Team-by-team outlooks

If you ain't got pitching, you ain't got nothing. And, in this event, you would be the 2007 Washington Nationals.

Not only will this be the worst team in baseball -- yes, worse than the Royals -- it will also be the most difficult to watch. Behind a decent staff ace John Patterson is a pile of garbage bigger than that archaic bucket of bolts they play in.

Despite the best pitcher's park in baseball -- with that rotation -- expect a lot of 10-4 ballgames.

This could mean huge numbers for Ryan Zimmerman. Even Austin Kearns might finally break through as a Fantasy horse.

No ad available

What?

Well, Zimmerman is an emerging star and Kearns is 27. And when those 10-run games get out of hand, they will get some phat fastballs to hit as charity for having to play for a franchise that is sad-sacked in the big leagues right down through the minors.

Now, if only they could find 35-40 leads to get to solid young closer Chad Cordero, who will be the most frustrating of his kind in Fantasy leagues this season.

Spring position battles

Starting pitchers Nos. 2-5 -- Shawn Hill vs. Jerome Williams, Matt Chico, Tim Redding, Mike O'Connor, Garrett Mock, Beltran Perez, Michael Hinckley, Joel Hanrahan, Billy Traber, Brandon Claussen and Jason Bergmann

No ad available

What a mess. The only good news here is you can elect to ignore all of these options in Fantasy this season -- although, a June return by Claussen is really intriguing. O'Connor would probably have a rotation spot waiting for him, if not for an injury that will keep him behind other arms in spring training. Chico, Mock, Hinckley and Hanrahan are decent mid-level prospects that might be worth a look in really deep long-term keeper leagues.

Left, center field -- Ryan Church and Nook Logan vs. Kory Casto, Alex Escobar and Chris Snelling

Here are a couple of positions that might matter to us in Fantasy. Church and the base-stealer Logan are the front-runners heading into spring, but Casto and the oft-injured Escobar and Snelling have potential. Casto had to move from third with the development of Zimmerman, but spent all of last season in Double-A and could use some time in Triple-A. Church, an OPS hog, and Logan are the only ones really worth considering in deep mixed leagues on Draft Day.

No ad available

Opening-day first baseman -- Larry Broadway vs. Travis Lee, Nick Johnson

The only reason this is even a battle is because Johnson is expected to need April off in his recovery from a seriously broken leg, which required a metal rod being inserted in it late last year. Broadway has long been a prospect, but his power has not come around in the upper levels and he was unimpressive in winter ball. Lee can still pick it, but he's coming off his worst season offensively. Whoever starts on opening day will just be keeping the position warm for Johnson, who is an injury-risk sleeper on Draft Day. He might not get drafted in many leagues because of his slow recovery, but he should be worth owning in 95 percent of CBS SportsLine leagues by the end of the year.

Washington Nationals Outlook
Projected lineup Pos. Projected Rotation
1 Felipe Lopez 2B 1 John Patterson RH
2 Ryan Church LF 2 Shawn Hill RH
3 Ryan Zimmerman 3B 3 Jerome Williams RH
4 Nick Johnson 1B 4 Matt Chico LH
5 Austin Kearns RF 5 Tim Redding RH
6 Brian Schneider C Alt Mike O'Connor LH
7 Cristian Guzman SS Top bullpen arms
8 Nook Logan CF CL Chad Cordero RH
Top bench options SU Luis Ayala RH
R Alex Escobar OF RP Jon Rauch RH
R Chris Snelling OF RP Ryan Wagner RH
Rookies/Prospects Age Pos. 2006 high Destination
1 Kory Casto 25 OF Double-A Triple-A
Had to move for Zimmerman, could start in LF from Day 1
2 Shawn Hill 24 RH SP Majors Majors
Tommy John survivor will have rotation spot if healthy in spring
3 Larry Broadway 24 2B Majors Triple-A
No longer high-ceiling talent, but might start on opening day
4 Matt Chico 27 RH SP Majors Triple-A
Wide-open rotation could help him make quick rise this spring
5 Garrett Mock 21 OF Double-A Triple-A
With Chico, Livan Hernandez may net Nats two rotation pieces
Best of the rest: C Jesus Flores, 22; RHP Beltran Perez, WAS; RHP Collin Balester, 20; LHP Michael Hinckley, 24; RHP Clint Everts, 22; OF Frank Diaz, 23; SS Ian Desmond, 21; RHP Shairon Martis, 20.

You can e-mail your Fantasy Baseball questions to dmfantasybaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Nationals outlook in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.

No ad available