FanHouse JustinDuchscherer

MLB Power Rankings: Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.

It's a funny thing, sometimes, to see how Power Rankings shape up over the course of the season. Just like when we started the year, there are a number of teams from one particular division sitting atop the rankings. Of course, there are plenty of surprises -- WHERE DID THE FREAKING GIANTS AND ROCKIES COME FROM?? -- and some other interesting stuff, like the fact that the Mets and Cubs just haven't been that good, which we discussed on the inaugural BaseCast recently.

MLB Power Rankings: Where we care what you've done for us lately when we break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world each week.

We're almost there. You can smell it in the air, can't you? That's right ... the NHL playoffs! Ha. I kid, of course. No one actually watches hockey (if it even exists). But people do get amped up for baseball, and the season is upon us. So, in that vein, we've got our final installment of preseason power rankings ready for your digestion. Play ball.

PHOENIX -- Justin Duchscherer is going to have arthroscopic surgery on his balky right elbow, most likely knocking him out of action for at least the first month of the season.

The A's haven't yet worked out the details on when or where Duchscherer will have the surgery and they won't know exactly how long he'll be out until doctors get in there and see what needs to be done. Typically, a pitcher would miss at least six weeks with even the most mild arthroscopic cleanup on his elbow.

Duchscherer, a two-time All-Star and the only pitcher in the A's rotation with any sort of successful track record, did not talk to reporters today, directing them to manager Bob Geren for comment.

"Anytime you lose a guy it's disappointing, especially a guy who was pegged as a possible No. 1 guy," Geren said.

A's ace right-hander Justin Duchscherer, a two-time All-Star and frequent visitor to the disabled list, suffered yet another setback today.

Duchscherer came out of a minor league game, his first competitive appearance of the spring, with elbow pain after 20 pitches, according to assistant GM David Forst.

Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through every major player on each team. Fantasy FanHouse is here to help with a quick once-over.

Meet the...
Most average team in the league. It's weird, because there don't seem to be many real weaknesses on team -- but can you really find a bunch of strengths? I hate the term "very average," but this team is pretty close to the mean across the board. As you scroll through ADP charts, you'll find the A's aren't often towards the top of the lists, but they are definitely there. As I said, average.

From now until the regular season begins, Fantasy Flings is where you'll find interesting story lines about your favorite teams from Spring Training. If there is a position battle, a nagging injury, a comeback story or a youngster making a surge for the "big club" we'll let you know the fantasy implications.

Los Angeles Angels
It turns out the Angels only rented Mark Teixeira for a few months. Now it's time to find a replacement. Kendry Morales tore up the Dominican Winter League to the tune of a .404 batting average with eight home runs and 29 RBI in only 26 games. He's also 6-17 through six Spring Training games. Nobody expects, or even asks, Morales to fill Teixeira's shoes, but the Cuban defector could blast 18 to 20 home runs and bat upwards of .280 if given full-time at-bats. He's a great late round fantasy draft flier in mixed-leagues and should be grabbed in AL-only leagues of any depth.

That's right, MLB Power Rankings. You do know that that means, right? It means we're only a few short weeks/months (depends on you how you want to look at it, you pessimistic jerk) from starting the 2009 baseball season. Spring is nearly here, everyone has a bounce in their step and there's not an illegal, injectable steroid in sight!

So without further ado, let's get down to business and rank every single Major League Baseball team right freaking now. Because baseball can't wait any longer to get going.

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

It's obvious that Billy Beane doesn't understand the concept of Footprints in the Snow. You see first, we tell major league GMs what they oughta do, then we predict what they will actually do. After that, the GMs go and do something nobody expects and they show us why they're running baseball teams and we're blogging about it.

Beane has the order wrong. He's not supposed to go and leave his footprints in the offseason snow before we write about it? What fun is that? But that's exactly what Billy did yesterday as he went and traded for Matt Holliday. So what you're about to read is a second draft done through the prism of the Holliday trade. Thanks a lot Billy. Next time, could you take better notes at our meetings?

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- Sometimes with trade rumors, it's just a matter of connecting the dots. The Dodgers have a scout in Tampa Bay for this week's Rays-A's series, and with Los Angeles tied with Arizona atop the NL West, you can bet he isn't there to check out Evan Longoria. Back in Tinseltown, manager Joe Torre announced his intentions to showcase give Andy LaRoche plenty of time at third base over the next few weeks.

Even considering Ned Colletti's apparent antipathy for young players, LaRoche is the one prospect who seems to have been jerked around the most. Oakland GM Billy Beane appears willing to deal just about any of his established big leaguers, and the Dodgers could use help just about everywhere. Reliever Huston Street is the obvious target, but shortstop Bobby Crosby and starting pitcher Justin Duchscherer could also end up on the move. LaRoche would be a more than handsome return for any one of those players.

- Brian Fuentes continues to be the hot commodity on the relief market. According to Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News, scouts from seven different teams have watched Fuentes pitch over the last few days, including almost all of the big boys from the American League. Fuentes gave up five runs in a loss on June 30 and since then has been utterly dominant, striking out 13 and walking none in his last seven appearances. Elsewhere, the Cardinals are reportedly stepping up their interest in Baltimore closer George Sherrill.

Before the 2008 season began, there were plenty of White Sox fans who thought the team would be better off having Josh Fields as their third baseman and trading Joe Crede. Considering how close Crede was to being traded to the Giants and Dodgers last winter, it's pretty apparent that White Sox GM Kenny Williams was thinking the same way.

Then the season started and Crede was at third for the Sox while Josh Fields was manning the position down in Charlotte. Well, even though Crede's defense has suffered in 2008 (he's already committed a career-high 19 errors which is likely due to his back), he still made the All-Star team for the first time in his career, and there's talk that the Sox may re-sign him this winter.

All of which makes Fields a little more expendable should the White Sox feel the need to add another starting pitcher to their rotation.

A source has indicated the Sox have been in discussions with ''more than one'' team about adding pitching help, either in the rotation or bullpen -- or possibly both -- and the major discussion is whether they dare part ways with minor-league third baseman Josh Fields.

According to the source, unless they are willing to part ways with Fields, there is no deal to be made. Basically, do they forfeit the future at third base to chase October glory this season?

The two pitchers whose names keep popping up lately in trade talks involving the White Sox are Toronto's A.J. Burnett and Oakland's Justin Duchscherer. If the Sox are to make a move, I'm guessing they'd prefer Duchscherer seeing as how Kenny Williams has a long trade history with Billy Beane, and Burnett is an overpaid injury risk that can opt out of his contract at season's end.