldn't/should have been made, players that should have been red-tagged in Mesa, people who came back fat and stoned, etc. (it helps to have a pretty thorough grounding in Rinzai Zen meditation), then start a 30 pack of Old Style. If I can make it to the end of the 30 pack (usually this takes several games) before finding something to truly hate about this year's team, I consider it a good omen. Sadly, I usually don't make it to can #3.

Jake: First I put on some comfy clothes like an old hoodie and some sweatpants. Then I lock the doors and disconnect the phone so I'm not disrupted at all. Just before it begins I will go to the freezer and dig out that pint of Ben & Jerry's I bought the other day specifically for this special occasion (Either Karamel Sutra or Coffee Heath Bar Crunch). I also stock up on cherry flavored Crystal Light to drink after I finish the ice cream. Then I rush down to the family room, curl up on the couch with my cozy blanket and turn on the tv. Oh, I'm getting excited just thinking about it. Perhaps I'll do this again tonight...... What? Opening Day? I thought you said to tell you about my watching "New Moon" tradition. Ah, that makes more sense to blog about. Well, um.... Gosh, this is kind of awkward now.... Uhhh. (abruptly runs away)


Thank you to the Exiles who gave us a glimpse into their Opening Day traditions, no matter how disturbing they might be. Wanna share your Opening Day tradition? Feel free to discuss in the comments.

Have a topic for The Friday Five to tackle? Email it to us at exileonclark@gmail.com.

BOSTON RED SOX

2009: 95-67 (2nd)

So Long: OF Brian Anderson, OF Rocco Baldelli, OF Jason Bay, P Paul Byrd, SS Alex Gonzalez, SS Nick Green, P Hunter Jones, 1B Casey Kotchman, P Javier Lopez, P Takashi Saito, P Billy Wagner, 2B Chris Woodward
Welcome: 3B Adrian Beltre, P Boof Bonser, OF Mike Cameron, OF Bill Hall, OF Jeremy Hermida, P John Lackey, SS Marco Scutaro, P Brian Shouse

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Adrian Beltre, 3B
8. Mike Cameron, CF
9. Marco Scutaro, SS

Rotation - Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz
Setup - Hideki Okajima, Daniel Bard
Closer - Jonathan Papelbon

Boston. The land of milk and honey. Where the buffalo roam. Birthplace of aviation. The "Show Me" State. What can be said about Boston? A couple years back they were the team that America loved, the underdog, the East Coast Cubs. A bloody sock and a crappy movie starring Jimmy Fallon and a still fuckable Drew Barrymore later and now everyone hates them more than 3 year olds hate Milton Bradley's kid.

According to Chris Bahr of SportingNews.com, there are three important questions that face the Bo Sox this season, which I will answer in the form of Jeopardy answers.

1) Do they have enough offense? A: Who are Pedroia, Martinez, Youkilis, and Ortiz?
2) Who will be left out of the rotation? A: Can the Cubs have some of your pitchers?
C) Will Big Papi homer before June? A: Is Sammy Sosa white?

The Sox will again compete with the Yankees for the AL East's top spot this year. Just like last year and the year before that and the year before that. Wait didn't the Rays go to the Series one of those year? How quickly we forget the underdog. Can the Canucks or the non-Christian related Rays give them a scare this year? Sure, but either of those teams pushing Boston out of a wild card or division win is about as likely as another "Burning Cubs Question" post. In all seriousness though folks, we all know the Bo Sox can't win without this guy:

Am I right?

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: Middle Child Syndrome, or as we call it - Inferior Sox Anxiety Disorder. Yep, it seems that whether you're White or Red, either way you are playing second fiddle to a better team just North of your own. Combine that with the Box Sox always having to worry about a little brother in the form of the Rays or Jays beating them, you got a team with a serious emotional disorder. Sorry Boston, at least you have those great baked beans.

The Boston Rob from Survivor Award: Honestly, I didn't even know this show was still on until I saw my parents watching it last night. If you remember (hopefully you don't, or your just as ghey as I am), Boston Rob rode the coat tails of Amber in Survivor: All Stars all the way to final and then when he lost, he married Amber, the winner. This year, Dustin Pedroia was brought in after Boston let both Bay and Lowell go. Can Pedroia ride a wave of hitting this year that will bring him success? Red Sox nation sure hopes so.

The "Ghey Train Whistle Penetrating Sandra Bullock's Sprightly Vagina" Award: This is what happens when you have writer's block and ask your fellow Exiles for ideas. I don't know how I even come up with a recipient for this award, let alone someone in the Red Sox organization. Let's go with, I don't know, team GM Theo Epstein, who pulled a Hendryesque move by replacing five of the eight defensive positions from last year's starting lineup. Congrats, Theo, I'm sure you will be the first, and only winner of the GTWPSBSV Award!

Go Cubs!

Tampa Bay Rays

2009: 84-78 (3rd)

So Long: P Chad Bradford, OF Gabe Gross, P Jason Isringhausen, 2B Akinori Iwamura, P Troy Percival (retired), C Shawn Riggans, P Brian Shouse, P Russ Springer, C Gregg Zaun

Welcome: P Joaquin Benoit, 3B Hank Blalock, 1B Dan Johnson, C Kelly Shoppach, P Rafael Soriano

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)

1. Jason Bartlett, SS
2. Carl Crawford, LF
3. Evan Longoria, 3B
4. Carlos Pena, 1B
5. Ben Zobrist, 2B
6. B.J. Upton, CF
7. Hank Blalock/Pat Burrell, DH
8. Matt Joyce/Gabe Kapler, RF
9. Kelly Shoppach, C

Rotation - James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, David Price, Wade Davis
Setup - Dan Wheeler, J.P. Howell
Closer - Rafael Soriano

2009 was a disappointing season for the Rays. After making it to the World Series the previous year, they only managed to finish in third place. This year looks like it could be a return to form. They have arguably the best GM in the game today who has constructed a strong team supported by one of the best, if not the best farm system in the majors. This might be the last year they'll have the services of Carl Crawford since it seems pretty unlikely that they'll offer another big contract after shelling out for Jason Bartlett, B.J. Upton and Matt Garza, especially with Desmond Jennings waiting to get called up.  They may let Pena go as well. But in the meantime, no one is going anywhere.

In addition to the young bats, adding Soriano as a closer makes for an impressive collection of pitchers led by one of the best managers in the game: Gene Hackman. Unfortunately it's going to be another year having to best the Yankees and Red Sox to make it to the post season. It will once again prove to be a difficult climb to avoid landing in third place.

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: The Benjamin Button thing. Every year this team seems to get younger.

The Bristol Palin Raincoat Award: Matt Garza has been campaigning against teen pregnancy after becoming a dad himself at the ripe age of 17. Who has time for a kid with Magic: The Gathering and renaming all the players on Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball? Helllllllloooo Ladies!

Living in the Shadow Award : Carlos Pena (116) should easily eclipse Aubrey Huff's (128) total for the most franchise home runs. He led the majors for some time last year and ended up finishing in second place. Despite having a streaky tendency, he should continue his success this year hitting cleanup with protection from Zobrist.

TEXAS RANGERS

2009: 87-75 (2nd)

So Long: P Joaquin Benoit, 3B Hank Blalock, OF Marlon Byrd, P Eddie Guardado, P Jason Jennings, OF AndrUw Jones, C Ivan Rodriguez, SS Omar Vizquel, P Kevin Millwood, hitting coach Rudy "Savior" Jaramillo
Welcome: 3B Matt Brown, OF Endy Chavez, DH Vladimir Guerrero, P Rich Harden, P Colby Lewis, P Darren Oliver, P Chris Ray, C Mr. Misty May-Treanor

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Julio Borbon, CF
2. Michael Young, 3B
3. Ian Kinsler, 2B
4. Josh Hamilton, LF
5. Vladimir Guerrero, DH
6. Chris Davis, 1B
7. Nelson Cruz, RF
8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

9. Elvis Andrus, SS

Rotation - Rich Harden, Scott Feldman, Brandon McCarthy, Tommy Hunter, Colby Lewis
Setup - C.J. Wilson, Neftali Feliz
Closer - Frank Francisco

Things are actually looking up for the Rangers in 2010. Their offense is rock solid, so long as Bad Vlad, Ian Kinsler, and Josh Hamilton stay healthy. Nelson Cruz is an absolute beast (Why did the Brewers trade this kid?) and Michael Young continues to be quietly consistent. This team is built to drive in and score a lot of runs, led by speedster Julio Borbon at the top of the lineup.

As it has in the past, pitching will make or break the Rangers. Harden and the Nippon League dominator Colby Lewis give the starting rotation some depth and the back end of the Ranger bullpen is solid with Frank "Oakland Sucks" Francisco closing and the underrated C.J. Wilson setting up. As with the offense, if they're able to keep these guys healthy, they should be able to compete with any one.

The Angels took a step back this offseason, I personally feel like the Mariners are a mirage and the A's remain in their perpetual rebuilding mode that occasionally delivers a winning season every five years or so. If the Rangers can play to their potential, they might just finally wrest control of the AL West from Anaheim. Maybe.

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: -Elephantiasis. Like a disease victim's bloated ballsac, the Rangers look impressive on paper this year. Can they deliver on that promise or will the division once again belong to the Angels?

The "Waves of Emasculation " Award: Matt Treanor. Much like Casey Daigle, Matt Treanor wakes up every morning knowing that his wife is one of the top athletes in the world and that he is still a 4A player at best. On the plus side, he gets to bang Misty May. Cocksucker. Daigle and his wife, Jennie Finch, named their kid "Ace". Hopefully, the Treanors won't saddle any of their kids with names like "Backstop" or "Spike".

The "His Fatha's The District Attorney" Award: Vladimir Guerrero. Bad Vlad owns Texas. Period. The Rangers were smart to sign him, if only so he doesn't continue using Ranger pitching for batting practice. As their DH and occasional outfielder, Vlad has the potential to put up some big numbers now that he's calling Arlington home. Granted, he won't be able to feast on Ranger pitching anymore, but I still think he's gonna have a big year.

The "Say Hello to My Little Friend" Award: Manager Ron Washington. In the offseason, Washington revealed that he had tested positive for cocaine in 2009. I'm guessing he probably picked up the habit in 2008, when he had to deal with Milton Bradley. I didn't even coach the crazy bastard, but I felt like putting something up my nose every time I had to see that cocknugget in a Cub uniform. Kudos to Ron for choosing blow. I would have stuck a .38 up there instead and pulled the trigger until it went "click".

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
2009: 62-99 (6th)

So Long: P Matt Capps, P Jesse Chavez, P Phil Dumatrait

Welcome: P Brian Bass, P D.J. Carrasco, OF Ryan Church, SS Bobby Crosby, P Brendan Donnelly, P Octavio Dotel, 2B Akinori Iwamura, P Chris Jakubauskas

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Andrew McCutchen, CF
2. Akinori Iwamura, 2B
3. Garrett Jones, 1B
4. Ryan Doumit, C
5. Lastings Milledge, LF
6. Ryan Church, RF
7. Andy LaRoche, 3B
8. Ronny Cedeno, SS

Rotation - Zach Duke, Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf, Charlie Morton, Kevin Hart
Setup - Joel Hanrahan, Evan Meek
Closer - Octavio Dotel


Things are looking bleak for the 2010 Pirates. You have one pitcher in your starting rotation that finished last year with a record above .500 (Ross Ohlendorf and his stellar 11-10) and a closer that has 83 career saves in 11 seasons. The sad thing is, with the exception of Kevin Hart (so long, suck-ass), none of the other starters ERAs are that horrible. But mix 4-ish runs per game with a team that's offense finished dead-last in runs per game (3.95, but that includes the first-half of the season with decent talent), and you get a lot of losses.

As far as positives go, Andrew McCutchen is coming is coming off of a promising rookie season, batting just shy of .290 in 108 games. Unfortunately, what you have to worry about if you are a Pirates fan, is McCutchen continuing to do well. You see, the better this year, the more likely the Pirates are to get rid of him (and, as a group of Cubs fans that was on the receiving end of the Aramis Ramirez deal, the official stance of Exile on Clark is: GO McCUTCHEN!).

I really can't see the Pirates winning more than 65 games this year. Sure, they may start off quick and give everyone a little hope, but come June will crash faster than an aircraft carrying Roberto Clemente (too soon?). The best thing about the Pirates is the fact that they are in the Cubs division, which means FREE WINS!


PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: Autophobia, or the persistent fear of loneliness, of being alone, of solitude. Whether it be from the management (trading or releasing 13 players in 2009 that were there on opening day roster), or the fans (28th in attendance in MLB, ahead of only Florida (America's Wang Fish and Oakland (not popular since 1979), averaging 19,479 per game), there seems to be little love for the players on the Pirates. And it won't help when they find themselves alone again, at the bottom of the NL Central.

The Former Cub I'm Not Afraid Will Make Me Pissed At The Cubs For Getting Rid of Award: Ronny Cedeno. Despite this weird obsession Pittsburgh females over Cedeno, and Kevin Hart making a late run to steal the award, Cedeno prevailed in winning. Consider it a combination of a career .240 average, the 25 errors he committed in 2006 and that a majority of people felt he was the owner of the Mini Cooper found in the Cubs player's lot. That, my friends, is a recipe for disaster.

The 'Island of Dr. Moreau' Marlon Brando Award for Not Giving A Fuck: Ogden Nutting, owner. After the construction of their new park, this West Virginia?! publishing?!?!?! magnate?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (I imagine a William Randolph Hearst that dips and watches NASCAR) decided he no longer cared about performance but only about making money. That has to be a kick in the ass for the blue-collar crowd that would be willing to support a team if they saw management doing their part. I want to feel bad, but I was a fan of the Cubs throughout the 90s (though 17 consecutive losing seasons does take the cake, Encyclopedia Brown).

Just in time for your fantasy drafts this weekend and next, here is the latest update to my fantasy rankings I originally posted back at TMS. Some major revisions include adding a handful of players to position lists that weren't on previous versions (i.e. David Ortiz-1B, Ben Zobrist-SS, Gordon Beckham-2B). Also the RP rankings are updated to factor in Joe Nathan's elbow injury.

Updated: 3/20/2010

CATCHER

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Joe Mauer, MIN	16.	John Baker, FLA
2.	Brian McCann, ATL	17.	Carlos Ruiz, PHI
3.	Victor Martinez, BOS	18.	Miguel Olivo, COL
4.	Matt Wieters, BAL	19.	Kelly Shoppach, TB
5.	Miguel Montero, ARI	20.	Ramon Hernandez, CIN
6.	Russell Martin, LAD	21.	Rod Barajas, NYM
7.	Jorge Posada, NYY	22.	Jeff Clement, PIT
8.	Mike Napoli, ANA	23.	Buster Posey, SF
9.	Kurt Suzuki, OAK	24.	Jarrod Saltalamacchia, TEX
10.	Geovany Soto, CHC	25.	John Buck, TOR
11.	Bengie Molina, SF	26.	Ivan Rodriguez, WAS
12.	Ryan Doumit, PIT	27.	Carlos Santana, CLE
13.	Yadier Molina, STL	28.	Dioner Navarro, TB
14.	Chris Iannetta, COL	29.	Gerald Laird, DET
15.	A.J. Pierzynski, CHW	30.	Nick Hundley, SD

On the edge of the radar: Jesus Flores WAS, Taylor Teagarden TEX, J.R. Towles HOU, Gregg Zaun MIL, Chris Snyder ARI


FIRST BASE

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Albert Pujols, STL	16.	Derrek Lee, CHC
2.	Prince Fielder, MIL	17.	Carlos Pena, TB
3.	Mark Teixeira, NYY	18.	Billy Butler, KC
4.	Miguel Cabrera, DET	19.	Michael Cuddyer, MIN
5.	Ryan Howard, PHI	20.	David Ortiz, BOS
6.	Adrian Gonzalez, SD	21.	Jose Lopez, SEA
7.	Mark Reynolds, ARI	22.	James Loney, LAD
8.	Joey Votto, CIN	23.	Adam LaRoche, ARI
9.	Kevin Youkilis, BOS	24.	Jorge Cantu, FLA
10.	Justin Morneau, MIN	25.	Todd Helton, COL
11.	Pablo Sandoval, SF	26.	Chris Davis, TEX
12.	Kendry Morales, ANA	27.	Paul Konerko, CHW
13.	Victor Martinez, BOS	28.	Garrett Jones, PIT
14.	Lance Berkman, HOU	29.	Nick Swisher, NYY
15.	Adam Dunn, WAS	30.	Mark DeRosa, SF

On the edge of the radar: Nick Johnson NYY, Martin Prado ATL, Aubrey Huff SF, Russell Branyan CLE, Luke Scott BAL


SECOND BASE

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Chase Utley, PHI	16.	Placido Polanco, PHI
2.	Ian Kinsler, TEX	17.	Martin Prado, ATL
3.	Dustin Pedroia, BOS	18.	Clint Barmes, COL
4.	Brian Roberts, BAL	19.	Kelly Johnson, ARI
5.	Brandon Phillips, CIN	20.	Orlando Hudson, MIN
6.	Robinson Cano, NYY	21.	Maicer Izturis, ANA
7.	Aaron Hill, TOR	22.	Casey McGehee, MIL
8.	Ben Zobrist, TB	23.	Scott Sizemore, DET
9.	Dan Uggla, FLA	24.	Kazuo Matsui, HOU
10.	Gordon Beckham, CHW	25.	Luis Castillo, NYM
11.	Jose Lopez, SEA	26.	Mark Ellis, OAK
12.	Howie Kendrick, ANA	27.	Akinori Iwamura, PIT
13.	Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE	28.	Freddy Sanchez, SF
14.	Ian Stewart, COL	29.	Chris Getz, KC
15.	Rickie Weeks, MIL	30.	Felipe Lopez, STL

On the edge of the radar: Alberto Callaspo KC, Adam Kennedy WAS, Skip Schumaker STL, Luis Valbuena CLE, Eugenio Velez SF


THIRD BASE

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Alex Rodriguez, NYY	16.	Chris Davis, TEX
2.	Evan Longoria, TB	17.	Mark DeRosa, SF
3.	David Wright, NYM	18.	Miguel Tejada, BAL
4.	Mark Reynolds, ARI	19.	Alex Gordon, KC
5.	Ryan Zimmerman, WAS	20.	Jhonny Peralta, CLE
6.	Kevin Youkilis, BOS	21.	Casey Blake, LAD
7.	Pablo Sandoval, SF	22.	Martin Prado, ATL
8.	Aramis Ramirez, CHC	23.	Mark Teahen, CHW
9.	Chone Figgins, SEA	24.	Edwin Encarnacion, TOR
10.	Michael Young, TEX	25.	Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK
11.	Gordon Beckham, CHW	26.	Chase Headley, SD
12.	Chipper Jones, ATL	27.	Casey McGehee, MIL
13.	Adrian Beltre, BOS	28.	Scott Rolen, CIN
14.	Ian Stewart, COL	29.	Brandon Wood, ANA
15.	Jorge Cantu, FLA	30.	Garrett Atkins, BAL

On the edge of the radar: Troy Glaus ATL, Mike Lowell BOS, Andy LaRoche PIT, Brandon Inge DET


SHORTSTOP

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	16.	Everth Cabrera, SD
2.	Troy Tulowitzki, COL	17.	Rafael Furcal, LAD
3.	Jimmy Rollins, PHI	18.	Marco Scutaro, BOS
4.	Derek Jeter, NYY	19.	Erick Aybar, ANA
5.	Jose Reyes, NYM	20.	Jhonny Peralta, CLE
6.	Ben Zobrist, TB	21.	Orlando Cabrera, CIN
7.	Jason Bartlett, TB	22.	J.J. Hardy, MIN
8.	Elvis Andrus, TEX	23.	Clint Barmes, COL
9.	Alexei Ramirez, CHW	24.	Maicer Izturis, ANA
10.	Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE	25.	Cristian Guzman, WAS
11.	Yunel Escobar, ATL	26.	Edgar Renteria, SF
12.	Stephen Drew, ARI	27.	Luis Valbuena, CLE
13.	Miguel Tejada, BAL	28.	Cliff Pennington, OAK
14.	Alcides Escobar, MIL	29.	Brendan Ryan, STL
15.	Ryan Theriot, CHC	30.	Juan Uribe, SF

On the edge of the radar: Ian Desmond WAS, Yuniesky Betancourt KC


OUTFIELD

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Ryan Braun, MIL	31.	Raul Ibanez, PHI
2.	Matt Kemp, LAD	32.	Michael Bourn, HOU
3.	Carl Crawford, TB	33.	Denard Span, MIN
4.	Matt Holliday, STL	34.	Alex Rios, CHW
5.	Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS	35.	Johnny Damon, DET
6.	Justin Upton, ARI	36.	Alfonso Soriano, CHC
7.	Grady Sizemore, CLE	37.	Jay Bruce, CIN
8.	Jayson Werth, PHI	38.	Nyjer Morgan, WAS
9.	Jason Bay, NYM	39.	Jason Kubel, MIN
10.	Curtis Granderson, NYY	40.	Carlos Gonzalez, COL
11.	Adam Lind, TOR	41.	Julio Borbon, TEX
12.	Ichiro Suzuki, SEA	42.	Brad Hawpe, COL
13.	Andre Ethier, LAD	43.	Carlos Beltran, NYM
14.	Nick Markakis, BAL	44.	Michael Cuddyer, MIN
15.	Nelson Cruz, TEX	45.	Ryan Ludwick, STL
16.	B.J. Upton, TB	46.	Vladimir Guerrero, TEX
17.	Shin-Soo Choo, CLE	47.	Juan Pierre, CHW
18.	Bobby Abreu, ANA	48.	Rajai Davis, OAK
19.	Carlos Lee, HOU	49.	Chris Coghlan, FLA
20.	Ben Zobrist, TB	50.	Corey Hart, MIL
21.	Torii Hunter, ANA	51.	Vernon Wells, TOR
22.	Manny Ramirez, LAD	52.	Franklin Gutierrez, SEA
23.	Adam Dunn, WAS	53.	Nolan Reimold, BAL
24.	Shane Victorino, PHI	54.	Cody Ross, FLA
25.	Andrew McCutchen, PIT	55.	Dexter Fowler, COL
26.	Hunter Pence, HOU	56.	Mark DeRosa, SF
27.	Josh Hamilton, TEX	57.	Drew Stubbs, CIN
28.	Carlos Quentin, CHW	58.	Garrett Jones, PIT
29.	Nate McLouth, ATL	59.	J.D. Drew, BOS
30.	Adam Jones, BAL	60.	Juan Rivera, ANA

On the edge of the radar: Nick Swisher NYY, Jason Heyward ATL, Lastings Milledge PIT, Brett Gardner NYY, Mike Cameron BOS, Delmon Young MIN, Jack Cust OAK, Kyle Blanks SD, Marlon Byrd, Magglio Ordonez DET, Travis Snider TOR


STARTING PITCHER

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Tim Lincecum, SF	41.	Scott Kazmir, ANA
2.	Roy Halladay, PHI	42.	Carlos Zambrano, CHC
3.	Zack Greinke, KC	43.	David Price, TB
4.	CC Sabathia, NYY	44.	Clay Buchholz, BOS
5.	Felix Hernandez, SEA	45.	Edwin Jackson, ARI
6.	Dan Haren, ARI	46.	Ted Lilly, CHC
7.	Justin Verlander, DET	47.	Randy Wolf, MIL
8.	Adam Wainwright, STL	48.	Mark Buehrle, CHW
9.	Jon Lester, BOS	49.	Jorge De La Rosa, COL
10.	Johan Santana, NYM	50.	Kevin Slowey, MIN
11.	Chris Carpenter, STL	51.	Rick Porcello, DET
12.	Cliff Lee, SEA	52.	Jonathan Sanchez, SF
13.	Josh Johnson, FLA	53.	Hiroki Kuroda, LAD
14.	Josh Beckett, BOS	54.	Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS
15.	Javier Vazquez, NYY	55.	Derek Lowe, ATL
16.	Yovani Gallardo, MIL	56.	Aaron Harang, CIN
17.	Ubaldo Jimenez, COL	57.	Tim Hudson, ATL
18.	Cole Hamels, PHI	58.	Ben Sheets, OAK
19.	Tommy Hanson, ATL	59.	Ervin Santana, ANA
20.	Matt Cain, SF	60.	Jeff Niemann, TB
21.	Wandy Rodriguez, HOU	61.	Johnny Cueto, CIN
22.	Clayton Kershaw, LAD	62.	Andy Pettitte, NYY
23.	Ricky Nolasco, FLA	63.	Joe Blanton, PHI
24.	Jake Peavey, CHW	64.	Joba Chamberlain, NYY
25.	Chad Billingsley, LAD	65.	Wade Davis, TB
26.	John Lackey, BOS	66.	J.A. Happ, PHI
27.	Jered Weaver, ANA	67.	Phil Hughes, NYY
28.	Jair Jurrjens, ATL	68.	Joel Pineiro, ANA
29.	Scott Baker, MIN	69.	Francisco Liriano, MIN
30.	James Shields, TB	70.	John Maine, NYM
31.	A.J. Burnett, NYY	71.	Joe Saunders, ANA
32.	Matt Garza, TB	72.	Bronson Arroyo, CIN
33.	Brandon Webb, ARI	73.	Stephen Strasburg, WAS
34.	Roy Oswalt, HOU	74.	Kevin Correia, SD
35.	Ryan Dempster, CHC	75.	Randy Wells, CHC
36.	Brett Anderson, OAK	76.	Mat Latos, SD
37.	John Danks, CHW	77.	Scott Feldman, TEX
38.	Gavin Floyd, CHW	78.	Brian Matusz, BAL
39.	Max Scherzer, DET	79.	Brett Myers, HOU
40.	Rich Harden, TEX	80.	Ricky Romero, TOR

On the edge of the radar: Barry Zito SF, Chris Tillman BAL, Erik Bedard SEA, Brad Penny STL, Neftali Feliz TEX, Homer Bailey CIN, Paul Maholm PIT, Colby Lewis TEX, Gil Meche KC, Gio Gonzalez OAK, Justin Masterson CLE, Aaron Cook COL, Derek Holland TEX, Chris Young SD, Jeremy Bonderman DET, Kenshin Kawakami ATL, Jason Marquis WAS, Jon Garland SD, Brandon Morrow TOR, Clayton Richard SD, Jeremy Guthrie BAL, Ryan Rowland-Smith SEA


RELIEF PITCHER

RK	PLAYER, TEAM	RK	PLAYER, TEAM
1.	Jonathan Broxton, LAD	21.	Mike Gonzalez, BAL
2.	Mariano Rivera, NYY	22.	Frank Francisco, TEX
3.	Jonathan Papelbon, BOS	23.	Kerry Wood, CLE
4.	Joakim Soria, KC	24.	Leo Nunez, FLA
5.	Francisco Rodriguez, NYM	25.	Brad Lidge, PHI
6.	Heath Bell, SD	26.	Matt Capps, WAS
7.	Andrew Bailey, OAK	27.	Octavio Dotel, PIT
8.	Brian Wilson, SF	28.	Jon Rauch, MIN
9.	Huston Street, COL	29.	Neftali Feliz, TEX
10.	Francisco Cordero, CIN	30.	Jason Frasor, TOR
11.	Jose Valverde, DET	31.	Brandon Lyon, HOU
12.	Carlos Marmol, CHC	32.	Kevin Gregg, TOR
13.	Brian Fuentes, ANA	33.	Matt Thornton, CHW
14.	Trevor Hoffman, MIL	34.	J.P. Howell, TB
15.	David Aardsma, SEA	35.	Matt Guerrier, MIN
16.	Rafael Soriano, TB	36.	Phil Hughes, NYY
17.	Billy Wagner, ATL	37.	Matt Lindstrom, HOU
18.	Ryan Franklin, STL	38.	Ryan Madson, PHI
19.	Chad Qualls, ARI	39.	Scott Downs, TOR
20.	Bobby Jenks, CHW	40.	Michael Wuertz, OAK

On the edge of the radar: C.J. Wilson TEX, Joe Nathan MIN, Fernando Rodney ANA, Joel Hanrahan PIT, Chris Perez CLE, Takashi Saito ATL, Daniel Bard BOS